The ship was huge, the biggest thing seven year old Hermione Alexis Wylt had ever put her eyes on. That it also had the more peculiar appearance ever was only a plus, it seemed that none of the people in there had seen a so… particular ship, for once the thing was square, as a massive wooden box floating in water with more windows than necessary, each of the windows seemed to randomly pop on the structure and was accompanied by a small stack. The top of the thing seemed to be a huge plastic bubble, and everywhere heads and arms appeared to wave goodbye to those who were in the harbor, across the huge bubble masts and sails rose like giant needles stuck on a cushion. However the most absurd things were the animals sealed to the boat: beasts bigger than a horse and with the appearance of one, except the scales and gills clearly visible and the long fish tail , their colors varied and some seemed to mix them all in their scales. See Hippocampus is not common even in the wizarding world, thirty of them sealed in a vessel could mark an epic day in the book of any witch or wizard.
So it did to the overly excited Hermione. And to the marveled Harry not far behind.
-Break-
Seven years old Harry Potter couldn't be more enthusiastic at the prospect of living with his uncle Remus: as soon as the news were thrown at him, he was packed. Poor uncle Remus hadn't stood a chance against the older Potters, Dumbledore and on top: Harry's pleading eyes.
The job for the goblins had followed little Harry in a space of three weeks, it was now the end of august and they would be travelling across the ocean not to come back for at least four years.
Four years doing God knows what and caring for a child.
But at least it was a job, one to keep him and Harry in a good situation. Remus was far too honorable to take the monthly money his friends were sending for the care of Harry, so that source had gone directly to the boy second trust vault. This one, Remus intended in investing in the boy's education and only in that.
All that Remus knew about this opportunity was that he would be in some country helping the foundation of another Gringots, as big as the British one. He didn't know how many other wizards would be there, or what country was it.
It was still better than whatever magical Britain had for him.
" The Goblin Eye will be leaving in thirty minutes, all of you who need to board the ship, follow me."
Lupin grabbed Harry's hand and trailed behind the brute goblin, they were quickly joined by at least thirty more wizards and witches, the walk and the process to board the ship had been surprisingly quick, and the goblin soon left.
The group was divided without a word, everyone clearly looking for their cabinets and a way to dispose their baggages. Three months would be spent on the ship and that was clearly time enough to make acquaintances.
For Remus great relief, the moon wasn't a trouble to the goblins: the giant bubble covering the ship deck didn't allow any outside interference. Nothing outside was visible or sensed, as the goblin's claims that it would affect their business. What business was this no one really knew nor cared to find out.
Even if no moon meant no werewolf, the ship still had a large unbreakable room for those werewolves who wanted to be sure. It would come as a surprise to Remus that out of the thirty three wizards and witches aboard fourteen had the same problem.
Harry had been pleasantly surprised to discover that their rooms had two comfortable and perfectly jumpable beds and a really large window, it was Remus who got excited seeing the table dividing the space between the beds occupied by books, parchments and two chairs, that of course only left space to walk from the beds to the table, to the door and the window, complicating a little bit the putting the baggage down mission. Which ended with both of them leaving their things on the bed.
There were two bathrooms for corridor and five bedrooms to compete for it, much to the displeasure of everyone in that corridor – apparently the other five corridors in that level had gotten a better deal. And much of the K section - as Harry had named after two weeks of living there – horror, the one witch closer to the better bathroom was used to take her time, nearly three or four hours of waiting for the others. When she was finally done, no more hot water for no one.
Harry hated with his every fiber a cold bath early in the morning, and his displeasure was shared with the family living next door. That family, Remus had discovered early in the first day were the Wylts, two out of the four English people employed by goblins in this task. The other one being a young blonde witch, a superb spell crafter, mother of an amazing girl nearly Harry and the Wylt's girl age.
The three along with a few other goblin kids, who didn't make the number of fifteen altogether had been united in an alliance by the end of the first day. Much to everyone else dismay.
" I can't believe she took the bathroom!"
It was early on a Saturday when it happened. Hermione had successfully managed to get out of the bed and in the bathroom's door at five am.
Waste of time, since the woman had already been in the bathroom, so the little brunette already in her eight years took the obvious way: with towel in hand she snapped Remus' door and Selena's followed suit in a few seconds.
Both adults opened their doors dumbly, with still sleepy faces.
"Miss Wylt?"
" Hermione, dear?"
They spoke at the same time, she crossed her arms.
" I'm sorry to disturb, but I need to talk to Luna and Harry."
As far as anyone else was concerned, Hermione had been the one dragging the kids – including the goblin ones - in a search for books around the ship, which pretty much meant leading the kids in well planned invasion of cabinets.
By the end of the first week, the books were simply left at the doors, the girl would gladly take them and after done with the books return to its owners. She was a surprisingly quick reader.
That fact alone had ended the adventures to the other kids, and they all had gone back to boring days. Except maybe the Lovegood girl, daughter of the blond spell crafter, that took a special pleasure and talking with Hermione about non-existent creatures. Both girls could take days talking about whatever subject they were focused on and never reach a conclusion, Harry found this useless and spent his days following Remus or the older Goblin kids, gladly taking part in whatever they let him do. Needless to say that between discussing Nargles and gathering the terror upon poor Selena Lovegood, neither Luna or Hermione found time to join Harry in his not so intellectual tasks.
That ended on Saturday morning. When both Luna and Harry showed their faces to a beyond irate Hermione.
" What happened?" It was Luna who asked, in her usual dreamy voice, after breaking out of the catatonic first minutes of the morning.
" The Kraken took over the lake." Her tone was almost a death sentence.
" I'm sorry?" Harry asked, trying in vain to keep his eyes open.
" Miss Goldwash has reached the bathroom. Again." Harry gulped at the brunette's response, Luna shook her head in obvious disappointment.
One more beautiful morning blown by the perspective of Antartic cold water. She was starting to share the hatred towards the old witch.
" What you gonna do about it?" Harry and Luna asked in unison.
Hermione smirked.
" All bets are off. Meet me on the deck after breakfast."
Both kids nodded, and with a decisive glance the three returned to their compartments.
All bets were indeed, off.
-Break-
The meeting was also attended by the seven Goblin kids currently living in the ship.
Mertromp, as the oldest of them all, in his thirteen years – which appeared to be a great thing to the Goblins- , took over.
Unknown to Levara Goldwash, the bathroom on the corridor K was now property of the K section. The one whose corridor was named after.
By noon, Luna and Harry released on the bathroom a furious Fwooper, that Hermione along with Kropther and Ruma – 10, 7 respectively.- Had successfully rescued from the creature's level, the lowest level in the ship made exclusively for the creatures who would be providing security to the new Gringots, nothing really dangerous was currently living there. The fwooper wasn't particularly dangerous, yet, with the silencing charm removed - a Mertromp cortesy- it was sure to cause some massive trouble.
And it did.
At precisely 7 pm, the trio stepped on the corridor. At precisely 7 pm a tired and grumpy Miss Goldwash entered the bathroom. At 7:05 pm, the kids sat smirking with books on hands in Selena's bed. At 8:13 pm Levara Goldwash left the bathroom screaming and apparently decided to strangle a ball of fluffy furs.
The ball of fears was singing. It was a well know fact that a Fwooper song, after some time could drive a wizard crazy.
At 8:15 pm all hell broke loose when Lenora Wylt along with Remus Lupin and Liam Wylt joined the Fwoomp hunt, the bird was easily beating the party hunt of wizards, and Levara in some lost moment had been thrown at the wall unconscious.
Luna grinned through the book page carefully. At the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them page 18, a large picture of a fwooper.
" So, I guess that's a win." Instead of the usual dreamy tone, Harry could hear the smirk in his friend's voice.
" Oh please. It's not like we could lose." Hermione rose an eyebrow " We had books on fwoopers."
" And Goblin partners with extensive knowledge of the ship." Harry added smiling at the glare Hermione was currently sending him.
" Sure, and miss Goldwash had an infestation of Nargles in her head…"
That was the first conversation about Nargles Harry ever took part in. That was also the first time that instead of being grounded, he enjoyed the results of a bad act. Lenora had been so ecstatic with the free bathroom that the kids actually got money for "good doing to the community". Despite Remus' glare and Liam's scowl. Selena couldn't care less as she took part in the Nargle discussion, much to Hermione's dismay.