A Potter Secret

Breaking Into Gringotts

A fire crackles. Harry toys with the snitch Dumbledore bequeathed him. "You're sure it's hers?" Ron asks.

Harry looks up, sees Ron turning a strand of hair in the firelight. "Positive," Hermione says.

Harry turns to the two wands on the table, the ones he showed Ollivander, and extends the longest to Hermione. "I reckon you should take this then," Harry replies.

"Can't I use the other?" Hermione asks.

"You heard Ollivander. It's Harry's now," Ron reminds.

Hermione sighs. "But I hate that thing, that's the wand that killed Sirius! How can I hold it and not feel-"

"If I can hold it, you can," Harry argues.

Isabella takes the wand from Harry's hand slowly. She holds it steady before looking up. Let me do it," Isabella suggests. "I can be Bellatrix and change my voice to match hers.

"No," Harry says. "I need to know you're safe. And we'll need someone to pull us out of whatever mess we get into. That's you."

Hermione looks Harry in the eye, then takes the wand. "How will we know what it is when we get in there? After all, a Horcrux can be anything," Ron says.

"I'll know. I can't explain. It's like-" Harry touching his chest. "They sing to me," Harry replies.

Hermione and Ron exchange a troubled glance. "That's a bit scary," Ron says.

"It is, Harry. Did Dumbledore ever say anything to you, something that might explain why-" Hermione tries.

"No. I just know. When one's near," Harry says.

Hermione and Ron stare at him, silent, when a floorboard squeaks. They turn, watch shadows appear. Bill and Fleur. Fleur hands Hermione a long black woman's cloak. "This is the closest I could find to what you described, Hermione," Fleur admits.

"It's perfect. Thank you, Fleur," Hermione replies.

Fleur lays the cloak in Hermione's hands, then steps back next to Bill. He studies the trio. "You're leaving, aren't you," Bill asks.

"In the morning," Harry confirms.

"And Griphook?" Bill inquires.

"He'll be leaving too," Harry assures.

Bill nods, staring off briefly. "Listen, I don't know what you're up to, but I know goblins. If you've struck any kind of bargain with Griphook, you must be exceptionally careful to live up to it. If you don't he won't be forgiving." The trio sits in silence. Watches Bill withdraw. Harry glances down at his palm again, at the Snitch.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The ocean crashes. Harry crouches by Dobby's fresh grave, which now bears a simple stone, "Here Lies Dobby, A Free Elf." Harry ponders the mirror shard, turning it from sky to sea when Luna comes up. "The sky has lost a star," Luna starts. Luna's image skitters across the mirror's surface and Harry looks up, finds her standing there clutching a small traveling bag, staring at Dobby's stone. "My father used to say that when a child died." She looks up, smiles. "Funny how Mr. Dobby knew exactly where to find us."

Harry nods. "Yeah. Funny. Listen, Luna, about your father, I don't want you to think I-"

"I know you understand why my father did what he did, Harry. That's why we don't need to talk about it," Lune replies.

She continues to smile. Harry eyes the traveling bag. "Hogwarts?" Harry asks. She nods, looks to the sea. "It's not the place you left, you know. It's not the same."