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Don't Give Up On Me | ||||||
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Category: Alternate Universe Characters:All Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance Warnings: Death, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Violence Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 173 Summary: Harry Potter has a destiny to defeat Voldemort and save the Wizarding World, but it’s hard to do when he’s the only one who knows that the Dark Lord has returned. Hitcount: Story Total: 50408; Chapter Total: 1418 Awards: View Trophy Room |
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Diagon Alley was like a ghost town, or what Harry assumed one might look like. Some shops were closed: windows covered with boards, chains and padlocks over doors, and a general deserted feel that made Harry both sad and angry. He didn’t want to remember Diagon Alley this way; when he came here, Harry wanted to remember the first time he’d arrived with Hagrid next to him, and he wished he had more eyes to be able to take it all in. The colors and activity in his mind seemed so bright, so...magical. To see it reminded him of the disconnect he now felt for Hogwarts and the Wizarding World, in general. Voldemort was ruining everything Harry loved about the Wizarding World and it made Harry hate him all the more. They’d arrived behind the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius, Tonks, and Harry, under the Invisibility Cloak. “Let’s get this done,” Tonks whispered. Her voice coming out of the image of Bellatrix Lestrange threw Harry for a moment, but he pushed the thought away and placed his hand on Sirius’ back to signal that they should move forward toward Gringotts. As they passed Number 93, Harry threw a longing glance to the windows. Both Ron and Ginny were inside with Fred and George, preparing the distraction. Other merchants were beginning to make their way to the shop, leaving behind their own places of business. He caught a glimpse of Ginny in the upstairs window and his heart leapt in his chest, pounding against his ribs. She pressed her hand to the glass for a moment before forcing herself to turn away. Eyes watched them proceed down the Alley, furtive glances covered by hats pulled low, and peeks around doorways or corners. No one approached, but Harry didn’t expect they would with Bellatrix Lestrange and the infamous Azkaban escapee, Sirius Black, marching determinedly down the Alley, with dark clothing and even darker countenances. “Don’t speak to anyone,” Sirius whispered to Tonks. “You’re pants at doing the voice.” Tonks whispered a horrible threat back to him and Sirius chuckled. “Getting a bit better now, though.” Harry wanted to tell them to focus, but Gringotts had just come into sight. Two Ministry wizards stood at either side of the doors, strange instruments in their hands. Bill had warned them that it was standard procedure to search all bank customers with the Probity Probes before entering and that getting inside might take several hours. That’s where they were hoping that the demonstration at Number 93 would help. Right on time, a volley of fireworks burst into the sky along with the chanted protests of the merchants and staged demonstrators. Harry glanced back over his shoulder as Fred and George whipped them into a fury. The Gringotts guards both stepped toward the ruckus, exchanging hesitant glances, but they did not abandon their posts. “It’s not working,” Sirius mumbled. “I’ll have to Confund them.” “Just wait,” Harry breathed. “Ginny‘s on it.” Less than ten seconds later, the entire Alley shook with a resounding boom. Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour shuddered under the explosion, teetering, and finally collapsed. Harry couldn’t see them, but he knew that both Ginny and Seamus were safe as one of the top windows in Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes went completely black, the pre-arranged signal. “That should do it,” Tonks said. Her eyes were wide as the Wizard guards rushed past them. “I love that girl,” Sirius growled, peering toward the space Harry should be. Beneath the Invisibility Cloak, Harry grinned. “Let’s go,” Harry said. They slipped inside the imposing doors to Gringotts, Harry tucking carefully behind Sirius to avoid being noticed. The marble hallway stretched out before them and they hesitated only a moment before moving forward. Harry counted the clicks of the heels Tonks was wearing as they passed hundreds of Goblin eyes. Harry swore they could see him, but nobody moved as they continued counting and writing in their ledgers. The goblin at the far end of the hall looked up as they approached and seemed startled to see Bellatrix Lestrange and Sirius Black standing before him. His glasses slipped down his long nose and perched near the tip, hovering like they might drop off at any moment. “Madam Lestrange! How...pleasant...to see you again so soon.” Tonks cleared her throat and gave a sharp nod. “I wish to enter my vault.” “Of course,” the goblin stuttered. He looked at Sirius and flinched away from whatever look the wizard was giving him; Harry couldn’t see the expression. “May I see your wand, please, Madam?” “My wand?” Tonks rose up to her full height--which wasn’t much--but the goblin took notice of the movement and cleared his throat. “For identification purposes only,” he said. “I’m sure you can understand that with so much unrest these days, we are taking more precautions for security.” “I don’t see why you would question my identity at all,” she challenged, but raised the walnut wand and let out a long-suffering sigh. “Do you need his, as well? Surely, you recognize my beloved cousin, Sirius Black, who has now joined our cause.” The goblin accepted the wand with trembling fingers and his eyes widened at the thought of having Sirius Black point his wand. “N-no,” the goblin said, “unless he plans to visit his vault, as well.” “Perhaps, I will,” Sirius said. He whipped out his own wand--dogwood and dragon heartstring--brandishing it before passing it over. The goblin swallowed audibly and nodded after giving both wands a quick once-over, handing them back. “Very well, Madam Lestrange, Mister Black.” He turned in his chair and snapped his long fingers. Behind him, a younger goblin came to attention and moved forward. Harry recognized him as the one who had helped him on several occasions, Griphook. “You’ll need the Clankers,” the old goblin ordered. Griphook gave a firm nod, scurried away, and returned with a bag that gave a muffled jangling sound. Bill had told them about the dragons housed in the lowest parts of the bank vaults, and how the goblins controlled them. It was the one part of their plan they hadn’t figured out but were hopeful that all would go well enough that they wouldn't need to deal with any dragons. Griphook led them to a door leading off the main hall and they passed into the stone hallway beyond, the light of the torches guttering with their movement. Sirius stepped in front of Tonks, blocking her way as they got to the cart and Tonks argued with him over allowing her to go first. Griphook watched the exchange with wide eyes and Harry took the created opportunity to climb into the cart first, sliding as far to the back corner as he could. “Well, then, cousin, after you,” said Sirius, “if it means so much to you to go first.” “Remember your place, dear cousin,” Tonks growled. She was growing into the role of Bellatrix with frightening ease, Harry thought. Griphook eyed them once more and noticed the odd way that Tonks was not sitting all the way to the end of the bench. He seemed to shake it off and climbed into the cart. “First stop, the Black vault,” Griphook called out. “I prefer to visit my vault first,” Tonks commanded. Griphook shook his head and was just about to argue when Sirius whispered, “Imperio!”. The goblin’s eyes glazed over, and he turned back into position. The cart jerked forward and began to gather speed, whipping through passages, headed downward. The cloak pulled tight across Harry’s face, the edges whipping behind him, as they wound down farther than Harry’d ever been before. Vaults were nothing but a blur. Even as he held on to the side of the shuddering cart, Harry couldn’t help but feel that things had gone well. They’d been prepared to fight their way in, but so far, they’d only been forced to use one spell. It couldn’t be this easy, could it? The thought hadn’t even fully formed in his mind when the sight of a waterfall ahead made his heart pound. There was no time to stop the cart, no time to do more than call out a warning and tug the cloak from his head before they crashed through it. “No!” The cart tumbled from the track as they fell toward the floor. It was only Tonks’ quick thinking that saved them. She arrested their fall and the four of them--Tonks, Sirius, Griphook, and Harry--stared at each other. “Thieves!” Griphook roared. Before he could yell again, Sirius had cast the Imperius once more. “They’ll know we’re here now,” Tonks grumbled as she released them to rest on the rocky ground. “Best get moving, then,” said Sirius. Harry shoved the cloak into his jacket and lifted his wand, lighting it and looking for the numbers on the vaults. “This way,” he said. He nudged Griphook to go ahead and the compliant goblin did so, the bag of Clankers knocking against his short legs. He refused to let the panic rising in him take over. They had no way out of the underground vault now once they retrieved the cup. The water had washed away all enchantments. Surprisingly, Tonks’ disguise was still in place, but she’d dropped all pretense of acting like Bellatrix Lestrange, now. A roar shook the passageway around them, and Harry swallowed hard. “Dragons?” Sirius asked. “There really are dragons?” He let out a string of filthy words under his breath. “Yes,” Griphook said. “Just ahead.” “Great,” Harry muttered. “How do we get past them?” Griphook, his eyes still glassy, tapped the bag tied to his belt. “We use these.” They turned a corner and the dragon came into view. It was clear to Harry that it had been held captive down here for a very long time. It looked nothing like the majestic dragons that Charlie had shown Harry in his books and photographs. This one was pale and looked sick, with opaque white-pink eyes. It was confined, tethered to the stone floor with chains that were held with gigantic pegs driven right into the stone. “I can’t believe they actually have dragons,” Tonks murmured as she pressed them both against the passageway. A burst of fire had come from the dragon, passing over the top of Griphook’s head. “Bill warned us, but--” “Get down, Griphook!” Sirius hissed, tugging at the goblin’s jacket. “We still need you to get into the vault.” Griphook resisted the tug and pulled out the Clankers from the bag by his side. At the first motion of the metal instruments the dragon shrank back from the vaults it was guarding. “It will not advance,” said Griphook over the ear-splitting clatter of the sound. “It’s been trained to expect pain when it hears this sound.” Harry grimaced, but followed Griphook as they moved toward the vaults. They kept well away from the dragon and the goblin kept him at bay with the noise. Sirius snatched the Clankers from Griphook when they’d reached the correct vault and gave him a stern look. “Open it.” Griphook hesitated, his hand reaching out, but fingers curling backward just before it touched the wood. “Do it!” Sirius commanded. Harry could see the war in the goblin’s eyes. The charm was either beginning to wear off, or he was fighting it. They needed inside this vault! The downfall of Voldemort was dependent upon it. Harry raised his trembling wand and focused on the word. “Imperius!” Griphook’s eyes glazed over and he raised his hand with determination, pressing it to the surface of the door until it melted away. Sirius nudged the goblin forward. “You go in, too.” Harry and Tonks both raised their wands. The doorway sealed behind them and Harry glared at the little goblin, who blinked owlishly up at him with distracted eyes. “Lumos!” The light shined off almost every surface, reflecting back piles and piles of golden galleons, treasures, and jewels. “What’re we looking for?” The words were barely out when Tonks gripped her hand, screaming as whatever she’d touched burned her. Her wand dropped to the floor and cast it’s beam of light up to the ceiling of the vault, which seemed to stretch immensely. “It’s all cursed,” Harry hissed. “Don’t touch anything!” Tonks swore and snatched her wand from the ground, glaring at the piles of gold around them. “They burn when you touch it. And it multiplies. Look!” Harry looked to where she was pointing and the silver platter she’d touched had replicated itself onto the floor of the vault. “Don’t touch anything,” Harry repeated desperately. “Summon the damned thing, Harry, before we get buried in here,” Sirius commanded. Harry swallowed and raised his wand. “Accio Cup!” Nothing happened. Harry tried a second time and growled in frustration. “No use,” he said. “We’ll have to look at everything. It’s a small golden cup with two handles and a badger engraved on it. Look everywhere, but don’t--” “Touch anything,” Tonks finished. “Right.” Beams of light scattered from them as they searched. Occasionally, a curse word would ring out and then the sound of clattering metal as they touched something. The narrow path through the treasure was becoming more and more crowded. Harry’s light passed over all sorts of glittering jewels, teetering stacks of gold coins and bars, swords, shields, and helmets. As it rose higher and higher, Harry caught sight of the cup on one of the higher shelves. “There it is!” he cried. His excitement was doused, however, when he realized the cup was too high up to reach. He would have to climb to retrieve it, setting off an avalanche of gold that would bury them alive, if it didn’t burn them to death first. “Levitate me up,” Tonks said as she came to stand by Harry’s side. “I should--” But Tonks elbowed him in the side. “I’m lighter than either of you. Levitate me up there. I’ll grab it--” “It’ll burn.” Her face paled, but a determined look set on her face. “I won’t let go.” Harry wanted to argue, but with no other options before them and a helpless shrug from Sirius, he agreed. “Wingardium Leviosa!” It wasn’t easy to hold Tonks upright while trying to keep her limbs from brushing anything. She flailed a little at first and a cascade of golden jewelry came down around Harry’s feet, burning through the legs of his trousers. Sirius used his own spell and they guided Tonks up and over the piles of gold toward the shelf and the little cup. “Almost there,” she encouraged. Her arm stretched straight out, fingers extending all the way to try and loop through the handle. Outside the closed vault door, Harry could hear the echoing sound of more Clankers coming their way. He concentrated on the spell and nudged Tonks forward a bit more. Her fingers closed around the cup handle and Harry winced as she whimpered. “Go, just, go!” Bringing her back was easier, as Harry wasn’t nearly as careful to keep her from touching anything. She came to rest next to him, both hands searing as she gripped the cup. Replica cups began cascading all around them. “Sirius, make him open the door.” “They are coming for you,” Griphook said in a harsh voice. He’d broken through the charm completely now and was glaring at them. “Open the door before we all get killed,” Sirius roared. The goblin refused to move. “Griphook!” Harry roared. “Open the door now!” Tonks was shuddering in his embrace, hands still stuck to the cup. Wisps of smoke could now be seen at the edges of her grip and the cup was beginning to glow golden-red with heat. “No, Harry Potter! You’re a thief!” Sirius twisted his wand violently and Griphook swung upside down, coins falling from his pockets. “Levicorpus!” His face grew terrified as he came nose to nose with Sirius Black. “Harry might not kill you, goblin, but I have no qualms. Open the door now.” He levitated the upside-down goblin toward the door and forced him to press his palm there. The door melted away and they could hear the growing sound of Clankers and the hoarse roar of the dragon filling the space. Harry felt better in the cool rocky corridor and away from the heat of the treasure inside the vault, but the impending rush of goblins that was sure to overrun them at any minute quashed that feeling. “I don’t think I can--” Tonks cried out as she pried her hands away from the cup. It fell, but Harry reached out with the Cloak from his pocket and enveloped the cup in it. He twisted and tied the Cloak up around the cup before burying it in his pocket. Griphook was still hanging upside down, cursing at them in his own language, mixed with a few nasty threats in English. “You’ll never get out!” he warned. Harry ignored him and turned to look at Tonks, who was staring down at her burned hands, tears running down her face. The countenance of Bellatrix Lestrange melted away and Tonks’ true appearance was restored. The skin on her hands was red and shiny, nearly burned away in some places. Harry put his arm around her shoulders. “Hermione can fix that,” he mumbled to her. She sniffled loudly and gave a jerky nod. “I can’t hold my wand, Harry.” “S’okay,” Harry said with a sigh. “Not sure what good it will do, anyway.” “Can we apparate away?” Sirius asked. “Try it,” Harry said. He watched as Sirius screwed up his face, but nothing happened. Another try and Sirius shook his head. The echo of the Clankers was getting louder and louder. Harry and Sirius shared a nod and turned to face the sound, determined to face whatever came around the corner and fight their way out. Griphook fell from Sirius’s spell, hitting his head on the stone ground and his eyes closed. Harry didn’t much care about him anymore, anyway. He would not be helping them escape. In a brief moment of hysteria, Harry remembered a wave of facts from Professor Binns’ endless lectures on the goblin wars. Names and dates popped into his head and he forced them away. “I haven’t told you lately, Kiddo,” Sirius said, his voice weak and shaky. “Don’t,” Harry snapped. “We’re getting out of here; I promised Ginny.” Sirius turned to him, shaggy hair hanging in his grey eyes. “Okay,” he said. “Okay.” They turned and held out their wands, ready to blast the wave of goblins. The sound of the Clankers was almost deafening and Harry wondered how many goblins were coming. The sound seemed to precede them, filling the vaults and bouncing off the walls. Just as Harry was about to shout a spell into the darkness, he saw the tip of...a broom. Bill Weasley, his red hair streaming behind him, came into view. Behind him were other members of the Order of the Phoenix on their own brooms--Charlie, Fred, and Remus. “Get on!” Bill said as he reached down, hooking his arm through Harry’s and swinging Harry up to clamber on behind him. “Bill! What’re you--” “Someone’s always gotta save your skinny arse, Potter!” he said, shooting a grin back over his shoulder. Harry glanced back to see that Charlie had pulled Sirius up, and Remus had Tonks in his grip. Fred had dipped down and was trying to pick Griphook up off the floor. “Leave him!” Harry roared. “Little bastard was trying to lock us in.” Fred dropped the body and soared up to meet them. Bill continued to shake the Clanker in his hand and the dragon gave a weak roar. “Barbaric,” said Charlie as he came to hover next to them. “Should be killed just for doing that.” “Don’t know how we’re going to get out now,” Bill said. Harry could hear the pounding of his heart almost blocking out the sound of the Clanker. “I do,” Harry said, a flash of crazy inspiration coming to him. “Watch out!” He aimed his wand as the bindings for the dragon. “Relashio!” The nearly-blind dragon lunged toward them as it spread its spiky wings, filling the entire corridor. With a massive blast of air, it flapped and lifted to hover. A jet of fire erupted down the tunnel and Harry could see a massive goblin army in full gear in the light of the flames. “Go!” Charlie yelled at the dragon. “You’re free, you great stupid oaf!” Another burst of fire held the goblins at bay and the dragon gave another mighty flap of its wings, shooting upward. A deafening roar shook the cavern and the dragon lifted higher and higher. Bill and the others rose with it, dodging spears and daggers that flew at them from below. “Watch yourselves!” Bill screamed as the crash of glass and metal sounded above them. Razor-sharp fragments fell around, and Harry managed to deflect most of them away from Bill as they followed the dragon out of the top of the bank. Harry heard a cry behind him but could do nothing more than cling to Bill’s leather jacket as they followed the dragon out of the ceiling and out into the brightness of day. “Everyone okay?” Bill called back when they were over London. Harry glanced backward to see Fred falling from his broom. He pulled his wand and levitated Fred. “Swing back around,” he ordered Bill. Bill’s looked back over his shoulder, face going pale and eyes wide. He gave a single nod and swooped back, allowing Harry to lower Fred onto their broom. The old Nimbus gave a jolt and dipped precariously, but Harry knew they didn’t have to go far. Harry clung to Fred, wrapping his arms around him and pressing his unconscious body between Harry and Bill. Fred’s legs dangled alarmingly off the side of the broom. The dragon was a mere speck over London as Harry clung to Fred. He looked down and watched as a crimson stain spread from the front of Fred’s robes onto Harry’s jacket. “Hurry, Bill,” he pleaded and held Fred even tighter to him. |
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