Chapter XII: The Thief's Downfall
The foursome stood outside Gringotts Bank in Wizarding London with a gagged and bound disgruntled goblin as their hostage.
Hermione had drunk the Polyjuice potion prior to disapparating to Diagon Alley and currently looked exactly like the late Bellatrix Lestrange. Hermione's beautiful wavy locks were transformed into curly, black tendrils. Her mocha eyes darkened to crazy black orbs, her skin ageing years. She was clad from head to foot in Bellatrix's clothing, transformed from her own.
"Are you ready?" Draco whispered to her, squeezing her hand briefly for a moment. Hermione stared at him through Bellatrix's black orbs.
"Let's just get this over with." Hermione whispered back before sauntering towards the bank in front of them. Draco hurried along side her with Harry and Ron hot on their heels dragging a reluctant Griphook.
Harry had a terrible feeling about this. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach, gnawing away desperately trying to tell him that this whole thing didn't feel right. Their plan, their carefully thought out arrangements didn't sit right with him. It frustrated Harry no end that he couldn't place a finger on what exactly felt wrong.
They neared the entrance of the bank where two wizards with thin golden rods were guarding the large silver doors. Harry recognised them as Probity Probes which detected any spells of concealment, magical objects and enchantments. Which meant, that as they drew nearer, Harry only had a split second to perform an Imperius curse or else they'd detect Hermione's use of Polyjuice Potion and their transfiguration spells on their clothes, not to mention Hermione's bag which was currently over Harry's shoulder underneath his robe.
"You've got to mean them Potter." Draco's words echoed in Harry's head and before he could change his mind, he carefully and cautiously raised his wand slightly at the two wizard guards and whispered with as much determination he could muster for an Unforgivable; "Imperio."
The two guards looked dazed as they wondered what to do with the Probity Probes, unable to remember whether they'd already checked the four wizards and the goblin that were ascending the stairs.
"Hey, wait a minute." One of them slurred, their eyes unfocused. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"You have already checked us." She snapped coldly before they hurried into the bank undetected.
They stepped into the large marble lobby in front of the long counter, that held many goblins behind them, all sitting on stools fondling golden treasures. They cautiously stepped up to one goblin who was counting Galleons out of five large pouches. Griphook's eyes shone at the sight of the golden coins, as did Draco's.
Hermione rested her dirty hands on the counter and coughed pointedly when the goblin did not look up from his counting.
"Madam Lestrange!" The goblin gasped as he dropped the Galleon he was holding, promptly forgetting how much money he'd already counted and which pouch the Galleon came from. "How may I help you?"
"I want to enter my vault." Hermione tapped her long dirty nails impatiently on the counter top, thus irritating the goblin and Ron, who kept flinching at the sound. Harry had to admit, her impersonation of Bellatrix was alarmingly accurate and impressive.
The goblin glanced down the side of the counter and nearly toppled off his stool at the sight of his old friend Griphook, gagged and bound with a body binding curse and impenetrable ropes that could only be removed by the caster. Griphook looked up with pleading eyes and the goblin cleared his throat before sitting back on his stool properly, terrified.
"T-Then I will need to see i-i-identification." The goblin said shakily, looking from Draco Malfoy to Bellatrix Lestrange, then to the two Death Eaters. The entire scene before him bewildered him greatly, the fact that the most wanted man besides the Dark Lord was standing in Gringotts bank with his aunt that he apparently killed.
"Identification?" Hermione blinked blankly. "I have never been asked for identification before. Do you realise who I am?"
"Madam Lestrange I assure you I understand perfectly well who you are-"
"Then why do I need to show identification?" Hermione demanded impatiently. Then she realised, as she glanced around the bank. Everyone was staring at her bewildered, and she realised that she – Bellatrix – was supposed to be dead, and killed by the very man that was standing next to her with a cool demeanour.
"It's just that Miss Lestrange, pardon me for saying so, but you're supposed to be..uh..well.." The goblin swallowed.
Harry was starting to panic. The other wizards were beginning to edge closer to the exit as the other goblins were attempting to disappear under the counter. Harry knew what he had to do – again. Reluctantly, he raised his wand and whispered "Imperio" for the second time in his life, and hopefully the last.
"I assure you that I am very much alive. It doesn't surprise me that filthy creatures like you feed off the rumour mill." Hermione threw the goblin a filthy look for affect. "Would you like me to prove to you exactly who I am?" Hermione threatened, her eyes darkening as she stared at the trembling but dazed goblin.
"I just need your wand." The goblin said, holding out his dirty wrinkled hand. Hermione raised an eyebrow but pulled out Bellatrix's wand regardless. The goblin examined it and nodded before handing it back to her.
"Okay, this way please Madam Lestrange." The goblin then stopped and eyed Draco, Harry and Ron.
"My accomplices come with me to my vault or else I shall kill the goblin." Hermione said coldly and unflinchingly as she pointed her wand, in a fashion much like Bellatrix's, at Griphook, who's eyes widened to the size of the moon with fear.
"Certainly, they can accompany you. Follow me please." The old goblin led the way to the end of the counter and gestured to another goblin to step forwards. "Take Madam Lestrange and her company to her vault please. We're going to need the Clankers."
Harry had no idea what on Earth the "Clankers" were, but watched with interest as the other goblin sauntered off and appeared again moments later with a leather pouch full of noisy metal.
"Are you sure? It's just, we have special requests and instructions regarding Madam Lestrange's vault.." The goblin whispered and Harry had to strain his ears to catch what was said. Harry's eyebrows shot up in interest, then furrowed in confusion and fear – this was the terrible feeling he had in his stomach that was clenching into knots at the goblin's words.
He moved closer to Hermione to tell her that perhaps this wasn't such a good idea and that something ghastly was going to happen if they attempted to even go near Lestrange's vault, but she had already begun to follow the goblin with the Clankers towards a door leading out of the marble lobby.
The elderly goblin that had served them waved an irritated hand at the other goblin before bidding them goodbye and resuming his position behind the counter, staring down at the coins with mild interest and confusion.
They entered through the large door in front of them that had opened and followed a dimly lit passageway.
"I need you to enter the cart." The goblin said uneasily, as he glanced at Griphook and the two Death Eaters. "I'm afraid one of you cannot come."
Harry glanced around and with an inward sigh, pointed his wand at the goblin and said "Imperio." Then he pointed his wand at Griphook and undid the ropes that were bound to him, having been the caster. He then undid the body binding curse but promptly knocked him unconscious with a quick efficient "Stupefy". Harry then dragged him by his ankles to the door and then clambered onto the cart.
Draco, Ron and Hermione stared at Harry bewildered. Hermione had a dangerous look on her face and Harry uneasily swallowed the lump in his throat. Hermione was scary herself, but as Bellatrix, she was almost scarier than Voldemort. At least Voldemort didn't have the wrath of a woman.
Draco slid in the cart next to Hermione, who sat with her arms folded glaring at Harry angrily. Ron sat next to Harry and removed his Death Eater mask, Harry doing the same. The goblin cheerily slid in the front and activated the cart. Immediately they sped off at high speed and Harry had that familiar feeling of his entire skin being stretched to the point where it might just slide off his bones.
Draco felt rather sick. He'd been to his own vault numerous times on this very cart but the ride there and back felt nothing compared to this one – he felt like he was riding two carts to his deceased aunt's vault, his stomach churning at the thought this may go horribly wrong. One look at Harry and Ron and he knew he wasn't the only one thinking it just might.
That intense feeling Harry had about something not sitting right with him intensified when they spotted a waterfall up ahead.
"The Thief's Downfall!" Hermione shouted, instantly recognising the waterfall she'd previously read about as an enchanted waterfall that immediately detects magical enchantments that only ever gets put up in Gringotts if there is a security breach.
The water crashed onto them before Hermione had a chance to perform any sort of protective spell. The water filled their mouths ears and eyes. Harry and Ron's robes were instantly soaked through, making them heavy on their bodies. Hermione felt a strange feeling wash over her. She raised her wand as they suddenly went vaulting through the air, the cart coming to a lurching stop. They were flung through the air but landed softly on the floor, Hermione having performed a quick thinking Cushioning Charm at the same time Draco had, so they felt like they had landed on a huge soft cushion.
Draco groaned and rolled over on the floor, plucking at his wet clothes. His blonde hair stuck to his face and he pushed it out of his eyes, performing a quick drying spell on himself. He turned to perform the spell on Hermione, but he nearly dropped his wand as he realised he was looking at Hermione and not Bellatrix.
"Hermione!" Draco gasped and Harry snapped his head up at Hermione, and nearly choked on the remaining water in his mouth.
"It must remove magical enchantment." Ron muttered as he struggled to get out of his heavy Death Eater robe. Draco pointed his wand at Ron and the robe vanished.
"Thanks." Ron muttered, embarrassed at having Malfoy help him out. Pink spots tinged his cheeks and ears.
"Those blessed things were always too heavy." Draco shrugged as he helped a dazed Hermione stand up off the floor. She stared down at herself then bit her lip.
"Crap, what are we going to do now?" Hermione asked as Draco performed a drying spell on her and then another vanishing charm on Harry's robe this time.
Ron and Harry stood there in jeans and a t-shirt, both pulling out their wands and casting lumos for extra light. Harry stared with horror as the goblin stared back at them all, his mouth hanging wide open. They had foolishly dismissed the fact that the waterfall washed off all magical concealment and enchantments, including the Imperius curse.
"Confundo!" Harry said as he pointed his wand at the goblin whom was now thoroughly confused. "The Imperius curse was lifted off him when we went through the waterfall."
"Harry James Potter I cannot believe you used an Unforgivable." Hermione folded her arms across her chest, her Bellatrix robes far too big for her frame. "You used it at least three times."
"You used the killing curse on Carrow." Harry contradicted before he could stop himself. Hermione's face hardened.
"That was different."
"Is it or is it not an Unforgivable, Hermione?" Harry asked. "You used it unhesitatingly. At least when I performed the Imperius curse I thought it through."
"I can't believe we're having this conversation here of all places!" Hermione breathed out heatedly. "I did that because he almost killed Draco."
Draco's eyes snapped towards her and his eyebrows raised. "You killed Carrow for me?"
"Can we please not talk about it?" Hermione asked quietly as she walked towards the goblin, turning her back on her friends. Harry and Draco exchanged a quick glance before following her. Ron dragged behind.
Harry performed another Imperius curse and the goblin immediately set off on foot towards Bellatrix's vault.
"Harry, is my bag still enchanted?" Hermione asked, looking back at him. Harry patted the bag at his hip, the strap slung horizontally across his torso. Draco snickered. "I thought it would be, I used a powerful spell that would repel any attempt to magically unbind the concealments and enchantments I placed upon it. Not to mention it is fully waterproof."
Draco smirked at her sudden know it all attitude again, and was glad that he was looking at the back of Hermione's wonderful full wavy locks and not Bellatrix's dirty mangled tendrils.
"Here we are! Your vault, Madam Lestrange." The goblin said to Hermione, obviously blatantly ignorant to the fact that she was not, in fact, Bellatrix.
The foursome stopped and stared at the image in front of them. It wasn't the fact that they were standing outside the notorious Bellatrix's vault, it was more what was standing beside her vault. A large albino dragon with pearly white scales was guarding the vault. It was chained to the wall by it's thick neck and ankles, it's beady blue eyes staring down at them with obvious dislike and protection. It did nothing else but spit at them before breathing it's ghastly smelling breath on them.
Ron backed away. If only Charlie was here to keep it as calm as it already was while they ransacked Bellatrix's vault. Ron had no idea how Charlie did it – he charmed dragons to act like lapdogs.
"It won't eat us, will it?" Ron asked wearily and Draco snorted with laughter.
"Only if we touch her vault."
"Oh, no immediate danger then." Ron snarled back while Draco still continued to chuckle with laughter.
"We need to use the Clankers to ward the dragon off. It will retreat from the noise." The goblin held the leather bag open for them and they each stuffed their hand in and produced a Clanker, a small metal instrument that when Harry shook it made the most brain vibrating noise he'd ever heard.
Harry nearly moved across the floor at the sound of the vibrations the foursome and the goblin were making with these Clankers. The dragon roared and retreated.
"Bloody hell I'm glad I'm not a dragon." Draco muttered as they replaced the Clankers in the leather bag.
"I'm pretty sure your name means dragon in Latin." Hermione piped up. She instantly flushed as Draco turned on her.
"It does." Draco smirked to himself before they stepped up to Bellatrix's vault. "How are we meant to get in?"
"Remember, a goblin can only open a Gringotts vault. If either one of us tried, we'd get sucked in. It's to detect thieves. We'd be stuck in there for ten years." Hermione ranted off her knowledge and Harry rolled his eyes, performing yet another Imperius curse at the goblin.
It was beginning to scare him just how easily he could perform the Imperius curse now. Almost without effort, like the determination to use Unforgivable at his disposal was now engraved permanently in his mind.
The goblin placed his hand on the vault door before it melted away. The foursome stared at the content's of Draco's aunt's vault. Crowns, goblets, jewels and various other shiny and no doubt expensive but some of them stolen treasures littered every inch of the vault.
"Okay we need to search fast." Harry said as he cautiously moved into the vault.
"Potter watch out!" Draco shouted as he remembered something rather important about his aunt's vault. Harry jumped violently at Draco's sudden outburst and slipped on a goblet on the floor. It instantly burnt his foot and multiplied into exact copies. Harry cursed loudly, using words that would have made his Aunt Petunia cringe.
"The vault has Gemino and Flagrante curses." Draco said as he raised his wand and easily removed the curses. Hermione raised her eyebrows, impressed.
"How did you know how to remove it?"
"Bellatrix showed me." Draco shrugged as he cautiously nudged a goblet replica with his wand. Harry sighed in relief when the goblet didn't explode into copies. Hermione quickly placed a cooling charm on the bottom of Harry's burning foot before picking up a goblet.
"What does this goblet look like?"
"Not a clue." Draco replied and Harry pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "You will just know when you see it. Or if you pick it up and hear the Dark Lord whispering sweet nothings in your ear then you've found it."
Hermione made a tsking noise before picking up a beautiful necklace.
"Wow, it's hard to imagine Bellatrix ever wearing something as beautiful as that."
"That was my grandmother's." Draco said softly as he gazed upon the emerald necklace in Hermione's hand. Hermione smiled at him before placing it in Draco's hand. He looked at it before slipping it into his pocket. The necklace was supposed to have been given to his mother, Narcissa, but Bellatrix had stolen it from her when they were teenagers.
"It's beautiful." Harry commented before he returned to a particular large coin. "Why is this coin so big?"
"Rodolphus enchanted it to be worth five hundred galleons." Draco shrugged as he kicked one of the goblet replicas out the way.
"Bloody hell." Ron said as he took it off Harry and looked at it with awe.
"Worth more than you own, Weasley?" Draco smirked and Ron threw a goblet at his head, which he smartly caught with his Seeker reflexes.
"Would you pair stop it?" Hermione snapped as she picked up a little green pouch. She tried to open it but whenever she caught hold of the tassels they squirmed away from her.
"Only I can open that." Draco said as he watched her with amusement, watching the growing irritation on her face. "It's my present."
Hermione handed it over with a huff but stayed to watch him open it with curiosity. Draco undid the tassels and tipped the pouch upside down.
A wrist cuff in the shape of a dark green snake coiling around itself slid out of the pouch and onto Draco's palm. It was encrusted with emeralds, it's eyes the brightest green as they gazed up at an astonished Draco.
Harry snickered. "It seems that your aunt got confused with your gender."
Ron roared with laughter as Draco ignored them, unable to tear his eyes away from the wrist cuff on his palm.
"Draco?" Hermione asked worriedly, suddenly overcome with the terrifying thought that the snake bracelet could hypnotise people.
"It was my mother's." Draco's jaw set into a hard line as he felt an odd sensation prick at his eyeballs.
"It is truly beautiful." Hermione breathed as she squeezed Draco's arm before moving through the treasures on the floor towards Harry, who was hopping up and down trying to reach a particular item on the top shelf.
Draco slid his fingers inside the pouch and pulled out a bit of parchment. He unfolded it and read his mother's beautiful italic script;
Draco, my love. Use it well.
Draco blinked rapidly before folding it up and pocketing the parchment. He placed the cuff inside the pouch and slipped it into Hermione's bag that was still hilariously slung over Harry's torso.
"What on Earth are you trying to reach?" Draco asked. Harry glared at him.
"Oh you know, that emerald earring set right next to Hufflepuff's cup." Harry snapped sarcastically. Draco stared at the Horcrux on the top shelf and felt his stomach flip over in excitement and apprehension.
"Wouldn't surprise me Potter." Draco grinned as he pointed his wand at the Horcrux and said; "Accio cup."
"You idiot that is obviously not going to work. You can't just Accio Voldemort to you." Ron rolled his eyes as Draco glared at him dangerously.
"Not that I'd particularly want to, thank you very much." Draco muttered before he pocketed his wand again. "Well what the hell are we going to use?" Draco demanded, stomping his foot childishly.
"Draco stop it." Hermione scolded. "Seeing as how we don't have to be so cautious of being burnt or creating treasure clones, perhaps you can sit on Harry's shoulders and get the cup that way?"
"Why me? Weasley is obviously taller."
"And would crush Harry." Hermione said. Ron threw her a look and Hermione shrugged. "Draco, just climb on top of Harry."
"You really need to think your sentences through before you say them, Hermione." Harry said as he allowed Draco to climb on top of his shoulders with much difficulty. Hermione flushed scarlet.
"Don't you dare drop me Golden Boy." Draco warned as Harry gripped his ankles. "You'll ruin my hair if you drop me."
"Proud prick." Ron muttered.
"Just hurry up, I'm going to be crushed under your ego." Harry rolled his eyes. Draco flicked Harry's head and Harry prompted to walk backwards into a shelf so a golden skull fell on top of Draco's shoulders.
"You-"
"Boys." Hermione warned and immediately the two boys stopped. Draco scowled down at Harry before reaching up and taking the cup in his hands.
"Is it just me or did that seem far too easy?" Ron asked from his position on the floor. He'd sat down and was rolling a goblet lazily in his hands.
"Are we sure it's even that cup?" Hermione asked. Draco blanched.
"It's definitely this one." Draco said as he climbed down from Harry's shoulders and quickly shoved the Horcrux in Hermione's bag.
"Let's get out of here." Ron said as they made for the exit. They stepped out of the vault and instantly wished they hadn't.
They were surrounded by Death Eaters.
Finally, the newest chapter! I'm sorry this took me ages – I kept rewriting the beginning of this chapter and it was fully peeing me off. As you can tell I have followed the chapter in the book as guidance, but obviously it has my own elements to it, which I hope you enjoyed. :) Thank you for all the reviews so far, please keep them coming! xo