Just like I promised :)

Have fun!

Chapter Eleven: Gold and Goblins

Some time after the incidents of the morning all four of us had ended up gathered around the worn kitchen table; emotions were running on a high tenor this morning and it was clearly apparent with the way we stood. Not one person around the table had a relaxed posture and none of us were able to stand still. We had just been talking about how to break into Gringotts and get Helga Hufflepuff's cup without creating too much of a distraction—and that alone would have coiled up anybody. It didn't help that we did actually have to worry about Death Eaters on top of that.

I glanced around nervously at them all, gauging their reactions to the plan I had just laid out in front of them. For the most part they were all nervous or angry (angry being Ron of course). "So do we have a general idea of what the plan is?" I asked quietly.

A silence filled with so much tension you could cut it with a knife descended on the four of us; nobody wanted to speak their opinion and I certainly didn't want to say anything else at the moment.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour, Hermione opened her mouth and began slowly, carefully almost, "I don't like it," She kept her eyes fixed on the table, not wanting to meet my eyes. A second later she sank into her chair and fiddled with something in her lap. "It's too dangerous."

Knowing this would be the dominant reaction, I stayed standing as the other two sank into their chairs as well. They were scared and worried that they would slip up and thus would bring death upon us all. Shoving the thoughts of meeting Voldemort face-to-face out of my brain, I looked at them all, even though they refused to meet my probing eyes. "We have no other choice," I told them, seriousness weighing down my voice. "Unless the three of you can come up with something else, this is what we have."

Hermione, nervous about arguing with me, opened and closed her mouth several times before finally pressing her lips together and shaking her head; I swore I saw two tears leak from her eyes and fall into her lap before she quickly wiped a hand across her face.

Harry, as tense and worried about this as he was, looked up finally and met my blue eyes with his emerald ones; he nodded silently, but I read his gaze which told me everything I needed to know: I'm always in on whatever it is—if it's a step closer to killing Voldemort count me in.

Had this been a different time I would have smiled at Harry's sense of bravery, compassion and one-track mind, but for now I simply nodded my head very slightly, but he caught the gesture nonetheless.

Ron, however, had different motives in his head. "I disagree with the matter completely Lizzie," He told me frankly, and looked up, but did not meet my eyes. "We're going straight into a deathtrap that we'll never be able to get out of if we get caught. What if You-Know-Who shows up? Then we've brought Harry directly to his death without even giving him a chance—you're sending us all into enemy territory."

Though I would have gladly loved to argue and interrupt him, I kept my mouth clamped shut and my eyes facing forward, measuring Ron's reactions and movements as he dictated what he felt. I had to admit that he was slightly correct—if Voldemort did show up I did just bring all of us to our deaths, but what they didn't know was that Harry had the ability to fall back on me in that department. In any case I waited until Ron had shut his mouth and looked at me with eyes that glimmered with faint nervousness. "I can't deny that those are all very real possibilities Ron," I started calmly, keeping my voice as measured as I could. "But you always risk your own life when you're trying to kill another."

Ron pressed his lips together as he completely resisted the urge to argue. A slight red flush crept across his face, but he continued to say nothing.

"Are you in or what?" Hermione asked after glancing up at him. "We need to make a decision Ron."

I could have hugged her—she was so good and forcing Ron to do things while I had the opposite effect. I watched Ron think for a millisecond and he finally nodded, and for once it wasn't a weak nod just to go along with everyone else—this was a true agreement, Ron really wanted to do this. Feeling overjoyed and, in spite of the situation, a small smile worked its way into a corner of my mouth as I said, "If there's anyone who has a chance to break into Gringotts it would be us."

And then comprehension seemed to dawn on Harry as he suddenly blinked and looked at me in a panic-stricken way. "What about the goblins?" He demanded quickly.

Had I not been Albus Dumbledore's granddaughter I would have been completely derailed and thrown into despair by this question; I would have suddenly remembered that I had not considered the goblins in my calculations and the entire plan would have been a failure when we hadn't even started it yet. But, I was not some other girl: I was Albus Dumbledore's true flesh and blood and I had already deliberated with myself over the goblins. "The goblins have been taken care of. I've roped one into our cause, but only one; the others will remain as is."

Harry, still not relieved by my apparent calmness with the situation, sat up straighter in his chair and pierced me through and through with his emerald eyes. "Who is it? Can they be trusted?"

Remembering an old piece of advice from my grandfather, I shook my head, but the wry smile stayed in place. "No goblin can be trusted Harry, they are motivated by greed and it is that which sustains them. The only reason this goblin has agreed to join us on our quest is because we hold something very valuable which any goblin would kill to have." The light in my face dimmed a little as I cast my eyes on a gleaming, silvery object which protruded from someone's bag.

He turned in his chairs and his eyes found the sword of Godric Gryffindor and I could practically feel the anger and spitefulness rolling off him in waves. He turned back toward me and his eyes said everything: There is no way in hell we are giving that sword to a filthy goblin.

"Harry," I said quickly, heading him off. "We have no choice but to do just that. Technically the sword of Godric Gryffindor does belong to him and all the other goblins—they made it in the first place. He wants it back, so we've to got give it back to him."

"But it's already a necessity to us—we destroyed bloody Salazar Slytherin's locket with it. Don't you think we could use it?" He demanded furiously.

"To be frank, no I don't. There is no doubt in my mind that Gryffindor's sword is a powerful magical object, but do you remember that Gryffindor and Slytherin were enemies? It would only make sense that their relics would be the very things to destroy each other. Hufflepuff had no quarrel with Gryffindor; therefore his object would just be scarring a wonderful memory. We're going to need something else to destroy Hufflepuff's cup."

Though I was talking to Harry, Hermione was the first to speak. "In legends there have been stories of Helga Hufflepuff having a secret romance with Godric Gryffindor," She said tonelessly. "Lizzie's right you know—if they really were secret lovers it wouldn't make sense to destroy Hufflepuff's relic with Gryffindor's."

I looked over at Hermione and smiled a little bit. "Yes, those were the legends," I glanced back over at Harry who was finally looking at me with a faint glimmer in his eye. "Besides, I didn't exactly tell Griphook precisely when I would give him the sword—I just said that in exchange for his services we would give him the sword and, naturally, he agreed."

Ron let out a low whistle and shook his head. "You tricked a goblin? Are you bloody insane?" He raised his eyebrows until they disappeared into his fringe of flaming-red hair when he saw me smirk.

"I didn't trick him Ron," I said in a mock-offended tone. "I would never do that! I just…was a little vague on the exact timing of the exchange. Besides Griphook is the best shot we've got on getting into and out of Gringotts alive."

"Griphook?" Harry intoned curiously. "I remember him, he was the one who opened my vault the first time I ever went to Gringotts…I didn't like the bugger much."

"Does anyone ever like goblins anyways?" I retorted with a raised eyebrow. "And I wouldn't worry too much about past reputations; I mentioned you in my little discussion with him and he seemed glad to help…well as long as his greedy little heart was satisfied."

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Harry nodded his head and set his face while he said, "Well if it's our only shot I say we'd better take the chance while we can."

"Yeah—even if it is bloody dangerous," Ron agreed with an edge of sarcasm, but no one else seemed to notice so I didn't comment on it.

Hermione, who had remained quiet since her brief recount of Hogwarts' legends earlier, bit her lip and nodded. Finally, she opened her mouth and a glimmer of courage settled itself in her two chocolate brown eyes. "I say we go for it."

I grinned at the sudden bolster in courage and nodded. "We can do this you know."

"We're in this together," Hermione suddenly declared as her eyes and face shone in hope and courage.

"Forever," I added, my own lips curled up into a relieved smile.

"Until You-Know-Who is finished," Ron added bravely, sticking his chest out slightly, but I couldn't tell if he was mocking the situation or not, but I at least hoped he wasn't.

"Once and for all," Harry agreed in a quietly brave voice, and his eyes found mine. We knew we were going to be in this together, regardless of how the situation occurred. Harry and I would always find our way to one another because of the bond we shared—the bond I had inherited from my grandfather.

"Once and for all," I echoed in a mere whisper that was more for Harry's benefit than anyone else's.

&

I've noticed quite a bit of slack in the review department. I really do love it when I get reviewed, so perhaps you could spare one for me just once? hahah, just kidding. But if you do like the story, let me know! :)