The dragon flew from Gringotts, the three wizards on its back triumphant.
Harry clenched Hufflepuff's cup in his hand, contemplating how to destroy it, with the Sword of Griffindoor's gone.
"Everyone!" Ron shouted. "Jump into the lake when the dragon gets close."
The three of them plunged into the freezing lake.
Harry paddled furiously to the surface.
Once on dry land, the three began to dry themselves off.
Harry looked up at Ron who had pulled out his wand. He pointed it at Harry.
"What the-" Harry began, before Hermione leaped on him, pinning him to the ground.
Ron's spell blasted overhead, exploding the trees it hit. Ron began to furiously blast spells, spells that Harry had never seen before, at Harry and Hermione. Harry tried to figure out why, when Hermione threw a spell at Ron, throwing off his feet. She quickly advanced on him, wand outstretched.
Ron apparated, vanishing.
Harry blinked.
"Hermione, what just happened why was Ron trying to kill us? Where did he go?"
Hermione turned to Harry, beaming. "Who knows where he's gone, he's gone. He's left." She practically giggled. "He lost, he failed, I won." She twirled.
Harry gaped. "What just happened, what do you mean he failed?"
She looked at him. "His contract expires tonight, that's why he tried such an outright attack."
"But why did he try to kill me?"
She gave Harry a pitying look. "Oh, Harry, he hasn't just tried to kill you tonight, he's been trying to kill you since you two have met. I'm an agent from the top agency in the wizard world, assigned to protect you." She looked at his thunderstruck expression. "It's a… well, it's an agency thing, it's… uh, how can I explain this. Well, you know the time he… no that's no good, well you see-"
Harry put up a hand. "Start at the beginning."
She sighed. "It started a while ago, when an eleven-year-old assassin named Ronald Tarniss, you know him as Ron Weasly, accepted his first assignment: kill Harry Potter. With that, he did a memory modifier on Arthur and Molly Weasly, so that they would think he was there son and hopped aboard the Hogwart's Express…