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Downstairs in the empty sitting room, Harry walked to the fireplace, brow furrowed,

trying to think what to do. Behind him, Ron said, "He's having a laugh. We can't let him

have that sword."

"It is true?" Harry asked Hermione. "Was the sword stolen by Gryffindor?"

"I don't know," she said hopelessly. "Wizarding history often skates over what the

wizards have done to other magical races, but there's no account that I know of that says

Gryffindor stole the sword."

"It'll be one of those goblin stories," said Ron, "about how the wizards are always trying

to get one over on them. I suppose we should think ourselves lucky he hasn't asked for

one of our wands."

"Goblins have got good reason to dislike wizards, Ron." said Hermione. "They've been

treated brutally in the past."

"Goblins aren't exactly fluffy little bunnies, though, are they?" said Ron. "They've killed

plenty of us. They've fought dirty too."

"But arguing with Griphook about whose race is most underhanded and violent isn't

going to make him more likely to help us, is it?"

There was a pause while they tried to think of a way around the problem. Harry looked

out of the window at Dobby's grave. Luna was arranging sea lavender in a jam jar beside

The headstone.

"Okay," said Ron, and Harry turned back to face him, "how's this? We tell Griphook we

need the sword until we get inside the _____ and then he can have it. There's a fake in

these, isn't there? We switch them, and give him the fake."

"Ron, he'd know the difference better than we would!" said Hermione. "He's the only one

who realized there had been a swap!"

"Yeah, but we could _ca_per before he realizes --"

He quailed beneath the look Hermione was giving him.

"That," she said quietly, "is despicable. Ask for his help, then double-cross him? And you

wonder why goblins don't like wizards, Ron?"

Ron's ears had turned red.

"All right, all right! It was the only thing I could think of! What's your solution, then?"

"We need to offer him something else, something just as valuable."

"Brilliant, I'll go and get one of our ancient goblin-made swords and you can gift wrap

It."

Silence fell between them again. Harry was sure that the goblin would accept nothing but

The sword, even if they had something as valuable to offer him. Yet the sword was their

One, indispensable weapon against the Horcruxes.

He closed his eyes for a moment or two and listened to the rush of the sea. The idea that

Gryffindor might have stolen the sword was unpleasant to him: He had always been

Proud to be a Gryffindor; Gryffindor had been the champion of Muggle-borns, the wizard

Who had clashed with the pureblood-loving Slytherin....

"Maybe he's lying," Harry said, opening his eyes again. "Griphook. Maybe Gryffindor



didn't take the sword. How do we know the goblin version of history's right?"

"Does it make a difference?" asked Hermione.

"Changes how I feel about it," said Harry.


Date: 2015-12-11; view: 704


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