Dark Mirror X
7
Gringotts
"My direction is changing, which way – which way – can I go?"-©'85 Asia
Justin Finch-Fletchley woke up later that evening, and by the time Madame Pomfrey was done with him, he'd wished he hadn't. Dean was called to the Hospital, briefed on his boyfriend's condition, then went completely to bits. Once he'd calmed down, he asked for dinner there, and if Justin could try to eat. Madame Pomfrey was delighted.
"The sooner you get him up and out of here, the better!" She declared, summoning two plates from the Hall. "Nothing spicy, soft stuff only, no bread," she decided. She waved her wand again and started removing various life-support items. Justin howled. "That's a good sign," she observed. All the commotion woke up Dennis, who just sat up in his bed, looking anxious. She rolled her eyes, amplified her voice, and shouted, "POTTER!"
So it was, they all had dinner with Madame Pomfrey and a few other patients able to take solid food.
"All the time Harry spent in here, I don't think we ever had a dinner party," Ron mused.
"Well you all always did think it was a bloomin' hotel!" The Mediwitch complained, but her smile gave her away. "I suppose I'd better break out Potter's old bed, now that he's got that damn broom back!"
Harry smiled at her. It was always something, indeed: the fight with Quirrel, his deboned arm, the Dementors, any number of Tri-Wizard Tourney injuries, any number of things in Fifth Year. He tried to recall Sixth, but noticed Dennis.
"You're not eating," Harry informed him.
Dennis sniffled, picking at his food. "I feel stupid," he muttered. "I'm sorry I freaked out, Harry." Two tears rolled down his cheeks. "Stupid!" He repeated, balling up his fists and hitting himself on the sides of his head.
"Dennis!" Harry and Hermione, and a few others, exclaimed. Harry grabbed his right, and Hermione grabbed his left wrist. "Dennis," Hermione explained clinically, "The fact that you can cry is a good sign! Listen to me!" She tugged on his arm when he resisted, "I'd be more worried if you didn't cry and just went on your merry way as if nothing happened!"
"You're a tough kid, Denny," Neville then spoke up, sounding lost. He was seated by Cameron Avery's bed, and holding the unconscious boy's hand. "Tougher than most, I wonder. Why hasn't he woke up yet, Madame?"
"I don't know, Neville," Madame Pomfrey answered. "I've tried everything."
"Wh-wha's dat?" Justin mumbled, pointing at his plate.
"Mashed sprouts," Dean offered him a forkful.
Justin pulled a face, but accepted it.
"N-needs ch-cheese uh-and s-salt."
Dean wiped his mouth, as Justin's efforts only made the mess worse. "What's wrong with his hands, and why's he stuttering?" Dean asked anxiously.
"He's been down for nearly two weeks with serious brain trauma. Give his body some time to start working again. Just wait until his colon kicks in again!" Madame Pomfrey laughed. "Sorry, a bit of medical humor!"
Everyone gaped at her, so out of character. But they were mainly interested in Justin and Dean, and how tenderly Dean treated him. The expression on his face spoke volumes. Even Dennis relaxed and tried to eat a bit.
Neville made a small sound, setting his half-eaten dinner aside. "I think I know why this little one isn't improving," he offered, looking back at Justin and Dean. Then he looked at Harry and Dennis. "Two boys, equal situations. One comes out of it, one doesn't?" Everyone just looked at them. "You don't see it?"
No one did.
Neville smoothed Cameron's hair, then waved his wand over him with a charm to freshen him up. "He's got medical care, but that's all," Neville explained with a huff. "Don't you see it? This kid has no reason to wake up." He stared into Cameron's vacant, glassy eyes. "His world ended, and the only one to replace it was the nightmare of one he'd had here. First Year is supposed to be a magical time, the best one of your childhood, isn't it?" He asked.
"It was a hell of a ride for me," Ron offered, glancing at Harry.
"Sorry," Harry mumbled.
"But it was a good ride, don't you see?" Neville went on. "Uncle Algie took me to a Muggle theme park once when I was about nine. We rode a rolly-coaster! It was like the cars in Gringotts, and it was great! I vomited, of course, but that was all part of it. It was a wild, but fun ride." He touched the unconscious boy's cheek. "This poor kid's car went off the rails, and all he had was us to catch him. We failed him," Neville concluded.
"Tommy and Clay said he wasn't that bad," Dennis offered. "But he did what they told him...well, after he got punished some."
Madame Pomfrey sighed. "You're looking at the most punished Slytherin in his year," She confirmed. "As I recall, the Hat took a while with him."
"The Avery family were all Death Eaters, though?" Ron objected.
"Voldemort didn't take children," Hermione reminded him. "But I'd imagine he scared the hell out of him." They all blinked, as it was unusual to hear her curse so.
"D-did we win?" Justin spoke up, blinking rapidly.
"We won," Dean assured him.
"Did we?" Neville wondered, shifting Cameron's arms and stretching them. "Dean's been up here constantly, tending to Justin. Harry's hardly let Dennis out of his sight. But who's been taking care of Cameron, here? Has anyone been working his muscles or rolling him around?" He looked at Madame Pomfrey. "You can't just park him in a bed, hook him up to some tubes and bottles, and forget about him! Don't you lot see it? He's got NOTHING to come back TO!" Neville's voice rose. "For Merlin's sake! No one loves this kid anymore, and he knows it!"
"You think his lot would have treated Denny or Justin any better, had they won?" Harry countered. "He'll have somewhere to go, once Kingsley and the legal folks straighten out the Malfoy mess!"
"And do what?" Neville countered, "Lay in a bed there until he wastes away?"
"N-no, no m-more!" Justin protested, waving a floppy hand at Dean and his offered sprouts.
"I'd blame it on Wrackspurts," Luna offered, as she came on in. "Oh, hello Justin! I see you're up! Aren't they just the cutest couple?" She smiled, patting Dean's arm. Dean turned the color of his new wand. Luna then reached into her handbag, and pulled out a ridiculous set of what looked like Muggle 3D glasses. She came over and looked at Cameron closely. "Yes, his head's full of them," she diagnosed.
Ron made an indelicate sound. Hermione kicked his shin.
"I think he's right, Harry," Ginny whispered to him, "Denny would probably be just like that, if not for you."
"Well why don't you see what you can do, then, Doctor Longbottom?" Harry suggested, his voice dripping sarcasm. "If Madame Pomfrey can't..."
"Really?!" Neville cut across him, "You really feel that way about him, Harry? Is THIS what we fought a war for?" He pointed at the insensate child. "Is THIS what we went out and bloody well died for? Hell, wasn't it you that was talking, not two weeks ago, to not blame the children for their parents' mistakes?"
"If you're going to shout, take it outside," Madame Pomfrey interrupted. "In fact, the lot of you need to go. I've got to get the inmates settled for the night!" There were several groans and protests from the patients.
"Do I have to stay?" Dennis whined.
"If you can get out that door under your own power, GO!" She told him.
Dennis jumped up and fled.
Only Neville and Dean remained behind in Hospital: Dean going over a therapy program for Justin, and Neville just sitting quietly with Cameron.
Back in Gryffindor Tower, Harry decided that it probably wasn't a good idea to tell Dennis about his brother's recovered wand yet. He reminded him that they still had to visit the bank. Instead, he presented him with the new broomstick. "Madame Hooch tells me you were getting an 'Exceeds Expectations' in flying class?" Harry asked the shocked boy. Dennis just nodded. "You think you're up to a flight tomorrow?"
"All the way to London?!" Dennis squeaked.
"Yes, and we need to arrange some things with Bill Weasley, too," Harry added carefully. "It's up to you what to do with your house in Kent, and all that. We'll need to arrange it with the bank."
"You might want Bill to do all that," Ron suggested, "Until you settle this mess with the Goblins."
"Good point," Harry nodded. "Do you know if the Quidditch locker rooms survived the battle? I haven't looked?"
"The brooms were all stolen, but the building's still there," Ron replied, "The stands are going to have to be totally rebuilt, though."
"Let's go have a look, shall we?" Harry asked.
"Harry," Ron asked, as they sneaked on down under the Cloak, "Where'd you get the gold to pay for that stuff today?"
"I started a stash in First Year," Harry replied, "Hidden under a loose stone under my bed. I never spent much, you know."
"We used to stash stuff under our beds, too. You have to be careful, I mashed my finger that...one night," Dennis informed them. "Harry, I...I think we should go get my brother's trunk and stuff out of his room. It's up there, all alone."
"We'll do that," Harry assured him, as they arrived at the locker rooms. They all lit their wands.
The room was dusty and smelled of damp decay. There was a chill to it, and Harry almost expected Dementors. As he opened his old locker, some dust fell from the latch.
"Ginny said they didn't play last year," Ron informed them. "The Death Eaters thought it a waste of time."
"Wonder they didn't steal all this?" Harry wondered, picking out his old Quidditch gear. "Let's take this and freshen it up a bit, shall we? Find something for Denny to wear tomorrow," he found a pair of goggles and charmed them down to fit the small boy. "You want to go?" He asked Ron.
"Nah, I gotta go with George, starting on the new store, thanks," Ron declined. "Unless you think you'll need help fighting Goblins?"
Harry laughed. "I think we go with this," he nodded, gathering up all his old things. "I'm gonna miss playing," he sighed.
"Yeah, well jus' listen to Bill, all right?" Ron warned him. "Remember Griphook?"
"You two look utterly ridiculous!" Andromeda informed them at breakfast the next day. In fact, many heads had turned when Harry and Dennis had entered the Hall. "Have you even washed that thing?" She demanded, handing Teddy off to him.
"Yes, Kreacher cleaned it all up for us," Harry rolled his eyes.
"You'll scratch the baby with those whiskers," Molly fretted.
"And what are you supposed to be, Mr. Creevey?" McGonagall asked Dennis, barely suppressing a laugh.
Dennis was dressed in scarlet and gold Quidditch robes, gauntlets, boots, goggles up on his head out of the way, the whole nine yards. He looked like he was ready to step out onto the pitch. As he sat down, everyone saw the emblazoned "POTTER 7" on his back. Harry had charmed his old uniform to fit Dennis.
"We're gonna test out my new Thunderclap today!" Dennis crowed.
"Thunderclap?" Oliver Wood exclaimed, joining them at table, "Well, I'll make sure we at least get the hoops fully repaired for you, then!" He smiled, tapping on Dennis' helmet. "You gonna try out fer Keeper, then?"
"Harry made me wear it, I think it's silly," Dennis snorted.
"Smart boy," Gran Longbottom agreed, "Anyone seen Neville?"
"Hospital," Luna spoke up. "We're going to try some Gurdyroot tea with Cam today, see if he can take any."
"Bloody well kill him," Ron mumbled, and Harry snickered.
About then, the post owls began arriving. A very official looking one dropped a letter in front of McGonagall. "Oh, it's from Horace," she read, "Well, seems like Kingsley made him an offer he couldn't refuse! That's our Slytherin Head and Potions Master problems solved." She wrinkled up her nose. "Unused classroom to be converted into office space, split level, with living quarters?!"
"Oh dear," Molly cut in, shaking out the newspaper. Everyone grabbed theirs up or leaned over to see hers.
STREET BRAWL IN DIAGON ALLEY!
"Rita's at it again," Hermione exclaimed, shaking her head. "I think I need to have a chat with her."
"Luna, call your dad," Harry reminded her. "We're interviewing this evening, if he can. Tell him to quote me a price on new presses!"
"'Abuse of power, pretending to be an Auror'?" Ron gasped.
"'Witnesses claim that Harry Potter, dressed up in what appeared to be Mad Eye Moody's castoffs, along with Dean Thomas, assaulted and severely injured Zacharias Smith, formerly of Hufflepuff House,'" Hermione read aloud. She glared at Harry. "'All I did was ask him about the Draco Malfoy thing, and how his ward, Dennis, was doing,' Smith was quoted at St. Mungo's, 'Then he just exploded and began beating me!'"
"He's gonna think 'beaten'," Ron snarled. "Where's he live?" He ducked Hermione's swing at his head.
"So much for covering it up," Harry muttered, shoving his plate back. "Ready, kid?" He asked Dennis, who certainly was.
"I'll meet you there," Bill spoke up, "I'll keep him out of trouble, Mum," he whispered to Molly.
Once outside, Harry and Colin took to the sky. Bill turned on the spot and apparated away.
"Doesn't look too bad," Bill observed, as he met up with a very windblown Harry and Dennis on the steps outside the bank. "Nice to see the Alley being cleaned up so well!"
"I see you stopped at Honeydukes?" Harry asked.
"Runs in the family," Bill grinned. "Then I stopped by the store."
"Who's tending WWW now?" Harry thought to ask.
"Lee Jordan and a few others mates," Bill replied, as they started up the steps. "Bit slow, but it'll pick up when school starts!" He laughed.
"I wanna go!" Dennis piped up.
"When we're done here," Harry assured him, mumbling a few protective spells around himself and Dennis. Bill did the same, just to be safe.
"Let me do the talking, Harry. Like I tried to warn you with Griphook, remember? I deal with these blokes all the time," Bill reminded him. "Denny, you be quiet."
As they entered the foyer, Harry looked around. The bank was just as he remembered first seeing it seven years before. The damage had been repaired, and the Goblins were at their teller windows, going about business as usual. A security guard approached the trio, seeming not to recognize them. Then he took another look at Harry.
"Mr. Potter!" He gasped. "You probably shouldn't be here, sir!" He warned him. "Balfor and the lot are still really pissed at you!" He glanced at Bill and Dennis. "Oh, hello, Mr. Weasley! What brings you here?"
Dennis gave his key to vault 314 to Bill. "Got to check on this boy's new vault, deeded over to him in the Jugson settlement," Bill explained. "Might be a curse or three on it, I wonder?"
"Uh oh," Dennis squeaked, seeing a rather ugly little Goblin approaching them.
"How dare you, you liar, thief, and murderer!" Balfor confronted Harry, "How dare you show your face here!"
"That's far enough, Balfor," Harry warned him. "Don't approach any closer." He looked around. "Love what you've done with the place!"
But Balfor kept on coming. "Stop," Harry warned him, holding out his hand, palm out, "Or you'll be sorry!"
Balfor flew into a rage and lunged at Harry, who just stood there, smirking at him. The goblin pulled a jeweled dagger, but just as he was about to make contact, he froze and vanished into a burst of cyan light, leaving behind only an acrid puff of smoke and a burn mark on the floor. Everyone stopped what they were doing and just stared at them in disbelief.
"I warned him," Harry shrugged.
"Th-that you did, sir," the guard just managed.
"Bit of overkill, don't you think, Harry?" Bill asked.
"I would like to enter my vault, and his vault," Harry pointed at Dennis. "We have keys."
The guard flicked his wand, silencing the alarm. More came running, but backed off at the sight of Harry. "I, erm, well, I'm Rogers, pleased to meet you, Mr. Potter," he acted as if he'd offer his hand, but decided not to, glancing at the black scorch mark on the floor.
"What the...?" Another goblin began to ask, peeking up from behind the head teller's desk. "Oh, it's you! Come to wreck the place again, have we?" He grinned wickedly.
"If you'd like, but I really don't have the time," Harry shrugged. "Now, as far as damages, one would think that freeing you from bondage of Voldemort and the Death Eaters might encourage a bit of gratitude? Your bank is yours again, under Goblin authority, and as far as I see it, you're only out some labor time. Any competent witch with a wand could have done repair charms for a few days, and all's well again. Now, before we go into the tired old argument about stolen property, I would explain this you," Harry raised his voice, "You all listen up! How many of you were loyal fans of Voldemort?"
No hands went up.
"You're happier now?" Harry went on, as they all nodded. "Good. Now, get it through your thick skulls – when I broke in, it was to save you lot as well as Humanity. I took one and only ONE item, and destroyed it. It was necessary to get rid of Voldemort. I took nothing else, as I am sure your audits show. I've no interest in other folks' property. I am truly sorry for Griphook's death as well."
"We're not," the new head teller snorted, "Hornbeak," he introduced himself, and Harry saw that he was aptly named. "Stupid arse, he were."
"Bit of dissension in the ranks," Bill mumbled.
"Very clever, to enchant yourself," Hornbeak observed, "But I've no malice towards you, Potter. The Death Eaters certainly did nothing for me and mine, but lie and deceive and steal."
"Bringing us to the matter of the one item, and the Sword of Gryffindor," Bill cut in, "By now, you should all realize that the Sword cannot be held by any one person. Given that it is Goblin-made, you should appreciate the magic that drives it. One wonders why it chose to not stay with you, when Griphook captured it? As for the one stolen item, as Harry said, it had to be destroyed, having been corrupted by Dark Magic. Also, Harry has offered compensation for the labor in your repairs. What else do you deem acceptable recompense? We will hear your offers."
"It would be fair to display the Sword," Hornbeak agreed, "Although I'm not sure I trust the damn thing. Rumor is, it's been corrupted by Basilisk venom?"
"True," Harry nodded, keeping a firm hand on Dennis' arm. "It presented itself to me to kill the thing. I never asked for it, and I returned it."
"Keep it, it's more trouble than it's worth," Hornbeak snorted. Bill blinked. The rest of the goblins gasped. "I'll not see any more Goblin blood spilled over the silly thing. Besides, with Griphook and Bogrod gone, the line of them what created it to begin with are all gone. And the Sword did do some good, yes, I have to admit," he added grudgingly. "Killed the snake?"
"That were Neville," Harry supplied, "Yes."
"Well spoken," Bill nodded. "But surely you wish some compensation?"
"Many of the armaments displayed in Hogwarts are Goblin-made," Hornbeak explained, "Contracted over a thousand years ago by your Founders. They have now been used, as agreed."
"The weapons that are such, we shall give back to you," Bill offered, "After we humans make facsimiles that are normal weapons, similar in look."
"Acceptable," Hornbeak grinned, and Dennis flinched.
"And perhaps a plaque, honouring the names of the crafters, and how their skill helped win this war?" Bill added.
"Oh, very nice!" Hornbeak nodded, grinning wider. "And perhaps an increase in the conversion fees of Muggle to Magical currency? Ten percent?"
"Five," Bill countered.
"Nine!"
"Six."
"Eight!"
"Seven will do it?" Bill finished the haggle.
"Very good," Hornbeak nodded again. "You're certainly agreeable?"
"As are you," Bill nodded back. "And the favor of getting rid of your undesirables?"
"That was a big one," Hornbeak had to admit. "Can't say I'll miss Balfor, and it makes me Head Teller! But you do owe us a dragon!"
"No," Harry drew the line. "That was cruel. Think of another security measure. I'll be happy to pay for what you paid for the dragon, though."
"We don't value gold as you do, Potter," Hornbeak sniffed, and Bill nudged Harry. "But I hear that the Malfoy estate is being settled?" He rubbed his hands together.
"Let's get to it," Bill shrugged. "You'll want ten percent over the usual banking and settlement fees, and I'll haggle you to seven again."
"Agreed," Hornbeak shrugged, "Seven it is. And any Goblin-made artifacts in the Manor will revert to us."
"At your own risk," Bill added, "If they're cursed, that's not the Wizarding World's problem. We will not be liable."
"Agreed," Hornbeak smiled. "But that dragon ate a lot."
"I'll buy you a cattle ranch," Harry offered.
"Very nice! See? You wizards can be dealt with!" Hornbeak clapped his hands once. "Now, about that labor bill?"
Harry palmed his face. "Rails, a car, labor, lost dragon, anything else?" He asked Bill carefully.
"You were the ones what did it," Bill replied.
"How about an essay on how we broke in, so it can't happen again that way?" Harry offered. "I'm sure we can locate you some metals to fix that railway? And I'll pay for the damaged car."
Hornbeak clapped his hands again, nodding. So did Bill. "One more thing," the Goblin added.
"Present your request," Bill cocked his head.
"We have a few...distasteful...persons here who insist on having...relations...with humans," Hornbeak looked ill, "Should any of them conceive a hybrid child, we would demand that said child, if magical in a human sense, be admitted to Hogwarts just as a fully human child would – with rights to own a wand."
"Sir, that is beyond our jurisdiction," Bill replied. "But I shall have School Governors debate it, with the aid of Professor Filius Flitwick."
"And I shall support it," Harry agreed. He thought for a moment. "Register the children as human, and there's no problem? They are human, at least, half?"
"Acceptable," Hornbeak nodded. "You sure this little one isn't part-Goblin?"
"I don't think so, sir?" Dennis answered, as Bill nudged him.
"Well, as I believe this concludes negotiations for settlement?" Hornbeak offered his hand. "I see this boy has a key, and we have business to tend to! There's a fee, you know?"
"There always is, the standard one," Bill replied, looking at his hand. "And as a Gringotts Curse-Breaker, I assure you, I have no interest in the contents of the vaults," He presented his badge, "In a personal sense, that is. I am here to perform my job, and will turn any suspect objects over to you, should I find any. The rest, I will consider to be the property of the new vault-owner, as will you. No fee today."
They shook hands.
"Key, please," Hornbeak then asked. Bill handed it over. "Ah, 314, Jugson. Yes. Come along!"
Being a less secured vault, and on a higher level, the ride was short. As Dennis had never had one, though, he was quite keen to have another. "Stand back," Hornbeak warned them, putting the key in the lock and running a finger down the seam of the doors. The vault creaked open. "Not overly large, but large enough," the Goblin pointed out. "You may light your wands, and hover the lantern to see better."
Bill then got down to work, as the other three waited. "Typical," he snorted, as a flash of green light blew out of the door seams. "There's one." He then began casting spells in rapid succession. Flashes of varying colors of light went off in the vault. "Paranoid, I'll give him that," Bill muttered, "But not too smart. A trainee could bust into this thing!"
"We do not monitor what the lessees do with the vaults," Hornbeak informed them, "So long as the rent is paid."
There was a loud BANG! Bill put up a hasty shield. "Amateur," he snickered. "In this case, it's the quantity, not the quality of the Curses in here!" He turned around. "If you'd just walked in, you'd be dead by now," he informed them. He then did another scan. "That's it, if Hornbeak concurs?"
"Yes, you've got them all," the Goblin nodded.
"I thought you didn't keep track of that, you said?" Harry asked.
"I said we do not monitor it, but we do audit it later," Hornbeak grinned. "We are now free to transfer the vault," he clapped his hands, giving the key back to Dennis. "Place your palm on either door!" Dennis did that. "Mr. Potter, do the same, since you are his legal guardian." Harry did that. Hornbeak then mumbled something in Gobbledygook. Harry and Dennis both flinched, but their hands were stuck to the door.
"Give it a second," Bill said, as the doors lit up in white light.
"Very odd," Hornbeak observed, as Dennis yelped, pulling his hand back.
"It bit me!" He exclaimed.
"The door requires a drop of the new owner's blood," Hornbeak pointed out. "Your next question, Mr. Potter, is no – when you inherited your vault upon your parents' deaths, you carried their blood, as their heir. It knew you already. The vault is now yours, Dennis Creevey, and be advised, new keys are not cheap!"
"I can go in now?" Dennis asked.
"Yes? I said?"
"You're sure, sir?"
"Are you deaf?"
"No, sir."
"Don't you trust me?"
"Erm, no!" Dennis said honestly.
"I like this boy!" Hornbeak clapped him on the back.
"You can go in now, Denny," Bill told him, "Well done!"
Dennis walked in, wand lit, and they followed him. Harry levitated the lantern up, throwing a warm glow over stacks of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts.
The vault was nearly filled with coins, gemstones, and artifacts that looked quite valuable. "Can I take some?" Dennis asked.
"It is yours," Hornbeak reminded him.
Dennis' stomach growled. "I'm hungry," he said, as he scooped up a pocketful of gold and silver.
"What are you going to buy with all that?" Bill wondered. "The whole restaurant?"
"Is that a lot?" Dennis asked innocently, looking around at the comparative mountains of coins. "I feel like Scrooge McDuck!"
"Who?" Bill asked.
"What's this?" Dennis wondered, picking up a very ugly bronze helmet from a fine table of dark wood with gold inlays.
"Oh, that would be from the Rebellion of 1612!" Hornbeak gasped. "Very valuable! Quite historical! I believe the Ministry has been looking for one for ages!"
Dennis wrinkled his nose at it. "Do you like it?" He asked, and Hornbeak nodded. "You can have it, sir," Dennis offered it to him, "If you want it. I think it's awful!"
Hornbeak's jaw dropped. "You'd just give it to me?"
"Is that OK?" Dennis asked Bill.
"Well, we don't often give gifts to the Goblins," Bill pointed out. "He'll be obligated to give you one now, and that upsets them."
"You don't have to, sir," Dennis let go of the helmet. "I mean, what would I use it for?"
"You have a very rare boy here, Potter," Hornbeak smiled, putting the helmet on. It shrank to fit his head. "I don't know what to say? It's unprecedented!"
"Stylish," Harry complimented him.
"Why do you do this?" The Goblin asked.
"Because you helped me, and I like you!" Dennis smiled at him. "I don't see why we had all these problems?"
"You really don't expect, demand, want, or feel entitled to anything in return?" Hornbeak repeated.
"No, sir?" Dennis replied honestly. "I want you to have it, if you like it."
Hornbeak sat down, spilling over a pile of Galleons.
"Bill?" Dennis asked, "Is Mr. Hornbeak coming to audit or whatever...the weapons at school you said he could take?" Bill nodded. "Can you stay for dinner, and meet my friends?" Dennis asked him.
"Oh, I could get fired over all of this," Hornbeak fretted.
"We won't tell on you," Dennis grinned at him, "And you don't have to. Only if you want to."
Bill winked at Harry. Harry said nothing.
"I want to give this boy a gift, too," Hornbeak then decided. "A human child such as this should be protected, treasured even! Besides, he's just the right size!"
"Goblin gifts are unheard of," Bill reminded him. "What will your fellows think, sir?"
"They don't need to know," Hornbeak shrugged. He snapped his fingers, and what looked like a wrist-cuff of a chrome-toned metal appeared in his hand. It was without seam, did not open, and bore a large rectangular ruby almost flush with its surface. It was about twice as thick as a wedding ring, in depth, Harry thought, as he looked at it. It was broad enough to run from Dennis' wrist to a quarter of the way to his elbow. There were Runes etched on it, as well as words in Goblin language.
"You don't have to, sir," Dennis repeated. "But what is it? It's very pretty!"
"This is a Goblin Cuff of Protection, crafted by my family centuries ago from the finest silver and a bit of metallic ore taken from a meteorite, which they called a falling star," Hornbeak explained. "In fact, they called it the 'Star Cuff'. The ruby is your garden variety gemstone, although large, very common. It's the Goblin Runes you want!"
"Dennis," Bill advised, "It would be rude to refuse Mr. Hornbeak's gift. He wants you to have it, just as you wanted him to have the helmet."
"Is it safe?" Dennis asked.
Hornbeak laughed, a piercing, barking sound, and slapped his knee. "Oh, I love this boy! Khallovaar!" He swore, "He's ready to start work here already, he's so good! For you, child, yes, it is safe. I give you my word."
"I think that means a lot?" Dennis asked. Hornbeak nodded.
"Fine by me," Harry said, as Bill nodded to him.
Hornbeak put the cuff on Dennis' wrist, sliding it on over his hand, and it shrank down to fit him snugly. It was warm, and it tingled. It was also quite heavy. "The cuff will protect you from any Dark Magic, Dennis Creevey," Hornbeak explained, "So long as you wear it. No one can remove it, save for you. Just snap your fingers, and it will vanish. Snap them again, and it will reappear. It will never need cleaning, and will alert you to those with evil intent. The ruby will give you light in the darkness, and the Runes will always point you to a friend. It is yours, for as long as you live."
"Thank you, sir!" Dennis smiled at him. Then he hugged him. Hornbeak wasn't sure what to do about that. He patted the boy's back awkwardly. "I love it!" He sniffed. "I wish Colin was here to see all this." He sighed and sat down, staring around at all the treasure. "I'd trade it all to have him back."
"You don't care that much for treasure?" Hornbeak wondered.
"I cared about my brother, but he's dead," Dennis sniffled, but he did not cry.
"Sadly, I cannot help with that," Hornbeak told him. "No one can."
"Sir, what happens if someone tries to use Dark Magic on me, then?" Dennis asked.
"The cuff will repel it back at him, and unleash upon him tenfold what he wanted to do to you," Hornbeak shrugged.
"Now he tells us," Harry rolled his eyes.
"Now, if I know Goblins," Dennis said, running his fingers over the cuff, "When I die, it goes back to you, or your son, or grandson?" Hornbeak nodded. "Tha's cool!" Dennis smiled. "Thank you, sir! So, you coming to dinner?"
"This is a very strange boy, Potter," Hornbeak repeated. "I will, Dennis!"
"What do you like to eat?" Dennis asked.
"Goblins eat almost anything!" Hornbeak smiled, which was quite frightening to see.
"You want to stay here and audit your vault while we go to mine?" Harry asked, "I've never really explored it, either. Never had the time."
"The boy will be perfectly safe here," Hornbeak pointed out. "It's now his, no harm may come to him here. He may remove what he wishes, and the door will lock when he leaves."
"I'll stay," Bill offered. "Make sure there's nothing that I need to turn over to Mr. Hornbeak, as agreed."
Harry left with Hornbeak, and Bill and Dennis set in to auditing his vault. With Dennis' wand hovering over his head, and his cuff giving off much red light, it was like working in a photo darkroom.
"Denny, if this were Muggle money, you'd be a multimillionaire," Bill informed him. "You're a very rich little boy now."
Dennis looked confused. "Why'd they give it to me, though?" He asked.
"Because you were the one Jugson hurt the worst," Bill fibbed, "You don't remember some of it, it was so bad. You were unconscious for a while, sort of like Justin was."
"Oh," Dennis said very quickly. "Well, glad I don't remember it," he reasoned, "This nutter must have liked antiques," he picked up an old cedar box, trimmed all in gold, and opened it. "Wow, jewels!" Dennis said, as if he didn't care. Bill scanned it and declared it clean. Dennis dropped the jewelry box into his other pocket. Bill charmed them up so they wouldn't sag under the weight of the box and his coins.
They found things like rings, swords, daggers, shields, even a suit of armor. There were more stacks of coins, gold and silver bars, and even raw gemstones that just looked like rocks to Dennis. As he picked up a wicked hooked dagger, Dennis felt his cuff go cold and tighten. "This is Goblin-made," he said. "Mr. Hornbeak should get this."
"How do you know?" Bill asked.
"The cuff told me," Dennis shrugged, looking at some books. "Untersuchem auf Blut Magie"? Dennis asked.
"Oh hell no!" Bill spluttered. "Denny, stay out of the books until I let Harry see them, OK? Actually, I think we'd better bring someone like Professor McGonagall or Andromeda in here with you."
"OK, but I'm really hungry?" Dennis complained. "Can't we come back later?"
"This really doesn't mean anything to you?" Bill asked, and Dennis shook his head. As they walked back out, the door closed. Bill waved his wand over the tracks. "Car please!" He said.
A car arrived with a new Goblin. "Could you take us to vault 768, please?" Bill asked, and with a four level wild ride again, Dennis forgot he was hungry. They found Harry and Hornbeak just coming out.
"Some other time," Harry sighed, "Damn, that thing is huge! There's a grand piano in the far corner?"
"I'm rich," Dennis shrugged. "Oh well. Can we go eat now?"
"Very strange child," Hornbeak repeated, as up they went.
"You wanna come have lunch?" Dennis asked the Goblin.
"No, thank you, I've eaten already," Hornbeak replied.
"Oh, I nearly forgot!" Bill pulled out a parchment from his robe. "This is all the information on the properties left to Dennis by his parents' estate," Bill explained. "He has yet to say what to do with it, but we'll need Gringotts to get the process started."
Hornbeak looked the document over. As he was reading, Dennis looked at Harry. "I just want a few things," he decided. "My stuff, Colin's stuff, a few keepsakes. Mr. Hornbeak can sell the rest off and just put the money in my vault. I don't wanna go back there."
"Are you sure?" Harry asked.
"We weren't safe there," Dennis shook his head. "They had to hide Mum and Dad. If it wasn't fer Professor Snape, we might be dead, too. I...I never lived anywhere else, but...it's an empty house now. It's not home without them. I can't go back there. I don't want it."
"Nice place, in Kent!" Hornbeak mused, "Will fetch a nice price. Furnishings?"
Dennis shrugged. "Like the couch and stuff?" Hornbeak nodded. "Sell it." He thought for a minute. "Mr. Hornbeak, did the Goblins get it as bad as some of us did? In the war?"
"There were families who protested the Dark Lord, and they were...injured," Hornbeak agreed.
"You could use it for like, orphan Goblin kids, then?" Dennis suggested. "Whatever you want to do with it, sir. I really don't care," Dennis then turned to hide his face in Harry's overcoat. He was trembling. Harry held him until it passed.
As long as he can still cry, Harry recalled Hermione's words.
"I will deliver your personals, Dennis," Hornbeak assured him, "You are a very strange boy," he repeated again. "We could hide the house, as Mr. Potter's is, and use it for temporary lodging for disadvantaged families."
"Do that, and take 10% of it, then," Dennis sniffled, wiping his face. "You like 10%, don't you?"
"I do, indeed," Hornbeak patted his arm. "I will see you tonight, yes?"
"Yes, sir!" Dennis managed a smile for him.
And with that, they left.
"I can't believe you had a Fianto Duri on you!" Bill snapped at Harry. "If it wasn't for the fact that Hornbeak's been itching to off Balfor, and wanted his job, you could have started a bloody war! Are you mad?!"
Harry shrugged, as they headed for a new fast food stand: Muggle Munchies. "It would have been a short war," Harry said flatly.
Bill made an indelicate sound. "You're just damn lucky that high-ranking societal Goblins have a tendency to assassinate each other to move up!"
Dennis ordered a double chilli burger with onions and cheese, chips in ketchup, and a large fizzy drink. Bill looked at it and cringed. "This has got to be American food," he shook his head. "I can't believe you're practically giving Hornbeak your house, Denny?" He added.
Dennis didn't reply right away. Finally, he said, "He said there were Goblin kids out there as bad off as some of us. I bet no one cares about them, either." He pulled a small gold ingot from his pocket. The cashier gave him several Galleons and Sickles in change. "I couldn't lift the bars," Dennis shrugged.
Harry choked on his frankfurter. Bill pounded his back.
"I must say, you handled the Goblin well," Bill complimented him. "There were gold bars in there?
"All I did was be nice to him," Dennis shrugged. "Yeah, a stack of 'em behind that bookcase. Some old rocks, too. Why would you put a rock in the bank?
"No idea, but I was nice to him to the tune of about a half-million Galleons," Harry shuddered. "That's counting the gifts for Xeno Lovegood, too!"
"Did you ever get to 711, Sirius' vault?" Bill asked. Harry shook his head. "Pocket change," Bill shrugged. "Oh, and there's books and such in there that I don't want Denny to see, Harry. I think you'd best have Andromeda or Mum and Dad go through those. Jugson must have had an interesting career?"
"Shite, I borrowed a book from Malfoy," Harry remembered, "Guess it's mine now," he shrugged.
Dennis had finished his lunch by then, and was nodding in his chair when they heard a woman's voice, which reminded Harry of cats dancing on a blackboard.
"Harryyyyy Potter!" Rita Skeeter screeched at him, "I hear you've had a big day today, again?"
Harry glared at her and her acid green quill hovering behind her. "Rita, I have two words for you - Volucris Interneco. Remember them. And don't ever come near my child again. I will be doing my interviewing with Xeno Lovegood from now on."
Rita blanched. "Is that a threat?"
"No, it's a promise," Harry said through clenched teeth.
"I hear that Denny here is quite the young philanthropist?" Rita pressed on, as if she'd not heard him. "A Goblin lover? So just how much are you worth now, Denny?"
"Mr. Hornbeak is my friend!" Dennis informed her, "And my name is Dennis, to you! Now get lost, you nosy bitch!" He then got up and kicked her shin. Rita screamed. "How dare you? I'll have the Aurors on you for assault!" She threatened him.
"Yes?" Harry and Bill both pulled badges. "Kingsley brought mine the other day," Harry informed her. "Junior grade, in training. What can I do for you, Miss?" He grinned wickedly.
"You killed that Goblin in there!" Rita accused him, as her quill scribbled on.
"He committed suicide," Harry smirked. "He was warned."
"Just like Malfoy?" Rita persisted, ignoring Dennis now. It was her mistake, as she shoved past him. "It seems that people that don't like you are suddenly all dropping dead, Potter?"
"You leave us alone!" Dennis pulled his wand. "AVERTE STATEM!" He yelled, and Rita was blasted backward to land in an open rubbish bin. She peeked back up over the edge, wand in hand, as her quill scribbled it all down. "INCENDIO!" Dennis flicked his wand, setting the quill and paper on fire. The bin's lid came down and smacked her on the head. With a scream, she apparated out. But Dennis wasn't done yet. "SECTUM-..."
Harry cut across him, raising a shield and covering his mouth. He disarmed Rita, picked up her wand and snapped it, dropping the pieces on the ground. "Don't ever come near us again, Skeeter! Or I'll do worse than charge you with harassment!" Harry snarled. "Last warning!"
"I'll get you for this Potter – you and your little pup, too!" Rita snapped at him. Then her eyes went wide as she glared at Harry. She suddenly doubled over, twitching, then fell to the sidewalk.
Then Rita Skeeter began to scream.
Harry and Bill looked to see Dennis' wand pointed at her, but Harry's hand still over his mouth. The wand's tip was glowing red, as was the ruby in Dennis' Goblin cuff. Harry grabbed the wand, and pocketed it, just in time as Auror Proudfoot apparated in.
"What's going on?" He demanded. "One of the new Dark Magic Detectors we've laid in the Alley just went off – said a Cruciatus Curse were being used here, and some kind of banned Goblin magic in use?"
Harry handed him Colin's wand. Proudfoot checked it. He checked Bill's. He checked Harry's holly wand. He looked down at Skeeter's busted wand. "That woman attacked my Godson," Harry then said, and Bill gasped. "I admit, I shoved her. I was afraid for the boy's safety. She assaulted him."
"These wands are clean," Proudfoot handed them back. "Been banking, I see? Surprised the Goblins didn't try to murder you?"
"One did, he sort of … vaporized," Harry shrugged.
"Balfor?"
"Yep."
"Good riddance to bad management," Proudfoot shrugged, taking Rita into custody. She protested and spluttered, dripping garbage, her oversize glasses askew, as Proudfoot hauled her off. "Off all the gall, trying to Cruciate a little boy!" He growled at her. "Hope you don't mind waiting in jail a year for a trial! We're rather backed up, due to Harry's brilliant idea."
"Potter, you...you...EVIL FREAK!" Rita shrieked at him.
"Oh, sir?" Harry called after them, "You might want to have a large glass jar handy? You see, Rita's an unregistered Animagus. She's a ladybird beetle!"
"Damn you, Potter!" Rita shrieked at him.
Harry raised his wand. "Two words?" He reminded her. "Or perhaps a can of RAID, that the Muggles use?"
Rita closed her mouth, a look of rapt horror on her face.
"She was warned," Harry shrugged, turning to Dennis. He gave him back his own wand. "Where did you learn that Curse I think you were about to use?"
"In school?" Dennis shrugged.
"Last syllable?" Harry asked.
"-sempra."
"Do you know what it does?" Harry said slowly.
"Yes, sir?" Dennis replied coldly, pulling up his robe to show him a six inch long scar on his thigh that might have gelded him, had it been an inch higher.
"Oh, boy," Bill sighed, looking away.
"Can we go to WWW now?" Dennis asked. "You promised?"
Harry considered it. "Yes, we can, son!" He smiled. "That was some nice Hex casting, you know, Denny! I'm proud of you!"
"Harry!" Bill objected, "What's wrong with this picture?"
"There's no ice cream stand?" Harry guessed.
"I'm heading back to Hogwarts, right then? Stay out of trouble?" Bill said.
"Us?" Harry smiled at him, as Bill shook his head and vanished into a white swirl. Dennis was casting a Cruciatus, wordlessly, he fretted, Damn, what did those monsters teach these kids last term?
As soon as Bill Weasley arrived back at Hogsmeade, he went straight to the building that George and Ron were fixing up for their new outlet. He gathered up the rest of his family, then they sought out McGonagall, Andromeda, and the remaining professors who knew Harry well. Then they gathered up Harry's closest friends.
Bill told them the story, going so far as to copying his memory into the Pensieve for a 3D projection.
When it was finished, they all sat around the Head's office, stunned.
"How did Harry manage to place a lethal protective enchantment on his person?" Hermione gasped, "You can't do that in a place like Gringotts!"
"He anticipated trouble, and he was offering reparations," Bill reminded them. "He did warn Balfor,though, just as he warned Rita." Hermione didn't look satisfied, though.
"How long, do you think, Harry knew her secret?" Andromeda wondered.
"We figured it out in Fourth Year, when she was printing all that gossip," Ron spoke up.
"And you didn't tell anyone?" Molly gasped.
"It shut her up for a while," Ron shrugged.
"I don't like the idea of this Goblin's gift to Dennis, either," McGonagall put in.
"Nor do I," the portrait of Albus Dumbledore added. "But there seems to be no catch to it – it was a genuine gift, or rather, a loan – as we see it. Hornbeak seems to actually like the boy, although the Ministry will have fits when they find out about that helmet!" He shook his head. "If Hornbeak breaks the secrets of how it's enchanted to repel Goblin magic...?"
"You know, if we'd had a better History teacher, we might know things like this," Bill offered. "It didn't scan as dangerous?"
"Not to you, no," Dumbledore clarified, "And having a child running amok in the castle with a cuff on his wrist that cannot be removed, and can repel a Curse tenfold, and can summon Goblin aid in time of need, is something dangerous as well."
Bill looked thoughtful, "What if a Goblin curse hits it?"
"That," Dumbledore grinned, "Is why I can't believe he gave it to Dennis. It would repel the curse, of course, but being a Goblin thing, it could well wipe an entire regiment of Goblin soldiers – as well as anything else in its path when the curse turns. Now do see why Goblin Rebellions have always been so bloody?"
"And if Professor Binns had presented it like that," Dean added, "We'd have been interested and known it! Well, at least the boys. They love tales like that!"
"Seems like a stalemate to me, though," Neville spoke up, "Knowing how Harry feels about Denny now, and how the world feels about Harry? And they've got that helmet now? It'd be like mutual annihilation? Maybe Hornbeak was trying to...take out insurance, against any more problems? Is that the phrase?"
"But what bothers me," Hermione reminded them, "Is that Harry put a lethal ward on himself, knowing fully that he could be attacked. In fact, it was likely! And what he did to Rita? What DENNIS did to her?!"
"Apparently Denny learned well last term," Neville sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"But the fact remains – they did it!" Bill pointed out, "You've all just seen it!"
"I can see Harry yelling at her," Hagrid nodded, "Even threatening her. We all say things, yeh know. But with what she's done? She were warned!" He shook his head. "I can't see our Harry jus' goin' about murderin' folks!"
"He didn't kill Zach Smith," Dean put in.
"But would he, if you hadn't been there?" Bill asked.
"And there's no evidence he contributed to Draco's suicide," Andromeda reminded them, "Although, Merlin – it's terrible to say – I won't miss the little prat, but I do pity Cissy. Losing a child is just..." she left it hanging, adjusting Teddy's blanket.
"Let's not forget either, that you three withheld vital information to a crime," Arthur spoke up, looking at Ron and Hermione. "Unregistered Animagi are sort of frowned upon! What Rita did is exactly why! It was a compromise of security!"
"Be that as it may," Professor Sprout spoke up, "Did any of you notice what Creevey did? When Rita went down screaming? He was casting a wordless Cruciatus at her, and attempted a potentially lethal Sectum-I-won't-say-it curse at her, too! Now, don't take this wrong! I'm grateful for what Harry's done, yes! I feel for how his childhood was ruined, yes! But I have to admit, I was never so emotionally attached to him as the rest of you lot. Did he discipline Dennis for this? No. What did he do? Encouraged him, and rewarded him with a trip to WWW? A few years ago, and the boy would be spending life in prison for doing that!"
"A few years ago, he would never have known of it," Neville pointed out.
"But aren't we failing to take the psychological damage into account?" Madame Hooch offered, "I may be 'emotionally attached' to the both of them, prejudiced – even – since they're both such good flyers! But Denny's been traumatized!"
"Haven't we all?" Dean countered.
"It's hard to not use what you were beaten half to death with," Neville offered. "Denny's immature, impressionable – just like the rest of the younger kids. Do we get him a counselor, or just put him away, then?"
"My point," Sprout reminded him, "To me, he's 'Dennis Creevey'. To some of you, he's 'Denny'. Where you see a traumatized little boy in need of help, I see a potentially dangerous child holding a very large...gun? Is that the Muggle word?"
Arthur nodded. "So are we questioning Harry's ability to care for a child?"
"He tends to get upset and somewhat angry when he wants Teddy and he's not around," Andromeda added, I don't know about that, Arthur, but I think we've just learned what can happen if you cross him on that."
"It's not a secret how he feels about Dennis," Madame Pomfrey informed them, "Although I'd have never believed it before now."
"What you're all also overlooking," Ginny finally spoke up, standing, "Is that Harry never even knew what love was until he came here! And then, from what he's told me, the only concept of love that he had was what his parents did for him, Lily especially! Or what he saw in our house, when he was there on rare occasion." She looked at her parents. "Do you love him?" They both nodded. "But did you ever say those four words to his face? Has anyone in this room ever said, 'I love you, Harry!' right to him?"
No one said a word.
"It isn't the same," Ginny went on, her voice lower now, "If you think that a child as damaged as Harry can just observe it all around him, and get the idea, I think we've all made a huge mistake, then." She sat back down. "I hate to say it, but the more I think about it, I think our world's just been saved by someone with only a fraction more of the concept than Voldemort had."
"But Lord Voldemort was unable to feel love," Dumbledore reminded them, "Due to his conception under the influence of a love potion. He shook his head. "We're talking about polar opposites here, people. Love had been the very thing that has driven Harry's life forward, to this point."
"Did you love him, or were you just using him, Headmaster? If you did, as you seem to claim, did you ever tell him that?" Ginny asked.
Dumbledore didn't reply.
"What Harry may be projecting onto Teddy and Dennis is his own skewed perception of love, then," Andromeda theorized, "Or, he may just regard it as another source of power. Can any of us really define 'love'?"
"Or," Neville spoke up again, "He could be running on almost eighteen years of hurt, believing that anything opposite of what he knows is love."
"One has to admit," Hermione nodded to him, "Things are looking very suspect. I'm worried about Harry, and we need to keep an eye on him. But doesn't he deserve some tolerance? With all he's been through? With all he's done?"
"Maybe that's what he's counting on?" Bill countered. "You know kids, Mum? What does it look like to you? You let Ronnie get away with anything, when he was little, remember?"
Molly hesitated. When she finally spoke, it was very softly. "It looks like, from what we just saw, that the both of them are pushing the limits, seeing what they can get away with. You all did it!" She looked around at her remaining children.
"You never put bars on our windows, though, Mum," Ron said, "Or locked us up in a dark cupboard for days on end. I've been thinking..."
"Imagine that!" George laughed. Ron made a face at him.
"It was about something Harry said, right after the repairs started," Ron went on, "He said something like 'I will not let something like this happen again.' And well, it gave me a chill when he said it. And when I was teasing him about treating Dennis like he did Teddy, he got really...annoyed? It was the look on his face, really?" He looked around at them all. "For a minute, I thought he was gonna curse me, or hit me?" Ron reminded them. "You had to see it, I guess?"
"I still can't believe Harry would hurt anyone of us, wha' had a hand in bringin' him up, an' keepin' him safe," Hagrid repeated. "Tha's not the Harry I know!"
"The Harry you know, Hagrid," Sprout said, "Is a child who came to see you when he needed someone. You exposed him to our world, and he trusted you, so he came to you. But that child has grown up!"
"I think what we're getting at, Hagrid," Arthur had to agree, "Is that the Harry Potter we knew, or thought we knew, isn't that Harry anymore! Circumstances have forced him to evolve into someone else – perhaps someone that we no longer really know."
"So what do we do about it, then?" Ron asked them all, "Because you might not know it, but Harry's still carrying the Elder Wand!"
"Yes, it exists," Dumbledore confirmed it, "For those that didn't know. I find this highly disturbing, as Harry never showed any interest in things like the Philosopher's Stone, the Sword of Gryffindor, Time Turners, or the like."
"He said he promised Colin that he'd look after Dennis," Ron mumbled.
"What?!" Hermione gasped. "Ronald, as far as we know, the last time any of us saw Colin Creevey was in Sixth Year, and that was mainly in the Common Room, or in passing. Sometimes at meals, perhaps? But I noticed he wasn't so...exuberant? When would Harry have told him that?"
"Any time, if he used the Resurrection Stone," Ron turned to her, his face grim. "What if he went back to the Forest and found it?"
"He give Denny detention with me, fer sneakin' inter tha Forest," Hagrid nodded.
"Then that means his cloak is...?" George asked.
"THE cloak, yes," Ron nodded. "Turns out the bedtime story wasn't just a story."
"And Harry now possesses all three of the fabled Deathly Hallows?" McGonagall gasped, looking up at Dumbledore's portrait, "Albus, you could have let us in on this plan!"
"Too risky. It were bad enough, bringing Severus in on parts of it," Dumbledore replied.
"He had me fooled," McGonagall sniffed.
"Events would seem to show that I may have made a grave error," Dumbledore admitted, "Perhaps I have sadly misjudged Harry's character? I never imagined that he would keep the Hallows, much less use them! Well, the cloak, yes...I encouraged that one."
"You'd think that in ten year's time, you could have checked up on him, after dumping him with those awful Muggles," Molly accused him. "When Arthur was there that one time to collect him, he said they were the rudest people he'd ever met! What were you thinking, Albus?!
"I wanted to keep him as far way from our world as possible," Dumbledore replied.
"So what we've got on our hands now," Andromeda said, "Is a man raised without love, and also carrying around the most powerful weapons ever known to have existed? How do you deal with, much less – defeat – someone like that?"
"The same way I took the Elder Wand from Gellert Grindelwald," Dumbledore replied.
"Yeah, just how did you do that?" Ron asked.
"Even one who is invincible may be defeated, if he chooses to not defend himself," Dumbledore winked at him. "If you've read Rita Skeeter, you'll know that he and I were very close! Given the choice of killing me, or accepting defeat, he chose defeat."
"Pity the one to force Harry to make that choice!" Ron groaned.
"Indeed," Dumbledore sighed.