We will meet again ~ Fred Weasley

78| sceptical

"Are you doing okay?" I asked walking towards Harry by the sand, he had been out here for hours, none of us daring to go out and speak to him. We had gathered he'd much prefer being left alone right now.

"I guess." He replied bluntly, standing up and walking towards the cottage. I understood his anger, he was grieving but this was not what we needed at the minute. We needed to work together, in order to win this. Then we can avenge those we have lost.

Fred had left not long after we had, I told Bill not to bring him back. It would be harder seeing him again knowing we would have to leave just as quick.

I'd feel much better getting through all of this, then having all the time in the world with him.

I went to the spot Harry was previously occupying, in-front of me was a small gravestone, carved into it was 'Here lies Dobby, a free elf.' It was perfect, the best way to honour his memory, all Dobby ever wanted was friends, someone to care for him. He got it, we cared, maybe too much.

I didn't stay out long, it was chilly as well as I couldn't keep my mind off planning our next move. We didn't have time to waste.

"What are we doing? We can't stick around here forever." I groaned entering back into the cottage. Hermione and Ron were sitting silently at the dining table while Harry was sat by the back door. Dean had left a while ago, wanting to get back to his mother who was in hiding for being a muggle.

"Well, we-"

"We need to speak to the goblin." Harry interrupted Hermione before she could say much as he stood up walking towards the staircase.

"His name is Griphook, he isn't friendly, he won't tell us anything," I told him as he walked upstairs without looking back.

"Who said he has a choice?"

I looked at Hermione with a shocked expression, I could deal with his tantrums but I didn't know how long I could go on with his stubborn and moody attitude. All of us were going through shit, he had to remember that.

"I think we should go make sure he doesn't murder the fucking goblin," I told the two and they followed me up to where he was.

"Why did Bellatrix believe the sword was in her vault at Gringotts?" Harry was interrogating him, he wasn't being rude to my surprise but then again, Griphook was cooperating nicely from what I could see.

"It's- complicated..." the Goblin was sat perched upon an armchair, he seemed just like all the other Goblins I had met. Completely rude, arrogant, money-grabbing bastards.

"You see, we are gonna need a bit more to go off than that. So. Spit it out." I joined in sitting across from him. I wasn't up for games, or tricks of any kind. I wanted simple and honest answers that will help us in the next step.

"The sword...you stole it."

"No we didn't gobl- Griphook, it presented it to me in my time of need," Harry replied sharply, he was going through enough if the goblin just told us what we wanted to know we could get on with it, he didn't need this stress. "Why did Bellatrix believe we stole it?"

"There is a sword in Madam Lestrange's vault, identical to that one," he pointed to the shiny silver sword sitting against the window sill, "only it's a fake."

"She never suspected she had a fake sword?" I asked him, I didn't believe someone as capable as Bella wouldn't realise. As much as I hate her, she was intelligent, that's why it has been that much harder to complete everything we have.

"The replica is very convincing, only a goblin would recognise that this is the true sword of Gryffindor." He pushed himself up from his seat, wandering over to where the sword was. He didn't attempt to pick it up as it was much too heavy considering his size, but he inspected it deeply while we processed what this could possibly mean. "It was placed there by a Professor at Hogwarts, someone who is now is the headmaster I believe."

"Snape?" Ron asked from his and Hermione's place by the door, they weren't including themselves in this, perhaps they believed Harry and I would have a better chance of getting it out of him. "Why would Snape do that?"

"There are more than a few curious things in the vaults at Gringotts..." I arched a brow as none of us spoke, what could this mean-

"Oh my god." I gasped standing up pacing around.

"What?" Hermione asked placing both hands on my shoulders to stop me from moving.

"Who is Voldemort's most trusted death eater?" I didn't want an answer, I was going to tell them anyway but it all made sense. "Bellatrix, right?" They all nodded and only Hermione seemed to understand where I was going with this as her eyes went wide at the realisation. "Who else would he trust with a piece of his soul, something that he needs protecting to stay alive. Who else would he confide in like that?" I laughed at the discovery. I had the utmost confidence that this could be factual, we may have cracked how to find another Horcrux.

"I think you're right. Bellatrix tortured me to find out what we 'stole'" Hermione was clutching her arm, she hadn't yet told me what had happened to her, I wouldn't dare ask, she didn't seem comfortable with the topic. "Why else would she react so intensely if there wasn't something valuable in there. What's more valuable to her than her Lord's protection?" I punched the air with happiness. This was exactly what we were looking for, it seems like our best shot.

...

We had struck a bargain with Griphook, he would help us get into Gringotts and in return, he gets the sword. We had to give him whatever he desired, we can't turn down an opportunity like this.

We all met in the living area, to discuss our next move. Being who we are, we most definitely could not show up to Gringotts as we were, but Hermione said she had a solution.

"I have both of these...they are Bellatrix and Narcissa's hair," Hermione mumbled holding up a single strand in each hand.

"How do you know?" I asked completely sceptical about the whole idea. It's risky enough as it is, was this really our best shot?

"I'm certain, I don't know which is which, but Narcissa grabbed me when we first showed up, I'm sure one of these belongs to her..." I smiled at her taking on from her, she was our saviour. As always, where would we really be without Hermione?

ps: make sure you've eaten, and drink loads of water!!!