Half-Blood Princess Book Seven

Chapter 23 - Break-In

Third-Person POV

The group find themselves following Griphook and the now delirious Head of the Bank. Turing the corner to find a giant white dragon covered in red scars and whip marks changed to the ground, and so thin its ribs and spin could be seen, guarding the many vaults.

"Bloody hell," Ron speaks up as Griphook grabs a few devices. "That's a Ukrainian Ironbelly." Tilly turns to Ron, hoping he can shed some light on the dragon.

"Here." Griphook hands Ron and Harry the two devices the bank made to keep the dragon at bay. "It's been trained to expect pain when it hears the noise." The poor dragon backs away from the group, trying to rid itself of the awful noise.

"That's barbaric," Hermione speaks up, not happy with the treatment of the creature. As they keep moving slowly, the dragon's wails grow quiet and then into silence. Coming face to face with the Lestrange Vault, Griphook uses the dazed Goblin to unlock the door, allowing the group of four to enter first; while he wants at the door, it slams behind him and locks shut. The trio grabs out their wands holding them high as they try to find the Horcrux with the small light from their wands.

"Blimey," Ron mutters, shocked by the number of items in the vaults.

"Well, she is a part of the Malfoy family now and was part of the Black family before that." The trio looks at her, confused, about how she knows about the two families and why that matters. "I'm just saying she's rich." Tilly holds up her hands in protest as the group keep searching.

Tilly and Harry slowly start to walk forward, closer to the back of the room, where a pile of things lay, as Ron, Hermione, and Griphook have a conversation.

"Is it in here, Harry, Tilly? Can either of you feel anything?" Turning her head to face the red-headed boy, nodding her head with Harry. Suddenly a shiver runs up Tilly's back as Parseltongue seems to be whispered into the air next to her ears, the words not loud enough to be precise. Looking up to the top of the towering mountain of objects, the twins find the object they have been looking for, but Hermione knocks something, causing it to fall and then multiply repeatedly.

"That's it. Up there." Harry yells, paying no mind to his two friends' loud noises behind him.

"They've added the Gemino Curse. Everything you touch will multiply." Griphook answers, starting to back up to the door.

"Get me the sword!" Tilly calls Hermione, who throws it at her. "Thanks." Tilly starts to climb the growing tower of objects until she reaches the top and can grab the cursed object, just as it swallows her under. For a second, everything is silent; only the breaths of those near are heard, before Tilly bursts free, through the piled objects, causing them to keep multiplying again. "Grab it!" Tilly calls out as the cup gets knocked from her hands in the mess; as Harry reaches for it, Griphook beats him.

"We had a deal, Griphook!" Harry snarls.

"The cup for the sword!" He yells, clearly not going to keep his word; Tilly was right. Begrudgingly Harry hands over the sword, and Hermione is thrown the cup. "I said I'd get you in; I didn't say anything about getting you out." The evil Goblin smirks as he backs away towards the door.

"Remember my words Griphook, I warned you!" Tilly screams up, her voice tearing from her throat, as the group is swallowed but the filling room.

Eventually, the Trio and Tilly make it to the front and emerge from the vaults, rushing to see the damage Griphook has made. They watch as an army of guards approach, and Griphook runs off, leaving Bogrod, the other Goblin they took down while calling out thieves.

"Fat little git. At least we've still got Bogard." Ron huffs as they catch their breaths before watching the torched dragon rear its head and breath fire on the poor unexpecting Goblin, turning him into ashes. "That's unfortunate."