The Detour to Reality

by Lancelot47

Harry and Hermione find themselves in a new world, a world where their life story is only a fictional account, but they were not the only ones to crossover, a lunatic followed their footsteps. DH Spoilers. Harmony.

10. Chapter 10

For disclaimer see first chapter's notes.

HPHGHPHGHPHGHPHG Equals scene break

Thanks to my Proof reader:Tumshie and Dave.

Chapter Ten

After half an hour sorting through the stones that used to make the wall, Draco sank on to his haunches in disgust. He never played with Muggle toys like building blocks so he had no idea how to rebuild the wall. If only he had his wand, but no, the damn thing was broken. He looked around wondering where the old man had vanished to. He noticed the ice on the ground and the snow falling around him. It began to dawn on him that he was not cold. He began to panic as he realised that he had been changed somehow. He was wearing rags that offered little protection against the elements and yet the biting cold was not affecting him at all. He wondered what was in that potion he had been given.

Forgetting his task for now, he got up and entered his destroyed bedroom through the hole in the wall and searched for the remains of his wand. He found the remains of the wand on the floor beside the head of the bed. He carefully gathered the fragments together and went to the main room of the shack. He felt a calling towards a corner of the room by the door and went over to explore the area with the wand fragments still in his hands.

He found a pile of sticks lined up against the wall. They all appeared to be sturdy and about three feet in length. The strange thing was that the sticks were all different woods ranging from what he was familiar with such as Ash or Oak to woods he had never seen before. He wondered where they had come from as he had seen only hardy bushes up on the mountain. He figured that the old man used them as walking sticks as they looked quite sturdy.

He noticed that one of the sticks was calling to him it was a gnarled black stick of an unknown wood about three and a half feet long. He felt magic tingle in his arms when he picked it up. He turned and walked over to the table and placed the stick and his wand fragments on the tabletop. Knowledge, that was not his own, flowed through him. In a daze he grasped the stick and elongated a fingernail. He rotated the stick studying it, when he found what his newly found knowledge was looking for he stuck his elongated black nail into the stick and split it in to two halves.

He then scraped out the centre of both halves with his elongated fingernail and then carefully placed his wand fragments inside one half. He accidentally nicked his finger on a sharp point on one of the wand fragments. The blood flowed freely from the wound as he placed the two halves back together. He left the stick on the table with the broken wand fragments now inside the stick which was liberally marred by his blood. He found what he was looking for beside the fire. He took down the three lengths of leather cord and went back to the table. He carefully wrapped the two short lengths around both ends of the stick in a binding. The third longer length he wrapped around the middle. When finished he came out of his trance and noticed that he was bleeding and promptly passed out at the sight of his own blood.

After a period of time he came to and groggily got to his feet. The bleeding finger had stopped. He absent-mindedly put out his right hand and the black stick leapt into his hand with a smack. Draco looked at his hand in shock but smiled as the stick felt like a wand in his hand. He went back into his bedroom and a memory of his first week in Hogwarts came back to him about how magic was driven by intent.

At the time he thought that it was a stupid belief but he wanted this damn job done. He watched with a massive grin as the stones leapt at the hole in the wall and resolved into a solid wall. Once done Draco looked around his room with contempt. With a thought the stick started vibrating in his hand. The room began to change, the old rickety bed was replaced by a wrought iron four poster bed with snakes wrapped around the four posts in decoration. A magical Sleep Right model, one of the best replaced the rickety old mattress.

Acromantula silk replaced the shoddy itchy bedding. He then waved his wand and large fabric tapestries appeared on the wall, depicting magical stories of Draco's pre Hogwart's days. A deep green shag pile carpet appeared underfoot totally covering the stone floor. The rickety door made of planks of wood morphed into a heavy Oak door of Georgian architectural design. The doorframe and jamb morphed to accommodate this new door set.

With a flick of his stick the rest of the furniture in the room were now copies of the suite of furniture in his bedroom back in Malfoy Manor. After surveying the room he smiled at the acceptable accommodations that he now felt were adequate to his status in life. Suddenly feeling exhausted he lay down on the silk covered mattress and promptly fell asleep his new magical stick pulsating magical energy beside him.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Gornuk looked on in dismay as the Death Eaters flooded into the tunnel network. The normal security measures such as The Thief's Downfall did not work as they were meant to highlight someone trying to sneak into the bank. But the Death Eaters were not trying to sneak in they were attacking as a vast army. All ready the security Wizards assigned by the Ministry of Magic to the bank had all been killed in action.

The Ministry did not trust the Goblins with the Ministry's coffers so had ordered that part of the security contingent consisted of Wizards. The mining carts were all off the rails lying around the tunnel like discarded toy cars. The Death Eaters were firing the killing green of their damn curses ahead of them as they moved deeper into the bank in alternating waves. The three retreating dragons trod a team of Goblins that were trying to set up a barricade at the first track junction underfoot.

The Dragons blasted through the junction as if it wasn't even there. The riders were unseated very early in the fight and trod underfoot. The Dragons which had beenraised in captivity from when they were hatchlings and were retreating to the place of their birth.

Goblins were being ordered to the front line to stop the Death Eaters in their tracks. The Goblins had not installed any booby traps on to the tracks, as they never guessed that anyone would walk the miles of tunnels to get to the higher security vaults below. From their understanding of wizards they thought that the patrons of the bank were very lazy and thus they installed the mine carts. The decision was made that the carts would travel very fast for security and monetary reasons.

The Death Eaters had stopped their advance when the tunnels branched out in to six tunnels. The Goblins were not naïve enough to think that their barricade in the junction had stopped the Death Eaters in their tracks. It was obvious to Gornuk that the Death Eaters had stopped advancing for a reason. That reason became clear when a bald-headed wizard with red eyes came to the front of the throng of Death Eaters. Two unfortunate Goblins were summoned off of the barricade and put under the wizards mind control. The Goblins did not retaliate by firing at the wizards as they had learnt that the Death Eaters could easily blow through the barricade, and the brief respite gave them a chance to bring up greater numbers of reinforcements to hopefully overwhelm the Death Eaters.

Gornuk looked on in dismay as the two Goblins were set to work opening vaults and deactivating the security measures upon them. He was furious but knew that they could not fight the compulsion of the wizard's mind control spell. He turned to one of his subordinates and demanded that the dragons be rounded up from below and sent to the front line, because the deeper the Death Eaters got in to the bank the more vaults they would empty. He did not like fighting a retreating battle.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

While studying for his N.E.W.T. exams Bill Weasley saw an advertisement in the paper for a job that offered grand adventure and high rewards. The job was as a curse breaker for Gringotts, Goblin Bank. When he contacted the Goblins to indicate his interest they told him that the job was based in Egypt.

After thinking about his situation and after realising some hard home truths he decided that it was a very good move to get out of England. He was shocked when he realised how domineering his mother was and was glad to be out from under her thumb. The following few years were very exciting and rewarding.

He was delighted to see that his brother Charlie followed in his footsteps and got a job he enjoyed in Romania looking after Dragons. The pay was very good, the job was very exciting and trying to beat charms cast thousands of years ago in the Egyptian tombs was very challenging and rewarding work.

Even though the muggles thought that they had found all the tombs in the country there was still many magically hidden tombs still to be discovered. One summer when he was home at the Burrow for holidays he bumped into Professor Dumbledore. While he was there Dumbledore convinced him to take a transfer back to the London branch of Gringotts and join the Order of the Phoenix due to the rise of the Dark Lord, Voldemort.

He followed Professor Dumbledore's advice; the fact that he was seeing Fleur Delacour helped his decision along as well. He had bumped into the delightful young witch when he was called back to London for some additional training in Goblin ward detection after finding a very old Goblin tomb in Egypt.

The Goblins felt that he needed the extra training and it was a sign of his worth to the Goblin nation that he was the first Wizard to be trained in the Goblin arts of Warding. He had met Fleur in the tunnels under the bank, he was heading to lunch after a gruelling training session and hadn't showered yet as he had to return to his quarters as Goblins had different needs to Wizards.

Fleur was rushing to an important meeting and was going too fast to see in the dim lighting of the tunnel, they collided at a narrow junction of the tunnel network. Fleur turned her nose up at the stench of sweat as she looked up at the idiot that had caused her to end up on her backside. Bill apologised and helped her up.

Fleur muttered under her breath about savage Englishmen as she rushed to her meeting. Bill sighed as he tracked her journey before heading to his lunch. The next time they met was under much more pleasant circumstance, Ragnok's son was getting bonded to his life-mate so a large banquet was held.

Bill was dressed in black Tuxedo trousers and a fine black robe cut like a Muggle Tuxedo, a white dress shirt complete Bill's expensive wardrobe for the night. He attended because he was Gringotts premier curse breaker and his large salary paid for his clothes even though he preferred much more comfortable and simpler clothes.

For most of the night it was very bland and boring for Bill until he saw her. Very few Witches and Wizards were invited to attend and Bill was the youngest by far until he laid his eyes on a vision of beauty in a strapless silver cocktail dress. He groaned when he realised it was the witch he had crashed into earlier that week.

That night she was pleased to be able to dance with a young wizard as the rest of the witches and wizards were all over ninety. It was only near the end of the night that she realised that she had danced the night away with the idiotic smelly Englishman. As they had a very poor first impression of each other Fleur actively dimmed her Veela charms so Bill was shunned like a leper at first but he slowly won her over.

After a few months the banter turned flirtatious. From there it evolved into a heated romance, so when Professor Dumbledore suggested he join the Order and work in London he saw it as an opportunity to be with Fleur.

Bill had learnt a lot about his girlfriend Fleur; she was a very strong willed young woman and loved the fact that Bill was among the few men that were not affected by her Veela charms, especially when she tried to use it to get her way, such as getting the last cup of coffee from the coffee pot at breakfast.

When questioned on it she had responded that when she realised that she was smitten, it was more than just her Veela charms that he was responding to, so she felt safe and in love so she decided to explore these feelings with him. The only other two men not to be affected by her Veela charms according to Fleur were Victor Krum and Harry Potter. Fleur explained that Veela were not affected by the mind arts so any Obliviate cast in her direction could never work.

Victor Krum had become one of the premier seekers in the world through his single-minded focus on his training and refining his skill sets on a broom. To aid him in his endeavours his trainer suggested he learn Occlumency. By the time of the Tournament he was quite proficient in the art. The only lapse in his impeccable shields occurred during the last task of the Triwizard Tournament, before the task he had consumed some butterbeer, the drink made him feel quite queasy, but he decided to compete any way as he thought it was down to nerves just before the final task.

His shields were so badly affected that he was an easy puppet in the maze. After the dust had settled he had sought out the French Champion to apologise for his actions, even though he was not in control of his faculties. He was deeply ashamed of what his body had done while his mind was locked up.

It was only by Merlin's will that the puppet master had only ordered him to knock Fleur out of the competition and not something more sinister. Fleur had discovered that Victor had an almost similar problem to her with the opposite sex; he had too many fan girls simply because he was world famous in Quidditch circles.

The two Champions were surprised that they had something in common and became good friends out of the ordeal. Victor was gracious when he learnt that the French witch had only platonic feelings for him. He lamented the fact that he had met two fine Witches that had already had their hearts snared by others. Hermione by one Harry Potter and Fleur had not yet met her other half but Victor realised that he was not Fleur's other half.

When Bill quizzed his girl friend on the enigma that was Harry Potter the answer he received was startling.

'I remember meeting the famous Boy-Who-Lived; while all the other boys were lusting after me he was not, for he had only eyes for one of his classmates. Then the Headmaster had noticed and suddenly Harry was like the rest, lost in lust after my Veela charms and ignoring his heart's desire. I found this very puzzling but set it aside to win the Tournament.

That year I noticed a very strange series of events involving another member of the Golden Trio the girl, Hermione Granger. It would appear that Harry and Hermione became a couple and broke it off at least five times that year, a most puzzling situation because after each break up it seemed that they were not affected at all by the break up, but I knew deep down that they were madly in love with each other by their subtle caring for each other. I know how deep the affection between them was because I caught them cuddling out by the lake at Hogwarts many times during the year.

When outside influence is held at bay, Harry's very strong moral code allows him to see me as the woman I am and not the Veela seductress everyone else sees. This is all too rare in a man, just like you are my love.'

After sharing her thoughts, Bill was consoled as Fleur leaned in to kiss him thoroughly.

The Goblins were quick to notice the love blossoming between Bill and Fleur and as long as it did not affect the smooth running or security of the bank, they allowed it. Gornuk was called into Ragnok's office and was informed that the couple was being assigned to his department and that they, were to be fully trained to Goblin warrior status.

No explanation was given but Gornuk was no fool he half expected Bill to be put through the training after Bill had completed Goblin warding training but, Fleur being trained as well, Gornuk had a clear idea of what Ragnok was up to. Ragnok did not trust Dumbledore and wanted to break his hold on one of the best curse breakers Gringotts had ever seen.

Gornuk had wondered why Bill Weasley would ask for a transfer that resulted in such a massive drop in wages. It went against standard Goblin thinking. Gornuk called for the lead trainer and handed the stunned Goblin his orders from Ragnok. He gave a small private smile after witnessing the shocked expression on the trainer's face.

The training was gruelling and the Goblin trainer assigned to Bill and Fleur was stunned that the couple had managed to get through the gruelling physical and magical combat training. All the other security wizards had dropped out after a week due to being highly unfit.

It was unheard of to put a Witch and Wizard through Goblin warrior training, let alone for them to make it through it to qualify. Ragnok was pleased, he knew that Dumbledore was frustrated that the mole he had planted was not working as planned and was now slowly beginning to see the truth and think for himself.

When the alarm went off Fleur and Bill were in the training rooms beside the banquet hall. The couple raced towards the tunnel network to meet up with their squad. Even though the couple had finished training over six months ago they spent an hour every day sparring, just for fun.

The situation report painted a very bleak picture; Death Eaters were in the tunnel network and systematically emptying any vaults they came across. Reports came in that they had stopped them at junction seven, but Bill knew that the Death Eaters could punch through at a moment's notice because they had already punched through a fair few barricades already.

The large numbers of Death Eaters and the fact that from reports it would appear that Voldemort was also at the bank, meant that before long they may overwhelm the Goblin security forces. Bill agreed with Harry's views on the Dark Lord and that it was stupid to fear a name so took up the practice of uttering the name and so far no ill will had befallen him yet.

Bill bumped into his Squad leader Gornuk as he reached the barricade. The first thing Bill did after getting the situation report was to start laying down some nasty curses and vile wards he had come across in his tomb raiding days in Egypt. Fleur covered Bill as he worked diligently on his matrix of curses and wards across the floor of the tunnel junction. He noticed that the Death Eaters were getting restless and had parted to allow a cloaked figure to pass to the front.

The cloaked figure panned his wand over the floor all the while hissing sibilantly. Bill's eyes widened at the speed that the other wizard had defeated his curses. Bill fired off a reductor at the cloaked figure's head hoping to buy some time. Bill's eyes widened in shocked surprise, as the reductor seemed to freeze about a foot from the figure's head.

The frozen curse then reversed course and Bill dived out of the way. The curse impacted the tunnel roof showering Bill with stone chips. The cloaked figure's hood fell to reveal Voldemort's pale head. Fleur realised that a direct attack would fail so sent a curse at the roof of the tunnel above Voldemort, no one cursed her boyfriend and survived if she had anything to say about it. The roof exploded and showered the Dark Lord with shards of stone.

The raining rubble bounced off of an invisible spherical shield. The Dark Lord smiled as a sickly pale green curse left his wand heading for Fleur. Bill was only five feet from the French love of his life and without thinking tackled Fleur to the floor while rotating his body to take the impact of the incoming spell.

Fleur looked shocked as she stared into Bill's pain filled eyes as it felt like liquid fire was coursing through every nerve ending in his body. 'I love you.' whispered Bill in a pained whisper as he slumped onto Fleur. The left half of Bill's body felt like it was on fire, his face looked to be burning from an invisible fire, his mind gave out and he slipped away to blissful relief of unconsciousness. Bill slid off of Fleur to the side and in a daze Fleur slowly stood up adrenaline flooding her system. She gently pushed Bill the rest of the way off of her body and got up in a daze. In dawning horror she realised how badly Bill was injured.

'NO!!' shrieked Fleur.

The Goblins on the barricade backed away in shock. The irate woman partially transformed into a bird. Her mouth and nose morphed together and elongated into a beak. Small downy feathers sprouted from her skin. Her irises bled black as her eyes narrowed in rage. Suddenly spell fire erupted from both her wand and her other hand. The spell fire punched through the Dark Lords shield and blasted him backwards into his followers.

The first line of Death Eaters exploded from the spell fire coming from the insanely irate quarter Veela witch. Blood and gore rained down painting the walls of the tunnel dark red. Fleur stalked forward as she felled the Death Eater's ranks. Voldemort was nowhere to be seen, his body was lost at the back of his followers.

Gornuk tentatively reached out and put his hand on Bill's back and nodded to himself when he felt the back move as Bill's lungs tried to inhale life-giving air. Two Goblin medics appeared through the chaos and frowned when they saw the red hair of their favourite Wizard. In the short time Bill had worked for Gringotts he had recovered an awesome amount of treasure and filled Gringotts vaults with recovered loot. Due to this the Goblins tolerated his presence among their number.

Gornuk barked in gobbledegook to the two medics as he watched in awe as Bill's irate mate decimated the Death Eaters, 'Attack, Attack, Attack.' He roared at his security team.

The Warrior Goblins roared forward and past Fleur as she slumped exhausted and weepingto the floor of the tunnel. The downy feathers fell from her body as she reverted back to normal. Gornuk barked for more medics and instructed them to ferry the Witch and Wizard to the medical section deep in the bowels of the bank. He also ordered that they would be given the best of Goblin medical care and if there was a problem he would pay for the cost out of his personal fortune.

The Goblin Medics had already carefully placed Bill onto a stretcher and had carefully strapped him into it. Two more medics arrived and carefully guided the weeping witch away from the battle. Fleur was so tired that she let herself be led away from the battle as the Goblin Warriors fought with the Death Eaters. Gornuk felt that he would have to inform Ragnok of the bravery of the couple for they now had the advantage and were slowly driving back the Death Eaters. He felt that they had turned the tide of battle and that the Goblin Nation would be victorious.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

'ATTACKED! I have not attacked! I used the Stone you gave me and ended up here.' retorted Harry angrily as his angry green eyes bored into Ragnok's black orbs.

Ragnok did not look convinced and said. 'Perhaps you are right but we, the Goblin Nation, are being attacked all the same.'

'Well who is attacking? It certainly is not Hermione or I. They hammer it down our bloody throats if we manage to stay awake for Binn's history lessons what a bad idea it is to get into a war with the Goblins. I know not to piss your lot off so I would never dream of attacking the Goblin Nation. So I ask you again, who is attacking you?' demanded Harry as he ignored Hermione's mental grousing about Harry's opinion of Professor Binn's class and the fact that he used to fall asleep in his class.

'Death Eaters are attacking along with their Dark Lord.' responded Ragnok.

Harry snorted in disgust and with disbelief etched on his face replied, 'And that gave you the fucking right to attack us?'

'You must be a plant to work from the inside, it is the only thing that makes sense.' accused Ragnok in mounting paranoia.

'A fucking plant, you say? Working for that stupid bastard? I would rather kill the tosser than work for him.' spat Harry in disgust.

'How else do you explain your arrival at the same time as the Dark Lord?' retorted Ragnok. Paranoia etched on his face.

The two lances pressed further into the two the wounds on Hermione's neck. The blood was now a free flowing stream trickling down her neck to stain Hermione's clothes. Harry growled low in his throat as he let his magic begin to build.

'It is a fucking coincidence, okay. I didn't think I needed to explain why I would never work for Riddle.' spat Harry in disgust.

At the Goblin's blank face. 'Riddle is Voldemort's surname.' explained Harry.

The Goblins hissed in anger.

'Get over it; it is only a fucking name. For fuck sake' hissed Harry in anger.

One of the other Goblins in the room spoke, 'Why would you never work for the Dark Lord?'

Harry looked incredulously at the Goblin who spoke, he thought that the story of that damned Halloween night was known to all in the magical world.

Ragnok frowned at Harry's facial expression until his mind calmed down a bit so that he could think. He knew that Harry was an orphan, and that the Dark Lord killed his parents. He suddenly realised that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion in his anger and may have made a mistake. He decided to challenge Potter on why the Dark Lord was attacking the bank.

'Then why is the Dark Lord attacking the bank?' demanded Ragnok.

'At a guess I think he got wind of our efforts to confiscate all of his financing.' explained Harry thoughtfully.

'So you are admitting to being responsible for this current situation?' asked Ragnok with a shark like grin.

'No, you must have a leak. Only my family and solicitor know of my plan to confiscate Riddle's money. The information must have gotten out. The bank is still closed to the public, isn't it.' insisted Harry vehemently.

Meanwhile inside Harry and Hermione's heads a different conversation was occurring in the blink of an eye.

'Hermione? Are you hurt?' asked Harry via their mental connection as he watched the blood flow out of the two wounds in her neck.

'No, it is not a deep cut' responded Hermione as she sensed his concern. Her magic was already trying to heal the wound but was hampered because the blades of the lances were still in the wounds in her throat.

'How will we get out of this?' asked Harry as he surveyed the room and the placement of the Goblin's within it.

'We might have to threaten them and make them see reason' replied a thoughtful Hermione as she weighed up their options ignoring the itchy sensation of the two blades in her neck.

'Okay, it will have to be all of them at once, but how?' responded Harry as he pondered the problem. He suggested, 'Conjure some Glocks, maybe?'

'I think it might work, but the Goblins might not recognize the guns as a threat as they are not magical weapons.' replied Hermione thoughtfully.

Harry spotted one of the weapons mounted on the wall and smiled. 'That's it!' he exclaimed in triumph to Hermione in his head.

One of the other computer games that Harry became addicted to in the other reality, was a war game set in Roman times called Rome: Total War. After playing the game he became fascinated with the whole period in history. He was given the task of replicating the Roman repeating Ballista, a siege weapon, for his crafts class by Tom.

The Roman Ballista was a type of large crossbow that could fire bolts in rapid succession. All this meant that Harry had managed to fabricate a working Ballista and knew it intimately, so he felt confident at conjuring a couple of small scale ones for this situation. He shared his knowledge with Hermione and they concentrated on conjuring a small repeating Ballista for each Goblin in the room. A large Roman example was mounted on the wall behind Ragnok.

Ragnok frowned when the couple went silent and then Harry suddenly smiled. He was very wary and about to order for more Security Goblins when suddenly a Ballista of an almost Goblin design appeared in front of him. The weapon was aimed at his head and what was more worrying it was ready to fire.

His eyes automatically focused on to the bolt aimed at his nose. The Ballista looked deadly even though it looked to be quite small, about the size of a shoe box. His eyes refocused past the Ballista and he was shocked to discover that every Goblin in the room had a loaded Ballista ready to fire aimed at their heads. Then Potter spoke.

'I come here to do urgent business and because you have a leak and are attacked by Riddle you blame me. Fair enough, I am used to it, it is my lot in life to be blamed for stuff I didn't do. In this case I may share some of the blame, but that does not give you the right to mar my wife's skin. I will kill the two Goblins wielding the spears that have pierced her skin. It is up to you whether more Goblins die.' threatened Harry.

Ragnok looked around and realised that Potter now had the upper hand. He wondered how he had managed to turn the tide to his advantage. Sighing that he had lost this confrontation he barked an order in gobbledegook and the Goblins all stood down. The two Goblins that held the spears on Hermione looked fearful.

All bar two of the Ballistas changed aim to be pointing up and away from the Goblins in the room. Sighing Ragnok barked another order hoping to appease his wealthiest client. The two Security Goblins that had attacked Hermione were slain by four other Goblins on Ragnok's orders.

'I hope that is satisfactory and I offer my deepest apologise for this grievous error' grovelled Ragnok as he realised that Harry was probably the most powerful Wizard he had ever met.

Harry ignored the leader of the Bank and turned to check Hermione's neck. He gently pushed some magic into the wound to help hurry it's closing. After a few seconds the two wounds glowed pink then they slowly stitched together and left behind unblemished skin. Hermione leaned forward and pecked Harry on the cheek in thanks. 'Thanks, Harry, I am fine' Harry smiled in thanks and then turned to face down Ragnok.

'It didn't have to go down like this. You could have given us the chance to explain, instead you jumped to the wrong fucking conclusion and attacked us and now two of your number are dead needlessly. I only have influence here because I hold the largest vault.

I don't want the gold, but it is better that I use my assets to slow Voldemort down than for him to use it to persecute the country along with the Goblin nation. I don't know how he found out about the transfers of gold, but the damage is done now. It is up to you where we go from here. We are going to find my mother's vault and then we will decide whether we will pull out of Gringotts all together, understood?' stated Harry.

Ragnok paused in though before responding to Harry's position. Goblins could do low-level magic without a wand but it was very difficult. This was one of the reasons they wanted access to wands. Ragnok realised that the young couple did not want to reveal any of their talents. The Transport Stone also removed any magical object such as Wizard's Portkeys and Wands so Ragnok knew, now that he thought of it that the couple were magically defenceless.

In his anger at the attack he had forgotten this minor fact, and now two Goblins were dead on his orders. The fact that the couple magically conjured siege weapons from the past was worrying. Yes they were at a small scale but his engineering side recognized the design of the Roman weapon. The Goblins modelled some of their equipment on the venerable muggles of the past so he easily identified the weapon.

Given the fact that the couple had conjured a Ballista for each Goblin, it spoke volumes of their skill and power. All this led Ragnok to the conclusion that Harry Potter would carry out his threat and remove his holdings from the bank. When he was made aware of Potter's plan he had hoped to hoodwink the young wizard out of his fortune, but after the failed attack he now understood that Potter held the high ground in the current situation. He only hoped that he could change Potter's mind, or receive a piece of good fortune and turn the tables.

Turning to Grot he asked 'What did you find?'

'I have found the vault you seek.' answered Grot as he offered the black book to Ragnok.

Harry and Hermione looked expectantly to Ragnok wondering whether the Goblins would help after everything that had happened in such a short span of time. Ragnok looked at the entry Grot had highlighted and turned to the couple and said.

'Due to your mother's standing in the community at the time and the fact that she was the then current Lady Potter she was given a high security vault, vault seven forty two. According to the ledger entry the key was entrusted to Sirius Black. As a sign of apology we will relax security measures and allow you to access the vault in question.' offered Ragnok.

'Thank you. Your assistance is appreciated.' quipped Harry sarcastically.

Ragnok's eyes narrowed at Harry's tone, but he directed Grot to show the couple to the vault. As the couple followed Grot, Ragnok sank into the chair at the head of the table. The two dead Goblins were removed from the banquet hall. Ragnok sighed in disgust, he hated damned wizards.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Grot led the silent couple out of the banquet hall and turned towards the tunnel network leading to the high security vaults. Unlike the main tunnels which had tracks for the mine carts, the tunnel that the couple and Goblin were in was much smaller and narrower. Grot passed through with spare headroom where as Harry and Hermione were forced to stop and move in single-file.

Every twenty feet or so there were small alcoves to allow Goblins to pass each other. When they passed the first tunnel with tracks Harry and Hermione realised that these access tunnels had some sort of glamour to disguise them as they were left stranded when Grot entered the access tunnel on the other side. After five minutes Grot realised what had happened and went back to retrieve his two charges.

After that Hermione conjured a length of rope and used it to connect the three of them so that Harry and Hermione could follow Grot and indicate any trouble by give to sharp tugs on the rope. Hermione began to grouse after being stooped over following behind the Goblin with Harry behind her. Grot was oblivious as Hermione groused mentally at Harry. After an hour trudging through the interconnecting tunnels they came across the door to vault number seven four two.

The vault door was just located off of a bend in the tunnel. Grot had to make his way through a thick spider's web in from of the door. Harry and Hermione stood unsteadily on the cart track silently watching Grot. Grot moved to the left hand side of the large vault door and wiped away the webbing in front of a polished stone surface.

Once the surface was clean Grot wiped his hands on his trousers and pressed his right hand on to the stone surface. The door glowed briefly before swinging outward of its own accord. Grot turned and beckoned for the couple to enter the vault. Wall sconces inside lit suddenly as the couple entered the vault. Grot waited at the vault's threshold while the couple perused it's contents. Like all vaults on this level it was a cavernous room, with chiselled walls buffed smooth.

The floor was polished slate flagstones and it had a barrel vaulted roof. At Harry's questioning look, Grot explained that this was originally an old banquet hall for a Goblin clan that were long dead. Lily needed a vault in a hurry so she was given this vault due to her standing and the number was swapped with the original vault no. 742.

The Lady Potter was a respected position among Wizards and Goblins going back over a thousand years so when Lily requested a high security vault at short notice and with unusual requirements, the Goblins duly provided said vault along with astronomically high fees.

Hermione started to explore a curtained wall to the left of the vault door; she felt a pull on her senses, like a moth to a flame she gravitated towards that section of the vault. Her eyes lit up as she drew back the cloth curtain to reveal rows and rows of books and parchment scrolls protected by the magical cloth curtains.

Harry smiled at his wife's antics before he turned and surveyed the right hand wall. The remains of three large potions cabinets stood their doors ajar and blackened from a fire. Broken and blacked glass vials and bottles lay discarded on the bottom of the damaged cabinets. From the blackened debris Harry decided that all the potions were destroyed. A thick sludge littered with glass and ceramic fragments indicated the remains of vials and bottles.

Harry guessed one of the fragile vials must have shattered causing the volatile potions to mix with disastrous consequences. Hermione was depressed when she realised that there was no viable potions left to help her mother. In disgust, Harry left the heavily damaged cabinets when he saw what had caused the disaster. The top shelf of the middle cabinet had caved in, spilling its contents on the shelf below that must have caused the potions fire.

Harry turned to Grot who stood at the vault door and asked why the fire did not destroy the rest of the vault contents. Grot replied that the high security vaults such as this one had localised fire suppression wards that had isolated the fire from the rest of the vault. Harry sighed in disgust that the wards had not prevented the fire.

Hermione by now had found a large brown leather bound book and had taken it over to a workbench that stood in the middle of the floor near the vault entrance. She placed the open book onto the table directly under a large gem lit chandelier that gave off light just like a Muggle florescent light.

The light source was the best Hermione had encountered in the wizard world since starting Hogwarts. Hermione settled into the wingback armchair to read while Harry explored the rest of the vault. Harry smiled as Hermione settled into his mother's notes. The main vault floor contained three workbenches; the one Hermione sat at was closest to the door.

The middle bench contained on its surface various muggle devices from the late seventies such as Betamax video recorders and old fashioned television sets. Harry picked up a clipboard beside a very old circuit board and read his mother's neat handwriting. From what Harry could gather his mother was trying to get modern Muggle technology to work in highly magical environments with little success.

The devices on the worktop appeared to be what she was working on when she safeguarded her research. The third workbench located at the back of the vault contained three small trunks.

Harry tried to open the first one and found it locked. He let his magic out and sensed that it was familiar. He let his magic sense out the locking charm when suddenly the lock clicked and the trunk opened to reveal gaudy jewellery.

Mainly the jewellery was bracelets and necklaces. Each piece had a faded parchment label attached noting the spells it was charged with and an experiment number that related to the parchment scrolls on the shelves that Hermione had first looked at. Harry carefully closed the trunk and moved to the middle trunk. It opened the same way as the first.

Harry sank onto the stool that was beside the bench when he realised that the trunk's contents were some of his toys from when he was a baby. He vaguely remembered dreams of the stuffed hippogriff keeping away his nightmares. He felt arms surround him in a comforting hug as he wept for a childhood lost due to an old man's meddling. After a few minutes the couple turned to the last trunk.

Harry was startled to discover some ornate jewellery that had belonged to his mother. It appeared to be his mother's jewellery box from when she was a girl. Hermione carefully looked through the tasteful pieces of jewellery, conspicuous by their absence were his mother's engagement ring and wedding ring. The back wall was bare except for a cloth covered painting.

Harry moved to the painting and carefully removed the dust cloth protecting the painting and gasped in shock when the subject of the painting was revealed. The painting was of a young woman with vibrant red hair and brilliant green eyes. Harry whispered 'Mum' at seeing the painting of Lily from before he was born.

Hermione turned to look at Harry; she moved to him and gently hugged him as he looked at the best picture he had of his mother. The woman in the painting was still, unlike most paintings in the magical world. Hermione reached out with her senses and realised that the painting was not activated yet. Lily had her hair tied up into a messy ponytail with strands of loose hair framing her face.

She wore a simple muggle dress and a slight bump was visible. Hermione guessed that Lily was about half way through her pregnancy with Harry. The background was a late winter's morning at the seaside. Hermione drifted to the first trunk and her eyes widened as she saw the large quantity of fairly gaudy jewellery.

She removed an ugly luminous yellow bracelet and put it on. She felt the magic in the bracelet and felt faint traces similar to Harry's magical trace. Smiling she put the bracelet back into the trunk. Hermione looked at Harry questioningly wondering what he wanted to do. Mentally Hermione said it would be better to go through the vaults contents back in Ireland with Remus' and Minerva's assistance.

Harry agreed and the couple joined their magic together so that they could sphere the shelves of parchment scrolls and books to the house they were staying in. Next they sphered the three small trunks followed lastly by the painting of Lily Potter.

Grot stood slack jawed as he watched the couple clear out the vault right through the Goblin wards. It was unheard of, but he had witnessed the couple get the better of a Goblin security team, whom vastly outnumbered the wandless couple. When the couple had left the bank he would inform Ragnok of this new development.

Grot was pulled from his thoughts when Harry approached and informed him that the couple were now finished in the vault. Grot nodded and sealed the vault after the pair had passed through the door to wait for him in the tunnel.

The small party of three were slowly making their way back to the banquet hall when suddenly a tide of happy Goblins surged around a bend in the tunnel. The boisterous Goblins swept the small party with them as they went deeper into the tunnel network.

Grot looked around in shock as the Goblins around him sang war songs. The sound was deafening for the two humans. It would appear that the Goblin's had successfully defended the bank.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

The large crowd of happy Goblins gradually thinned out once they reached the aid stations. Hermione sighed in relief to be out of the boisterous crowd. She was feeling slightly claustrophobic in the melee of Goblins.

Harry made his way across the cavern they found themselves in towards Hermione. Grot stood beside them as a chaperone while they were in this section of the bank. The cavern was set up as a large ward, with rows and rows of beds partitioned off with leather screens.

Injured and dying Goblins lay on the beds while Goblin healers attended to them. A woman's loud wail reverberated around the cavern before sudden silence descended. Hermione decided to head in the direction the noise came from with Harry following close behind.

The couple found an unconscious woman with whitish blonde hair slumped on the stone floor beside a badly burnt body lying on a metal framed bed. Her face was turned in towards the bed. Two Goblins stood over the male body muttering in gobbledegook with a pale purple glow emanating over the body.

The man's face was obscured with bloody bandages. Hermione recognized the tufts of blackened hair as being very similar to Ron's colouring, one of his brothers perhaps. The most likely candidate was Bill. The clothes were almost fused with the man's skin. Hermione's nature drove her to do something. She had to help those more unfortunate than herself.

'Harry we have to help him' said Hermione as she moved to try and help.

The two Goblin healers ignored her as a Security Goblin moved to intercept her. The Security Goblin was stationed at the foot of the bed silently watching over the badly injured Wizard. Grot barked something in gobbledegook and the Security Goblin took a step back from the bed while the two Goblin healers turned to look at her in shock.

Hermione turned to Grot and gave him a questioning look. Grot indicated the burnt male with an outstretched arm indicating that she should help. Hermione nodded in thanks and steeled herself before approaching the injured man.

Hermione relaxed her mind before she allowed her magic to flow over the injured body to see how bad the damage was. Her magic gently played over the surface burns and grimaced at the third degree burns from the never ending invisible magical fire still burning the poor wizards body.

Her magic suddenly recoiled when it sensed the very dark and familiar magic infused in the vile fire caused by the spell that was burning the body. A battle was raging between the magic from the cursed fire and the host's magic.

'Oh no Harry, this is Riddle's handy work' said Hermione via their link to Harry.

'Can you help him?' responded Harry aloud.

Hermione nodded as she mentally answered, 'Yes it is very similar to the feeling from your scar before I got rid of it. After I deal with the curse I should be able to fix him up.'

Harry groaned in dismay as he suddenly remembered. 'We forgot about the damn cup, Hermione' he exclaimed mentally.

'You go look after it, Harry, and I'll stay here and help out, Okay?' she responded mentally as she started to battle the cursed fire and the dark magic infecting the damaged body of the familiar looking man.

Harry turned to Grot and demanded to be brought to the belongings of the Lestrange Vault as he wasn't sure if the Goblin's had reached that vault yet with the transfers. Hermione turned and gave Harry a quick kiss before returning to the task before her. Grot turned to the three Goblins and barked some more orders before he left with Harry in tow.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Harry followed Grot through the tunnel network once more all the while cursing the fact that they had forgotten all about Riddle's damn soul fragments. Grot called for a mine cart once he sensed the urgency in the demand to see Lestrange's former possessions. Harry remained silent when the pair boarded the mine cart to go to a section of the bank unaffected by the attack.

Harry was lost in thoughts as he had learnt a lot since he returned from the other reality. Healing Jane was weighing heavily on his mind as well as what he had learnt from Snape, the bastard. He cursed the fact that he had forgotten all about Riddle's blasted Horcruxes.

The time sat in the mine cart also gave him an opportunity to decide what to do with the Goblins. He was not happy that they had jumped to conclusions and marred Hermione's throat. The fact that he healed the wound with nary a scratch left behind was neither here nor there. He was pulled from his musing by the cart's sudden stop.

The cart had stopped before a very large security detail assigned to protect the contents of the Lestrange Vault as it was sorted. The Goblins quickly decided that as the vast majority of the vaults affected by Lord Potter-Black's order were known or suspected Death Eaters to do the sorting outside the vault in question so that if there was any trap or jinx it could be swiftly dealt with.

Two Goblins had died while sorting out the first Vault when they accidently set off a trap inside the Vault. The key holder had placed a vacuum trap without the Bank's knowledge and the two unfortunate Goblins suffocated to death inside the vault while the other Goblins tried to override the security charms on the Vault door.

Grot and Harry were stopped by the Goblin in charge of the security detail. Harry turned and stared hard at Grot, they were wasting time. Grot felt a shiver down his spine before starting to converse with the Goblin security leader.

Grot spent a long time debating with the assigned security detail until he explained that the human with him was Lord Potter-Black the instigator of all the vault transfers. Harry stood impatiently glaring at the Goblin security detail. Reluctantly the security detail allowed the pair to pass.

Harry turned to Grot and demanded to be allowed to review the inventory alone. Grot reluctantly agreed, to the dismay of the security detail. Grot felt that they would have agreed with his decision if they had seen what he had seen in the banquet hall earlier that day. He left Harry with the security detail and returned to the cavern where all the injured Goblins were brought .

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Hermione furrowed her brow in concentration as she fought the magic in the cursed fire burning the body on the mattress. Ever since Minerva and Remus had woken up in Cashel they had discussed magical theory. Hermione had discovered that each person's magic felt different. She knew that Harry's magic felt different from her own.

But it was only after returning home and meeting other Witches and Wizards that she was able to detect the caster of a spell or charm based on the spell residue imprinted by the caster. She would like to explore the discovery further but helping her mother came first. After casting Riddle's soul fragment out of Harry, Hermione knew that the poor person she was trying to help was cursed by the bastard, Riddle.

Just like in the situation where she banished the soul fragment, Hermione knew she was stronger than the curse. The invisible fire was suffocated by Hermione's will and magical power. Once that was done Hermione could now concentrate on the damage caused by the curse itself. The man's entire backwas badly burnt from his neck down to his toes.

Hermione decided to next concentrate on the excising the dark magic from the wizard's magical core. The dark magic from Riddle's invisible flame spell was wrapped around the wizards core like a great python, slowly killing him. After what happened to herself and Harry she knew that she had to be mindful of bonding her magic to the injured wizard.

Hermione had learnt a lot about her own magic in the three years since, so she carefully went about removing the cursed magic from the injured wizard's core. It was fortunate that the wizard was unconscious as a few times she had to inflict pain as she rebuffed the injured core's attempts at bonding to a stronger core in an attempt at surviving.

The wizard's core was reacting like an injured wild animal and weakly attacked Hermione's magic. All the while the dark magic squeezed harder. Hermione's magic fought with the dark magic for over ten minutes before she was able to separate the cursed magic from the wizard's core. Hermione swayed from exhaustion and watched the cursed magic warily as it was like a snake ready to pounce on another victim.

With a thought she banished the curse that was now floating over the body on the bed. After that was done she started to survey the damage to both the body and the core. She knew that she could heal the body but not the badly damaged core. The man's lungs were in a bad way so she completed the steps Harry had taken all those years ago and healed them.

The man's whole back was badly burnt with third degree burns, with remembered pain, Hermione removed all the damaged and burnt skin and muscle tissue. Hermione had a sterilization charm ready to flood the area so that she could take a breather before working on restoring the damaged skin and muscle.

All the while the wizard's core tried to connect with her magic which she rebuffed it again. Hermione sighed as she set to work on healing the body, she would worry about the magical core later. Calling on stores of energy she did not think she had, she completed the healing of the man's skin before slumping exhausted on to the now physically healed wizard. Hermione's last thought was now she had to work on fixing the core while also worrying about the needy magical core of the injured wizard.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Fleur groaned as she slowly woke, her face was wet from her tears. Her bum was numb from sitting on a cold hard floor. Her Veela heritage surged to the fore as she felt immense magical energy around her and Bill. Her eyes locked on to the Goblin stood in front of her, and widened as she recognized him as the personal assistant of Ragnok.

She forgot his name, Rot or something. She turned to look for Bill and gasped in shock as she saw his damaged body lying on the bed beside her. A witch in a simple dress, with wild brown hair billowing around her head from the static energy was standing before the bed with magical energy flowing from her into Bill's body.

Fleur's first instinct was to stop this hussy's attempt at ensnaring her boyfriend before her Veela senses informed her of what was actually happening. Her jaw went slack with realisation of what the witch was doing. She was battling the curse that Voldemort had cast at her and Bill. The spell he had sacrificed himself for her by blocking the curse with his body.

Fleur watched in awe as she witnessed the witch battle the dark magic while also rebuffing Bill's magical attempt at survival. At one point Fleur thought to help but she was not sure what was exactly happening except for Bill's breathing changed from laboured wheezing to a more normal breathing pattern.

The witch seemed to gain a second wind and Fleur gasped in outrage as she saw the witch banish all the burnt skin, just like that. What would poor Bill do without skin on his back? she thought in dismay before her eyes widened in understanding. Fleur thought that she was hallucinating when she saw Bill's skin and muscle re-grow right in front of her eyes.

The poor exhausted Witch slumped onto Bill from sheer exhaustion when the skin re-growing was finished. Fleur noticed that her magic retreated into her body once again and Fleur gasped in dismay at the very poor state Bill's magic was in from trying to bond to his healer. Fleur knew now what she must do to save Bill's life.

Even though his body was now completely healed and the kind Witch had beaten the dark magic. Bill's core was dying and needed an infusion of magic from another witch or wizard. Fleur loved Bill with her heart and soul and knew what would happen if she allowed her magic to fuse to Bill. They would be bonded for life, could their relationship take it as they were only a couple for just over six months.

Throwing caution to the winds Fleur barked at the two gobsmacked Goblin Healers to look after the kind witch and put her into a bed of her own. The two Goblins carefully picked her up and placed her in to a bed that was three beds over from Bill's bed.

Fleur thought that she recognized Bill's healer but banished it out of her mind as she had to finish the job the Witch had started, so Fleur stripped down to her underwear and got into bed beside Bill. Bill's magic feebly reached out to her magic, he was almost gone. Fleur panicked and allowed her magic free to connect with Bill's magic.

Her mother had sat her down when she realised that her body was going through some changes and told her all about her body and sex. Her mother then told the blushing Fleur all about Veela magic and lust and how best to control it. However, her mother issued a warning of to never allow her magic to bond with another lightly as the resulting situation could never be undone and she would be forever joined to the other person regardless of whether they were man or woman.

Fleur remembered her mother's warning from all those years ago as she connected her magic to Bill's magic. Bill's magic greedily attached itself and Fleur found herself receive snapshots of Bill and his life before she passed out from magical information overload.

Unseen, Grot left the cavern after witnessing the Veela bond to the Curse Breaker to report to Ragnok. Maybe there is a way to reclaim some lost property thought Grot.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Voldemort slid to a stop upon the train tracks in the tunnel. His back felt like it had been rubbed raw. The heavy robes he wore were frayed, blood seeped from the construct that he currently resided in. He watched in awe as the irate Veela tore through his Death Eaters. A red mist obscured the tunnel and his poor followers being slaughtered by the irate bitch.

As he slumped on the rough sleepers of the railway used by the Goblins, his mind drifted back to one of the books he read on his travels. The passage in the book warned of upsetting Veelas, at the time he dismissed the warning as stupid folklore. But after witnessing the wild magic pouring from the Veela he suddenly was afraid.

The last time he felt fear was when he faced Dumbledore in their first duel. He cleared his mind and turned to one of his followers and demanded a report. The Death Eater reported on the amount of Gold recovered from the vaults controlled by the Death Eaters.

Voldemort smiled and got up. He turned to the Death Eater and ordered a withdrawal from the bank. He ignored the massacre of his followers between him and the Veela. He would kill her but, not today. She would be an easy kill once her rage was spent. Maybe a job for Fenrir, the werewolf would enjoy the exotic taste of her blood.

Within ten minutes of his order, his followers had flooded onto the Alley. Ministry response was pitiful and weak. Voldemort's remaining followers from the assault outnumbered them ten to one. Voldemort ordered his Auror puppet to bring one of the Goblins to his lair and kill the rest.

The Goblins were slain and their heads were mounted on pikes in front of the bank. All the while the Aurors mounted a feeble defence. The Death Eaters left the way they came via the Apparition check point.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

The contents of the Lestrange Vault was dumped into a couple of large piles. The largest pile was Gold Galleons with a diameter of at least five metres and a height of about three metres. Harry did not want to guess at the monetary value of the pile of gold. His attention was focused on finding the damn cup.

The security detail quietly pulled back from the pile of Death Eater treasures. They did not want to suffer any more losses if the foolish wizard tripped another booby trap. The team had already lost three Goblins to the damned booby traps. Bringing the death toll involved in moving the contents of the vaults to facilitate, Potter's command to the bank to five diligent Goblins.

Harry groaned after half an hour's search and decided to repeat his feat from Grimmauld Place. He released his magic to pour over the large pile of treasure, searching for the Horcrux. It took his magic ten minutes to find the damned cup.

He sphered it to him and removed the soul fragment. He swayed from exhaustion and frowned when the security detail of Goblins swarmed him and snapped magic nullifying manacles on his ankle. One Goblin backhanded him and he passed out.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Ragnok was pulled from his dark thoughts when Grot his assistant entered the banquet hall. Ragnok wondered why Harry and Hermione Potter-Black was not with Grot.

'Sir,' ventured Grot, as he approached the Goblin leader.

'Yes,' Ragnok said after lifting his head from his hands.

'The bank is secure, the Dark Lord and his forces left with the contents of a third of the vaults in the facility. Mostly he took all of the low level vaults and about a quarter of the medium level vaults. The accounting department are auditing to find out what the monetary cost is. After the Veela defended her mate, Weasley the Curse Breaker. The Dark Lord decided to withdraw with his loot. Goblin warriors found all the mind controlled goblins at the front doors headless bar one.' reported Grot.

'Are you telling me that the Dark Lord retreated because of an irate Veela?' asked Ragnok in shocked disbelief

'Yes,' confirmed Grot.

'Continue with your report.' ordered Ragnok as he drank heavily from the tankard on the table in front of him. All the while pondering the good fortune of having a Veela on staff to defend the bank. The fact that she was defending her lover was neither here nor there. The end result was the bank had been successfully defended.

'Mrs. Potter-Black healed Curse Breaker Weasley before she passed out from over exertion. My security team transferred her to our Goblin holding facility she is wearing a Goblin anti magic ankle bracelet.

Mr Potter-Black, passed out after being attacked by a booby trap that was among the Lestrange Vault contents and is similarly restrained inside one of the empty dragon pens. Unfortunately the pens contain no adult dragons only younglings.

The Veela is unconscious and lying beside Curse Breaker Weasley, he is recovering and the Healers predict he will be able to go back to work in a few days.

The Healers don't know what is wrong with the Veela. Except to say she is currently attached to Weasley the Curse Breaker in an embrace that the Healers cannot break.' reported Grot.

'What have you done, did you not see what the Potter-Blacks managed to do in this very room?' demanded Ragnok in shocked disbelief.

'Yes Sir, but Mrs. Potter-Black is in no condition to retaliate as according to the Healers she is magically exhausted and they predict it will be a few days till she is recovered and a threat. Mr. Potter-Black is in a similar condition, however he recovered at a faster rate and was verbally abusing the security detail so they sent him to the dragon pens, where he will be held.' reported Grot with a grin.

'Besides both of them are wearing magical damping bracelets, so they have been taken care of.' elaborated Grot at seeing his bosses slack jawed reaction.

'Why did you order this?' demanded Ragnok.

'Potter has a vast amount of gold and we can kill him and claim his wealth for the Goblin Nation and report that he died fighting the Dark Lord.' offered Grot.

Ragnok nodded as he replied, 'It will cost gold to fix the bank and improve security, the Black Vaults could pay for that. Start upgrades to security and take the money from the Black Vaults. Use the rest of the money to reimburse our customers of the vaults that were robbed.'

Grot turned to leave.

'Grot, make sure that no one knows what we are about to do, I want all of those involved dead. The two of us will be the only ones aware of the plan. Understood.' demanded Ragnok as his eyes lit up at the thought of all the gold that would be placed in his vault deep in the bowels of the bank.

Grot nodded but demanded, 'What about my cut?'

'As you have done the legwork, say seventy percent for me as leader, and thirty percent to you.' offered Ragnok.

'I have done all the work, I deserve a higher percentage than that!' exclaimed Grot.

'I could have you killed you know, alright sixty, forty split.' offered Ragnok.

'Fifty, fifty or I release the Potter's' countered Grot.

'Done!' exclaimed Ragnok quickly.

The pair shock on the deal and Grot left to implement the new plans.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Over the next two days Grot implemented his plans of killing his fellow Goblins that had subdued the Potter-Blacks. The first to be slain were the security detail that witnessed the feats that the Potter-Blacks were capable of.

The next group to be killed were the group that captured Lord Potter-Black while his was incapacitated by a booby trap in the belongings of the Lestrange Vault. The last group to be killed were those of the Healers that watched what Lady Potter-Black had done for Curse Breaker Weasley.

After he had killed the Goblin Healers he would kill Hermione Jane Potter-Black. He was going to do that this evening. Grot rubbed his hands together at the thought of all the gold he was going to earn out of this deal. The thoughts of his slain Goblin brothers never entered his head.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Albus Dumbledore sat in the sitting room of his house in Godrics Hollow wondering where his plans stood in the current political climate. The Ministry were valiantly trying to bolster support in the banking sector after the blatant robbery of Gringotts two days ago.

Dumbledore watched in awe at the large numbers of wizards that Voldemort had used in his assault of the bank. He was shocked to learn that Tom had generated such a large army of followers. He worried at what led Tom to directly assault the bank and make off with sacks of gold like a common thief. The bank still had its doors sealed shut and representatives from the Ministry were turned away.

Dumbledore frowned as he tried to puzzle out why the Goblins had not declared war yet on Tom or the Wizards in general. Albus was pleased to see that the measures that the Ministry were using flounder in the latest calamity that befell the populace. With the bank closed the wizarding economy was going into a deep depression like the muggles suffered in the nineteen twenties.

If the Ministry measures had been successful his own influence would have waned. He was relieved that the Ministry now had to switch its focus to the Goblin Nation and not the problem that was Tom Riddle also known as the dreaded Dark Lord Voldemort.

Another worry was the failure of the order to find Harry or Severus. Dumbledore thought that come September, Harry would show up for the start of term. He probably would show a bit of a backbone but after a course of loyalty potions he would come around to the side of the light, of that Albus was sure.

No, much more worrying was the fact that Severus was missing presumed dead. He feared that Severus' role as a spy was discovered, and that Tom had him killed. Minerva had not shown up for any of the Order's meetings and had not responded to Owl post.

Unfortunately Fawkes his familiar had broken his bonding and had vanished probably forever. Now that he thought about it Remus was also missing. An unpleasant picture was beginning to form, he did not like it at all.

Dumbledore sighed as he reached out for a lemon drop from the brown paper bag on the coffee table. He sucked the sweet as he let plans form in his mind.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

The Auror Department in the Ministry had calmed down slightly after the attack on Gringotts two days ago. The rumour mill was saying that the Goblins were considering war. If true the Aurors would be on the front line in the first skirmishes with the Goblins.

It was all hearsay however as the bank was still under lock down. Mike Wordsworth entered the Department from the emergency escape stairs and made his way to his desk. He was part of the Auror investigative branch. He had just returned from the muggle Police station and had a very interesting conversation with his counterpart in the Metropolitan Police Force.

Wordsworth was a tall thin man with boyish features, he rarely needed to shave even though he was nearly forty. He kept his brown hair shortly cropped, and his blue eyes were hidden by his bushy eyebrows.

His boss Madam Bones had directed him to find a Hermione Granger, a pupil at Hogwarts, as she was worried about the girl for personal reasons. Unfortunately Mike arrived at Miss Granger's residence to find out that it was now a major crime scene.

Muggle forensic officers were sifting through the rubble of Miss Granger's house for clues. Mike was concerned when he detected traces of a fight involving a werewolf and a vampire on the front lawn. Also worrying was the belief of the investigating Detective Constable that mercenaries were also involved, many bullets were recovered from the scene. The calibre of the recovered bullets were uncommon for a private individual to own and likely originated from military weapons.

Mike was pulled from his thoughts when Heath Buckley called over to his desk. Buckley was a heavy set Auror, five years older than himself with greying short hair and brown eyes hidden by wire frame rose coloured spectacles. They were often paired together on cases but in the current climate and with reduced numbers Mike was forced to investigate cases alone. Buckley was given his own case to solve.

'Any luck finding the girl that the boss wants to speak to?' quizzed Buckley.

Mike shook his head, 'No, Granger and her parents were not in the house. The house was destroyed and it looks like there was a fight involving a Vamp, a Were, a Witch or Wizard and muggle mercenaries. They left the scene in a right mess'

'What! When did this happen?' asked Buckley in shock.

'The Police reckon about four or five days ago.' replied Mike.

'Oh!' said Buckley in thought.

'What?' asked Mike.

'It might be nothing but around the same time a Vampire clan was wiped out according to my sources. The clan was the Cravens a very old clan, none of the other clans are claiming responsibility. Also the same clan had three of its protection detail wiped out before the clan was hit.' said Buckley.

'Vampire protection details are like the muggle army right?' asked Mike.

'Yeah, so?' responded Buckley.

'The police at the Granger residence found dead bodies armed to the teeth with muggle weapons with this emblem on them.' said Mike as he showed a muggle photo of a vampire rune to Buckley.

Buckley studied the photo and swore.

'What is it?' asked Mike.

'That is the marking of the Craven clan, I wonder who wiped them out as the consensus is that they were the elite, of protection details.' answered Buckley.

'These protection details were like a private army? right' asked Mike.

'Yeah, even though vamps. don't need them, it is all for show. But the Cravens built up their detail so that they were feared by the other clans. Whoever killed them were better and I would hope to never meet.' responded Buckley.

'Wordsworth report to my office.' interrupted Madam Bones as she passed Mike's desk.

'Thanks Heath that adds another piece of the puzzle, excuse me.' said Mike as he gathered up his notes and left for Director Bones office. Buckley frowned as he watched Wordsworth head off towards Bones office. What was happening with this Granger girl, her house was attacked by the Craven clan, the clan was wiped out. thought Heath. He was glad he was assigned a different case.

Mike found Madam Bone' office door ajar and Madam Bones hanging her travel robe on the coat stand beside the door.

'Enter,' bade Madam Bones when she saw him silently standing at the office threshold.

Mike entered and stood to attention in front of Madam Bones' desk. Amelia conjured a mug of tea and offered Mike a cup. He politely declined. As Amelia sat behind her desk she asked Mike for his report. Mike consulted his pocket notebook and began his report.

'I had no luck with obtaining Miss Granger's address from Hogwarts as they are dealing with a problem with the currently very high failure rate in the subject of Potions. I was forced to consult the wand register which fortunately listed Miss Granger's parents address in muggle London. I would suggest updating the Ministry database as it is fifty years out of date.

As the Granger residence was fifteen miles from the nearest magical community I Apparated there and obtained transport from a muggle taxi. On arrival at the residence's address I discovered a police cordon on the street. I made contact with the Police Detective Constable in charge and discovered that early in the morning of Monday the fifteenth of July there was the sound of explosions.

An eye witness called the police but by the time the police arrived the altercation was over. The eyewitness is a muggle mother of an eighteen month old baby that was sick on the morning in question. The mother was sitting downstairs in her sitting room with the baby so that her husband could sleep.

The husband is a labourer working on the cleanup operation in central London. The eyewitness, a Mrs. June Charles, said that about one fifteen in the morning a man in a suit walked down the road approached the Granger residence and moved towards the door. Shortly afterwards Mrs. Granger, in her sleepwear, opened the door.

The man entered the house. A few minutes later two large black vans arrived. Men in black clothes and strange harnesses got out. Shortly after that a young woman in her late teens or early twenties appeared out of thin air on the footpath in front of the house. She was wearing rags on her shoulder and was welding a sword, otherwise she was naked.

One of the men from the van approached the woman and was rendered headless. Another man in a suit appeared and approached the young woman. Mrs. Charles is adamant that the woman was naked and armed with a sword. Evidence found at the scene confirms some of Mrs. Charles story, the Police found fragments of a blue bathrobe and one of the recovered bodies was headless.

She thought that the young woman was Hermione Granger's older sister or cousin as the young woman had long bushy brown hair and from a distance had similar features. Mrs. Charles is unsure what happened next as she went to get the telephone. But a lot of the men from the vans were lying on the ground bleeding to death she thought from gunshots.

There was a large shaggy dog or wolf defending the young woman from the man in the suit, the large animal had the man by the neck when suddenly a naked man welding a large pistol came out of the Granger house. Mrs. Charles had never seen the man before. She reported that the man was a similar age to the woman possibly Hermione Granger or her sister.

The man was about six foot and built like a swimmer, Mrs. Charles liked what she saw of the man, he had black hair. The man shot at the injured man in the suit. The man dropped the gun and the woman's sword leapt into his hand. The animal limped over to the nude man.

The nude man decapitated the man in the suit and the headless body turned to ash and wasted away. I tested the ash remains on site and can confirm that the remains were of a vampire. An old woman in her sixties left the Granger's and approached the man, she was holding a stick, she was wearing a dressing gown and glasses. She had white hair, the description is too generic for me to obtain an identity of a possible witch. The witch levitated the animal back to the house.

More vans arrived, the nude man picked up the naked woman and went back to the Granger's. A fire fight between the house and the new arrivals ensued. Mrs. Charles is adamant that so far there was very little sound. The sound was mostly of whistling air and the odd howl or growl from the animal. She related the animals noises to a Werewolf as depicted in muggle films.

She also reported that they saw a strange black estate car leave the scene at very high speed. It literally exploded out of the garage. Someone from the car shot at two of the black vans, both exploded. The sudden loud noise shocked Mrs Charles.

There was ten dead bodies identified at the scene with military fire arms. The Constable reported that the weapons were fitted with silencers indicating that it was highly likely that it was a covert operation. The Detective Constable did not identify the team but I noticed a symbol on each of the identifiable bodies.

I guess that there was more than ten at the scene but the house exploding destroyed some of the remains. Auror Buckley identified the symbol as a vampire identification rune. This leads me to think that the attack was ordered by a Clan. Buckley has informed me that shortly after the attack on the Grangers the Clan was wiped out. So far there has been no reprisals from the other clans, the clan was the Cravens'

Madam Bones held her tongue, she would ask her questions when Wordsworth finished his report.

'Evidence and Mrs. Charles eyewitness report also indicates that some of the deaths were caused by a werewolf. This is very unusual as the full moon is not due until the end of the month. I looked up the lunar calendar, the last full moon was on the second and the next on is due on the thirtieth which is just under a fortnight away.

The small hair sample hopefully will lead to an I.D. of the werewolf. The Grangers had help escaping as there is evidence that someone returned fire on to their attackers with both muggle fire arms and spell fire. I guess that the unidentified man with black hair used the fire arms and the old witch with spell fire. Mrs. Charles's report of multicoloured light emanating from the house adds credence to the fact that there was one witch in residence.

The house was destroyed in a massive explosion just as the black car left but some shell casings were found among the rubble. Mrs. Charles was knocked from her chair from the force of the explosion that destroyed the Granger house. Evidence also suggests that more than one vampire was slain as I found traces of vampire ash among the rubble of the house at least fifty feet from the vampire slain on the street.

In closing Madam Bones, I have not been able to contact Hermione Granger or her parents, her house is just a hole in the ground. There is no trace of the Grangers at all.' reported Mike.

'You are telling me that Vampires have attacked the Grangers and two vampires were slain?' asked Madam Bones.

Mike consulted his notes, 'Yes Ma'am, I believe that one was slain in the house and one on the street.'

Madam Bones nodded and asked her next question, 'Could the werewolf have been an Animagus?'

'Doubtful, even though there was no residue of a lunar spell the recovered hair sample was examined and we believe that the werewolf is a male wizard of about thirty five to fifty years old and has been a werewolf for about thirty years. The werewolf is not on any of our watch records.
If this werewolf has the ability of an Animagus it would be the first recorded case.' responded Mike.

'You say at least one witch also defended the residence, could Miss Granger have also been one of the defenders with her wand?' asked Amelia.

'No, according to the Department of Underage Magic records, an adult witch and wizard were recorded at the premises. They show the last time Miss Granger cast a spell was on the Hogwarts Express before the start of summer. They believe that the control shown by the witch that she could be in her seventies, a very experienced witch. Spell residue indicates this also as does Mrs. Charles account.' replied Mike.

'Oh, do we know any adult acquaintances of Miss Granger that could be the mysterious defender?' pondered Amelia.

'No, except one of the professors at Hogwarts.' offered Wordsworth.

'Any idea on Miss Granger's current status?' asked Amelia in concern.

'Sorry Ma'am, no, it is my belief that Miss Granger was the woman who appeared naked on the road and was saved by the naked man. I also believe that both left in the unidentified muggle vehicle. It is my firm belief that Miss Granger managed to escape the attack by the vampire Clan. The reason for the attack at present is a mystery, and I fear that it will always remain a mystery.' replied Wordsworth.

'Why do you think that Miss Granger was the woman that appeared on the road by unknown but obviously magical means, considering that it was not flagged by the underage monitoring equipment.' countered Madam Bones.

'First, Mrs. Charles description of the woman shares similar features to Hermione Granger. The eyewitness is adamant that the woman is not Hermione's mother. The woman described almost fits except the age difference. Brown or dark brown hair, wild and untamed. Second the woman's rescuers came from the Granger residence.

Third the eyewitness claimed to have seen Mrs. Granger in her nightie by the front door before vanishing in to thin air before the fight started. Fourth Hermione Granger is an only child and the Police have contacted her two cousins that could of matched the description of the naked woman. One is in America and has been for two months and the other has been in hospital since the middle of last week, she was injured in the Diagon Alley explosion.' responded Wordsworth.

'Okay, so the woman on the road was in all likelyhood Hermione. Did Mrs. Charles note that Hermione had injures to her chest, specifically purple bruising?' asked Madam Bones.

'No.' replied Mike.

'How do we relate this woman who could be Hermione as a twenty year old to the sixteen year old that left Hogwarts?' asked Amelia.

'Maybe Hermione is very mature looking for her age or maybe the spell aged her prematurely, until we contact her we may never know.' replied Mike

'That's unlikely as I spoke with Madam Pomfrey, Hermione was hit with a purple coloured spell during that fiasco at the Department of Mysteries. I believe that Antonio Dolohov is responsible for the spell. Madam Pomfrey believes that under the current conditions it would take ten weeks for Hermione to heal fully. The spell does not cause premature ageing.' said Amelia with conviction.

'Why would Pomfrey break patient, healer confidentiality?' asked Mike in disbelief.

'This stays between the two of us, I want your oath as an honourable Wizard that this stays private.' demanded Madam Bones.

Mike frowned in thought but gave an oath to keep Madam Bones secrets.

'In the last rising of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, I was cursed with the same spell and I was rendered barren. I lost a girl I was carrying. I want to help Hermione to find justice and the best healers so that she would not suffer as I have.' replied Amelia in an almost whisper.

'Sorry to hear that, Ma'am.' consoled Mike.

'It happened years ago, Dolohov cursed Hermione and I suspect that the same bastard hit me all those years ago. With Susan gone, I don't want another poor girl to grow up without the joy of motherhood.' stated Madam Bones.

'Well, Ma'am, one minor lead is that the car that escaped was spotted about four hours later in Holyhead near the ferry port. The Police believe that the car may have gone to Dublin, The Guards in Ireland have not seen the car since. Maybe the Grangers stayed in Ireland. The investigating office is following that lead but is doubtful.' offered Mike.

'Look into it, Mike, And find out if Ms. Granger has aged four years in the last two weeks. Find out who the black haired man was.' said Amelia.

'The only person that could be the man in question is Harry Potter but doesn't he stay with his own relatives over the summer? In any case I will look in on Mr. Potter and rule him in or out of this case. If that is all, Ma'am.' said Mike.

Amelia nodded and Mike left the office with two goals, find Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. He decided to look in on Harry first, he would get the address from the underage office as he remembered the court case last year.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Lily Potter was very worried. She had met her friend Remus and her old Professor Minerva McGonagall. She had a self portrait done when she was seven months pregnant with Harry. She was awakened in her frame in a small bedroom and not the Gringotts vault as she expected. Minerva had explored the bedroom after detecting a surge of magic and found most of the contents of the vault deposited in the empty room. She had inadvertently activated the magical portrait and thus Lily found herself awake. Minerva gasped in shock at the magical portrait.

Lily learnt after Minerva got over the shock that it was a Tuesday and the date was the sixteenth of July, nineteen ninety six. About sixteen years after her portrait was finished. She was dismayed to learn that Lily Potter was slain by Voldemort on Halloween night, eighty one. Dumbledore had gone against her husband and her own wishes and placed Harry with her sister Petunia. Harry had suffered a horrible childhood with her sister and Petunia's vile husband.

Lily was shocked to discover that Harry and a school friend had gone through a strange dimensional journey and aged a few years and was now a young man. She was delighted to learn that she now had a daughter-in-law named Hermione Potter nee Granger. She was dismayed to learn that Hermione's house was attacked and Hermione's mother Jane was suffering because she had been put under a Vampire's thrall, and the vampire had died. It got worse as she realised how dire the situation was when she learnt that Jane was still under and Minerva was forced to put the poor woman in to a magical coma.

She learnt that Harry and Hermione had gone to the bank as they believed that Lily's research might help cure Jane. That was two days ago and the couple had not returned. Minerva and Remus were working through the notes and papers trying to come up with a method of healing. Lily was frustrated that the painting only held Lily's personality and general memories. She would of liked to help but the memories of the research was unfortunately not very detailed. She could only point Remus and Minerva where to look in her research papers without understanding why.

Lily was depressed when she learnt what had happened to all her friends. Sirius spending twelve years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and then died at the start of summer. The Longbottoms spending the last sixteen years in St. Mungo's their mind gone. She was aghast to learn that shy Peter had betrayed them to Voldemort, and he was instrumental for his return to a body to resume his reign of terror. Her poor baby was Britain's only hope, it was not fair.

Lily could see that Remus and Minerva were very worried about Harry and Hermione. Lily had learnt that the couple had means of communication, the fact that they had not was very worrying. Lily spent her time taking to Frank Granger about Harry and Hermione, parent to parent. She was trying to keep Frank's mind off of worrying about his wife and daughter. Lily was sorry that she had not waited until Harry was born to have the portrait done as he kicked her in the womb. She was also sorry she had decided to have the portrait done alone, she need James strong arms to hold her in this desperate situation.

Lily was pulled from her funk when Remus gasped, 'I have found the answer, the only problem is we need to brew a potion.'

Lily gasped they had found something to help poor Jane, she enquired 'Why is that a problem?'

Minerva gasped. 'We didn't tell you did we?'

'Tell me what?' Lily demanded.

'The British Isles is under a potions nullifying ward that effects us here in Ireland. Yesterday I tried to brew a simple pepper-up potion but failed. Until we can brew that potion Remus' solution won't work. We could try a country on the continent, but in the current situation we need to remain hidden.'

'Oh.' said Lily as she held her hands to her mouth.

The silence was only interrupted by the second hand on the clock beating out time.

HPHGHPHGHPHGH

Harry groaned as he slowly awoke. He was lying on rubble, a large stone was stuck into his back. the Goblins had thrown him into an empty Dragon pen. There was nowhere to lie down. Harry was magically weak after banishing the soul fragment from the cup. The Goblins surprised him and he awoke in the pen lying on the floor of the cavern.

He was too weak to move. His magic was very weak but he had enough to maintain a very weak connection with Hermione. He had learnt that the Goblins were keeping Hermione in a drugged sleep. Obviously Goblin potions were unaffected by whatever was ruining wizard made potions.

Harry had no sense of time, he did not know what day it was or how long he lay on the uncomfortable floor of the cavern. He was lying on a rock, he was fairly sure it had not cut his skin. His eyes had adjusted to the low light level in the cavern. He spotted the crude Goblin bracelet affixed to his ankle.

He felt the bracelets affects on his magic. He needed to get the damn thing off it was draining his magic. He needed to escape, digging deep he sat up and looked around the pen. He saw that one wall of the cavern was covered in steel bars with a large door in the middle. The door was easily twelve metres wide and six metres high. Harry hoped he would not meet the pen's normal resident.

It took great effort and two skinned knees to make it to the bars. Harry was surprised at the bars spacing of one foot centre to centre, he might squeeze through. He reached out to pass his hand through when he felt liquid pain course through his arm into his body. The pain was ten times worse than a Crucio cast by Tom. Harry passed out and struck his head on the bars.

Harry slowly awoke and stretched. His foot connected with the steel bars and once again the pain coursed through him. This time he managed to pull his leg away from the bars before he passed out. He swore in anger, he was sore all over and he wanted to see Hermione.

A glint on the ground caught his interest. It was lying on the floor about two metres away from him. He crawled towards it across the uneven floor. Harry discovered a burnt sword blade on the ground. There was a chip near the tip of the blade and this is what drew Harry's attention.

The sword had no handle, the bottom of the blade ended in a blob of metal. Harry guessed that the handle was melted. Harry got an idea and studied his ankle bracelet. Goblins were expert craftsmen when it came to weapons but who ever made the bracelet had fashioned a crude lock. Harry managed to force it with the blade.

He cut his hand though. He felt his magical reserves begin to build immediately once the bracelet was gone. He sat down to catch his breath. One of the fail safes that Harry, Hermione and John had worked on before John died took effect. Once Harry regained a small portion of energy a small rucksack appeared in the cavern in a sphere of magical energy.

Harry removed the bladder of water and slowly sipped the water easing his parched tongue. He then drained an energy drink before he started to remove the rifle and pistol from the bag. It was time to rescue Hermione, he would have to use his weapons training as he was still very weak. Summoning the emergency pack had almost drained his meagre reserves of energy dry.

Harry loaded the grenade launcher slung under the rifle's barrel and took aim at the door and fired. The door swung outwards. Harry slung on the rucksack and went searching for Hermione. The traitorous Goblins would pay.

A/N Please Review