Gringotts

Harry spent the whole of the next afternoon with Ginny, Dobby and Winky just playing and relaxing in a secluded clearing not far from the lake's opposite shore. It was a break they had all needed and Dobby went out of his way to make sure they made the most of it. They climbed trees, played hide and seek and tag and Harry and Ginny even transformed into their animagus forms and gave their 'children' rides around the clearing and through the surrounding trees. The only down side of the day was that it ended too quickly for all of them. It had been a blissful day of fun and games they had all needed and would not soon forget.

The next morning, on the second of August, Harry and Albus apparated to the Ministry of Magic where Harry took his apparation test and passed with flying colors. The examiner's only comment was about the fact that Harry's disapparation pop was almost silent. Her comment had been that it usually took years for even the most experienced witch or wizard to accomplish near-silent apparation.

Their next stop was Gringotts. After silently apparating into the back of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes they quickly walked down the street and into the bank. Albus was dressed in a subdued greyish blue robe and Harry was once again wearing the faded red baseball cap that Tonks had given him the summer after his fifth year. What only Harry and Albus knew was that Harry's traveling cloak was hiding the sword of Gryffindor. They had brought it along as a bargaining chip.

As they entered the lobby a well dressed goblin wearing the red and black silks of Ragnok's clan stepped out of the shadows and approached approached them at a fast walk. "Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter?" the goblin asked, an unpleasant sneer on his face. When Harry and Albus nodded the unknown goblin growled softly then snapped, "Follow me! Quickly!"

As they hurried across the floor the gold and silver threads woven into the fabric of the goblin's cape created a rippling effect as the light was reflected off their pigments. The goblin silently led them through one door, along several corridors and both up and down several fights of steps before stopping in front of a large, ornately decorated wooden door with the Gringotts crest dominating its upper half. A golden plaque with Ragnok's name and many titles, in both English and Gobbeldygook, was fastened to the door just below the crest. With a single, sharp rap the as yet unnamed goblin turned on his heal and left, leaving Harry and Albus alone in the corridor.

Moments later they heard the sounds of someone approaching the door from the other side. When the door opened an older goblin who looked to have survived multiple attacks stood before them. So far as Harry could tell, Ragnok was not overly large as goblins went but his aura was that of a warrior and his eyes held a wisdom that told Harry all he needed to know. Ragnok was a fair and just goblin, fairer and more just than many humans, but at the same time he was a shrewd businessman who could drive a hard bargain. This was a goblin Harry knew he could trust to do the right thing.

Opening the door wide Ragnok invited Harry and Albus into his private office. Once they were all comfortably seated Ragnok looked between Harry and Albus, apparently uncertain as to which of them he should address first. Albus ended the impasse by clearing his throat. "Ragnok," he began gently, "we are honored by your presence and thank you for taking the time to meet with us on such short notice."

Ragnok curtly nodded his grizzled head. "The honor is returned, Albus Dumbledore." Turning to Harry he said, "Mr. Potter, your headmaster informs me that you wish to discuss a topic of some importance. He would not tell me what it was but he did tell me that it is much more important your coming into your inheritance."

Harry smiled at Ragnok's use of Albus' title. He hadn't referred to Albus as 'headmaster' in quite some time and it was almost humorous to be reminded of Albus' official title. Reaching into one of the inside pockets of his traveling cloak he withdrew several small vials of a silvery gaseous liquid and a small wooden box. With the flick of his wrist his wand suddenly appeared in his right hand, having been launched into position from one of the wrist holsters Tonks and Kingsley had given him for his sixteenth birthday.

With a muttered charm the box grew to fill the center of Ragnok's desk. Glancing up Harry asked, "Is your office secure?"

"As secure as any office can be," Ragnok said gruffly.

Harry quirked a questioning eyebrow. "Do you mind if I ad a few privacy charms of my own? What I am about to share can go no further than this room and, if you will forgive my paranoia, I just want to be sure."

Ragnok glared at Harry for several seconds. Harry knew he was taking a risk by even suggesting that Gringotts security was substandard by any measure but experience, especially in light of his own abilities, had taught him not to take any chances when secrecy and security were concerned. Harry was afraid he had overstepped his bounds and that Ragnok would refuse his request when the goblin nodded his head. "How good are you?" Ragnok demanded.

Harry was taken aback and knew that his expression showed his surprise, curiosity and shock. ""Remote viewing is not unheard of in goblin lore," Ragnok growled. "How good are you?"

Harry had the courtesy to blush. "I'm good enough to penetrate Gringotts' wards," he said modestly.

Ragnok's brows rose slightly as growled softly in the back of his throat. "Can you block yourself?"

Harry nodded. "Yes," he said. "It takes a complex series of spells but I can do it."

Ragnok glanced at Albus who nodded. "Do it!" He commanded.

For the next five minutes Harry wielded his wand more deftly than any orchestral conductor could ever hope to wave their favorite baton as he composed layer upon layer of energy whose sole purpose was to block any remote viewers from gaining access to Ragnok's office.

When he was finished Harry returned to the desk and opened the small wooden crate. Reaching in he carefully lifted his penseive out of the box's padded depths and gently lowered it to rest beside its container. After placing the box on the floor Harry picked up one of the vials and swirled it around, studying its contents with a practiced eye. "What I have here," he began, "are penseive memories of a few of the remote viewing sessions I conducted last week. I feel I can trust you to keep what you are about to see to yourself."

Ragnok curtly nodded his acceptance of the unspoken conditions Harry was placing on the revelations to come.

"I don't know if you know this or not, sir, but Voldemort's real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle." When Ragnok did not respond Harry nodded and moved on to his next revelation. "Tom is a half-blood." Apparently this revelation got the goblin leader's attention because he raised his eyes to look more closely at Harry and leaned back in his seat with a thoughtful expression on his face. "From everything I have been able to learn about Tom, his primary motives seem to lie in to consolidation of power, within himself, and the use of that power to shape the world in his own image, free will be damned. He doesn't care about anyone but himself.

"What makes Tom a particularly menacing creature is that he has taken the unholy step of voluntarily and intentionally splitting his soul into seven pieces and creating seven horcruxes to ensure his survival, even after death."

The thoughtful expression on Ragnok's face intensified.

"I have already destroyed two of his horcruxes and know both what and where the other four are. The problem is that two of them are here, in Gringotts."

This really got Ragnok's attention. Pushing his chair back from his desk the bank manager stood up and began pacing along a well-worn path near the back wall. Several silent minutes later he returned to his desk and, placing his clawed hands on the edge of his desk, glared up at Harry. "You have evidence of this I presume." His voice was cold and threatening and Harry knew that few goblins, and even fewer humans, could stand up to Ragnok's penetrating glare for long.

Bowing his head slightly in deference to Ragnok's position and status in the goblin and Wizarding worlds. "Yes."

"And what do you have to offer in exchange for my assistance?" Ragnok's voice was a deep, threatening growl and Harry noticed that the nails on Ragnok's fingers were beginning to tear at the desk's varnished surface.

This was it: the coup de gras. He had asked the most powerful goblin in the United Kingdom to break his own laws to help him defeat one of the darkest wizards of all time and Ragnok had tentatively agreed, pending the perceived and actual value of what he had to offer. What he did next could easily decide the outcome of the war and the fate of the Wizarding world.

Loosening the clasp on his traveling cloak Harry said, "What I have to offer is a part of my inheritance. It is a goblin-made artifact that is more than a thousand years old." By this time Harry had removed his traveling cloak and was in the process of loosening the buckles holding the sword's scabbard in place on his back.

Ragnok was watching his moves carefully, an interested and slightly curious expression on his face.

"I have need of this artifact through the end of the war but after that, once the war is over no matter the outcome, I am willing to gift it to you and the entire goblin nation."

As Harry laid the scabbard on Ragnok's desk the goblin reached out to take possession of it. Harry let him but continued speaking. "As a form of insurance policy I am willing to take a blood oath to make sure you receive it."

Ragnok suddenly looked up from his inspection of the scabbard, belt and chains, a startled expression on his face. "Mr. Potter," he said, "You do realize what you are asking."

Harry nodded.

"A blood oath is the binding of two souls to a business transaction. They are very rare in your world and, to my knowledge, a blood oath has never been sworn between a goblin and a human."

Harry nodded again. "I know what I am asking, sir. I am asking you to bind your soul to me to ensure that you will deliver these two horcruxes to me within the next few weeks. In return I am asking to be allowed to bind my soul to you, as a form of insurance policy, to ensure that Godric Gryffindor's sword is delivered into your hands at war's end." With this Harry drew the sword out of the scabbard and laid it crosswise on Ragnok's desk.

Ragnok's eyes bulged slightly at the sight of the sword and gasp escaped his lips as he lifted it from the desk for inspection. "M … m … mister Potter," he breathed. "This is a priceless antique! In our world it is worth more that all of the gold in Gringotts World Wide! If you are willing to part with this in exchange for two horcruxes, which you wish to destroy I might add, then … then who am I to refuse?"

Harry breathed an internal sigh of relief. The hard part, convincing Ragnok of his sincerity, was finished. All they had to do now was perform the blood oath to seal the deal.

Picking up his traveling cloak he withdrew a silver dagger from one of its inside pockets and pricked the index finger of his left hand. After handing the dagger to Ragnok, who pricked the index finger on his left hand as well before laying the dagger on the desk beside the sword, he placed several drops of his own blood in the palm of his right hand.

When Ragnok was ready Harry reached out, they clasped hands and locked eyes. Albus drew his wand and began waving it over their clasped hands, muttering a complex spell while Ragnok and Harry stated their oaths.

"I, Ragnok," Ragnok began, "swear a blood oath to Harry Potter. I swear that I will deliver the two horcruxes he requires of me, into his hands, by no later that August sixteenth of this year."

Before he could lose his nerve Harry said, "I, Harry Potter, swear a blood oath to Ragnok, Head goblin of Gringotts Bank in London, England. I swear that I will deliver the sword that once belonged to Godric Gryffindor into his hands at war's end, no matter the outcome."

As Ragnok and Harry began reciting their oaths the drops of blood in the palms of their hands mingled and grew warm. As they continued their recitations a ball of energy formed within their clasped hands that threatened to push their hands apart. When they were finished, when Harry said the last word in his oath, the ball of energy swelled and was absorbed into their hands.

When the spell was complete and the blood bond sealed Harry and Ragnok released each other's hand. "You have courage, Mr. Potter," Ragnok said. I will live up to my end of the bargain and I have no doubt that you will live up to your end of the bargain as well."

Harry closed his eyes and bowed his head. "I fully intend to, sir," he sighed. "If it is the last thing I do in this world I will see to it that this sword is delivered into your hands at the conclusion of this war."

"Now," Ragnok said, returning their attention to the business at hand, "let's see what I have just agreed to deliver into your hands in exchange for this most generous gift."

After re-sheathing the sword and securing the scabbard's straps around his torso Harry emptied the contents of the vials he had brought with him into his penseive. For the next three hours Harry, Ragnok and Albus reviewed the evolution of Tom Riddle from bullying orphan to one of the most powerful dark wizards their world had ever known. When it came to the creation of his first horcrux Ragnok frowned. A diary was a simple item that could easily be overlooked. The ring, however, was a trophy.

At one point Ragnok asked Harry to pause the memory so that he could get a better look at the ring. After studying it for several minutes he stepped back, apparently satisfied with what he had learned, and glanced curiously up at Albus who nodded his head as if confirming Ragnok's suspicions.

Ragnok watched the creation of the next three horcruxes and their histories with interest. He hissed at Ravenclaw's diadem. It was an elven creation and goblins had never really gotten along with the high elves. His reactions to Slytherin's locket, a dwarfish creation, and Huffelpuff's goblet, a gift from the faeries, were less severe. When he saw their histories, however, he groaned, claiming that he would have to wear gloves to keep himself clean when handling them.

When it came to Voldemort's use of Nagini as his sixth horcrux Ragnok once again looked to Dumbledore. Albus shrugged his shoulders. "He must have been desperate. Under normal circumstances, however, that snake would most likely outlive us all."

"And this is why you need the sword?" Rgnok asked.

Harry nodded solemnly. "Yes. Before the final battle I am going to treat the length of its blade with basilisk venom. The only way we can kill that snake and destroy the horcrux is to cut its head off. I haven't figured out how I'm going to do it yet but rest assured, before the final spell is cast Tom Riddle will be out of horcruxes."

When they emerged from the penseive Ragnok looked across at Harry and then over at Albus. "Your world could not have asked for a better hero, Albus Dumbledore." Then, turning back to Harry, asked, "Is there anything else we can do for you today, Mr. Potter?"

Harry closed his eyes, bowed his head and sighed. As his shoulders slumped slightly forward he said, "Yes. I need a will."

Albus turned his head and looked over at his student, a slightly surprised expression on his face but a look of understanding in his eyes. Ragnok, however, sat back in his chair and tilted his head slightly to one side. "You do not expect to survive?" he asked.

Harry shook his head. "No," he whispered, "I don't." Then, opening his eyes and looking across the desk at the goblin with whom he shared an uncertain fate, he said, "Oh, the possibility does exist that I will survive but right now I am not very hopeful."

After several seconds of stunned silence Ragnok stood up. "Very well," he said and walked over to a large cupboard. "I keep a small supply of crystals on hand for situations like this. I haven't had occasion to use one in many, long years but I think this qualifies."

Once he had set the crystal ball in the center of his desk Ragnok glanced over at Harry. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Harry swallowed nervously and then nodded his head.

Albus stood up from his chair and walked over to stand beside the door, out of the crystal's recording range. Ragnok tapped the crystal and hurried over to stand beside Albus. "When it begins to glow, in about five seconds, Mr. Potter, you can begin."

Harry nodded and stood up, nervously rubbing his fingers together as he watched and waited for the crystal to begin glowing.

Several seconds later, when the crystal sphere began to glow, Harry let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding in a gushing sigh then closed his eyes, bowed his head, opened his eyes, raised his head again and looked squarely at the crystal ball on the desk in front of him. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "if you are viewing this then I did not survive the final battle. My only hope is that the spell Ethrindell and I have been working on since early in July worked and that Tom Riddle is no more. If this is the case then it is my wish that everyone involved in the destruction of the horcruxes and the execution of my final spell, including Hogwarts, receive some form of recognition for their efforts." Grinning slightly he said, "I think chocolate frog cards would be in order for Mark Evans, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Ginevra Weasley and Ethrindell Zhazrine."

Reaching up and across with his right arm and hand Harry drew Gryffindor's sword and gazed lovingly along its length. "This," he said, looking back at the crystal, "is a priceless heirloom in the Wizarding world and it is mine to dispose of as I see fit. Under magical contract it is to be delivered into the hands of Ragnok, the head goblin at Gringotts bank in Diagon Alley, London, England. Ragnok, what we have done is unusual to say the least. It is my hope that our actions will, in some small way, pave the way for a more open cultural exchange between our two races."

After carefully returning the sword to its scabbard Harry looked down and studied his hands briefly before looking back at the crystal. As a thought occurred to him he smiled. "As you can tell," he said, "I am not the showman my godfather was. Sirius Black both was and is a class act. If you are viewing this then it is my hope that I will be with him shortly, pranking my father into submission."

Turning serious he said, "I am a very wealthy man and I have far too many possessions for any one man to deal with in a dozen lifetimes, let alone one single lifetime, and so I … I pray that those of you who are named in this will … will accept these gifts without question or protest.

"To Remus and Dora Lupin I leave the sum of two hundred thousand galleons and the title to number twelve Grimauld Place. To their first-born child I leave, in trust, the sum of fifty thousand galleons. This money is to be used for his or her educational needs. If you should have twins or triplets, Dora, fifty thousand galleons is to be set aside for each of them.

"Remus, you have been investing my money wisely over the last year. I would like you to continue on in this capacity for Ginny. I would also like you to continue your work with The Marauders' Wolfsbane Potion Fund. Last year I said that this fund would remain in place as long as it is needed. I meant it, Remus. I want you to manage the monies that have been set aside for this fund in such a way that this fund will outlive the marauders.

"To Ronald Weasley I leave the sum of one hundred thousand galleons and his choice of any one of my castles and estates either here or on the continent. I leave the same to Hermione Granger. If the two of you should get married, which I have a feeling may be happening in the not too distant future, then I will suggest that you choose one estate as your main residence and another as your vacation home.

"To Neville Longbottom I leave the sum of one hundred thousand galleons in personal funds as well as an additional one hundred thousand galleons that is to be used to build the climate-controlled greenhouse of your dreams. I am leaving the sum of one hundred thousand galleons and her choice of any one of my estates to Luna Lovegood as well. If the promissory ring you gave her last Christmas means anything, Neville, which I am assuming it still does, then I will suggest that the two of you select one of the larger estates so that you can build the greenhouse of your dreams and still have room for your children to run free and play like there is no tomorrow.

"To Mr. And Mrs. Weasley I leave the sum of five hundred thousand galleons." Harry paused, overcome with grief, and took several deep breaths before continuing. "I didn't know my parents while I was growing up but I do know that they appreciate everything you have done for me over the years. I want you to know that the love and support you have shown me over the years means more to me than all of the money in the world. I thank you.

"To Dobby and Winky I leave my seven-chambered trunk. The two of you have played major roles on making my humble house a home worth living in. I know that the two of you are free elves and I cannot tell you what to do; but I would greatly appreciate it if you would continue helping Ginny."

Sitting down, Harry took several more deep breaths before making his final bequest. "Ginny," he said, "please know that I love you. Everything else is yours to do with as you see fit. If you could, could you go to Godric's Hollow after your graduation and see about fixing up my parents' old house. I know that it was a very loving home at one time and I would like it to be a loving home once more. You can live there if you like. If not then all I can do is ask that you give it to someone who will give it as much love and attention as your parents have given the Burrow."

Before ending the recording session Harry made two more statements. In the first he asked that an orphanage be established for all of the magical children orphaned because of the war. In this statement he stipulated that every effort should be made to keep families together no matter their magical abilities. In his second statement he requested that, if he had not had time to complete them himself, the renovations he had begun in the Chamber of Secrets should be completed by Ethrindell, Joseph and Eileen.