Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.

Harry Potter: Focused – Chapter 10 – Making Deals

"I guess I'll have a scar, too," commented Ginny, indicating her left shoulder, where Nagini had bitten her. She was laying in one of the make-shift hospital beds at headquarters, wearing a hospital gown with a big bandage over her shoulder. The nurse had treated the venom and said she'd be on her feet the next day.

Harry grinned. "I guess so." He then sighed. "It's too bad we weren't able to kill that snake."

"Maybe it'll die of slow poison from biting me," she replied with a smirk. "We Weasleys can be venomous when we want to be." Harry chuckled.

He took a deep breath. "As much as I want to stay here all day, duty calls. I've got to have a few important conversations and hopefully get some answers. I'll come back when I'm done." He gave her a quick kiss before leaving the room.

-HPF-

"Mr. Ollivander, how are you feeling?" asked Harry as he, Ron and Hermione walked into his room.

"I'm doing a lot better than I was yesterday, thanks to you and your friends."

"We're glad to have helped," replied Hermione.

"How are you doing, Miss Granger? It pained me to hear you with Ms. Lestrange."

Sighing, Hermione answered, "I'm doing better now. She didn't have enough time to do permanent damage."

Changing to topic, Harry stated, "I was wondering if you could identify this wand." He produced the wand Dumbledore had left him.

"Let's see," the wandmaker replied, taking the wand in his hand and examining it. "Elder wood…powerful…very powerful…" He gazed in Harry Potter's eyes. "You already know what this wand is. I can't believe it. I, I thought it was an old wives' tale. I…" He closed his eyes as a look of bliss came over his face. "This is the famous Elder Wand, the wand formed by Death itself, first owned by Antioch Peverell – and its allegiance now belongs to you." He then opened his eyes and looked once more at Harry. "Wherever did you find it?"

"Albus Dumbledore left it for me when he died."

"Dumbledore?" The old man looked a bit upset. "I told him whenever something interesting, like your wand choosing you, happened. But he didn't tell me that he had in his possession the greatest wand…" He took a deep breath. "I shouldn't speak ill of the dead. I will confess that is somewhat…disappointing."

"He did keep a lot of secrets," Harry agreed.

"But he did leave Harry a note explaining a lot when he died," added Ron.

"You know," commented Ollivander, "I don't believe Albus let me see his wand since 1945, after he defeated Grindelwald. I should have realized it. That monster's mark was the sign of the Deathly Hallows."

"I'm afraid we'll have to go for now," said Harry as he held out his hand.

As the wandmaker handed back the Deathly Hallow, he said, "Thank you for allowing me to examine this wand. It is the most powerful wand on earth. Tom Riddle really doesn't stand a chance."

-HPF-

"Hello, Griphook. I'm glad we were able to rescue you."

"I do owe you something for that, Mr. Potter."

Latching onto that notion, the Chosen One replied, "Yes, and I know a way to repay that debt. I need information."

Looking suspiciously at the young man and his friends, the goblin inquired, "What sort of information?"

Taking a deep breath, Harry asked, "Do you know if something…special is in one of the major death eater vaults?"

"Everything in Gringotts' vaults is…special to someone. You'll have to do better than that if you want me to even know what information you seek. It's another question whether or not I can share that information with you."

"Harry," said Hermione, "I know you think that something is in Gringotts, but really…"

"What are you seeking?" asked Griphook. "If it's that important, I won't tell anyone you asked about it, whether I answer your question or not."

After closing his eyes for a few seconds while coming to a decision, Harry began, "We're after…"

"Are you sure you can trust him, Harry?" interrupted Ron. "If he blabs about it…"

"Goblins are not nearly as treacherous as humans," he spat, glaring at the redhead. "It is, after all, humans that you're fighting against, isn't it? Do you think I, or any of my brethren, have a particular allegiance to the Dark Lord? His followers treat us even worse than most wizards."

"I'm going to trust you, Griphook," stated Harry. "Don't make me regret it." He didn't bother mentioning the result if Harry Potter were to publicly state that goblins can't be trusted, figuring his guest would already know that. "Hermione, ward the doorway so no one can overhear."

"All right."

"Griphook, have you ever heard of Horcruxes?"

The goblin took a step backward. "Our curse breakers have come across them." His eyes narrowed. "You believe that He has one, and it's at Gringotts?"

"Yes. He made six. Four of them have been destroyed. One is his snake, Nagini. The last one, the one I think is in a vault at Gringotts, has to be Hufflepuff's cup. It's the only Founder's relic we know he has that we haven't accounted for."

"Hufflepuff's cup is indeed inside the vault of a Death Eater. I know where exactly where it is."

"Then get it for us to destroy," replied Harry.

"I could never do that, nor help you enter the vault, nor even tell you which vault it is."

"You're gonna tell us where it is right now you little…" Ron shouted while he lunged toward Griphook. Hermione and Harry grabbing him to hold him back.

"Stop it, Ron!" yelled Harry. "We're going to talk this out!"

Griphook slightly grinned. "There is a possible solution, but we goblins will need a much better prize than my life."

"What do you want? I have a lot of gold."

"So do we. What we want is much more valuable to us…something you can do…if you win and survive this war." He then looked at Hermione. "Perhaps if Mr. Potter wins but dies, you will be able to as well, being his most intelligent and politically-minded friend."

"Harry's not going to…" began Hermione.

"I don't plan to, but it is possible." He then looked at Griphook. "What is it you want?"

"For you to do everything in your power, which will be quite significant if you win this war, to work for Goblins to have equal rights with wizards, including the right to use wands, even representation on the Wizengamot."

"The Wizengamot?" questioned Ron. "That's impossible. Only old wizarding families…"

"As things are!" interrupted Hermione. "However, after a major upheaval such as is happening right now, if the hero of the war…"

"Fine," agreed Harry. "It's only right that all the magical races that the Ministry of Magic claims to have authority over should be represented there."

"You sound like Hermione," commented Ron.

"That doesn't mean it's not true," countered Harry. "And I can think of a lot worse people to sound like." He turned to Griphook as Hermione grinned. "I promise that if you'll solve this Horcrux problem, I'll do everything in my power to help Goblins politically. What can you do?"

"I will, of course, require a magical oath, signed in blood, by both yourself and Miss Granger, but I can transfer the Horcrux to a worthless object without damaging or removing the priceless artifact."

"Hermione will give the oath before you do it. I'll give the oath after it's done."

"Agreed," replied Griphook. "I'll need to acquire a contract quill."

The next day, Griphook delivered a piece of coal that now contained the Horcrux and Harry destroyed it. He then signed the oath to help the Goblins after the war, although he really didn't like using a contract quill.

-HPF-

Harry Potter was sitting alone on a tree stump in the Forest of Dean with his wand set beside him. His companions all knew where he was and would be coming soon if they weren't given a signal. He, however, wanted to have this conversation alone.

POP!

"Kreacher has brought Snapey to Master Harry Potter as ordered." The house elf was standing next to the far taller current headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Tell the others he's here and they are to wait at headquarters unless I call them."

"Yes, Master." The elf popped away.

"Potter. You're even more arrogant than your father…thinking that whatever you have to say is more important than…"

"Yet, you're here," interrupted Harry. "It may interest you to know that I found out the truth."

"What truth?" spat the man dressed in all black.

"You were the death eater who overheard the prophecy about me." Snape, who was already pale, went just a shade lighter. "You couldn't wait to tell your master about it, could you? And it led him to me."

"How was I to know…"

"YOU'RE THE REASON MY MUM AND DAD WERE KILLED!" he yelled, standing up and pointing his finger. He'd made it a point to have his wand difficult to reach during this conversation so he didn't do anything he regretted.

"Do you believe your parents kept me abreast of their family news? That I even knew that Lily was pregnant?"

"Lily?" repeated Harry. "You call my dad 'Potter' and say he was a git, but you've never mentioned her before."

"Next to your father and godfather, no one could be as arrogant, lazy…"

"Voldemort offered for her to stand aside while he killed me. He didn't make that offer to my dad."

After closing his eyes for a moment, Severus very deliberately and calmly inquired, "What do you want?"

Realizing his former professor wouldn't be answering any of his questions, Harry replied, "Most of my task from Dumbledore is finished. The only obstacle that remains before I can kill Voldemort is that Nagini needs to die first. Will you be able to kill the snake and then let me know where Voldemort is?"

"You say that only Nagini needs to die now?"

"Yes."

"That's not quite accurate, according to Dumbledore. Of course, he never liked to reveal his secrets." The middle-aged man pulled a memory sphere out of his robe pocked. "I thought, perhaps, with Miss Granger to offset your incompetence, you may have made some progress." He then activated the sphere. Both Dumbledore and Snape appeared in the globe having a conversation.

Dumbledore said, "Harry must not know, not until the last moment, not until it is necessary, otherwise how could he have the strength to do what must be done?"

"But what must he do?"

"That is between Harry and me. Now listen closely, Severus. There will come a time – after my death – do not argue, do not interrupt! There will come a time when Lord Voldemort stops sending that snake forth to do his bidding, but keeps it safe beside him under magical protection, then, I think, it will be safe to tell Harry."

"Tell him what?"

"Tell him that on the night Lord Voldemort tried to kill him, when Lily cast her own life between them as a shield, the Killing Curse rebounded upon Lord Voldemort, and a fragment of Voldemort's soul was blasted apart from the whole, and latched itself onto the only living soul left in that collapsing building. Part of Lord Voldemort lives inside Harry, and it is that which gives him the power of speech with snakes, and a connection with Lord Voldemort's mind that he has never understood. And while that fragment of soul, unmissed by Voldemort, remains attached to and protected by Harry, Lord Voldemort cannot die."

"So the boy…the boy must die?" asked Snape quite calmly.

Harry then interrupted this scene being played out. "Dumbledore never asked anyone for information, did he?"

"What?" asked a clearly confused Snape as he gazed at the amused Boy-Who-Lived.

"The goblins know how to transfer soul fragments without harming the vessel. If I'd have known I had one inside me, I'd have already had Griphook remove it." He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I'll have to contact him again. I wonder what he'll charge me."

"Do you mean to say that all Dumbledore had to do was to ask the goblins about this problem and…" the Half-Blood Prince yelled.

"Yes, but as you said, he does love his secrets. Just be glad he left me a letter saying he put you up to killing him. Otherwise, we'd never have had this conversation, and you'd have ended up either dead or in prison for life."

"That is true," agreed Snape.

"Anyway, it should only take me a few days to take care of my little problem. So, maybe wait one week to be safe, then kill the snake, stab it with this, and let me know where Voldemort is so I can kill him." He handed Snape a basilisk fang.

"Agreed," replied Severus. He added, "He's currently living in the Minister's Mansion with Pius Thickness," before disappearing with a small pop.

-HPF-

End chapter.

Obviously, the memory toward the end of this chapter was taken from an obscure, little-known literary work called, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."