Once we hit the bottom of the stairs Harry flinches slightly.

"What's wrong Harry?" I ask him softly. He looks to the others sitting at the table. Then back to us.

"Come on," He says softly. He pulls us past the others sitting in the kitchen out to the salty outside. He leads us to Dobby's grave and sits down. Helping me then Hermione to get down. "Gregorovitch had the Elder Wand a long time ago," he says once everyone settles. "I saw You-Know-Who trying to find him. When he tracked him down, he found that Gregorovitch didn't have it anymore: It was stolen from him by Grindelwald. How Grindelwald found out that Gregorovitch had it, I don't know—but if Gregorovitch was stupid enough to spread the rumor, it can't have been that difficult."

"Yeah it was a huge rumour that Grindelwald had the wand during his reign of terror," I say to Harry, "so it's possible."

"Yeah. And Grindelwald used the Elder Wand to become powerful. And at the height of his power, when Dumbledore knew he was the only one who could stop him, he dueled Grindelwald and beat him, and he took the Elder Wand."

"Dumbledore had the Elder Wand?" Ron says, "But then—where is it now?"

"At Hogwarts," Harry says.

"Buried with him, Harry you aren't suggesting?" I ask.

"But then, let's go!" Ron says urgently. "Harry, let's go and get it before he does!"

"It's too late for that," Harry says as he clutches his head. "He knows where it is. He's there now."

"Harry!" Ron says furiously. "How long have you known this—why have we been wasting time? Why did you talk to Griphook first? We could have gone—we could still go—"

"No," Harry says, "Hermione's right. Dumbledore didn't want me to have it. He didn't want me to take it. He wanted me to get the Horcruxes."

"The unbeatable wand, Harry!" Ron groans.

"This isn't about an unbeatable wand!" I snap at Ron, "think of the bigger picture."

"She's right I'm not supposed to... I'm supposed to get the Horcruxes..." Harry's speech slurs and soon his eyes shut. He's always before falling back. I move quickly to keep him from falling onto the elf's grave. Pulling his head onto my legs to keep him from hitting the ground during his harsh flinching and occasionally thrashing. After a couple minutes of us anxiously watching the boy his eyes open. His blueish green orbs were watery as he sits up. Wiping them first before looking out to the water. "He got the wand."

"On Harry," I say placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's a good thing we didn't go," Hermione says, "it's not about the wand."

"Yeah," I say as I pat his back slightly, "we weren't going to make this move."

And that was the point we constituently had to make. We knew Harry couldn't have went into the grave. None of us could. Along with the fact that we wouldn't have got to Hogwarts before him.

"You could never have done that, Harry," Hermione says again and again through the next couple days, "You couldn't have broken into Dumbledore's grave."

The other point that was resurfacing was could we even take him on at the moment? None of us have our wands and Hermione and I are still trying to recover. I chandelier was dropped on us for fucks sake.

"But is he dead?" Ron says as we sit down at the table. I scoff before searching around the kitchen for anything to brew a potion.

"Yes, he is, Ron, please don't start that again!" Hermione snaps.

"Please don't start this again," I plead to Ron, before sighing, "how does Bill not have a cauldron?"

"He might have one but I doubt it's in his kitchen," Harry says to me ignoring Ron's statement.

"Look at the facts, Hermione," Ron says speaking across Harry, who continues to gaze at the horizon. "The silver doe. The sword. The eye Harry saw in the mirror—"

"Harry admits he could have imagined the eye! Don't you, Harry?"

"I could have," Harry says without looking at her.

"But you don't think you did, do you?" asks Ron.

"No, I don't," Harry says as I place my hands on my hips.

"There you go!" Ron says quickly, before Hermione could carry on. "If it wasn't Dumbledore, explain how Dobby knew we were in the cellar, Hermione?"

"I can't—but can you explain how Dumbledore sent him to us if he's lying in a tomb at Hogwarts?"

"I dunno, it could've been his ghost!"

"Dumbledore wouldn't come back as a ghost," Harry says, "He would have gone on."

"What d'you mean, 'gone on'?" asks Ron.

"'Arry?" A soft voice says from behind us. We turn to see Fleur. She looks over us curiously before landing on Harry. "Arry, Grip'ook would like to speak to you. 'E eez in ze smallest bedroom, 'e says 'e does not want to be over'eard." Her distaste could be heard from the shallow tone of her voice.

"Well," I say to them, "let's go." We start towards the room settling in the smallest room before the Goblin.

"I have reached my decision, Harry Potter," the goblin says as he sits cross-legged in a low chair, drumming its arms with his spindly fingers. "Though the goblins of Gringotts will consider it base treachery, I have decided to help you—"

"That's great!" Harry says, relief surging through him. "Griphook, thank you, we're really—"

"—in return," says the goblin firmly, "for payment." Slightly taken aback I look curiously at him.

"How much do you want? I've got gold."

"Not gold," Griphook says. "I have gold."

His black eyes glitter; there were no whites to his eyes.

"I want the sword. The sword of Godric Gryffindor."

"You're kidding me!" I exclaim, "you can't be serious."

"You can't have that," Harry says. "I'm sorry."

"Then," says the goblin softly, "we have a problem."

"Damn straight we have a problem why would you think we'd give you the sword?" I hiss at him.

"We can give you something else," Ron says eagerly. "I'll bet the Lestranges have got loads of stuff, you can take your pick once we get into the vault."

"I am not a thief, boy! I am not trying to procure treasures to which I have no right!"

"The sword's ours—"

"It is not," says the goblin.

"We're Gryffindors, and it was Godric Gryffindor's—"

"And before it was Gryffindor's, whose was it?" demands the goblin, sitting up straight.

"No one's," Ron says. "It was made for him, wasn't it?"

"No!" the goblin cries, bristling with anger as he points a long finger at Ron. "Wizarding arrogance again! That sword was Ragnuk the First's, taken from him by Godric Gryffindor! It is a lost treasure, a masterpiece of goblinwork! It belongs with the goblins! The sword is the price of my hire, take it or leave it!"

"We aren't giving you the damn sword!" I snap. Harry pulls me back from in front of the Goblin.

"We need to discuss this, Griphook, if that's all right. Could you give us a few minutes?" Harry asks the Goblin gives a sour look before nodding. Harry pulls us outside leaving Griphook alone.

"I take it back that little ass is a right git," I say as I fold my arms over my chest.

"He's having a laugh. We can't let him have that sword," Ron says.

"It is true?" Harry asks Hermione. "Was the sword stolen by Gryffindor?"

"I don't know," she says hopelessly. "Wizarding history often skates over what the wizards have done to other magical races, but there's no account that I know of that says Gryffindor stole the sword."

"It'll be one of those goblin stories," Ron says, "about how the wizards are always trying to get one over on them. I suppose we should think ourselves lucky he hasn't asked for one of our wands."

"Goblins have got good reason to dislike wizards, Ron," Hermione says. "They've been treated brutally in the past."

"Goblins aren't exactly fluffy little bunnies, though, are they?" Ron says, "They've killed plenty of us. They've fought dirty too."

"Who cares?" I snap, "all that matters is to finish this fight we need that damn sword. And he's lucky are even entertaining this idea." Harry makes a face as I say this. "You can't seriously be considering giving the sword up Harry." He looks away.

"Okay," says Ron, and Harry turns back to face him, "how's this? We tell Griphook we need the sword until we get inside the vault, and then he can have it. There's a fake in there, isn't there? We switch them, and give him the fake."

"Ron, he'd know the difference better than we would!" says Hermione. "He's the only one who realized there had been a swap!"

"Yeah, but we could scarper before he realizes—"

"That," she says quietly, "is despicable. Ask for his help, then double-cross him? And you wonder why goblins don't like wizards, Ron?"

"All right, all right! It was the only thing I could think of!"

"I mean if what's the real harm? He's an ass!" I scoff.

"What's your solution, then?" Ron asks.

"We need to offer him something else, something just as valuable."

"Brilliant. I'll go and get one of our other ancient goblin-made swords and you can gift wrap it."

"He's not going to take anything else," I groan, "he wants this sword. We aren't giving it to him."

"Maybe he's lying," Harry says, opening his eyes again. "Griphook. Maybe Gryffindor didn't take the sword. How do we know the goblin version of history's right?"

"Does it make a difference?" asks Hermione.

"Changes how I feel about it," Harry says.

"It's ancient history that we don't have time to worry about," I say to them, "if you give Griphook the sword then you might as well hand it right to the deatheaters! It's about as useful!"

"We'll tell him he can have the sword after he's helped us get into that vault—but we'll be careful to avoid telling him exactly when he can have it."

"Harry, we can't—"

"He can have it," Harry goes on, "after we've used it on all of the Horcruxes. I'll make sure he gets it then. I'll keep my word."

"Fantastic," I say to them.

"But that could be years!" Hermione says.

"I know that, but he needn't. I won't be lying... really."

Hermione looks to me with a pleading look. "Y/n you can't agree with this!" She says.

"Sorry Hermione," I say to her, "normally I'd be on your side. But we need the sword." She sighs.

"I don't like it," Hermione says.

"Nor do I, much," Harry admits.

"Well, I think it's genius," says Ron,"Let's go and tell him." We shuffle back inside. As we settle Griphook locks his eyes onto Harry.

"I have your word, Harry Potter, that you will give me the sword of Gryffindor if I help you?"

"Yes," Harry says.

"Then shake," the goblin says, holding out his hand. Harry takes it and shakes the hand. Then Griphook relinquishes him, claps his hands together, and says, "So. We begin!"

Thus the planning stage started. Much like planning the ministry break in we would plan with every second of time we had. But this time the Goblin has blocked out Hermione's and I from the planning process. Something about how we weren't helpful. Soon Ron joined us.

"I have visited the Lestranges' vault only once," Griphook tells us on one of the long days. The room feeling like a prison cell. "on the occasion I was told to place inside it the false sword. It is one of the most ancient chambers. The oldest Wizarding families store their treasures at the deepest level, where the vaults are largest and best protected..."

"Fantastic," I scoff, "how do we get back there?"

"Quiet witch. Listen," he says before moving to ignore me completely. This process went on for weeks. Planning and planning. Our biggest obstacle, the lack of polyjuice potion.

"There's really only enough left for one of us," Hermione says. I take the bottle from her grasp, tilting the thick mudlike potion against the lamplight.

"Maybe two if we stretch it out enough," I say to them, "my extra bottle was in my bag that they took. Along with the ingredients."

"So one person," Hermione says.

"That'll be enough," Harry says, while examining Griphook's hand-drawn map of the deepest passageways.

"I say we give it to Hermione," I say to them, "the most we can to her. And if there is any left we give it to Ron."

"Fine," Ron says, "what will you do?"

"Harry and I will use the cloak," I say to him, "but Hermione's most adjusted to her wand. Along with being female."

"Right right," Ron says.

*****

The other inhabitants of the Shell Cottage didn't fail to notice that something was going on with us. A scheme starting to form. And the comforting statements slowly were no longer keeping them at bay.

On the other hand... the time spent with the Goblin revealed his true bloodthirsty dog eat dog self. The small man would laugh at the pain of smaller creatures and kept a mentality that he is better than everyone else. The thought of having to hurt others to get to the vault was pleasing to him. It frankly was disgusting. This distaste was shared among the other three too. Even if we didn't bring it up. The face and sheer tone around Griphook revealed it.

"...and tiny little ears," Luna says as we walk into the house with Dean. After a particularly heated group planning session Harry sent me off to cool off. Leading me to go outside with Luna and Dean, "a bit like a hippo's, Daddy says, only purple and hairy. And if you want to call them, you have to hum; they prefer a waltz, nothing too fast..." I push my wet hair back. The rain had drenched us. We move to the kitchen as Luna continues. "...and if you ever come to our house I'll be able to show you the horn, Daddy wrote to me about it but I haven't seen it yet, because the Death Eaters took me from the Hogwarts Express and I never got home for Christmas." We sit down at the table as Harry joins us.

"Luna, we told you," Hermione calls over to her. "That horn exploded. It came from an Erumpent, not a Crumple-Horned Snorkack—"

"No, it was definitely a Snorkack horn," Luna says serenely. "Daddy told me. It will probably have re-formed by now, they mend themselves, you know." Hermione shakes her head and continues laying down forks as Bill appears, leading Mr. Ollivander down the stairs. The wandmaker still looking exceptionally frail, and he clings to Bill's arm as the latter supports him, carrying a large suitcase.

"I'm going to miss you, Mr. Ollivander," Luna says, approaching the old man.

"And I you, my dear," Ollivander says, patting her on the shoulder. "You were an inexpressible comfort to me in that terrible place."

"So, au revoir, Mr. Ollivander," says Fleur, kissing him on both cheeks. "And I wonder whezzer you could oblige me by delivering a package to Bill's Auntie Muriel? I never returned 'er tiara."

"It will be an honor," Ollivander says with a little bow, "the very least I can do in return for your generous hospitality."

"Oh I love that tiara so much," I say as she draws out the velvet case, "it's so pretty." The tiara sits glittering and twinkling in the light from the low-hanging lamp.

"Moonstones and diamonds," Griphook says, who had sidled into the room without us noticing. "Made by goblins, I think?"

"And paid for by wizards," Bill says quietly, and the goblin shoots him a look that was both furtive and challenging.

"We should head off," Bill says.

"Wait!" I call as I fumble in my pockets. I pull a folded piece of parchment and hand it to Bill. "It's for Fred. Please give it to him."

"Of course," he says. He pockets it then leads Ollivander from the house. As the door shuts I see an instant mood shift in Fleur.

"Fleur if I eve get married I'm having you help plan my wedding," I say to her. She perks up.

"I vould like zat very much," she says happily, "I 'ave so many ideas."

"Perfect," I chuckle. The mood around the table was light. But a slight dread hang over with my if statement. What if this war would be my end? Soon the door opens again and Bill's untamed hair whips in the wind.

"Everything's fine," he tells Fleur. "Ollivander settled in, Mum and Dad say hello. Ginny sends you all her love. Fred and George are driving Muriel up the wall, they're still operating an Owl-Order business out of her back room. It cheered her up to have her tiara back, though. She said she thought we'd stolen it."

"Ah, she eez charmante, your aunt," Fleur says.

"You gave Fred the letter right?" I ask Bill sitting up slightly.

"Yeah," Bill says, "but I was waiting-"

"So I could tell you myself," I hear Fred's voice as strong hands grip my shoulders. My eyes go wide as everyone looks behind me. I jump up and turn around wrapping my arms around the ginger.

"Fred!" I squeal as I hold onto him. He chuckles softly.

"Missed me haven't you?" Fred asks as I pull away slightly. I nod with watery eyes. "Aw Doll don't cry." I wipe my eyes quickly as he kisses my forehead.

"He insisted I bring him here," Bill says and looks to his brother sternly, "only for two days. We already are brim packed got that Fred!"

"Yeah yeah whatever," Fred says his eyes still on me, "let us have this." I look away from Fred to Harry and the others who looked happy for us. While Ron rolls his eyes.

"Are we invisible? I'm your bloody brother you tosser," Ron huffs. Fred steps away from me and pats his youngest brothers back.

"I see you Ronald," Fred says then looks to Harry and Hermione, "hello Harry, Hermione. Glad to see you all."

"You too," Harry says and looks to me as I lace my fingers around Fred's.

"We should sit down," I say to Fred who nods. He takes my chair and I sit on his lap. A smirking Bill looking our way. As we settle Luna speaks up.

"Daddy's made a tiara," Luna says, "Well, more of a crown, really." I smile thinking of the crown at the Lovegood house. "Yes, he's trying to re-create the lost diadem of Ravenclaw. He thinks he's identified most of the main elements now. Adding the billywig wings really made a difference."

"It's beautiful truly-" I say but a loud bang against the door silences all of us. Fred tightens his grip around me. Bill jumps from the table and moves towards the door. Wand extended.

"Who is it?" Bill calls.

"It is I, Remus John Lupin!" calls a voice over the howling wind. My heart races out of worry for the cause of this. "I am a werewolf, married to Nymphadora Tonks, and you, the Secret-Keeper of Shell Cottage, told me the address and bade me come in an emergency!"

"Lupin," mutters Bill, and he runs to the door and wrenches it open. I watch The door closely as Bill pulls it open. Lupin falls over the threshold. His face is pale and worn, his graying hair windswept. He straightens up, looked around the room, making sure of who was there, then cries aloud.

"It's a boy! We've named him Ted, after Dora's father!" Lupin announces. My jaw drops in aw.

"Wha—? Tonks—Tonks has had the baby?"

"Really?" I ask happily.

"Yes, yes, she's had the baby!" shouts Lupin. All around the table calls cries of delight, sighs of relief: Hermione and Fleur both squeal.

"Congratulations!"

"Blimey, a baby!" Ron says as if he had never heard of such a thing before.

"Awe Remus I'm so happy for you," I say to him.

"Yes—yes—a boy," Lupin says again, who seeming dazed by his own happiness. He strides around the table and hugs Harry; the scene in the basement of Grimmauld Place might never have happened.

"You'll be godfather?" he says as he released Harry.

"M-me?" stammers Harry

"You, yes, of course—Dora quite agrees, no one better—" Lupin moves towards me and Fred. Motioning me to stand up. I move off of Fred's lap and he wraps his arms around me tightly. As he pulls back he smiles. "Dora and I want you to be the god mother." I smile happily and nod.

"Of course of course!" I say to Remus, "this is so exciting!" Fleur and Bill hand glasses of wine out to us all in celebration. I take mine with a big smile still on my face.

"I can't stay long, I must get back," Lupin says, beaming around at them all: He looks years younger than We've ever seen him. "Thank you, thank you, Bill." Bill finishes pouring the wine as Lupin raises his glass. "To Teddy Remus Lupin," Lupin says, "a great wizard in the making!" Various voices call out Teddy's name.

"'Oo does 'e look like?" Fleur inquires. As I sip my drink.

"Oh yeah!" I ask him.

"I think he looks like Dora, but she thinks he is like me. Not much hair. It looked black when he was born, but I swear it's turned ginger in the hour since. Probably be blond by the time I get back. Andromeda says Tonks's hair started changing color the day that she was born." He drains his goblet. "Oh, go on then, just one more," he adds, beaming, as Bill made to fill it again.

"I'm so happy for you!" I say to him, "I can't wait to see the baby." A solemn look on Harry's face reveals the dark possibilities of our survival during this. I push the negativity aside and keep my bright smile. The whole room kept my same mentality of now isn't the time to   be sad. We can focus on the bad later but now, Now was the time to smile at the happy distractions. The Tidings of new life were exhilarating. Only the goblin seems untouched by the suddenly festive atmosphere, and after a while he sulks back to the bedroom he now occupied alone.

"No... no... I really must get back," Lupin says at last. "Good-bye, good-bye—I'll try and bring some pictures in a few days' time—they'll all be so glad to know that I've seen you—" I quickly hug him then he fastens up his cloak. Moving to hug the others before he disappears in the night.

"Godfather, Harry! And Y/n you're godmother!" Bill says as he and Harry start to clear the table. I move to help but Fred stops me.

"Let them handle it," Fred says. I nod and smile at the ginger. I place my hand on his cheek my finger tips resting on his ginger locks.

"Fine," I say to him, "so finally we get to see each other." He chuckles.

"Finally," he says. He looks over me and nods. "You look well. Everything considered. Are you okay though?"

"Us staying here has helped a lot," I say to Fred, "but everything gets hard once we start moving just the four of us again."

"You guys still have to keep moving?" Fred ask.

"Fred," I say, "we aren't done. We still have so much to do."

"Well can't you work out of here? Or you can come stay with us!" Fred says sounding very desperate.

"Fred," I say sternly, "you know that if we do that we'd be putting everyone in ten times the danger than what's needed."

"I just-" he starts. He sighs loudly and looks to me. "Just please be careful."

"Of course," I say to him. He leans down and pulls me into a soft kiss to end the night.

*****

"And you'll be using her actual wand," Harry says, nodding toward the walnut wand, "so I reckon you'll be pretty convincing." We we're back to planning quickly after last nights happy endeavours.

"I hate this thing," she says in a low voice as she picks up the wand, "I really hate it. It feels all wrong, it doesn't work properly for me... It's like a bit of her."

"It'll probably help you get in character, though," Ron says, "Think what that wand's done!"

"But that's my point!" Hermione exclaims. "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!" I sigh loudly looking at the wand that was the thing that allowed Bellatrix to preform her evils. "I miss my wand," Hermione says miserably. "I wish Mr. Ollivander could have made me another one too."

"I wish I had mine," I say looking to the door. Ollivander had sent Luna a lovely new wand. Much to the disappointment of everyone else who was either wandless or had a completely unbelievably uncooperative wand. The sound of the door being pulled open makes me jump. Only for it to be the one being in the house I don't enjoy being around. Griphook.

"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."

"It's a very firm point," I say to them as they look to me, "I've made sure Fred understands that."

"Good," Harry says, "we leave tomorrow at dawn." I nod standing up from the small group.

"I'm going to go to bed," I say as I stretch slightly. I wave to the Goblin and walk from the room to the room Hermione, Luna, and I were sharing. As I walk in I see Fred sitting on my bed and smirk at him. "Freddie boy you look gloomy."

"I just had a wonderful time with you that I'm not ready to let you go," Fred says quietly. I settle in beside him and take his hand.

"I'm sorry Fred," I say, "I promise we are trying."

"I know," he says. He wraps his arms around me and I snuggle up to him.

"I love you Fred," I say to him. He smiles.

"I love you too."