Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Seventh Year // Chapter 12

"We're relying on you, Griphook, if you get us past the guards and into the vault, the sword is yours." Up until that point, I was oblivious to the fact that Hermione was holding the sword. Once we all took hands we apparated to Diagon Alley. We waited a few moments, letting Harry get the cloak over his body before we started on our journey. About halfway through, Hermione almost blew our cover after saying good morning to a man we passed.

"Good morning? Good Morning?! You're Bellatrix Lestrange, not some dewy-eyed school girl." Griphook complained from under the cloak.

"Hey, easy!" Ron defended Hermione. 

"If she gives us away, we might as well use that sword to slit our own throats, understand?" 

"Now listen here you little shit -" I said, however a sigh from Hermione cut me off. 

"No, he's right. I am being stupid." Hermione picked up her stumbly pace, causing both Ron and I to send pointed glares at Griphook. As we approached the stairs that led into Gringotts, Hermione's stumbling steps were more noticeable than ever. I walked up beside her and muttered into her ear.

"Maybe you should make a note to practise walking in heels before your wedding."

"Lori, shut up." Hermione scoffed, as she nearly fell over again. "Just play along if I start acting drunk on firewhiskey, got it?"

"Got it, Madam Lestrange."

Hermione lightly shoved me as she got to the door. The doors opened to reveal the huge, echoing chamber that is Gringott's main floor. I looked around and took in my surroundings as we made our way to the high desk. When we got there, the head Goblin was writing on a piece of parchment and couldn't even be bothered to notice us all standing there. Hermione, really stepping into the role of Bellatrix, crossed her arms and coughed. 

"I wish to enter my vault."

"Identification." the goblin said, not even looking at us.

"I hardly think that'll be necessary," Hermione responded with a huff. At this, the Goblin looked up and noticed who was standing in front of him. 

"Madam Lestrange, my deepest regrets for not talking to you sooner," he replied, still going through his papers. 

"I do not like to be kept waiting." As she said that, the guards moved from their stations and started walking toward us. Griphook murmured that we blew our cover and that we were done for. So I glanced at Hermione uneasily, hoping her smarts would know what to do next. Stuck in silence for a few moments, the head goblin spoke up again. 

"Madam Lestrange, would you mind presenting your wand?" 

"And why should I do that?"

"It's the bank's policy," the goblin answered, his face screaming that he was appalled by the question. "I'm sure you understand given the current climate."

"No, I most certainly do not understand," Hermione responded sassily. "I am Bellatrix Lestrange, you should fear me."

"I'm afraid I must insist, Madam Lestrange." the goblin leaned forward over his desk, looking intently down at the rest of us. As he stared down at us, I got very anxious and just closed my eyes, hoping that whatever would be done to us ... did not involve going back to Malfoy Manor. 

"Very well, Madam Lestrange, and guests ... follow me." the goblin said suddenly, climbing down off of his stool and getting the keys for the trolley. We followed him through the door and got into the trolley. We turned corners, went upside down, did a loop de loop at some point, and then ended on a decline heading at a waterfall. 

"Oh, shit." I heard Griphook say as we sped towards the waterfall. Seconds later the cold water splashed over us. As we passed, I happened to look over at Ron who was looking like himself and I saw Hermione was no longer Bellatrix. Seconds after we passed through the waterfall, a light started strobing and an alarm started going off. Not even a second after the alarm started going off, we all got ejected from our cart. As we fell through the air, we were screaming. 

"Arresto Momentum!" Hermione cast as the ground got even closer. When the spell took effect we were inches from the ground.  We all hovered in the air for a few moments before hitting the stone ground. 

"Oi! Who gave the ground permission to be hard?" I tried joking, however, everyone else was more concerned about what happened. 

"Why are you normal again?!" 

"I don't know! The potion was supposed to last for another hour!"

"Damn, I thought I looked cool."

"The Thief's Downfall," Griphook announced lightly, getting up. "It washes away any and all enchantments. If the wrong one is cast beforehand, it can be deadly."

"You don't say," Ron responded sarcastically. "Well now, just out of curiosity ... is there any other way out of here?!" Griphook shook his head. As Ron went to strangle the goblin, the one Harry imperioed came to his senses. 

"What the devil are all you doing down here? Thieves!" We all panicked as the alarm continued to blare overhead. I was just about to turn myself in when Ron put the goblin back under the imperius curse. I smiled at my twin, about to pat him on the back for his quick thinking, but stopped as a roar sounded through the bank. 

"Oh great, let me guess we have to fight a fucking Vecna to prove we are worthy enough to continue?!" I sarcastically shouted. 

"Vecna? What the bleeding hell is that?" Ron questioned. 

"It's an evil being from a stupid Muggle game Dragons and Dungeons, I think. I don't know. Dean mentioned it while we were being held captive. Apparently, it is really big in the states."

"Oh, you mean Dungeons & Dragons!" Hermione exclaimed. "What, I heard about it from a person in the store one afternoon." 

"Yeah, sure Hermione." I joked as we walked forward. Once we got to the opening that lead to the vaults, we came face to face with a Dragon, tied up. I let out a small gasp as I saw that the dragon had scars around its neck from where the chain that held it in place had dug into its skin. 

"That is a Ukrainian Ironbelly," Ron said as we snuck into the chamber. I was about to suggest well all pull out our wands when Griphook started handing some rattles down the line. Once a few of us had the rattles, he began to shake the rattle and instructed us to do the same.

"It's been trained to expect pain when it hears the noise," Griphook explained walking through the chamber. 

"That's barbaric!" Hermione exclaimed.

"That's animal cruelty!"

"Well, would you rather the dragon fry us?"

"No, but for it to be expecting pain is cruel!"

"Bring it up to Human Resources after the war, okay?" Ron shouted shoving me forward. I grumbled a teeny bit but obliged. Once we got to the vaults, Griphook took the head goblin's hand and slammed it onto Bellatrix's vault. As the door opened, all I heard was Ron mutter something under his breath.

"Blimey ... we're fucked."