Diagon Alley
November 18, 2006
Harry and Ginny trekked along the empty cobblestone road, their steps tentative, as if they were worried something lay in wait to attack them. "It's eerie," Ginny commented, her voice unnecessarily low.
"I don't think I've been here since before the Event," Harry mused, feeling a tug at his chest as they passed the empty storefronts, noticing graffiti and other evidence of neglect. After the formation of the WEA, magical vendors gradually found their way to the non-magical shopping centers and main streets. Harry had never thought about it before, but seeing Diagon Alley in such a state was – disconcerting.
"What are you thinking about?" Ginny asked, eyebrow raised..
"Hm? Oh–" he paused, "–I'm remembering the first time I came here. I was quite young, and I'm sure it was for ice cream or something equally childish, but it was just so magical. No cars, everyone free to use their magic at will." He looked over and saw the faded sign, Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, and felt a pang of nostalgia.
"Are you starting to gain sympathy for the isolationists?" Ginny asked, her voice teasing, with a hint of curiosity.
"No." He shook his head. "I don't think things are so simple. But perhaps bringing the magic of this place into the WEA is something to strive for. Not necessarily within enclaves or at Hogwarts, but everywhere. Isn't that the advantage of no more statute of secrecy? We're no longer isolated."
She put out her hand and he took it, and for a moment he could pretend he was out on a nice walk with his girlfriend, rather than searching for a Horcrux. As the pair approached Gringotts, he wasn't sure whether to be relieved or concerned when he noticed that, unlike the rest of the Alley, the bank appeared in pristine shape. The white building stood tall and proud amongst the hastily boarded windows and disrepair of its neighbors.
"I'm guessing someone's here." Harry raised his eyebrows as he opened the unlocked door.
"Welcome to Gringotts," a solitary Goblin greeted them, his face neutral as though it were just a typical day and they were there to do a bit of banking. "How can we help you today?"
Harry was utterly speechless. The lobby was spotless, the portraits that adorned the walls were clean of dust, and the marble floors appeared waxed. He couldn't help but wonder how long exactly this Goblin had been here waiting. "Uh," Harry started, blinking.
"Do you have an account with us? Or do you wish to open one?" the Goblin drawled.
"Oh shit," Ginny interrupted, watching the Horcrux detector in her hands. She looked at Harry wide-eyed. "It's here."
"Uh, sir," Harry addressed the Goblin, his vague recollections of Goblin history urging him to be as polite as possible. "We have a bit of a complicated situation we would very much appreciate your help with."
The Goblin nodded and gestured for them to follow him to an office. He waved at the front door, presumably locking it, leaving Harry to wonder if perhaps the only reason the door had been unlocked in the first place was because the Goblin detected his and Ginny's arrival.
The office was large, an obvious display of Gringotts' status and wealth. The Goblin immediately took the large blue velvet chair behind the desk, his back upright and hands clasped in front of him. The desk was large and mahogany, a relic of another era. Various golden instruments adorned the desk; Harry wondered if they served a functional purpose or were there merely to reinforce the wealth of this place. The far wall was covered in bookshelves, their every nook and cranny filled with what looked like priceless, rare tomes.
The Goblin looked at Harry expectantly, gesturing to the two wooden chairs opposite him. Harry and Ginny took their seats, fidgeting awkwardly. "So, Mr. Potter, what can I do for you?"
Harry blinked, trying to recall if he ever said who he was.
"Yes, we know who you are, Mr. Potter. We're not completely ignorant to the world around us," the Goblin snarled, in response to Harry's unasked question.
"Apologies," Harry started. "We're on a quest of sorts. We're attempting to find certain objects and believe that one is located in your vaults."
"Hmm," the Goblin responded. "Do you have the proper key and credentials to get into this vault?"
Harry opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again, completely at a loss for words. Switching gears, he noticed a nameplate. "Is your name Griphook?"
"Yes," Griphook confirmed, looking apathetic.
Harry tried to imagine who even had vaults at Gringotts. His dad had emptied his, like most wizards, after the formation of the WEA, both because the wizarding financial system was antiquated and as a show of faith in the new government. He knew Gringotts was an international bank, so it was reasonable to imagine that in other countries where magicals were still holed up, the bank may still have prestige. But obviously some magicals must still have vaults at Gringotts since their Horcrux detector had indicated something was here...
"You have done an excellent job with the upkeep of Gringotts." Harry attempted a friendly smile, gathering his thoughts.
The Goblin returned, with a glare, "Of course."
"I'm curious though – given that the vast majority of witches and wizards have migrated to using WEA currency, how is it that you all stay in business?" Harry asked, attempting to keep his tone neutral.
"There are many who still feel more secure having their personal wealth stored in Gringotts rather than in a Muggle bank," he drawled.
Harry placed a hand up, hoping to indicate he meant no harm, he was only curious. "The thing is, the WEA is technically sovereign over all of London, including Diagon Alley. Now, there are a number of banking regulations that require foreign entities who bank within the WEA to be registered explicitly as such. As I'm sure you're aware, domestic terrorism funded by foreign interests laundering money through our banks has been a serious problem since the WEA's founding. Registering foreign entities drastically curtailed terrorist activity," Harry explained.
"Now, I can't say that I've ever personally reviewed the annual banking certifications of foreign interests. But I feel reasonably confident I would have heard if Death Eaters were registered as a foreign entity with banking interests in the WEA." Harry watched as Griphook shifted slightly in his seat, his face still a mask of indifference. "Especially since I was the recent target of a murder plot where Death Eaters were involved in the conspiracy.
"So, when I think about who is still using these vaults, given no one I know still banks here, I'm led to believe that a good chunk of them are Death Eaters. In fact, it would explain why you're even here at all; you weren't expecting us, but you always have to be prepared for them. I wouldn't be surprised if, with a little hint, our Justice Department might be able to find a connection between the accounts of the conspirators who tried to murder me and the Death Eaters. You know–" Harry paused a moment, brushing a finger along his chin, "–perhaps if the Death Eaters' accounts had been registered, we could have uncovered the plot earlier."
"I don't appreciate being blackmailed," Griphook spat.
Harry put his hands up. "I'm not attempting to blackmail you! I'm simply explaining why the WEA has these regulations. I remember the world the way it used to be; I know that Gringotts has a reputation for being "above it all," so to speak. You've been around for over a thousand years – you're not concerned with the tides of men. Sure, right now, the WEA may be in power, but you don't want to alienate whoever comes next, and I have a lot of respect for that. You don't take sides, but you also don't fault those who do.
"But right now," Harry placed his finger on the desk for effect, "the Death Eaters have chosen not to be a part of the WEA, and they are, for all intents and purposes, a foreign entity. And since they have not, I assume, correctly reported their banking status in the WEA, they do not have the same rights and privileges as WEA citizens. All I am asking, is to find one item that should be in one vault. I have no desire to take anything beyond that."
Griphook looked at Harry with something resembling respect. Harry took a calming breath, and Ginny looked at him curiously, not used to seeing the politician in him come out. She was amazed at just how good he was at it.
"Perhaps we can make an exception this once. After all, we are but humble servants of the Alliance," Griphook relented. He stood up, gesturing for them to follow.
Walking behind the Goblin, Harry let out a huff of breath and broke into a wide smile, relieved the gambit had worked. Ginny squeezed his hand, and the pair followed the Goblin to some cart tracks.
"Do you know whose vault holds the item you're looking for?" Griphook asked.
Ginny looked at the detector carefully. "We can't give you the precise location, but I believe it is quite deep."
Griphook guided them into a small cart. Ginny gave out an unconscious 'whoop' of excitement and joined Harry on the bench in the back, holding on tight as it took off. The ride seemed to go on forever, and Harry grew progressively more uncomfortable as they ventured impossibly deep; he was reminded of his non-magical geology classes and their lessons about the hot magma in the Earth's core.
Just as he was about to express his concerns to Ginny, she shouted, "Stop!"
The Goblin obeyed but gave a face to suggest he was doing it because he wanted to stop, not because she had directed him to.
Harry noticed the Horcrux detector spinning wildly. He frowned as it led them to what appeared to be a blank wall.
"Hmm..." Griphook cocked his head.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"Is this the vault you wish to enter?" Griphook asked. Ginny nodded, and he continued, "This is the Lestrange vault. Of course, there are no Lestranges left. You should be grateful for this; were they still around, it would be very dangerous to steal from them." His mouth stretched into a devilish smile, revealing dozens of yellowed, pointy teeth, making Harry pale slightly.
The Goblin instructed them to stand back as he gently caressed the wall, and suddenly a door formed. Griphook mumbled something, and it jolted open.
The vault felt dark the moment Harry entered. Mixed among the gold strewn about were a number of objects that were clearly dark artifacts. He saw a golden jack o' lantern that appeared to be bleeding from its eyes and try as he might, he couldn't for the life of him see any utilitarian value in such a thing. He walked around the vault, searching, until he saw what they were looking for – a small cup, high on a top shelf.
"Ginny!" he called out and then quickly summoned the cup, using a handkerchief from his pocket to avoid directly touching it.
They retreated from the vault, Harry holding the cup about a foot from his face. Griphook cocked his head, looking at the pair curiously. "Perhaps I should thank you for removing that," he said, before gesturing for them to return to the cart.
Despite Griphook's ominous thanks, Harry and Ginny spent the ride to the surface quietly elated over finding a Horcrux.
At the surface, Harry was preparing to say goodbye when he had a thought. "How have the Goblins been since the Event?" he asked Griphook.
Griphook looked taken aback. "We have found places where we can exist in peace."
"Is there a reason you never tried to assimilate with the non-magicals?" Harry asked.
Griphook let out the Goblin equivalent of a laugh, causing both Harry and Ginny to take an automatic step back. "Wizards have wronged us for so long, why would we give the other breed of human the opportunity to do so as well?"
Harry nodded thoughtfully. "It's just, I think if the Event taught us anything, it's that perhaps we need to be a little better about letting go of old prejudices. We had always believed that non-magicals would burn us at the stake or otherwise revolt against us. And I'm not trying to suggest that it was rainbows and unicorns when the statute of secrecy was broken, but the majority of non-magicals were willing to give us a chance.
"We've always let the loudest in the room have the biggest voice. It was one of the toughest parts of the formation of the WEA – we had to convince witches and wizards that most non-magicals were not going to harm them. And then we discovered something incredible: we could be more together than we ever were apart.
"I'm sorry if this feels like a lecture, but it's something I feel passionate about. I know the magical creature community has been somewhat in disarray. And really, it's our fault, and I am willing to take responsibility for that, on behalf of witches and wizards. And I know it's risky, potentially trusting us or, even worse, trusting non-magicals when your histories dictate otherwise. But I think it would be worth it. I believe that we, as a society, are on a precipice – we can be great, or we can stagnate." Harry paused.
Griphook gave Harry a calculating look. "You refer to your birth rate problem?"
Harry nodded. "I believe we will solve it. But then, all we'll have left is each other. In a way, the birth rate problem was something of a gift for a young society; it was something we all had in common, something we had to solve together. But once it's resolved, what then? I believe that's when we have to choose to trust that the WEA is more than just tape and glue, that it's something real and something that can last.
"The world is an ugly place right now. I guess what I'm saying is we need everyone to make it better. Magical creatures are magic incarnate; you bring an element to our society that has been lacking." Harry looked Griphook directly in the eye. "So I guess just think about it; maybe send a representative or two to the WEA Parliament and see what we can do together."
"You are unexpected, Mr. Potter," the Goblin remarked, his face neutral but his eyes showing interest. "You speak to me as an equal. Though you are an idealist, your argument holds logic and passion. I will share your message." He nodded and waved at the front door, unlocking it.
"That's all I ask." Harry smiled.
Chamonix, France
"Were you successful?" Dumbledore asked as they landed gracefully on the back patio. He was sitting on a rather odd lawn chair, smoking a pipe.
Harry couldn't help the smile that covered his face as he showed the old man the cup.
"Well done Harry!" Dumbledore beamed.
"Thank you, sir." He nodded, and he and Ginny went inside to put the cup with the locket.
"Alright," Ginny stated as they stood over the box in the living room that held the dark artifacts. "We have the cup and the locket, so there are hopefully just four left."
"You know," Harry started, wrapping his arms around Ginny's waist from behind, "until today, I was scared this was going to be futile." He tilted his head, gently laying kisses on her neck.
"Stop that!" She smacked his hand. "Dumbledore could be watching!"
"We're grown adults." He held onto her despite her protest, blowing lightly at a sensitive spot behind her ear. "Besides," he was whispering now, watching as her eyes shuttered, "he'll probably be out there for a while." He grabbed her arse and smiled as her eyes went wide.
"You're a terrible influence," she admonished, but she was smiling and grabbed Harry's hand, dragging him down the hall to her room. She walked in and then suddenly noticed Harry hadn't followed. "What's wrong?" She frowned at him.
He looked perplexed. "I can't come in." She watched as he tried to enter but each time was thwarted as though the threshold was an invisible door.
She laughed so hard she almost cried. "Oh my goodness. I read about this in Hogwarts, a History. C'mon, we'll go to your room."
They trekked to the other side of the house, Ginny explaining along the way, "Apparently at Hogwarts, boys were not allowed in the girl's dormitories but girls were allowed in the boys'. Something old-fashioned, I'm sure."
Harry smiled as Ginny successfully entered his room, barely listening to her explanation. He kicked the door closed and pulled her to him, kissing her roughly, his fingers gently combing through her hair. She pushed him, and he smiled as he collapsed onto the bed, his glasses shifting.
She gazed down at his quirky, almost boyish smile. "Harry," she started, straddling him and biting slightly at her lip, "why me?"
He sat up and straightened his glasses, pulling her closer to him so their faces were inches apart. "What?"
She huffed, blowing a stray flyaway out of her face. "I don't want to sound – whiny – but you have to understand you're you. You just convinced a Goblin to let you take something from Gringotts. You're a legend, Harry Potter."
He kissed her, distracting her from her musings.
She dug her fingers into the back of his hair while he traced lines up and down her back. "Nope," she shook herself, "you're not going to distract me."
"Hmm," Harry grunted. "You were saying I'm a legend?"
"Yes." She shifted, her lips curling into a slight frown. "You know I'm just a Corps Officer, right? And — I like it, what I do. What happens when you need something else? I'm not a politician, you know. I don't have an interest in that world. I worry one day you'll resent that."
"Just a Corps Officer?" he repeated back to her.
"You know what I mean." She rolled her eyes.
"Ginny," he whispered and started pressing kisses against her neck as he responded. "I've been around all sorts of women all my life. But you're the first who just accepts me. You're not looking for the politician or boy who cried for his mother in front of the whole world." He frowned for a moment and leaned his forehead against hers. "When I'm with you, it's like I can finally breathe. I don't worry about saying or being the wrong thing."
"Yeah?" she whispered.
"Mm-Hmm." He smiled. "It also helps that you're incredibly sexy when you defend me."
She laughed. "You know, most men wouldn't be able to stand that."
"Oh." Harry's laugh deepened and he pulled her to him, grabbing her arse suggestively, "I know my strengths and weaknesses. I'll always let you fight my battles for me."
Ginny nodded and leaned forward, pushing Harry to lay flat on the bed. The word always lingering uncomfortably in the back of her mind.
A/N: Thank you as always to my alphabetas - ElizColl, Art3misia and Astrangefan. You can find me as well as WEA 101 on Tumblr at canttouchthis.
I appreciate any and all comments/reviews!