When Harry entered the dungeons, it was with deeply troubled mind filled with concerns.
The mere hint Hermione might be plotting something right as they approached the culmination of their plans to destroy Voldemort filled Harry with anger and disgust. He had half a mind to go confront his former friend and demand to know what she was up to. But what exactly was his evidence? That she'd been suspiciously happy while talking with Ron?! Besides, Hermione would just laugh in his face and tell him nothing! He would've to torture her to make her talk and the muggleborn girl knew damn well he'd never do that to her, hence her laughing into his face.
He could, of course, let Daphne deal with her once again but Harry didn't want to add even more stress onto her shoulders, especially not based on such vague suspicions. Besides, Daphne seemed confident the current security arrangements were enough and that Hermione was no threat. And in a way, she was correct as after their last talk, something finally broke in the muggleborn girl. In essence, Hermione had successfully completed the initial stage of the muggleborn submission process without even knowing it. As long as she remained unarmed and helpless, she would never again dare to disobey Daphne in any way, being too scared and cowed by her situation. In the final stage, she would then be following Daphne's orders even while fully armed and having the upper hand. But Hermione wasn't anywhere near the final stage and there were no plans to bring her there. Therefore, Harry was somewhat concerned over what Hermione might do if she ever happened to think she could get away with her actions.
And then there was Harry's best friend.
Ron being in love with Astoria was definitely unexpected and something Harry didn't see coming. Perhaps he should've as the two of them were spending a lot of time together. With Astoria being unable to go back to school and Ron not having much to do until they were ready to go ahead with their plan, they were both bored and naturally sought each other's company to alleviate that boredom. As far as Harry could tell, they fit together well and had a lot of fun together. Unfortunately, where Ron had developed romantic feelings for Daphne's younger sister, Astoria was already in love with someone else and saw Ron as nothing more than a very good friend.
In light of that, Harry was even less sure about Ron's desire to work as Astoria's bodyguard after the war. On one hand, it really would be a huge relief for Harry and Daphne to know Ron was guarding Astoria's back. They were both worried for her. And not just because she was going to marry someone Harry considered a jerk at the best of times. Still, Harry couldn't help but feel such job would be nothing but emotional torture for Ron given his hopelessly unrequited feelings for Astoria. Harry was puzzled and concerned his best friend was apparently not seeing that all.
His conversation with Ron, while adding to his worries, was still helpful. There was an idea he'd been contemplating for a few days and Ron reminding him he was going to be a future lord of House Greengrass finally convinced Harry it was time to act on it.
Harry entered one of the dark corridors and looked ahead. "How's the prisoner?" he asked the two guards standing in front of Griphook's cell. They were the same men who'd dragged the goblin away after he managed to trick Daphne and him. Seeing Daphne so distraught had been shocking to them and Harry suspected they blamed themselves, seeing it as their failure somehow, even though there was nothing they could've done.
"He's grinning like a mad beast every time we walk in to feed him, sir," the guard on the left spat unhappily. The one on the right looked more subdued than angry and merely confirmed the other guard's words with a nod.
Harry fully expected Griphook would be smug and gloating after what he managed to do. He didn't comment on their words and instead stepped towards the door. "It is time. Let me inside," he told them and the guard on the right moved to open the door for him, a small amount of hope briefly showing on his solemn face. "We're not to be disturbed no matter what," Harry stressed to them seriously. After receiving their acknowledgements of his order, he walked through the now open door.
Upon entering, Harry immediately noticed Griphook's cell was the same one Harry had been roughly thrown in months ago. The guards weren't gentle with him back then, not after he nearly managed to kill their mistress and escape. Harry could still clearly recall his failed escape attempted in every detail like it happened yesterday. The scuffle that followed his first conversation with Daphne saw him briefly ending with a wand in his hand. But instead of doing what some people might consider the sensible thing, his conscience forced him to make sure she was alright. Instead of binding the injured witch up on the floor and making his escape, he went to check on her.
And that was the end for him as instead of escaping, he'd allowed himself to get blindsided by Daphne's beauty and helplessness, allowing the pureblood girl to disarm and recapture him with embarrassing ease.
Looking back now, Harry was of course extremely thankful to his girlfriend for not allowing him to escape that day. Granted, he could've gone without Daphne's knee striking his groin as that had been really painful. But otherwise, Harry shuddered at the idea what might've happened had he actually escaped that day. Ron and Hermione were under heavy guard by that point and he would've most likely died trying to reach them. But even if all three of them had somehow miraculously managed to escape unscathed, what would've happened then? Would they've gone back to wandering aimlessly with no clue as to where to find the next Horcrux and endlessly arguing about it?! No. Remaining in Daphne's captivity was the best thing that could've happened to them by far. Hermione would definitely disagree on that but Harry was certain of it.
Harry's eyes then focused on the center of the room. The chair that used to be there at one point was long gone by now. But Harry's memory of being tied down to it and interrogated for the second time was still very much alive. Daphne knew it was her beauty that'd distracted him the first time, allowing her to regain the upper hand. For their second conversation, she'd dressed to emphasize her lovely figure, teasing him and proving she'd always have this power over him as some part of Harry couldn't help but admire her even after what she did to him.
The beautiful but arrogant blonde had then gone on to demean Harry's ancestry, declared her superiority over him, and ordered him to call her a lady. She even ended up slapping him in anger after he first mentioned Vodemort's blood status to her! It was the day Harry Potter came precariously close to hating Daphne Greengrass...
She'd captured him, tricked him and threatened him. The pureblood girl obviously hated everything the so called boy-who-lived stood for and wanted him humiliated and destroyed. And yet despite that or perhaps because of that Harry found himself irresistibly drawn to her. And the more glimpses of his real personality and feelings the girl got to see, the more he intrigued her as well. They hated each other's public personas but the real them clicked together so perfectly love was inevitable.
Harry reckoned some couples had to have weirder stories of how they'd first met and fallen in love. He couldn't think of any, but nevertheless believed it was a possibility.
Harry's gaze shifted all the way to the back of the cell where the bed was supposed to be. It seemed to have been removed though as in its place on the floor sat Griphook. His limbs were chained and there was also a collar around his neck connected to another chain attached to the wall. It had just enough slack to allow him to reach his bucket but not much else. It was an awful sight and Harry briefly wondered why they'd removed the bed. Surely even the worst person could've been granted such minor kindness? But then again, Harry wasn't sure whether goblins used beds... or if they even slept. Finally, he noticed Griphook's arrogant smirk, the same one he had after tricking Daphne, and any traces of sympathy for the prisoner were banished from Harry's mind forever.
"Harry Potter..." the goblin tittered, "... how is Lady Greengrass liking my gift?" he asked, using sarcastic, disrespectful undertone when referring to Daphne.
"We found it very useful," Harry replied with a serene expression. "Thank you for asking."
His answer caught the goblin by surprise. On one hand, he no doubt hoped they'd want to use what he'd told them so Harry admitting to finding it useful was a potential victory for him. But Harry's calm demeanour about it seemingly unnerved him. Griphook looked at him sharply and said, "I could barely perceive you when we were talking, you know. It's like you're her shadow... I've never seen anything like it," he admitted while sneering. But this time there was a hint of honest curiosity in his hateful eyes.
Harry merely raised an eyebrow, recognizing his intent immediately. Griphook obviously wished to get a rise out of him and was annoyed by his previous failure to do so. Unfortunately for the prisoner, even those words didn't faze Harry as he'd heard similar description from his Elves. Basically, any species which perceived the world with magic first and physical means second (which included both the elves and goblins) would now have trouble to differentiate between Daphne and him. Thanks to the ritual, their magical signatures were exactly the same. It was like looking at identical twins except identical twins were far, far more common and people were used to seeing them.
Harry made no comments in response but his silence and lack of worry upon hearing Griphook's words spoke volumes it seemed. "So you know what I'm talking about, hmmm..." he hummed before shaking his head and crying out, "You pathetic human fool! To willingly submit you're whole being to another!" he tittered, having guessed the magic Harry had performed. After all, there was only a very limited number of ways one could use to become what Daphne and Harry now were. "I could never imagine anything more demeaning," Griphook finished and sniggered while continuing to shake his head as if he was disappointed by Harry's actions.
"Hermione couldn't make me feel guilty about my choices... you certainly won't either," he told him confidently. To think Griphook would actually try to guilt him about his submission to Daphne! The only thing Harry had ever chosen for himself... and this pathetic bastard would try to make him feel bad about it!
"And yet even the foolish mudblood sees more than you do," Griphook shot right back. "A day will come when you and your mistress truly disagree about something," he threatened. "And then you'll see how awful and pathetic it is to be nothing but her property... helplessly bound to obey her will!"
Harry smiled weakly in response, feeling somewhat amused by the goblin's continued belligerence. No doubt Griphook thought him ignorant of the full ramifications of the ritual. But Harry knew. He knew Daphne had the power to force her will upon him if she so desired. To be honest though, she had that power long before the ritual. More importantly, Harry loved Daphne and trusted her implicitly. Enough to know she'd never abuse her power over him even as they both relished in the fact he'd willingly placed himself at her mercy.
"You're absolutely right," Harry told him and Griphook looked at him with great surprise at hearing such open admission.
"Oh, not about Daphne and I," Harry quickly clarified. "About that you're completely wrong and it's also none of your business," he stressed before taking a deep breath and continuing, "What you're right about is that Hermione sees some things we don't. She's a muggleborn... and Daphne's a pureblood. In a way, it limits them both. They're not like you or me," he said, expressing himself with serene wisdom he didn't know he possessed.
Griphook finally sensed something hidden was going on and that perhaps trying to annoy Harry wasn't the best idea right now. "What are you rambling about, human?!" he asked, trying to keep up his bravado but he failed to hide a look of trepidation.
Instead of responding, Harry reached into his robes and pulled out a knife...
Griphook shrunk back as he saw the shiny blade gleam in the modest light of his cell. "You can't hurt me! We've made a deal!" he immediately reminded Harry.
"Oh, I haven't forgotten," Harry told him. "I'm bound by the same magic as Daphne is. We can't harm you and have to let you go as soon as the current war is over," he recited the gist of their earlier agreement.
"Exactly!" Griphook agreed, visibly relieved to hear Harry acknowledge their deal. His smug expression was slowly starting to return.
Harry then smirked and decided to send the bastard into the deepest pits of despair. "Tell me, Griphook... have you ever heard of the Korean war?"
"You... what?" the goblin stammered in shock, trying to understand where Harry was going with his words.
"In case you haven't, the Korean war was a muggle conflict fought about fifty years ago," Harry explained while thanking the gods Vernon and Petunia were both fans of M*A*S*H and used to watch it on TV when he was a child.
"Unlike with most muggle wars, when the fighting stopped there was only a ceasefire signed instead of a peace treaty," Harry continued and then delivered the final stab so to speak, "Technically, this means the Korean war is still going on… it's still a current war."
"You know damn well Greengrass knew nothing about that!" Griphook cried out. All his earlier pretense and pride was gone now as his clever plan was starting to unravel right in front of him.
"But you said it yourself! I've submitted to Daphne Greengrass! I share everything with her and we're the same as far magic is concerned… which means you've made the deal with me as well!"
"That's preposterous!" the goblin protested, practically foaming at the mouth, refusing to accept the possibility of Harry actually finding a loophole in their contract.
"I assure you, Griphook, I don't feel any magical feedback at the idea of only releasing you after the Korean war is over. And as soon as I share that historical trivia with Daphne, she won't either," Harry concluded, satisfied at the way the bastard deflated at his words. He enjoyed repaying the goblin with interest for everything he'd done. Harry waited for him to say something but the prisoner merely stared at him with combination of awe and utter hatred.
"So don't worry, Griphook," Harry finally spoke again. "We'll uphold our agreement to the letter. You'll remain unharmed and will be released as soon as the Korean war is officially over," Harry said and smirked evilly before adding, "Of course, I don't see that happening in our lifetimes. Not even in our children's lifetimes."
"What is it you want, human?" Griphook finally asked, looking truly defeated for the first time.
"And we come to the crux of the matter," Harry declared and raised the knife in his hand. "You've purposefully hurt and humiliated Daphne. I won't go so far as to say you've traumatized her but the person I love definitely suffered because of your actions. And now she's forced to endure your presence in her home and your incessant gloating until you finally walk out of here like a winner," Harry said and paused, letting the words sink. "So what I want is very simple, Griphook. I want you gone… I want you forever gone from our lives and I want you to leave Greengrass manor like the loser you really are."
Seeing as the goblin was still saying nothing Harry waved the knife in front of him to shift his attention to it. "I will slide this over to you in a moment. Before I do, you should know it's a conjured blade that will disappear in about ten minutes. It's been made purposefully brittle so you can't use it to unlock or destroy your shackles… and if you're already thinking about throwing it at me, its tip is blunted, it lacks aerodynamics and it's also very light. So it wouldn't do me any harm."
Finally, the goblin spoke. "You can't hurt me because of our agreement. So instead, you'll force me to kill myself? Is that it?" the goblin asked slowly.
"I'm not forcing you to do anything!" Harry quickly answered while stressing his words. Harry wasn't sure whether admitting he was forcing the goblin to kill himself would actually constitute a breach in their contract but he wasn't about find out. "It's up to you. You can pick you teeth or shave yourself with it for all I care."
"Goblins don't shave!" the prisoner gasped with indignation. "And there's nothing for me to pick with it with all this disgusting gruel you've been feeding me."
"Then you can admire the fine craftsmanship until it disappears… I don't care!" Harry replied impatiently before smiling cruelly. "You're done here, Griphook, you're finished! Whether you fall right this evening or you stay here until your body expires of old age, that's up to you."
After finishing his speech, silence fell over the cell for what felt like minutes.
"Looks like you thought of everything, Harry Potter," the goblin finally told him, once again using his name. "You've changed. And not just from the child I met seven years ago."
This time, Harry honestly smiled even as he crouched and sent the blade sliding across the floor and towards the prisoner. "I had to change, I have to… if I'm ever to be a true partner for her and not just a slave as you said… or much worse, a burden," he admitted. What was about to happen made Harry feel like he could be honest with Griphook. "Besides, it's only fair. Daphne has already changed a lot for my sake."
"You're a fool if you truly believe that," the goblin said even as he picked up the blade with obvious reluctance and distaste. Meanwhile, Harry chuckled inside his mind at the irony behind his words. What Griphook failed to realize was Daphne having changed was the only reason they were now having this conservation. The only reason he hadn't been executed right in the beginning. It was Harry's influence that'd made Daphne spare Griphook's life… and now Harry would correct that mistake.
"You have about eight minutes," he warned the goblin.
"You're not even curious about the secret I've shared with you two? Or anything else I might know?" the prisoner made one last desperate attempt to possibly avoid his fate.
Admittedly, there were many things Harry would've liked to ask him. And not just about his kind's apparent role in the destruction of Atlantis. There were also the suspicious circumstances surrounding the snatcher's raid that saw Griphook and Dean captured. After separately talking both with Dean and one of the snatchers involved, Daphne even suggested the goblin might've deliberately arranged his capture in order to spy on the dark lord and his organization. If so, then the goblins and their machinations directly led to the deaths of Ted Tonks and Dirk Cresswell.
But none of it mattered anymore as there was no way to know for certain. Without magic compelling him to speak the truth, nothing the goblin might say during his interrogation could be trusted. And Daphne and Harry were not so stupid as to make another bargain with him. Not after what happened last time.
"Farewell, Griphook," Harry told him before turning on his heel and banging on the door so the guards would let him out.
Even as he waited, Harry heard several gasps of pain from behind him followed by a squishy, gurgling sound. The guards finally opened the door for him and Harry chanced one last glance at the prisoner. He saw the goblin lying on his side, a puddle of blood rapidly spreading underneath him. It looked like he'd made incisions on both his thighs before cutting his throat for good measure. Harry swallowed nervously before steeling his nerves and hardening his heart and walking out.
"Is it- is he?" one of the guards asked uncertainly.
"It's done," Harry replied grimly. "When you bring him his morning meal, you will have found the prisoner committed suicide at some point during the night. It would seem he'd cut himself open using his claws. Make sure you inform me and Lady Greengrass as such," he explained to them the plan they've already discussed in details before. The only unclear issue had been what manner of death they'd report as they didn't know in which manner Griphook would choose to off himself.
"Will you tell lady Greengrass the truth?" the more silent guard asked.
"Of course," Harry assured him at once, having no intention of lying to Daphne. "As soon as I determine the agreement we've made with the goblin is settled and dissolved as far as her magic goes. I won't have Daphne exposed to any backfire."
The guard nodded and extended his hand towards him. The gesture surprised Harry but he grabbed it in a firm handshake. His relationship with the Greengrass household guards had always tumultuous to say the least. Even after he came to an agreement with their mistress, they obviously still didn't trust him. They followed his orders because Daphne had ordered them to but that didn't mean they were happy about it or that they respected him. But right now, Harry felt like he finally managed to earn some of it.
"Thank you, my lord," the guard said seriously before repeating for emphasis. "Thank you."
Harry nodded and thanked them both as well before leaving. As he walked away, he realized this was the first time any of the personnel titled him as their lord.
Harry was surprised how satisfying it felt.