Harry felt his lips twitch up into that good old Gryffindor grin. He had an instinctive feeling that Snape loathed that look, on anyone's face, really.

There was a certain thing about dragons.

Yes, they were probably the most dangerous creature out there, short of an nundu or a unicorn.

There was this one little thing, though - Harry had prepared for dragons, for the Triwizard Tournament.

Through his gleeful exhilaration, he reminded himself that he wasn't performing for judges here, and that the goblins wouldn't exactly thank him if he took their guard-dragon off duty.

Then again, this was a 'presumably restrained' guard-dragon. There needed to be ways that humans could enter the vaults, after all.

And if Harry was in clear and present danger, he'd already be flamebait.

The simplest solution was often the most obvious. Harry'd learned this spell from the Twins, he cast the Amplification Charm on his throat, and then hissed. Hermione hadn't been able to tell him whether reptilian dragons would respond to Parseltongue, or even if they'd be able to understand it.

Still... it never exactly hurt to try...

"Greetings, Great One," Harry hissed. He felt something click as he looked at the goblin, who didn't seem at all disturbed.

"Who speaks, speaker?" The dragon's voice boomed.

"One who walks on two legs, whose magic gives him the right to speak."

"Your magic gives you the ability, not the right." The dragon said, and continued, "Why should I listen to you?"

"Is there something better you need to be doing? Something more intriguing?" Harry continued.

"I could be sleeping..." The dragon said, and Harry wondered if dragons could laugh, as it sounded like it was trying. It was the sound of shackles shifting...

"For an audience with your august presence, I would grant what is in my power to grant, and intercede on your behalf with your masters."

"NONE MASTER ME!" The dragon boomed, and the goblin hit the deck. "THEY WHO CLAIM ME ARE CAPTORS, I OWE THEM NOTHING."

Harry shook, a quiet tremble that grew. That was what the dragon wanted, harry could see it clearly, before even seeing him face to snout.

And it was the last thing that Harry could give him. It would break any and all treaties the Wizarding World had with the goblins.

This was a problem without a solution.

In frustration, Harry turned to the goblin, asking quietly, "Dragons don't generally live underground, do they?"

The goblins snapped back, "No, they're creatures of mountains and fire."

Harry held still, his instincts telling him the goblin had more to say.

"Goblins are not of earth and water, you know." the goblin met Harry's eyes with an unexpected ferocity.

Oh. They think of themselves as captives too.

[a/n: Hostage negotiations go better when you're not negotiating with the hostage. Leave a review? several things going on here under the surface.

The 'easier way' brought to you by the reader who's been commenting on every chapter!]