94 hp Diagon Alley

However, how and when to break up with the goblin without surrendering the Gryffindor sword, Harry has never been able to figure out the answer.The goblin rarely left Harry, Ron, and Hermione alone for more than five minutes, and it was impossible for the three of them to agree on a solution.

"It could teach my mum a lesson," Ron grumbled, as the goblin's long fingers kept showing up by the door.With Bill's warning in mind, Harry couldn't help suspecting that Griphook was always on the lookout for their tricks.Hermione was so vehemently opposed to the planned deception that Harry had given up trying to talk to her about how to pull it off.And on the rare free time without Griphook, all Ron could think was, "Let's play it by ear, man."

At six o'clock that morning, Harry and Ron got out of their sleeping bags, dressed in the gloom, and walked softly out into the garden, waiting to join Hermione and Griphook.It was cold at dawn, but since it was May, there was not much wind.Harry looked up at the still shimmering stars in the black night sky, and heard the water crashing against the cliffs again and again - a sound he would miss.

Bellatrix Lestrange strode across the lawn toward them, Griphook at his side.She was wearing an old gown she had borrowed from the Diggory's long ago, and she was stuffing the beaded packet into the inside pocket of the gown as she walked.Even though Harry knew it was Hermione, he couldn't help shivering with disgust.She was taller than he was, with long, wavy black hair falling back, and eyes with swollen lids that looked at him contemptuously.But when she spoke, Harry recognized Hermione in Bellatrix's deep voice.

"She smells disgusting, worse than Gydegan! Well, Ron, come here and let me get you..."

"Okay, but remember, I don't like long beards—"

"Oh, for God's sake, it's not a question of whether it's pretty or not—"

"No, it's in the way! But I like my nose a little shorter, like you did last time."

Hermione sighed and got to work, muttering, helping Ron change his appearance.He's been given a completely fabricated identity, and they're counting on Bellatrix's wicked dominance to protect him.Harry and Griphook will be hiding under the Invisibility Cloak.

"Well," said Hermione, "how does he look, Harry?"

The disguised Ron was barely recognizable, but Harry thought that was only because he knew Ron so well.Ron now had long, curly hair, a bushy brown beard on his chin, a mustache on his upper lip, no freckles, thick eyebrows, and a short, broad nose.

"Well, not my type, but okay," said Harry. "Shall we go?"

All three looked back at the shell hut. It was dark and quietly lying under the looming stars.They turned and walked out. As long as they passed the boundary wall, the Fidelity Charm would no longer work, and they could Apparate.Once outside the gate, Griphook spoke.

"Now should I climb up, Harry Potter?"

Harry bent down, and the goblin climbed onto his back, clasping his arms around Harry's throat.It wasn't heavy, but Harry didn't like touching the goblin, or the way it hugged him with incredible strength.Hermione took the Invisibility Cloak from the beaded pouch and covered them both.

"Great," she said, leaning over Harry's feet, "I can't see anything. Let's go."

Harry spun in place with Griphook on his back, trying to focus on the Leaky Cauldron—the entrance to Diagon Alley.The goblin hugged even tighter as they entered the oppressive darkness.A few seconds later, Harry's feet touched the ground, and he opened his eyes to see Charing Cross Road.The Muggles hurried past with their early-morning listless expressions, unaware of the inn's existence.

The Leaky Cauldron was almost empty.Tom, the hunchbacked, toothless proprietor, was polishing glasses behind the bar; a few wizards whispering in the far corner glanced at Hermione and retreated into the shadows.

"Lady Lestrange," Tom whispered, bowing his head respectfully as Hermione walked by.

"Good morning," said Hermione, and Harry, who walked softly with Griphook on his back under the Invisibility Cloak, could see that Tom was surprised.

"Too polite," Harry whispered to Hermione as they entered the tiny backyard from the hotel. "You treat them like trash."

"well!"

Hermione drew Bellatrix's wand and tapped a brick on the plain wall in front of her.Immediately the blocks of the wall began to rotate, and a small hole appeared in the middle, which grew wider and wider until it formed an arch leading to a narrow cobbled street that was Diagon Alley.

The street was quiet, and when the store opened, there were almost no customers outside.The winding cobbled alleys have changed a lot. When Harry first came here before entering Hogwarts, the alleys were so bustling and lively.Now that so many shops were boarded up, there were a few new shops dealing in dark magic items, which were not there when Harry was last here.Harry's own face glared at him from posters in many of the windows reading Undesirable Number One.

"Why, Lady Lestrange!"

Harry turned sharply, and Griphook tightened his grip on his neck.A tall, thin wizard with thick gray hair and a long, pointed nose came striding towards them.

"It's Travers," the goblin hissed in Harry's ear, but for a moment Harry couldn't remember who Travers was.Hermione straightened up and asked with as much contempt as she could muster, "What do you want?"

Travers stopped in his tracks, obviously offended.

"He's a Death Eater, too!" Griphook whispered, and Harry crept closer, passing the information into Hermione's ear.

"I just wanted to say hello," Travers said coldly, "but if you're not welcome..."

Harry recognized his voice now that Travers was one of the Death Eaters summoned to Xenophilius' house.

"No, no, where, Travers," said Hermione hastily, trying to cover up her mistake, "How are you?"

"Well, I admit I was surprised to see you out and about, Bellatrix."

"Really? Why?" Hermione asked.

"Well," Travers coughed, "I heard that everyone at Malfoy Manor was locked up in the house after that... ah... escape."

Harry begged Hermione to stay calm.If the news is true, if Bellatrix should not be seen in public—"The Dark Lord forgave those who were most loyal to him in the past," said Hermione, imitating Bellatrix perfectly. Kex at his most arrogant, "Maybe you don't have as much credit with him as I do, Travers."

The Death Eater seemed offended again, but also seemed less suspicious.

"But," said Travers curiously, "whose wand are you using now, Bellatrix? I heard your own was—"

"This is my own wand," said Hermione coldly, raising Bellatrix's wand, "I don't know what rumors you've heard, Travers, you seem to be very misled gone."

Travers seemed a little taken aback, and he turned to Ron.

"Who is your friend? I don't know him."

"He's Dragomir Despard," said Hermione, as they negotiated the plan, deciding that an imaginary foreign name would be the safest cover for Ron. The devil's target. He came to see our new regime from Transylvania."

"Really? Hello, Dragomir."

"Hi," said Ron, holding out his hand.

Travers shook Ron's hand with two fingers, as if worried about getting himself dirty.

"So what's the business of you and your - ah - supportive friend being in Diagon Alley so early?" Travers asked.

"I'm going to Gringotts," said Hermione.

"Why, I'm going too," said Travers. "Gold, dirty gold! We can't live without it, and yet I confess I'm sorry I have to deal with friends with long fingers."

Harry felt Griphook's hand tighten momentarily around his neck.

"Please?" Travers said, motioning Hermione to move forward.

Hermione had no choice but to follow him, along the winding cobblestone streets, towards the snow-white tower above the small shop - Gringotts.Ron walked beside them, Harry and Griphook following.

The last thing they wanted was a vigilant Death Eater, and worst of all, Harry couldn't communicate with Hermione and Ron with Travers by the side of what he thought was Bellatrix.Soon they were at the bottom of the marble steps leading to the bronze gate.As Griphook had warned, the goblins in livery on either side of the gate had been replaced by two wizards, each wielding a slender golden rod.

"Ah, Honest Probe," Travers sighed exaggeratedly, "primitive—but effective!"

He walked up the steps and nodded to the wizards on the left and right of the gate, who raised their golden rods and moved them up and down around him.Harry knew that the instrument would detect hidden spells and hidden magical objects.Harry knew he only had a few seconds left, so he quickly raised Draco's wand and tapped the two guards, whispering twice to confuse the audience.The two guards were slightly shocked by the spell, and Travers looked at the inner hall behind the bronze door and didn't notice.

Hermione ascends the steps, her long black hair