COUP DE GRÂCE
(n.) a decisive finish blow, act, or event
TESSA WAS PRETTY DAMN SURE THE SINGLE, COARSE BLACK HAIR SHE FOUND ON HER SWEATER WASN'T HERS. She should know — she spent eighteen years growing out her blue-black hair to be able to tell this strand of hair belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange.
The initial was plan for Tessa to drink the Polyjuice Potion, but she took a step back and allowed Hermione to do it instead. She may be a bitch who would be able to play the sadistic role of the mad woman well, but she wasn't feeling up to it. It still gave her chills when she remembered the feeling of a thousand knives digging through her skin that day. And also because they agreed it would be safer for her to stay hidden with Harry.
"And you'll be using her actual wand," Harry said to Hermione, "so I reckon you'll be pretty convincing."
"I hate this thing," Hermione mumbled lowly as she picked up Bellatrix's wand. "I really hate it. It feels all wrong, it doesn't work properly for me. . . It's like a bit of her."
Tessa let loose a long and weary sigh as she said, "Mione, I'm sorry — if you really don't want to do it, then I can — "
"No," Hermione cut in, reaching over to hold Tessa's hand in hers. "No, I don't want you to go through her again. It's okay, I can do this," she added in a trembling voice.
"It'll probably help you get in character, though," Ron offered. "Think what that wand's done!"
Hermione exhaled. "But that's my point! This is the wand that tortured Neville's mum and dad, and who knows how many other people? This is the wand that killed Sirius!"
A pause followed where they all shared a moment of silence.
"I miss my wand," Hermione muttered. "I wish Mr. Ollivander could have made me another one too."
The door of the bedroom creaked open as Griphook entered. They all turned to the goblin as Harry said, "We've just been checking the last-minute stuff, Griphook. We've told Bill and Fleur we're leaving tomorrow, and we've told them not to get up to see us off."
Griphook was constantly at the back of Tessa's mind — like warning bells going off whenever the goblin narrowed his eyes at the sword. Especially when either Harry or Tessa would grab hold of it. He didn't seem to trust them, and neither did they at him.
Tomorrow couldn't come any sooner than it did. Morning arrived, and they found themselves waiting out in the garden for Hermione and Griphook. Tessa shivered from the chilly dawn, pulling Draco's jacket tighter around her. She still had the same one from their third year — it was slightly worn out by now, but at least it's clean from it being laundered.
Tessa sighed wearily, tipping her head back so she could stare up at the sky. Stars were blinking out as lazy hues of sunrise began to spread throughout the horizon. She could hear the crashing waves from where she stood, the sound bringing her comfort as she smiled to herself in memory of Sebastian and Nikolai.
She hoped they were doing all right.
The sound of the door opening pulled her from her thoughts, and she turned to see Bellatrix Lestrange approaching them with Griphook. Tessa shuddered inwardly on how she wouldn't have been able to tell it was Hermione until she spoke.
"She tasted disgusting, worse than Gurdyroots. Okay, Ron, come here so I can do you . . ."
Tessa's mouth twitched at what Hermione said, trying not to make an inappropriate joke at the moment.
"Right," Ron said, "but remember, I don't like the beard too long —"
Hermione clicked her tongue. "Oh, for heaven's sake, this isn't about looking handsome —"
"It's not that, it gets in the way! But I liked my nose a bit shorter, try and do it the way you did last time."
Hermione let loose a long breath before casting a spell on Ron and giving him a completely new identity. The two would be seen publicly whereas Harry, Tessa, and Griphook would hide under the Cloak.
"There," Hermione said when she finished, "how does he look, you two?"
Tessa turned to eye Ron — long and wavy hair, brown beard and mustache, and no freckles.
Harry's lips twitched as a grin played on his mouth. "Well, he's not my type, but he'll do."
She snickered at that before saying, "Shall we go, then?"
They all glanced at Shell Cottage one last time before turning their backs and heading off. Just as they walked past the wall where the boundary of the Fidelius Charm started, Griphook turned to Harry.
"I should climb up now, Harry Potter, I think?"
Tessa shared a discreet glance with her brother before she watched him pick up the goblin and help him clamber onto his back. "Here," she said and threw the Cloak over them. "Mione?"
"Perfect," Hermione told them. "I can't see a thing. Let's go."
They all entered the Leaky Cauldron which was the entrance to Diagon Alley. There was Tom, the landlord, by the bar, and a couple who retreated into the shadows upon seeing Hermione.
"Madam Lestrange," Tom muttered as Hermione moved past him.
"Good morning," Hermione replied back with a bob of her head.
Tessa choked back a cough as she whispered, "Too polite. That bitch would never greet people good morning."
Harry nodded fervently. "You need to treat people like they're scum!"
"Okay, okay!" Hermione pulled out Bellatrix's wand and tapped on the wall as the bricks rearranged themselves to form an archway to Diagon Alley.
The shops were barely open this early in the day, and there were only a few wizards and witches roaming about. Majority of the stores were closed down and boarded up with Harry's and Tessa's faces plastered all over.
At the sight of Hermione, they began to draw their hoods over their heads and shrink back into the shadows. Except for one man with a bloody bandage over his eye. Tessa flinched at how familiar his injuries looked to her.
"My children!" he cried out, pointing at Hermione. "Where are my children? What has he done with them? You know, you know!"
An alarmed look flashed across Hermione's face. "I — I really —"
He lunged at her, a hand shooting out for her throat — but was thrown backward with an explosion of red light. Ron was in front of Hermione in a protective stance, a wand outstretched before him.
Tessa felt Harry subconsciously grip her tighter under his arm, and she whispered to Ron, "Let's go."
But before either of them could take another step, someone had approached them from behind.
"Why, Madam Lestrange!"
Tessa carefully turned with Harry under the Cloak, and found an all-too-familiar Death Eater with gray hair striding toward them.
"It's Travers," Griphook hissed into Harry's ear.
Hermione stuck her nose high into the air and straightened herself to appear tall. "And what do you want?"
An affronted look flickered on Travers's pointed face. "I merely sought to greet you, but if my presence is not welcome . . ."
"Why does he look familiar?" Harry mumbled to Tessa.
"He's one of the imbeciles who tried to capture us in Lovegood's place," she replied back.
Realization dawned on Harry as his mouth slacked open for a second while he nodded absentmindedly.
"No, no, not at all, Travers," Hermione said at once. "How are you?"
"Well, I confess I am surprised to see you out and about, Bellatrix."
"Really? Why?"
"Well," Travers coughed, "I heard that the inhabitants of Malfoy Manor were confined to the house, after the . . . ah . . . escape."
Tessa squeezed her eyes shut for a heartbeat. Draco's okay, she told herself. She can feel him, she knows he's okay. He'll be okay.
"The Dark Lord forgives those who have served him most faithfully in the past," Hermione sneered in imitation of Bellatrix. "Perhaps your credit is not as good with him as mine is, Travers."
Travers bit back a retort at that before glancing over at the unconscious man on the ground. "How did it offend you?"
"It does not matter, it will not do so again," Hermione muttered.
"Some of these wandless can be troublesome. While they do nothing but beg I have no objection, but one of them actually asked me to plead her case at the Ministry last week. 'I'm a witch, sir, I'm a witch, let me prove it to you!' As if I was going to give her my wand — but whose wand, are you using at the moment, Bellatrix? I heard that your own was —"
"I have my wand here," Hermione interjected coldly. "I don't know what rumors you have been listening to, Travers, but you seem sadly misinformed."
Travers was momentarily taken aback at that before turning to Ron. "Who is your friend? I do not recognize him."
"This is Dragomir Despard," Hermione introduced. "He speaks very little English, but he is in sympathy with the Dark Lord's aims. He has traveled here from Transylvania to see our new regime."
"Indeed? How do you do, Dragomir?"
" 'Ow you?" Ron held out a hand for Travers to shake.
"So what brings you and your — ah — sympathetic friend to Diagon Alley this early?" Travers asked Hermione.
"I need to visit Gringotts," Hermione replied.
"Alas, I also. Gold, filthy gold! We cannot live without it, yet I confess I deplore the necessity of consorting with our long-fingered friends."
Tessa peeked over again Griphook who now had an ugly scowl on his face.
"Shall we?" Travers gestured at the road before Hermione.
And so Tessa, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Griphook, and Travers — the most unlikely group — walked together toward the marble steps up the bronze doors of Gringotts. Just as Griphook told them before, two wizards who'd replaced the goblins now flanked the entrance with golden rods in their hands.
"Ah, Probity Probes," Travers said with a dramatic sigh, "so crude — but effective!" He walked right in front of the wizards who waved the rods before him and let him pass through after.
Tessa caught sight of the slightly panicked flicker on Ron's face and she raised her wand, pointing it at one of the wizards as she whispered, "On your left — Confundo."
Now that both she and Harry had performed the spell on the guards, Hermione began to climb up the steps.
"One moment, madam," one of the guards said, holding up a Probe.
"But you've just done that!" Hermione snapped in Bellatrix's sneering voice.
The guard blinked in a dazed manner, glancing down at his Probe and then toward his companion who seemed just as befuddled as he was.
"Yeah, you've just checked them, Marius."
Before they could debate on the matter any longer, Hermione stride through the entrance doors with Ron right by her side. Harry and Tessa hurried right after with Griphook clinging onto Harry's back.
They entered the great marble hall of the bank, heading toward the long counter with goblins sitting behind it and serving a few customers already. Tessa pulled Harry carefully after Hermione, Ron, and Travers who made their way to an old goblin closely examining a gold coin through an eyeglass.
Travers went first, handing the goblin a golden key before receiving it back after inspection. The goblin glanced up at Hermione and was startled at the sight. "Madam Lestrange! Dear me! How — how may I help you today?"
"I wish to enter my vault," Hermione said clearly.
Something seemed wrong with what she said — several goblins around them turned in surprise to stare at Hermione.
"Uh oh," Tessa whispered to herself, her stomach plunging to her feet.
"You have . . . identification?" the old goblin asked.
"Identification?" Hermione cried out preposterously. "I — I have never been asked for identification before!"
"They know!" Griphook hissed under his breath. "They must have been warned there might be an impostor!"
"Your wand will do, madam," the old goblin said, outstretching a shaky hand.
"Act now, act now, the Imperius Curse!"
Before Tessa could do so, Harry had already pointed Draco's wand at the goblin and whispered, "Imperio."
Tessa watched with baited breath as the goblin took Bellatrix's wand and examined it. He said, "Ah, you have had a new wand made, Madam Lestrange!"
"What?" Hermione blurted out. "No, no, that's mine —"
"A new wand?" Travers repeated curiously. "But how could you have done, which wandmaker did you use?"
Out of panic, Tessa pointed her own wand at Travers. "Imperio!"
Travers blinked. "Oh yes, I see, yes, very handsome. And is it working well? I always think wands require a little breaking in, don't you?"
Tessa's shoulders sagged in great relief at that. She watched as the old goblin clapped his hands and a younger goblin approached them. "I shall need the Clankers," he told the younger goblin who left and returned with a bag of jingling metal. "Good, good. So, if you will follow me, Madam Lestrange, I shall take you to your vault." He hopped off his stool and walked down the end of the counter toward them.
"Wait — Bogrod!" Another goblin rushed over toward them. "We have instructions," he said with a bow to Hermione. "Forgive me, Madam, but there have been special orders regarding the vault of Lestrange." He whispered something in Bogrod's ear but thanks to the Imperius Curse, the goblin wasn't fazed.
"I am aware of the instructions. Madam Lestrange wishes to visit her vault. . . Very old family — old clients. This way, please . . ."
Without another word, Bogrod trotted down the hall. Tessa flicked her wand, making Travers dumbly follow after them down a stone passageway lit with torches.
"We're in trouble; they suspect," Harry said as soon as they entered one of the doors and slammed it shut behind them.
Tessa shoved the Cloak off of them. "Thank God, it was getting stuffy in this thing." She tucked it under her arm as Griphook jumped down from Harry's shoulders.
Travers and Bogrod kept their blank faces on, neither surprised at the fact that Harry and Tessa Potter were standing right in front of them.
"They're Imperiused," Harry added upon seeing Ron and Hermione's confused looks. "I don't think I. did it strongly enough, I don't know . . ."
Tessa waved him off with a hand. "It's fine, don't worry too much."
"What do we do?" Ron asked. "Shall we get out now, while we can?"
"If we can," Hermione murmured.
"We've got this far, I say we go on," Harry said firmly.
"Good!" Griphook spoke up, catching their attention. "So, we need Bogrod to control the cart; I no longer have the authority. But there will not be room for the wizard."
Tessa nodded distractedly, flicking her wand at Travers as she sent him off along the dark track.
"What are you making him do?" Ron asked curiously.
"Hide." Tessa shrugged and mumbled, "Maybe rethink his life decisions — who knows?" He snorted and rolled his eyes at her.
Harry, who still had Bogrod under his Imperius Curse, made the goblin summon a cart toward them. They all clambered into it, the two goblins in front while the Golden Quartet crammed at the back. Tessa lurched forward when the cart moved suddenly, nearly toppling off were it not for Ron who yanked her back to her seat.
"Thanks," she murmured.
"Please don't die on us just yet," he mumbled back causing Harry and Hermione to snort in laughter.
The cart twisted and turned through the passages — the labyrinth so complex that even Tessa couldn't have memorized it were it not for the maps Griphook drew for them beforehand. They went on all the way until they saw a waterfall looming overhead.
"No!" Griphook shouted, but it was too late. They'd already zipped through it as Tessa coughed terribly from the water that stung her eyes and filled her mouth.
The cart flipped over, throwing them all out as she heard it smash against the wall. Tessa was shouting — she didn't know what exactly, until she fell toward the ground painlessly.
"C-Cushioning Charm," Hermione stammered, coughing out water.
Tessa shook her hair like a wet dog, glancing over to the others — and froze. Hermione and Ron no longer had their disguises, they looked just like themselves now. "Oh, shit."
"The Thief's Downfall!" Griphook exclaimed, clambering to his feet. "It washes away all enchantment, all magical concealment! They know there are impostors in Gringotts, they have set off defenses against us!"
At that, Tessa gasped and hurriedly turned to Bogrod and found him shaking his head as he blinked away his confusion.
"We need him," Griphook said, "we cannot enter the vault without a Gringotts goblin. And we need the Clankers!"
In perfect unison, Harry and Tessa raised their wands at the goblin and echoed, "Imperio!"
Calmness and tranquility passed over Bogrod's face as he submitted to their will once again.
"I think I can hear people coming!" Hermione shouted, pointing at the waterfall as she cried, "Protego!"
"Good thinking," Harry said, watching the Shield Charm spread throughout the water.
Tessa nodded at the goblin. "Lead the way, Griphook."
"How are we going to get out again?" Ron asked as they hurried after the goblins.
"Let's worry about that when we have to," Tessa mumbled back.
"Griphook, how much farther?" Harry asked.
"Not far, Harry Potter, not far . . ."
"He's right," Tessa said. "I — I can feel it . . . " She shuddered, a sudden flicker of flame surging within her and causing the beast inside her to tremble from its slumber.
They rounded a corner, eyes falling on the magnificent creature that made them all stiffen and halt. As though practiced, Ron, Hermione, and Harry all took one step backward as Tessa took one forward. Her eyes were locked on the great dragon tethered to the ground. Its scales were pink and flaky, eyes a milky color, with chains cuffed around its rear legs.
"It's ugly," Ron stage-whispered.
"She's beautiful," Tessa retorted, mouth still partly slacked open in awe as she kept her eyes at the dragon.
Her entire body was on fire — her own dragon inside bursting to life as she stared directly at the one before her. It fixed its milky eyes at her, looking without seeing.
"It is partially blind," Griphook panted, "but even more savage for that. However, we have the means to control it. It has learned what to expect when the Clankers come. Give them to me."
"No, that's okay," Tessa said, raising a hand absentmindedly as she still stared at the dragon. "She won't harm anyone, there's nothing to worry about."
"I'm not taking any chances," Griphook countered. "We discussed this, Tessa Potter." He reached over for the bag of small metal instruments that he handed to Bogrod. "You know what to do," Griphook said again. "It will expect pain when it hears the noise: It will retreat, and Bogrod must place his palm upon the door of the vault."
Tessa finally tore her eyes off the blind dragon, her heart lurching for a moment. "We don't have to do that. If you give me a second, I can get it to — FUCK!" She gasped in pain when the clanging noise echoed off the rocky walls.
Griphook continued to shake the Clankers, the noise vibrating off the walls as the beast roared in pain. Tessa was breathing raggedly, her head searing as though in fire. She couldn't think or breathe for a heartbeat, having to blindly reach for Hermione's hand as she pulled her alongside.
"Make him press his hand to the door!" Griphook told Harry who flicked his wand at Bogrod who pressed his palm to the door and the vault melted to reveal a cave filled with golden coins and treasures unlike any other.
"Search, fast!" Harry said.
"You okay?" Hermione asked Tessa who stiffly nodded and went to search.
Tessa had just managed to walk inside the trove when the vault sealed itself shut, plunging them into darkness.
"No matter, Bogrod will be able to release us!" Griphook exclaimed. "Light your wands, can't you? And hurry, we have very little time!"
"Lumos!"
Tessa scoured the place as carefully as she could, making sure not to touch anything unnecessary.
"Harry, could this be — ?" Hermione cut herself off with a scream. They all spun around to see a jeweled goblet fall from her grip as it burst into identical cups rolling around the ground. "It burned me!"
"They have added Gemino and Flagrante Curses!" Griphook exclaimed. "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!"
"Okay, don't touch anything!" Harry said.
Just at that precise moment, Ron accidentally tripped over a fallen goblet and about twenty more exploded. He yelped, hopping on one foot as a part of his shoe was singed.
"Stand still, don't move!" Hermione hurried over to hold onto Ron.
"Just look around!" Harry instructed. "Remember, 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."
"I think I might be able to handle the heat," Tessa said, walking down a pile of silver armors. "If you see it, let me hold it."
But as time went by, it was impossible not to accidentally touch anything. The ground was now filled with copies of coins and goblets and more jewelries that it was getting harder to walk over it.
"It's there," Harry suddenly cried out. "Tessa, it's up there!"
Tessa swiveled around and spotted the little golden cup that once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff, then onto Hepzibah Smith, and stolen by Tom Riddle.
"And how the hell are we going to get up there without touching anything?" Ron spluttered.
"Accio Cup!" Hermione cried out.
"No use, no use!" Griphook snapped impatiently as Tessa snarled lowly at him, not liking his tone.
"Then what do we do?" Harry demanded, glaring at the goblin. "If you want the sword, Griphook, then you'll have to help us more than — wait! Can I touch stuff with the sword? Hermione, give it here!"
Hermione pulled it out from her beaded bag and handed it to Harry who tried to touch the tip of the blade to a silver flagon which thankfully did not multiply.
"If I can just poke the sword through a handle — but how am I going to get up there?"
The dragon roared ferociously from the outside and everyone froze their attempts in reaching for the cup. Tessa stilled, staring off at the distance before saying, "Goblins are on their way — we need to hurry."
Ron's mouth fell open. "How did you — ?"
"Now's not the time, come on!"
Harry spun to face Hermione. "I've got to get up there, we've got to get rid of it —"
Hermione pointed her wand at Harry and whispered, "Levicorpus."
But once he was up in the air, Harry accidentally hit a suit of armor that bursted into several copies of it. Screams of pain echoed as Tessa shouted with her wand up, "Impervius!"
Ron and Hermione were trying to pull up Bogrod who'd slipped inside the growing treasure as Tessa yanked Griphook from beneath.
"Liberacorpus!" Harry shouted, collapsing back to the ground as the sword flew out of his hands.
"GRIPHOOK, NO!" Tessa shouted, but it was too late. The goblin had lunged for the sword, swinging it out of their reach as he climbed up and away from them. "GIVE ME THAT!"
Harry wrestled for the sword back, and with a jerk of his hand, the cup was flung into the air. "TESSA, CATCH IT!"
She leaped across the room, hands outstretched as her fingers closed around the cup. Everything moved in slow motion, her senses in hyper focus as she landed roughly onto her side. At once, the cup bursted out into several replicas as Tessa kept her grip around the original cup. Just as she expected, it didn't burn her at all, although there was an immensely uncomfortable feeling.
"STOP HIM!" Tessa shouted at Harry, but Griphook had already slipped through his grasp.
The goblin was sprinting toward the other goblins who'd come to stop them. "Thieves! Thieves!" Griphook roared out, brandishing the sword. "Help! Thieves!" He jumped in the middle of the group, vanishing amidst the others who were holding daggers up.
"Hermione, the shell!" Ron cried out at the girl who understood at once.
Hermione jammed a hand inside her beaded bag and pulled out a familiar seashell in her fist. "W-What do I do?" Before she could even try anything, Ron had already snatched it out of her hand and threw it against the ground, effectively smashing it to pieces.
A cacophony of crashing waves bursted out of the shell as seawater taking the form of sharks as massive as whales devoured the goblins. They shrieked, the force of the waves crashing down and sending them soaring backwards onto the wall behind them. As quickly as the water sharks had come out, they disappeared into normal seawater that lapped over the unconscious goblins.
"Bloody hell," Ron said in bewilderment, eyes wide as he took in the catastrophe from a single piece of seashell as small as a Galleon.
The tethered dragon roared, shuffling from where it was chained as flame bursted forth over the goblins. Tessa's body moved by its own accord, feet surging forward to approach the beast as she yelled, "Relashio!" And the chains that bonded him broke open as it roared in freedom.
"I have a bad idea," Tessa said, advancing again toward the dragon.
"Then why are we doing it?" Hermione exclaimed in panic, yet she was following after Tessa.
"Just trust me." Tessa inched forward to the dragon, craning her neck to meet its sightless gaze. She raised a hand outward to it, palms facing the beast as she spoke to it.
A language she knew all too well what it was, and yet at the same time something she has never learned at all.
Her tongue had a mind of its own, her mouth moving against her will.
It was her dragon inside her speaking to the one before her.
"Ic lóclóca þú," the beast inside purred an echo that tumbled within the rocky walls.
At once, the blind dragon stilled and shifted its attention to Tessa. It did not move nor did it snarl — its chest vibrated as it hummed seeming like a sign that it was listening.
Hermione whimpered from the back, instantly shushed by Harry who sent a Stunning Spell against one of the goblins who'd stirred awake.
"Wé ylcan heaðuswát," her voice rang throughout the place again, stepping again towards the dragon who lowered itself to a bow.
"Holy Merlin's balls," Ron blurted out when Tessa began to climb onto its back.
Tessa turned to face the other three who had dumbfounded looks on their faces. "Get up, climb up, come on —"
They broke free from their trance and hurriedly clambered onto the back of the dragon whose rumble began to echo loudly within the walls.
"Bad idea," Hermione whimpered as she wrapped her arms tightly around Ron. "Very, very bad idea."
Tessa was at the front of them all, heels digging into the scales of the dragon to keep herself steady. She ran a hand tenderly down its back, frowning at the scars and old wounds it had acquired from the wizards here. "They hurt you really bad, huh?" she whispered.
It seemed to make a low, whining sound in agreement, its body humming and vibrating all throughout.
"Hold it," she told them over her shoulder.
Harry gripped her tight, arms wounding securely around her as he peeked at her face. "Oh, no — I know that look in your face. What are you planning?"
Tessa let loose a shaky breath. "Ab Herede Tanwen won't be the only ones I'm freeing." Inhaling sharply, she laid her palms flat against the dragon's thick scale as she felt fire course through her veins. "Ic befreogan þú!"
And with a deafening roar that shook the earth and split the oceans apart, the dragon reared back on its legs as its magnificent wings unfolded. And just like that, it knocked over any goblin that tried to rise to their feet as the dragon soared into the air.
"We'll never get out, it's too big!" Hermione screamed.
Tessa's lips twitched. "That's what she said."
"Tessa, now's not the time!"
Before Hermione could chastise her any further, Tessa yelled at the top of her lungs, "FORBEARNAN!" She honestly didn't even know what the hell she was saying, but whatever the spell was meant to do worked effectively because the dragon let out a trail of blazing fire and blasted through the tunnels. The floors and ceilings began to crumble and shatter down on them.
Plumes of smoke filled the air as the dragon's roar thundered throughout the darkness. It bellowed out its rage of entrapment, trying to claw and push its way out of the cave.
"CONFRINGO!" Tessa shouted, her wand up in the air as she blasted the rocks blocking their path, helping the dragon push through.
"Defodio!" Hermione yelled, trying to join and help destroy the ceiling.
They broke through, digging and pushing their way out through the passageways that twisted endlessly. And finally — they exploded right out of the middle of the marble hall as goblins and wizards were sent screaming for dear life.
As though sensing its yearning for the freedom the outside world brought the dragon, Tessa cling onto it as she yelled out behind her, "HOLD ON TIGHT!" And with that said, the dragon spread it's great wings to its magnificent length and broke through Gringotts before soaring into the afternoon sky.
ϟ ϟ ϟ ϟ
Nobody knew how Tessa did it. She wasn't uttering a word, but she had a look on her face that seemed as though she knew exactly how to lead the dragon to wherever she wanted to go.
London was right below them, gray and green and perhaps impossible to land safely.
Her hair ruffled in the wind, and Tessa breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth. Everything felt calm and free now that they were out in the open. It seemed like this would be the only time they'd get a quiet moment before hell breaks loose again. It was the eye of the hurricane.
The same thing couldn't be said for the three behind her. Harry was silent as though devising a plan, Ron was swearing loudly at the top of his lungs, and Hermione was sobbing and shaking.
"Do you have another bad idea?" Harry asked eventually after a while of soaring through the skies.
"Nope," Tessa replied, popping the p.
Harry fell silent again as the dragon continued to fly higher up into the clouds where it was colder and chillier.
"What do you reckon it's looking for?" Ron yelled as they flew north.
"No idea," Harry bellowed back. "Tessa?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "I don't speak dragon, but I think it just wants to go far away from Gringotts."
They didn't know how long they were flying, but the sun began to set and sink down the horizon until hues of blues and purples began painting the sky.
"Is it my imagination," Ron shouted, "or are we losing height?"
Tessa bit her lip. "If I say it's the latter, do you promise not to panic?"
A brief pause. "Promises are meant to be broken — Harry, do you have a plan?"
"Hold on tight!" Tessa shouted in warning when the dragon began to spiral down toward the mountains and lakes. She heard Hermione shriek from behind, and Ron cursing loudly again.
"I say we jump when it gets low enough!" Harry called out to them. "Straight into the water before it realizes we're here!"
With a swift response of agreement, they all waited until the dragon eased down toward the water. Tessa flattened her palm against the scales of the blind beast, allowing her dragon to give a farewell before she jumped into the water.
Panic and fear swallowed Tessa whole when she submerged into the icy waters of the lake, her body jumping into terror. Her arms flailed as she tried to keep afloat, the water stinging her eyes. Arms looped around her, safely bringing her up to break through the surface as she greedily gasped for air.
"Thank — you," she panted, allowing her brother to pull her to shore where they all flopped onto the grass. Exhaustion seemed to weigh her down like a blanket as she lay unmoving on the ground. Harry had gotten up to cast protective spells over them while Hermione and Ron dabbed dittany over their injuries.
"I'm fine," she added, when Hermione tried to search her for any wounds. "I'm not hurt." Tessa sat up and reached for the bottles of pumpkin juice to pass them out along with clean and dry robes to change into.
"Well, on the upside," Ron said as they finished changing and started drinking their juice, "we got the Horcrux. On the downside —"
"— no sword," Harry grumbled through gritted teeth.
"No sword. That double-crossing little scab . . ."
Tessa puffed air out toward her stray piece of hair, watching it fly helplessly into the air and landing back over her forehead. "And that's on trusting goblins." She pulled out the Horcrux stowed in her wet jacket and handed it to Harry.
"At least we can't wear it this time, that'd look a bit weird hanging round our necks," Ron muttered, taking a large swig of pumpkin juice.
Hermione looked away from them and toward the dragon on the other side of the bank that was drinking water. "What'll happen to it, do you think?" she asked Tessa. "Will it be all right?"
"You sound like Hagrid," Ron mumbled. "It's a dragon, Hermione, it can look after itself."
"First of all," Tessa said with a look toward Ron, "that's not very nice. And second," she paused to stare at the enormous beast, "she'll be okay. She's free now."
"Besides," Ron added. "It's us we need to worry about."
Hermione cocked her head to the side. "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."
Tessa grinned before the four started to laugh at that.
"What are we going to do, though?" Hermione asked as they stopped laughing a few minutes later. "He'll know, won't he? You-Know-Who will know we know about his Horcruxes!"
Tessa hummed absentmindedly. "But he won't know that we know he knows we know about his Horcruxes."
Ron stared at her bewilderedly for a moment as though she were mad before he shook his head to himself and replied to Hermione, "Maybe they'll be too scared to tell him? Maybe they'll cover up —"
"Harry?" Tessa suddenly blurted out as both Hermione and Ron stopped talking.
Harry was lying on his back, eyes screwed shut as though in pain. His face contorted, jaw clenching as he grunted through gritted teeth.
"Harry?"
His eyes flew open after a few moments, his breathing heavy and ragged as his gaze traveled through them. Tessa helped him up, his body shivering but not from the cold. He glanced away toward the cup.
"He knows," his voice was hoarse and scratchy. "He knows, and he's going to check where the others are, and the last one," he said as he jumped to his feet, "is at Hogwarts. I knew it. I knew it."
Tessa shared a look with Ron and Hermione. "What?" She shot to her feet as well, watching Harry whose face was set into deep thought.
Hermione sat up worriedly. "But what did you see? How do you know?"
"I saw him find out about the cup," Harry stammered. "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. 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.
Harry shook his head. "No, he was concentrating on warning Snape, he didn't think about exactly where it is —"
"Wait, wait!" Hermione cried out when Tessa scooped up the Horcrux and the Invisibility Cloak into her arms. "We can't just go, we haven't got a plan, we need to —"
"We need to get going," Harry cut in 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?"
Hermione hesitated. "But how are we going to get in?"
"We'll go to Hogsmeade," Tessa said, "and try to work something out once we see what the protection around the school's like."
Harry sighed when Hermione still looked unsure. "Get under the Cloak, Hermione, I want to stick together this time."
She sniffed. "But we don't really fit —"
"It'll be dark, no one's going to notice our feet."
The sound of flapping wings broke through their conversation, and they all turned to see the dragon rise into the air. It seemed to turn its head toward Tessa's direction before soaring higher into the sky. With an upward curl of her lips, Tessa raised a hand up midway as a farewell. Ron was smiling slightly when he put her hand down and threw the Cloak over all four of them.
A/N
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