It was finally here, the first of July. the day they head back to London. Harry had been counting down the days till he didn't have to see Weasley and Granger. In the last week he had been preparing for this. He had sent a letter with Hedwig to the Dursleys saying he had to help a friend find their way around muggle London so he would find his own way back to privet drive. They had written a scathing reply on the back of it, that basically said, good. we don't have to go out of our way to do something for you. But Harry didn't care. He had found floo powder on the fireplace in the receiving room of Slytherin's chambers and filled a leather pouch with it. He had also found the floo address for the chamber; it was 'big nest' spoken in parseltongue. He also had his meeting with McGonagall about his electives. no divination this time around, although he did pick three electives instead of just two, care of magical creatures, arithmancy and runes. McGonagall looked happy that he wasn't just going for what people call the easy O's. he knew full well it was impossible to get an O in divination with Trelawney teaching it.
Harry was currently sitting in his empty compartment reading. The train was about two hours away from kings cross now, and Harry had hoped they would get there before his 'friends' found him. however it was not to be. He could hear them coming and opening all the compartments probably looking for his, so he pretended to be asleep. He heard the compartment door rattle open. "Well that explains why he didn't come find us."
"Would you be quiet, you might wake him. The headmaster said he was probably still dealing with nightmares and stuff from his scare in the chamber. Which is why he's acting strange. The headmaster told us to keep an eye on him, remember? And to tell him if it seemed like any dark magic was influencing him." Merlin were they really talking about this on a public train, with no secrecy spells, or anything? He felt dumber and dumber every time he thought about how he never noticed. It didn't seem like anything they said would actually be of worth to him so he decided to actually take a nap.
He was jostled awake by Granger shaking his shoulder. They had arrived thank Merlin and he waved the two idiots ahead so he could get his trunk down from the racking. Turning to the door he paused. standing in the doorway with a group of Slytherins was malfoy. Harry raised an eyebrow at them in silent question. Instead of saying anything they all moved to the side to let him through. He stepped out and malfoy finally spoke. "We'll see you next year potter." Malfoy nodded his head and the rest did the same. Harry clearly wasn't putting the pieces together just yet so he picked the safe option. He nodded his head back.
"See you next year.'' With that Malfoys group left. After a moment Harry made himself invisible and made his way off the train and to the floo's, he saw the Slytherins, Weasleys and Granger looking at the train doors in confusion clearly waiting for him. He walked into one of the floo's and called out, leaky cauldron. Still being invisible, he made his way to gringotts. On the steps he let his invisibility fall away, and nodded to the goblins as he walked in. Walking to a teller Harry realized he had no clue what he was supposed to say. The goblin called out next and harry had no more time.
"I need to get some money out of my vault." direct almost to the point of being rude was how you respected the goblins. They didn't like you wasting their time with flowery words and pleasantries.
"Key." he held out a gnarled hand.
"I don't have it. I have never even held my key.'' He said it in such a way that the goblin understood what he wasn't saying. He called over one of the runner goblins and had a short conversation in gobbledegook.
"Iron Fang will take you to the potter account manager, Gold Tooth." Harry read the nameplate and gave a short bow.
Thank you for your help master teller Blood Claw, may your gold overflow." if the goblin was surprised he didn't show it.
"And may your enemies fall by your blade, heir potter." Blood Claw returned the formal farewell and Harry followed Iron Fang. he led them through twisting corridors until it felt like they had gone back on themselves at least three times. Gards were stationed periodically throughout the corridor's and Harry was suddenly thankful he had never robbed the goblins in this life. They stopped abruptly in front of a large set of dark wood doors. Iron Fang knocked once, waited for a deep raspy come in, bowed to Harry, and was quickly gone. Harry turned to the door and hesitantly pushed it open.
The goblins' eyes snapped to him and he gestured to a seat. "sit." Harry did as told. "Heir potter i have been informed you do not possess your key. We could do a heritage test to prove you are who you say and get your vaults rekeyed. However, by your interaction with the teller I have come to the conclusion you would be disgruntled if your magical guardian was to be made aware." Harry slowly nodded. "Unfortunately, at this time due to the use of blood we would be required to inform a guardian that the test was performed.
"There is no way for me to have access to anything without informing him?"
" not at this time I'm afraid. We would be legally obligated to inform your guardian of any and all usages pertaining to your accounts."
"and if it had nothing to do with an account?" the goblin raised a bushy eyebrow. "Say I had things the goblin nation was willing to buy and sell for me, not into an account but in hand." the goblin smirked.
"Then I would say that would be business between you and the goblin nation." he gestured for Harry to proceed, so he reached into his satchel and pulled out the trunk that had the jewelry in it and began putting pieces on the desk.
"I'm not sure if they are worth much if anything at all." The goblin was checking each piece individually and making piles. The only thing left in the trunk now was the pair of ritual daggers. He was debating keeping them, but eventually decided against it and pulled them out. Gold Tooth immediately zeroed in on them.
"Where did you get those." he looked furious and Harry swallowed. "Their goblin made." Harry immediately understood the problem. goblins had rules when they made artifacts for wixen, it was like the nation was loaning it to you for a price meaning it was still property of the goblin nation. but the wix did not care for this and made laws to stop goblins being able to take their artifacts back. Harry was now extremely happy he had studied goblin customs and culture for the last two weeks. Otherwise he would have had no clue what to do. He held out the two daggers and directly handed them to Gold Tooth who was looking at him with a mixture of Anger, resentment, caution, and hope. Looking him in the eye Harry spoke.
"I freely return these items back to the goblin nation, in hopes that they make their way back to their creator's kin." Gold tooth looked suitably shocked. Harry knew not many would freely give up a goblin artifact but to Harry the goblins trust was far more valuable. Nodding once he sat back down in the chair opposite Gold Tooth. "I sincerely apologize. I was unaware they were goblin made." Gold Tooth gave a small but genuine smile and nodded his head, before gesturing back to the table.
"These." he gestured to one of the piles. "are the least valuable. In total they might get you 40 galleons from a second hand shop. Gringots will not deal with them." Harry nodded and collected the pile. "These are fairly simple but with quality metals and stones. Gringots will offer you 70 galleons for the lot. He looked at the pile; he wasn't all that knowledgeable but he was sure they were worth a bit more. So he did something he hoped he wouldn't regret.
"One hundred galleons." Gold tooth's grin was vicious.
"Eighty"
"Ninety"
"Eighty three"
"Eighty five"
"Done." Gold Tooth swept the pile into a box and counted out eighty five galleons and pushed them over to Harry. "These are a lot more impressive and more than likely custom. Gringotts is willing to offer one hundred thirty galleons."
"One forty" Gold Tooth nodded and counted out the gold.
"Now there is one more thing. this." he laid a matching collection of jewelry in front of harry. "This is a water nymph topaz parure. I can say for certain this is one of a kind. I have no idea where you got it, but creature jewels haven't been seen in a few centuries, much less a parure of this quality. As the wix keep removing their rights, creatures now refuse to give what they do have." Harry nodded.
"I'm sorry for my ignorance but would you be willing to explain the significance. I don't think I understand."
"This parure consists of a circlet, a necklace, earrings, a bracelet and two different rings. The metal is twisted yellow and white gold. The large blue gems are nymph topaz, and the clear accent gems are diamonds. All of these pieces weren't just made with nymph topaz. The collection was crafted by the nymphs. Judging by its appearance, It is my personal belief that you have found the lost parure of Hufflepuff." Harry was gaping, it was just laying in the room of requirement. Like it was nothing. "Helga Hufflepuff was known for her good relationship with creatures. This included a large tribe of water nymphs that were said to inhabit the black lake at one point. For her kindness and protection the tribe gifted her with a parure displaying her position of advisor to the queen of their tribe."
"Do you think it best I return it to them?" the goblin shook his head
"No need. As you probably noticed the nymphs have long since moved on from that lake. but i do suggest you keep it and not sell it.'' Harry agreed completely. there was no way he would sell something like this, he nodded and packed it away, then pulled one more thing from his bag. The goblin raised an eyebrow at the jar of toxic yellow liquid.
"Basilisk venom." Harry said in answer. the goblin blinked at him before cackling. At first he thought the goblin thought he was joking.
"You, heir Potter, are interesting." he pulled out a measuring jug and poured the liquid in. "gringotts will offer you 9450 galleons with an expanded money pouch thrown in." Harry knew this time it was more of a set price and no haggling would be tolerated so he gave one short nod. Gold Tooth pressed a button on his desk and before long another goblin came in carrying the pouch of coins. He placed it in Harry's hand and walked back out. "Well heir potter is there anything else?"
"Are you sure there is nothing I can do regarding my accounts?" the goblin steepled his fingers and gave him a long look before grinning.
"you will return the day of your thirteenth year's passing, and the goblins will aid you." and with those parting words Harry was ushered out of the office.