Chapter 03 Hi, I Need Your Body
August 10, 1992
In spite of the fact she was in a drugged sleep an almost fourteen year old girl clawed her way to awareness. She almost screamed as she saw what looked like the ghost of a young woman hovering over her. "Hello Hermione. I have a lot to say but you need to hear something else first. I need you to sneak down the stairs and listen outside the kitchen door. Don't get too close or they might see you.
"I know this is against your nature, but I know you will do it, why? Because it's about Harry's safety, not to mention his happiness. I know his happiness means more to you than your own, but in this case, they are one in the same. You make Harry happy and you will be happy. I'm going to ask you for a favor, but before I do I need you to hear what's going on in the kitchen right now, please Hermione, for Harry."
There was no question of whether or not she was going to do it. It involved Harry. Hermione knew where all the squeaks and other noises came from on the stairs after only two days spent with the Weasleys. Her stay had been arranged by her headmaster for some reason she didn't quite grasp but her parents had almost insisted. So here she was.
"... and then Albus will kill him and we get all his money!" Molly was saying. "I will be in mourning for a year and then I'll marry some weak minded Half-blood or Mud-blood who will let me keep my name and I'll rebuild the Weasley family's glory!" Ginny enthused.
"I'm almost finished with the love potions and the loyalty potions so you will have plenty to take back with you." Molly told her daughter. Then she added, "I think I'll make Ronald the heir of the Prewett family so he can have two wives." "I'm sure Ron will appreciate that. That way he can marry an attractive girl too. Maybe we can set it up so he marries the Prewett wife before he marries the Mud-blood, Granger. He can get almost any girl he wants after we get the Potter gold." Ginny said with a smirk.
"I just wish Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Percy, and the twins weren't so sodding honest and loyal to Harry." Yeah, I know mum. But we can't let them find out, they would tell Perfect Potter in a heart beat. I really don't want to spend the rest of my life in Azkaban, or be thrown through the Veil of Death." "I quite agree Ginny. Besides I'm hoping you will have at least one baby with Harry, you two would make such beautiful babies." "Yeah..." Ginny agreed dreamily.
She suddenly came out of the dreamy state. "NO! Mum, are you mad? Any baby I had with Harry would grow up and take the Potter fortune away from us again!" "Not if we keep it pliable love." Molly said with a small smile. "We could bind it's magic and keep it just above a squib. Keep it from growing up physically as well. A permanent grandchild." Molly said dreamily.
"Then we could merge the Potter families with our own, legally." Ginny added. "We would have all those seats on the Wizengamot, we could make the Malfoys pay for all they have done to our family mum." "Yes Ginny. We, could, make, them, pay!"
Hermione sneaked back up stairs and threw herself on the bed in Ginny's room. She told the Weasleys she wasn't feeling well and needed to rest a while. The Weasleys, except for Arthur, didn't really want her around anyway right now. Ron knew the potions hadn't had enough time to bend her will enough for him to start anything with her physically yet, so he didn't care to be around her either.
When she had calmed down some she looked at the ghost and asked, "Okay, what's your favor Hermione from the future?" The ghost laughed softly. "I guess what they say about us is true, we are smart. Okay. I know it's a lot to ask, but," "Look, future me, just ask already. I know it has to do with Harry, I can't think of any other reason I would do something like I, er, you, whatever, have done to get here, so, if it's about Harry, the answer is yes, I'll do it!" "Alright then, just relax, this shouldn't hurt a bit." I don't care, Harry's worth it." "Yes he is, and so are you." Before young Hermione could say another thing older Hermione lay down on the bed and into her younger body.
Hermione felt like cursing the tiny redhead into oblivion when the girl shook her awake some time later. She forced herself to smile at her supposed friend. "If you don't get up now you won't sleep tonight." Ginny said to the older girl. "Yeah, alright. What time is it?" Hermione asked. "Lunch time." Ginny answered. Hermione knew she shouldn't eat or drink anything they put in front of her, but she had no choice.
After lunch the Weasley children, except for Percy, went to the orchard to play Quidditch. Hermione took a book and went to find a shady spot where she could, read. She quickly hid the book and Apparated to Diagon Alley. She went to Gringotts and emptied the vault her parents set up for her. She then asked if she might speak to a goblin in the bank's management.
She found herself in the office of a goblin named Griphook. "Sir, I'm concerned about a friend of mine, his name is Harry Potter. I think he is being denied information about his standing in society and with your bank in particular. I'm pretty sure he should be wearing at least one Heir ring, if not a Head of House ring. Yet he wears no ring."
Griphook sat back in his father's chair and studied the girl before him until she was very nervous. "Mister Potter has insulted the Goblin Nation. I understand that he is just a child, but he has seriously shirked his responsibility. I shouldn't be discussing this matter with you, but I simply can not allow you to blame us for your friend's affront to our bank. The goblin told her.
"He has been sent several letters, at least four a year since his eight birthday. He finally sent a letter shortly before his eleventh birthday stating that he had no interest in assuming his duties toward his Houses by way of his magical guardian." "Let me guess, Albus Dumbledore." Hermione almost snarled. "Er, as a matter of fact, yes." Griphook answered.
Griphook looked at something on his desk for several seconds. "Miss Granger, can you tell me why you are twenty three years old yet at the same time just a month and some days short of fourteen?" Hermione gasped in shock at having been found out. "Oh please! You can't tell anyone! Yes I'm from the future, I blended with my younger self with her very willing permission. I'm here to help, and save, Harry! Please! PLEASE help me save Harry!" Hermione begged.
"In what way does he need saving, and why has he refused," Griphook started to ask before she cut him off. "Forgive me sir, I'm sorry for interrupting, but Harry hasn't refused. The documents you have from him are fakes. Here, match this signature against the ones you have." Griphook opened a file cabinet, rummaged around, and took out a piece of parchment. He laid the two pieces down side by side and waved his fingers over them mumbling something in a strange language.
"Are you willing to swear on your life and your magic that this is Mister Potter's signature?" Griphook asked. "I am mister Griphook sir." The goblin sat back and stared at her for over a minute. Hermione sat there calmly waiting for him to say or do something.
"In your opinion, and I won't ask you to swear, do you think mister Potter got any of our missives?" He finally asked. "I would bet all the money I have, er, well, I would bet that Harry has never seen even one of them sir." Hermione told him seriously. Again Griphook stared at her for a bit. He then scrubbed at his face with a hand before looking at her, saying, "Come with me." while looking very nervous.
Griphook led her along several corridors with many twists and turns. Hermione smiled slightly, They had gone in three circles, and six switch backs to go twenty yards. By her estimate, and she was usually pretty close, they had walked well over a mile, to go only twenty yards (meters) (metres).
They were approaching a door at the end of a corridor. The door had four of the largest, burliest, most heavily armed and armored goblin guards that Hermione could have imagined outside the door. One of the guards knocked on the door and just as the two travelers reached the door it opened and a taller than usual, very refined house elf stepped out.
"What business do you have to bring before Gelt Master Gringotts?" He asked. "A possible line theft attempt Steward." Griphook answered. The Stward gaped at Griphook for several seconds, glanced at Hermione, and retreated into the room, shutting the door behind him.
Moments later the door opened and the Steward stepped aside to allow them in. Griphook walked to the middle of the room, neither too quickly nor too slowly. He fell to his knees and put his forehead on the floor with his hands on the floor slightly down toward his knees, hands open and palms up. Hermione quickly copied him.
Hermione heard footsteps coming closer from the direction of the throne like chair she had seen on entering. She jumped as a huge axe dropped by Griphook's open hand. It couldn't have landed any closer without drawing blood or removing fingers. Griphook didn't so much as twitch.
"You dare bring a human, and a female at that, before me Griphook! What are you doing here? Where is your Father, still sick? What is this about a possible Line Theft?" "Gelt Master, she brings distressing information. Yes Gelt Master, my father is still sick."
The Massive goblin lifted the terrifying axe and it came down hardly a hair's breadth away from Hermione's delicate fingers. "What information do you bring human child?" "Sire, Harry Potter has never received any letters from your bank asking him to come in for training in how to handle his responsibilities toward his family or his House Sire. If he never received any letters asking him to come in Sire, how could he have then refused to come.
"Sire Griphook and I have verified that Harry's signature on the letter your bank received is a fake Sire. Also, I don't know if it concerns you and the bank or not, but Harry's relatives barely feed him, he wears his cousin's huge old cast-offs, and they beat him Sire." The axe was lifted with a snarl and The king rumbled, "Get up!" Hermione's legs were shaking so badly she could barely stand.
The king stalked back to his throne and slammed himself down in it, setting his massive axe down with a deep ringing clang. "Where is Lord, er mister Potter now?" The king asked. "Number four Privet Drive, Little winging Surrey Sire." The frightened girl answered. "Axebreaker!" The king bellowed. "Griphook, we are going to have a discussion about you handling the Potter accounts without authority, later.
"For now how quickly can you get me a full accounting?" The king asked. "I, I have it with me now Gelt Master." Griphook answered nervously. "While we thought mister Potter was refusing his responsibilities we had been keeping a closer eye on his accounts and there have been several discrepancies as you will notice Gelt Master."
"I see mister Potter's vault key was held by at least three unauthorized persons. Hum... why would mister Potter be giving Severus Snape two thousand galleons a month?" "WHAT?!" Hermione yelled. The king looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Er, sorry Sire. But if Harry knew Snape was getting any of his money he would not have the proverbial kittens, he would have elephants Sire!" Hermione told him. "Miss Granger, I would prefer Gelt Master, but If you are more comfortable calling me Sire, I won't stop you. I am, as you surmised, the goblin king.
"What about Kingsley Shaklebolt, Hestia Jones, Mundungus Fletcher, Arthur," "Sire, er, Gelt Master, those people are all part of a, supposedly, secret organization called the Order of the Phoenix. A paramilitary group headed by Dumbledore. Why should Harry pay Dumbledore's private army?" "What about five hundred galleons a month, converted into Pounds Sterling and given to a Petunia Dursley?" "WHAT? Hermione shrieked.
"Those, those, wait... that's... 210,000 Pounds Sterling, a month! And they practically starve Harry, make him do all their work, give him Dudley's old cast offs! He didn't even know his own name the first day of primary school! He thought his name was freak! His cousin's favorite game is Harry hunting, where if he and his gang catch him they beat him senseless! Oh! I want to kill those, those,"
"Monsters!" Hermione jumped, she hadn't heard anyone come in and there was an armored goblin standing three feet behind her. How did he do that? "Sorry Miss. I didn't mean to frighten you. You sent for me Gelt Master?" "Axebreaker. Go to number four Privet Drive, Little winging Surrey and retrieve young mister Potter, we finally know where he is. Be gentle with the boy, things are not as we were led to believe." The new goblin bowed low with a, "As you command Gelt Master." Without a sound he just faded away.
Hermione stood there staring at the spot he had been. She stepped forward and waved her hands through the spot. She suddenly spun around with an, "Oh no! I forgot to tell him about Dumbledore's fancy blood wards!" "Miss Granger, there are no blood wards if what you say is true. Blood wards are powered by the love of family members for each other. If, as you say, they are abusing the boy, then I assure you, there are no blood wards at that address.
"Miss Granger, do you know how to work the floo?" The king asked. "Yes Gelt Master." She answered. "Good. I have opened floo access for you. If you would use that fireplace and call Madam Bones at th and ask her to come here we can get started on several legal matters at once. The password for you is, Gold Value."
It was only a few minutes later that Amelia stepped out of the fire. "Er, um, I, er," Amelia stammered trying to figure out how to address the king. Hermione helped her out. "Madam Bones this is Gelt Master Gringotts. Gelt Master this is Madam Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Ma'am I'm Hermione Granger, a friend of Susan's."
"Gelt Master, I am Honored to be here Sire. Miss Granger, Susan has told me a great deal about you. Gelt Master, how may I be of assistance?" Amelia was obviously uncomfortable in the king's presence, it was unheard of for a human to see the goblin king.
"I was wondering if you wanted to open the sticky wicket of bringing down the great Albus Dumbledore, or if you wanted me to do it. Miss Granger, Griphook if you both will brief Madam Bones, I would prefer not to be in the middle of doing so when Axebreaker returns with mister Potter."
Amelia immediately turned to the younger goblin and the girl. 'Was the king serious about bringing Dumbledore down?' She wondered. "Okay, enlighten me." Amelia said. Griphook and Hermione looked at each other. Griphook said, "Miss Granger, why don't you lay the ground work and I'll follow up with the banking portion." Hermione nodded and began.
Several minutes later Hermione was in the middle of a good rant when Axebreaker faded in with Harry. Harry stood in shocked awe as he listened to Hermione rant about his treatment at the Dursleys. He wondered how she knew even an tenth of what she was telling the woman. He could see the effect Hermione's words were having on the woman.
Harry recognized the younger goblin as Griphook. He walked over and put his arm around Hermione's shoulders. She immediate grabbed him and tried to hug the stuffing out of him. "Air... Air..." Harry pretended to wheeze. "Hello Griphook. How did Hermione manage to get you involved in this?"
After Hagrid had put Harry on the train back to Little Whinging after his first visit to Diagon Alley, Harry had gotten off and gone back to the bank for more money to buy the things Hagrid wouldn't let him get. Without the half giant there Griphook began to open up with Harry. Children are often nicer to be around than adults. And goblins and giants have a centuries old blood feud.
"Er, well you see Harry, I, er, was supposed to, er..." Griphook's shoulders slumped. "I'm in real trouble Harry. I'm not supposed to handle accounts by myself yet. You see I haven't reached my maturity yet. I don't turn one hundred for eleven more years. I'm still an apprentice." Griphook explained.
"My father is sick and none of my brothers, uncles, or cousins can handle any more accounts. I've been handling your accounts by myself because the only clan that can handle your accounts is my clan's mortal enemy. I would rather die than have them get your accounts.
"Our healers can't find any spells or potions, but I know in my gut that clan is behind this. It's an attack on my father and as a result, it's an attack on my clan. I know they're trying to get your accounts by assassinating my father. He has been sick for two years. He's slowly been getting worse."
"What are his symptoms Griphook?" Harry asked, looking fearful yet angry. "Projectile vomiting and diarrhea. He gets slightly better then gets worse, gets slightly better then gets worse, almost like clockwork." Griphook answered. "Any other things you have noticed, changes in skin color or tone, lips, tongue, whites of his," "Now that you mention it." Griphook said, interrupting Harry. "His lips and tongue have changed color, now they're," "A mottled, muddy brown!" Harry finished excitedly. Griphook nodded.
"Griphook, it's a poison a simple poison. Something naturally occurring in your environment, um, arsenic, alkali, something you're used to in small quantities but will kill you in larger quantities." Griphook turned excitedly to the king who seemed to be in deep conversation with the other goblin, yet he made a shooing motion toward Griphook. The king watched the younger goblin run for the door, he signaled the guards to open it. Griphook was gone!
Griphook almost literally exploded into his family's living area. When he saw who was visiting he had an idea what was happening. His brother's wife was saying, "I really must be going I," Griphook interrupted. "How's father?" His older sister, who had just completed healer training answered, "He just started having another bout."
Griphook moved, he almost seemed to Apparate. He had his brother's wife pinned against the wall with a dagger cutting slightly into her throat. "Where is it? Give it to me or I'll kill you right now a fraction of an inch at a time!" "EL!" His older brother yelled. "Stay back brother, I will kill her! Tell me where you have it hidden schkranak or I swear you will drown in your own blood! WHERE!"
"He-he-hem, hem of my-my skirt." Griphook felt all around the hem until he quickly stepped back with a slash to quick to see, he cut a piece of her skirt away. Standing there making sure she couldn't get a message to anyone he worked the tiny vial out of the piece of her hem.
His sister snatched the vial as he held it up and she raced from the room. "Your wife brother. Shall I or," something flashed past his ear and without looking he knew an enchanted dagger was embedded in the rock wall. Griphook nodded and sat down to wait. Four hours thirteen minutes later the Healer came out and gave them the news.
"It was too close to believe," She choked. "but he will live. He will never be able to answer a challenge and survive the battle, but I will champion him myself before I'll let him fight again now! This is so unfair to him! Such a great warrior." Griphook began a very soft chant. His clothes rippled and changed into a suit of full plate armor. His dagger was still at his waist but a pair of swords now adorned his back. Others picked up the soft chant. Even the healer looked like she was forcing herself not to join in.
Like a silver wave the clan swept through the bank. Everyone. quickly cleared their path. The dragons would feast tonight. When it was over not one member of their clan died. Oh there were wounded, but none died. Not one of the other clan lived.