Chapter 11 "Gringots"

To say Severus Snape was mad after Hermione sent him back to his own time would be a gross understatement. He almost crushed the Time Turner in his hand when he reappeared alone in his office. He was so stunned at the nerve of that foolish girl. How dare she send him back?

He couldn't even think straight his mind had become too preoccupied with hexes he could use the next time he saw her. He threw the Time Turner on his desk.

Fine. If she thought she could do it alone he'd let her. See if he cared about the trouble she got herself into. He would continue to help Harry Potter get to Voldemort and he was no longer going to worry about insufferable know-it-alls.

He spent the next two to three days like this. Going about his own agenda, cursing Hermione every time he thought about how she smelled of Lavender and how she might be in danger.

It was really sheer stubbornness that kept him from going forward in time to her…not that he would ever admit that to himself.

Severus had always been able to hide his feelings pretty well, but even his peers had noticed the days following that he was in a worse temper than usual. Not that he wasn't still grudgingly helping all students from their own stupidity, but the snarls coming out of him kept even his co-workers from giving him suspicious dirty looks in the hallways. Something he had become accustomed to receiving when they thought he wasn't looking.

It was not until Voldemort summoned him one afternoon that things had shifted to a point where his own pride couldn't stand in the way of logic.

Voldemort motioned for Severus to sit beside him. Severus as usual when it came to playing this game did as he was told.

Voldemort petted Nagini before speaking. That bloody snake was the closest thing Voldemort had probably ever felt to love.

"Severus," Voldemort said silkily, "I have given your idea a lot of thought and although I would much rather just kill her, I agree with you taking the girl as leverage to draw Potter out. Seeing as how he has some sort of attachment to the girl he will inevitably come to her rescue."

"My Lord?" Severus said with a flicker of confusion before putting his brain into overdrive to figure out what he had missed before he gave himself away. It didn't take him long to realize that Granger had messed up time so bad that he now had to find a way to get back to her and keep her at the castle. He had no idea what the ramifications of having her with him would be instead of helping Potter. Dumbledore had been clear of the importance Hermione and The Orange one would play leading up to the final battle, but Severus couldn't risk exposure. If Voldemort believed Hermione was his prisoner than Severus would have to make it so and quickly. "It is done." Severus said bowing his head before moving to leave.

Severus returned to his office cursing under his breath before finally reaching his desk. He grabbed the Time Turner out of the desk drawer. He had yet to push the boundaries of their binding spell, but he was about to. He closed his eyes and concentrated on her. He focused on her soft hair. Her mouth and the indented spot right on the corner of the left part of her lips. He pictured her smile. The smell of lavender wafted over him. He pictured the last time he had seen her. He felt her hand in his as she gave him the Time Turner. He kept his mind there as he turned the dial. He gave into faith that he would find her.

Even in the same time zone as her, he never would've found the Order's safehouse if it had not been for her silently calling him. He didn't know how she even knew to call for him, but he continued to press on to the sound of her voice whispering his name.

...

"If Voldemort has the elder wand, as you say, then I'm afraid you really don't stand a chance."

Oleander's words echoed Hermione's mind. Not for the first time that day she wished she had her Time Turner. Before she might've been able to go back and do something that would prepare this new development of their journey (if she'd call it that).

She was starting to think she really was going mad. She knew dangerous things happened to Wizards who meddled with time and she was beginning to feel that the real danger was insanity. She chided herself. She was better than this.

"I need to talk to the Goblin." Harry said before moving towards the room the Goblin was resting in. "How are you?" Harry asked breaking the silence of the room.

"Alive." The Goblin answered evenly. Hermione knew how he felt. She wouldn't admit to this, but she was feeling the same way.

Harry stepped towards the Goblin and began to talk to the Goblin.

"How did you come by the sword?" The Goblin asked, getting to the point.

"It's complicated." Harry said. "Why did Belaxtrix think that it should be in her vault at Gringots?"

"It's complicated." Replied the Goblin.

Hermione rolled her eyes. They were not going to get anywhere unless Harry took a step down from his pillar of pride. She paused momentarily, surprised at her thoughts and wondered if she was becoming more like Severus after all.

"The sword presented itself to us in a moment of need." Harry said. Hermione knew that this was only half true and the memory of Severus helping them caused another wave of aching to wash over her.

"There is a sword in Madame Lestrange's vault, identical to this one, but it is a fake," said the Goblin pulling Hermione back.

"And she never suspected it was a fake?" Harry asked.

"It was very convincing. Someone placed it there over the summer. Only a Goblin would recognize it."

"Whose the acquaintance?" Hermione asked, already guessing the answer, but wanting what she already knew to be confirmed. She felt a warm rush flow over her before he responded. Severus had always been looking out for them. She was ashamed she had ever doubted that man.

"A professor at Hogwarts…it's my understanding that he is now the Headmaster." The Goblin said.

"Snape?" Ron asked. "He put a fake sword in Belatrix's vault? Why?"

Hermione knew why. She stared at her feet.

"There are more than a few curious things in the vaults at Gringots." The Goblin said.

"And in Madame Lestrange's vault as well?" Harry asked.

"Perhaps." The Goblin pursed, toying with them.

"I need to get into a vault at Gingots." Harry said.

"That's impossible." The Goblin blanched.

"Alone, yes, but with you…" Harry replied.

"Why should I help you?" The Goblin asked. He was such an ungrateful creature. They had just saved his life, but he still would not help them unless something was in it for him.

"I have gold…lots of it." Harry offered.

"Goblins have no interest in Gold."

"Then what?" Harry asked.

The Goblin paused for a moment and grasped its greedy little hands together.

"That," he said indicating to the sword of gryfindor. "That is my price."

Harry, Hermione and Ron talked it over. Losing the Sword of Gryfindor was not in their best interest, but given the reaction Belaxtrix had at them being in her vault they were convinced that a horcrux had to be in there. That was the whole point of them being out here. It was worth potentially losing the sword over. If they could destroy it then they would be one step closer to killing Voldemort.

"You're sure that's hers?" He heard the orange one ask her.

"Positive." Hermione replied.

...

Severus felt Hermione before he saw her. He peered through a window and spotted her in the room with a table and a modest pullout couch.

Hermione looked different to him. A little darker in mind perhaps. He had been so angry that she had sent him back that he had not allowed himself to get sick in his worry of what might have happened to her in his absence. Guilt washed over him now seeing her subtly altered.

"Can I have a moment alone?" she asked the boys. They nodded and exited the room. She sat down in the chair and closed her eyes. She looked like she was fighting something internally.

Severus cleared his throat. When her eyes looked up and met his in wild confusion, he felt his anger return. She didn't even think he could get back. As if she was the only witch or wizard in the world who knew how to use a time turner.

He scowled at her. "I see you survived."

To his surprise she moved quickly to him and threw her arms around his neck. He stiffened in response, but she didn't release him.

"I'm so glad you're alright." She said. "I wasn't sure if I'd see you again."

Severus patted the back of her head awkwardly. He had meant to comfort her, but he had never tried to comfort anyone before and he felt rather silly doing it now. He cleared his throat and finally moved away from her.

"You have to come back with me." He said. "It appears your random intrusions on time have caused a ripple in which you are now staying as my prisoner at Hogwarts 7 months in the past."

"But I never heard of myself being there until now. Surely, that would've been broadcasted to lure out Harry."

"I suppose it is a new development. Consequences of meddling with time."

"I can't go now. We're going to Gringots. They need me to be Belatrix to get into her vault."

"What do you need from her vault?" he asked.

"We think there's a horcrux in there and if it is, that's the most important thing and you know it."

"I'll come with you then." Severus said.

"No, you can't!" Hermione exclaimed. She didn't know how to explain to him that she couldn't risk something happening to him again. "I mean…it's going to be hard enough getting us through. It would be better if we had less bodies and I can't exactly explain to the boys why you're with us."

"Very well." He said, straightening his back. "I will find you after Gringots and then you will have to come back with me."

Hermione nodded before Severus ducked away after hearing Ron and Harry come back into the room.

"You alright Hermione?" Harry asked her, "I thought I heard voices in here."

"Yeah I'm fine, you ready to go?" She said, her mood visibly altered, and walked towards the beach before they could say anything else.

Hermione tried not to think about how she suddenly looked like the person who had tortured her earlier that day. She simply picked up her skirts and walked back towards the boys. They had used a hair growth serum on Ron to alter his appearance and Harry had the invisibility cloak ready to go.

"Well?" she asked them.

"You look hideous." Harry said. She walked over to him and they placed their hands on Harrys'. "Were counting on you" Harry said to the Goblin. "Get us into Belaxtix's vault and the sword is yours."

The Goblin nodded and placed his hand on top of theirs, apparating them to Diagon Alley.

The boys and the Goblin stood behind in the shadows as a shady looking Wizard passed by. He nodded to them.

"Good morning." Hermione said after him. He looked at her quizzically and kept walking.

"Good morning?" The Goblin spat at her. "You're Belatrix Lestrange not some doey eyed school girl!"

Hermione sighed and chastised herself. "He's right. I'm being stupid."

She could do better, she told herself as they moved into Gringots.

Every Goblin in the room stopped what they were doing when she walked past them. Belaxtrix was feared everywhere in the magical community.

Fishhook whispered to them from under the invisibility cloak. "They know she's an imposter. They've been warned."

"What should we do Harry?" Ron breathed just as the Head Goblin asked to see her wand.

As Hermione began to panic she noticed that the Goblin's eyes suddenly hazed over and a euphoric smile passed over his face.

"Well, Miss Lestrange. If you'll follow me."

Hermione had never been inside Gringots before. She had a muggle bank account that her parents had created for her a few years ago. She didn't find the ride alarming though. After everything she had been through it sort of put danger into perspective for her.

Hermione had thought too soon. Without any prior warning they were dropped from the cart and began falling towards the ground.

"Memento!" Hermione yelled, levitating them inches off the floor.

"Oh no, you look like you again." Ron said to Hermione. They had bigger problems. There was no other way out of the vaults.

They heard a distracting rumbling. They followed the noise in front of them and found a sleeping dragon.

The Goblin reached into its pocket and pulled out a rattler with bells on the end. He began to shake it.

"The dragon is trained to feel pain when he hears this noise." He explained.

"That's barbaric." Hermione replied, disgusted at the thought. The dragon whined in protest and Hermione cringed as they made there way around the animal.

Once they made it to Belatrix's vault the doors locked shut behind them. They sighed and took a step forward, marveling at the many treasures in her vault.

"Acrio Horcrux." Hermione said.

Ron chuckled, "you're really going to try that one again?" They stepped further into the vault. "Is it in here Harry? Can you feel anything?"

Harry glanced around the room. Hermione looked around the room as well and leaned back so she could see better. She brushed against a mug and to her surprise the mug began to duplicate and she moved from its path she noticed that everything the mug touched as it fell also duplicated. Ron stepped back in surprise and began his own cloning mayhem.

"That's it." Harry said looking towards a shelf on the ceiling. "Up there."

The Goblets were multiplying around their ankles, and getting higher.

"Give me the sword!" Harry yelled at Hermione. She tossed it over to them and he began to climb the growing pile up towards the ceiling.

"Damn it Ron! Stop moving!" She yelled at Ron feeling like it was first year all over again. Honestly.

As Harry's hand reached for the horcrux the pile stopped growing as they all stood still. Harry jumped from the pile more frantically with his hands around the horcux and the objects began multiplying at a new speed.

Griphook grabbed the horcrux from Harry's hand.

"We had a deal Griphook!" Harry said swimming through the objects that were now trying to bury him.

"The cup for the sword!" The Goblin yelled. Harry tossed the sword to him. Griphook threw the horcrux to Hermione. "I said I'd get you in. I didn't say I'd get you out."

By the time they managed to get out of the treasure Griphook was gone. Hermione frantically looked around the room for another way out. Her eyes stopped on the dragon and fear grabbed around her chest.

"I've got an idea…but it's mad!" she said, she grimaced and then pointed towards the chain holding the dragon. "Reducto!" she yelled before jumping on the dragon's back. Harry looked at Ron and then they both stood there with their mouths swinging open. Well, she did say it was mad, but it was their only option. "Well c'mon then!" she yelled at them.

They smiled mischievously and jumped down just as Hermione had.

"Reducto!" Hermoione said releasing the dragons final chain. Burning down everything in its path, the dragon began to climb up towards the celing looking for a way out. Half way up it lost its grip and they all began to plummet to the ground. With a loud crash they broke through a glass ceiling. It was miracle that they had managed to hang on. The dragon began to panic when it broke through to the room with the bankers. Desperatley it made it's way up to the top ceiling and took off towards the sky.

Hermione tried to spot the beach that they had buried Doby hoping that Severus would be there. She winced her eyes through the quick moving breeze slapping her in the face.

When she finally spotted it her heart began to race. She told herself it was the adrenaline of riding a dragon, and that was probably partly true. However, if she was honest, the dragon wasn't the only thing make her pulse quicken.

She could feel him. "Jump" she shouted towards them. The current of the ocean instantly swept them under the water. She held her breath and the waves crashed into her again and again pulling her further away from the shore. She cried out in panic. She could see Harry and Ron drifting towards the shore. Just as her legs began to ache from staying afloat she felt two protective arms grab around her waist and pull her in.

When they found their way back onto the carpet of his office three months in the past Hermione was spitting out so much water she was afraid Severus would yell at her for soaking his office.

He didn't. Instead he rubbed her back and rung out her hair. She felt him move away from her. He returned a moment later with a towel that he draped over her shoulders.

"I have to tell the boys I'm alive. They'll think I've drowned." Hermione finally said.

"It's too dangerous to use the Time Turner anymore than you already have and you can't send a patronus now because it hasn't happened yet. You'll have to wait." He said finally. He moved over to the kitchen area and started the kettle. Ah, of course, even Severus Snape knew the cure of all powers of tea.

Hermione pointed her wand at the fireplace and started it for warmth. She inched closer to it hoping to dry faster. She couldn't believe she was stuck here waiting out for the next three months for time to catch up with itself.

She knew she had been feeling grateful to Severus recently, but she really wasn't looking forward to being forcibly shacked up with him either.