Chapter 42: Horcrux destroyer?
A letter arrives via owl.
<We regret to inform you that we could not destroy the dark magic housed in the cup without damaging the cup. It's akin to something holding onto the cup like a parasite that feeds on a host. Additionally, we wish not to destroy the object while destroying the magic because we are concerned that the dark magic would jump to a different host. We considered using fiendfyre in a magically shielded area to prevent the magic from jumping hosts. So, the object will have to be destroyed in this manner. This should only take a day. Please notify us if you have other means and whether or not we should release the cup back into your possession to attempt it at a later date.>
"Hmm, if what we find in my ancestral home is indeed the equivalent of goblin steel to make a basilisk venom sword to destroy the cup while it is in my possession, but if not, I should cover all of my bases before we go," I said to myself.
"Bubby, please come here," called Aurelius.
"Bubby is here and ready to serve," said an overly excited house elf.
"Please grab the Sorting Hat while Dumbledore isn't in his office. Do not be discovered. I permit you to enter the office for the next four hours without restriction. You may use a distraction that will not draw attention or suspicion," I told the elf.
"Yes, young master," said the house elf.
The elf brought the hat to me, and I placed the hat on my head to converse with it in more depth.
---
'So, how have you been? I find it odd to call you the Sorting Hat. Is there a name that you've once been called that you prefer? And I feel like it's a bit redundant, but you are protected and loyalty bound to Hogwarts and, by extension, me, yes?' I told the hat to dissuade my fears.
'Of course, and yes, worry not, young one. I understand that you wish to keep what I've learned from our conversation to myself. And it will remain as such. As for a name, well, I have always been rather fond of the name Providence.' said the hat.
'A bit pretentious, but I can't say that it isn't aptly chosen,' said Aurelius with mirth.
'Haha, indeed. As for your questions, I can see inside your head that it seems like you have everything in hand. Quite the lofty goals, I must admit. Quite frankly, it's a shame that you weren't placed into Slytherin. You have all the means to accomplish your goals, and you've thought them through quite thoroughly indeed. And ooh, you've recently found out you're a Slytherin in the most literal sense. Quite the blend, indeed. As for you, heir Galegold, or should I say young master?' said Providence.
'I don't know why, but hearing it from you feels wrong,' said Aurelius apologetically with mirth in his voice.
'Haha, indeed, it didn't sound quite right in my mind either,' said the hat. 'As I was saying, Galegold, you have quite the blend of all the houses, but I suppose your behaviour that aligns so well with your house is simply the most balanced in both ideals and temperament.' said the hat now deemed providence.
'Yeah, I noticed that as well. Tell me, why hasn't anyone corrected that? The houses almost strictly push their house beliefs on them with fervour and have little regard for balancing out their skills accordingly. A Ravenclaw is already studious; they don't need to dig in. The Ravenclaws largely lack social skills and physical strength. While Hufflepuff finds that friendship and hard work are everything but doesn't bother to find the easiest way to do it. The Gryffindors seek to do good and hold firm to their beliefs but will not even bother to check if they're focusing on the truth or a lie. And as for the Slytherins, they've focused so much on blood superiority that many have forgotten that they must also prove it.' said Aurelius.
'Sad, but true. I've told Albus myself, my boy. The other headmasters inside the headmaster's office don't get to see the divides as clearly and as frequently as I do due to my more objective nature and being there for every sorting.' Providence said, somewhat annoyed.
'Ah. I've missed talks like these. It's just passing commentary that I occasionally will say since I'm at least polite enough not to intrude on people's conversations.'
'I see you wish to obtain Godric's sword to imbue the basilisk's venom that has been housed within Hogwarts. It seems Slytherin was prepared to go to war should the worst occur. And it seems you have the same sentiment with those over-the-top defences you have in mind and that you've already created.'
'Can't say I can argue with the idea of having a wizard instant-kill weapon to keep enemies at bay. If what my mother says is true, Slytherin was rather less blood supremacist and more of "bugger off, Muggles" rather than "Muggleborns." And honestly, I can't say I blame the man. Humans are questionable beings, especially when it comes to envy.' I said.
'You could say that again. That's one of the things that always eluded me. I may just be a hat with magic enchantments, but even I can tell that humans can be absolutely bonkers at the worst times.' said the hat.
'I believe we got a bit off topic,' said Aurelius.
While enjoying the conversation, he still needed answers to his questions.
---
'Right, right. As for the sword, sorry to disappoint, but I can only gain access to the sword under strict conditions set by Godric: they must be a worthy Gryffindor who will need aid in life-or-death situations.' said Providence.
'It's fine. I was also under the assumption that that would be the case. I just wanted to make sure before I did something time-consuming,' said an indifferent Aurelius.
'It was a nice chat. Let's do this every once in a while. This helped me clear my head as well,' said a better-feeling Aurelius.
'I, too, enjoyed this little chat of ours,' said Providence.
---
"Bubby, please return the Sorting Hat where you found it, and like before, avoid detection," I told the elf.
"Yes, young master," said Bubby.
The elf popped away.
"Well, that was a bust. Wait a minute, Godric Gryffindor's sword was created using goblin steel, and I am a friend of the goblin nation. Therefore, I have an in, so I can obtain the sword with the same properties. What if I requested that they give me a finished piece of goblin steel that I can blend with the metals of a liquid form of my alloy of rhenium and tungsten? Hmm, wait a minute, goblin steel smiths... the metalwork is considered theirs by creation. While I could indefinitely be loaned the sword, I don't want something that uses my family's secrets to be owned by someone outside the family."
"Well, the worst-case scenario is that it isn't an option. Let's go to Gringotts."
"Tilly, please come here."
"Tilly has arrived, young master. How may Tilly serve?"
"Please apparate me in front of Gringotts."
Aurelius headed to Gringotts with a house elf apparating him.
---
"Remain on standby, Tilly, and if I call your name, you are to immediately take me back to where we were before we left Hogwarts," Aurelius told the house elf.
"Understood," said Tilly as she disappeared.
I entered the bank and requested to meet with Grashnak. A teller goblin brought me in and told me to wait. It took ten minutes of waiting, but Grashnak was finally ready to call me in.
---
"Ah, heir Galegold, it seems that you've decided to answer my question in person, yes?" asked Grashnak.
"Partially. I have a potential solution. We get something that can absorb the poison of a basilisk to pierce the item and destroy its dark magic. It is far more efficient and less potentially damaging. However, if more items had similar properties, I would want to be able to destroy the item as quickly as possible. Therefore, Grashnak, may I request an ingot of goblin steel, with ownership residing with me?" said Aurelius.
"Hmm, that is a very steep request, perhaps possible if a goblin smith was even willing to do that. As you likely know, goblin steel is precious to us and is made with the idea that the creation is the creator's property. The person who requests the creation is merely being lent the item. I can only imagine that you are attempting to make a weapon that has the imbuing effects of goblin steel while having it blend with the properties of the other materials you want to mix with it. The properties of goblin steel are a final product of the meticulous effort of the smiths. Should you attempt to mix it with another metal, you're more likely to ruin the effects of the goblin steel than enhance the blade with the material you wish to empower it with. As for goblin steel, why not just be lent a sword? It isn't like you couldn't be lent the sword indefinitely." responded the confused goblin.
"I thought about that, but I guess it is a matter of pride and danger of allowing anyone else to own a weapon that has the properties of basilisk venom. And thank you for your consideration, Grashnak; I will keep that in mind. I suppose that if you can destroy the cup, please do so. If you can't, please put the cup into my immediate possession." said Aurelius.
"It will be done. Your fee will be about 150 galleons," said my teller.
"Understood," I said as I handed him the coin from my pouch. "I guess that will be all."
I left the bank somewhat dejected, but I was still hopeful.
---
Outside of Gringotts
"Well, that was a bust as well. Well, it's time to go to the manor then. Tilly," I called out.
I was immediately taken to Hogwarts.
"Tilly, get Nagini and my mothers; we are going to my ancestral home."
Nagini and my mothers both arrived shortly after.
"I guess it is time, considering we've recently finished all the accessories," said my mother.
"Here's the address, Tilly," said Aurelius.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone