How It All Goes Down
Shell Cottage
- Ron is full of doubts over the next few days – he's sure they should have tried to beat Voldemort to the tomb to steal the Elder Wand first. Hermione, on the other hand, is glad they didn't go; she thinks the Wand is evil.
- Harry's just worried that he misunderstood Dumbledore's wishes. What on Earth did the man want? Why couldn't he just come out and say it?
- As they're arguing, Fleur calls Harry in – Griphook wants to speak with him in private.
- Griphook has decided that he will help Harry get into the Lestranges' vault – for a price. All he wants is the sword of Godric Gryffindor. Griphook tells them that before it was Gryffindor's sword, it belonged to a famous goblin king, and was wrongfully taken by humans.
- Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave the room to discuss – they decide that it's the only possible way. However, they first need the sword in order to destroy the Horcruxes. Harry decides that he'll agree, but sneakily not tell Griphook when they'll give him the sword. It's not exactly all on the up-and-up, but Harry puts his moral qualms out of his mind.
- They return to Griphook, and shake hands on the deal. Over the next several days, they make plans to break into the bank; Griphook reveals himself to be a rather unsavory and bloodthirsty character.
- Turns out he's not making himself popular with anyone – Fleur hates the goblin with a fiery passion. However, she and Bill are willing to do whatever they can to help Harry and keep him safe.
- Mr. Ollivander is recovered and ready to leave; Bill takes him to Auntie Muriel's.
- As everyone else settles down for dinner, and Bill returns, an unexpected guest shows up – Remus Lupin.
- Lupin's there, insanely happy, to announce that his child has been born – a healthy baby boy named Ted, after Tonks's father.
- Lupin squeezes Harry in a hug, and asks if he'll be the godfather – of course he agrees!
- Then everyone raises a toast to the baby, Teddy Remus Lupin. Lupin stays a while, happier than they've ever seen him, then dashes off to get back home.
- As the party breaks up, Bill pulls Harry aside. They both noticed Griphook slinking off by himself earlier. He wants to warn Harry that he should always be careful when making deals with goblins; they have different ideas of payment and fairness than humans.
- Bill tells him that he should be especially careful about cheating on a deal he makes with the goblin – it could be the most dangerous thing at all.
- Harry, perhaps made a little sentimental by the wine, reflects to himself that he's already as reckless a godfather to baby Teddy as Sirius was to him.