*Authors Note: Hey guys! I'm going to be going on holiday in a few days so I won't be able to make my deadline in two weeks, however, as always in these situations, I will update when possible!

As I promised I will address some reviews from the last chapter, so here we go!

ChelseaLovesFood: I'm sorry the last chapter didn't contain much as I was pushed for time and I wanted this chapter to be a kind of second part to the previous one, so I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for standing behind this fic and it really means a lot to me to hear your reviews!

Beau2809: I'm sorry I left the previous chapter on a bit of a cliffhanger, but your waiting is finally over!

Thanks again for supporting this story and as always please read and review!

Chapter 12

Harry took a seat at the long table two chairs away from Grakor, opposite Ron and Hermione, who sat watching the goblin.

"Welcome to Gringotts," said Grakor, "I have called this meeting to discuss the events on the afternoon of May 1st earlier this year. It would have taken place sooner, however Mr Shacklebolt seemed to be avoiding the subject, so here we are," he smiled, "I trust you know why you are here?"

"Y-yes," stammered Hermione, nodding her head in confirmation.

"Then I trust you are also aware of the severity of your actions and how they are punishable?"

"Punishable?" swallowed Ron.

"Yes, Mr Weasley, punishable," replied Grakor, revealing yellow-tinted, pointed teeth. He rustled through the mass of parchment that littered the table in front of him before coming to his desired piece of information, "It says here that you could spend 3-5 years in Azkaban for your actions."

Harry felt slightly faint; Bill hadn't told them they could be punished for what they had done.

"Why have you called us here then?" questioned Hermione, "You clearly have the ability to put us in prison if you really wanted to, so why call us here instead?"

"Because Miss Granger, if Gringotts is seen to be the reason that Harry Potter has been thrown into Azkaban it will not do well for our business or for our public image. We are a well thought of part of the community and in the light of the activities these past few months, we can't be the ones to break their spirits, whether you are guilty of your crimes or not," Grakor spat.

"So what are we to discuss?" asked Hermione.

"The terms of your payment."

"Payment?" asked Ron, his voice a little higher than usual.

"Yes, Mr Weasley. You left a large hole in the roof of our building and stole our dragon along with two items from a vault that did not belong to you," said Grakor.

"Two items?" asked Harry, who had finally spoken for the first time since they had left the main chamber of the building.

"Is there something wrong with wizards hearing? YES TWO ITEMS!" Grakor yelled.

"But we only took one item," Harry replied, but regretted speaking the moment the words left his lips.

Grakor smiled menacingly, lifted a quill and began scribbling on an unused piece of parchment, "So you did take something. Thank you Mr Potter, that statement was purely speculation, until you confirmed it."

Harry received a sharp kick under the table from whom he presumed was Ron, but after giving him a look across the table found it to be Hermione.

"Assuming that none of your other statements are speculations, seeing as enough of your staff saw us escape on the dragon, why did you state that two items had been taking from the Lestranges' vault?" she queried.

"You were seen taking a small golden goblet along with a sword commonly known as the Sword of Gryffindor," Grakor replied, not lifting his head form the parchment.

"Yes, however there was another sword in the vault which I am presuming you found," Hermione inquired.

"There was," agreed Grakor, "However that particular sword was a fake, a replica if you will. It was obviously an attempt to look as if nothing was stolen, however the attempt was in vain as only a goblin can know which is the real artefact."

"So you think that we made a replica of the sword and left it in the vault while we escaped with the real one?" asked Harry.

"It seems the only plausible explanation, yes," replied Grakor, still looking at the parchment.

"That's absurd!" Ron exclaimed, "That sword was a fake from the beginning, Snape knew that when he put it there! We brought the real one into the vault with us!"

Too late, he clasped his hands over his mouth, but the damage was done. Grakor peered over the parchment, "What was that?" he snarled, "How do you know who put the sword into the vault?"

"I-I don't," Ron stammered, "I-It's just… well…"

"I don't believe I know the full story," Grakor said as he place his quill on the table and stared at each individual occupant of the room, "so is someone going to tell me, or am I going to have to use other means to find out?"

They were deep in it now, thought Harry. If only Ron had kept his mouth shut and let Hermione talk, but there was nothing to be done now, they were just going to have to face this as it came. Hermione looked across the table at Harry and cocked her head to the side as if to ask for confirmation on what she was about to say. Harry hesitated for a brief moment, and then slowly nodded.

"Mr Grakor," Hermione began, "I don't believe we have to tell you anything. All necessary information has been released to the Wizarding World, which was reviewed by Kingsley Shacklebolt, so everything else has chosen to be kept confidential. You have no right know which information, if any, has been kept from you."

"What if I tell? What if I tell everyone that the Ministry has been keeping secrets from the people it is sworn to protect?" Grakor asked, crossing his short arms across his chest and smiling wickedly.

"Then we will be forced to reveal something you don't the rest of the Wizarding World to know, or the Ministry of Magic, specifically the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," Hermione replied coolly.

Grakor leaned forward, "And what is it that we do not wish to get out exactly?" he asked.

"Oh I think you know," Hermione said, a small smile appearing on her lips, then vanishing almost as quickly as it came.

"Please, enlighten me," Grakor spat.

"Under the decree of the Protection of Magical Creatures Act, subsection 63, it is written that all magical creatures classed under the specification 'Beast' are, and I quote, 'to live full and uninterrupted lives unless they become a danger to any wizard and/or witch, and in this event are only to be dealt with by any wizard and/or witch obtaining full knowledge in said field. Even then these beasts are to be treated with the respect they deserve until such time as they can be returned to their natural habitat'.

"This means that unless your dragon was a danger to society, it should not be kept caged up underground. Even if this were not the case, which it most definitely is, the Ukrainian Ironbelly that has been kept in the banks' possession for this prolonged period of time should have been treated with 'the respect it deserved' which it clearly has not, so this proves that you have broken the law by keeping this poor creature locked up," Hermione concluded, drawing a breath and leaning back in her chair.

Grakor sat in stunned silence for a few moments, contemplating what he had just been told and trying to find some loophole in the facts Hermione had laid in front of him, before recovering and sitting upright in his chair once more, "It seems as if you have done your research Miss Granger," he said, hate-filled eyes bearing into her own, "However there is still the matter of payment. You still left a ruddy great hole in our roof."

"I'll pay," said Harry almost instantly. All three heads spun in his direction.

"Do you have any idea how much it will cost, Mr Potter?" Grakor asked.

"No, but-,"

"Then why do you assume that you can provide the funds for the repair?"

"How much does it cost then," Harry asked.

"Judging by the size of the hole, along with the stolen artefact which I presume we are not going to see again, it will cost around sixty thousand galleons." Grakor replied.

Harry's jaw, along with that of Ron and Hermione's, fell. He hadn't expected it to be that much. Grakor smiled, once more showing his razor-sharp teeth, "Ahh, I see you weren't expecting that sum of money."

"I'll still pay," said Harry, recovering slightly, "You can take the money from my vault."

"Here we come to a problem," said Grakor, prizing another piece of parchment from between two large books and studying it, "Vault 687 does not hold the required amount of money to cover the damage, falling short by around seven thousand galleons."

Harry felt a wallowing, empty feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had always had more enough to get by in the Wizarding World with the money his parents had left for him, yet in one cruel twist of fate he was being forced to give all of it up to cover the damage of some unforeseen circumstance leaving him in debt by quiet a substantial amount of money.

Just as he believed all hope was lost, Hermione piped up, "Harry, that's not all your money," she said.

"What are you talking about Hermione, of course it is," Harry sulked.

"No it's not," she beamed, "Sirius left you all of his worldly possessions, including the contents of his vault! You've got all of the Black's money!"

"I do, don't I?" Harry exclaimed, "Mr Grakor, would you be so kind as to tell me the contents of the Black family vault?"

Grakor mumbled inaudibly as he once again rummaged through the parchment on the table, "Vault 711 contains ninety-six thousand galleons along with various notable artefacts and furniture pieces. I assume you want to take the remaining money from this vault, I am correct?" Grakor grumbled.

"Yes," Harry grinned, "Could you also transfer all of vault 711's contents to my vault?"

"Certainly," Grakor smiled sarcastically, "Anything else?"

"No actually, I would like to visit the vault to make a withdrawal if that's alright," said Harry.

"Yes," said Grakor, "Just ask at the front desk where they will provide you with a key. I assume that you know your way back?"

"Yes, thank you," said Hermione as she got up to leave along with Harry and Ron.

They left the room and followed the damp corridor back to the main chamber, leaving a disgruntled Noruk Grakor in their wake. They saw Bill leaning up against the large oak fireplace they appeared from. Upon seeing them he stood upright and made his way over to them, "How was it?" he asked, chewing his fingernail.

"Pretty well," said Hermione, "We're not going to Azkaban and we didn't have to tell him why we broke in."

"Yeah, and Harry was able to pay for the roof with just a little bit of the fortune he now owns," finished Ron sourly.

"How much was it?" Bill asked, not sure whether or not he wanted to know the answer.

"Sixty thousand," Harry replied.

All of the colour drained from Bill's face, "Harry… I-I didn't thinks you'd have to actually pay…"

"Don't worry about it, everything's sorted now," Harry replied.

"Yeah, Harry owns enough for his life since he got Sirius' money," agreed Ron, a tinge of jealousy in his voice that escapes Harry, who was almost giddy with his new-found fortune.

"That reminds me, I've got to get some money out," Harry said.

"I'll stay with you," said Bill, "You two can go back to Hogwarts and tell Minerva how it went."

"Okay," said Hermione as she took Ron's hand and lead him out of the door.

Harry walked up to the front desk, "I'd like to make a withdrawal," he said to the grumpy goblin.

"Vault number?"

"711"

"If I remember correctly, that is the vault of the Black family. You, Mr Potter, have not got permission to enter that vault."

"I was left the contents of that vault in the will of Sirius Black. Ask Mr Grakor if you don't believe me," Harry replied.

The goblin frowned, "Hold on one moment please," he said, before disappearing behind the tall desk. Bill turned to Harry, "Was it really alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I don't think we'd have been able to pull it off without Hermione though," Harry replied, "She did all the talking."

"Harry, I really am sorry about the money, I honestly didn't know they would make you pay," Bill apologised again.

"It's fine, I have too much money and nothing to do with it," Harry stated just as the goblin returned.

"It seems you were right Mr Potter, please follow me."

The goblin lead Harry and Bill to the transportation cart and they soon set off on the frightfully fast, twisting journey to Harry's new vault. They soon stopped in front of vault 711, so got out of the cart (after a moment or two to recover) and the goblin opened the door.

Harry and Bill were met with the glittering sight of thousands upon thousands of golden galleons and artefacts. Harry looked at Bill, who had had to grasp the vaults' door to prevent him from fainting at the sight of money, the most, Harry reckoned, he'd ever seen in his life.

"Any time you're ready," said the goblins testily, impatiently drumming his long fingernails on the wall.

Harry took out his coin purse and filled it to the brim with golden galleons, silver sickles and bronze knuts, "I think that's everything," he said, finally cramming the last of his money into the pouch and jumping back into the cart. They rode back to the entrance of Gringotts and Bill thanked the goblin.

"Now you're going to have to be quick," warned Bill, "We don't want a stampede. I'll go first and then you follow. Ready?"

"Ready," Harry nodded.

Bill pushed the heavy doors open and walked briskly into Diagon Alley, closely followed by Harry, before they both twisted into nothingness, to quickly for anyone in the street could register what they just saw. They appeared seconds later in Hogsmeade and started walking up to the castle.

"A successful trip, I think," Bill said.

"Yeah," agreed Harry, but he was thankful it was over. Thant's one more mess put right, he thought to himself.