CHAPTER 48: Gringotts
Harry left the room after another half an hour of discussing what was to happen to the school. Mr. Weasley promised some of his best hit wizards mixed in with the regular magical law enforcement officers working security at the Hogwarts graduation. They were about to discuss battle tactics when Harry decided to adjourn the meeting. He wasn't about to make battle plans until he had the whole picture, and for that he needed to talk to the Mermen and the Goblins. A lot also depended on how far into the list the Weasley twins could get.
Harry left the meeting without speaking to anyone and went straight up to the dormitory to begin his plans. Tomorrow he would visit Gringotts, he had plenty of time to speak to the mermen. It was almost midnight before Harry finally fell asleep.
"Harry! Wake up, Harry!" Harry's eyes snapped open to find Neville leaning over him. "We have classes today! You overslept!"
"I'm not going to classes today." Neville looked shocked.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"I'm going to Diagon Alley. I could use some help if you're interested."
"You mean cut classes with you?" Harry was about to respond when Neville grinned. "Sounds fun, what're you doing there?"
"I need to talk to some people. Do me a favor, while I'm getting dressed find Hermione and give her this." Harry scribbled something onto a piece of parchment and handed it to his dorm mate.
"No problem."
Thirty minutes later Neville and Harry were alone in the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry hadn't really thought about how he was going to get Neville to Diagon Alley, seeing as he wouldn't be able to apparate. Neville seemed to notice the problem as well.
"How-er-did you plan on getting there, exactly? I don't think it's such a good idea to use the fire place."
"Portkey." Harry said simply.
"You can create portkeys?"
"I think so. I've read about making them, I just haven't tried it yet. Now is as good a time as any." He said with a grin. He grabbed a quill off of a nearby table and did the charm. "Let's hope this works."
"Isn't this illegal?" Neville asked quietly. Harry grinned again.
"Yep." Before Neville could respond Harry felt the familiar tug behind his navel propel him off the ground. Seconds later he landed on a cold, cobblestone street.
"Did it work?" Neville asked, trying to wipe dirt off his face.
"I think so. I guess I should work on the landings though."
"Yea, that'd be nice." Neville said softly, causing both boys to laugh. "So what are we going to do?"
"First stop is always Gringotts, Neville. You should know that by now." Harry smirked at his friend before leading the way up the street towards the large wizarding bank. When they entered Harry looked around for Griphook, but didn't see him.
"I'd like to speak with your manager." Harry said politely to the next Goblin who became available. The Goblin sneered at him.
"Yes, I'm sure you would. What pray-tell do you wish to see him about?" Harry didn't particularly like the way this Goblin was acting, so he decided to be a bit more blunt than courtesy would allow.
"I'm surprised you don't recognize me, the name is Harry Potter." Harry waited for recognition to set in. The Goblin's eyes flicked towards his forehead before the creature shifted uncomfortably. "As for my business that is between your manager and I. Shall I wait here while you get him?"
The Goblin looked around quickly before barking an order to another Goblin. After the second Goblin ran through a back door he turned around with a pleasant smile.
"I'm sorry for the confusion, Mr. Potter. The bank manager is a very busy man and many of the requests he receives can be handled just as easily by one of us." He said calmly, waving his hand to indicate the other Goblins sitting behind desks around the lobby. "My associate has just gone to let the Manager know that you are waiting for him, his assistant will come to collect you shortly." Harry nodded his approval. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly do you wish to speak to the bank manager about?" Harry eyed the goblin suspiciously before answering.
"It is more his other position that I wish to speak to him about." Harry said quietly.
"Ah, I see." The Goblin was saved from making any further response by the opening of the back door. Another Goblin emerged, this one even smaller but impeccably dressed.
"Mr. Potter, if you would follow me please I will show you to the manager's office." Harry thanked the Goblin and followed him through the back door. "My name is Sklar by the way, I'm the manager's personal assistant. If you have any questions you wish to ask me feel free."
"I do have one question, Sklar. Where is Griphook, I didn't see him out front." Harry wasn't sure if Sklar smiled or sneered at the question.
"That is because Griphook does not work in the front anymore. Right after your last visit he was promoted to one of the assistant Manager positions. His office is now down the hall from the manager himself." Harry wasn't able to respond before the Goblin lowered his voice. "If you don't mind me saying many of us believe that it was you who got him promoted. Word must have reached the manager's ears that you prefer to do business with him. Such a notable human such as yourself asking for a specific Goblin is extremely rare." Harry nodded, but had no idea what to say. The outline of a plan, however, began to emerge in the back of his mind. "Here we are, Manager Ragnock is waiting inside. Good day."
The Goblin gave a slight bow before heading off towards his desk, leaving Harry and Neville standing outside the large, wooden door. Harry realized that there was a carving on the door and leaned in to see what it was, but he jerked his head back as soon as he saw. The carving showed a giant dragon with a man dangling from its mouth. Harry suddenly realized why nobody had ever successfully stolen something from Gringotts.
Harry placed a hand on the door and it swung open as if it were small and plastic, not a heavy oak door. Harry stepped across the threshold into the Manager's lobby, Neville close behind him. Harry could sense that Neville had suddenly become uncomfortable and had reached into his pocket to clutch his wand. Harry turned slowly, smiling at his friend. He placed a comforting hand on the arm gripping his wand.
"Would you like to wait outside, Neville?" He said quietly, his voice serene. Neville looked around the room, his eyes narrowed. "I assure you nobody will attack me in here. I will be perfectly safe." Neville considered the black haired boy before nodding once in a curt motion and spinning on his heel to wait outside. Harry waited for him to disappear before he continued into the Manager's main office.
"Harry Potter, it is an honor to finally meet you." Ragnock told him from behind his desk. The manager did not stand nor did he offer his hand to shake, he simply motioned for Harry to sit and waited. The manager apparently wasn't about to waste time with small talk, he wasn't even about to waste time asking to skip the small talk. He simply waited for Harry to state his case.
"My trip here today has very little to do with your bank, in fact, aside from taking money out it has nothing to do with your bank." Harry waited for the realization to sink in before continuing. "I am here to ask for your help. I hoped you could give me a more definitive answer than Bill Weasley, a close friend of mine, has received. I've come to ask for your aid in defeating Voldemort." Harry finished and sat perfectly still, making sure Ragnock knew the ball was in his court.
"I had a feeling Albus would send someone knew to talk to me. I had no idea, however, that he would break out his big gun." Ragnock said smoothly. Harry remembered Bill Weasley talking about how Ragnock seemed to be 'anti-wizard,' now Harry was beginning to see what he meant.
"Albus Dumbledore has nothing to do with me aside from the fact that he is my headmaster." Harry said pointedly, Ragnock's grin disappeared. "I am here on my own accord, just as I spoke with the Centaurs, the Acromantula's, and the Elves on my own accord. You know what is at stake here, you have heard the arguments for, and I presume, against joining us. All I want to know is what is on your mind. No assistants, no hired hands, just me and you." Harry sat still once again, awaiting Ragnock's retort. To Harry's surprise, it did not come. Ragnock was watching him intently and Harry could almost sense the Goblin's mind reeling.
"And what did those other…creatures say to you?"
"They all agreed to join me." Harry said simply.
"Join you?" Ragnock asked rather pointedly. Harry ignored the barb.
"Yes. I will be leading the war effort. Albus Dumbledore understands this and has agreed to step aside. He is still doing a great many things, but he is no longer manipulating the situation."
"And these creatures agreed simply because you were now in charge?" The Goblin sneered.
"Not simply because I was in charge, no, but I would assume that it was a part of the decision. They also understood the risk. Perhaps you think that the risk to them, living in the forbidden forest, is greater than the risk you run?" The Goblin inclined his head slightly and looked down his long nose at Harry.
"Perhaps."
"Then I should tell you that both the Bulgarian Minister of Magic and the Romanian Dragon Master have agreed to send forces. A small contingent of French fighters has also agreed to aide us. These people are from different countries, not just different cities, yet they still see the risk." Harry waited for a reaction, but when he realized one wasn't forthcoming he continued. "I will offer you the same deal I offered all the other forces that have agreed to join me. You will see the final battle plan to make sure that you are being treated equally and not as pawns to be thrown away." A long pause followed in which both men considered the other.
"This decision is not mine to make. It is simply mine to pass along. I will bring this to the council of managers, of which I am a part, at our next meeting. We will put it to a vote then. I doubt it will be the outcome you desire, but we shall see in a few weeks time."
"That is all I ask." Harry stood and reached out his hand, which Ragnok looked at before taking in his own very tentatively. The hand shake was quick, but Harry thought it was a great accomplishment. "Before I go I would like to know where Griphook's office is. I heard he was given a promotion, long overdue and possibly not even enough if you ask me, but it is a start. I would like to go congratulate him…and speak to him about a possible transaction as well." Ragnok's eyes went wide briefly before he regained his composure.
"Down the hall to the right, his name will be on the door." Harry thanked him and walked from the office. He opened the door and asked Neville to wait for one more minute while he stopped in to see a friend. Harry found the office door, knocked, and pushed the door open slowly.
"Griphook?" Harry called.
"Mr. Potter! Please, come in, come in." The Goblin had jumped up and opened the door so fast that Harry almost fell over. Harry sat in the chair in front of the desk. "Mr. Potter, what can I do for you today?" He asked, sitting back down.
"First of all I'd like to congratulate you on your promotion, it was long overdue and not nearly good enough for you, as I told Manager Ragnock, but it is definitely a start." Griphook's smile was so broad Harry could have sworn it was Dobby sitting across from him.
"Mr. Potter you are too generous. With your generosity I'll be appointed to the Board of Managers by the next meeting!" Harry smiled, that was, in fact, his plan.
"It would be well deserved, Griphook. Now tell me, my new house is in a mainly muggle area, which means muggle shops…and muggle money. I, however, have no muggle money because my Aunt and Uncle never allowed me to acquire any, and they most definitely did not leave me anything in their will. What I wanted to ask you was this; is there anyway of transferring Wizard money to Muggle money without coming to this bank?"
Griphook sat back in his chair and began rubbing his chin in thought. Harry, of course, new that there was a way but he needed Griphook to come up with all the particulars to make him look better in the eyes of Ragnok.
"Yes, Mr. Potter, in fact there is a way. It acts almost like your specialized wallet does. You can use it to get directly into your vault, but muggle money will come out instead of Galleons."
"Wouldn't it look strange to a muggle if I were to reach into a magical sack and pull out money that wouldn't have been able to fit in it?" Griphook looked startled.
"Oh, no not at all. I apologize for misleading you. You cannot actually reach into your vault with this device. It is more like a muggle debit card. When the card is swiped it takes muggle money right out of the Wizard's vault. You can also use it to collect muggle currency from a machine called…" Griphook rifled through a stack of paper's to check for the correct name. "An ATM."
"So it's just a small, plastic card?" Griphook nodded vigorously.
"I must say that this option is really only offered to the…wealthier clientele Gringotts works with, of which you are certainly one of." Harry had, of course, known that all along. In fact it was the whole reason he was so sure of his plan. If Ragnok saw that Griphook was making big deals with big clients he was sure to promote him. Harry just hoped that Griphook would make it onto the board of managers in time to help sway the decision.
"Sounds perfect, where do I sign?" Griphook smiled and offered him a stack of sheets and a quill.
"If you would sign on the dotted line on the top three pages I will have my assistant take care of the rest of the application. I see no reason to weigh you down with paperwork." Harry thanked the Goblin and shook his hand, a much friendlier hand shake than with Ragnok. Harry and Neville left Gringotts after being assured that the card would be in the mail as soon as the paperwork was filled out and filed.
As Harry and Neville walked back out into the morning sun of Diagon Alley they turned towards Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop. After they had both taken their seats and ordered Neville turned to Harry.
"What was all that business about your Goblin friend?" He asked suspiciously.
"Griphook was the first Goblin I ever met, he's a good guy so I try to do most of my business with him." If Neville found anything about the casual reply he didn't show it as a pretty young witch delivered their ice cream. She smiled sheepishly at Harry when he thanked her, but eyes Neville's scar with curiosity before turning to leave.
"I think she likes you." Harry said, grinning.
"Shut it, Potter." Harry laughed so hard at his blushing friend that he almost knocked the ice cream right off the table.
"What? I thought she was pretty…" Harry said as innocently as he could while trying to suppress his laughter.
"She was…I mean is…I'm just not looking for a relationship, ok?"
"I'm not telling you to marry her, Neville!" Neville grinned at that.
"Good, because I don't think I could afford a ring anyway. I do know a nice little place down the street but I doubt they'll give me a discount." Harry's face grew dark. "What-what did I say?"
"Nothing, Neville. Stay here I have business." He said fiercely before dropping a galleon on the table and striding from the shop. Harry realized that his attitude must have been frightening simply by the way people tripped over themselves trying to get out of his way.
With the same determined air Harry strode into the Jewelry store that Neville had been referring to, the same one in which he had bought his protective necklace for Ginny. He had just realized why Fleur had made him so uneasy talking about his earring. It wasn't because he felt guilty about Ginny, it was because it hadn't warned him. Harry threw open the door and immediately spotted the clerk that had supposedly imbued his earring with the magical powers.
"Ah, Mr. Potter. Come back for another gift for that pretty little red head or are you shopping for yourself this time?" She asked as he approached.
"That pretty little red head you mentioned is dead." The shopkeeper brought her hand up to cover her mouth. She was about to respond when Harry continued with the same quiet intensity. "But my earring, which you so kindly imbued with the power to detect when she was in danger, didn't warn me when she was about to be killed by Voldemort." Harry wasn't sure if it were the name or his tone of voice that made her flinch.
"I…Well…I" She stammered, but was cut off by a tall, tanned, black haired woman who came out of the back of the shop.
"Jennifer how many times is this going to happen?" She snapped before seeing who the customer was. "Are you meaning to tell me, Jennifer, that you've been selling your shoddy products to Harry Potter?"
"I…but-"
"Save your stammering for someone who cares. This is the last straw. I told you before that when someone wants a magical addition to their jewelry you have someone else do it. You're fired, get out of my sight." She pointed her wand towards the door, which snapped open with the same amount of force that Harry had flung it open with. Jennifer looked from the woman to Harry before shuffling off into the street, tears in her eyes.
"Mr. Potter, step into my office please." The woman motioned for him to follow her into the back room from which she had emerged. When the two were seated in the back room the woman surveyed Harry. Harry, however, took no notice. "I'm Jezzabel, I own this chain of stores." Harry nodded but said nothing. "I apologize for Jennifer. I had warned her that her spell work was not nearly good enough to imbue jewelry, apparently she did not heed my warning. I am, however, truly sorry for your loss. I'd like to make it up to you. An object came into my possession quite some time ago, but I was somewhat wary of its power. I have not told anyone about it, but, I feel that you should have this."
By now Harry was interested. He had almost forgotten the altercation in the front of the shop. What could be so powerful that this woman would be scared to even talk about it? Part of Harry wanted nothing more than to take this object and use it against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but another part of him, a much smaller part of him, wanted him to leave the object and run.
He ignored that part of his brain, however, as he sat there, transfixed by the scene unraveling before him. Jezzabel had walked over to what was seemingly a portrait, but with a tap of her wand and a muttered incantation became the door to a safe. As she turned the small knobs to the correct numbers the door clicked and swung open. Before she reached in, however, Harry asked a question.
"If this object is so powerful, why do you protect it with muggle security devices?" Jezzabel took her hand out of the safe and smiled.
"Because Wizards always learn how to take down powerful security wards but they never learn how to open complex muggle devices such as this safe. A simple 'alohamora' won't do it; you would actually need to use your magic to manipulate the knobs individually. I'm certain some more powerful wizards can accomplish that, which is the reason I disguised the safe as a portrait and never mentioned it to anyone. This way nobody knows that I have anything back here worth stealing." Harry simply nodded, remembering the way Fred and George had picked the lock at the Dursley's house in his second year using muggle methods.
Harry watched once again as the woman's hand disappeared into the safe. When she drew it out she was holding the chain of a gold amulet. From the way she was holding it Harry could sense that she was doing her best to stay as far away from the amulet itself as possible.
"What is it?" Harry asked as she laid it down in front of him. He moved to the edge of his seat to give it a closer inspection.
"This amulet has one incredible property. When you put it on it can actually absorb a percentage of the pain you are feeling. It is not without repercussion, however. This amulet acts in much the same way adrenalin acts. You will not feel the pain until you take the amulet off. Do you see why I haven't just sold this?" Harry was pretty sure he knew, but allowed Jezzabel to continue. "This will not stop you from dying. People are under the illusion that one who feels no pain is invincible, the opposite is true. If you feel know pain you will never know that you've done something wrong. You'll keep trying to walk on a broken leg and injure it even worse. On top of all that the second you take this amulet off all the pain you should have experienced comes rushing back to you. Can you imagine what a lifetime of cuts and scrapes would feel like if all the pain manifested itself at the same time?"
"But you said it would only absorb a percentage of the pain. So wouldn't that mean we would still know when we did something wrong? And wouldn't the pain that came after taking off the amulet be much less?" Jezzabel smiled sadly.
"Unfortunately I have no way of knowing just how much pain this will absorb, so while your theory may be true and the damage won't be quite as bad as I make it out to be, we have no way of knowing for sure." Harry looked from the shopkeeper back down to the amulet.
"And you want me to have this?" Jezzabel nodded.
"As long as you promise to be careful with it. Don't overuse it, wear it only when you have to and make sure you take it off periodically."
"Why me?"
"Because from what I have heard Voldemort's favorite curse is the cruciatus." Harry's jaw dropped.
"You-you said his name." He stammered, which caused Jezzabel to grin even more.
"Yes I did. I've never seen him, never fought him or his minions, and I wasn't even in this country during his last reign. All I know about him is that everyone, except you perhaps, seems to be very afraid of him."
"Where are you originally from?" Jezzabel threw her head back and laughed; an exaggerated gesture but one that, Harry was sure, was meant to highlight her wavy black hair and tanned skin.
"This is a discussion for another day, Mr. Potter. You should probably be getting back to your friend anyway, you did leave him at Fortescue's did you not?"
"I-how-" Jezzabel laughed again and waved her hand as if to dismiss the question.
"I make it my business to know what is happening in Diagon Alley, especially near my store."
Harry dropped the amulet carefully into his pocket before leaving the store. He kept looking through the crowds, expecting to see someone jump out at him and try to steal the necklace. On the way back to Neville Harry could only help but wonder how much power the tiny amulet really had, and, more importantly, how did it come to have that power? Surely only one of the most powerful wizards ever could do something like that?
"Watch it, Harry." Neville yelped as Harry stepped on his foot.
"Oh, sorry, Neville. I wasn't paying attention, I was thinking about-" Harry looked around and saw all the other witches and wizards in and around Fortescue's. "I'll tell you later. C'mon we have a meeting in the Leaky Cauldron."
"With who?"
"Rita Skeeter." Neville looked puzzled.
"I thought you hated her?"
"Hate is such a strong word, Neville. Well, ok, yes I do hate her but she can be quite useful as well."
Harry and Neville made their way to the Leaky Cauldron where they were met by Tom, the friendly barkeep. Ever since Harry stayed there in the summer before his third year he had really liked Tom, even though he had seemed to be one of Fudge's lackeys.
"Ah, Mr. Potter. Your guest is awaiting you in room 14. Shall I send up some drinks?"
"That would be terrific thank you Tom. We'll have two butterbeers, I'm not sure what Rita drinks." Tom laughed at that.
"I do, it's a bartender's gift. We always remember what a customer drinks." He said with a wink before shuffling off to the bar. Harry and Neville made their way up to room 14 and let themselves in.
"Harry!" Rita exclaimed, jumping up from her desk as the two entered. "It's been quite a long time, please have a seat." She pulled a chair over for Harry but completely ignored Neville. "So where is little miss perfect?"
"Hermione is at school. We both know that our deal is over. You kept your quill to yourself for an entire year, with the exception of that favor you did for me last year. I want to repay you now. I'll give you an exclusive interview and you can sell it to whichever paper you wish." Rita leaned back in her chair and peered at Harry as if trying to see if there could be any strings attached.
"Seeing as I am now a registered animagus and you cannot possibly get me in trouble for that I would like to know what is in it for you." She said skeptically. Harry simply smiled.
"You're going to print what I tell you. I need this information to be made public, your going to do that for me." Rita popped her handbag open and took out her acid green quill, which Harry promptly snatched out of her hand. "I bought you this, a regular quick quotes quill." He told her, producing another quill from his pocket. "It'll record everything I say as I say it, no extra fluff. I wouldn't want my information to get skewed now would I?" Rita sneered at him but took the quill anyway.
"So what is it, exactly, that you wish to accomplish with this interview?" She asked coldly.
"I want to accomplish a few things. Most of all, I want to piss off Voldemort." Rita flinched so hard that her winged glasses went askew.