《Emerald》74
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"How are you?" Harry asked the goblin.
The goblin, Griphook, turned his head slowly, and gave Harry a sour look.
"Alive." He spat, "You buried the elf?"
"Yes." Harry quickly replied.
"And brought me here. You are... Pretty unusual, is it? How did you come by the sword?" Griphook asked.
"It's complicated." I spoke quickly, as I looked Griphook up and down.
Something about him... I didn't trust him.
"Why did Bellatrix Lestrange think that it should be in her vault at Gringotts?" Harry asked the goblin, as he brushed my comments off quickly.
"It's complicated." Griphook shot me a glare, as he spoke my own words back at me.
Conniving, Griphook was. I could feel it.
"The sword presented itself to us, in moment of need. We didn't steal it." Harry quickly defended us.
Griphook quickly turned his attention away from me, and to Harry.
"There is a sword in Madam Lestrange's vault identical to this one, but it is a fake. It was placed there this past summer. She never suspected it was a fake. The replica is very convincing, only a goblin would recognize that this is the true Sword of Gryffindor." Griphook folded his hands in his lap, and smiled with pride.
"Who is the acquaintance?" Hermione asked him.
"A Hogwarts Professor, as I understand that he's now Headmaster." Griphook's eyes bounced between the four of us as he spoke.
His eyes stopped on me.
He puckered his lips, and narrowed his eyes.
"Snape." Ron whispered, "He put a fake sword in Bellatrix's vault."
"Why?"Harry quickly asked.
"There are more than a fewcurious things in the vaults at Gringotts." Griphook spoke, keeping his eyes squinted at me.
"And in Madam Lestrange's vault as well?" Harry asked the goblin.
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"Perhaps." Griphook spoke slowly.
"I need to get into Gringotts. Into one of the vaults." Harry demanded.
"Alone, yes. But with you, no. Why should I help you?" Griphook still had his eyes narrowed at me.
"You gotta problem with me?" I asked him sternly.
An evil smirk appeared across Griphook's face.
"Yeah, I do. Your boyfriend there, back at his house, caused us a lot of problems." Griphook growled at me.
"He's not my boyfriend!" I yelled at Griphook.
"Sure seemed like it... when he spared you." Griphook blinked slowly, as he talked in a low voice.
I began to ball up my fist.
The way the goblin talked about Draco, opened something inside of me.
He made my blood boil with rage.
Hermione grabbed my arm, and pulled me aside, before I did anything.
"I think it's best if you... wait outside for us." She whispered to me.
I rolled my eyes, as left the room.
As the door shut behind me, I put my ear to the door to listen.
"I have gold. Lots of..." Harry spoke.
"I've no interest in gold." Griphook replied.
"Then what?" Harry asked.
"That. That is my price." Griphook said.
They all began speaking quietly, I couldn't make out any more words.
A few minutes later, Ron, Harry, and Hermione exited the room.
"Are you thinking there's a Horcrux in Bellatrix's vault?"
"Well, she was terrified when she thought we had been in there. She kept asking you, what else was taken? I bet you anything, there's Horcrux in there. Another piece of his soul. Let's find it, kill it, and we are one step closer to killing him. " Harry whispered in response.
"And what happens when we find it, How're we supposed to destroy it, now you're giving the sword to Griphook?" Ron questioned him.
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"Wait, you gave it to him? You are giving the sword of gryffindor to that rat?!" I huffed.
"I'm still working on that part." Harry said, ignoring my comment and answering Ron.
...
That next morning, I woke up earlier than ever.
The sky was still dark, the sun was barely peaking over the horizon.
I could barely sleep that night.
I kept tossing, and turning.
All I could thank about was Draco.
His words 'not her' echoed in my mind.
But, why?
My mind was too awake to sleep.
I pushed myself too my feet, and to the window of the room I was in.
Hermione and Luna, slept on the floor with me.
I slowly and quietly, opened the window, and slipped out onto the edge of the window.
I pulled myself onto the roof.
I walked carefully up from the edge.
I quickly laid down on the roof, and closed my eyes.
I took a long deep drag from my wand.
I was out of cigarettes, and of course that was what my body craved.
"That's a funny place to take a rest." A deep voice spoke above me.
My eyes darted open.
Standing over me, was Draco Malfoy.
I quickly jumped to my feet, and stepped back.
My heart raced with anxiety.
"Why are you here?!" I yelled.
I could feel tears forming at my eyes, as the memories of the cruciatus curse ached in my bones.
"I promise, I'm not going to hurt you. Please, sit down with me?" Draco begged softly.
As I looked at Draco, his face was filled with sorrow.
I noticed a large bruise was forming on the left side of his face, almost as if Draco had been hit.
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Hawkin. Bronze Ranked Brewer.
07/11/2022 Update: We're currently at the end of the 7th arc, out of 10. My plan is to continue to publish a chapter at least 4-5x a week for the next few months. Synopsis: Hawkin found his place in the world, far from humans and monsters. He abandoned the adventuring life long ago and left civilization, opting for peace and isolation instead. After ten years out in the northern forests, he befriends a strange creature and his life changes. A traveling trio of monks then show up in Hawkin's woods and share with him the best beer he's ever had. After that beer, Hawkin wants to do nothing but accept the brewer's path and brew. This story is intended to be slow and easy. It involves a slow progression of power and brewing more powerful beers. There is occasional conflict. Thanks for reading, and I really hope this story relieves a bit of stress from your days. Note: I'm behind on Audio, but I hope to catch up soon. Linked Audio is always free. Thanks for the support everyone. If you're into cryptocurrency, I've also got these addresses: BTC: 32chczV9eLgbpHdbRLyptQRZD7pyMxD4UX DOGE: DMRt6x8x2b5Cg7wf4PNVESLLS8WhVDhDnA ETH (ERC-20): 0x22fcaaa6a638fcb5db7a3a74b0c64f371f60e257 SOL: 2fb942xbf35ogTQrUbreTk91Z38U92RHamDEXVjw9Nzh MetaMask: 0xE8A3BEd2b353f53AeA1e1B166EbF9e231ba56647 (Cover by maxxs515 from pixabay; free use)
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A universe obliterated, with only one survivor. Zoey, the last living being from a planet called Gaia, was sent into a new universe where she will once again have to struggle to survive. A hostile place where the strong rule the weak, and only strength matters. She will face new threats, greedy nobles, ferocious beasts, strange dungeons left behind by the gods... and more! Along the way, she will make enemies and friends, and maybe she can one day unravel the mysteries that surround her and her mysterious powers... No matter where, she is determined to survive. She will carve her legacy into the very fabric of the universe! ----------------- I will be writing this novel in my free time during and after work, so I apologize for the shorter chapters in advance. I hope that everyone enjoys this story in some way.
8 109Inglorious Bastard
My life is in no way unbearable or hard, I fully recognize that it could always get much worse in a multitude of ways. Be happy with what you have and all that. But the future looks bleak and boring no matter how I look at it. Spend 40~50 years trying to educate the bossy rich kids of Pinecove private school and retire having wasted my life or throw everything away in hopes of a more fulfilling job, risking to go under? This world has no place left for excitement and adventure - everything there is to explore and discover was found a long time ago; everything that can be created is here already in one way or another; because of laws, borders, inflation and back-breaking taxes an average Joe just can't do anything too crazy or too ambitious, lest they decide living in prison or being penniless is a great way to lead your life. If only it was possible to be released from all constraints and start anew in some other place, in a different time. Drop the masks and live a life with no regrets. Impossible and childish wish, I know. But a man can dream...
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Samantha, apprentice necromancer, raised the dead for a living. Her sponsor and mentor, Maestro James Cowen, has promised her the career of her dreams. She only had to do what she was told.
8 77A Toaster Story
This is the story of a toaster, who fell off a counter and killed a freshman. He looked so sad just laying there, but the system absolutely loved him, when he evolved.
8 125The World of Arcadius
In the 57th year of King Kayan the Hunter’s reign, a heavy soul comes awake to a new world. Without memories or a name, the conscience of a young man is thrust into a conscious body of foreign origin with no sense for danger. Danger that can come from tiny talking balls of pink fluff, the hands of old men, and from within the ground as spears molded from earth. It is a dangerous world and our young soul has no idea as to what it is he must do to survive. Nor does he know his purpose. He must confront the world with the aid of those who summoned him. Those who wish upon him, a stranger, the goal of saving the world. A world coming undone by the powers that are beyond those of mortals; our young soul will be thrust amidst the conflict of it all. The balance of the world weighs on his shoulders.
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