Tortured :||: Loved Series #5

8) But That Leaves Only Five

Ft. Gringotts Ukrainian Ironbelly

Lily's POV

The goblin, whose name I delved to be Bogrod, was . not at all surprised when Griphook . and Harry appeared from under the Cloak once we were in the station chamber and all of us climbed into a small metal cart, resembling a mining car. With a click of the goblins fingers, the carriage started moving and at the last minute, the tracks switched and we were suddenly diving steeply deep into the earth with worrying speed.

Deeper and deeper we flew, all our hair flapping wildly in the wind as the cart took hairpin bends like demons from hell were chasing us. Entering a large cavern, a loud gushing sound reverberated around us and up ahead a waterfall flew past before the tracks turned sharply and we were hurtling straight towards it.

 "What is that, Griphook?!" 

Harry shouted above the wind, the same time Griphook yelled, "No!"

The icy water washed over us and it took a moment until we could breathe or see anything again, the same moment the cart came to an abrupt halt. Glancing around for an answer as to what was going on, I noticed Hermione looked like herself again, as did Ron. A light came on in the carriage and it let out a horrible wailing sound like an alarm before the bottom dropped out and we were all hurtling into the darkness below.

Hermione screeched something as she rapidly flicked her wand, the ground growing ever closer but we all froze just above the rocky surface before dropping gently onto it.

"Thanks, Hermione," Draco nodded, offering me a hand up, brushing himself off. 

"What was that?!" Ron demanded, looking around for Griphook.

"The Thief's Downfall," He said it like we were supposed to know what the hell just happened. "It washes away all enchantments, it can be deadly."

"You don't say," Ron replied sarcastically. "Just out of interest, is there any other way out of here?"

"Nope." Griphook shook his head eyeing Bogrod.

"What in the devil are all you doing down here!?" The amount of anger radiating out of such a small creature was almost comical, he was even turning red. "Thieves! Why you little--"

"Imperio." I flicked my wand and the goblin breathed in calmly, settling into the vacant state.

I turned back around to find Ron and Hermione gaping at me, Griphook and Harry watching on cautiously. "You do it like you've done it before? Like you don't care?"

"I have and I don't really care right now," I answered honestly and moved towards the small opening in the side of what seemed to be a mountain buried beneath the earth. 

A deep rumble emitted from inside the mountain right beside us. "That doesn't sound good," Ron muttered.

We walked along the small path that stuck out from the mountain and came to the vault entrance. Inside was a circular chamber of three levels, lined with doors to vaults belonging to the oldest and most powerful families in history. 

Draco leant down to my ear, wrapping an arm around my waist as we walked towards the columns holding . up the extensive architecture. "Our vault is in here." 

The others evidently heard as they glanced back at us with smiles. We came round the columns to find a fully-grown dragon chained in the centre of the large area, far above us a tunnel of light shone in the darkness of the bank above. The metal collar had caused its neck to rub raw and it's limbs sickly thin due to lack of sufficient living conditions.