Chapter 6 A Visit to Gringott's

The owl that carried Hermione's letter from Harry arrived first. It was a week later and she was sitting in an open window at the inn in Hogsmeade contemplating her next step. If Viktor found Karkaroff all the better, she decided. He had been a Death eater and would probably know how to find Snape. If he didn't know, then he might be able to help with the Horcruxes, although Hermione wasn't certain that any of Voldemort's Death eaters knew anything about them.

He certainly was not going to be open about it and that's where Viktor could help. She was trying to develop a contingency plan when she read Harry's letter. It had not been delivered by his owl, Hedwig.

"Oh good grief!" she cried in exasperation. "He's gone and done it now!" The letter stated simply that Harry felt he could not put anyone else in danger and he did as he said he would do and leave his aunt and uncle's house to go it alone. He did not state where he was headed.

She anxiously chewed on her lip, and then made a decision. She grabbed her wand and headed for the door. She Apparated just outside the inn. No witch or wizard could follow another when they Apparated and so the witch that watched her sat back in frustration.

Tonks rearranged her face and stood erect. She successfully disguised herself as an old woman knowing that Hermione would be the first to spot her if she didn't do a good job. Tonks reached for her wand and wrote in the air in golden letters; LOST SIGHT OF HG, LOVE TONKS. She studied it to make sure she couldn't add something or change it and then blew on it and sent the message winging its' way to Remus.

In London, another owl circled above the street and the traffic and waited for the opportune moment to dive down the chimney. Ron was laying on the couch in the sitting room enjoying a nice cold butterbeer and celebrating his find. His feet hung over the end of the sofa and he was almost asleep, resting, before he went on his search for Kreacher, when the owl dropped down on the back of the chair and extended its' leg.

"What's this?" he asked, surprised that the bird had found him. "You're supposed to deliver to me at the Borough." The bird hooted and took off immediately. "Bloody general delivery birds! They fly all over the place, wasting time, when they should deliver directly......"

"Oh Bloody 'ell!" He had received the same cryptic note from Harry. He jumped to his feet and screwed up his face in concentration and then made a decision. He stepped out of the door at Number 12 Grimmauld Place and Apparated to a muggle street just outside of central London . He had only ever gotten letters from Hermione with the muggle address on them and had never been to her house but he was certain he could find her if he asked some muggles for directions.

At the same time, Hermione Apparated to the Burough.

Ginny received her letter and scanned it quickly excited to finally hear from Harry. It was maddening to have to sit at home and not be able to do anything. Nothing, not even the thought that she would not be able to return to Hogwarts and finish her education caused her as much grief as not hearing from him.

She read the letter and then held it to her breast, feeling cold suddenly. The warm heat of summer could not stop her shivering. She rose and wandered down to the broom shed where there were some rather old and ratty brooms left behind by her brothers. She stared at them, then back to the house where her mother was using her wand to hang laundry. I can go back and go through the floo network or I can use one of the old brooms. It will be rough going and very slow. She thought about it.. They can track me through the floo network and if I'm caught, Dad will have kittens! The Ministry will be keen to find another thing to pick on him about. And mum.... she glanced at her mother again and frowned. It's all to the good if I can find him and help.

Without thinking she dropped the letter onto the grass at her feet, swung her leg over the best of the lot and took off, riding low to the ground. She knew of only two people who could help her; George and Fred. She could not use magic without risking getting caught by the Ministry and they were always keen to help. It meant flying to their business premises in Diagon Alley. Ginny swept low through the orchard, made a big circle and headed out. It would take her most of the afternoon to get there and the tired old broom she rode was already lagging.

Hermione apparated in the Burough just as Ginny disappeared over the horizon.

Ron was standing on a street corner with his hand held out trying to ask for directions. Instead, people took one look at him and dropped muggle money into his palm. He stood there feeling confused, dropping the money into his pocket so that his hand was empty and he could stop another muggle. He even tried giving it back. He was just about to give up in frustration when a man dressed in a uniform stepped out of a car and approached him. The sign on the side of the car read: Police.

He smiled at the man innocently. Oh good, he thought, maybe these po-leese can help me.

"You there! You can't be beggin' on the street corners. It's against the law!"

Remus had barely slept or eaten in days and he was exhausted. Dobby had assured him that he would do his best to find Harry and return quickly, that had been three days ago. Tonk's message had already arrived and it was discouraging. He was the leader of the Order of the Phoenix and their primary functions had shifted significantly. They had suffered and immeasurable loss with Dumbledore's death and also- he hated to say it- with the loss of Snape.

Now that he knew about the Horcruxes their energies were spent on absorbing as much information as possible and even going over old ground. A team was already retracing Dumbledore's footsteps and going over Riddle's past. It was all in hopes of identifying all the Horcruxes.

As to what they would do with them if they found them was beyond him. McGonagall, besides readying the school for the new term, was also spending many hours in the vault in the library. Arthur Weasley was doing his best to weasel into the Department of Mysteries to find out what he could there and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix, what was left of it, were busy on other duties.

Altogether, it looked discouraging. And then the reports flooded in. The Ministry was furious because Ron Weasley had Apparated in front of a pair of muggle police while trying to beg on a muggle street corner. It had taken Remus two days to calm the Minister and straighten that out. Ginny Weasley had disappeared only to show up at her brothers premises in Diagon Alley and then all three promptly disappeared- whereabouts still unknown. Hermione was fine and currently situated at the Weasley household, but for how long? Remus wondered. He didn't have the right to keep her prisoner or Ron prisoner- although he thought Molly Weasley was doing a rather good job of it. Still they were of age and could go where they wished. They all were trying to do the very thing which he was trying to do and that was to locate Harry.

"How did you do it all, Albus?" he asked empty air. Keeping track of teenagers was an impossible task. It was also taking personnel away from other things that were significantly more important, one of them being finding Death eaters or the whereabouts of Lord Voldemort. Finding Harry was also very important but since that was not possible Remus hoped that Harry had the sense to keep hidden. If they couldn't find him then probably the Death eaters couldn't either, and that gave Remus some mild relief.

Remus had also not had time to do much else and his days at Number 12, Grimmauld Place, were busy ones. It seemed that Voldemort was on the move. He'd already gotten the reports of Narcissa Malfoy's death. Draco had not shown up again after running off with Snape. Remus was happy to learn that Neville Longbottom was at Hogwarts. The thought of him reminded him of the prophecy. He had finally heard the entire thing in Dumbledore's Pensieve and it infuriated him. He was pretty sure that Harry knew it too.

That boy thinks that he's solely responsible for killing Voldemort! Remus thought. And you led him to believe it didn't you Albus?

Each and every discovery they had made in the Pensieve had made him wonder just whether the old man had gone over the edge or had gone senile. Remus had loved Albus Dumbledore for as long as he could remember, but he would have liked-very much- to have had a chance to talk to him and it wouldn't have been a pleasant conversation.

Remus stepped across the street in the bright summer sunlight and entered the cool interior of Gringott's Wizarding Bank. There were fewer wizards and witches present then usual, but it was a sign of the times. People just did not want to be out and about. Lupin walked to a counter, and talked through a small wrought-iron portal, requesting a meeting with the goblin in charge of wills.

"We do not serve your kind," the goblin at the desk said.

Lupin gritted his teeth, leaned into the grill and growled, "I am Remus Lupin. Tell Thornback that I am here. He knows me and I will not take 'no' for an answer." Lupin felt the urge to tear the iron facade off and reach over the desk and strangle the creature. Instead, he hoped that the head of the wizarding bank would remember the good deed he had done for him and talk to him.

The small creature slid off of his high stool and sauntered away down a hallway, walking like a drunken sailor on a rolling ship.

Lupin was restless. There was nothing that he could use to force the goblins to allow him entrance into Dumbledore's vault. He once again silently cursed the old man for not having the foresight to make arrangements concerning his eventual death.

"You may go in," the small goblin said behind him. Take the lift to the seventh floor. There will be a wait."

Lupin nodded grimly and strolled down the marble hallway. Stone gargoyles lined it and grimaced like roaring lions from their perches. Remus didn't pay attention. Several creatures passed him; another hoard of goblins, what was obviously a Remfield; the wizard term for a daylight vampyre, and several humans. Remus stopped to watch them pass. They were gypsies, a very talented type of wizard respected by the wizarding kind everywhere. However, they were rarely seen among normal witches and wizards and Lupin found them fascinating. I must introduce the students I teach this year to gypsies, he thought as he entered the room. He had already made up his mind to accept McGonagall's offer.

He took the lift to the seventh floor, stepped out and faced another goblin seated at a desk. The furnishings of the suite were spectacular if not gaudy. Remus didn't like the creatures that worked in the bank, but it had always been so. Goblins had always been the financiers of this world.

"Sign in," the goblin inside the door said and handed him a quill.

"How long must I wait?" Lupin asked.

The goblin studied the clock on the wall, one which had no hands and no numbers but was covered with characters; goblin writing. "Not long."

Lupin nodded and sat down on a stone pew which was part of the wall. He was surprised when the same goblin called to him after only a few minutes.

"Thornback wishes to see you now, Mr. Lupin." The little creature was at his elbow ushering him towards an oak door. "Would you like some wine? It is our finest."

Goblin-made wine? Remus thought with surprise. Why the special treatment?

Thornback was a typical ugly goblin. However, Lupin noticed the gold and silver watch chain and assorted rings on his long ugly fingers and he knew that the creature held a very high status among his own kind. He was smoking a very large cigar and the room was filled with blue smoke.

Lupin was ushered into a velvet upholstered, hard-back chair in front of the desk. A silver goblet of wine appeared before him and Thornback personally offered a humidor of very fine cigars to him. Lupin declined and thanked him for the wine.

"Now to business," Thornback said withdrawing pieces of parchment from his desk. There was no mention of their past transactions.

"Albus Dumbledore sent us his will days before his death," the goblin said. He shrugged as if this was a normal thing. "The sum total of all his worldly goods are to shared equally between you and his only living relative, his brother, Aberforth Dumbledore. The particulars are written in detail within these papers. I will have someone escort you to his vault shortly after our business is concluded and I think you will find everything in order."

Lupin stared at the goblin and picked up the wine and drank it down. It filled itself immediately. "I'm sure it will be," he gasped.

"There is a curious piece here and that is why we have invited you to join us. We have gone over this and feel we have satisfied ourselves that the paperwork is airtight and flawless. There is no question that this is authentic and not a forgery. The hand of one of our very own has placed his mark and seal at the bottom. Our most skilled personnel have tested it for charms and incantations and there are none." The goblin cleared his throat and looked uneasy. "We are left with one question to resolve and one only. If you can explain this particular to us we would be most grateful, although it is not required."

"Oh?" Lupin said, still in shock at having discovered that he was in Dumbledore's will. "A question?"

"First, let me explain. Mr. Dumbledore accumulated a great deal of wealth in his own right. He was also the guardian and executor of Mr. Harry Potter's estate and in the event of Mr. Dumbledore's death you were to become guardian of Mr. Potter. However, I understand that Mr. Potter recently became of age and can manage his own affairs and so that issue has been successfully resolved. It is very curious to us that Mr. Potter inherited the entire estate of Mr. Sirius Black, since there are living relatives of the Black family. That is, of course, not important to us now. We have entered it into our records in the event that there are ever questions. We only need your affidavit that this was a legitimate transaction. I understand that you knew the godfather, Mr. Sirius Black and can vouch for the authenticity of this information. I have the paperwork ready for your signature on the other matter."

Lupin nodded. "That's fine. I can do that."

Thornback shrugged his little shoulders and picked up his cigar to puff on it. " Mr. Lupin there is a great deal of gold involved, both in Dumbledore's estate and in the Black estate. A great deal indeed!"

Lupin thought it over and smiled to himself. Goblins were known for their greediness. Gold was all that they cared about and they were obsessive about tracking it. He assumed Thornback needed to be reassured that the gold would not be removed from Gringott's and his care. Although the gold belonged to their patrons, the goblins liked counting it and watching over it. "How much would you estimate?"

The goblin wrote something on a piece of paper and slid it across the table.

Lupin read it and reached for the goblet of wine again. Merlin's beard!

"We are very meticulous about our record-keeping Mr. Lupin. The amount is accurate down to the last knut."

"Yes. I believe you," Lupin said, now even more curious and feeling very shaken.

"Our records shown that not only was Albus Dumbledore wealthy in his own right but he inherited the bulk of his ancestors wealth as well."

"I see," Lupin said nodding and then shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, I really don't understand."

"On the event of his death you were to be advised that Albus Dumbledore was a direct descendent of Godric Gryffindor?" Hornback declared then leaned forward in his chair, his eyes narrowing. "Our records are very clear about the line of descendency. His last request was that you be informed." Thornback sat back looking satisfied and then thumped his desk with his fist. "By the way, I think you will be happy to know that we have added security on the vault and have one of our dragons protecting it."

Lupin sat stunned. Gryffindor! Gold! Dragons! He reached for the silver goblet for one more drink and stopped before it reached his lips. One of the goblins from the lobby rushed in.

"It is He!"

"He who?!" Thornback asked, looking very irritated at the interruption.

"The Dark Lord is in the lobby. He wishes to visit his vault!"

"Did he come alone?" Thornback asked in consternation.

The other shook his head. "There are two other wizards with him."

"Very well," Thornback said. "Escort him to his vault. He knows our policies; his companions must remain in the lobby." He waited until his underling left the office and then he turned to Lupin. "It would be wise if we waited for a short time. Then, I will arrange for you to go to your vault."

"Are you in the habit of letting dark, evil wizards into your establishment, Thornback? Are you going to alert the Ministry?"

"It is our custom to offer our services to everyone and to provide complete confidentiality," the Head goblin said unceremoniously. "We wouldn't think of alerting the Ministry. His affairs are private as are your own. However you are welcome to remain on this floor until he's completed his transactions." There was sly look on the goblin's face. Lupin knew that the goblins were not afraid of the Dark Lord, but Thornback knew he was in danger.

Lupin struggled with this dilemma. He wondered if Voldemort was collecting one of his Horcruxes. Surely that would be the only reason to come out in the open and risk this exposure, he thought. But what do I do? Confront him? That would surely mean death, I cannot hope to defeat him- especially with two of his Death eaters with him. If he has made these Horcruxes then is he presently undefeatable. Should I follow him after he has left the building? That might be impossible, he thought. Although he was sure that given enough scent he might be able to track him even if he Apparated. Oh such an opportunity!

He thanked Thornback and left the room.