snape and skull

9

Unexpected Discovery

"Say what?" Ron exclaimed loudly, nearly choking upon the treacle fudge he was eating. "There was a break-in at Gringotts?" His eyes were practically falling from his head as he spoke those words.

"How terrible!" Hermione cried. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Yeah, the robbers," Harry told her.

"Did they get arrested?" the girl asked. "Did you get to see the police—I think they're called Aurors, right?—in action?"

"Umm . . .no." Harry began.

"Hermione, if there's a breach of security at Gringotts, the goblins handle it," Ron interrupted. "And I've heard they take no prisoners." He made a slashing motion across his throat.

Hermione looked alarmed. But then she regained her composure. "Ron, come on. You're just putting me on. Surely they wouldn't just . . . kill a thief. Without a trial?"

"You don't know the goblins, girl. Bloodthirsty and hard as iron and they hate anyone who steals their gold . . . or anyone else's." Ron stated. "Right, Harry?"

Hermione turned to look at her other friend. To her shock, Harry nodded.

"Yes, that's true. Professor Snape even said so. And after it was over, and Magnus came back, he told me that the thieves were gone from this earth and you know what that means."

"Yup. Ears and finger stew for dinner at his house tonight." Ron remarked, with a wicked smirk.

"Ron, that's sick!"

"But probably true," the other shrugged. "Goblins believe that eating the flesh of their enemies gives them power over them. At least that's what my brother Bill told me, and he should know, he works with them. He's a Cursebreaker."

"That sounds like a cool job," Harry said, still trying to figure what the mysterious package was that Snape had retrieved for Dumbledore. What could the Headmaster have put in the bank vault if noy money?

"I wonder what the thieves were after? Harry, do you know?" asked Hermione.

"Money? Jewels?" he said. "They were snitching things from people in the lobby."

But Hermione frowned. "They could've done that outside the bank. Pickpockets work best in crowds. Why risk getting caught inside the bank? They must have been after something else."

Ron gave her an astonished glance. "When did you get to be an expert on criminals, Hermione? Is there something you're not telling us?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "Actually, Ron, there is. I'm really the daughter of an underworld crime boss and my daddy wants me to learn magic so I can help him in his illegal activities."

"Merlin, Hermione! You aren't going to?"

Harry burst out laughing. "Ron, you idiot! You really believed that?"

Ron went red as he suddenly realized how foolish he had been. "Well . . . you never know, Harry. She's smart enough to be a criminal mastermind."