ed this； until he saw Bill's eyes following the goblin up the stairs。
〃No。。。 no。。。 I really must get back；〃 said Lupin at last； declining yet another goblet of wine。 He got to his feet and pulled his traveling cloak back around himself。
〃Good…bye； good…bye a150a150 I'll try and bring some pictures in a few day's time a150a150 they'll all be so glad to know that I've seen you a150a150〃
He fastened his cloak and made his farewells； hugging the women and grasping hands with the men； then； still beaming； returned into the wild night。
〃Godfather； Harry！〃 said Bill as they walked into the kitchen together； helping clear the table。 〃A real honor！ Congratulations！〃
As Harry set down the empty goblets he was carrying； Bill pulled the door behind him closed； shutting out the still…voluble voices of the others； who were continuing to celebrate even in Lupin's absence。
〃I wanted a private word； actually； Harry。 It hasn't been easy to get an opportunity with the cottage this full of people。〃
Bill hesitated。
〃Harry； you're planning something with Griphook。〃
It was a statement； not a question； and Harry did not bother to deny it。 He merely looked at Bill； waiting。
〃I know goblins；〃 said Bill。 〃I've worked for Gringotts ever since I left Hogwarts。 As far as there can be friendship between wizards and goblins； I have goblin friends a150a150 or； at least； goblins I know well； and like。〃 Again； Bill hesitated。
〃Harry； what do you want from Griphook； and what have you promised him in return？〃
〃I can't tell you that；〃 said Harry。 〃Sorry； Bill。〃
The kitchen door opened behind them； Fleur was trying to bring through more empty goblets。
〃Wait；〃 Bill told her； 〃Just a moment。〃
She backed out and he closed the door again。
〃Then I have to say this；〃 Bill went on。 〃If you have struck any kind of bargain with Griphook； and most particularly if that bargain involves treasure； you must be exceptionally careful。 Goblin notions of ownership； payment； and repayment are not the same as human ones。〃
Harry felt a slight squirm of disfort； as though a small snake had stirred inside him。
〃What do you mean？〃 he asked。
〃We are talking about a different breed of being；〃 said Bill。 〃Dealings between wizards and goblins have been fraught for centuries a150a150 but you'll know all that from History of Magic。 There has been fault on both sides； I would never claim that wizards have been innocent。 However； there is a belief among some goblins； and those at Gringotts are perhaps most prone to it； that wizards cannot be trusted in matters of gold and treasure； that they have no respect for goblin ownership。〃
〃I respect a150a150〃 Harry began； but Bill shook his head。
〃You don't understand； Harry； nobody could understand unless they have lived with goblins。 To a goblin； the rightful and true master of any object is the maker； not the purchaser。 All goblin made objects are； in goblin eyes； rightfully theirs。〃
〃But it was bought a150a150〃
〃a150a150 then they would consider it rented by the one who had paid the money。 They have； however； great difficulty with the idea of goblin…made objects passing from wizard to wizard。 You saw Griphook's face when the tiara passed under his eyes。 He disapproves。 I believe he thinks； as do the fiercest of his kind； that it ought to have been returned to the goblins once the original purchaser died。 They consider our habit of keeping goblin…made objects； passing them from wizard to wizard without further payment； little more than theft。〃
Harry had an ominous feeling now； he wondered whether Bill guessed more than he was letting on。
〃All I am saying；〃 said Bill； setting his hand on the door back into the sitting room； 〃is to be very careful what you promise goblins； Harry。 It would be less dangerous to break into Gringotts than to renege on a promise to a goblin。〃
〃Right；〃 said Harry as Bill opened the door； 〃yeah。 Thanks。 I'll bear that in mind。〃
As he followed Bill back to the others a wry thought came to him； born no doubt of the wine he had drunk。 He seemed set on ______ to bee just as reckless a godfather to Teddy Lupin as Sirius Black had been to him。
pC0=〃Chapter Twenty…Six： Gringotts〃
bChapter Twenty…Six
iGringottsib
Their plans were made； their preparations plete； in the smallest bedroom a single long； coarse black hair （plucked from the sweater Hermione had been wearing at Malfoy Manor） lay curled in a small glass phial on the mantelpiece。
〃And you'll be using her actual wand；〃 said Harry； nodding toward the walnut wand； 〃so I reckon you'll be pretty convincing。〃
Hermione looked frightened that the wand might sting or bit her as she picked it up。
〃I hate that thing；〃 she said in a low voice。 〃I really hate it。 It feels all wrong； it doesn't work properly for me 。 。 。 It's like a bit of her。〃
Harry could not help but remember how Hermione has dismissed his loathing of the blackthorn wand； insisting that he was imagining things when it did not work as well as his own； telling him to simply practice。 He chose not to repeat her own advice back to her； however； the eve of their attempted assault on Gringotts felt like the wrong moment to antagonize her。
〃It'll probably help you get in character； though；〃 said Ron。 〃think what that wand's done！〃
〃But that's my point！〃 said Hermione。 〃This is the wand that tortured Neville's mum and dad； and who knows how many other people？ This is the wand that killed Sirius！〃
Harry had not thought of that： He looked down at the wand and was visited by a brutal urge to snap it； to slice it in half with Gryffindor's sword； which was propped against the wall beside him。
〃I miss my wand；〃 Hermione said miserably。 〃I wish Mr。 Ollivander could have made me another one too。〃
Mr。 Ollivander had sent Luna a new wand that morning。 She was out on the back lawn at that moment； testing its capabilities in the late afternoon sun。 Dean； who had lost his wand to the Snatchers； was watching rather gloomily。
Harry looked down at the hawthorn wand that had once belonged to Draco Malfoy。 He had been surprised； but pleased to discover that it worked for him at least as well as Hermione's had done。 Remembering what Ollivander had told them of the secret
workings of wands； Harry thought he knew what Hermione's problem was： She had not won the walnut wand's allegiance by taking it personally from Bellatrix。
The door of the bedroom opened and Griphook entered。 Harry reached instinctively for the hilt of the sword and drew it close to him； but regretted his action at once。 He could tell that the goblin had noticed。 Seeking to gloss over the sticky moment； he said； 〃We've just been checking the last…minute stuff； Griphook。 We've told Bill and Fleur we're leaving tomorrow； and we've told them not to get up to see us off。〃
They had been firm on this point； because Hermione would need to transform in Bellatrix before they left； and the less that Bill and Fleur knew or suspected about what they were about to do； the better。 They had also explained that they would not be returning。 As they had lost Perkin's old tent on the night that the Snatcher's caught them； Bill had lent them another one。 It was now packed inside the beaded bag； which； Harry was impressed to learn； Hermione