Harry as though he had gone mad.

“Harry –” said Hermione, but she was cut off by Griphook.

“Break into a Gringotts vault?” repeated the goblin, wincing a little as he shifted

his position upon the bed. “It is impossible.”

“No, it isn’t,” Ron contradicted him. “It’s been done.”

“Yeah,” said Harry. “The same day I first met you, Griphook. My birthday, seven

years ago.”

“The vault in question was empty at the time,” snapped the goblin, and Harry

Understood that even though Griphook had let Gringotts, he was offended at the idea of

its defenses being breached. “Its protection was minimal.”

“Well, the vault we need to get into isn’t empty, and I’m guessing its protection

will be pretty powerful,” said Harry. “It belongs to the Lestranges.”

He saw Hermione and Ron look at each other, astonished, but there would be time

Enough to explain after Griphook had given his answer.

“You have no chance,” said Griphook flatly. “No chance at all. If you seek

beneath our floors, a treasure that was never yours –”

“Thief, you have been warned, beware – yeah, I know, I remember,” said Harry.

“But I’m not trying to get myself any treasure, I’m not trying to take anything for

personal gain. Can you believe that?”

The goblin looked slantwise at Harry, and the lightning scar on Harry’s forehead

Prickled, but he ignored it, refusing to acknowledge its pain or its invitation.

“If there was a wizard of whom I would believe that they did not seek personal

gain,” said Griphook finally, “it would be you, Harry Potter. Goblins and elves are not

used to the protection or the respect that you have shown this night. Not from wandcarriers.”

“Wand-carriers,” repeated Harry: The phrase fell oddly upon his ears as his scar

Prickled, as Voldemort turned his thoughts northward, and as Harry burned to question

Ollivander next door.

“The right to carry a wand,” said the goblin quietly, “has long been contested

between wizards and goblins.”

“Well, goblins can do magic without wands,” said Ron.

“That is immaterial! Wizards refuse to share the secrets of wand-lore with other

magical beings, they deny us the possibility of extending our powers!”

“Well, goblins won’t share any of their magic either,” said Ron. “You won’t tell

Us how to make swords and armor the way you do. Goblins know how to work metal in a

way wizards have never –”

“It doesn’t matter,” said Harry, noting Griphook’s rising color. “This isn’t about

wizards versus goblins or any other sort of magical creature –”

Griphook gave a nasty laugh.

“But it is, it is precisely that! As the Dark Lord becomes ever more powerful,

your race is set still more firmly above mine! Gringotts falls under Wizarding rule,

house-elves are slaughtered, and who amongst the wand-carriers protests?”

“We do!” said Hermione. She had sat up straight, her eyes bright. “We protest!

And I’m hunted quite as much as any goblin or elf, Griphook! I’m a Mudblood!”

“Don’t call yourself –” Ron muttered.

“Why shouldn’t I?” said Hermione. “Mudblood, and proud of it! I’ve got no

higher position under this new order than you have, Griphook! It was me they chose to

torture, back at the Malfoys!”

As she spoke, she pulled aside the neck of the dressing gown to reveal the thin cut

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 759