𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗧

ACT TWO, CHAPTER TWELVE
gringotts to hogwarts.

THEIR PLANS WERE made and their preparations were complete. In the smallest bedroom where they had been spending most of their time, there was a single long, coarse black pair in a small glass phial. Hermione had plucked it from her sweater that she had worn to Malfoy Manor.

Originally, Hermione had wanted to act like Bellatrix, using the hair in Polyjuice Potion. However, Penelope had stepped in, saying that she should do it, considering she was literally her daughter. She knew how Bellatrix talked, how she acted.

Harry nodded to the curved walnut wand. "And you'll be using her actual wand, so I reckon you'll be pretty convincing."

Penelope picked up the wand and stared it in disgust, saying that she hated it and how much she disliked having another bit of Bellatrix since the wand responded to her now.

"It'll probably help you get in character, though," Ron replied. "Think what that wand's done!"

That was Penelope's point, though. Every horrible thing Bellatrix had done had been through that wand — it tortured Neville's parents, tortured her, and killed Sirius in the Department of Mysteries.

"I miss my wand," Hermione admitted miserably. "I wish Mr. Ollivander could have made me another one too."

Mr. Ollivander had sent Luna a new wand that morning. She was out on the back lawn at that moment, testing its capabilities in the late afternoon sun. Dean, who had lost his wand to the Snatchers, was watching rather gloomily.

The door of the bedroom opened and Griphook entered. Harry instinctively reached for the hilt of the sword and pulled it closer to him. Venus looked over at him as she did so, almost in a warning. The Goblin would always notice things like that.

"We've just been checking the last-minute stuff, Griphook," Harry explained. "We've told Bill and Fleur we're leaving tomorrow, and we've told them not to get up to see us off."

They had been extra firm on this point, due to Penelope needing time to transform into Bellatrix before they left. The less that Bill and Fleur knew or suspected about what they were about to do, the better. They had also explained they weren't returning. Since they lost the old tent the night the Snatchers caught them, Bill had lent them another one. It was now packed inside Hermione's beaded bag, which she had protected from the Snatchers because she stuffed it down her sock.

Venus was really going to miss Bill, Fleur, Luna, and Dean, not to mention the home comforts they had over the past few weeks, but she was kind of looking forward to escaping the confinement of Shell Cottage. They always had to make sure that they were not overheard and Venus was getting tired of being shut in the tiny, dark bedroom. Most of all, she just wanted Griphook to go away. Griphook rarely left Venus, Harry, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione alone for more than five minutes at a time. This made it extremely hard to talk about what to do with the sword.

"He could give my mother lessons," Ron commented as the Goblin's long fingers kept appearing around the edges of doors.

Venus didn't sleep too well that night. She awoke at six o'clock with Penelope and Hermione. Penelope put on some robes that Hermione had stolen from Grimmauld Place. She took the Polyjuice Potion, and Venus watched as she transformed into the terrifying image of her mother. Bellatrix, with her long rippling hair and her heavily lidded eyes, was standing in front of her.

The three descended down the stairs, trying to not make a lot of noise. They met Griphook in the living room and they all went outside. It was chilly since it was early in the morning, but there was little wind now that it was May. Venus glanced up and looked up at the stars that were still glimmering in the dark sky and listened to the sea washing against the cliff. She was going to miss that sound.

They joined Harry and Ron in the garden. Hermione took Penelope's wand and changed Ron's appearance. While Penelope would be acting as Bellatrix, Ron was going to stay out in the open with her under a fake identity. Meanwhile, Harry, Venus, Griphook, and Hermione would all squeeze under the Invisibility Cloak.

Once Ron looked a little different — well, Venus could still see it was him since she knew him so well — they decided they should go. They all glanced back at Shell Cottage, lying dark and silent under the fading stars. Venus sighed and turned around, walking towards the point, which was just beyond the boundary wall. This was where the Fidelius Charm stopped working and they would be Disapparate.

"I should climb up now, Harry Potter, I think?" Griphook asked.

Harry gave a quick glance to Venus. She gave him a small nod. He could do this.

He bent down and Griphook clambered onto his back. Venus and Hermione huddled close to them. Penelope then took the Invisibility Cloak from Hermione and threw it over them all. Instantly, they all went invisible. Penelope checked to make sure nothing was peeking out. There wasn't, so everything was good.

Venus turned on the spot and concentrated on the Leaky Caludron, the inn that was the entrance to Diagon Alley. She moved through the compressing darkness, and seconds later, her feet found pavement. Venus opened her eyes to see they were on were on Charing Cross Road. Muggles bustled past wearing the tired expressions of the early morning, not even noticing the little inn's existence.

The bar of the Leaky Cauldron was nearly deserted. Tom, the landlord, was polishing glasses behind the bar counter. A couple of warlocks were having a quiet conversation in the far corner. They glanced at Penelope and drew back into the shadows. Tom acknowledged her presence, and she nodded once to him.

They walked into the tiny backyard of the inn. Penelope drew Bellatrix's wand and tapped a brick. At once the bricks began to whirl and spin. A hole appeared in the middle of them, which grew wider and wider until it formed an archway on the narrow cobbled street that was Diagon Alley.

It was quiet, barely time for the shops to open, and there were hardly any shoppers. The crooked, cobbled street had changed from what Venus remembered it to be when her parents took her there before she started Hogwarts. More shops were boarded up, although several new establishments dedicated to the Dark Arts had been created since his last visit. Harrys own face glared down at Venus from posters plastered over many windows, always captioned with UNDESIRABLE NUMBER ONE.

Venus honestly just wanted this to be over.

A number of ragged people sat huddled in doorways. Venus heard them moaning to the few passerby, pleading for gold, insisting that they were really wizards. One man even had a bloody bandage over his eye. As they set off along the street, the beggars glimpsed at Penelope. They seemed to melt away before her, drawing hoods over their faces and fleeing as fast as they could. Penelope kept her cool, but Venus could tell that she seemed absolutely sick to her stomach.

The man with the bloody bandage then staggered up to Penelope, demanding where his children were and how she knew what he did to them. Venus' heart clenched as she watched Penelope, with a stone-cold expression, tell him to get out of her way. So many people were hurt by this war, and Bellatrix was a main accomplice, being Voldemort's left-hand.

He lunged at her and went to grab her throat. Venus' eyes widened in shock and she felt Hermione grip her hand tightly. Ron then Stunned the man quickly, a look of shock visible behind his beard. Faces appeared at the windows on either side of the street. A small group of passerby gathered their robes and broke into a gentle into gentle trots, eager to vacate the scene.

A new voice suddenly called from behind them. Harry whirled around, causing Venus and Hermione to stumble with him. A small, thin wizard with bushy gray hair was striding towards him.

"It's Travers," Griphook whispered.

Penelope instantly recognized him. She asked him if she could help him with something, and Travers replied by saying he was surprised to see her out and about because he heard the inhabitants of Malfoy Manor were confined to the house after the escape. Venus and Hermione shared a look. Oh, this was not good.

As she always did, Penelope played it off. She told him that she was the Dark Lord's most faithful servant and was granted forgiveness. Travers then noticed the man on the ground and asked how it offended her. After Penelope reassured him that it couldn't do it again, Travers went on to talk about how troublesome the wandless were. He asked Penelope what wand she was usuing, because he heard it was stolen by Penelope herself.

After an introduction of Ron's fake identity — Dragomir Despard — Penelope said she had to go to her vault at Gringotts. Travers stuck along with them as they moved forwards on Diagon Alley to where the snowy white Gringotts stood towering over the other little shops. A watchful Death Eater was the very last thing they needed, and the worst of it was that Venus, Harry, and Hermione couldn't communicate with Penelope or Ron. They just had to take the reigns.

But, hey, it was Penelope Lestrange. She always kept her cool.

All to soon they arrived at the foot of the marble steps leading up to the great bronze doors. As Griphook had already warned them, two wizards were on either side of the entrance, clutching long and thin golden rods.

Travers set off up the steps, nodding left and right to the wizards, who raised the golden rods and passed them up and down his body. The Probes, Venus knew, detected spells of concealment and hidden magical objects. Harry looked back at Venus, who nodded. She pointed her wand at the right guard and he pointed it at the left guard. They both muttered Confundo. Unnoticed by Travers, who was looking through the bronze doors at the inner hall, each of the guards gave a little start as the spells hit them.

Penelope confidently walked up the steps, her long black hair rippling behind her. The guard told her to wait a moment, to which she replied that he had already done that. He immediately got confused, and his companion agreed that they had just checked them. Penelope swept forwards with Ron by her side, and Venus, Harry, Griphook, and Hermione all shuffled inside. Venus glanced back as they entered the bank — the wizards were both scratching their heads.

Two Goblins stood before the inner doors, which were made of silver and which had the poem warning of dire retribution to potential thieves. Within seconds they were standing in the vast marble hall of the bank. The long counter was manned by Goblins sitting on high stools, serving the first customers of the day. Penelope, Ron, and Travers headed towards an old Goblin who was examining a thick gold coin through an eyeglass. The two allowed Travers to step ahead of them so that Penelope could pretend to explain the features of the hall to Ron.

The Goblin tossed the coin he was holding aside, saying Leprechaun to nobody in particular. He then greeted Travers, who passed over a tiny golden key. The Goblin examined it and gave it back to him.

Penelope stepped forwards, and the Goblin greeted her, evidently startled by her presence. She said she wanted to enter his vault. The Goblin said she needed identification and that her wand would do.

"They know!" Griphook stated. "They must have been warned there might be an imposter!"

The revelation chilled Venus right down to her bones as Penelope handed the wand over.

"Act now, act now, the Imperius Curse!" Griphook urged.

Harry raised Malfoy's wand from beneath the cloak and pointed it at the Goblin. "Imperio!"

Venus really didn't like that he did that, but it was necessary. The Goblin examined the wand, saying that Penelope had gotten a new wand made. Travers and stepped up and asked how she did get a new one, considering both of the wandmakers were out of commission.

"Imperio!" Harry repeated.

Travers fell under the spell and commented about the wand. The old Goblin clapped his hands and a younger Goblin approached. He instructed that he needed the Clankers, and the younger Goblin dashed away and came back with a leather bag that seemed to be full of jangling metal. The old Goblin took the bag and instructed Penelope to follow him.

The old Goblin jumped down from his high stool and vanished from sight. He then appeared around the end of the counter, jogging happily towards them. Travers was now standing quite still with his mouth hanging wide open. Ron was drawing attention to this by looking at Travers in confusion. Penelope rolled her eyes and discreetly elbowed his side.

Another Goblin then interrupted, saying to the old Goblin, named Bogrod, that there were special orders regarding the Lestrange vault. He whispered urgently in Bogrod's ear, but Bogrod shook him off, saying he was aware of the instructions and that the Lestranges were very old clients.

Still clanking, he hurried towards one of the many doors leading off the hall. Venus tapped Harry's shoulder and nodded towards Travers. He was still rooted to the spot looking abnormally vacant. Harry flicked his wand and made Travers come with them, walking meekly in their wake as they reached the door and passed into the rough stone passageway beyond, which as lit with flaming torches.

"We're in trouble; they suspect," Harry stated as the door slammed behind them. He pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, and Venus stretched for a moment, enjoying not being slumped over. Neither Travers nor Bogrod showed the slightest surprise at the sudden appearance of Harry Potter in their midst. "They're Imperiused, I don't think I did it strongly enough, I don't know . . ."

Penelope agreed, saying that her mother always said they had to mean them. But they were so close to turn back now. They had to keep going.

"Good!" Griphook exclaimed. "So, we need Bogrod to control the cart; I no longer have the authority. But there will not be room for the wizard."

Harry pointed his wand at Travers. "Imperio!"

Travers turned and set off along the dark track at a smart pace.

Venus tilted her head. "What are you making him do?"

"Hide," Harry responded.

He pointed his wand at Bogrod, who whistled and summoned a little cart that came trundling along the tracks towards them out of the darkness. Venus could hear shouting behind her in the main hall as they all clambered into it — Bogrod, Griphook, Harry, and Venus in the front with Penelope, Ron, and Hermione in the back.

With a jerk the cart moved off and gathered speed. They hurtled past Travers, who was wriggling into a crack in the wall. The cart began twisting and turning through the labyrinthine passages, sloping downwards continuously. Venus' hand found Harry's, and she gripped it tight. She couldn't hear anything over the rattling of the cart on the tracks. Her curly hair flew behind her as they swerved between stalctites, flying deeper into the Earth. She saw Harry keep glancing back. This whole plan of theirs was ridiculously flawed.

But then again, when did any plan of theirs go right?

They were extremely deep in Gringotts. Venus had only been here once, and Mary and Atlas Black's vault was higher up than this. They took a hairpin bend at speed and saw ahead of them, with seconds to spare, a waterfall pounding over the track.

"No!" Griphook shouted.

There was no breaking, and they zoomed through it. Water instantly filled Venus' mouth and she gasped, spluttering to try and get it out. With an awful lurch, the cart flipped over and they were all thrown out of it. Venus tried to hold onto Harry's hand as she heard the cart smash into pieces against the passage wall. She heard Hermione shriek something, and she felt herself glide back towards the ground like she was weightless. Venus landed painlessly on the rocky passage floor and her chest heaved up and down, moving some hair that stuck to her face away.

"C-Cushioning Charm," Hermione explained. "P, thank God your wand responded to me."

Venus allowed Harry to help her up off the floor. To her horror, she saw that Ron and Penelope now looked like their regular selves. She patted the waistband of her jeans, and inwardly sighed in relief at the feeling of her wand still being there.

Griphook clambered to his feet and looked at the waterfall. "The Thief's Downfall! It washes away all enchantment, all magical concealment! They know there are impostors in Gringotts, they have set off defenses against us!" Bogrod was now shaking his head in bewilderment — the Thief's Downfall seemed to have lifted the Imperius Curse. "We need him, we cannot enter the vault without a Gringotts Goblin. And we need the Clankers!"

"Imperio!" Harry recited, his voice echoing through the stone passage.

Bogrod submitted once more to Harry's will. His expression changed from befuddled to one of polite indifference as Ron hurried to pick up the leather bag of metal tools.

"Harry, I think I can hear people coming!" Hermione admitted. She pointed Penelope's wand at the waterfall. "Protego!"

The Shield Charm broke the flow of enchanted water.

"Nice, that was smart," Venus commented. "All right, Griphook, lead the way."

"How are we going to get out again?" Ron asked as they hurried on foot into the darkness after the Goblin, Bogrod panting in their wake.

Penelope said that they would get to that later. Venus glanced around anxiously. Something was clanking and moving around nearby.

"Griphook, how much farther?" Harry questioned.

"Not far, Harry Potter, not far . . ." Griphook replied.

They turned a corner, and Venus instantly froze, even though she had been expecting it. A gigantic Dragon was tethered to the ground in front of them, barring access to four or five of the deepest vaults in the place. The Dragon's scales had turned pale and flaky during its long incarceration under the ground. Its eyes were milky pink, both rear legs bore heavy cuffs from which chains led to enormous pegs driven deep into the rocky floor. The wings, which were great spiked ones that were folded close to its body, would have filled the chamber if it spread them. The Dragon turned its head towards them and roared with a noise that made the rock tremble. It opened its mouth and spat a jet of fire that sent them running back up the passageway.

"It is partially blind, but even more savage for that," Griphook revealed. "However, we have the means to control it. It has learned what to expect when the Clankers come. Give them to me." Ron passed the bag to Griphook. He pulled out a number of small metal instruments that when shaken made a loud, ringing noise when shaken. Griphook handed them out. "You know what to do. It will expect pain when it hears the noise: It will retreat, and Bogrod must place his palm upon the door of the vault."

They advanced around the corner again, shaking the Clankers. The noise echoed off of the rocky walls and was grossly magnified. At the noise, the Dragon let out another hoarse roar before retreating. Venus could see it trembling, and as they got closer, she saw the scars made by vicious slashes across its face. She guessed that it had been taught to fear hot swords when it heard the sound of the Clankers.

"Make him press his hand to the door!" Griphook told Harry.

Harry turned his wand again upon Bogrod. The old Goblin obeyed and pressed his palm to the wood. Upon his touch, the door of the vault melted away to reveal a cavelike opening crammed from floor to ceiling with golden coins and goblets, silver armor, the skins of strange creatures — some with long spines, others with drooping wings — potions in jeweled flasks, and a skull still wearing a crown.

"Search fast!" Harry ordered.

He had described Hufflepuff's cup to Venus, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione, but there were a lot of gold cups in here. She barely had time to search when there was a muffled clunk from behind them. The door had reappeared, sealing them inside the vault, and they were plunged into total darkness. Ron gave a shout of surprise.

"No matter, Bogrod will be able to release us!" Griphook reassured them. "Light your wands, can't you? And hurry, we have very little time!"

Venus pulled out her wand. "Lumos!"

Harry, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione did the same. Venus shone her light around the wand, examining piles of objects surrounding them.

"Harry, could this be—?" Hermione started to inquire. "Aargh!"

She screamed in pain. Venus whirled around to look at her in concern. A jeweled goblet tumbled from her grip. As it fell, it split, and became a shower of goblets. A second later, with a great clatter, the floor was covered in identical cups rolling in every direction. The original was impossible to discern amongst them.

"It burned me!" Hermione yelled, holding up her blistered fingers.

"They have added Gemino and Flagrante Curses!" Griphook voiced. "Everything you touch will burn and multiply, but the copies are worthless — and if you continue to handle the treasure, you will eventually be crushed to death by the weight of expanding gold!"

Penelope told them not to touch anything. Griphook then said that it wouldn't do it to her. Even though her name wasn't on the vault, she still had Lestrange blood that could be recognized. Ron then accidentally nudged one of the fallen goblets with his foot, and twenty more exploded as Ron hopped on the spot, part of his shoe burned away. Penelope told them none of them to move and asked Harry what they were looking for.

"The cup's small and gold, it's got a badger engraved on it, two handles — otherwise see if you can spot Ravenclaw's symbol anywhere, the eagle—" Harry answered.

Venus stepped forwards carefully, trying not to brush up against anything. It was impossible, so she just waded around in burning metal as she pointed her wand into every nook and crevice.

Penelope suddenly announced that she found it. Venus pointed her wand upwards, and sure enough, a little golden cup was lit up. Penelope said her family wouldn't be stupid enough to let anyone use magic in the vault. She told Hermione to give her the sword, and Hermione obliged. Penelope then told Ron to give her a boost. Ron lifted up his girlfriend and Penelope hooked the sword through the handle of the cup. She pulled it carefully back towards her and grabbed the cup, holding it tightly in one hand and the sword in the other.

Venus squeezed Harry's hand tightly. They had done it. They had actually found it.

More and more gold was appearing. Venus winced and gasped in pain as it burned her. She was fighting her way out towards the door. The Dragon was roaring on the other side of the vault door and the sound of clanking was growing louder and louder. They were truly trapped.

Griphook suddenly lunged at Penelope. He cut the side of her face with his long fingernail. Venus gasped as Griphook grabbed the sword out of her hands.

"Thieves!" Griphook screamed as he ran out of the vault, clutching the sword. "Thieves! Help! Thieves!"

Traitor.

The Goblin vanished into the midst of the advancing crowd, who were holding daggers and accepting him without question.

"Stupefy!" Harry recited.

Venus, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione all joined in. Jets of red light flew into the crowd of goblins. Some toppled over, but others advanced. Venus saw several wizard guards running around the corner. The tethered Dragon let out a roar and a gush of flame flew over the Goblins. All of the wizard guards fled back the way they had come.

Harry looked at all of them. "Any ideas?"

Penelope said she did, but it was crazy. Ron said that they trusted her, and Venus nodded in agreement. They needed anything. Penelope put the Hufflepuff cup into the pocket of her robes and told Hermione to give her back her wand and that she could have Bellatrix's. Hermione obliged and asked what she was thinking. Penelope said nothing but to follow her lead. She pointed her wand at the chains and said Relashio!, making them break. While still shooting Stunning Spells at the advancing Goblins, she ran straight for the Dragon.

Venus sprinted along. Penelope was right — her plan was absolutely insane. But it might work.

She jumped onto the Dragon, latching onto it, along with the others. A second later, the Dragon became aware that was untethered. With a roar it reared, and Venus held on tighter as the wings opened, knocking the shrieking Goblins aside like Skittles. It soared into the air. Venus, Harry, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione were all flat on its bag as the Dragon scraped against the ceiling and dived towards the passage opening while the pursuing Goblins hurled daggers that bounced off of it.

"We'll never get out, it's too big!" Hermione shouted.

However, the Dragon opened its mouth and breathed fire again, blasting the tunnel, whose floors and ceiling cracked and crumbled. By sheer force the Dragon clawed and fought its way through. Venus shut her eyes tight against the heat and dust. She could only cling to the Dragon's back.

Penelope then yelled Defodio! She was helping the Dragon enlarge the passageway, carving out the ceiling as it struggled upwards towards the fresh air, away from the shrieking and clanking goblins. Venus repeated her spell, along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, blasting the ceiling. They passed the underground lake, and the Dragon seemed to sense freedom and space ahead of it. Behind them, the passage was full of the Dragon's thrashing, spiked tail, of great lumps of rock, and gigantic fractured stalctites. The clanking of the Goblins seemed to be growing more muffled. Meanwhile, ahead, the Dragon's fire kept their progress clear.

And then at last, by the combined force of their spells and the Dragon's brute strength, they had blasted their way out of the passage into the marble hallway. Goblins and wizards shrieked and ran for cover, and finally the Dragon had room to stretch its wings. Turnint its horned head towards the cool outside air it could smell beyond the entrance, it took off. And with Venus, Harry, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione still clinging to its back, it forced its way through the metal doors, leaving them buckled and hanging from their hinges, as it staggered into Diagon Alley and launched itself into the sky.

╞════════ ༺ ༻ ════════╡

THERE WAS NO means of steering — the Dragon could not see where it was going, and Venus knew that if it turned sharply or rolled in midair they would find it impossible to cling onto its broad back. Nevertheless, as they climbed higher and higher, London unfurling below them, Venus felt nothing but relief. The escape had seemed impossible, but they had done it. She clung tight to the metallic scales, the cool breeze soothing her burned and blistered skin. Harry and Penelope were as calm as she was, but Ron kept swearing at the top of his voice and Hermione seemed to be sobbing.

After about five minutes, Venus started to realize that the Dragon was not going to throw them off, for it seemed intent on nothing but getting as far away from its underground prison as possible. The only thing that she was worried about how and when they were going to dismount. She didn't know how long Dragons could fly without landing, especially since this Dragon couldn't see.

Venus, every so often, would glance at Harry. How long would it be before Voldemort found out they had broken into the Lestrange vault? How soon would the Goblins that worked at Gringotts notify Bellatrix? How quickly would they realize that they took? Voldemort would know, at last, that they were hunting Horcruxes.

The Dragon seemed to crave cooler and fresher air. It climbed steadily until they were flying through wisps of chilly cloud, and Venus couldn't make out the little colored dots that were the cars entering and leaving the capital anymore. On and on they flew, over countryside decorated in patches of green and brown, over roads and rivers winding through the landscape like strips of matte and glossy ribbon.

"What do you reckon it's looking for?" Ron yelled as they flew farther and farther north.

"No idea," Harry called back.

Venus' hands were numb from the cold but she didn't dare attempt to shift her grip. She had ben wondering what they would do if they saw the coast sail beneath them. If the Dragon headed for open sea, that would not be good. Not to mention that she was cold and numb, and desparately hungry and thirsty.

The sun dipped lower and lower in the sky, which was turning indigo. And still the Dragon flew, cities and towns gliding out of sight beneath them, its enormous shadow sliding over the Earth like a great dark cloud. Every part of Venus ached with the effort of holding onto the Dragon's back.

"Is it my imagination, or are we losing height?" Ron shouted.

Venus looked down. The deep green mountains and lakes were coppery in the sunset. However, the landscape seemed to grow larger and more detailed as she squinted over the Dragon. Lower and lower the Dragon flew, in great spiraling circles, honing in it seemed upon one of the smaller lakes.

"I say we jump when it gets low enough!" Harry suggested to all of them. "Straight into the water before it realizes we're here!"

They all agreed, Hermione a little faintly. Venus could now see the Dragon's wide yellow underbelly rippling in the surface of the water.

"NOW!"

Venus squeezed her eyes shut and allowed herself to fall. She plummeted feetfirst towards the surface of the lake. The drop was greater than Harry had estimated and she hit the water hard. Venus immediately got shocked from the freezing cold water. She kicked towards the surface and emerged, panting, to see enormous ripples emanating in circles from the places where Harry, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione had fallen. The Dragon didn't seem to have noticed anything. It was already fifty feet away, swooping low over the lake to scoop up water in its scarred snout. As Harry, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione emerged, spluttering and gasping from the depths of the lake, the Dragon flew on it, its wings beating hard, and landed at last on a distant bank.

The group of five stuck out for the opposite shore. Their problem wasn't swimming — the lake wasn't too deep, and they now had to fight through reeds and mud. At last they flopped, sodden, panting, and exhausted, onto slippery grass. Venus collapsed onto the ground, trying to catch her breath. Harry staggered to his feet, drew out his wand, and started casting the usual protective spells around them. She really just wanted to sleep by his side, though.

Venus looked down and inspected her burns. They were angry and red. Penelope instantly apologized due to it being her family's vault, but it wasn't really her fault. Hermione pulled out the essence of dittany from her bag. Ron instantly applied it to the cut Griphook had gave Penelope. Afterwards, Venus took some of the dittany. She winced as she dabbed it on her burns and allowed Hermione to help her with her face.

Harry soon came back, and Hermione gave him the bottle. She then pulled out five bottles of pumpkin juice that she had brought from Shell Cottage, along with clean, dry clothes for all of them. Venus put on her gray long-sleeved, red hoodie, jeans, and Converse. She waved her wand and made her curly hair twist into two French braids by magic. Everyone else changed and they all started to drink their pumpkin juice.

Ron sat, watching the skin on his hands regrow. "Well, on the upside, we got the Horcrux. On the downside—"

"—no sword," Harry said through gritted teeth, dripping dittany through the singed hole in his jeans onto the angry burn beneath.

"No sword. That double-crossing little scab, cutting P's cheek like that . . ."

Penelope reached over into her pile of wet clothes and pulled out the Horcrux. The Hufflepuff cup glinted in the sun and drew their eyes as they drank their bottles of juice.

"At least we can't wear it this time, that'd look a bit weird hanging round our necks," Ron voiced.

Hermione looked across the lake to the far bank, where the Dragon was still drinking. "What'll happen to it, do you think? Will it be all right?"

"You sound like Hagrid. It's a Dragon, Hermione, it can look after itself. It's us we need to worry about."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know how to break this to you, but I think they might have noticed we broke into Gringotts," Ron replied.

All five of them started to laugh, and once it started, it was difficult to stop. Venus felt her ribs ache. Harry leaned his head against hers, laughing just as hard as she was. The usual butterflies filled her stomach from him and they fell back onto the grass beneath the reddening sky.

Hermione hiccupped herself back to seriousness. "What are we going to do, though? He'll know, won't he? You-Know-Who will know we know about his Horcruxes!"

"Maybe they'll be too scared to tell him?" Ron offered hopefully. Maybe they'll cover up everything so nobody finds out from what happened."

Venus scoffed. "That's just blind optimism. Harry, what do you think?"

No response.

"Harry?"

She rolled her head over and looked at him, instantly sitting up. Harry had his eyes closed and was shivering. She shared a concerned look with the other three. They all knew what was happening.

Harry's eyes flew open, and Venus reached out, allowing him to use her arms to pull himself up. "He knows. He knows, and he's going to check where the others are, and the last one—" he got to his feet, pulling Venus up with him because he was holding onto her so tight "—is at Hogwarts. I knew it. I knew it."

Ron gaped at him. "What?"

Hermione sat up straighter, looking worried. "But what did you see? How do you know?"

"I saw him find out about the cup, I — I was in his head, he's — he's seriously angry, and scared too, he can't understand how we knew, and now he's going to check the others are safe, the ring first," Harry told them. "He thinks the Hogwarts one is safest, because Snape's there, because it'll be so hard not to be seen getting in, I think he'll check that one last, but he could still be there within hours—"

"Did you see where in Hogwarts it is?" Ron asked, now scrambling to his feet too.

"No, he was concentrating on warning Snape, he didn't think about exactly where it is—"

"Wait, wait!" Hermione protested as Ron got the Horcrux and Harry pulled out the Invisibility Cloak. "We can't just go, we haven't got a plan, we need to—"

"We need to get going," Harry stated firmly. "Can you imagine what he's going to do once he realizes the ring and the locket are gone? What if he moves the Hogwarts Horcrux, decides it isn't safe enough?"

"But how are we going to get in?"

Penelope instantly answered. They had to go through Hogsmeade to the Hog's Head, the very same bar that they had organized Dumbledore's Army at. She added that they had to trust her.

Harry nodded at her, and Venus, Ron, and Penelope gathered around him. "I trust you. Get under the Cloak, Hermione, I want to stick together this time."

"But we don't really fit—" Hermione started to say.

"It'll be dark, no one's going to notice our feet."

The flapping of enormous wings echoed across the black water — the Dragon had drunk its fill and risen into the air. They paused in their preparations to watch it climb higher and higher, now black against the rapidly darkening sky, until it vanished over a nearby mountain.

Hermione then walked forwards and took her place with them. Harry pulled the Cloak down as far as it would go, and all together, they turned on the spot into the crushing darkness.

Venus' feet touched road. She saw the achingly familiar Hogsmeade High Street — dark shop fronts, the outline of black mountains beyond the village, and the curve in the road ahead that led off towards Hogwarts. The only light on the street was from the windows of the Three Broomsticks. Venus ached to just go in, have a butterbeer, and pretend that this wasn't happening.

The still air was suddenly disturbed by a scream. It tore at every nerve in Venus' body, and she instantly realized that their appearance had caused it. The door of the Three Broomsticks burst open and a dozen cloaked and hooded Death Eaters dashed into the street, their wands raised.

Well, so much for a butterbeer.

Penelope seized Ron's wrist as he raised his wand. There were too many of them to Stun. Even attempting to do so would give away their position. One of the Death Eaters waved his wand and the scream stopped, still echoing around the distant mountains.

"Accio Cloak!" one of the Death Eaters shouted.

Harry grabbed at his Cloak, but it made no attempt to escape — the Summoning Charm had not worked on it.

"Not under your wrapper, then, Potter?" The Death Eater turned to his companions. "Spread out. He's here."

Six of the Death Eaters ran towards them. Venus, Harry, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione backed up as quickly as they could down the nearest side street, and the Death Eaters missed them by inches. They waited in the darkness, listening to footsteps running up and down, beams of light flying along the street from the Death Eaters' searching wands.

"Let's just leave!" Hermione suggested. "Disapparate now!"

"Great idea," Ron agreed.

"We know you're here, Potter, and there's no getting away!" a Death Eater insisted. "We'll find you!"

"They were ready for us," Harry whispered. "They set up that spell to tell them we'd come. I reckon they've done something to keep us here, trap us—"

"What about Dementors?" another Death Eater called. "Let 'em have free rein, they'd find him quick enough!"

"The Dark Lord wants Potter dead by no hand but his—"

"—an' Dementors won't kill him! The Dark Lord wants Potter's life, not his soul. He'll be easier to kill if he's been Kissed first!"

There were noises of agreement. Dread filled Venus. If Dementors came, they would have to repel them with Patronuses. That would give them away immediately. Harry was known for his stag and Venus was known for her Thunderbird.

"We're going to have to try to Disapparate, Harry!" Hermione stated.

Even as she said it, Venus felt the familiar unnatural cold begin to steal over the street. Light was sucked from the environment right up to the stars, which vanished. Venus gripped onto Harry's arm and together they turned on the spot. However, the air through which they needed to move seemed to have become solid. They could not Disapparate — the Death Eaters had cast their charms well. The cold was biting deeper into Venus's skin. Her, Harry, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione retreated down the side street, feeling their way along the wall, trying not to make a sound. Then, around the corner, gliding noiselessly, came about ten Dementors, visible because they were of denser darkness than their surroundings with their black cloaks and scabbed, rotting hands. They seemed to be coming more quickly now, taking in those dragging, rattling breaths, tasting despair on the air.

Harry gripped onto Venus' hand with one hand and raised his wand with the other. "Expecto Patronum!"

The silver stag burst from his wand and charged. At once, the Dementors scattered. There was a triumphant yell from somewhere out of sight.

"It's him, down there, down there, I saw his Patronus, it was a stag!"

The Dementors had retreated, the stars were popping out again, and the footsteps of the Death Eaters were becoming louder. Before any of them could decide what to do, there was a grinding of bolts nearby. A door opened on the left-hand side of the narrow street.

"Potter, in here, quick!" a rough voice demanded.

The five of them obeyed without hesitation. They hurtled through the open doorway.

"Upstairs, keep the Cloak on, keep quiet!"

The tall figure passed them on his way into the street and slammed the door behind him. Venus saw, by the stuttering of a single candle, that they were in the Hog's Head, the exact place where Penelope wanted to go. They ran behind the counter and through a second doorway, which led to a rickety wooden staircase that they climbed as fast as they could. It opened onto a sitting room with a threadbare carpet and a small fireplace, above which hung a single large oil painting of a blonde girl who gazed out at the room with a kind of vacant sweetness.

Shouts reached them from the street below. Still wearing the Invisibility Cloak, they crept towards the grimy window and looked down. Their savior, which Venus recognized as the Hog's Head barman, was the only person not wearing a hood.

"So what?" he was bellowing to one of the Death Eaters. "So what? You send Dementors down my street, I'll send a Patronus back at 'em! I'm not having 'em near me, I've told you that, I'm not having it!"

"That wasn't your Patronus!" a Death Eater argued. "That was a stag, it was Potter's!"

"Stag!" The barman pulled out his wand. "Stag! You idiot — Expecto Patronum!"

Something huge and horned erupted from the wand. Head down, it charged towards the High Street and out of sight.

"That's not what I saw—" the Death Eater said, though with less certainty.

"Curfew's been broken, you heard the noise," one of his companions told the barman. "Someone was out in the street against regulations—"

"If I want to put my cat out, I will, and be damned to your curfew!" the barman voiced.

"You set off the Caterwauling Charm?"

"What if I did? Going to cart me off to Azkaban? Kill me for sticking my nose out my own front door? Do it, then, if you want to! But I hope for your sakes you haven't pressed your little Dark Marks and summoned him. He's not going to like being called here for me and my old cat, is he, now?"

"Don't you worry about us, worry about yourself, breaking curfew!"

"And where will you lot traffick potions and poisons when my pub's closed down? What'll happen to your little sidelines then?"

"Are you threatening—?"

"I keep my mouth shut, it's why you come here, isn't it?"

"I still say I saw a stag Patronus!" the first Death Eater shouted.

"Stag?" the barman demanded. "It's a goat, idiot!"

"All right, we made a mistake," the second Death Eater admitted. "Break curfew again and we won't be so lenient!"

With that, the Death Eaters strode back towards the High Street. Hermione let out a noise of relief, wove out from under the Cloak, and sat down on a wobble-legged chair. Harry drew the curtains tight and pulled the Cloak off of the rest of them. Venus looked up at him, and Harry slung an arm across her shoulders, kissing the top of her head. She closed her eyes in content. They could still hear the barman down below, rebolting the door of the bar, then climbing the stairs.

The barman entered the room and looked at each of them. "You bloody fools. What were you thinking, coming here?"

Penelope then said that she told them to come because this was the only relatively safe place in Hogsmeade. He nodded to her, saying that he heard from them that she'd run off with Potter, which she did.

"Thank you," Harry interjected. "We can't thank you enough. You saved our lives." Harry let go of Venus, her frowning slightly from the loss of touch, and approached the barman, looking up at his face. "It's your eye I've been seeing in the mirror." The room was silent, and Harry and the barman looked at each other. "You sent Dobby."

The barman nodded and looked around for the Elf. "Thought he'd be with you. Where've you left him?" Penelope revealed bitterly that her mother had killed him. "I'm sorry to hear it. I liked that Elf."

He turned away. The barman started to light lamps with prods of his wand, not looking at any of them.

"You're Aberforth," Harry stated to the man's back. The barman neither confirmed nor denied it, but bent to light the fire. Harry then walked over to the mirror that was underneath the portrait of the girl. "How did you get this?"

"Bought it from Dung 'bout a year ago," Aberforth answered. "Albus told me what it was. Been trying to keep an eye out for you."

Ron gasped. "The silver doe! Was that you too?" Completely exasperated with her boyfriend, Penelope told Ron that Aberforth had literally just proved his Patronus was a goat. "Oh. Yeah . . . well, I'm hungry!"

"I got food," Aberforth told them.

He sloped out of the room, reappearing moments later with a large loaf of bread, some cheese, and a pewter jug of mead, which he set upon a small table in front of the fire. They ate and drank as much as their stomachs would allow them. For a while there was silence except for the crackle of the fire, the clink of goblets, and the sound of chewing.

"Right then. We need to think of the best way to get you out of here. Can't be done by night, you heard what happens if anyone moves outdoors during darkness: Caterwauling Charm's set off, they'll be onto you like Bowtruckles on Doxy eggs. I don't reckon I'll be able to pass off a stag as a goat a second time. Wait for daybreak when curfew lifts, then you can put your Cloak back on and set out on foot. Get right out of Hogsmeade, up into the mountains, and you'll be able to Disapparate there. Might see Hagrid. He's been hiding in a cave up therewith Grawp ever since they tried to arrest him."

"We're not leaving," Harry insisted. "We need to get into Hogwarts."

"Don't be stupid, boy," Aberforth said.

"We've got to."

"What you've got to do is to get as far from here as you can."

"You don't understand," Harry continued. "There isn't much time. We've got to get into the castle. Dumbledore — I mean, your brother — wanted us—"

"My brother Albus wanted a lot of things, and people had a habit of getting hurt while he was carrying out his grand plans," Aberforth explained. "You get away from this school, Potter, and out of thec ountry if you can. Forget my brother and his clever schemes. He's gone where none of this can hurt him, and you don't owe him anything."

"You don't understand," Harry said again

"Oh, don't I?" Aberforth argued quietly. "You don't think I understood my own brother? Think you knew Albus better than I did?"

"I didn't mean that. It's . . . he left me a job."

"Did he now? Nice job, I hope? Pleasant? Easy? Sort of thing you'd expect an unqualified wizard kid to be able to do without overstretching themselves?"

Venus kept her gaze on the table. That was not what this job was. This job was the hardest thing to possibly ever do.

"I-It's not easy, no," Harry stammered. "But I've got to—"

"Got to?" Aberforth repeated. "Why got to? He's dead, isn't he? Let it go, boy, before you follow him! Save yourself!"

"I can't," Harry protested.

"Why not?"

"I—" Harry began. "But you're fighting too, you're in the Order of the Phoenix—"

"I was," Aberforth corrected. "The Order of the Phoenix is finished. You-Know-Who's won, it's over, and anyone who's pretending different's kidding themselves. It'll never be safe for you here, Potter, he wants you too badly. So go abroad, go into hiding, save yourself. Best take these four with you." He jerked a thumb at Venus, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione. "They'll be in danger long as they live now everyone knows they've been working with you."

"I can't leave. I've got a job—"

"Give it to someone else!"

"I can't," Harry replied. "It's got to be me, Dumbledore explained it all—"

"Oh, did he now?" Aberforth voiced. "And did he tell you everything, was he honest with you?" Harry went quiet. Aberforth seemed to know what he was thinking. "I knew my brother, Potter. He learned secrecy at our mother'sknee. Secrets and lies, that's how we grew up, and Albus . . . he was a natural."

Abeforth's eyes traveled up to the panting of the girl over the mantelpiece. Venus removed her gaze from the table and looked at it as well. It was the only picture of the room.

"Mr. Dumbledore?" Hermione cut in rather timidly. "Is that your sister? Ariana?"

"Yes," Aberforth answered. "Been reading Rita Skeeter, have you, missy?"

Evene by the rosy light of the fire, it was clear that Hermione had turned red.

"Elphias Doge mentioned her to us," Harry revealed.

"That old berk," Aberforth muttered, taking another swig of mead. "Thought the sun shone out of my brother's every orifice, he did. Well, so did plenty of people, you five included, by the looks of it."

"Professor Dumbledore cared about Harry, very much," Hermione stated in a low voice.

"Did he now?" Aberforth countered. "Funny thing, how many of the people my brother cared about very much ended up in a worse state than if he'd left 'em well alone."

"What do you mean?"

"Never you mind."

"But that's a really serious thing to say!" Hermione exclaimed. "Are you — are you talking about your sister?"

Aberforth glared at her for a moment before bursting into speech. "When my sister was six years old, she was attacked, set upon, by three Muggle boys. They'd seen her doing magic, spying through the back garden hedge: She was a kid, she couldn't control it, no witch or wizard can at that age. What they saw scared them, I expect. They forced their way through the hedge, and when she couldn't show them the trick, they got a bit carried away trying to stop the little freak doing it."

Venus tucked her knees into her chest. She looked back down at the table, feeling slightly sick. A little girl didn't deserve that. Nobody deserved that.

Aberforth stood up, suddenly terrible i his anger and the intensity of his pain. "It destroyed her, what they did: She was never right again. She wouldn't use magic, but she couldn't get rid of it; it turned inward and drove her mad, it exploded out of her when she couldn't control it, and at times she was strange and dangerous. But mostly she was sweet and scared and harmless. And my father went after the bastards that did it and attacked them. And they locked him up in Azkaban for it. He never said why he'd done it, because if the Ministry had known what Ariana had become, she'd have been locked up in St. Mungo's for good. They'd have seen her as a serious threat to the International Statute of Secrecy, unbalanced like she was, with magic exploding out of her at moments when she couldn't keep it in any longer. We had to keep her safe and quiet. We moved house, put it about she was ill, and my mother looked after her, and tried to keep her calm and happy. I was her favorite. Not Albus, he was always up in his bedroom when he was home, reading his books and counting his prizes, keeping up with his correspondence with the most notable magical names of the day. He didn't want to be bothered with her. She liked me best. I could get her to eat when she wouldn't do it for my mother, I could get her to calm down when she was in one of her rages, and when she was quiet, she used to help me feed the goats. Then, when she was fourteen . . . see, I wasn't there. If I'd been there, I could have calmed her down. She had one of her rages, and my mother wasn't as young as she was, and . . . it was an accident. Ariana couldn't control it. But my mother was killed."

Venus reached up and twirled the end of one of her braids around her finger. She didn't want to hear any more, but Aberforth kept talking. Venus wondered how long it had been since he had spoken about this, or if he had ever spoken about it at all.

"So that put paid to Albus' trip round the world with little Doge. The pair of 'em came home for my mother's funeral and then Doge went off on his own, and Albus settled down as head of the family. Ha!" Aberforth spat into the fire. "I'd have looked after her, I told him so, I didn't care about school, I'd have stayed home and done it. He told me I had to finish my education and he'd take over from my mother. Bit of a comedown for Mr. Brilliant, there's no prizes for looking after your half-mad sister, stopping her blowing up the house every other day. But he did all right for a few weeks . . . till he came."

And now a positively dangerous look crept over Aberforth's face. Harry instinctively reached over and placed his hand on top of Venus knee. She put her own hand on top of it.

"Grindelwald," Aberforth announced. "And at last, my brother had an equal to talk to, someone just as bright and talented as he was. And looking after Ariana took a backseat then, while they were hatching all their plans for a new Wizarding order, and looking for Hallows, and whatever else it was they were so interested in. Grand plans for the benefit of all Wizardkind, and if one young girl got neglected, what did that matter, when Albus was working for the greater good? But after a few weeks of it, I'd had enough, I had. It was nearly time for me to go back to Hogwarts, so I told 'em, both of 'em, face-to-face, like I am to you, now. I told him, you'd better give it up now. You can't move her, she's in no fit state, you can't take her with you, wherever it is you're planning to go, when you're making your clever speeches, trying to whip yourselves up a following. He didn't like that. Grindelwald didn't like that at all. He got angry. He told me what a stupid little boy I was, trying to stand in the way of him and my brilliant brother . . . didn't I understand, my poor sister wouldn't have to be hidden once they'd changed the world, and led the wizards out of hiding, and taught the Muggles their place? And there was an argument . . . and I pulled out my wand, and he pulled out his, and I had the Cruciatus Curse used on me by my brother's best friend — and Albus was trying to stop him, and then all three of us were dueling, and the flashing lights and the bangs set her off, she couldn't stand it—" the color was draining from Aberforth's face "—and I think she wanted to help, but she didn't really know what she was doing, and I don't know which of us did it, it could have been any of us — and she was dead."

His voice broke on the last word and he dropped down into the nearest chair. Venus felt absolutely sick to her stomach as she slowly lifted her gaze. Every single part . . . it was just positively horrible.

"I'm so . . . I'm so sorry," Hermione whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Gone," Aberforth said. "Gone forever." He wiped his nose on his cuff and cleared his throat. "'Course, Grindelwald scarpered. He had a bit of a track record already, back in his own country, and he didn't want Ariana set to his account too. And Albus was free, wasn't he? Free of the burden of his sister, free to become the greatest wizard of the—"

"He was never free," Harry interrupted.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Never. The night that your brother died, he drank a potion that drove him out of his mind. He started screaming, pleading with someone who wasn't there. Don't hurt them, please . . . hurt me instead." Venus looked at her boyfriend — he had never gone into details about what happened that night when him and Dumbledore went hunting for the Horcrux. "He thought he was back there with you and Grindelwald, I know he did. He thought he was watching Grindelwald hurting you and Ariana . . . it was torture to him, if you'd seen him then, you wouldn't say he was free."

Aberforth seemed lost in contemplation. "How can you be sure, Potter, that my brother wasn't more interested in the greater good than in you? How can you be sure you aren't dispensable, just like my little sister?"

Venus could tell that a shard of ice seemed to pierce Harry's heart. She grabbed his hand tighter, properly holding it instead of just resting hers on his. Harry gripped onto her.

"I don't believe it," Hermione refused. "Dumbledore loved Harry."

"Why didn't he tell him to hide, then?" Aberforth shot back. "Why didn't he say to him, Take care of yourself, here's how to survive?"

"Because sometimes you've got to think about more than your own safety!" Harry shouted before Hermione could answer. "Sometimes you've got to think about the greater good! This is war!"

"You're seventeen, boy!"

"I'm of age, and I'm going to keep fighting even if you've given up!"

"Who says I've given up?" Aberforth argued.

"The Order of the Phoenix is finished," Harry repeated. "You-Know-Who's won, it's over, and anyone who's pretending different's kidding themselves."

"I don't say I like it, but it's the truth!"

"No, it isn't. Your brother knew how to finish You-Know-Who and he passed the knowledge on to me. I'm going to keep going until I succeed — or I die. Don't think I don't know how this might end. I've known it for years."

Venus swallowed nervously. The moment was coming closer to where Voldemort would live and Harry would die, or Harry lived and Voldemort would die. Neither can live while the other survives.

She couldn't lose Harry. She couldn't lose Harry.

"We need to get into Hogwarts," Harry said again. "If you can't help us, we'll wait till daybreak, leave you in peace, and try to find a way in ourselves. If you can help us — well, now would be a great time to mention it. Penelope told us to come here, so why?"

Penelope spoke up for the first time in a while. She pleaded with him, saying that the link was the only way in and out of the castle without being seen. Venus' eyebrows knit in confusion. What was the link?

Aberforth gazed at Penelope for a moment before clearing his throat, getting to his feet, walking around the little table, and approaching the portrait of Ariana. "You know what to do."

Ariana smiled, turned, and walked away. It wasn't as people in portraits usually did, out the sides of their frames, but along what seemed to be a long tunnel painted behind her. They watched her slight figure retreat until finally she was swallowed by the darkness.

"Er — what—?" Ron questioned.

"Just like Penelope said, there's only one way in now," Aberforth explained. "You must know they've got all the old secret passageways covered at both ends, Dementors all around the boundary walls, regular patrols inside the school from what my sources tell me. The place has never been so heavily guarded. How you expect to do anything once you get inside it, with Snape in charge and the Carrows as his deputies . . . well, that's your lookout, isn't it? You say you're prepared to die."

Hermione frowned at Ariana's picture. "But what . . . ?"

A tiny white dot had reappeared at the end of the painted tunnel, and now Ariana was walking back towards them, growing bigger and bigger as she came. But there was somebody else with her now, someone taller than she was, who was limping along, looking excited. Venus felt her chest rush with excitement. His hair was longer than ever, and he appeared to have suffered several gashes to his face and his clothes were ripped and torn. Larger and larger the two figures grew until only their heads and shoulders filled the portrait. Then the whole thing swung forwards on the wall like a little door, and the entrance to a real tunnel was revealed. And out of it, his hair overgrown, his face, cut, and his robes ripped, clambered one of their friends.

Neville Longbottom gave a roar of delight and leaped down from the mantelpiece, tackling Harry in a big hug. "I knew you'd come! I knew it, Harry!"

» • » ✧ « • «

I didn't go into too much detail of what happened at gringotts and the conversations that occurred because it was more so a penelope centered moment than a venus moment. also I didn't really feel like repeating myself when I already wrote a chapter including all of the dialogue lol. if you want to read the whole thing in more detail, the 2.5 chapter of favorite crime has the whole thing :)

anyways go off penelope miss you darling