Confident | Fred Weasley

Chapter 118 | The Sword

Bill, Fleur, Charlie and Halcyon arrived after dinner. The large group gathered around the transfigured dining table. With such a large crowd, and perhaps her direct involvement with the issue at hand, Ginny managed to slip past Mrs Weasley's notice. She was careful to remain conspicuous by sitting as far away from her mother as possible.

Sarah, who felt that it was long past the time that Ginny ought to be included, didn't say anything. Besides, her insights on the copy of the sword would probably be useful.

"Dragons, eh?" Charlie exclaimed brightly as he sat down, "It's always been rumoured that Gringotts have them, but now..."

"I'm glad they escaped with the dragon," Halcyon said, smiling, "They're creatures meant for the skies, not trapped underground like that."

"Quite right," Charlie agreed, nodding firmly, "Dragons require a certain amount of vitamin D for the sake of their eyes-"

"-Forget the dragons," Mad-eye, sat at the head of the table, called, "We need to talk about what Potter is up to."

Bill and Fleur shared a wide-eyed look, prompting Sirius into lengthy explanation of their discussion earlier. Sirius, and even Ginny, supplied the parts of the narrative that Sirius didn't recall. Still, Mrs Weasley didn't remove her daughter from the room, perhaps sensing her importance.

Bill nodded, "Well, Sarah's definitely right about the sword. The one that Griphook had was the real deal. Even if I didn't recognise it myself, Griphook wouldn't be away from it. That's telling enough."

"I wonder who eet eez that made the copy," Fleur frowned. Despite her expression, she remained the most radiant in the room.

"That's what I was thinking, too," Kingsley spoke up, "Who would benefit from that?"

The group fell into a thoughtful silence, broken by Mrs Weasley's excited gasp.

"I think I know!" She said excitedly, as all heads turned towards her, "It had to be Albus. I'm sure all who were at Harry's seventeenth birthday party remember Scrimgeour coming uninvited to deliver Albus' will. The kids said that Albus left Harry the sword of Gryffindor, but the ministry refused to give it."

"Yes, that's right!" Sirius nodded vigorously.

"So, perhaps Albus made a copy of the sword to trick everyone, allowing Harry to have the real one," Mrs Weasley continued, "Although how they acquired such a thing is a wonder."

"I think you might be right, Molly," Mr Weasley said, "And I think Dumbledore would have known the Ministry wouldn't have given Harry the sword, too."

"Then the will was a clue," Sarah piped up, "It was Dumbledore telling Harry to look for the sword without the Ministry suspecting anything."

"Yes," Moody nodded, "Albus would have done something like that, but we still don't know what Potter needs the sword for, or why him and the others broke into Gringotts."

"That's why I called for you two," Sarah spoke to Bill and Fleur, "You had them in your home for weeks. Surely, you must know more than I do."

Bill and Fleur shared another look. Sarah wondered what they debated in the miniscule seconds that passed. She knew her and Fred often had entire conversations with just one glance, but seeing another couple do it was fascinating.

Bill sighed, turning back to the table at large, "As soon as Ollivander and Griphook woke, those three spoke with them separately. We guessed that they spoke to Ollivander about using some wands they'd picked up at Malfoy Manor. One of them belonged to Bellatrix, which is how they must have gotten access to her vault. Griphook, on the othet hand, well, that's where it gets complicated."