Ineffable | Harry Potter - George Weasley // COMPLETED

58 | Gringotts

Sitting at the round wooden table in the little brick house on the beach─of which belonged to Bill and Fleur Weasley─I watched as a beautiful wind-chime made of seashells shook in the wind, a song like sound coming from it as Luna walked up and brushed her fingers across one of the larger shells.

"It's beautiful here," Luna said.

Looking up as he placed a few mugs down on the counter, Bill nodded. "It was our aunt's. We used to come here as kids. The Order uses it now as a safe house. What's left of us, at least."

"Muggles think these keep evil away, but they're wrong." Luna leaned against the wall as she turned back to the wind-chime.

Coming back inside the house from his spot on the porch, Harry looked to Bill and Fleur. "I need to talk to the Goblin."

Nodding, Bill lead Harry, Ron, Hermione and I upstairs to one of the bedrooms where the goblin was sitting quietly on a chair, his fingers linked together and his eyes closed. Stepping inside the room, we were careful not to upset the peaceful creature.

"How are you?" Harry asked.

Opening his eyes, the goblin drew in a breath. "Alive."

"You probably don't remember-" Harry started.

"That I showed you to your vault the first time you came to Gringotts?" he cut Harry off. "Even amongst goblins, you're famous, Harry Potter. You buried the elf?"

Stepping over to the window, Harry nodded. "Yes."

"And brought me here. You are...a very unusual wizard." the goblin tapped his long fingernails against his own hands as he looked to the sword resting in the corner of the room. "How did you come by this sword?"

Turning to look at the Sword of Gryffindor, Harry shrugged slightly. "It's complicated. Why did Bellatrix Lestrange think it should be in her vault at Gringotts?"

"It's complicated."

"The sword presented itself to us in moment of need." Harry answered the previous question directed at him, "We didn't steal it."

"There is a sword in Madam Lestrange's vault identical to this one." the goblin told us. "But it is a fake. It was placed there this past summer."

Harry cocked a brow. "And she never suspected it was a fake?"

"The replica is very convincing. Only a goblin would recognize that this is the true Sword of Gryffindor."

"Who is the acquaintance?" Hermione spoke up, her hands resting behind her back as she stood in between Ron and me.

"A Hogwarts Professor." the goblin turned to make eye contact with her for a brief moment. "As I understand it, he's now Headmaster."

"Snape?" I questioned. "He put a fake sword in Bellatrix's vault? Why?"

The goblin sighed. "There are more than a few curious things in the vaults at Gringotts."

"And in Madam Lestrange's vault as well?" Harry prodded for more answers.

"Perhaps."

"I need to get into Gringotts. Into one of the vaults." Harry made his request clear.

"This is impossible."

Harry shook his head. "Alone, yes. But with you, no."

"Why should I help you?"

"I have gold. Lots of it."

"I've no interest in gold."

"Then what?"

The goblin pointed to the sword. "That. That is my price."