Chapter 48. Blood

 "Oh!" Snape said, sitting up sharply.  "I've just remembered!"  Harry had never seen Snape as unreserved as he was now; his hands moving as he spoke and looked up into the air, focussing distantly as he recalled, "It was something I overheard last night before I finally managed to leave.  There was a pause in the, er, activities and, it's a bit hazy, but I am quite sure I heard Igor Karkaroff's voice report to the Dark Lord that he had succeeded in his mission but that they had not located some book.  Gringotts—he mentioned Gringotts and I most vividly remember the mention of Fudge along with a number of derogatory names—all correct, of course, and then—then the Dark Lord raised a toast to Cornelius Fudge.  He said, I'm quite sure now, 'May the dragons of Gringotts roast you alive if you shall ever find wit to escape your prison.'  They all toasted the Minister then.  The last thought I recall thinking was that the Minister was as good as dead."

"What do you mean the last thought you recall?" Harry asked at once, nearly blustering with confusion.  "And how can you only be remembering this now all of a sudden?"

Snape seemed unaware that Harry was the one speaking to him, much less speaking to him without so much as an ounce of respect.  He was stroking his upper lip with one long sallow finger and looking distantly off into space as he answered.  "I knew I was near ready to pass out before Igor arrived.  I'm not sure if, when I finally did, it was due to exhaustion or if it was because, with the new cheer of those gathered, I was further used as a means to 'celebrate'."  This, he said with a rather surprising amount of ease.   

"Either way, by the time I regained consciousness, I've no idea how long I'd been forgotten.  I was off to the side of the room and the mood had changed considerably.  They were all whispering and scrambling about like mad.  I was able to overhear that the Dark Lord had suffered some episode and that he had collapsed.  Some others who, like myself, are aware of our Lord's inconsistent health over the past several months, commented that this seemed to be the worst yet."  Snape seemed to snap back into himself then and looked from Remus, to Harry, to Dumbledore and then said, "There was a push to clear out the room we were in; it is rather bad form for an all powerful and mighty Dark Lord to be seen as weak.  I managed to head out with the crowd and that's when I Apparated here to Headquarters."

"Fudge has been unreachable to anyone this past holiday," Moody commented as even his electric blue magical eye paused to stare off thoughtfully into space.

"It sounds like his holiday may have been extended," Remus said, absently.

Harry looked to Dumbledore. Gringotts, Fudge, a book—a book that had not been located—this was all familiar sounding stuff to Harry.  But now, how did it all tie in to Voldemort?

Dumbledore, who was quite obviously deep in thought, pinched the sides of his half-moon glasses as he looked intently across at Snape.  "I think we need to contact our friends at Gringotts."

"It's Sunday," Moody said. "They're closed today."

Dumbledore was already nodding.  "William might have a means to contact someone on a Sunday."

Remus rose and said, "I'll call him on the fire right now, shall I?"

Dumbledore nodded.  "Yes, yes, please do, Remus."

"Professor," Hermione said, making both Snape and Dumbledore turn towards her.  "Does this mean Fudge, in his efforts to get into the Malfoy vault to seek out this book, was actually working for Voldemort?  And what about Karkaroff—where does he come into this?  I assumed when we heard he'd been tracked down, that he'd been..." Hermione hesitated to go on.

"Killed?" Snape said with an arched eyebrow.  Hermione frowned but nodded then.    "It's never so simple," Snape said derisively.  "Igor lived a soft life for many years with the Dark Lord gone.   While it was true that at one point he'd rather flee that life than wilfully prostrate himself before the feet of the Dark Lord, wilful submission can suddenly look extraordinarily appealing when compared to admitting yourself a coward and deserter."

"I think I ought to track down Amelia," Moody said, rising with the aid of his walking staff.  "I'll summon Shacklebolt at once, as well.  If there's been an assassination of the Minister—useless fool—then she's now at high risk as the most likely to take his job."

Dumbledore looked to Moody.  "Yes, and I shall need to prepare to call together the Wizengamot.  However, it is still unconfirmed, Alastor."

"Mmm," Moody said with his lips pressed tightly together as he rose to leave.  "One can always hope."

~

Hermione was up and listening in as best she could as Remus carried on a conversation through the Floo.  Dumbledore had just popped open the fob on a golden pocket watch and was speaking instructions to Professor McGonagall.  Snape was the only one, along with Harry, who was still deep in thought at the table. 

"Professor?" Harry said watching Snape closely.  Snape didn't acknowledge Harry at all.  Harry leaned forward across the table and cleared his throat, "Professor...Snape?" 

The greasy head snapped up and glared across now at Harry. 

Satisfied he now had Snape's full attention, Harry asked, "What do you mean when you say Voldemort's health has been inconsistent?  For how long?  Have you ever seen him suffer an attack? And where—how does he suffer?"

Snape's eyes were narrowed into slits as one hand drummed lazily upon the table.  "Perhaps if you've not been told, it's because you're not meant to know?" he said archly.

"Okay," Remus said breathlessly, pulling himself out of the fire and dusting off his knees.  "Bill said he was just about to Floo us over here before I popped in.  There was a break in at Gringotts last night and he was just sent word to notify the Order.  The Goblins say Harry can either come himself or send someone in his stead to witness what they've found.  They also suggested Dumbledore come along.  The Floo into Gringotts has been closed for Sunday but they said it'd be open to whoever had possession of Harry's key."  He turned to Dumbledore then.  "Albus, I'd assume that means yours has been activated to allow you through as well."

"I want to go," Harry said at once.  He looked at Dumbledore.  "To where shall we Apparate to catch a Floo?"

"Idiot fool," Snape hissed.  "You don't go anywhere when your presence has been requested.  Do you always answer every invitation to head into a trap?"

Harry frowned and glowered back at Snape.  "The Goblins are—"

"—A varied lot of ambitious and self-serving creatures!  Just because some political heads may see you as a possible champion to their underprivileged rank doesn't mean another wouldn't do the Dark Lord's bidding for his own gain.  Are you a complete ignoramus?"

"Severus!" McGonagall exclaimed with disapproval.

"I think Snape does have a point, Harry," Remus said begrudgingly.  "That they asked for you like this might be a sign to take precaution and I'd feel better if you stayed here."

"They asked for Professor Dumbledore, too!" Harry said.  "And they said I didn't have to come; I could send someone in my stead!"

"Which would be my advice—to send someone in your stead," Dumbledore spoke firmly.  "If our findings at Gringotts reveal the Minister has either committed a crime of breaking and entering or if he is no fit state to govern, then I will be obliged to step in and as the Chief Warlock and call together the Wizengamot.  Severus," he said skewering Snape on his intensive gaze, "I'd like for you to remain here until I contact you and, in the mean time, answer whatever questions Harry may have about what you know about Lord Voldemort."

Harry saw Snape's lip curl at this and his elation at having free reign to question Snape distracted him as Dumbledore asked McGonagall to discreetly follow along when they would leave for Diagon Alley. 

"Harry?" Remus said. "I'll go with Albus then, if you like?  Just lend me your key to get through.  I think we'll try to walk there first but we may need to Floo and I may need it to prove you sent me." 

Harry could see he would only look more childish and immature if he continued his protest in wanting to go and so, dug out his Bottomless Moneybag from his pocket.  Handing it over to Remus, he said, "If Fudge is done for, find out what that means as to the favour the Goblins asked of me."

Remus' eyes widened as if he'd forgotten about that and then he nodded.  He left then, following Dumbledore and McGonagall out the door. 

Snape was sitting back in his chair sullenly with his arms crossed over his chest and eying Harry.  "Granger—leave," he demanded imperiously. 

"What!?" she shrilled from where she still stood near the fireplace.

"She can stay," Harry ground out. 

Hermione bristled as she said, "I'll not leave you in here to attack Harry like you did the last time you were alone with him!"  Snape sneered at her now.  "Besides, I have every right to be here!"  She bit her lip as if just recently she had yelled at a professor and almost cheekily added, "Professor."

"Perhaps," Snape said silkily.  "But I wasn't asked to answer your questions or to entertain you.  So leave.  Otherwise, I leave. "

Hermione's mouth snapped shut in anger. 

"We'll be fine," Harry said.  She looked at him like he was crazy.  "I need answers and if anyone has them, it's him," he said with a nod towards Snape. 

Hermione looked like she still wished to protest but reluctantly left them alone in the kitchen.  As soon as the door shut behind her, Snape whipped out his wand and cast a quick succession of locking spells, silencing charms and jinxes on the door.

Only when he turned back to Harry, halfway through repocketing his wand, did Harry realize he had drawn his wand in response to Snape's sudden actions. 

"Suddenly on your guard now, Potter?" he asked with a leer. 

Harry carefully schooled his face to remain expressionless as he put his wand away.  "Paranoid we'll be overheard, Professor?" Harry countered.

Snape looked smug and folded his arms over his chest again.  "There's more than just your girlfriend here who might wander down.  I always take precautions to ensure my safety."

Harry raised an eyebrow at this and said, "I've never doubted that."  Snape still wore a smug smile and looked challengingly back at Harry.  " Have you ever seen Voldemort suffer one of these attacks?" Harry asked then. 

Snape's icy cool had faltered at hearing the name and, through clenched teeth, Snape said, "You will refrain from speaking that name while I am forced to indulge your little sleuthing expedition, Potter, or you shall soon find yourself alone!"

"Have you?" Harry repeated, glaring back. 

"Yes," was Snape's curt answer. 

"When?"

"This summer."

"What did it look like?  Describe this 'attack'.  Please."

Snape pushed his chair back from the table slightly and crossed his legs.  He contemplated his answer before saying, "He had a fit of sorts.  Shuddering, chills, weakness, delirium.  He at first thought one of those of us near him had tried to cast the Cruciatus on him.  If his most trusted Bellatrix had not been one among us who witnessed it, I doubt he'd have believed us so easily."

"So he feels pain?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Are you unfamiliar with the Cruciatus?" Snape asked archly.

"Where, exactly?" Harry asked, ignoring Snape's last question.

Snape's brow furrowed. "What do you mean 'where'?" he demanded crossly.  

Harry bit his lower lip and calmly repeated, "Where does he feel pain?"

Snape gave him a look where his eyebrows were arched so high they nearly made the ever-present sneer unnoticeable.  "The Cruciatus causes excruciating pain all over.  Do you require a demonstration?"

Harry glared at the sneer on Snape's mouth.  Bastard.  Harry was about to explain that he had thought it would be localized somewhere, like it was with his scar, but he snapped his mouth closed as he thought, I have no need to justify myself to you.  

Harry kept his mouth closed and tempered his rising annoyance with Snape before asking, "When were the other times you witnessed him suffering these...fits?"

Snape studied the back of his hand as he pursed his lips together in thought and then answered, "I've only witnessed it one other time personally and that was the first time he suffered—that would have been near the time of your...birthday."  The word 'birthday' was spoken as if the mere effort of conceiving of such an event left a foul taste in Snape's mouth. 

Harry leaned forward then, his mind trying to work furiously through all of this.  "And he saw me then?  Us?  Or..." he recalled the times when he'd had visions through his scar; after Voldemort had regained his body, Harry would see these visions through the eyes of Voldemort.  Through the eyes...  "He would have seen Hermione then, right?"  Harry looked up and across at Snape then.

Snape merely raised one eyebrow and intoned, "He did identify her as the one with whom you were engaging in—"

"And Voldemort, he had this vision, this instance of seeing through my eyes while he suffered this attack, correct?" Harry cut in, using the Voldemort's name for leverage against Snape. 

Snape was grinding his teeth together, the only indication that Harry had again casually mentioned the name.  "As far as I can tell, yes." 

Harry started to chew on a fingernail as he gazed unseeingly at the far wall.  He was drawn back to the present when Snape, in what actually sounded closer to a growl, cleared his throat loudly.

Harry turned to him then and asked blithely, "Is hate the driving emotion for the Killing Curse?"  Snape's fingers stopped drumming and his mouth hung open at hearing this.   Harry went on, oblivious to Snape's reaction.  "It has to be.  I think Professor Dumbledore mentioned it once, but I can't entirely recall."

"Potter," Snape said abruptly, straightening himself rigidly in his chair.  "Are you honestly asking me for instructions of how to cast the Killing Curse?"  The contempt then grew more evident upon his face as he said, "You honestly think you could use that to defeat the Dark Lord?"

"No," Harry answered at once.  Either must die at the hand of the other...  That somehow seemed to imply that a spell cast of a wand was not going to do either in.  "I don't believe either he or I would be able to successfully use that spell against each other."  Then there's the whole brother wand thing, the fact that he's something more than entirely mortal supposedly and the fact that I now suspect that love can be used to counter that curse somehow.  "At least, not at this point.  Tell me," Harry said as he narrowed his gaze and crossed his arms over his chest.  "Just what is the deal with using blood in potions?" 

Snape's gaze narrowed to meet Harry's and Harry noted how the inky black eyes seemed to deepen in an attempt to draw him in as Snape wondered why Harry cared. 

Harry blinked and thrust his chin out and up.    "If you just tell me what the deal is, then I'll tell you why it matters to me."  Harry was quite of the belief that Snape, just as all the Death Eaters who knew from Voldemort himself, already knew Harry's blood had been used to resurrect Voldemort. 

Snape, almost silently, rose and swept around his chair.  At first Harry thought he was leaving but he paused then, eyeing the cauldron that simmered softly in the dimly lit basement corner.   Slowly, Snape took one step and then another towards the simmering Sanguineford Solution. 

"You've been training under the tutelage of one of the foremost blood alchemists of all time and you still are unaware the powers of blood, Potter?" Snape asked softly without looking back. 

Harry scowled at the back of Snape's greasy head.  "Was I to learn by osmosis and by just being near you?  You never covered that in any—"

"Not me, Potter," Snape said as his head turned to the side to only look back out of the corner of his eye at Harry.   "Your ignorance is utterly appalling—Headmaster Dumbledore!  Perhaps they don't interest you because you're not on one but even a Chocolate Frog card can tell you for what the Headmaster is most famous." 

Harry now vaguely recalled the cards mentioning Nicholas Flamel, the alchemist who made the Philosopher's Stone; Dumbledore's Chocolate Frog card was so common it didn't even merit more than a glance. 

"Surely you do recall at least two weeks worth of lessons where I tried to teach you the protocols for the use of Dragon's blood and the essential properties of this?  You do recall that your own Headmaster is the one who discovered those twelve essential uses of Dragon's blood, do you not?"  Snape snorted and then said, "Then again, that was the year you were relieved of taking end of the term examinations so I guess there is no evidence either way of whether you paid any attention at all."

Harry did recall Dragon's blood being the ingredient necessary for the most potent variety of a Strengthening Solution.  It was known as the most powerful of all magical blood substances, (closely followed by Graphorn blood) and Harry did now recall them learning somewhat about blood as an ingredient in potions.  "We never learned about human blood being used in potions, though," he said.

Snape pivoted, fully facing Harry now with his arms crossed over his chest.  "Potter, I'm here to humour the Headmaster's request that I answer your inane questions about the Dark Lord—not for a Remedial Potions lesson."

"Yes, you ended those Remedial Potions lessons, didn't you?" Harry said snidely.  He quickly pushed forward, before Snape could retort, and said, "I am asking about Voldemort.  My blood was one of the key ingredients used in the potion to resurrect him, if you would bother to recall."

Snape's eyes were narrowed so far that Harry could barely see a glitter of black through the slits.  "Dumbledore knows this?" he asked shrewdly. 

"He knew the night it happened, yes."  Snape seemed to think on this.  "You did know that, didn't you?" Harry asked uncertainly.  "Sir?"

"You willingly gave your blood for this potion?" Snape asked in a dangerously low voice. 

"No!  You think--!  Like I would--!"  Harry scowled.  "No.  Wormtail had me tied up to a bloody tombstone!  He took my blood!" 

Snape seemed to relax at this.  "At least you weren't willing," he muttered as he dropped his arms to his side.  Snape sighed heavily and sat back down in his chair again.  "He was surely trying to ensure he resurrected himself to be at least as powerful as you.  What else do you know about the potion he used?"  This last question was asked as Snape leaned forward intently.

Harry thought back.  "My blood, of course.  Dust from his father's grave—bone of the father, he said.  Unicorn blood, I think."

"For sustenance of soul," Snape muttered.

"Venom...from Nagini."  Harry paused as he saw Snape's brow furrow in thought.

"And?  Do you recall?"

"Wormtail's hand," Harry said as the memory of that night replayed itself in his mind.

"Flesh of a servant," they chorused and then looked at one another; surprised. 

"It's what he called it when he spoke the incantation," Harry said by way of a wide-eyed explanation.  "Flesh of a servant, bone of the father and blood of a foe, as I recall."

Snape sneered as if he knew Harry couldn't have known any such thing on his own.  "Flesh of a servant to rebind his new body to the Mark."  He lapsed back into contemplation then, ignoring Harry as he rubbed his thumb and forefinger about his temples.  "Yes, yes, I can see why."

"Why?" asked Harry curiously as he leaned forward even further across the table.  "What does the Mark do?"  Snape made a sour face as if to insult Harry's ignorance and before he could speak, Harry said, "It's a Protean Charm of sorts, I know.  He touches it and it—" Harry stopped as he recalled Voldemort pressing a long white finger to the brand on Wormtail's arm.  As this had occurred, Wormtail had howled in pain and Harry recalled his scar nearly splitting open in such intense pain. 

Snape was absently rubbing his left forearm and grimacing.  "It causes a relayed reaction to all the other Marks.  They turn from red to black, indicating his summons."  His voice sounded bitterly haunted as he looked off into space and spoke. "A servant willing gives a drop of his blood to the Dark Lord in exchange for the Mark and promises of unparalleled power. 

"Blood, Potter, of a witch or wizard—any magical being for that matter—is purportedly the conduit for our magic.  Giving your blood is akin to giving of your magic.  The lifeblood of a wizard is known to be a very sacred thing.  It is not something to be taken lightly and the transfusing of blood among wizards has long been regarded as a Dark Art. 

"The Dark Lord, through the blood so willingly given by each of his servants, is thus able to call upon the magical reserves of those bound to him.  When surrounded by his servants, the Dark Lord is empowered not only by that which is inherently his but also by all those who willing donated their blood —their power—to him."  Snape's gaze came back into focus as he abruptly halted his lecture of sorts.  "Hmm, the Dark Lord and you have the same blood flowing through your veins," he said mostly to himself as he again rubbed absently at his left forearm.

~

~ * ~

~

Remus Lupin walked back around the side of deserted, towering white monolith that was Gringotts Bank.  "Nothing?" he asked the somber face of Albus Dumbledore. 

Dumbledore just shook his head.  "Mrreow," sat a prim tabby cat from where she sat stiffly at their feet. 

They'd all Apparated into Diagon Alley together and had both done a survey around the bank, trying every door and window they could to get in. 

"I think, Remus, we will need to Floo in, after all," Dumbledore said while his eyes still roamed the front of the pure white building.   "Let's you and I head to the Leaky Cauldron and use Tom's Floo. Minerva," he said looking down at the tabby.  "If you might keep a watch from out here?  Just in case...just in case."

It was late on a Sunday evening and traffic all down Diagon Alley was virtually nonexistent as both Dumbledore and Remus Disapparated from the blustery winds of the open street into the small courtyard just behind the back of the pub.

Only a handful of leisurely conversing patrons occupied the pub as Remus entered in front of Dumbledore.  None took notice of the two newest arrivals that headed straight towards the community Floo.  Remus turned back to see that Dumbledore had both pulled his hood up and over his head, hiding his gleaming white hair and pulled his cloak closed to hide his matching and trademark beard. 

"I'll go first, Albus?"

Dumbledore nodded.  "I'm right behind you."

The fire was crackling merrily in the hearth as Remus stepped up to it and, from an inner cloak pocket, drew out a handful of Floo powder and tossed it in.  "Gringotts Bank, Diagon Alley!" he enunciated as he stepped into the glowing green flames. 

With a rush, Remus hurtled through the Floo and within seconds, he felt his feet hit solid ground.  He stepped forward to keep his balance found himself in the pristine white marble lobby of Gringotts.  A rush of air behind him announced the arrival of Dumbledore. 

"Keys, please," a curt, nasally voice intoned. 

Remus, digging out Harry's moneybag from his pocket, turned to see a menacing looking Goblin wearing the red and gold guard uniform advancing towards them who held what looked to be a long, pointy-ended spear in one hand. 

"Good evening," Dumbledore said congenially as if being greeted by menacing, spear-wielding Goblins was an everyday occurrence.   He smiled as he handed over a burnished brass key to the Goblin and nodded when they key was handed back. 

The Goblin then turned to Remus; his eyes narrowed sceptically, and extended a long-fingered hand in wait for the key.  Remus dropped the soft green velvet bag into the outstretched hand and couldn't help but feel apprehensive about how closely the Goblin seemed to inspect the bag.  Finally, the bag was proffered back to Remus and the Goblin turned as he said, "Follow me."

With a look to Dumbledore who merely nodded once, they followed the Goblin, who still held his spear tightly, across the polished marble floor of the lobby to a door off to the side.  Through the door they were led down a narrow stone passageway that was only dimly lit with torches.  A cart was perched at the top of a steep slope and two other Goblins dressed in black turned now to see the new arrivals. 

"Garook," Dumbledore greeted.  "It is good to see you again.  Although, I do wish the circumstances were not as they seem to be."

"Chief Warlock Dumbledore," the wizened Goblin said in greeting.  They both shook hands and then the Goblin turned to Remus.  After looking him up and down, he said, "Mister Potter sent you, I presume?"

"Yes, yes he did." 

"Hmm, yes," Garook said noncommittally.  "This," he gestured towards the other Goblin who had stood back until now, "is Panog.  He was the one assigned to do today's security check.  How much did Ragnok pass along in his message to you?"

Remus looked to Dumbledore who answered, "William Weasley gave us the message that you believe there was a break-in and that we might come to witness what you found as a result of this.  Tell me, was anything stolen?"

Remus noted Dumbledore had avoided mention that they'd had any word of the break-in besides that which came from the Goblins. 

"Well," Garook hedged.  "There appears to be no theft of gold or goods, however, we suffered a loss, nonetheless.  Come, I shall show you."

He stepped then into the waiting cart and waited until Remus and Dumbledore had also wedged themselves into the tiny cart before signalling to Panog who, with a wave, sent the cart rocketing down the steep slope. 

Down, down, down they whizzed as the only thing to occasionally catch Remus's eye were intermittent streaks of fire from torches along the stone walls.  The ride continued well past the previous cart trips Remus had taken.  Once, Remus had accompanied Sirius to his vault and they had travelled far, far underground to where the oldest and most guarded of vaults were located and now, Remus figured, that was exactly where they were headed now. 

Finally, the cart slowed and then abruptly came to a halt.  Remus felt like they were miles and miles below ground and he could hear the steady dripping of water not far below. 

"I assume," Garook spoke as they climbed out of the cart.  "That Mister Potter has shared with you the conversation he had with us recently?" 

Dumbledore nodded.  "Yes, Harry told both Remus and I of it the same day you spoke with him."

"Well, then you know to which vault it was the former Minister was intent upon gaining access?"

"Former?" Dumbledore asked sharply. 

The Goblin smiled in what, with his pointy sharp teeth, effect quite a nasty grin.  "Unless it is your practice to keep a dead man appointed the title of Minister, yes, I believe former is quite accurate." 

Upon the damp stone floor, barely illuminated by a torch several yards away, the form of a portly man was sprawled, unmoving and judging from the stillness of the man's chest, not breathing. 

Dumbledore, who stood now above the prone form looking down, turned to Garook and pulled his wand as he asked, "Do you mind if I have a look?"

With a nasty smile and a nod, Garook nodded. 

Dumbledore's wand tip then illuminated the immediate area and there, upon the cold stone, was indeed the body of a very dead Cornelius Fudge.  Remus could see the skin of the former Minister's face was tinged blue and was papery white.  The eyes were shut tight as if in pain when rigor mortis had set in and the mouth was gaped open, stuck in some silent scream or last gasp of breath. 

"He was found inside the vault here," Garook announced almost with pride.  "The vault of one Lucius M. Malfoy.  Our vaults, of course, are airtight and well, when one who is not an authorized Goblin tries to gain entry to one of these vaults, they will find themselves gaining entry indeed to the vault.  But alas, they will not open the door.  He suffocated." 

Remus's gaze remained fixed on the gaping mouth of the corpse before him.

Dumbledore then cleared his voice and, pointing the light of his wand at a spot upon the stone floor, asked, "This spot here, Garook.  It looks like..."

"Blood!" Garook spat.  "Yes, we've tended to our own," the Goblin said nastily as he glared down at a large stained section of stone floor.  "Panog, this afternoon, found the slain body of one of our own.  The one assigned yesterday's security shift was found here outside the vault.   His throat had been slit and he was drenched in a pool of his own blood.  The only conclusion we can draw from this is that this former Minister of yours used him to gain access to this point and then, thinking he had gotten as far as he needed, murdered him in cold blood and tried his best to get into the vault."  Garook laughed then and the sounded echoed off the stone cavern that surrounded them. 

"Are you sure, Garook, that nothing was taken from inside the vault?  There is no evidence of any of the vaults contents being disturbed in any way?"  Dumbledore looked keenly at the elder Goblin whose eyes shone eerily in the flickering torchlight.

Garook looked sharply at Dumbledore.  "The contents of the vault have not changed.  Nothing has been stolen!" 

"But did anything look like it had been disturbed?" Dumbledore pressed.

Garook shrugged as he said, "Well, I imagine your Minister struggled a bit and that might account for a few things knocked here or there.  I don't imagine suffocating is an instantaneous death, but then again, I would not know." 

A rattling noise then could be heard off in the distance and from far above them.  Remus, the first to hear it, looked up towards the direction of the noise. 

"Remus?" Dumbledore inquired. 

"Perhaps another cart," Remus answered.  "I can hear something approaching." 

At this announcement, Remus found Garook looking up at him with a very shrewd expression.   "I hear nothing," he said almost accusingly as Remus keenly perceived the rattling sound to be drawing nearer still. 

Dumbledore then laid a hand upon Garook's shoulder, making the Goblin nearly jump.  "Remus, I'll have you know, has exceptional hearing," he said.  The rattling sound then became audible to both Dumbledore and Garook and they looked unerringly up at a cart that was now visibly careening down the track towards them. 

Remus then nearly fell over in shock when he heard Dumbledore further explain to Garook, "Remus, you see, is a werewolf."  He looked meaningfully over his silver half-moon glasses, which glinted in the torchlight and added, "As I am sure you might suspect by now, our friend Harry makes friends based upon his own mind and not the prejudices of common society."

Remus felt a mingled sting at being used as a token example of tolerance and sheer admiration for the way Dumbledore could mount an effort to politically ingratiate a Goblin, no less. 

The cart rattling towards them grew louder still as it became visible out of the vast darkness surrounding them.  As the cart slowed and came to a jerking halt behind the other cart, they observed the passengers to be two large goblins dressed in the red and gold uniforms and both wielded the long, pointy spears as the one who had greeted them from the Floo. 

Garook then stepped forward and began rapidly conversing in a series of what, to Remus, sounded like unintelligible babbling and guttural throat clearings. All Goblins spoke their own language of Gobbledegook and it was only those who interfaced with the wizarding world who ever bothered to learn or speak English. 

It was common belief, Remus knew, that when Goblins used their own language of Gobbledegook to converse with other Goblins while in the presence of humans, they were likely speaking ill of the humans.   Some folks would swear they'd heard that the Goblins' language didn't even have a word for 'human' or 'man' but instead, merely used a term meaning 'naïve beast' to refer to people.  Remus told himself this was all very likely just made up rumours and meant to belittle what people didn't or couldn't understand.  But despite knowing this, he still felt an uneasy chill crawl up his spine as the Goblins carried on their veiled conversation in front of him and occasionally turned to look back where he and Dumbledore stood; just in front of where Fudge's body still lay.  At least he was there with Dumbledore at his side, he thought.

Finally, after a few minutes, the Goblins in the cart flicked a switch on the side of the cart and zoomed back up the steep ramp from which they came. 

"So," Dumbledore said as Garook turned back to them.  "Your guards have completed their search of the underground and found nothing?"

Dumbledore spoke Gobbledegook.  Remus was gobsmacked; relieved but shocked nonetheless. 

Garook seemed to be taken a back at first as well but recovered quickly.  "Yes, yes.  Nothing.  You will take your Minister, yes?   We must then agree on what to make of this incident.  An announcement to the public must be carefully considered.  We've worked all day since the bodies were found to investigate our keep and I am confident in our assessment.  You may perform your magic to remove of those remains.  Come then, we'll leave now."

Remus watched as Dumbledore nodded and with a flick of his wand, transfigured the corpse of Fudge into a glass bottle, shrunk it and picked it up to then drop it in a cloak pocket.  As they climbed back into the cart, Remus was thankful it wasn't his pocket in which the dead Minister resided.  Garook, he noted, kept one eye on Remus the entire cart ride back up to the main floor of the bank. 

When they emerged back into the brightly lit entrance hall, there was a gathering of about a half-dozen Goblins dressed in black like Garook.  They all turned and wordlessly greeted Garook and Dumbledore.  Remus felt he was merely being eyed suspiciously by most of them. 

While Dumbledore requested permission and then made fire calls to invite over some well-trusted Aurors to collect Fudge and the one who he, as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, would be appointing acting and interim Minister of Magic, the Goblins continued to converse in whispers among themselves. 

Remus kept running over the differences in assumptions between what he and Dumbledore likely thought and what the Goblins seemed to believe.  The Goblins believed that Fudge had somehow coerced the Goblin assigned Saturday's security detail to lead him to the vault of Lucius Malfoy.  They also believe that upon getting to where he wanted to go, Fudge then murdered the Goblin he used to get there before attempting to enter the vault.  When Fudge then attempted to enter the vault, it sounded like he was then sucked into the airtight vault with no means for escape and there, he then suffocated to death. 

But what the Goblins did not know was that someone else had to have been with the Minister and this Goblin who had been slain.  Whether it was Igor Karkaroff himself as Snape had suggested or someone Karkaroff had working for him, the man somehow knew that Fudge had ended up trapped inside the vault.  But Karkaroff had also somehow gotten into the vault and been able to search it since he reported back to not finding the books or book he sought. 

And it was a book, Remus was sure now, that Karkaroff had reported back to not finding; in fact, it sounded like one book in particular, if he recalled Snape's word correctly.  The same book--it had to be--that the Goblins had confided to Harry that Fudge was after and believed resided in the Malfoy vault.  Which meant...that Fudge had been pressing forth on Gringotts on behalf of Lord Voldemort.  Remus wondered if it had been by choice or because he'd been coerced in some manner.  Either way, Fudge had failed and had now been disposed of. 

"Mister Lupin?" Garook asked, startling Remus out of his thoughts.  Garook, who Remus could now clearly see by the markings upon his suit was the chief governor of Gringotts London, stood beside a second, black-clad Goblin.  "This is Sajak--another governor who has met with Mister Potter on occasion. 

Remus nodded in greeting and proffered a hand to shake. 

"Excellent," Garook said pleasantly after they shook.  "We mean to pass along a message to Mister Potter." 

"That's why I'm here," Remus said with a courteous nod. 

"Very well, very well," Garook said and then gestured to Sajak to speak.

"Yes, please tell him that since we had no further pressure from your former Minister to meddle with the affairs of our long-standing agreements, since we are now quite sure that there will no longer be any pressure to gain access to any particular vaults and since we are most very certain that your Minister will no longer be of a bother to us, please inform Mister Potter that we're quits on this."

Remus nodded, relieved to hear that, and nodded as he shook Sajak's hand yet again. 

Garook then spoke again, "We're fairly certain that Chief Warlock Dumbledore will move things along in an amenable fashion but should the unlikely event occur that there is a wizard backlash against the death of your Minister...might we have your word that Mister Potter, in light of the openness we extended tonight, would stand by our claims in this event?" 

"You think there might be suspicion that a Goblin or Goblins killed the Minister?" Remus asked with widened eyes.  Garook and Sajak exchanged a brief glance.  Remus smiled then.  "Unless I've greatly underestimated the popularity of our former Minister, I highly doubt that possibility." 

Garook bowed his head in acknowledgement.  "Yes, we understand that but, just in the rare and unfortunate event...?" now

At that moment, Remus truly appreciated how Harry could have felt pressured into making the promise that he had just two weeks ago.  It felt to Remus that they were asking something that of course you would promise unless you knew more than they knew.   Remus swallowed thickly. 

"Well, I suppose...I see no reason to believe that there would now be any case to be made against you and as Harry will take my and Albus' word for it, I feel I can say the same for Harry.  So, barring any unforeseen and new truths that you bring to light, yes, I feel we can say we will stand by you."

"And I can agree with that," said Dumbledore in a strong voice from behind Remus.  Remus hadn't realized how uncomfortable he'd felt saying that until he heard Dumbledore speak now.  "I think Remus, Harry and I all have a very sound idea of who was behind the Minister's actions and that his death was of his own making or at worst, yet another to lay at the feet of Lord Voldemort." 

Both Goblins flinched visibly at the name, but Garook, recovering first, nodded with a gleam in his eye that suggested he'd suspected the Minister's actions had been connected to Voldemort. 

"Remus?" Dumbledore said with a hand upon his shoulder.  "Kingsley, Alastor and Amelia are all on their way over here.  I fear I am in for a very long night and an even longer week.  Go on back to Headquarters now and please do make sure that both Harry and Severus are still alive.  And let our furry friend know that she may give up her watch.  Tell her I expect to be quite busy as a result of tonight's news."

~

~

Returning to Grimmauld Place, Remus had to knock loudly on the kitchen door that had been spelled shut several times over.  Once the door was unsealed, he found Harry quietly lost in his own thoughts as he stared off at some distant point.  Snape also seemed oddly (to Remus) subdued and not at all seething like he had been expecting. 

"We found Fudge," Remus announced as he took a deep breath. 

"Dead or alive?" Snape queried.

"Dead," Remus said as he exhaled.  "Suffocated in the Malfoy vault."

"Which Malfoy vault?" Snape asked.

Remus shrugged.  "Didn't know they had more than one.  They said Lucius Malfoy's.  It was in the lowermost crypts that I've ever had occasion to see." 

Remus related what he and Dumbledore had witnessed and had only a few clarifications to answer from Harry and, more often, Snape. 

All in all, it wasn't that great of a surprise by this point and after hearing everything, Snape said, "Very well then.  I have things to attend to."  With one last rake of his eyes across the room, he turned towards the door.

"Oh, Professor," Harry said just before Snape could leave.  Snape paused in mid step and pivoted, making his robes flounce out about him.  His only answer was an arched eyebrow. 

"I have one more question for you," Harry said, making Snape sigh heavily to convey how very hard-done-by he believed he was for enduring Harry's questions.  "When Voldemort--sorry," Harry apologized automatically when Snape winced and gripped the doorframe upon hearing the name. "When he suffers his fits and, at the same time has gotten visions from me, do you know what he thinks causes this all to happen?" 

Snape worked his mouth around before answering: "I have been kept extraordinarily busy trying to work on draughts to strengthen the Dark Lord and to help prevent these attacks since summer.  As you can now perhaps understand, he continues to seek his most powerful servants so assiduously from their secret incarceration so that they may aid in lending him strength.  I would be shocked if the Dark Lord did not also have several other plans to fortify his health and strength. 

"However, I did recently overhear this past week that the Dark Lord tried, more than once, to send you images through your mind connection.  I believe, and you may confirm, that he failed?" 

Harry nodded.  "Yeah, I haven't...a few pains one night, but nothing--no images or visions."

Snape nodded curtly.  "Mm, yes, I think he's now assuming that the visions he sees from you are due to his own weakened state during the attacks.  His belief is likely that the attacks cause his Occlumency shields to fail, thus enabling a vision of sorts from you."

"So, he does not suspect I'm the one causing the attacks?" Harry clarified.  Nor would he understand then that what he sees in those visions is linked to what causes the attacks...

Snape's face was an unfathomable mask at this.  "No, I do not believe so." 

Harry nodded and Snape swept out silently, leaving only the sound of the fire crackling in the hearth. 

Remus just shook his head.  That had been the only halfway civil conversation of any merit that he had ever witnessed between a Potter and a Snape.  Ever. 

~

~

The next day, the Daily Prophet had a large headline declaring, MINISTER FOUND DEAD IN BOTCHED GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN.  A large picture of the white Gringotts bank building was below the headline and showed two Aurors in gold robes levitating a body draped with a white sheet. 

Harry, Remus, Tonks, and Hermione all had to fight each other to read the paper first.  "It's my paper!" Remus said as he held up it up above Tonks' outstretched hand. 

"Accio Prophet!" Hermione called at once, whisking the paper away from Remus and shrugging as she said, "You keep Tonks occupied and we'll read it over."

"Hold that still!" Harry said as he bent over and strained his neck to read the paper clutched in Hermione's hand. 

"Damn it!" Remus cursed.  "You two!  Bring it over to the table.  We'll put a Binns Charm on it."

"Binns Charm?" Harry and Tonks both asked wryly.  Hermione, Harry could easily see, was at once running though each and every charm she had ever read about and wasn't recognizing any Binns Charm.

Remus took advantage of her distraction and snatched the paper from her hands as he muttered, "Er, well, I'm sure that's not the proper name but we found the spell while we were in school and since it just reads off text in a monotone, we dubbed it the Binns Charm." 

"Oh, honestly!" Hermione exclaimed as Harry snorted.  "I'll read it then!"  She sat at the table in the drawing room and held out her hand expectantly towards Remus who gave in and just handed her the paper.  With Harry, Tonks, and Remus all reading over her shoulder, Hermione read the main article out loud.

After an emergency summons to the Wizengamot, Chief Warlock and Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Albus Dumbledore announced Minister Cornelius Oswald Fudge was found deceased late last night while officials from Gringotts Wizarding Bank in Diagon Alley were investigating a break-in.  The break-in targeted what officials will only identify as a high-security vault with the most advanced Goblin-wrought security features available.  Investigations into this break-in revealed that it occurred between early Saturday morning and early Sunday morning and, according to both Ministry and Gringotts officials, the main suspect at this time in the break-in is Fudge himself. 

Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement for the past 14 years, has been named the interim Minister for Magic at this time by the Wizengamot.  In her press release this morning, she stated, 'The Ministry shall conduct investigations into the death of Former Minister Fudge and release all findings to an independent Wizengamot council for consideration.  At this time, the Ministry has no comment on the events of this weekend.' 

A Goblin official also expressed that they intended to work in concert with the Ministry's investigators and stated, 'We have no comment on the likelihood that the former Minister was a bumbling fool who died due in large part to his own stupidity.  That kind of conjecture will not further our investigations no matter how much evidence there is to support it at this time.  We resolve to remain impartial as we bring evidence to prove he was indeed the culprit.'

"Oh!" Hermione gasped.  "Honestly!  That's impartial?   Might be true...but, humph!"  Hermione read on then through several other related articles, stopping occasionally to allow interjections from the others and more than a few from herself. 

There was a five-page spread by none other than Rita Skeeter in which she outlined an elaborate theory in which she actually managed to incorporate quite a bit of truth.  She speculated that Fudge had been in the pocket of Lucius Malfoy long before Malfoy's incarceration and, with replacement Finance Authority Officer Edward Planesse conducting his current investigations, Fudge found himself in a rather hot cauldron.  Skeeter postulated that Fudge tried to break into the Malfoy vault, suspected to be one likely under high-security, with the motive of clearing away any evidence incriminating himself and to also nick enough gold to replenish Ministry coffers.  Skeeter even managed to tie in Fudge's past efforts to gain entry to this vault, among others, by pushing his amendment to the Gringotts Charter.  She compiled an elaborate list of close associates of Fudge whom she speculated might have been aiding him in his cover up and called upon the investigating Wizengamot committee to crack down on Ministry corruption. 

"Almost makes you wonder," Hermione had said mostly to herself.  But Harry knew what she meant.  It was awfully uncanny how much Skeeter had right and both Harry and Hermione knew she had the means to get otherwise secret information. 

There was a two-page spread that Hermione studied religiously for the next several days in coordination with several other texts she pulled from the library; all centering on the processes by which past Ministers for Magic had been named. 

It all served to be extremely frustrating to Hermione because, apparently, the current Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot could think up and implement any process that he or she dreamt up.  It didn't bother Harry very much though, as that meant Dumbledore was the one running the show. 

This all also meant that Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen around Headquarters for the remaining week and a half of winter break. 

During that time, Harry spent a great many hours of often frustrating and sometimes painful Metamorphamagus training with Tonks.  Every spare hour when she was not working, she was constantly trying to get Harry to practice changing the color of his hair, lengthening or shortening his hair, growing his fingernails, and--her favorite--trying to get Harry to grow a beard. 

"Are you a man or not!?" she'd shout at him when he failed to grow even a whisker on his chin.

Harry found it difficult to concentrate and to effect transfiguration of himself from his normal everyday self but was having great success when it came to reversing self-transfiguration spells.  Hexes designed to do such things as turn his hair orange, make his nose grow six inches or grow a beard down to his knees (Tonks' favorite hex at the moment) were quickly countered by Harry without any use of a spell or wand.  After Tonks would hit Harry with the Bearding Hex, it only took him about five seconds to shrink the beard back up and away completely. 

Hermione read along with him in the assigned reading McGonagall had given him and called this Revertive Transfiguration.  She was also determined to help Harry learn as much as he could about this skill before they headed back to school.  She would often practice the human transfiguration spells that they would soon be studying next term on Harry and watch him use his Metamorphamagus skills to counter the spells. 

She was entirely supportive of this new skill that Harry had and she didn't.  Harry was honestly a bit surprised to not hear her complain once that she couldn't do what he could.  Although, he did see her scrunching her face up a few times in front of mirrors that would then comment, "Are you all right dear?  You look a bit constipated." 

Despite being hounded by every spare minute that Hermione and Tonks had, Harry still managed an awful lot of free time to himself.  Moody, of course, would occasionally pop in and was giving Harry a crash course on an Auror's Stealth and Tracking training.  But a large majority of time, Harry spent writing pages and pages in his journal as he tried to reach for some brilliant insight that would tie all his lingering questions together with a one neat and all-encompassing answer. 

He searched through books in the library for some inspiration as to how Dementors might be destroyed for good.  He didn't find much but he did deduce that since each Dementor had been created when a witch or wizard had been kissed by another Dementor, Dementors were most likely to have been created--either on accident or on purpose--by wizardkind.  Why anyone would try to create a Dementor was beyond him, though. 

Harry had yet to come up with what he would use for his constant projection to tie together his Occlumency shield and his burgeoning Legilimency skills.  He spent more than a few hours in front of his wardrobe mirror trying to affect something that might work.  Unfortunately, it was incredibly difficult to look into a mirror and see your own projection reflected back.  He'd had planned to experiment with various ideas while conversing with other people but quickly had to give that up after Tonks insisted that Harry was making eyes at her over the dinner table one night. 

About a week after Fudge had been found dead, Dumbledore had called on the Floo and spoken with Harry for the first time since the night he'd left to meet with the Goblins. 

"How are you and everyone else fairing, Harry?" he asked merrily as his head bobbed in the green flames. 

"Good, sir.  How are you?  Do we have a new official Minister yet?  You're driving Hermione batty by not having anything at all in the news about it."

Dumbledore just smiled at this.  "Yes, well, I've been operating under the assumption that if no one knows what the exact process is, then no one can plot to try to influence it unduly."  This was just as Remus had guessed and had tried to tell Hermione more than a dozen times.  "Once the new Minister is empowered, we can then allow the Ministry to more thoroughly carry out their investigations and, I daresay, many things will be running more smoothly." 

The latest thing that Hermione had been wondering out loud about was how much Percy knew of Fudge's plans to break into Gringotts.   Percy, still in possession of whatever all-important sounding title he held, had been quoted in the Prophet more than once as saying that Minister Fudge had performed admirably under great stress and through difficult times.  Percy had also expressed his shock at the accusations put forth by Rita Skeeter that suggested Fudge had been trying to cover his own trail ever since Lucius Malfoy left the Ministry.  Percy was quoted as stating several times, each time word for word the same as the last, that Finance Authority Official Edward Planesse was working tirelessly to finalize his report and would clear up the slander surrounding Minister Fudge. 

The only problem with this however, came when, minutes after Percy had reiterated this yet again to a reporter in the Ministry's Atrium, a Magical Law Enforcement Patroller rushed in and exclaimed that Edward Planesse's body had been found dead and decomposing in a bog near Exmoor. 

"What?!" Percy was later quoted as exclaiming.  "That's preposterous!  Authority Officer Planesse has been working tirelessly to--"

"He's dead, I tell you!  Dead!  Has been for months, he says!" The Patroller was reported as countering.

"Who says?" Percy then asked wildly. 

"Planesse!  I was responding to a call about a haunting and it was his ghost haunting the bog!  He led me to the body and everything!  I brought him along, you want to speak with 'im?"

~

********

I will remind you that there is a Yahoo group for this fic. The group name is HP_AoF and a link to the site can be found on my bio page. ~~~Cheers~~~