A/N ~ HEY<3 I'm here with another Friday update. Enjoy the chapter :)

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Harry let out a heavy sigh and Ron clicked on his Deluminator, providing light for the dark cellar.

"Thank heavens you're alright," Y/N threw her arms around Luna, pulling her into a relieved embrace.

Y/N couldn't begin to describe the delight in finding Luna.  Amidst her many worries, the thought that Rolf would have no one left pained her the most.

She was going to make sure he at least had Luna.

"I'm glad to see you, as well," Luna said, smiling softly and hugging Y/N back. "I never believed those rumors, you know... but I did believe in you,"

"Thanks, Luna," Y/N smiled weakly, right as another gut-wrenching scream echoed from upstairs.

She and Luna grimaced, and Ron began to pace in circles.

"We have to do something!" He cried through gritted teeth, clutching his ginger hair.

"There's no way out of here," said a hoarse and whispery voice, behind Luna.

An old man with dirty white hair and trembling hands stepped forward. He was looking at Harry sadly.

"Mr Ollivander?" Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "but how... Griphook?"

A black-eyed goblin popped up beside Mr Ollivander. He looked just as weak and upset.

"I'm saddened they captured you, Mr Potter," spoke Ollivander. "We cannot escape... the walls are enchanted."

Hermione's screams were starting to become longer and louder.

Y/N had to grab a fistful of her jacket and clutched it, trying to distract herself from the thought of the pain Hermione was going through.

"I can get us out of here," she said, and was surprised to find herself sounding out of breath.

"Y/N, we've tried countless times," said Luna. "we can't break ourselves out."

"That's why someone else will," said Y/N.

She crouched down and got hold of her shoe. She reached into it and could feel the sharpness of the shard of glass she was looking for.

She pulled out the Two-Way Mirror with trembling hands. Bloody fingerprints stained the surface. She gazed into it and saw her own eye staring back.

"You're bleeding," Luna said in an interested tone. "That's a curious thing to keep in your sock,"

Hermione let out another cry, this time her voiceless scream dragged into silence.

"Abe," Y/N whispered into the mirror, trying to ignore what was going on above. "Aberforth, this is Y/N..." Ron started banging on the bars as Harry held him back. "I'm at the cellar in Malfoy Manor... again. Please help us. Someone's getting tortured-"

A dark grey eye with thick black lashes appeared. They were certainly younger that Aberfoth's and... Blacker.

It took Y/N a moment to recognize.

"Reg," Y/N breathed. "Re- Sebastian... Sebastian, it's Y/N! Help us!"

"Wait right there, Y/N," Regulus said, calmly but firmly. "I heard you, I know. You're going to be fine. Help's coming."

"Thank you," Y/N had so much more to say. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. And... sorry,"

She stuffed the piece of glass into her pocket before she could let her emotions take over.

"Wormatil!" Bellatrix's screech was audible from upstairs. Y/N fell still. "Go fetch the Goblin! He'll be able to tell if it's a fake!"

Everyone in the cellar looked at Griphook. Even Ron, who looked like he might shove Harry to the ground for holding him back from running into the door.

"Griphook, listen-" Harry said urgently, trying to sound as sincere as he could. "Please lie to them. Please tell them it's a fake-"

"Everybody get back!" came Wormtail's uneasy voice, echoing louder as he descended down the stairs. "Get back!"

The short man unlocked the door, whilst pointing his wand towards all of them, looking frightened. No one dared to move.

"Let her go!" Ron demanded.

"The Goblin! Come with me!" said Wormtail, ignoring Ron completely.

Griphook glanced hesitantly and suspiciously at Harry, before making his way to Wormtail. Y/N wasn't sure if she was satisfied with that look.

After securing the door after him, Wormtail left the cellar once again and accompanied Griphook up to the living room. Silence fell, but for a short time.

Out of nowhere, came a thundering crack, startling and catching all of their attention.

A young fully clothed elf stumbled in the middle of the cellar, eyes wide and innocent.

Y/N watched as Dobby stared at Luna and Ollivander in confusion. They stared back in equal silence.

"Ahh!" Dobby had turned around to face Harry, Y/N, and Ron.

"Dobby?" Harry gaped at the elf in front of him. It was the last thing he'd expected, seeing the elf there.

"Glad to see you again, Dobby," Y/N said.

"Miss Girfend!" the elf squeaked, as his emerald eyes fell on her. "Mr Dumbledore said Miss needed help and Dobby was worried! Dobby is glad Miss Girfend isn't hurt!"

Y/N forced out a smile for him. She felt bad gazing into the elf's sincere eyes.

She really hoped he didn't worry much about her after she left Hog's Head. Wizards truly don't deserve house-elves.

"What are you doing here?" asked Harry, his eyes still wide behind his glasses.

"Dobby's come to rescue Harry Potter and his friends, of course," said the elf in his tiny voice. "Dobby will always be there for Harry Potter and his friends!"

"Are you saying you can Apparate in and out of this room?" Ron questioned. "Could you take us with you?"

"You're forgetting he's helped me out of here before," Y/N muttered under her breath.

"Of course, sir, I'm an elf!" Dobby nodded, ears flapping against his face.

Ron let out an amazed and delightful sigh. Luna and Ollivander looked at each other with hope.

Harry turned and looked right at Y/N and she knew immediately what he was going to say.

"I'm staying for Hermione," she said out loud.

Harry didn't look satisfied, but he nodded solemnly. As much as he wanted to send her away, he believed in her abilities completely.

If she wanted to stay and fight for her best friend, he wouldn't stop her. The best he could do was support her.

"Right," said Harry, calmly, "Dobby, I want you to take Luna and Mr Ollivander to-"

"Bill and Fleur's," said Ron, at once. "Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth!"

The elf nodded for a second time.

"And then come back," said Harry. "Can you do that, Dobby?"

"Of course, Harry Potter," whispered the little elf.

Dobby hurried over to Mr Ollivander and took one of the wandmaker's hands in his own, then held out the other to Luna, but she didn't move.

"Harry, I want to help you!" Luna whispered.

"Luna, I promise we'll see you at Bill and Fleur's," Y/N said to the girl, putting a hand on her shoulder. "but you have to go, now!"

Luna sighed but nodded understandingly.

"Be safe," she said to Y/N, then looked down at the elf's hand before taking it in hers. "Whenever you're ready, sir."

"'Sir'?" Dobby's eyes widened. It seemed like he was still amazed by receiving decent respect from strangers. "I like her, very much."

Suddenly, Harry hissed in agony and his hand jumped to his scar.

"Go!" Harry beseeched Dobby. "Go! We'll follow, just go!"

"Meet Dobby at the top of the stairs in ten seconds!" said Dobby.

There was another loud crack, and Dobby, Luna, and Ollivander vanished.

"What was that?" shouted Lucius Malfoy from over their heads. "Did you hear that? What was that noise in the cellar?"

"Draco- no, call Wormtail!" said Narcissa. "Make him go and check!"

Moments later, they heard someone descending the steps outside the cellar. They backed against the wall on either side of the room.

"Stand back," came Wormtail's voice. "Stand away from the door. I am coming in."

The door flew open.

Harry instinctively stepped in front of Y/N.

Before Wormtail could say another word, however, a spell hit him square in the back and his body went rigid.

He let out a groan and toppled over into the cellar, face first, no longer conscious.

Y/N clutched her chest in relief and quickly made her way to the door, Harry and Ron hurrying after her.

Y/N stepped over Wormtail's sprawled body and looked up at a nervous Dobby at the top of the stairs.

"Who gets his wand?" The elf asked.

Y/N, Ron, and Harry exchanged looks of disbelief, before slowly and carefully making their way up the stairs.

As they moved down the dimly lit hallway of Malfoy Manor, Bellatrix's voice became clearer, and Y/N's breathing started to pick up.

Just at the turn before the living room, the three stopped and listened, planless plans forming in their heads.

Y/N leaned forwards just enough to see Bellatrix and Griphook's backs facing her.

Y/N forced herself to remain silent when her eyes found Hermione lying on the floor. It didn't seem like she was moving.

"Well?" Bellatrix said to Griphook. "Is it the true sword?"

Y/N waited, holding her breath, trying to ignore the burn of her powers swirling her veins.

"No," said Griphook. "It is a fake."

"Are you sure?" panted Bellatrix. "Quite sure?"

"Yes," said the goblin.

Relief broke across Bellatrix's face, all tension drained from it.

"Good," she said, and with a casual flick of what seemed like a silver dagger, she slashed a deep cut into the goblin's face.

He dropped with a yell at her feet. She kicked him aside.

"And now," Bellatrix continued in a voice that burst with triumph, "we call the Dark Lord!"

And she pushed back her sleeve and touched her forefinger to the Dark Mark.

At once, Harry fell to his knees, hands clutching his forehead. His face twisted in agony, but he didn't let out a sound.

Y/N had to purse her lips shut and not make a sound, as she held onto Harry's hand and squeezed it.

Seconds later, his face loosened, though his chest was still heaving up and down rapidly.

He gave Y/N a small nod and she helped him up to his feet.

"And I think," said Bellatrix's voice, "we can dispose of the Mudblood. Greyback, take her if you want her."

Y/N felt all the blood drain from her face.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ron yelled, bursting into the living room.

Bellatrix looked around, shocked; she turned her wand to face Ron, but he was quicker.

"Expelliarmus!" he roared, pointing Wormtail's wand at Bellatrix, and hers flew into the air and was caught by Harry.

Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, and Greyback wheeled about.

Harry yelled, "Stupefy!" and Lucius Malfoy collapsed onto the hearth.

Y/N dashed towards Hermione, who lay several feet behind Bellatrix. Bellatrix was busy ducking Ron's spells to notice her.

"Please, Hermione, stay with me," Y/N fell onto her knees beside Hermione.

Sensing the urgency in Y/N's voice, Hermione's fingers twitched, but she didn't seem capable of pushing herself up.

Y/N grabbed the girl's arm and threw it around her own neck, before pulling her to her feet.

Ron stopped casting spells and came forwards to help Hermione from Y/N's arms. Y/N trusted him with her a lot more than she did, herself.

Ron whispered comforting words to Hermione under his breath as he steered her away from the jets of light.

Bellatrix let out an animal-like yell of fury. She was staring straight at Y/N and was running towards her.

Mean while, curses flew from Draco's, Narcissa's, and Greyback's wands, as Harry dueled them, three to one...

Surprisingly but unsurprisingly, he seemed to be winning...

"STOP OR SHE DIES!"

Panting, Harry whirled in Bellatrix's direction. Everyone else lowered their wands and looked, too.

Bellatrix stood in the middle of the room and had her arm around Y/N, holding her short silver knife to her throat.

Y/N blamed no one but herself for letting Bellatrix get hold of her, though if it wasn't her, it would have been Hermione.

Her wand was on the floor, three paces away from her feet.

She'd have went for it, if it wasn't for the knife at her throat.

Y/N could feel the cold blade of Bellatrix's dagger pressed against her throat, as the room went quiet.

"DROP YOUR WANDS!" Bellowed Bellatrix. Harry was too scared to move. Y/N's life was quite literally in Bellatrix's hands. "I SAID DROP THEM!"

Y/N winced and shut her eyes, as she felt the dagger dig deeper into her skin.

Harry threw his wand on the floor and raised his empty hands.

Ron, who was supporting Hermione in his arms, slowly placed his wand on the floor as well, looking equally frightful.

Malfoy had his face fully turned away, hiding behind his mother.

"Well, well, well," Bellatrix sneered, clearly enjoying Harry's vulnerability. "look what we have here... Harry Potter... all shiny and new. Just in time for the Dark Lord."

At her last word, though Bellatrix couldn't hear it herself, Y/N detected a peculiar jingling noise from above.

Noticing Y/N's gaze, Bellatrix looked upward in time to see the crystal chandelier tremble.

Then, with a creak and ominous jingling, it began to fall.

Dropping Y/N, Bellatrix threw herself aside with a scream.

Y/N sprinted across the room just in time, as the chandelier smashed behind her. Harry caught her in his arms as she stumbled.

"Dobby!" Narcissa Malfoy screamed, and even Bellatrix froze. "You! You dropped the chandelier-?"

The tiny elf had scrambled from the ruins of the chandelier and proceeded beside Y/N and Harry. He was pointing his shaking finger at his old mistress.

"You must not hurt Harry Potter," he squeaked.

"Kill him, Cissy!" shrieked Bellatrix, but there was another loud crack, and Narcissa's wand flew into the air. Dobby caught it.

"You dirty little monkey!" bawled Bellatrix. "How dare you take a witch's wand, how dare you defy your masters?"

"Dobby has no master!" squealed the elf. "Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!"

Harry couldn't take it any longer. His scar was blinding him with pain.

Without waiting any longer, with one hand clasped around Y/N's wrist, Harry seized Dobby's hand and spun on the spot to Disapparate.

As they turned into darkness, Y/N caught one last view of the living room.

Pale, frozen figures of Narcissa and Draco, and a blur of flying silver, as Bellatrix's knife flew across the room.

With only half a second to think, she focussed all her remaining energy on the speeding dagger, eyes burning with what seemed to be tears and surging powers, before she was yanked off her feet.

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They hit solid earth and smelled salty air.

Y/N could hear the waves crashing on sand from somewhere in the dark.

She spotted a cottage a short way away under the wide starry sky, and she could see people moving inside.

Dobby was now running towards it, waving his arms above his head, calling for help.

Y/N fell to her knees, relinquishing her hand from Harry's. She couldn't begin to describe how relieved and glad she was.

To her left, Ron had Hermione in his arms, rubbing her back soothingly and whispering something to her in a low tone.

"Hermione," Y/N called, scrambling to her feet and making her way to Ron and Hermione. Harry followed her silently.

She could see them vaguely in the dark, as she made her way through the damp grass.

"Hermione, how are you feeling?" Y/N knelt down at her friend's side. It was a stupid question, but she wanted to hear her speak.

"I could be better," replied Hermione, her voice thin and brittle.

Y/N grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"We should get you inside," Ron spoke, smoothing Hermione's hair. "Can you walk? I could carry you,"

"I'm fine, I think," replied Hermione, giving him a soft smile. She pushed herself up and stumbled immediately, and Ron caught her right back in his arms.

"Careful," said the Weasley.

Moments later, Fleur came running down from the hill. She looked as shocked as when Y/N showed up at their front door, a few weeks back.

Luna and Mr Ollivander must've explained to her briefly of what had happened, for she went straight to Ron and Hermione.

She looked up at Y/N briefly, questioningly, before helping Hermione up with Ron's support.

Y/N stared after them numbly, as the three staggered towards the house. A gush of wind from the sea swept against her face.

To her side, Harry let out a cry of pain and fell back onto his knees. He was breathing heavily, his scar on fire, as he dug his fingers into the earth.

"Harry-" Y/N caught him before he could hit the ground. She placed a trembling hand on the side of his face. "You'll be OK..."

She held him in her arms as he let out gasps and cries, burying his face into her shoulder.

She didn't bother asking what he saw through Voldemort's eyes. She simply stayed to provide comfort and nothing more.

Minutes later, the pain ended and Harry finally caught his breath. Y/N helped him up to his feet, rubbing his back soothingly.

It took Y/N a moment to realize he was staring at her in concern.

He was gazing down at her neck, which had a bright red cut slashed across it like a necklace. Luckily, no blood trickled from it.

"You feeling alright?" He managed to ask, trying to contain his anger and frustration.

Y/N looked at him with an 'are you serious?' look.

She replied by throwing her arms around his neck, pulling him close against her, and crashing her lips onto his.

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise and let out an amused huff at the back of his throat as Y/N deepened the kiss.

His hand slid from her waist up to her back smoothly, as he kissed her back passionately.

Harry knew how relieved Y/N must've felt by the way she held the back of his head protectively and just the fact she initiated the kiss.

After only a few seconds, she pulled away, smiling weakly, leaving Harry's stomach tingling with butterflies.

"Guessing that's a yes?" Harry raised an eyebrow, the trace of a smirk lingering on his lips.

"That's a- 'we survived another close call, yet again,'" said Y/N, "and we should get in the house before they send a search party after us."

"Agreed."

When they arrived in the warm house, Fleur hurried forward and draped towels over their shoulders.

"Are you OK?" Fleur asked them bleakly.

Y/N nodded, and Fleur gave her and Harry each a squeeze on the shoulder.

The others were all sitting in the living room when they entered the little hall, their attention focused upon Bill, who was talking.

The room was light-colored, pretty as Y/N remembered, with a small fire of driftwood burning brightly in the fireplace.

Luna had washed up and was wearing Fleur's blue nightgown. Dobby was sitting next to her, swinging his tiny legs and clutching the edge of his seat.

Ron was still holding onto Hermione, as she listened carefully to Bill's words. Y/N assumed Griphook and Mr Ollivander were in the guest rooms, resting.

"I've been getting them all out of the Burrow," Bill was saying. "Moved them to Muriel's. The Death Eaters know Ron's with you lot now, they're bound to target the family- don't apologize,"

He had caught Harry's guilty expression.

"How are they protected?" asked Y/N, as she placed a comforting hand on the small of Harry's back.

"Fidelius Charm," replied Bill, "And we've done it on this cottage too. Once Ollivander and Griphook are well enough, we'll move them to Muriel's. There isn't much room here, but she's got plenty."

"No," Harry said and Bill looked startled. "I need both of them here. I need to talk to them. It's important."

All of their faces turned towards him, looking puzzled, even Y/N's.

"May I ask why?" asked Bill.

"Trust me, if it wasn't important, I wouldn't bother them," assured Harry. "I'm going to have to talk to them first thing in the morning."

Bill contemplated for a moment, his brows knitted and his arms crossed to his chest.

"Harry, what the hell's going on?" he asked in a quiet voice. "You turn up here with a house-elf and a goblin, Hermione looks as though she's been tortured, and Ron's just refused to tell me-"

"We can't tell you what we're doing," said Harry flatly. "You're in the Order, Bill, you know Dumbledore left us a mission. We're not supposed to talk about it."

Fleur made an impatient noise, but Bill did not look at her. He was staring at Y/N and Harry. His deeply scarred face was hard to read.

"Alright," He finally decided. "Go wash up and get some rest. We'll see what we can do in the morning.

Harry nodded at him gratefully and scanned every face in the room, making sure they all were alright.

"I'm going to shower," Harry turned to Y/N. "You coming?"

"Pardon?" Y/N blinked at him, not sure what he meant. "I don't think-"

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that," Harry quickly said, face burning red. He was glad everyone else had returned their attention to Bill. "I just- I think I should do something about your throat."

"That's not a convincing counterclaim," said Y/N, eyebrows raised. Harry laughed and was about to say something, but was interrupted by Fleur.

"I can handle that cut," Fleur piped up from behind them. "My mother was a healer when she was younger. I know all the basics."

The crimson in Harry's face deepened when he realized she was listening this whole time.

"Thanks, Fleur," he muttered and hurried out of the hall before anyone could notice his flushing face.

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Y/N fell asleep the moment her head touched her pillow and slept soundly throughout the night, waking up in the afternoon of the next day.

Once she got dressed in the clothes Fleur lent her, she left the room she, Hermione, and Luna shared and was greeted with several 'good afternoon's in the living room.

Dobby had gone back to Hogwarts, according to Bill, and had wished Y/N the greatest of luck.

Luna was talking to Bill about the conspiracy theories her father had about Gringotts bank.

Fleur was cooking in the kitchen, with the help of Ron and a sick-looking Hermione.

Hermione was stirring something in a saucepan and looked incredibly focussed.

By the worried look Fleur and Ron kept sending her, Y/N was quite sure they had tried to talk her out of it.

"Hermione, are you sure you're supposed to be cooking in this state?" Y/N asked as she entered the kitchen.

"I'm fine," Hermione shrugged, trying to convince Y/N with a cheerful smile.

"Right," Y/N said grimly. "And are you lying?"

"I'm really not, Y/N," Hermione assured, her eyes not leaving the sizzling saucepan.

"We tried to talk her out of it," Ron sighed. He was drying the plates with a white cloth.

"You are very stubborn," said Fleur, crossly, to Hermione. "for all we know, you can fall into that pan any second. We want stir-fried beans, not stir-fried Hermione,"

"I can assure you I will not fall into the beans," said Hermione with her nose high in the air. "By the way, Y/N, Mr Loverman's by the cliff. You should go to him."

"Wow, so you're shooing me away now," Y/N tutted.

"Am not," denied Hermione, "You just missed the interrogation and I can't tell you about it because Fleur's here."

Fleur gave her a sour look.

Y/N laughed and headed out the door, passing Mr Ollivander, who was sitting by the wide window with a cup of tea in his hands.

He turned to give her a weak smile as she exited the house.

Bill and Fleur's cottage stood alone on a cliff overlooking the sea, its walls outside were embedded with shells and whitewashed.

The place looked lonely and beautiful.

Y/N spotted Harry far at the end of the cliff, sitting alone, just as Hermione had told her. His face was still and his hair whipped in the wind.

She thought he looked lonely and beautiful.

"What're you thinking about, Mr Loverman?" she asked as she approached him. It was incredibly windy at the edge of the cliff.

Harry turned and smiled at her, looking at her up and down.

"You look gleeful," he greeted her, as she lowered herself next to him, on the mat of grass.

"I miss being... well, not in a forest," Y/N shrugged, as Harry gently tilted her chin up with a finger to examine the cut on her throat. "So... what were you thinking about?"

"Oh, well," Harry pulled his hand away from her and looked back at the sea and open sky. "Did Ron and Hermione tell you anything?"

"They couldn't, the house is crowded," said Y/N. "What did you ask Griphook and Ollivander?"

"Alright, don't be mad at me," Harry warned, giving her a look.

"How could I ever?" Y/N smirked. Harry gave her another look and she sighed. "Alright, I won't... here goes nothing."

Harry looked satisfied and craned his neck around, making sure no one was listening behind them.

"I need to break into a Gringotts vault."

Harry had not meant to say it so badly.

Y/N looked absolutely taken back, eyes wide and mouth agape, though at least she didn't seem mad in any way.

Y/N knew Harry made decisions with reasons. Whether the reasons were good or not, though, was another story.

"OK," she said patiently, nodding, "That's- that's cool. Absolutely not barbaric or incredibly dangerous, but you're onto something-"

"I asked Griphook for his help," Harry tried to redeem himself.

"And he said...?"

"He said he'll think about it,"

"And you're breaking into a dragon den, why?"

"When Bellatrix saw the sword," Harry explained, "she thought we broke into her vault. She looked.... troubled. Terrified, even. I'm sure she wouldn't worry about gold, after all, her family probably has several vault fulls of them."

"What are you saying?" Y/N frowned.

"I'm saying... Why would Bellatrix be so protective of her vault if there wasn't something dearly important to the lord she so loyally serves?"

"You reckon there's a Horcrux in there," Y/N whispered.

"Exactly," said Harry. "I just have a very good feeling... we ought to try,"

Y/N thought about it for a moment. As much as she wanted to twist the evidence, deep down, she knew Harry was right.

"I won't stop you," she said. Harry looked surprised. "You know him best, Harry. And even if you're wrong, what else are we supposed to do? Sit around and theorise? The Horcruxes need finding."

Harry's face relaxed and he broke into a smile. He leaned forwards and placed a thankful kiss on her forehead.

"Thanks, Niff," He whispered. He moved closer to her and wrapped one arm over her shoulder. Y/N let him do so and put her head on his shoulder.

"So what did you want from Mr Ollivander?" she asked.

"Just wanted him to identify the wands we got hold of," said Harry. "And I also asked him about the Deathly Hallows."

"Harry, come on-"

"I saw a vision of Voldemort's, last night," said Harry in a low voice. "He broke into Dumbledore's tomb... stole his wand."

"What?" Y/N made a face. "Why?"

"His wand is the Elder Wand, Y/N," Harry said, looking upset with himself. "I should've known! I've seen it all those years! And now he has it, and he knows,"

"Harry, the Deathly Hallows isn't something you should obsess over," Y/N said in a calm voice. "For all we know, it's as real as the Fountain of Fair Fortune."

"I have no clue what that is, but the evidence is there, Y/N," said Harry, sounding confident. "I mean, why would Dumbledore leave us all these clues?"

"Because he's Dumbledore," Y/N almost laughed it out. "You have to understand the priority here, Harry. We have to find the Horcruxes and destroy them. By then, you don't even have to be the Master of Death."

Harry was silent. Why does she always have to be right?

He spent much of the next few days making excuses to escape the crowded cottage, craving the cliff-top view of open sky and wide, empty sea, and the feel of the cold, salty wind on his face.

He really liked it there. He thought about growing old, and one day convincing Y/N to get a house by the sea.

But in the present moment, he had no room for such thoughts of houses and the future.

He was full of doubts. Doubts that Ron could not help voicing whenever they were together.

'What if Dumbledore wanted us to work out the symbol in time to get the wand?'

'What if working out what the symbol meant made you 'worthy' to get the Hallows?'

'Harry, if that really is the Elder Wand, how the hell are we supposed to finish off You-Know-Who?'

'But is Dumbledore dead?'

"Yes, he is. Ron, please don't start that again!" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Look at the facts, Hermione," said Ron, speaking across Harry and Y/N, who looked like they would trade anything to be out of the argument. "The silver doe, the sword- I mean, explain how it was just lying at the bottom of a pond in a forest we just so happen to come across?"

"I can't- but can you explain how Dumbledore set that up if he's lying in a tomb at Hogwarts?"

"I dunno, it could've been his ghost!"

"Harry?"

Fleur had come out of the cottage, her long silver hair flying in the breeze. She gave Y/N a gorgeous smile as she walked toward them.

"Harry, Griphook would like to speak to you," she said. "He is in the smallest bedroom, he says he does not want to be overheard."

The Quartet traded knowing glances, before following Fleur back into the cottage.

Griphook was waiting for them, as Fleur had said, in the tiniest of the cottage's three bedrooms.

He looked up as the Quartet walked in hesitantly.

"I have reached my decision, Harry Potter," said the goblin, who was sitting cross-legged in a low chair. "I have decided to help you."

"That's great!" said Harry, relief surging through him. "Griphook, thank you, we're really-"

"In return," said the goblin firmly, "for payment."

Slightly taken aback, Harry hesitated.

"I have gold." He said.

"Not gold," said Griphook. "I have gold... I want the sword. The sword of Godric Gryffindor."

Y/N could almost see Harry's spirits plummet.

"You can't have that," he said. "I'm sorry."

"Then we have a problem."

"The sword's ours-"

"It is not," said the goblin. "That sword was Ragnuk the First's, taken from him by Godric Gryffindor! It is a masterpiece of goblin work! It belongs with the goblins."

"We need the sword-"

"The sword is the price of my hire, take it or leave it!" Griphook glared at them.

Harry glanced at the others. Hermione looked uneasy and Y/N was frowning deeply.

"We need to discuss this, Griphook, if that's all right," said Harry. "Could you give us a few minutes?"

The goblin nodded, looking sour.

Downstairs in the empty sitting room, Harry walked to the fireplace, brows furrowed, trying to think what to do.

Y/N looked out of the window at the beach. Luna was picking sea lavenders and had one tucked in her hair.

"He's having a laugh. We can't let him have that sword," said Ron firmly. "How's this? We tell Griphook it's a deal. And when we're inside, we switch the swords, and give him the fake."

"Ron, he'd know the difference better than we would," said Y/N, shaking her head. "He's the only one who realized there had been a swap."

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

"That," Hermione said quietly, "is despicable. Ask for his help, then double-cross him? No wonder goblins don't like wizards,"

Ron's ears turned red.

"Alright, how about this," Harry spoke up, "We'll tell him he can have the sword after he's helped- but we'll be careful to avoid telling him exactly when he can have it."

A grin spread slowly across Ron's face. Y/N was nodding slowly. Hermione, however, looked alarmed.

"Harry, we can't-"

"He can have it," Harry went on, "after we've used it on all of the Horcruxes. I'll make sure he gets it then. I'll keep my word."

"But that could be years!" said Hermione.

"I know that, but he doesn't. I won't be lying... really."

"I don't like it," said Hermione.

"Nor do I, much," Harry admitted.

"Don't look at me," Y/N said swiftly.

"Well, I think it's genius," said Ron, standing up again. "Let's go and tell him."

Back in the smallest bedroom, Harry made the offer, careful to phrase it so as not to give any definite time for the handover of the sword.

"I have your word, Harry Potter," Griphook said, "that you will give me the sword of Gryffindor if I help you?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"Then shake," said the goblin, holding out his hand.

Harry took it and shook.

Then Griphook relinquished him and clapped his hands together.

"So. We begin!"

∞ ϟ 9¾ ♔ ⚯͛ △r⃒⃘ ➵ ♆

A/N ~ Yet another short chapter, because I'm slowing things down for the ending. I can't wait but also kind of dread writing the end to this story <3

See you all next week :))

-ScribblingQuills