the Horcrux Thief, james potter

xxi. the cup and the cellar

The door wasn't like her vault's. Instead of vanishing, it opened, and they heard the mechanisms work before it swung open, leading the way to a lot of riches, that were not nearly as overwhelming as the ones in her vault.

She grinned up at James and was about to say something when they heard a door close not far from where they were. Amaya froze when the footsteps started and then turned to James, a plan in mind. "Stay here. Give me the broom."

James narrowed his eyes at her. "Do you know how to cast a good disillusionment charm?"

"Yes—"

"Good." He pecked her cheek and before she could even process what was happening he'd mounted the broom, taking the Invisibility Cloak with him, causing it to slip off her, and flew inside the vault.

He stole my plan, Amaya cursed him off in her head, remembering to cast the disillusionment charm on herself when the footsteps got closer.  And it was a good thing she did because the next moment a goblin, who she assumed was a guard passed by, his mouth in a frown and his eyes squinted at the open vault.

Amaya held her breath making an effort to keep her magic as similar to the one surrounding her as she could, as the goblin inspected the door. He grunted something, shaking his head, and started to close it. Amaya's heart stopped.

It's true she could open the vault again, but by the time she did the bank would be locked down, only an imbecile guard wouldn't report an open door to a vault.

He was halfway through closing the door when rust of wind sped through it and over her head. The goblin stopped momentarily looking around again, his eyes looking furious. "Who is there!? There's no escaping, you little thief!"

He slammed the door closed, the rumble of it shaking Amaya to her core, and then left in hurried steps. As soon as he was far away enough, James took the cloak off himself, hovering in front of her. He grinned. "Got it. Hop on."

He didn't have to say it twice.

By the time they got back to their cart, they could hear far-off sirens, thankfully the goblin taking them to the vault was still in a magically induced slumber. They both sat down again, shrunk the broomstick, and shoved it in Amaya's bag.

"Ready?" James asked.

Amaya nodded and woke up the goblin with her magic, whilst poking him in the arm. As soon as his eyes opened, Amaya sighed in relief.

"Finally! Why are we stopped and why do you think it's appropriate to sleep on duty?" she spoke, feigning incredulity towards the goblin who looked mighty confused, just as her mother taught her.

"Ergm, I dunno, Miss Santoro," the goblin fumbled. He looked at them with narrowed eyes, suspicious of something.

Amaya stared back at him and when he didn't say anything else she added, "I'm not a fan of this cart. One tiny gust of wind and we shall be tipped over and die with the fall. Can you make this thing move or would you rather take another nap?"

He was silent for another moment, staring at them and then at the Thief's Downfall and then around. This time it was James who spoke. "We must get going, Amaya looks quite pale."

She probably did, with the anxiety the situation was giving her. Finally, the goblin nodded faintly and made the cart move again. James and Amaya didn't take long in the Santoro Vault. Amaya fetched the dagger she promised the Goblin as well as grabbing a handful of Gallon and a pair of pearl earrings from a bowl full of trinkets and jewelry to pretend she was on the lookout for them.

They left the bank soon after, the place in quiet disarray as the goblins tried not to let it slip there might've been a robbery. Hopefully, they would come to the conclusion nothing occurred. And if it did and word got out Bellatrix's vault was broken into, hopefully, the replica Amaya made of the cup through pictures of it, and portraits, with a layer of magic to mimic the Horcrux wouldn't ring any alarms within the Death Eaters.