Chapter 14

The goblin quarter was as poor as any in any German wizarding city, though Wanda had not seen inside goblin streets before, though her parents had lived near to goblins at one point. She frowned.

"Time for my family to become involved in real estate and start some improvements," she said. "The heads have done a lot with the properties they own; I've heard all about it from those of their tenants who are at school. It is not right for people to live in these conditions."

"I like your heads," said Elise. "They sound like good people."

"They are," said Wanda. "I admire Frau Von Strang so much! Frau Von Luytens she is by rights, but of course it wouldn't work to have two Professor Von Luytens's in the school, we have more than one married professor and if both teach, they all do it so the wife teaches under her maiden name. Except the Schiffs, because Herr Schiff has adopted his wife's human surname."

"I can't get over how these professors of yours teach you to treat goblins equally," said Elise. "Well, it's opened ten years too late for me, but I reckon I know some kids as would benefit."

"I'm sure the heads would be delighted," said Wanda. "This man looks rough and dangerous."

The goblin was easily as tall as Wanda and somewhat wider.

"How much do you charge, then, pretty? You must be on your uppers to work this street," he said with a leer.

"You mistake!" said Wanda. "I am only a schoolgirl; I am not even old enough to be a prostitute."

"Oh, free goods, eh? You have big enough tits to be a woman, and if you're down here, ain't nobody going to care any."

"I do get so tired of these endless discussions," sighed Wanda, it being something she had heard Jade say. She was terrified, and of course had not got her wand with her, but the ECC did encourage wandless magic as well as martial arts. To improve her frame of mind, Wanda decided to treat him like a boggart and make him ridiculous, and being rather good at transfigurations, she transfigured his nose into a cockerel's head, the beak managing to speak rather nasally and shouting 'Help! Help! I'm attached to this ugly body!"

While the goblin yelped in fear – anyone who could cast magic was an object of fear to the lowest in wizarding society, especially if they did not even draw wand – Wanda kicked him scientifically in the place that seemed to need most attention, and left him screaming on the ground while his nose still protested its disgruntlement.

"Nicely done!" said Elise, in admiration. "And you don't even use a wand, like the English!"

"It is something we learn in the English Custom Club," said Wanda. "I do feel sick!"

"It's not far now," said Elise. She turned back and spat at the goblin. "Don't judge those educated by the English by your fool standards," she said, and quickly caught up to Wanda. "There; others have heard, so they will know you are to beware of, and yet not likely to hurt them unless they hurt you."

"Thanks," said Wanda.

Elise ushered her into a small shop where a goblin woman sat sewing cross-legged on the table in time honoured fashion.

"Madame Ragni?" said Wanda.

The woman scrambled up, terrified.

"Gracious witch! What may I do for you? This is not a good neighbourhood for a beautiful human to be abroad!" she added.

Elise laughed.

"So Rodart found out," she said. "My friend here just turned his nose into a cockerel and kicked him in the cods all in the English fashion without word or wand."

"Did I manage it without incantation? That's a first!" said Wanda, looking pleased. "Herr Professor Bane will be much pleased with my progress."

"She looked like a ruddy Triwizard champion doing that," said Elise.

"I shan't be old enough and nor am I good enough," said Wanda. "But I pray you, Madame Ragni, let us not keep you standing, I am sorry to interrupt when you are busy, perhaps you will not be able to make an evening gown by tomorrow?"

"Gracious witch, I can, for I have almost finished this," said Ragni. "But I'm not Madame nor Frau nor anything."

"Oh I thought it was what all modistes were called," said Wanda.

"I ain't a modiste, either," said Ragni. "Just a seamstress."

"You're good enough to be a modiste," said Elise. "Wanda here has invited me to dinner and I need a gown to wear. There was a nice model in the window of the Schlauefinger woman's shop window, dark blue with silver trim."

"That would pick up your almost silvery blonde hair nicely," said Ragni. "I know the one; I can make something similar, but I won't copy it in case she sues. She'd win."

"Make the sleeves full but into a long cuff with the same trim," suggested Wanda. "It's what's being worn in Paris; we have all the latest papers at school to encourage us to make our own gowns to the latest modes. The stand-up collar is passé too, but neat high collars are in."

Ragni's eyes brightened.

"Thank you, noble witch!" she said. Wanda laughed.

"Only a witchlette as yet; I'm still a schoolgirl, ma'am," she said.

"She is at the English-run school for goblins and blood taints because her grandfather lost track of his family," said Elise, dryly. "It is not mockery, they are trained to courtesy to all."

Ragni gazed fearfully at Wanda.

"It is really so, then?" she said.

"People are people," shrugged Wanda. "How much do I owe you? This is my treat," she added as Elise scowled, still being uncertain that she should let Wanda do this.

Ragni named a sum, and Wanda shook her head.

"I meant for the whole job, not for the fabric," she said.

"Noble witch, that is the whole sum," said Ragni. "I am able to buy the fabric at the same rates as any seamstress, which is a little off, not as much as the likes of Frau Schlauefinger gets off of course, but I do not have to charge for my name as she does."

"Then if Elise is pleased with it, I will pay you a bonus," said Wanda. "Elise, will you have the carriage bring Madame Ragni to your home, or to Grandfather's?"

"Well, I shouldn't like to travel from where I live to Herr Steck's house," said Elise. "I shouldn't be safe in a fine gown. If I might change, and... and keep it in your room?"

"That's quite all right," said Wanda. "Dear me, what is it like if honest women cannot walk the streets safely?"

Elise gave a bark of ugly laughter.

"But few people assume a half-goblin can possibly be an honest woman, especially if she is finely dressed," she said.

"How foolish people are!" cried Wanda. "Well, the carriage may as well pick you up after picking up Madame Ragni."

"But… I have never had a carriage sent for me before!" said Ragni, half flattered, half frightened.

"Then about time your better off clients started," said Wanda. It was good to be rich; one might do nice things for people.

xxxx

"Grandfather, I'd like a little dinner party tomorrow," said Wanda.

"Of course, my dear," said Walther Steck. "Do you wish me to invite other people to introduce you to?"

"No, not yet, Grandfather," said Wanda. "I just want to have Elise. She is clever and if she is to be a member of the family, you should treat her more like a member of the family."

"You are wise," said Walther Steck. "And very generous. But she will have nothing to wear and will be embarrassed."

"Grandfather, I DO love you, for thinking of that!" said Wanda. "I have arranged a gown to be made for her. Oh, and I refuse to have anything else to do with that Schlauefinger woman, she was abominably rude to Elise. I will have all my gowns made by Madame Ragni in future."

"Dear me!" said Walther Steck. "How very unfortunate. I cannot have anyone despising an adopted daughter of mine. I do not know this Madame Ragni."

"She is a goblin seamstress whom Elise knows," said Wanda. "I trust Elise's word that she is good. I should like to purchase her the latest fashion magazine subscriptions from my allowance."

"If she is to be your modiste, I shall arrange that myself," said Steck. "I will reserve judgement until I see the gown."

"I was able to describe the latest fashions from Paris," said Wanda. "I hope she lives up to expectations; it would be disappointing for Elise if she does not. She is coming here for the fitting, and then I can do her hair. We do each other's hair at school, and – oh bother, I shall have no wand. Still, how hard can simple grooming charms be to cast without a wand?"

"Your level of education is amazing!" marvelled her grandfather. "Why, when I was at Durmstrang, the idea of casting wandlessly was not something any of us would ever have dreamed of! The English way of education is indeed formidable!"

"And now perhaps you understand another reason I would rather stay at school where I am," said Wanda.

"Yes, indeed! Tell me, my dear, I was wondering if Elise might like to go to school for a year, to learn some spells at least, would it be onerous for her at your school, or should I speak to the formidable Professor Snape and throw myself on his mercy? I know from asking questions that he has even taught a muggle woman skills to be able to teach muggle studies in an Austrian school to be set up, so he will take those older pupils who have been taught nothing."

"Oh yes," said Wanda, "one of the girls in my class has a father who was a clerk in the transport office, and he learned some Geomancy, and the heads put him through a year of education in Prince Peak so he could teach us Geomancy. It is not a subject I study but I am told he is a good teacher. Herr Snape is very flexible. We are to have adults studying to catch up enough knowledge to become healers, but I think she might find Prince Peak more convivial if she wishes to learn. She may prefer that you teach her yourself," she added. "You might readily use my books."

Wanda was generally quite a quiet girl who used her eyes; and she had heard Biirta speaking of her lessons with Mr Lucius Malfoy, and had put two and two together. It would create a more intimate atmosphere. And if that intimacy was not enough to break her grandfather's reserve, well it would do them no harm to draw close if he adopted Elise instead of marrying her.

xxxx

Back in the school, Jade and Wulf had organised several activities for those who wanted to join in if they wished, or they might have the long weekend for any leisure activities they desired. The Kirsch, Nachtstein, Wurzel and Spinnertanz parents had taken their respective offspring home for the weekend, but Kasimir Wieselkind's parents were not well enough off to arrange travel. Kasimir however was quite resigned and was happy to spend time with the resident sixth. Of the resident sixth, Biirta was to have a day out with Lucius, which was all Jade and Wulf would permit; so she was over the moon. Narcissa collected her, explaining that Lucius was competing in a puissance event in Dorset and thought she might like to come along and cheer him on.

Biirta was nothing loath. Lucius was very attractive on horseback, and the fact that he plainly knew it only added to his attraction.

"We're here to look at some muggle riding horses too," Lucius explained, after kissing Biirta. "I have a theory that one of their more intelligent breeds, the Anglo-Arab, might be good stock to mix with thestrals or part thestrals."

"Lucius can't resist tinkering," laughed Narcissa "and so long as he doesn't use magic to do so, he doesn't break any laws."

"And besides, it's interesting," said Lucius. "I'm purchasing a couple of mares which come from a line which is often covered by Centaurs; they need ordinary horses to mate with, male foals are sometimes born as centaurs, and female foals have a better chance of producing centaur babies, so they like to stick with a particular line. It irritates muggle breeders no end if their mares are pregnant in an unscheduled way, because I've heard it said that horses, like cats, and some say people too, can have offspring with the characteristics of previous stallions, and that means the mating is uncontrolled. I'm not sure of the truth in it. I've arranged to purchase a pair of devalued mares and their daughters of unknown origin, because the intellect is definitely enhanced. And really it's about time Centaurs were made to be beings, owning their own herds of mares, because they come close to infringing the statute of secrecy. Muggles love their horses, even if they are breeding from them as a business, and I don't know what would happen if they segregated a pregnant mare who gave birth to a centaur in front of them."

"So many jokes, so little time," murmured Narcissa.

"Perhaps in the meantime, the ministry might maintain herds and insist that centaurs use them, and move around fillies so that there isn't inbreeding," said Biirta.

"Good idea," said Lucius. "I'll bring it up at the council."

Biirta flushed in pleasure; she was glad to have had a useful idea.

xxx

Lucius looked magnificent on his part-thestral part-granian horse, showing the rest of the field what a powerful and intelligent horse might do. The comments were generally admiring, with a touch of exasperation that Lucius was just like that. Biirta enjoyed her day out no end, despite hardly being near to Lucius; it had been enough to see him and hold Narcissa's hand, and cheer him on. She returned to school very happy to find Magda looking almost as happy.

"Oh Biirta!" burst out Magda, "I took your advice! I asked Herr Kesselring to ride with me, as an escort, and he was very kind and said he would. And I asked him if I might ask his advice, and he said, of course, I might ask him anything. So I told him that I found men frightening, because I had reason, and he was so encouraging that I told him everything. More even than I told Professor Von Strang," she added, blushing. " And he- he held my hand and told me that such a piece of filth was no real man, and that no real man would ever hold it against me, and would permit me to lead him in any lovemaking. Oh, and he smiled at me, Biirta, and I …I think his affections are engaged too, though he cannot speak of it. He wanted to know what had happened to the director and I told him what Professor Von Strang had done, and he laughed, and then he said he could think of a few ways to make her life more unhappy. Oh Biirta, I understand now; thank you for being so patient with me!"

"I am glad you understand, and are happy," said Biirta, hoping that Professor Kesselring really was fond of Magda in such a way, and it was not merely kindness on his part that Magda read too much into. She swallowed a laugh, because Magda had thought as much about Lucius.

Biirta, however, was made of sterner stuff than her beautiful friend, and found time to knock on Ritter Kesselring's study door.

"Herein!" called Ritter, and raised an eyebrow to see Biirta, who was retaking her Charms exam at ZP to see if she could improve on the ZAP she already had. "What can I do for you Biirta? Your work is of good standard."

"It's not about work," said Biirta. "It's about Magda; she is my best friend, and I need to know if you are serious about her, or if I need to help her through a crush that isn't going anywhere."

"I see," said Ritter. "At the moment, I am not permitting it to be serious. However, when she leaves school, I will approach Wulf – er, Herr Luytens, as her guardian, with permission to court her formally. Unless she has, in the meantime, found another whom she prefers."

"Not hardly likely," said Biirta. "You represent safety to her. May I be cheeky?"

"I think it's required in a head girl," said Ritter.

"Well, in that case, perhaps you shouldn't be too proper," said Biirta. "You are a good man to stand back, but a little encouragement will help her feel good about herself. I'm sure you're clever enough to do that without stepping outside the bounds of what is proper."

"Unlike Mr Lucius Malfoy," said Ritter, dryly.

Biirta blushed.

"Lucius is a bit of a law unto himself," said she. "And Cissy says that the theory has been advanced that Malfoy luck and hunches are a little bit of divination, and he has feelings about what bloodlines should be started for the future."

Ritter digested that.

"I wouldn't say that's wrong at that," he said. "The Malfoys are known for their extraordinary luck. Some say they enhance that by cheating, which I'm not prepared to comment on one way or the other. But it would make a lot of sense. I know nothing of divination, but I do know that it is very real, and that no two seers are ever alike," he gave a sudden laugh, "and it beats falling into a trance and croaking cryptic crap, er, I mean rubbish."

Biirta beamed at him.

"I don't melt under a few naughty words," she said. "Thank you. I know now how to handle Magda when she's having one of her low self esteem days."

"Poor Magda," said Ritter. "I really am going to take the rest of the half term out to irritate the ex director."

Biirta grinned.

"Add something amusing from me," she said.

"Did he interfere with you too?" demanded Ritter.

"No; I had that ugly birthmark. He only used to beat me," said Biirta.

"Huh. Only, eh? Well, I'll find a way to add something amusing for you, too, Biirta. Now go away; I want to design a ritual," said Ritter.

Biirta chuckled and left him to it. A ritual of sending, a real one, might be fun to involve Magda in when she was herself a bit more knowledgeable.

xxxx

Wanda enjoyed doing Elise's hair, and when the half-goblin looked in the mirror she gasped.

"Is that really me?" she asked.

"Well it was when I started, so unless you can swap-apparate like the superheroes in some of the comics the boys read, I guess it still is," said Wanda.

"Is there such a thing as swap-apparating?" asked Elise.

"I haven't a clue, but if there is, I expect the English can do it," said Wanda. "Shall we go down to Grandfather?"

Elise swallowed hard, and gave a little nod.

Wanda held Elise's arm to make sure she descended the staircase in a stately sort of way. Walther Steck stared at her bemused.

"Elise?" he said.

"Elise is a beautiful woman," said Wanda, firmly. "Don't you think so, Grandfather?"

"Any man would be prepared to court her, and she will have a good dowry," said Steck.

"Oh Grandfather," said Wanda, affectionately. "I do wish you will not be silly, and will consider courting her yourself; she is plainly made to be your partner, business and otherwise."

"Now, Wanda! Elise is just a slip of a girl!" said Walther.

"And you, sir, have shed years for finding Wanda," said Elise, blushing at her own boldness. "Wanda has told me you purpose to adopt me, and I should have to decline. It…" she blushed fierely "It would be too hard to be part of your household and not…it would be better to keep things on a business footing if you did not… I would happily be your mistress," she blurted out.

"Why Elise!" Walther Steck came forward with his hands held out. "I would not subject a woman to that infamy! Can it be that I need not curb the attraction I feel for you? I should have gladly adopted you and tried not to feel jealous of any man who wooed you."

Wanda slipped away. She was de trop now, for Elise was too straightforward to hide her feelings, and her grandfather would be assured that he could stop pretending to himself. She was glad she had read him correctly. It might be a week after Valentine's but for true love, time was of no essence, and she had discovered that her grandparents had made an arranged marriage anyway. That was all sorted, and Elise not the sort of girl to disappoint Grandfather by becoming greedy. Wanda had seen society women make eyes at him when he had been taking her out, and knew he was a catch; and if he was caught, she need never fear some deceitful witch who managed to bamboozle him into not spending time with his granddaughter. The inheritance side of matters never entered Wanda's thoughts at all; after all, her ambition was to rise to be manager of the factory, whereat she would receive a salary commensurate with her abilities in any case. Had she realised it, her inheritance was protected by law, through being the legitimate child of the legitimate heir. But Wanda was more interested in a happy family.

xxx

Ritter, being Ritter, consulted Jade.

Jade brightened.

"Do you mind taking on the task of keeping an eye on the nasty little man?" she said.

"I am willing to do so," said Ritter. "I was considering increasing his pheromonal output. That ought to keep him busy."

Jade grinned.

"More than busy," she said, "but not right now. I've been checking. He got pregnant and had an abortion; and he was so ill, next time he got pregnant, because the potion he was sold was a dud, he hasn't had the courage to have an abortion and is now about seven months gone. If you'd keep him under surveillance and take away his offspring as soon as he or she is born we can raise them in the orphanage. Their Malfoy lines will show their family so they can be registered as such. You're capable at officiating at a birth, aren't you?"

"I have assisted my stepmother," said Ritter, proudly. "But I am not sure that I feel like numbing his pain."

"I wasn't suggesting that you did," said Jade, "but you will want to decrease the trauma to the infant."

"Good point," said Ritter. "Is this too vindictive? I feel very vindictive on behalf of Magda, and Biirta said he 'only beat' her."

"Heh, Lucius will kiss that better," said Jade. "On average he had his little girl sex slaves for about three years; so I suggest that's how long he should remain a prostitute. Where he has, if he is wise enough to accept it, the support of the sisterhood of prostitutes, which is more than lonely, frightened, hurting little girls had. I'd rather he took abortifacient potions than brought offspring into the world, but he's such a coward he's deferred the pain by waiting, and he'll jolly well learn what happened to the one who ran away and gave birth in an alley. She died of it. I've been doing some research, and as she was in the orphanage from a young age, it really has to have been his child. Or someone's he hired her out to. Which also happened. He didn't fancy half goblins himself, but he sold some into prostitution, and I've got various people tracking them down to rescue if they want rescuing. Some of them have done reasonably well out of it, but that's no excuse."

Ritter nodded.

"You do such a lot; I am glad to take this duty," he said.

Jade nodded; Ritter could be a bit of a stuffed robe at times, but he was a good man and a conscientious one. If Magda had managed to confide in him, that was something that was likely to develop further. Good. Magda was the one who needed protecting by a strong husband; ironic that it had been her friend who had attracted Lucius. And yet, it was Biirta's strength Lucius was attracted to, not her looks, and Jade had no doubt that he would have loved her even if she had still had the ugly birthmark on her face. But Biirta would have felt unable to reciprocate because it was a blight on her, once the danger from the director was past.

xxx

Wanda came back to school bubbling that she had played cupid for her grandfather, and that her dear friend Elise was to marry him, once she had done a year at Prince Peak, so she felt more equal to him.

Delfine Shrotte frowned.

"You should be careful, Wanda, and make sure that your inheritance is tied up tightly, or this new woman of your grandfather's might separate him from you, and make sure he leaves all the money to her children who will be legitimate."

"Silly," said Wanda, "I picked out someone I liked to make sure no predatory moo tried to do that. Besides, I'm legitimate too."

Delfine brightened. "You are? And your, er, father?"

"Oh yes, papa was grandfather's only son and heir, and my parents were married quite legally," she said.

"Oh, in that case, you are assured your inheritance and your grandfather will have to settle any extra on any other children," said Delfine, who was quite well versed in the law. "And if he tries to give it all to them, your case is cast-iron."

"I'm hoping we shall have a happy family and be able to settle anything amicably," said Wanda, mildly. "Your Anwalt who taught you only ever saw families who were not amicable; that's the purpose of an anwalt."

Delfine digested this.

"There is much in what you say," she agreed. Delfine had improved somewhat since she had come to realise that her own favourite subject of Runes was affected by other subjects; and when she had spoken to the retired Anwalt in the holiday about trying only to work on the subjects he taught her, he had rather testily told her she was a stupid little girl, and if she wasted the opportunity to learn more subjects than he felt qualified to teach her, she deserved to remain ignorant. Delfine had entirely misunderstood what her mentor had told her when she first started school, and was now wiser for the kindly words of wisdom from her teachers and the less kindly words of the Anwalt. She was trying to be more friendly towards the others, and Wanda was a friend her parents would consider suitable, even though they were willing to let her study beside goblins and half goblins. There was a snobbery to wizards of but a few generations, which Delfine was clever enough to recognise, but there was no point upsetting her parents. Wanda was pleasant. Valerie and Renate had been friends before coming to school and were almost as inseperable as the Spinnertanz twins. Delfine disliked Nuta gan Kolaz, whom she considered rather calculating, and liked Higith and Hegi, who were also friends with Wanda, well enough.

"You've a bit less of a stuffed robe lately, Delfine," said Wanda.

"And you still have no tact," said Delfine. Wanda worked out that this was a rather ponderous attempt at a joke and laughed.

"No, I'm afraid not," she said.

"You are a pleasant girl, and serious minded," said Delfine, serious minded being a compliment from her. "I should like to partner you in those classes when we choose; Higith and Hegi like to work together."

"Are you asking if we might be friends?" asked Wanda.

"I… yes," said Delfine.

"So long as you don't want me to stop being friends with Higith and Hegi," said Wanda.

"They are also serious about working. I like them well enough," said Delfine.

"Don't knock yourself out," said Higith.

"I meant no insult," said Delfine. "I do not know you very well. I have learned a lot about things I have understood badly and wrongly. I have not had time to make friends because I have been foolish. I wish to learn how to make friends."

"Oh in that case, we can make up a foursome and split into pairs to work as and when," said friendly Hegi. "You were a bit of a pain, Delfine! But I always said it was that crazy Anwalt's fault."

"He told me at Yule I had misunderstood his words; he was quite unkind," said Delfine, fighting tears.

The other three girls patted her on the arms and back.

"This is because nobody in the legal profession has a clue how to speak straight, and puts everything into doubletalk," said Wanda. "I wouldn't worry if I was you; you're doing ever so much better in class, and if you'll only join the ECC you'll get to learn ever so much more. There was a horrid man I met who wanted to rape me but I managed to cast wandlessly to turn his nose into a chicken."

"Only his nose?" asked Hegi.

"What are you like!" said Wanda. "Only his nose. I wouldn't have wanted to hurt any chickens anywhere else when I kicked him."

"Actually nose to chicken is pretty tough; though there's beak to beak," said Vinz gan Doric, the class star in transfigurations. "as to other parts, there's a degree of assimilative correlation by nomenclature of … well never mind," he added.

"Assimilative howmany?" said Wanda.

Vinz flushed.

"Sorry," he said, "I think it's a ZH term; I came upon it in 'Transfigurations today'. It's the theory of how changing one thing to another is easier if you have a similarity in name, as in, er, cockerel, or in association as in beak of a nose to beak of a bird."

"Well tell us more," said Wanda. "I'm not bad at Transfigurations, but I bet if I understood why I was doing things I'd be better, and Higith and Hegi might actually get somewhere."

"I'll say," said Hegi. "It all seems so random."

Mortimer Bane, who was the third's form teacher as well as teaching Transfiguration, wandered by the common room to find out why his class was so unwontedly quiet, and discovered a lesson in Assimilative Correlation in full swing. He retired quietly. It might be unnatural for the kids to not only be working but discussing high level theory on a day off, but Mort was not about to break up something that was bringing looks of enlightenment to the faces of some of his duller pupils. Even Nuta was listening! As the class was divided between the dire and the really very good, Mort was delighted. Maybe he should suggest to Ritter that he introduce Higith to learned papers on Charms, she being the only talented one in a class who still had trouble getting an egg cup to roll over, never mind dance. Meanwhile, hopefully there would be some slight improvement in the transfigurational skills of those ready to apply theory and logic, which as Jade was known to say was sometimes the only way to get some people able to concentrate.

And it wouldn't do their grades any harm to forget how high a level such terms were and throw them around in their theory exams. Perhaps it was time the tradition of not wanting to muddle pupils with fancy terminology was laid aside.