Achieving Light [Book 2 of Through Darkness and Light]

Chapter 2: A Legacy Lost

A/N: So, I'm back! And yes, this is a shorter chapter than I'd anticipated, but my time right now is short, and I wanted to get something to you. After all, I was receiving a bunch of pressure from some fans *coughZwerplecough*. ;) Love ya, honey bunches. Anyways, here you go, I'm working on the next chapter, blah blah blah, but I have some other stories I need to attend to as well. Enjoy this one. It's more of a filler with a (terrible) cliffhanger. :3 But...it is a necessary chapter. Refavoment!

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It was a beautiful Saturday. Everything was peaceful…well, almost everything. Muffled shouting could be heard from behind a wooden door, emanating from within the private office of one Gringotts goblin. A few passing goblins directing a few wizards to their own offices paused for a moment, as if in silent debate over whether or not they should interfere with the heavy discussion within. After a moment, they passed on, grabbing the attention of their bewildered clients.

“What do you mean you can’t open it without the key?” Draco spat, slamming his palm on the desk. Griplock, the goblin sitting in front of him, didn’t flinch.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Potter. I realize that with your husband’s recent death, things are a bit chaotic for you, and you are bound to be a bit stressed. But shouting at me because of a technicality is no way to go about doing things.”

“A technicality? You are refusing me entrance to my husband’s vaults, which I gained access to the moment I married him. I told you, I need to get into those vaults. It’s a matter of life and death!”

Griplock eyed him. “You never mentioned that…pray tell, what do you seek from the vaults?”

Draco hesitated. “How can I be sure I can trust you?” he asked, his eyes narrowed. He wished he had Hermione with him right now. She would know how to use her words to get what she wanted. But she had been asked to stay behind, outside of the office, with Blaise and Pansy.

“I am sworn by Unbreakable Oath to protect the confidentiality of my clients.”

Draco glared at the goblin for a moment, before sighing and settling back into his chair heavily. “You cannot breathe a word of anything I am about to tell you,” he warned, unnecessarily. “This is rather…delicate information.”

“Agreed, Mr. Potter.”

“What do you know of the Viatacatre?”

For a moment, everything was silent. Griplock leaned back in his chair, rubbing his pointy chin in thought. “Nothing more than the average wizard…why?”

“Harry was a Viatacatre…I have received information, stating that because he is a Viatacatre, and because he died before his time, there is a chance of bringing him back from the dead.” Draco studied the goblin’s face, but the stony silence gave away nothing. “However, the way to go about doing so is unknown to me, and my informer was unable to tell what they knew. The only thing they could tell me was that I had to access Harry’s father’s vaults, and search for…something. I can’t tell you what it is, exactly, first, because I don’t know, and second, because such a highly guarded secret is not to be shared lightly.” Draco leaned forward, trying not to seem desperate, but also trying to convince the goblin. “Please…this may be the only chance I have at getting my Inima back…you have to help me…will you let me into the vaults?”

The goblin was silent for a long time, so long Draco felt he might have fallen asleep, if it weren’t for the occasional, slow blink. “I told you before, Mr. Potter, I am not allowed to open vaults without the proper key.” Draco’s heart sank. But his eyes widened with Griplock’s next words. “However, we rarely deal with Inima, and even less so with the Viatacatre. I am going to run a few tests on you, and perhaps even use Veritaserum to validate your claims. But if you are telling the truth…I supposed the rules may be bent, just this once. I will grant you access to the vaults. There is a secret for opening any vault without a key.”