"
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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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There's chocolate chip, double chocolate, chocolate with icing, and white chocolate."
"Hmmm. Tarts."
"Chocolate tart."
"Hmmm. Brownies."
"Chocolate, double chocolate, and chocolate with icing."
"Hmmm. Fudge."
"Chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, double chocolate, marble, chocolate and peanut butter, and chocolate and caramel."
"Hmmm. What else?"
"Nanaimo bars and chocolate mousse."
"Hmmm. I'll take a green tea and a slice of lemon cake."
Harry twitched out of both amusement and exasperation
"Okay, we're ready to open it!" The first called up.
A group of different people pulled wands out and a few more lined up on the sides.
"Kid, can you be here when they open it?" The second asked him. "You don't have to be and it would probably be best if you weren't as the goblins would have our heads if you're hurt, but we're expecting a lot of snakes."
"I'll be fine here." Harry shrugged as he pulled his wand out.
The third shooed the other two back up and waved a goblin and a woman down. They all squeezed in the small space in the cleared area and the woman raised her wand as the goblin waved a hand. Harry waited patiently, wand at the ready. A man above them started to chant, wand aimed at the door. Slowly a creak was heard. Five minutes later the door was pulling away from the entrance.
Harry watched the darkness behind it carefully. The small opening was only an inch wide when Harry threw out a fast shield. Everyone cried out startled at his action and the ones removing the door paused. A snake few out and hit Harry's shield an inch from the woman's face. It hit the ground and hissed angrily at them. The woman shuddered in fear as it bared it's fangs at her from behind Harry's shield.
:Sssilly filth.: It hissed. :You are not welcome.:
:Move.: Harry hissed.
The snake paused and blinked at him.
:A ssspeaker?: It asked suspiciously. :Why are you helping the filth enter this ancient place?:
:We wisssh to learn his sssecretsss.: Harry admitted.
:You will defile this place for knowledge!: It spat.
:Yesss.: Harry sighed. :But we mean no offence. The itemsss in thisss tomb will be ssshown to the world to allow usss to learn.:
The snake appeared conflicted.
:You are not allowed.: It finally said.
Harry winced.
"It won't let us enter. We'll have to kill the snakes." Harry replied unhappily to the others
"They're usually like that." One of the men remarked, casting a spell at the snake that turned it to ash.
"I can hear more in there." Harry said as the goblin and woman resumed the door opening.
Wands raised. As soon as the door was opened more then a foot, snakes came slithering out. A fire spell was cast on them and they tuned to ash. Harry winced. The others heard their hisses of pain but to Harry they were screams. Finally the door was levitated above to the ground. The goblin and woman back pedaled up the stairs to gently lower the door for further study leaving Harry and the first man by the dark opening. The snakes had stopped coming out but Harry heard hisses inside still. He strained to hear what was being said. His eyes flew wide.
"Oh Shit! Back up, back up! Get back!" he yelled scrambling back.
out their breath they had been holding and hurried to do stuff. People quickly tore down equipment and the woman and goblin levitated the door back temporarily.
"Are you injured?" Switchblade grunted, looking him over.
Harry pulled himself to his feet and realized he was trembling.
"I'm fine." He stuttered out.
"Come. We'll head back to the tents." He grunted.
"I need to contact Griphook." Harry remarked as he followed the surly goblin.
He gave a bare nod. Harry hadn't stopped trembling even when he reached the tent. He'd almost forgot what looking in Death's face felt like. He didn't know if he was trembling from fear, shock, or excitement.
.-.
"This seems reasonable." Griphook added idly as he looked over his own notes.
Harry sighed in relief.
"When can it be done?"
"I have a place in mind you can buy." Griphook remarked. "It belonged to an old witch. The property is large with a small house that could easily be set up for the snakes and of which you could use if you get any other animals or just need some space."
"That sounds good. Who will I have to hire to do interior?" Harry asked.
"I have some people I could contact." Griphook mused. "I'll contact them when I return to England. I believe a crude set-up could be done by tomorrow noon. I'll send someone to grab the snakes in the morning."
"Thank you Griphook, you're a life saver." Harry sighed happily as he stood. "What would I ever do without you?"
"You would be very deprived of intelligent company." The goblin sneered standing with him as they walked out of his tent.
Harry stared a moment before he started to laugh. This must have startled the goblins around the campfire they reached, as they all jumped and spun to them. Harry took a quick glance and realized it was dark and cold and all the goblin employees were around a fire with some trays of food.
"You made a joke!"
"Yes, I believe I just did." Griphook sneered, a smirk behind his first expression.
The short goblin tucked his notes under his arm and nodded curtly to Switchblade, whom nodded back.
"I shall see you tomorrow pathetic filth." Griphook sneered.
Harry laughed and clapped the goblin on the back.
"Ah my wonderful Griphook, I look forwards to such a pleasant visit."
"I still have my poisoned blade on me." Griphook threatened.
"Begone then foul beast." Harry giggled.
Griphook sent him another customary sneer and vanished with his portkey. Harry turned to the fire to find most of the goblins staring. They quickly turned back to their conversations and such as he looked at them. Harry took a seat by Switchblade, ignoring the fact he was the only human at this fire.
"I have never seen Griphook so…close with a human." He remarked in a disgusted manner.
"I owe Griphook a lot." Harry remarked with a soft smile. "He's one of the few people I trust absolutely at the moment. In fact he's the only magical person I trust absolutely."
Switchblade stared at him as if he had turned purple and Harry resisted the urge to check. Finally the goblin grunted and held out a stick that had been roasting over the fire. A chunk of odd looking meat was stuck over the end, roasted brown.
"You missed dinner." He grunted again.
Harry took the stick and made a brief face before shrugging. It didn't smell the greatest or look the greatest, but it was food. He took a bite and chewed a moment. The taste was as weird as the smell. It had a metallic after taste too. Harry shrugged again and took another bite. He noticed more then one goblin staring at him.
"That is Glargog meat." A goblin pointed out almost vindictively.
"What's a Glargog?" Harry blinked.
"It's a creature almost like human cattle." Switchblade shrugged. "Most people don't like the taste, smell or texture. I've known some humans are sick at the though of eating it, especially when they learn it is 'goblin food'."
Harry shook his head almost ruefully.
"I've gone without food far too often to be as petty as to refuse food because of nationality."
The goblins didn't respond to that, looking away almost uneasily.
"How old are you?" Switchblade grunted gruffly.
"I turned fourteen three days ago." Harry smiled pleasantly.
"You are far wiser than any other mortal child I have met." He remarked.
Harry blushed taking that as a compliment and bit into his meat again.
Loving the story so far? There's a whole world of magic and mystery waiting for you with over 85+ chapters still to come! By supporting my Patreon.
You not only get early access to new chapters but also exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and special perks just for fans like you.
Join us on this enchanted journey and help shape the future of the tale. Your support makes all the difference—discover more and become part of the adventure today!
http//patreon.com/BLAKE025
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~