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AUBREY WATCHED FROM the shell cottage kitchen window, as Harry buried Dobby-the free house elf. She made her way outside, kneeling down beside the raven-haired boy, placing a hand on his leg. Aubrey gave his leg a light squeeze, letting him know she was there for him.
Harry looked up at her, tears glistening in his eyes. He placed a hand over hers, his lips turning up into a coarse smile.
"I've always liked Dobby," Aubrey stated, looking out into the ocean. Harry's eyes fixed upon her. Her brunette hair lightly whipped in the wind. "I was the only one who treated him with respect. He was so kind to me, and always was so appreciative."
"That was Dobby. He always wanted to help," Harry chuckled softly, reminiscing the memories he had with the unique house elf.
"I'm sorry Harry. I know how much he meant to you," Aubrey apologized sincerely, sweetly rubbing her thumb over the palm of his hand.
"It's war. You can't save everyone in a war," Harry implied, holding onto the witch's hand.
"But you can try. And you did. That's all that matters," she said, laying her head against his shoulder.
The two lovebirds sat cuddled up together, watching the waves crash onto the shore of the sea. It was only a matter of time before the world would crumble around them, but they only needed each other. They're love was infinite; raising in the ashes of destruction. The evil seemed to consume all that was good, but the good was fighting with all they had.
Harry decided he wanted to talk to Griphook about what he knew about the sword of Gryffindor being in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault. Aubrey, surprisingly, had no knowledge of this when she was asked. Which the brunette wondered why she wasn't informed during her time at Malfoy Manor.
The quartet gathered together in the bedroom, with Griphook sitting peacefully in a rocking chair in the corner of the room.
"How did you come by this sword?" Griphook questioned.
"It's complicated," Harry vaguely stated. "Why did Bellatrix Lestrange think it should be in her vault at Gringotts?"
"It's complicated," Griphook mocked cunningly.
"We didn't steal the sword, Griphook. If that's what you mean," Aubrey pipped in, her arms crossed over her chest. "It presented itself to us in a moment of need."
Griphook nodded slowly, his glaze switching from Aubrey to Harry. "There is a sword in Madame Lestrange's vault identical to this one, but it is a fake." The goblin trailed his finger down the sword, that lay in his lap, observing it intently.
"It was placed there this past summer..."
Harry frowned. "And she never suspected it was a fake?"
"The replica is very convincing. Only a goblin would recognize that. This is the true sword of Gryffindor," Griphook answered, pointing to the sword on his lap.
"Who put it there?" Aubrey questioned, pursing her lips in curiosity.
"A Hogwarts professor...as I understand that he is now headmaster," Griphook stated.
"Snape?" Ron asked in dismay. "He put a fake sword in Bellatrix's vault? Why?"
"There are more than a few curious things in the vaults at Gringotts," Griphook implied.
"I need to get into Gringotts. Into one of the vaults," Harry demanded.
"This is impossible."
"Alone yes. But with you, no."
"Why should I help you?" Griphook insisted.
"I have gold. Lots of it," Harry offered willingly.
"I have no interest in gold," the goblin shrugged off.
"Then what?"
"That," Griphook pointed to the sword, "that is my price."
Harry nodded, sealing the deal, as the quartet left the room.
Hermione turned to look at Harry, a questioning look pondered her expression. "Are you thinking there's a Horcrux in Bellatrix's vault?"
"Well, she was terrified when she thought we had been in there. She kept on asking what else we had taken. I bet you anything there's a Horcrux in there. Another piece of His soul. Let's find it and kill it and then we're another step closer to killing Him," Harry determinedly answered.
Aubrey pursed her lips, a thought perplexing her mind. "I remember hearing Bellatrix talking about a certain golden cup that was hidden in her vault. I think it has something to do with Hufflepuff."
The trio nodded, knowing what they needed to find.
"And then what happens when we find it?" Ron asked. "How are we supposed to destroy it now you've given the sword to Griphook?"
"I'm working on that part," Harry briefly said.
The quartet had know went to see Ollivander about the wands they had picked up at Malfoy Manor. The wand maker identified Draco and Bellatrix's wands. Harry had then asked a risky question about the deathly hallows to Ollivander. He's respond was that it was an old wives tale.
"You're lying. You know one exists," Harry interrupted. "You told Him about it. You told Him about the elder wand and where he could go looking for it."
Ollivander looked down in guilt. "He tortured me. Besides, I only conveyed rumors. There's no telling whether he will find it."
"He has found it, sir," Harry stated.
"Harry, come on," Aubrey motioned for all of them to leave Ollivander to rest.
"He's after you, Mr. Potter. If it's true, what you say, and he has the elder wand. I'm afraid you really don't stand a chance," Ollivander wearily expressed.
Harry turned back around, staring at the wand maker right into his eyes. "Well, I suppose I'll have to kill Him before he finds me then."
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THE PLAN WAS to use the Polyjuice potion the trio had created a month in advance when they were still at Grimmauld Place, to disguise Aubrey as Bellatrix Lestrange. Hermione was to be the one, but Aubrey made the point that she knew how Bellatrix acted.
"So, what do you think?" Aubrey asked, looking down at the black dress that cladded her body, using her wand to move a strand of black, curly hair to the side.
"Hideous," Ron expressed in disgust.
Aubrey managed to let out a chuckle, as she took the sword from Harry, putting it in the enchanted bag.
"We are relying on you, Griphook," Harry warned the goblin. "If you get us past the guards and into the vault, the sword is yours."
Griphook nodded, grunting in response. The group apparated to the alleyway outside of DiagonAlley. Hermione, Harry, and Griphook on the back of Harry were hidden underneath the invisibility cloak, as Ron was disguised as a Death Eater.
"Madam Lestrange," a guy greeted, passing by the evil witch.
Aubrey rolled her eyes, waving the random man away with her hand. They entered into the Gringotts bank, as the curious eyes of the goblins followed the Death Eater to the front of the bank.
"I wish to enter my vault," Aubrey stated.
The goblin didn't even spare a single glance. "Identification," the goblin vaguely said, flipping through papers.
Aubrey huffed in frustration. "I don't think that's necessary."
The goblin immediately looked up, his eyes widening. "Madam Lestrange."
"I don't want to be kept waiting!" Aubrey hissed in persistence.
Aubrey had heard Griphook tell Harry that they know she's an imposter and that they've been warned. The witch gulped lightly, but still trying to maintain her composure.
"Madam Lestrange, would you mind presenting your wand?"
"No, I most certainly do not understand," Aubrey exclaimed in anger.
"I'm afraid I must insist."
"Imperio," Harry muttered, the shimmering mist hitting the goblin in the face; turning his displeasing expression into a pleasant one.
"Very well, Madam Lestrange. If you will follow me." The goblin had turned his back, as the group followed.
They all entered into a cart that was hooked onto a track. The cart moved at rapid speed, the teenagers held on tight, as Aubrey let out a squeal of terror. The cart reached the end of the track, dipping forward, dumping the cart.
"Arresto Momentum," Hermione yelled out, having the group lightly fall onto the ground.
"Aubrey, why don't you look like Bellatrix?" Harry questioned in concern.
"The thief's downfall. Washes away all enchantments. Can be deadly," Griphook mentioned.
"You don't say," Ron sarcastically spat. "Just out of interest, is there any other way out of here?"
"No."
Aubrey scoffed. "Terrific."
"What the devil's are all you doing down here?" The goblin shouted, his enchantment worn off.
"Imperio," Ron annoyedly casted the spell, trancing the goblin once again.
A loud noise broke the silence from down under. "The hell was that?" Aubrey screeched.
The group all started to move farther down the underground, staring up in shock and terror at the chained up dragon. "Bloody hell! That's an Ukrainian Ironbelly," Ron announced.
Griphook had handed the quartet shakers that drew pain from the dragon. They successfully made it past the dragon, standing in front of the vault. Griphook opened the door, with the help from the other goblin. Harry entered into the vault, staring at the various pieces of gold around the dark witch's vault.
"Accio Horcrux," Hermione tried to cast.
"Because that's going to help, Hermione," Aubrey rolled her eyes.
"It was worth a try," the witch shrugged.
"Is it in here, Harry?" Ron asked. "Can you feel anything?"
"That's it! Up there!" Harry expressed, pointing to the Hufflepuff cup.
To everyone's dismay, the Gemino Curse was added, making everything multiply when touched. The quartet had shifted through the multiplying treasures, as Harry finally managed to grip onto the Horcrux.
"I said I'd get you in. I didn't say anything about getting you out," Griphook smiled sinisterly, taking himself, the sword, and the other goblin away from the vault.
"Griphook! You treacherous little freak!" Aubrey shouted after the goblin, who was shouting 'thieves' to the other goblins.
The quartet left the vault, only to be shot at by the goblins and other wizards. They stood behind large poles, dodging the spells being casted their way.
"We can't just stand here," Aubrey yelled. "We've got to do something!"
"Whose got an idea?" Hermione asked, glancing around.
"You're the brilliant one," Ron shouted.
"I've got something, but it's mad!" Hermione insisted. The bright witch moved from behind the pole, courageously jumping onto the back of the dragon.
"Damn, she is mad," Aubrey muttered, as the rest of them followed in suit of the witch.
The dragon was cut loose, breaking its way though the ceiling of the bank, before flying free in the sky. Aubrey gripped on tight to Harry's side, clenching her eyes from the high height.
Since the dragon was lower down to the lake below, the quartet jumped into the freezing cold lake. Aubrey's body crashed into the lake, as she swam hastily up to the surface, gasping for a breath of air. Aubrey crawled onto the land, her body shivering, goosebumps rising against her arms and legs.
"He knows," Harry stated, once he got to shore.
Hermione had started to hand dry clothes to the trio from her enchanted bad. The quartet began to underdress, feeling warm once their clothes cladded their bodies.
"How is it you know?" Hermione invasively shot at him.
"I saw him," Harry answered.
"And you let him in? Harry, you can't do that!" Hermione scolded him.
"Hermione, I can't always help it! Well, maybe I can. I don't know," Harry angrily spatted.
"It doesn't matter how Harry found out. Just tell us what you saw or whatever," Aubrey calmly said.
"Well, He's angry and scared. He knows if we find and destroy all the Horcruxes we'll be able to kill Him. I reckon He'll stop at nothing to make sure we don't find the rest," Harry explained. "And there's more. One of them is at Hogwarts."
"What? You saw it?" Hermione asked in astonishment.
Aubrey pursed her lips, trying to remember if Voldemort ever mentioned anything of a Horcrux in Hogwarts. She couldn't remember anything, sadly.
"I saw the castle. And Rowena Ravenclaw. It must have something to do with her. We have to go there now!" Harry vastly exclaimed.
"What! We can't do that that?" Hermione insisted.
"And why not, Hermione?" Aubrey challenged in agitation.
"We've got to plan, Aubrey. We've got to figure it out!" Hermione mustered, her glaze bouncing between Harry and Aubrey.
"Hermione, when have any of our plans actually worked! We plan, get there, and all hell breaks loose," the raven-haired wizard barked.
"He's right. We've got to get into Hogwarts today. We've got to end this," Aubrey said.
"They're right," Ron agreed, looking at Hermione. "One problem, Snape's headmaster now. We can't just walk through the front door."
"Well," Harry trailed off. "We'll go to Hogsmeade, to Honeydukes. Take the secret passage in the cellar."
"It's...There's something wrong with Him. It's like, you know, in past I've always been able to follow His thoughts. And now, everything just feels disconnected..." Harry confusedly said, his mind in a deep thought.
"Maybe it's the Horcruxes. Maybe He's growing weaker. Maybe He's dying," Ron shrugged, taking a guess.
"No," Harry shook his head. "No. It's more like He's wounded. If anything He feels more dangerous."
Aubrey placed her hand on her hips, pondering her own thoughts. "If He's getting more dangerous, than we better be prepared."
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