The sound of approaching carts echoed through the tunnels.
Victor looked toward the tracks and saw several Gringotts carts hurtling toward them, guards inside with wands drawn.
"Crap."
He didn't waste a second, scooping Hermione into his arms and taking off.
"Victor!" she exclaimed, startled.
Harry stared after them. "Oi! What about me?"
Victor was already moving too fast to answer. Harry took a step after them, then felt something yank him backward — an invisible force caught his robes and dragged him along behind Victor.
"Victor!"
"Just keep moving!"
Curses flew from the approaching carts. Victor twisted through the air, carrying Hermione while dragging Harry behind him, narrowly avoiding one spell after another as the tracks curved sharply ahead and the carts thundered closer.
Hermione looked down at the tracks, then at Victor. "You can fly?"
"Ignore the small details!"
"No, I won't! That's not a small detail!"
Harry's voice came from behind. "She's right!"
Victor glanced back, still moving forward. "Did you stop to think for a moment? If those guards saw our faces, do you really think Umbridge and the Ministry are going to let us walk away? We'd be expelled before we even got back to Hogwarts!"
Harry stared at him. "That is your argument for flying?"
"It's a very good argument!"
"It's completely mad!"
"So is breaking into Gringotts!"
Hermione couldn't argue with that.
The track ended ahead. Victor released Harry from the invisible pull, grabbed Hermione, and dropped toward the ground, landing hard but keeping his balance, then setting her down.
Harry landed beside them a second later.
Victor looked toward the passage leading away from the tracks. "Harry, grab your Invisibility Cloak. We need to leave before more guards arrive. If we're lucky, Gringotts will assume Death Eaters broke in and caused all this."
Harry glanced back toward the tunnel. "What about the goblin?"
Hermione looked at Victor. "The goblin who brought us here?"
He hesitated. "Unfortunately, sometimes someone has to make a sacrifice."
"I'm sure he'll be honoured that he sacrificed his life in the great cause of defeating Voldemort."
Harry stared at him. "That is a terrible excuse."
Victor sighed. "Yeah, all right. That sounded better in my head."
Hermione folded her arms. "You can't just leave him there."
"I know. But we also can't go back for him without getting caught. I'm sorry, but we have to leave."
Harry nodded reluctantly. "Then we'd better get moving."
Victor turned toward the exit. "Exactly. We still have the Cup, and we've already caused enough trouble for one night."
Hermione looked at the golden Cup in Harry's hands. "Let's just hope we get back to Hogwarts before anyone realises who actually broke into Gringotts."
Victor gave her a tired look. "After everything we've done tonight, you still have hope?"
"Not particularly."
"Good. We're finally thinking alike."
***
They slipped out of Gringotts beneath the Invisibility Cloak and hurried through Diagon Alley, keeping close as they passed confused witches and wizards outside the bank.
Behind them, Gringotts was in complete disorder — goblins rushing between the entrance and the underground passages, damaged carts and scattered debris making it obvious something had gone very wrong.
Once they reached a narrow side alley off the main street, Hermione stopped and pulled the Cloak tighter around them, turning to Victor with a serious look. "Victor, how exactly are we getting back to Hogwarts? You can't use the fireplace anymore — we'd have to go through Umbridge's office."
Victor opened his mouth, then closed it. "Ah."
Harry eyed him. "You didn't think about that, did you?"
"I am thinking about it now," Victor said, rubbing his forehead. "I may have overlooked the small matter of getting three people back into a school that's probably already noticed someone broke into Gringotts."
"You planned the entire break-in," Hermione said, "but not the journey home?"
"I was rather occupied with the vault."
Harry gave him an incredulous look. "That's not exactly making me feel better."
Victor ignored that and started weighing their options.
Apparition was impossible inside Hogwarts itself, but the restriction didn't extend to the surrounding area. The Forbidden Forest was close enough to the castle — if they Apparated deep inside it, they could make their way onto the grounds without touching the Floo Network.
His expression brightened. "Actually, I have an idea."
Hermione looked suspicious. "What kind of idea?"
"We Apparate to the Forbidden Forest and walk back to Hogwarts from there."
"You can Apparate there?" Harry asked.
"Yes."
"But Harry and I haven't taken the Apparition lessons yet."
"I know." He looked between them. "Raise your hand if you've never Apparated before."
Both of them raised a hand.
"Right. That makes this slightly more complicated."
Hermione lowered hers, pointed. "Slightly?"
"It's fine. I'll take you both with me."
Harry looked concerned. "Is that safe?"
"Provided neither of you panics and grabs the wrong thing halfway through."
"There isn't anything to grab."
"Exactly. So don't."
Victor stepped closer, taking hold of Harry's arm with one hand and Hermione's with the other. "Just stay close. It'll be uncomfortable, but it won't last long."
Hermione nodded reluctantly.
He focused on a secluded section of the Forbidden Forest, away from the castle and any paths students might use, and tightened his grip on both of them. "Ready?"
Harry glanced at Hermione. "Not remotely."
"Neither am I."
Victor took a breath. "Hold on."
The world twisted around them, their bodies squeezed tight as everything blurred into darkness — then the pressure vanished as suddenly as it began.
They landed among the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Victor kept his balance; Harry stumbled forward; Hermione grabbed the nearest tree for support.
Harry took a few breaths before straightening. "I hate Apparition."
Hermione looked equally shaken but recovered faster. "At least we're in one piece."
*****
A/N : 🔥 On Patreon🔥
⚡ A 15-chapter early access is available for those who want to read ahead ⚡
👉 patreon.com/JakeA30