As the goblins inspected the carcass in preparation to render it, Bill, Harry and Hermione moved about the Chamber inspecting for any hidden locations. Professor McGonagall portkeyed back to the Great Hall in order to allow Filius and Hagrid the opportunity to see the Chamber.
Shortly thereafter, Harry heard Hagrid's voice. "BLIMEY! Tha's qui' a beastie!" Harry looked over and Professor Flitwick and Hagrid were walking around the carcass.
Fleur and Slipknife seemed to come to a conclusion, and motioned Harry back over.
"Lord Potter," the goblin assessor began, "we have decided to ask you to determine which method of assessing you prefer. Normally we would assess the carcass as a whole, which would assume a portion of the value removed to cover the costs of rendering, but in this case as Gringott's Director has offered to assist at no cost; it would be preferable to wait until the carcass is rendered before placing a value on the results."
"Well, that's fine. Once the items have been collected, I will consult you as regards the final tally. So, it's okay with me if the team begins rendering."
Ragnok, his Captain and Remus joined Harry as he moved back towards Bill and Hermione. Harry directed the group towards the mouth of the statue of Slytherin. "Well, here is where the snake emerged. Possibly, if we enter the mouth, there might be other passages inside."
Bill nodded. "Well, if you can open it, I will cast detection charms to see if there are any wards or curses." Harry nodded and called out in Parseltongue, "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four." Just as in second year, the bust of Slytherin opened wider and wider until there was a huge black hole.
Bill cast a detection charm and, finding no curses or wards, lit his wand and climbed into the hole holing a Lumos charm to light his way.
Harry followed, aiding the shorter members of the group into the hole. He held his own wand up and cast the Lumos charm himself. They moved in until they came to a larger opening. The room looked as though it had been carved out of rock. There were ventilation holes in the upper ceiling. There were a few sconces around the room. Harry said, "Light" in parsel and they lit up. This seemed to indicate that this was section was used by Slytherin.
Bill cast several charms and found nothing. Harry said, "Can you tell me the charms you are casting? Possibly if I cast them in parsel more might be revealed." Bill's eyes widened. Remus looked impressed with the logic and Hermione became excited.
Bill covered the detection charms. "You want to push a fair bit of magic into these; we don't want to miss anything and there can be nasty surprises."
Harry concentrated as he cast the revealing charms around the room. Suddenly there were two sections of the wall that lit up. There was a small section between the two sconces on the right side of the Chamber, as well as a door-sized section on the left. The door had a red tinge to it.
Bill looked at the door and said, "Well the door is cursed. Why don't you try opening the small section while I try to determine the curse on the door?" Bill walked over and started casting at the door-sized section, while Harry, Hermione and Lupin moved to the wall. Ragnok and his Captain kept in the middle watching both.
Harry tried various words in parsel, but nothing happened. There wasn't a password that he could guess. He stood back for a moment and thought on it.
"Harry!" Hermione all of a sudden said, "Try an unlocking charm. Start with Alohamora. If that doesn't work, I can give you a few more."
Harry's eyes lit. He cast an Alohamora charm on the wall section in parsel and all of a sudden faint lines appeared around the section and hinges and a handle appeared, just like a wall safe. "Bill! I got something over here."
Everyone gathered around the hole and Bill carefully opened it. Inside there was a scrap of parchment which contained some writing in Old English. Bill read it over and he grinned. "Well, Harry. Apparently these are the instructions for opening the door. Someone who found the door without looking for this, even if they were a parselmouth, would have some nasty surprises. If someone found this and not the door, they would still have to look for and find the door. Apparently the revealing charms you used are more powerful than the hiding charms that were on the openings which is the only reason we found both. How much you want to bet that if these were used in Latin that the unlocking wouldn't work?"
Bill and Harry went over the instructions for a short while to make the plan of attack on the door, with the others looking on. Hermione was paying especial attention. She always paid attention when there was new magic being discussed. Even if the instructions were used in Latin or another language, it was a very effective set of spells to ward against intrusion. Ragnok himself was interested in the possibilities for Gringott's.
Shortly, they moved over to the door. Bill named an incantation, and Harry would repeat it in parsel while directing his wand at the door. Finally, the red tinge disappeared from the glow. One last Alohamora in parsel, and the door handle and hinges were revealed and the door opened.
Behind the door, there was a room that had apparently been Slytherin's private study. There were chests on leg stands in various parts of the room, with rough-hewn stone shelves behind a large table with a chair in front of it. On the shelves were a number of tomes and scrolls. On the table itself was a large tome with what looked to be a dried-up bottle of ink and a quill that had disintegrated sitting within.
On the side, there was a small potions work area with some bottles and jars on other shelves near it. On the potions table were some oil burners below several cauldrons, including pewter, gold and what was apparently silver, although a patina of age covered the silver one. Apparently the preservation charms had recently expired.
Across from the table in the room was a large map-table and cabinet with a number of rolls of parchment. Behind that table was a standard carrying Slytherin's crest.
Hermione wanted to move over to the tomes and scrolls, but Bill held her back. "Hermione, I know you are desperate to find out what might be in the books and scrolls, but we must be careful. If the preservation charms on the equipment have recently expired, any charms on the books might have as well. It would be better if a team recovered them and was allowed to renew any charms."
Hermione had almost a pouting look which Harry found quite endearing. "Well, alright. As long as I can look at them when they have been recovered." The group laughed and even Hermione chuckled at herself.
The Captain of the Guard moved out and arranged for goblins to dog the doors open to ensure that they wouldn't need Harry to stay to ensure the equipment and supplies could be inventoried and recovered.
Bill took the group out of the chamber and statue, more to prevent Hermione from giving in to temptation than anything else. Harry cast the detection charms along the tunnel walls as they moved out of it. Once they were back in the main chamber, Bill moved to Flitwick to arrange for him to trade places with McGonagall again so they could talk of the find.
While he was doing this, Harry moved around the chamber, casting the revealing charms along the walls in obvious spots to check if something could be found easily. He would have to come back at a later time to cover everything. Such work was the work of months, not a single day. As Harry was the only parselmouth available, it would have to be he that did the work.
Finally Professor McGonagall joined them and the group set to haggling.
When it was done, it was determined that copies of the tomes and scrolls found would be created for Harry, the Headmaster's Private Library, the Hogwarts Library and the goblins while the originals were sent to Slytherin's Vault at Gringott's. The usable potion supplies would be divided up between Harry and the Potions Department. The equipment would be checked, refurbished, and then presented to the Potions Department as well. Harry didn't thing he could claim ownership personally. The maps would be copied the same as the other books and scrolls, whereas the map-table would be for the History Department along with copies of the old maps.
After a long day, Harry and the others decided to stay at Hogwarts that night. The recovery of the basilisk and other items would continue throughout the night by goblins traveling between the Chamber and Gringott's by means of goblin portkeys and apparition.
Dobby was sent with a message for the Grangers and Tonks. They had prepared for this in case it couldn't be done in one day.
Dinner was an interesting affair. The goblins joined the others in the castle in the Great Hall. Harry was interested to note that the goblins ate nothing more than very lightly charred meat and very little other food, while they drank some drink that they had brought for themselves as opposed to tea or fruit juices. Harry guessed that they only drank human drinks as a courtesy when taking refreshment with customers.
After dinner, the goblin teams portkeyed back to the Chamber along with Bill and Fleur, while Ragnok and his Captain went back to Gringott's. Harry and the others were given access to the Gryffindor dormitories. Hermione finagled permission to peruse the library since she was at Hogwarts, including a limited access to the restricted section. McGonagall seemed amused when Hermione was talking to her about it in the Great Hall.
Harry, Hermione, Sirius and Moony did make a trip to Professor McGonagall's office right after dinner though. Minerva McGonagall wanted answers and she wasn't going to accept no for an answer.
"Mister Potter. Since the last term ended, there have been several reports of your doings. I understand some of your reasons, but what can you tell me of what you have been doing? And is there a reason that you seem to want to exclude the Headmaster in your decisions?"
Harry looked at her, glanced over to a tense Hermione and a relaxed Sirius and then turned back to her. "Professor, since I have returned to the magical world at 11 years old, I have faced Voldemort," Harry was pleased to see very little visible shuddering, "three times in various forms, making a total of four times. Not even my parents or Dumbledore for that matter have faced him directly so many times. When the term was done, I was determined to find out as much as I could, and a number of things have ... concerned me ... as regards Professor Dumbledore.
"As my de-facto Magical Guardian, he has not looked after certain things that should have been. I found that I should have heard my parents' wills when I was eleven years old, but no one ever informed me. It was not the goblins job, Sirius was in Azkaban and my muggle relatives had no interest in ensuring that I learned what I needed to know.
"Since first year, I have been almost herded around into confrontations with the creature that killed my parents and almost killed me." Here, Professor McGonagall looked like she wanted to object but held her tongue. "In first year, a powerful magical artifact was brought to Hogwarts at the same time that I first arrived. The very nature of this artifact would almost ensure that Voldemort, if he were able, would attempt to gain possession of it. I was given clues and tools that would aid me in finding out this information. The protections, save one, were overcome by three first years. The only one we did not overcome was overcome by Voldemort himself, after the possessed Quirrell placed the troll as part of the protections.
"Second year, there was a powerful dark artifact possessing a student. Were there no indications from the wards? How did I, once again, have to be the one to resolve it? Luckily, I had access to the brightest witch I know for some information," here Harry smiled at Hermione, "but why were second years the only ones able to correlate the information from several available sources to find the answer? Admittedly, without my abilities, the final resolution could not have happened, but I was reviled throughout the year as the cause while I had to be the one to resolve it.
"Third year. I was told to stay in Hogwarts and was given no more information as to what was happening. Warnings about an escaped Sirius Black, innocent though he was, were given to me on the sly without further clarifying information. If one of my friend's father had not made it a point to tell me about it, I would not even been aware of that much possible danger. To top it all off, I was under attack from dementors in several instances. Dementors who apparently were placed to protect the school and me against this dangerous criminal -- who had never even been given a trial. And why was this criminal dangerous? Because he theoretically attacked a reportedly mediocre wizard, twelve muggles and passed on a secret? Compared to the average person in Azkaban, that doesn't even seem that dangerous. Not enough for dementors to have to guard a school full of innocent children.
"Last year. Oh, where do I start? We were taught by a death eater who was impersonating an old friend of Dumbledore's. Why did he not become suspicious at all? Admittedly being places under the Imperious curse as a part of my class in the end might have helped me -- at least I know I can throw it off immediately. The Goblet of Fire. Everyone involved knew my claims of not having entered, but nothing could be done? Seems right fishy to me. The polyjuiced death eater helped me in subtle ways; no one noticed, not even me. What I did notice I didn't report; I was trying to survive.
"And finally, at the end of all of this, I find that there is a prophecy about me in the Department of Mysteries. A prophesy given to Dumbledore before I was born which basically says it's me or Voldemort. Where was my training to handle this? Why was I not informed and prepared? Maybe these things that have happened have been some sick idea of preparing me, but really now; if that was the case, shouldn't I have at least been told?
"Remember, I grew up with my muggle relatives away from the magical world with no notice and no idea of what had happened or what would be expected of me. My relatives, who hate magic and by extension me and this was done at the instigation of Dumbledore. It was no palace with a pampered existence that I knew as a child, regardless of the ideas pushed forth by certain members of the staff and student body. What were my parents' wishes? I'd like to know. So until, I know everything, I will find out myself with the help of people who have proven themselves to me, people such as Hermione, Sirius, Ragnok and others.
"I have no question that some have my best interest at heart, such as yourself and Hagrid. And I am even aware that Snape really does want me to succeed, regardless of how he treats me. But he doesn't make it any easier for me, and in many ways, much harder. And unfortunately the same goes for the Headmaster."
Professor McGonagall was floored by all of the boy's points. She couldn't even protest the boy's lack of honorifics as in his eye they he was justified in their lack.
Sirius and Moony were just as flabbergasted to have it all laid out in that way. Individual incidents, considered separately might not amount to much, but put them all together and the question marks became very large. Besides any criminal sanctions, there were some very large pranks due to some people.
Hermione, in that she had been involved since the third task of the tournament, as well as with Harry, had had a chance to think about it all. Her trust in authority figures without question was weakening, and this meeting had almost shattered it. As far as she was concerned, she supported Harry. And it didn't matter who else was involved.
"Mr. Potter, I had never considered everything in this way all at once. Your arguments are well thought out and valid. If it were I, I would be just as skeptical. I can only say, for my part, that I will support you as needed and that I will try to make sure the other staff does as well. I will keep my own counsel as far as the Headmaster goes, but I will keep your confidences."
Harry thanked her and the meeting broke up shortly thereafter. Minerva McGonagall headed out to talk to Filius Flitwick. She would have to talk to Professor Sprout when she returned. Hagrid, unfortunately, couldn't keep a secret to save his life, so she knew she couldn't tell him much.
Hermione had taken advantage of the lack of a Librarian and supervision to peruse the restricted section of the Library for things that could help Harry in his conflict with Voldemort. Remus was with her as she looked at the titles of tome after tome. She found a few things that Harry and she could practice when they moved in with Sirius.
Sirius and Harry had taken a couple of brooms and invaded the quidditch pitch. It felt good to be up in the air. Sirius and he had fun throwing the quaffle around. Harry had shown Sirius his reckless nature on a broom, and Sirius wasn't one to tell him to hold back. All in all, it was an enjoyable trip.
That night, Sirius and Remus had bunked in their old dormitory that they had had when they were students. Harry took his own bed in the dorms, as had Hermione. His was the only one that was arranged to be used; the rest of the beds were currently stripped of their sheets and blankets. He was about to drift off to sleep after snogging Hermione for a while, when the dorm room's door opened slowly and he heard a quiet, "Harry?" Harry recognized the voice. It was Hermione.
"Yeah, Hermione. Come on in." Hermione padded over to Harry. Harry saw that she had nicked one of his used quidditch jerseys to be used as a nightgown. He almost groaned -- she looked too damn sexy with his name written across her back as he saw when she turned to close the door. His hormones were close to getting the best of him.
"Harry, it's so lonely in my dorm. Mind if I bunk with you?" she asked with a smile. Harry smiled back, if a bit nervously, and lifted the blanket to let her under the covers. She enthusiastically climbed in. Just as turned toward him, they heard a voice. "Heya guys!"
Hermione was about to curse as Harry said, "Hello, Larry. What brings you to us tonight?"
"Nothing much. Just wanted to check in."
"Well, everything seems fine."
"Oh, yeah. Did have one thing from Bob though."
"Oh, yeah? What's that?"
"Make sure you talk to your friends at the party, at least the ones you trust, about what's going on. Not about Afterlife of course. But everything else."
"I was planning on it."
"Oh, that's good. Also you have to make time to talk to the house elves."
"Ok. I promise. Tomorrow," Hermione said with some irritation showing. "Anything else?"
"Nope, that's about it."
"Ok." Harry finished, "We'll see you later. Bye."
Larry popped off. Sometimes clients didn't appreciate all Afterlife Inc did for them.
Hermione shook off her irritation. "At least they didn't really interrupt this time. Next time they interrupt me when we're alone, I'm going to hex whatever bits they have off."
Harry laughed. "Whatever you say, Mione. It might be fun to see. Too bad we can't get Sirius and Moony involved with a prank on them."
Hermione turned toward Harry and put her face close to his. "Now that he's gone ...."
Harry and Hermione did a bit more exploring that night, and went to sleep quite satisfied, even if they did need cleaning charms.
The next morning, Hermione and Harry got up early. Hermione went back to her dorm to get ready before Sirius and Moony got up to avoid awkward questions.
Harry was just finishing when the two Marauders came in. "Ready for breakfast, pup?" was Sirius's question while Remus had an odd look on his face.
Harry looked questioning towards him. Remus smiled, almost a smirk for him, as he asked, "Have a good night?"
Sirius looked speculative as Harry asked, "Why do you ask?"
"Werewolf senses. Increased sense of smell," Remus answered with a full on smirk. Sirius turned into Padfoot for a moment, changed back wide-eyed, and then the two Marauders laughed themselves silly at Harry's slightly guilty expression.
Sirius made a comment to Remus as the followed Harry out of the room, "I better get on the ball. It's a sad day when my godson is getting more action than me." Remus just laughed as Harry blushed in front of them.
By mid-afternoon, the group had finished in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry hadn't found anything more when he went down to the Chamber and looked around. Hermione had ensconced herself back in the Library.
At 4:00, everyone ported back to Gringott's with the last of the results of the expedition. Harry thanked Professor McGonagall for her help before he portkeyed back to the Chamber before using the Gringott's portkey from there to the bank.
The group met in Ragnok's office. Slipknife and Fleur were there, as well as Sirius, Remus, Hermione and Harry himself. Bill had finished his part earlier in the day.
Slipknife started the calculations. "The following were the items recovered from Slytherin's chamber:
"Remains of the basilisk include: basilisk skin in the amount of 200 clothe-yards valued at G200,000, useful in the creation of battle-robes, dueling robes and construction materials for spell-resistance; 4 gallons of basilisk venom weighing 46 pounds, valued at G368,000 on the open market, useful in various potions; collected skeleton weighing 400 pounds (not including fangs) valued at G40000 as parts or up to G200,000 as a whole, construction materials or collectible; remaining small teeth useful as weapons and the basis for magical objects, G42000, viscera useful in potions weighing approximately 600 pounds valued at G120,000; other viscera still useful for other purposes such as feed for exotic creatures weighing approximately 200 pounds valued at G2000; the meat of the creature, aged well, sellable as food for those with a ... refined palate ... weighing approximately 3400 pounds valued at G760,000; other parts not otherwise useful that could be sold as fertilizer weighing approximately 200 pounds valued at G400; and finally 100 pounds of materials that are too damaged or non-useful for sale, disposal fee normally G10. The used sheddings that were collected useful as described in the chamber are valued at G8000; the portions that have deteriorated to far weigh approximately 1000 pounds and involve a G100 pound disposal fee. The final total is G1460290 to G1620290.
"Other items are considered without value as they are considered owned by either yourself or Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The tomes are in the process of being copied, the other material has been stored for distribution as agreed to in the Chamber. The potions ingredients that are still useful are valued at G76,200 of which your portion is G36,100."
Harry was gobsmacked by the value of the carcass. After he thought about it for a moment, he asked Ragnok, "I do have a question and I apologize in advance if this is rude, but do the palates that would appreciate the meat include the palate of goblins?"
Ragnok smiled at Harry. "There is no rudeness, and to answer your question, yes. Such meat would be considered a great delicacy."
"The next question is this: What would the normal fee be for the part that Gringott's played in the recovery be?"
"At G1,500,000 value, the fee would be G300,000 if sold to us for resale for the guaranteed amount; representation as the agent for the sale would also involve an additional 10% beyond the fee could theoretically bring a more hefty profit. However, as agreed, the Goblin Nation has waived the fees in appreciation of the information you brought and our alliance. I am aware that you do not want to profit from this, but I must advise you that it could be considered by some an insult to refuse this offer. As we value your friendship, so must you show that you value ours."
Harry smiled ruefully. "Director, you know me well. Very well, I will accept the honor of the boon that you provide." Ragnok nodded with satisfaction. "How many of your people were instrumental in the recovery?"
"There were 42 goblins, an employee and an intern. This includes myself and my guard."
"I would like to gift 210 pounds of the meat, 5 pounds to each goblin, as a personal thanks for their aid in the project and in appreciation for their efforts. I would like to earmark the full value of 10 pounds divided as a gift between Mr. Bill Weasley and Ms. Fleur Delacour. The approximate value if you had collected your fee for the rest would be ...."
Fleur said with a smile of appreciation for Harry's generosity, "G512,000."
"Thank you, Fleur. ... G512,000. I offer the sale of the meat to the Goblin Nation at the cost of G512,000 This is not intended as insult but among the customs that I grew up with, such a discount between friends would be considered polite and would create no other obligation beyond the transaction than returned friendship if desired."
Ragnok and the other goblins stood and Ragnok said as he bowed, "In the spirit of friendship, I thank you for the generous price. We accept that within your customs it would be polite to accept this and to offer our friendship in return." Harry stood and bowed back.
"I ask that 5 percent of the materials from the basilisk that would be useful for potions and 10 percent of the venom be made available for the Potions Master that will attend the meeting on Monday will be given as incentive to work on a particular project. 2 percent of the the materials from the basilisk, 10 percent of the venom and the portion of Slytherin's ingredients I will gift to my life-mate, Hermione Granger." Here Hermione hugged Harry from her seat beside him. "Half of the skin I ask to keep as a basis for robes for my friends and allies. Half of the teeth I request, when purchased, be used as the basis for goblin-made weaponry to be kept or sold as the goblins prefer. I will retain G100,000. The rest of the proceeds I would like divided among those mentioned earlier according to this list." Harry handed a parchment with the names he had given earlier with percentages marked.
"The other items, tomes and scrolls that are to be presented to Hogwarts I would ask that you retain until September 1st and I ask that the Goblin Nation arrange with the Deputy Headmistress to present them at the opening feast, so that the honor of the Goblin Nation may be seen by all. And should it be time to present the other items by then, I would ask those be presented at the same time."
"Once again, you have given great honor to my people and the Goblin Nation thanks you. The arrangements are acceptable."
They spent the next few minutes finishing up, and Harry, Hermione and the rest traveled back to the Grangers residence.
A/N: Birthday party will be next and the will readings.