The voices became louder but no more intelligible as the group of men reached the bank。 Harry estimated that their owners were fewer than twenty feet away； but the cascading river made it impossible to tell for sure。 Hermione snatched up the beaded bag and started to rummage； after a moment she drew out three Extendible Ears and threw one each to Harry and Ron； who hastily inserted the ends of the flesh…colored strings into their ears and fed the other ends out of the tent entrance。
Within seconds Harry heard a weary male voice。
〃There ought to be a few salmon in here； or d'you reckon it's too early in the season？ Accio Salmon！〃
There were several distinct splashes and then the slapping sounds of fish against flesh。 Somebody grunted appreciatively。 Harry pressed the Extendable ear deeper into his
own： Over the murmur of the river he could make out more voices； but they were not speaking English or any human language he had ever heard。 It was a rough and unmelodious tongue； a string of rattling； guttural noises； and there seemed to be two speakers； one with a slightly lower； slower voice than the other。
A fire danced into life on the other side of the canvas； large shadows passed between tent and flames。 The delicious smell of baking salmon wafted tantalizingly in their direction。 Then came the clinking of cutlery on plates； and the first man spoke again。
〃Here； Griphook； Gornuk。〃
Goblins！ Hermione mouthed at Harry； who nodded。
〃Thank you；〃 said the goblins together in English。
〃So； you three have been on the run how long？〃 asked a new； mellow； and pleasant voice； it was vaguely familiar to Harry； who pictured a round…bellied； cheerful…faced man。
〃Six weeks 。 。 。 Seven 。 。 。 I forget；〃 said the tired man。 〃Met up with Griphook in the first couple of days and joined forces with Gornuk not long after。 Nice to have a but of pany。〃 There was a pause； while knives scraped plates and tin mugs were picked up and replaced on the ground。 〃What made you leave； Ted？〃 continued the man。
〃Knew they were ing for me；〃 replied mellow…voiced Ted； and Harry suddenly knew who he was： Tonks's father。 〃Heard Death Eaters were in the area last week and decided I'd better run for it。 Refused to register as a Muggle…born on principle； see； so I knew it was a matter of time； knew I'd have to leave in the end。 My wife should be okay； she's pure…blood。 And then I net Dean here； what； a few days ago； son？〃
〃Yeah；〃 said another voice； and Harry； Ron； and Hermione stared at each other； silent but besides themselves with excitement； sure they recognized the voice of Dean Thomas； their fellow Gryffindor。
〃Muggle…born； eh？〃 asked the first man。
〃Not sure ；〃 said Dean。 〃My dad left my mum when I was a kid。 I've got no proof he was a wizard； though。〃
There was silence for a while； except for the sounds of munching； then Ted spoke again。
〃I've got to say； Dirk； I'm surprised to run into you。 Pleased； but surprised。 Word was that you'd been caught。〃
〃I was；〃 said Dirk。 〃I was halfway to Azkaban when I made a break for it。 Stunned Dawlish； and nicked his broom。 It was easier than you'd think； I don't reckon he's quite right at the moment 。Might be Confunded。 If so； I'd like to shake the hand of the witch or wizard who did it； probably saved my life。〃
There was another pause in which the fire crackled and the river rushed on。 The Ted said； 〃And where do you two fit in？ I； er； had the impression the goblins were for You…Know…Who； on the whole。〃
〃You had a false impression；〃 said the higher…voiced of the goblins。 〃We take no sides。 This is a wizards' war。〃
〃How e you're in hiding； then？〃
〃I deemed in prudent；〃 said the deeper…voiced goblin。 〃Having refused what I considered an impertinent request； I could see that my person safety was in jeopardy。〃
〃What did they ask you to do？〃 asked Ted。
〃Duties ill…befitting the dignity of my race；〃 replied the goblin； his voice rougher and less human as he said it。 〃I am not a house…elf。〃
〃What about you； Griphook？〃
〃Similar reasons；〃 said the higher voiced goblin。 〃Gringotts is no longer under the sole control of my race。 I recognize no Wizarding master。〃
He added something under his breath in Gobbledegook； and Gornuk laughed。
〃What's the joke？〃 asked Dean。
〃He said；〃 replied Dirk； 〃that there are things wizards don't recognize； either。〃
There was a short pause。
〃I don't get it；〃 said Dean。
〃I had my small revenge before I left；；〃 said Griphook in English。
〃Good mana151goblin； I should say；〃 amended Ted hastily。 〃Didn't manage to lock a Death Eater up in one of the old high…security vaults； I suppose？〃
〃If I had； the sword would not have helped him break out；〃 replied Griphook。 Gornuk laughed again and even Dirk gave a dry chuckle。
〃Dean and I are still missing something here；〃 said Ted。
〃So is Severus Snape； though he does not know it；〃 said Griphook； and the two goblins roared with malicious laughter。 Inside the tent Harry's breathing was shallow with excitement： He and Hermione stared at each other； listening as hard as they could。
〃Didn't you hear about that； Ted？〃 asked Dirk。 〃About the kids who tried to steal Gryffindor's sword out of Snape's office at Hogwarts？〃
An electric current seemed to course through Harry； jangling his every nerve as he stood rooted to the spot。
〃Never heard a word；〃 said Ted； 〃Not in the Prophet； was it？〃
〃Hardly；〃 chortled Dirk。 〃Griphook here told me； he heard about it from Bill Weasley who works for the bank。 One of the kids who tried to take the sword was Bill's younger sister。〃
Harry glanced toward Hermione and Ron； both of whom were clutching the Extendable Ears as tightly as lifelines。
〃She and a couple of friends got into Snape's office and smashed open the glass case where he was apparently keeping the sword。 Snape caught them as they were trying to smuggle it down the staircase。
〃Ah； God bless 'em；〃 said Ted。 〃What did they think； that they'd be able to use the sword on You…Know…Who？ Or on Snape himself？
〃Well； whatever they thought they were going to do with it； Snape decided the sword wasn't safe where it was；〃 said Dirk。 〃Couple of days later； once he'd got the say…so from You…Know…Who； I imagine； he sent it down to London to be kept in Gringotts instead。〃
The goblins started to laugh again。
〃I'm still not seeing the joke；〃 said Ted。
〃It's a fake；〃 rasped Griphook。
〃The sword of Gryffindor！〃
〃Oh yes。 It is a copya151en excellent copy； it is truea151but it was Wizard…made。 The original was forged centuries ago by goblins and had certain properties only goblin…made armor possesses。 Wherever the genuine sword of Gryffindor is； it is not in a vault at Gringotts bank。〃
〃I see；〃 said Ted。 〃And I take it you didn't bother telling the Death Eaters this/'
〃I saw no reason to trouble them with the information；〃 said Griphook smugly； and now Ted and Dean joined in Gornuk and Dirk's laughter。
Inside the tent； Harry closed his eyes； willing someone to ask the question he needed answered； and after a minute that seemed ten； Dean obliged： he was （Harry remembered with a jolt） an ex…boyfriend of Ginny's too。
〃What happened to Ginny and all the others？ The ones who tried to steal it？〃
〃Oh； they were punished； and cruelly；〃 said Griphook indifferently。