Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 25 – The Bargain
Harry hadn't thought that a dead snake, even a giant one, would be worthy of anything, but here he was being told, by goblins no less, that it was worth a fortune.
"It's used as body armour, Harry." Hermione said, taking his dazed look for confusion. "It's like the wizarding equivalent of a bullet-proof vest. If an auror had a cloak lined with basilisk hide, or a vest like the muggle police, it would be hard for any spells their adversary sent at them to do any damage. The hide would absorb a lot of the power of a stronger spell, while weaker spells would just bounce right off."
"And there's enough snakeskin for every auror at the Ministry to have a basilisk hide vest five times over."
"Precisely." Said Ragnok. "Given how rare and effective basilisk hide is, Ministries the world over will pay top galleon for even one vest, and you could have hundreds of vests made with the amount of skin available. Add to that the fact that many other parts of a basilisk are considered very rare potion ingredients, and you could easily be the richest wizard in all of Britain by the time it is all sold. Which is why Gringotts drew up a proposal for you, Mr. Potter. We would very much like to be a part of this venture and are prepared to take on all responsibility of harvesting the basilisk and turning it into goods to be sold. There would, of course, be a small fee for our services, and we would gain a small percentage of each sale. Griphook can go over the details with you once we've revised the proposal."
"But it's not mine to sell. I don't own the basilisk." Harry protested. "If anything it belongs to Hogwarts given it was Slytherin's beast and lived in the castle."
"It is yours by right of conquest, Mr. Potter." Said Griphook. "Even wizards recognize such a right."
"Not to mention it's in a chamber only accessible by Parseltongue and you're the only Parselmouth in all of Europe." Added Bill with an amused smile.
"Curse Breaker Weasley is right." Said Ragnok, looking just as amused. "No one else could even return here to harvest the body even if they had a claim to it." Harry's lips pursed and he took several moments to think in silence before looking back to the Leader of the Goblin Nation.
"Alright, Gringotts can harvest the body." It was a rare sight to see a goblin look surprised.
"Don't you want to go over the proposal first, Mr. Potter?" Ragnok asked, sounding just as surprised as he looked. "And the proposals that will no doubt come from others as well? I would be surprised if the Minister hasn't already had a few proposals on your behalf."
"No." Harry said simply with a shake of his head. "And I don't want any money from it either, Gringotts can keep it all, though with a few conditions. I want full robes made of the skin, and not the shed skin, but the stronger actual skin, for every auror at the Ministry, and enough vests made for the rest of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and then some. I also want each victim of the basilisk, including Ginny, to receive two hundred galleons as compensation."
"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley gasped, the rest of her family looking just as shocked. "Absolutely no-"
"It's not much given everything they've been through, but it's something." Harry continued, speaking over Mrs. Weasley which he knew he'd never be brave enough to do in any other circumstances. "And finally…" Harry paused and looked around the Chamber until he found the man he was looking for. "Professor Snape!" He called and the potions master looked up from where he was examining the basilisk. He scowled when Harry motioned for him to join them, but did as requested.
"You beckoned, Mr. Potter?" His tone of voice didn't bode well. Even Harry, Ron and Hermione, who knew that Snape wasn't really as mean as he pretended to be, recoiled, though Harry knew it was worth it.
"Director Ragnok, my last condition is that Professor Snape be the one to oversee the harvesting of the basilisk for potion ingredients, and that he can keep whatever ingredients he wants." Harry now knew what a shocked goblin now looked like, though Ragnok was far from the only one.
"I…" For a moment Snape was at a loss of words. "What did you say, Potter?"
"You heard me, sir. Gringotts is going to harvest the basilisk into parts to be sold, and I would like you to oversee the harvesting of the potion ingredients. That is if you want to." He knew he'd pay for it later at their next training session, but Harry was enjoying seeing Snape open and close his mouth in shock.
"Yes." He said finally. "I…" Snape cleared his throat. "Thank you, Mr. Potter." He murmured quietly before straightening and returning to inspect the basilisk. There was silence for a moment before it was broken, unsurprisingly, by the twins.
"Bloody hell!"
"Unbelievable!"
"The bat of the dungeons-"
"-actually said thank you!"
"And to Harry!" They looked at him in awe before crawling the few feet from their own spots by Ginny to bow before Harry. "Oh great one, teach us your ways and we will do your bidding!"
"Fred! George!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. "Enough." The twins were sniggering as they returned to their places, and Harry turned to Ragnok.
"Deal?" He held out his hand for the goblin to shake. Ragnok looked at him for a moment before reaching out and grasping his hand.
"We have a deal, Mr. Potter. Your conditions shall be met, though Gringotts reserves the right to return some of the profits to you. And that-" He held up his other hand as Harry went to protest. "Is our own condition, Mr. Potter. You can donate the money to St. Mungo's or set up a fund to have wolfsbane made available to all werewolves, for all we care, but we will not take one hundred percent of the profits. To do so would be dishonourable, and Gringotts does not make a bad deal. Besides, even with your conditions Gringotts stands to make far more money than we ever anticipated." Finally Harry nodded and a bargain was struck.
"The only question that remains is how we will get back down here." Said Griphook. "Understandably I suspect you do not want to return here, Mr. Potter, though it poses a problem for harvesting the basilisk."
"I can open the Chamber for you from the girl's lavatory." He said. "But the second door poses a bit of a problem."
"Why don't we just stop of the second door from closing?" Hermione suggested, ever the one to have a solution to every problem. "Put some of the rocks from the cave in in front of it and it physically won't be able to close."
"Brilliant Hermione!" Harry had an idea of his own as well. "Dobby!" The elf popped in immediately, standing proudly at Harry's side. He was an entirely different elf from the one that had tricked Harry into bonding with him. Dobby still wore a pillowcase as clothes, though this one was not an old dirty rag but crisp and clean. Harry had wanted to give Dobby proper clothes to wear, but Dobby had said he was happy with his pillowcase and would feel weird wearing anything else. As most house elves wore a pillowcase or towel of some sort, even the ones who had kind and caring masters, Harry didn't complain too much and had insisted on Dobby going to buy himself several pillowcases in whatever fabric, style or colour he wanted. Dobby had hesitantly asked if he would get a pair of socks as well and in answer Harry had owl-ordered one of every pair of socks that Madam Malkin had. The result was a rather odd-looking house elf in a red and gold pillowcase – Dobby's favourite as it was the colours of his master's house at Hogwarts – and two brightly coloured socks, neither of which matched. Dobby couldn't understand why people wore two socks that were the same when there were so many beautiful colours and patterns. The biggest change in Dobby, to Harry at least, was that he no longer looked skin and bones, nor bowed and broken. Harry insisted that Dobby eat whenever he was hungry and so he'd filled out quite a bit. The injuries from all the punishments the Malfoys had doled out had also healed, and with them Dobby's spirit. The elf knew that serving Harry Potter would be a great honour, but he hadn't known just how good his new master really was. Now no matter how hard you tried, you wouldn't be able to find an elf prouder to serve his master than Dobby was.
"Master Harry called?"
"Yes, Dobby, I'd like to introduce you to Director Ragnok and Accounts Manager Griphook from Gringotts. Gentlegoblins, this is my friend Dobby." Harry made the introductions. "Dobby, the goblins are going to be down here without me a lot in the coming weeks. If something should happen and they need me to speak Parseltongue can they call for you and you can come get me?" That Harry was clearly asking and not ordering was not lost on the goblins.
"Of course, Master Harry!" Dobby smiled brightly as he did every time there was something he could do to help Harry. "Mister goblin sirs need only call Dobby's name and Dobby shall hear you."
"Thank you, Dobby." Harry said with a smile. Dobby nodded before turning and looking at Ginny, as if he'd known she was there, his smile fading.
"Will missy Ginny be ok?" He asked worriedly.
"I hope so." Harry murmured, sounding just as worried.
"Dobby will make missy Ginny's favourite chocolate biscuits and have her favourite tea ready for when Master Harry and missy Ginny return to Gryffindor tower." The elf said after a moment.
"I'm sure she'll love that, Dobby." Harry placed his hand on Dobby's head for a moment and the elf smiled up at him once more before snapping his fingers and disappearing.
"Not like other wizards indeed." Ragnok muttered for only Griphook to hear. A wizard that treated their house elf so kindly was rare enough, but to call one a friend and care for them so obviously was unheard of.
"I have thought for a while now that there may be a higher reason as to why he survived the killing curse." Griphook responded in Gobbledegook.
"Hmm." Ragnok hummed. "I want everything you have on the boy on my desk tomorrow morning." He replied, also using their goblin language. "I believe we have much to discuss." Griphook nodded. The two goblins then took their leave then and went to examine the basilisk themselves, joining Snape and even engaging him in discussion about the best way to go about harvesting the beast. Finally left alone with just his friends, Harry plopped down next to Ginny, not caring that he was sitting in a puddle of water. He really was among friends, Harry realized, even though the group was larger than Harry ever thought his circle of friends would be. By now he considered most of the other Weasley brothers his friends, while Charlie, who was a great deal like the twins, he knew would become a friend if they spent enough time in each other's company. Even Mr. and Mrs. Weasley he felt comfortable around, though he supposed he wouldn't consider them friends, exactly. Still, he was completely at ease with the group of people around him, and that was rare, so Harry enjoyed it while he could. Ginny still hadn't moved from her spot kneeling by the black ink stain, the basilisk fang in her hands, but no one tried any longer to snap her out of whatever reverie she was in, choosing instead to just sit with her, offering what comfort they could. Eventually though they did have to leave the Chamber, and the Weasleys left it to Harry to get Ginny to come, knowing he was the only one who could.
"Gin?" He asked softly, speaking directly to her for the first time since they'd entered the Chamber. "Ginny, we have to go. Leave the fang and let's get out of here. We never have to come back." She didn't move and so Harry tried again to the same effect. After a few minutes of trying Harry turned to Bill, who nodded and came forward to lift his baby sister into his arms and carry her out, as he'd done several times in the last month when Ginny became a living statue. He hadn't made it more than a couple steps though, when a voice stopped him.
"Can I keep it?" The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione all whipped their heads around to look at the youngest ginger, hoping they hadn't been mistaken. Harry bent down and placed both hands on Ginny's shoulder.
"Did you say something, Gin?" He asked. After a moment his question was answered.
"The fang, can I keep it?" The voice was hoarse from underuse, but Harry swore it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. Breaking into a brilliant smile he pulled Ginny into a hug, not even trying to wipe away his tears, tears which were reflected on the others' faces.
"Sure you can." He murmured into her ear. Slowly Ginny reached up and returned his hug, the first real one they had, Harry not counting the times she'd clung to him in terror.
"I'm sor-"
"If you say the word sorry, I will get Fred and George to turn every piece of clothing you have pink." Though he couldn't see her face, Harry knew her nose would be scrunched up in distaste. After having six boys, Mrs. Weasley had been so thrilled to finally have a daughter that she'd gone a bit overboard when Ginny was a child; the number of frilly pink dresses she'd worn had given her a strong hatred of the colour.
"Do it and die, Potter." Harry actually laughed. He'd been told by her brothers that Ginny wasn't someone to cross, so much so that the twins rarely pranked her, but he'd never seen it until today. Pulling away Harry smiled brightly and held out his hand, helping Ginny up. Bill conjured a sack and told Ginny to place the fang in it. Even though the basilisk was dead and this particular fang was no longer attached to its mouth, the basilisk's venom was so potent that the fang could still be deadly. Bill said the sack, which he'd charmed to not rip, would have to do until he could reinforce a jar or something else for her to keep it in. Clutching the sack with the fang in one hand and holding tightly to Harry's hand with the other, Ginny led the way out of the Chamber.
A/N - Prisoner of Azkaban beings next!
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