Always Harry.

By the mother/daughter team of Keitaya and Smeghead2001.

We do not own any rights to Harry Potter. But this is Smeghad2001's writing debut, please be kind.

It had been 2 long weeks for Harry Potter. 2 weeks since Voldemort turned up his toes and shuffled off the mortal coil. 2 weeks of people praising him when only a short time before they had been vilifying him or worse. 2 weeks of burying the dead and rebuilding homes and lives. 2 weeks of having nearly every post owl in the kingdom make an appearance before him with letters or gifts, often more than once. What he wouldn't do for a quiet day!

A regal owl wearing a medallion bearing the Gringotts crest landed before Harry. His quiet time was not to be.

"What do they want?" Harry wondered. " 'Dear Mr Potter, Due to your destruction of the London branch of the bank of Gringotts and the theft of one security dragon you are hereby held solely responsible for all damages and are being levied the full repair amount of G482,573 and 6 knuts. This amount is payable immediately. Yours in banking, Bloodfletch.' The hell? … I didn't do this alone. I better talk to Hermione and Ron."

Apperating to the Burrow Harry found his friends sitting in the garden and explained the letter he received.

"I haven't got anything like that in the mail mate." Said Ron. "I guess it just sucks to be you right now. Mind, I have got some offers from reporters who want to pay me to talk to them, bet you have too. Don't think it would be enough to make that sort of gold though."

"I haven't received anything like that either. Are they just charging you for all this? That doesn't sound right. Why don't you go and talk to them? See what the full story is." Hermione said thoughtfully.

"They probably know Harry is the only one of us with any money." Ron muttered.

"But that still isn't fair!" cried Hermione. "We broke in too, we should take some of the costs as well. Do you want me to come with you Harry?"

"Yeah, if you wouldn't mind. I think I might need someone smart there to explain it all to me." Harry said sheepishly. "Or to help me keep my temper."

"Let's go then." Hermione said standing up. Seeing Ron staying on his seat she asked "Ron? Aren't you coming?"

"Nah, I'll stay here. I'm comfy and Mum'll have lunch ready soon." He replied lazily.

Seeing the signs of Hermione's temper about to erupt at Ron's laziness and lack of concern Harry quickly said "Ok, we will let you know what happens."

"Don't bother mate, they won't change their minds. You'll see."

Appearing near the steps of the bank Harry and Hermione quickly enter an office and explained their errand to Bloodfletch.

"This is in order. You must pay this before we can do anything else. You have the funds to pay this, so will you authorize the transfer now?"

"Why am I the ONLY ONE to be charged this amount? You have heard that there were three of us humans and there was a goblin that contributed towards the circumstances leading to the destruction and dragon theft. What is going on?"

"I am sorry sir. The decision was not made by me and is final."

"I am not leaving until I get some answers. AND! I will personally be asking every goblin I see, and every other being that walks near me if they can explain this decision to me!" Harry said heatedly.

Harry stormed out of the meeting room and went up to the next available teller.

"Yes sir?"

"Can you please explain why I am the only one to be asked to pay damages to the bank when there were four of us involved in the matter?"

"I am sorry, that is beyond my knowledge. Is there anything else…no? ... Next!"

Harry systematically talked to every teller on the floor asking the same questions and got the same response. So Harry started talking to people as they came to do their business.

Hermione left after a few hours to get a very late lunch for them both. While waiting for her food Hermione started telling anyone who would listen about the unfair treatment that Harry was receiving from the Goblins.

People were outraged! How dare they treat a hero like that!

Shortly after Hermione returned to the bank a large crowd formed and started demanding an investigation into the now famous Gringotts break-in. Who was responsible? Why was only one person being fined? They wanted answers, and they wanted them now!

Hermione heard the commotion outside and asked Harry to speak to the growing crowd.

Harry stood just inside Gringotts doors at the top of the steps and addressed the crowd.

"Everyone, please, I only want the other three of us to pay their share of the debt. I don't want to get out of paying my share, that would be unfair, I just want it to be fair so that we all get a small part of the cost instead of loading it up on one person. I know I am the richest out of us all, but that doesn't mean that I should pay for everyone. I admit that I did the wrong thing but I am taking responsibility for my actions and only my actions. Thank you for listening." He then turned and walked back inside.

He and Hermione were met by a cross looking Goblin.

"Griphook!" Harry and Hermione exclaimed together.

"What are you doing here?" Harry wondered out loud.

"Ragnok has sent for you" He said seriously.

"What does he want?" asked Harry curiously. Being summoned by the head of the bank was either really good or REALLY bad.

"How am I supposed to know?" he snapped.

"Fine, take us to him, but this better be good" Hermione said warningly.

Harry and Hermione followed Griphook who led them to Ragnok's office.

"Welcome to my office" Ragnok said "Please take a seat."

Harry and Hermione sat down gratefully; all that talking had made them tired.

"So what did you want to talk to us about?" asked Harry.

"You seem to think that you should not be paying the costs alone. Please tell me why."

"Well, to start at the start, I was not alone in causing the damage to this bank. We were led in by the goblin Griphook after we had rescued him from the Malfoy family's dungeon…"

After explaining the situation from his point of view Harry was not surprised to see a snarl on Ragnok's face. What did surprise him was that it was not directed at him.

"Griphook! Did these humans risk their own lives to save yours?"

"Well… as an afterthought… I suppose so."

"Did they care for your injuries? Treat you, a goblin, as well as they did the other humans?"

"Crudely, yes."

"Did you agree to help them? Did you make a deal with these humans?"

"They said they would give me the sword of Gryffindor after we finished their task." Griphook whined.

"You…! *snarl* The sword of Gryffindor was gifted to his family line in perpetuity as payment for them saving the Goblin nation from muggles! Every goblin child knows that! Or have you forgotten your lessons on what is ours by right? Potter has the right to the sword, as does the Longbottom family."

Harry and Hermione listened in fascination and knew it was time to keep quiet.

"So you brokered a deal that you had no right to make and then you stole the sword, endangered their lives and behaved like a coward. Does that sum things up?"

Griphook stood silently, glaring at the stone floor.

"Answer me goblin!" snapped Ragnok.

"Yes." The word was muttered so quietly that all had trouble hearing it.

"Then your fate is sealed. You will pay wergild for your transgression to all 3 humans and we will discuss your actions further at Goblin Elders Council. Get out of my sight, faith breaker!"

Griphook ran as though the hounds of the underworld were after him. Ragnok took a deep breath and then continued.

"I assume you will want the wergild to cover your payments?"

"No sir. I will pay my fair share by myself." Said Harry.

"And so will I, as long as we are all paying the same amount." stated Hermione.

"Very well." Said a surprised Ragnok. "My judgment is that each of the four of you will pay the equal amount of G120,643, s4 and k8 each. When you make the final payment I will declare the matter closed."

"Thank you." Said Harry.

Hermione asked quietly "Sir, could I please find out how much I have in my account and then arrange a payment plan to repay my portion of the debt? I do not seek a loan but wish pay by my own earnings."

"Would you take a loan from a friend?" asked Harry.

"No, but thanks for offering. I will pay my own way." Hermione stated firmly.

"As it should be!" replied Ragnok. "I have your ledger here and you will need to pay G84,288. The order of Merlin medals will shortly be giving you a reward of G50,000 so the final tally of your repayment amount will be G34,288. Once you have obtained employment we will garnish your deposits by 50 per cent to allow you to live on the remainder. This arrangement will be set in place for Mr Ronald Weasley as well. We will inform him of this by letter. You may make additional payments if you wish. We would like to see this matter settled within the next 10 years. Any wergild will be given to you personally and you may do whatever you wish with it. It will not be garnished."

"Thank you." Replied both teens.

"Mr Potter may authorise the transfer of payment at the tellers desk, Miss Granger may arrange the payments we have discussed at the same time. I bid you both good day."

Ragnok stormed into the meeting hall of the Elders and called an emergency meeting. Griphook knelt on the floor as Ragnok spoke.

"Honoured Elders, I bring before you a goblin that not only risked the lives of humans he betrayed but violated a large number of treaties between our races. I have offered wergild to the humans, to be paid by goblin Griphook, and they now call the matter closed and the treaties upheld. I, however, do not. I call on the Elders to determine punishment and to restore honour to our clan."

After a short deliberation it was decided that after the repair amount was taken Griphook's belongings and money would be divided equally into three parts and given to the three humans that were endangered but owing to the fact that Griphook was working one of the lowest paid positions in the bank he did not have much. Each human would receive G2955 s4 k12 each. Griphook's name would be changed to 'Honourbreaker' and would then be employed to clean the dragon pens for the remainder of his life, no matter how short it may be. Honourbreaker was led from the meeting room wailing.

As Harry and Hermione walked from the bank a thought hit Harry between the eyes.

"Hermione, with all your money gone how will you pay for school this year?" Harry asked gently

"I… I… I hadn't thought about that." She said dejectedly. "I guess I will have to drop out and get a job. Maybe I could work in Flourish and Blots?"

"And get fired after only one day because you wanted to read all the books at once rather than sell them?" Harry teased.

"Possibly." Hermione smiled.

"Look, I know you didn't want a loan for the repairs, but will you take one for school? We can work out a way for you to way it back later but please say yes!"

"I hate having to do this but you're right. It's the only way I can go back. Thanks Harry."

Several weeks passed since that day at Gringotts. It was almost time to return to Hogwarts and Ron needed to do his school shopping. He had not talked to Harry or Hermione for since they went to Gringotts. Every time they tried to talk to him he was busy and after receiving a cursed letter the day Harry went to Gringotts Ron had stopped accepting or opening any mail. The reporters were constantly talking to him and when they weren't his Mum's cooking was good and he still had several meals he needed to catch up on.

Back at the Burrow worries were going all around. Money was tight after rebuilding and Fred's funeral.

"How are we going to pay for the school fees and 2 lots of school books? They are going to be expensive this year and I don't think we can get many second hand." asked a very worried Mrs Weasley.

After thinking for a while Mr Weasley said "Ron, you have your own money now so will you please pay your fees and buy your own school supplies this year? We will work out how to pay it back to you later, alright?"

"Yeah, ok." Ron replied as he dreamed of getting everything new and expensive and better than anything Ginny would ever get. With the reporters still paying G50 an hour for an interview he could get the best and still have money left in his vault he thought.

Visiting the bank the next day Ron received a huge shock.

"What do you mean it's been taken? That's MINE! You…you…you… ARRGH!" Ron screamed. All his money was gone and he had been right, the money the reporters offered was not nearly enough to pay what he owed. He was G68,437 s15 k11 in debt. He would not be able to go to finish school, and worse still, he had to get a job!

Reality came and bit Ron in the behind. He may be a war hero but no one would hire him with the few OWLs he had and no NEWTs. After several weeks of searching Ron was offered a job as a product tester for his brothers shop. The pay was lousy and even before he saw any of it, half of it was gone. He could not even afford to move out of the Burrow for many years to come.

Hermione and Harry were named Head girl and boy for the year and they started dating soon after they graduated. They married 3 years later. Hermione would later become the first Muggleborn Minister for Magic and Harry would run the Potter estates and later become a stay at home Dad for their 4 children, Margaret Lilly (known as Meg to her family), Aaron James, Jessica Minerva and Jaydon Sirius. Harry finally got his greatest wish, he had a family that he loved and who loved him too.

Several years later Ron fell afoul of a new test candy. It had a powerful 'notice me not' charm in it that only wore off temporarily whenever Ron tried to something illegal, unethical or immoral. Once he had been caught and punished the charm reactivated again. He would stay like that for the remainder of his life.

The end.