Chapter 21
Taryn knew that Ancient Runes was never going to be her best result; passing at ZP level might be touch and go. But Ihor rated it as useful for research.
The exam was as it were a practical embedded in a written, in that it was all about translating a number of passages in a variety of scripts. Jade considered the exam inferior to the OWL, where some reasoning was called for in interpreting the translations made, and where the translations were usually at least something interesting, or even funny; as Lucius set the English exam he let his sometimes warped imagination have full rein and Jade considered that students who were amused and interested actually performed – and learned – better. The eight short passages here were a trifle turgid.
Still the students struggled through them, Kole faster and with more fluency than Taryn who buried her face in her hands over the Hieroglyphs.
At last it was over and the two victims fled outside for fresh air.
oOoOo
Arithmancy had started as one of the core subjects and so had a fair number of people taking it; those who could cope and had not begged for another option. As four of the seven taking the exam were taking ZP and only Lazek was questionable in his ability it was likely to be an exam most of them should moderately enjoy, thought Jade; forgetting that 'enjoy' was NOT necessarily a verb employed by many over Arithmancy.
The questions redacted for this exam were those involving calculus, the calculation of the maxima and minima of a number of wizards of specified MHR capacity – Man-hours running, the arbitrary measure of energy in the wizarding world – to open a given area of wizarding space; and in the calculation of a simple apportation. For the simpler questions, numerological calculations on marriage partners were the usual type, as well as a question that expected the completion of two more places in a number of series. Jade thought it a good question and resolved to take that back to the exam board in England; it tested recognition of the Wenlock series, prime numbers and factorial numbers – requiring the calculation of the next two of these – as well as simple relationships. All the schoolchildren taking the higher exam struggled with the calculus; which was hardly surprising as it was a subject that could do with a month or more to cover fully, even the limited differential calculus that was all that was required to this level, and they had done it in just under three weeks. They would get some credit for knowing that they needed to find where the values of y/ x was zero even if they got in a muddle with the calculations; knowing that the slope on the curve investigated was flat to indicate top and bottom. Jade had told her class to write down everything they knew even if they could not complete a calculation; and hoped they knew and remembered enough. Taryn seemed to have no difficulty at all.
oOoOo
Taryn had now finished too, and four more of the children, Biirta, Shizue, Ktell and Lazek.
The next exam was then Enchanting; and both Gunnar and Kole were taking the ZP.
The written was a fairly standard series of questions on the reasons that certain items took enchantment better than others, and a calculation of the greater amount of energy required to enchant inappropriate objects, and hence the increase in ritual. There was an essay on wand woods; which they had covered fairly well, and on the choice of core.
The practical involved enchanting a quill and ink separately; and an item of the entrant's choice prepared beforehand for enchanting in front of the examiner. Gunnar made his pen write to dictation, and his ink transfer automatically to a pen that had been tapped against the lid. He had found the amount of written work he was doing heavy weather and this seemed like a good idea! His chosen item to enchant was a book that would open on command at the last place he had closed it. Kole made his pen uncursable and his ink to highlight words on command. It was the sort of thing that made revision easier. He enchanted a clock to shout at him to wake up because early mornings were an issue.
They were glad when it was over; because that was THEIR last exam. And only Gauda had any left, with Geomancy.
oOoOo
The geomancy exam was based on English lines, being a new exam in Germany.
There were questions on making a place unplottable, and Gauda had to draw in the principle ley lines in Germany and write about what made the use of ley lines so useful.
The practical required Gauda and her broom to be taken to an unknown spot and find her way back to school using ley lines; and since she was an unqualified goblin requiring a wand to find ley lines the examiner accompanied her in case she met anyone who wanted to make trouble. Once on the ley lines she should move too fast for anyone to bother her; and the place she was taken was fairly secluded; but one never knew.
Gauda used the four-point spell's ley line finding variant and was soon on her way back to the castle; and if she was not the fastest candidate ever she was methodical.
It was a new enough exam that the concept of juveniles being able to tap a power hitherto only known as a ministry secret in the Ministry of Transport was impressive enough; and the examiner too had needed to learn how to do it. He had to hurry away to test those applicants at Durmstrang, being a rare breed as yet in his skill to examine this esoteric practical; but the rest of the examiners stayed for Kaffee und Kuchen.
oOoOo
"It feels kind of strange" said Kole when they held an overall post mortem with Wulf and Jade and their subject teachers, outside for the beautiful weather that evening. "I mean, we've been working like stink for what seems like forever; and now it's all over. At least, for the time being."
"It is always a slightly anticlimactic feeling after exams" said Jade "Because for the rest of the school lessons are still going on. It's oddest when you realise that actually you're leaving school and you won't be with the friends you've made day in day out ever again, at least most of them; and you also realise that you have to make your own rules of life because there's nobody to enforce school rules any more. And I have to say, learning to do that is something we need to work on with those of you who have been in the orphanage, because institutions take away any self determination you have. Generally in schools, the sixth – which most of you will be entering – have more privileges and responsibilities concomitant with them; and are given trust to obey the rules of their own accord and to behave sensibly. It's part of the training towards independence. Lazek, are you still determined, assuming you have your grades, to leave education?"
"Yes professor; I can make a lot of difference in the lives of my family with any salary I can get; I'll be the most highly educated goblin in my country, let alone town. And that will make me a comparative big shot; sought after. I like the thought of that."
"Don't let the crime bosses exploit you Lazek" said Jade soberly "And if you think you ARE being used, or if you're in trouble, don't hesitate to contact us; you're one of our boys and the school takes care of its own. I don't say we'd get you off if you'd committed a crime; but we'd see to an Anwalt for you and if you'd been suckered in we'd do our damnedest to extract you from the consequences of other peoples' perfidy."
Lazek looked surprised.
"Why Professor! And I thought you didn't like me!"
"I haven't found you as easy to get to know as some, Lazek; but even if I disliked you, which I don't, you would still be one of our boys" said Jade. "And I wish you the best of luck. I would suggest, if you find yourself offered any deal or job that you're not sure about taking, that you think 'what would Herr Professor Luytens advise' before you accept; you would be at liberty to ignore the probable advice of course; but then you'd at least have your eyes well open."
"Thanks; I'll do that" said Lazek "It's still going to be pretty hard for any goblin to make a well paid living that isn't a little dodgy; but I know this scrap merchant, who'd pay good money for someone who can do the revellaspell and who'd be a general assistant; and who might be able to break some of the minor curses on things, or at least recognise when a real curse breaker is needed."
"It sounds like a good job" said Jade "I take it the junk is of the 'and no questions asked' kind; but if you know nothing and keep it that way, there's nothing that can be pinned on you legally. And you are wise to recognise your own limitations on curse breaking. Should you wish to study theory in your spare time, and practise your defensive spells there's no reason you shouldn't do a ZP as an external student in Arithmancy and Dark Arts any time in the future. I imagine that Professor Bacsó might well let you study her books if you asked nicely. And too I hope you'll let us know how you get on!" she smiled. "The rest of you who are staying on, the seven of you, we felt that we couldn't split in terms of behaviour or hard work, so we thought that we would make you all prefects from next year. This will mean you will supervise younger ones in prep periods to give the staff a break; with more years of students we all have more hours of actual teaching to do. You will have the right to set lines – up to ten repetitions, and if you wish to avoid staff involvement for more than the usual 'I should not slide down the banisters without due care and attention' then you can set poems; multiplying effectively the amount of writing. I'll be your form teacher and you can always ask advice and I'll take off my professor's hat and Nefrita won't tell the Frau Professor a thing, I promise!"
They laughed.
"This too teaches us independence does it not, because if we have responsibility to others, we must also have responsibility towards ourselves and how we handle that" said Biirta.
"Yes; well reasoned. And for comments like that, as well as you being the only person to come and ASK when there were the silly rumours over the governors we decided to make you Head Girl" said Jade. "We'll be announcing all this at breakfast tomorrow. And by the way, the hard work is NOT over; you can have the rest of the week off, then next week you start preparing for your ZH's and the extra ZP's some of you are taking; because we taught you to pass an exam. In the rest of the term and over the holidays – those of you who are not orphans I'm going to ask you to give up some of your holiday, three weeks in the middle – you are going to learn those things that will fill in your knowledge of how to use the subjects for life, and for taking further, since some techniques are taught in subjects that are of little use to you and are at best mentioned briefly in some questions at ZP but which are necessary building blocks for the ZH. Are you willing?"
They all nodded and murmured affirmation. Biirta was looking rather stunned; and Magda squeezed her arm and whispered congratulations.
"We DO have the eyes of the media on us, unfortunately" said Wulf "Apparently there are lame brained fools out there who want to know how you, particularly the goblins, feel about getting qualifications; for some reason they think you may feel differently to the thousands of human children who feel an equal sense of achievement."
"There is more, though sir" said Ktell "Winning the right to carry a wand is more of an achievement than just the qualifications. It's as though we suddenly became people for the majority. Or at least those who hold power; I don't quite know how many goblins there are by proportion to humans."
"Numbers over all are about even" said Wulf "But in areas where goblins are congregated they tend to outnumber the humans living nearby by up to two to one. Will you then like to make a statement on behalf of the class?"
"Sir, I'd be honoured; if the class is willing" said Ktell "And if you lot are, perhaps you'll let me know if there's a point you want to make."
"Seconded and carried that Ktell has the job; I don't want it" said Kole. "Lazek, you might get shit from the media in your home town; best you and Ktell talk things out so you don't end up sounding like you're contradicting each other, we all know what the press is like."
Lazek nodded. He knew that if he put a foot wrong and spoke out of turn it could rebound on his whole family; not least in irritating Madam Bacsó and stop her sponsoring his siblings.
Ktell and Lazek bashed out a statement and a few points to make while they waited for their results; and meantime the heads announced the appointment of the new sixth to be prefects all, and that Biirta was head girl.
"We thought long and hard about the fagging system too" said Wulf "Not wishing to see it installed in the form it is now in Durmstrang; but we have decided that prefects may have one or more fags to run minor errands and that those fags become the responsibility of the said prefect in the way of a younger sibling. This will be particularly valuable to those youngsters who are orphans and have nobody. Duties will include carrying up Kaffee und Kuchen if a prefect prefers to take such in their common room – they should be old enough to be trusted not to make a mess – or carry messages or do small – repeat SMALL chores. Fags are not servants; and should not be asked to do errands greater than those one might expect a small sibling to do for a favour. No child has to be a fag and may refuse if asked; and indeed a child may volunteer to fag for a senior he or she thinks convivial. Those of you who have siblings may consider sorting that out before next term; or you may prefer, as was generally customary, that your sibling fag for a friend. Other arrangements might be made; Herr Kesselring, for example, took great care of his fag at Durmstrang on the understanding that she would accept his half siblings as fags in her turn and see to their wellbeing. In a school where social position counts, it's a way of making social contacts. In a school where academic excellence counts, it's more a way for a junior to attach himself to someone who is taking to a higher level a subject he like, in the hopes of hints with homework; and maybe ultimately a good recommendation when applying for a job in a similar field to his sponsor. I have to say that this fagging system WILL be experimental; and should there be any abuses it will be ended forthwith. Very well; the prefects have their powers from today, and will dropped in the deep end from prep this evening when the supervising prefect will, for the time being, be drawn by lot. Please carry on with your breakfast!"
oOoOo
It was another two days before the owl post brought the results; and Wulf opened the package.
"I shan't make you wait" he said "As I call out your name and the results, you may come and collect your certificates; which for the non humans among you are your guarantee to permit you to carry your wand. And if you come to my office after breakfast I'll see about encasing them in the new flexible glass that has been invented in England to preserve them from creases and stains so you can roll them up and carry them with you. It was an offshoot of a Metalworking project on the part of one of Hogwart's Marauders, Ming Chang, if you are interested, just to show you that schoolchildren CAN be at the cutting edge of technology! First gan Doric, Kole; full ZAP with pass at O+ in Dark Arts and E in Arithmancy with three ZP's at grade A in Dark Arts, E in ancient Runes and A in enchanting. Well done Kole."
He read through the list in alphabetical order; and if some of the a grades were close scrapes there were no actual fails in any subject; which meant that all the children were assured their ZAP at least! Gauda had ZPs in Dark Arts at E, Transfiguration at A and an A too for her geomancy; and Gauda knew she could improve on that with more time at ZH. Gunnar was the class star and was cheered by the whole school for managing six passes at ZP, reaching an O for his best subject, transfigurations, E in Dark Arts and Arithmancy and A in the other three subjects. Biirta smiled wryly to be announced after so great a result, having achieved the five subjects of ZAP – which for her was a triumph have feared failure in the Transfiguration – and achieving passes at ZP in potions and Arithmancy. Ktell, although passing his ZAP , had only the one ZP, in dark arts; though he had achieved the grade of E.
Magda was delighted to have passed the ZAP potions exam; like Biirta it was a personal best. And only Wulf knew in the covering details that she had passed only by one mark! Like her friend Biirta too, Magda had achieved her two ZP's in care of beasts and transfigurations, equally at A. Lazek relaxed when his results were read out; A grade across the board in his ZAP, nothing to re-take, and he would proudly carry his certificate. Lazek was not lazy; but he was not one to do more than was necessary and was actually deeply relieved that he had done enough!
Finally Shizue's results were read out; she had taken four of her five ZAP subjects as ZP and had passed them all; with an E at transfiguration, the rest A. But they were passes.
oOoOo
There was a press conference that afternoon; and Ktell stepped forward.
"My class mates have asked me to make a brief statement" he said. "Not because I'm the cleverest; far from it. But I do have the gift of the gab and I'm not as shy as some of them. Those of us who have been through the mill of the accelerator class are all of us more grateful than we can express for having been given the opportunity at schooling; and tremendously proud of ourselves AND of our tireless and dedicated teachers that we managed to make the grade. Had we waited another year I know we would all have made better grades - though one of my friends is swotty enough to have taken an O in one of his ZP's – and to have taken all his exams ZP not just one or two, as have most of us, alongside the ZAP. It's been tremendously hard; I won't deny that. But it's been worth every minute of grind. And I must say, I am looking forward to the ZH course at a more regular rate almost as a rest cure! Not all of us are planning on staying on for higher education; but having once been offered it, there are those of us who are not about to turn that down. And whilst it is important to those of us who are goblins that we should now be wand-carrying members of the wizarding community, to show that we DO have the dedication and brains to take a course of study, it is to most of us more important that the thirst for knowledge is assuaged with this school; because those of us who did so well did so, I think, because we longed to learn. I know there have been those who worry about educated goblins wanting to lead uprisings; I think leading an uprising is a foolish idea and frankly, anyone with an education would look upon such an idea as futile and counterproductive. There have been no such uprisings after all in England where the first goblin to take ZP equivalents did so eight years ago. I think that the inference is plain; that education clears muddy thinking and enables clearer communication, removing resentments and building bridges. I have two best friends from school; one a goblin, one a human. And I have to think to remember that Gunnar is different to me. Apart from in the fact that he's a sight more talented than anyone else in the class" he added "I for one just want to make my way in the world once I finish at school; and do a job for which my training has suited me. I don't really think there's anything more to say" he said.
"What job ARE you aiming for?" called a reporter.
"I'm being unambitious enough to aim for curse breaker's assistant; and secretly ambitious enough to hope to become a curse breaker" said Ktell. "I achieved only one ZP which I'm taking to ZH; alongside three other ZPs. I'm not as bright as a lot of people; more sort of steady and solid and if any of my friends says that's solid from the neck up there's going to be a jinx or two involved. I'm sort of hoping to be good enough to help the sponsor of one of our pupils from lower down the school to expand his business; after all I SHALL be studying the English art of Chanting to break even stubborn curses. And so far as I am aware, Herr Jaromir Frolik of Neubrandenberg is the only curse breaker in Germany using chanting; and maybe if I advertise him now, It'll improve my chances of a job" he grinned.
The reporters laughed.
"You can only try, boy" said the one who had asked the question. "What other careers are your fellows hoping for?"
"Two of the girls are planning, after ZH to train as Healers in the new teaching hospital we're to have in association with the school" said Ktell; Wulf had shared the news of it with his sixth form. "The idea being that nurses can train in nursing in the hospital and also take classes in ZAP subjects in the school to give them a higher level of education to make them better nurses; able to mix simple potions without having to take up the time of a healer, able to deal with medical transfigurations of minor fractures and cuts as a nurse should be able to. And some of those youngsters who come to school and take ZAP and do not feel like going any further might then transfer to train in nursing. The idea is to continue the concept of having roving healers to visit outlying communities as well as having a hospital with all the most modern facilities as a free hospital."
"We are hoping too to attract some free elves to work on the nursing staff" put in Wulf. "I was going to announce the free hospital at a later date but as it's come up I may as well tell you now that it will be a centre of ritual healing for those problems which other hospitals have given up on. The Head Healer is a skilled medical transfigurationist whose younger son could only be cured of a particularly complex condition by using a chant; and he is keen to aid other parents who have supposedly incurable children. There has also been an endowment from the father of a child whose heart was beyond the repair of the best conventional methods, who was cured, as it happens, by my wife while she was at Durmstrang. And we thank him for his generosity; and the heart and lung wards will be named after the family, as the Fernandez Ward. The builders have actually arrived it you notice, in the field below the cliff. We're installing a cable car up to the school for the nurses ascending for their classes. You'll know healers trained here; in addition to their normal blood red robes they'll wear gentian blue trim to associate themselves with our gentian blue, flame and grey uniform. And the nurses will have gentian and flame trim on their white robes; perhaps a minor point, but worth telling your readers that such will stand for excellence."
"And free care" said a reporter cynically.
"And free care" said Wulf "And if anyone is proud and wants to make a donation for their treatment we're not so proud we won't accept it."
"What's your involvement with the hospital? Other than training the nurses in general subjects?" asked another reporter.
"My wife and I are backing it financially" said Wulf. "As my wife is one of the most experienced chanters in the world she has seen a lot of cases where such new techniques are needed; and as England is rather backward in this respect – the top hospital, St Mungo's is resisting new techniques – this will put Germany at the cutting edge of modern healing. Beauxbatons is studying chanting in healing at the request of their hospitals but we shall be starting here with tried chanters in place. Moreover, we have been given samples of freely given unicorn blood from a tame unicorn and the hospital will be using potioneering techniques to increase this for the worst cases; and will too be studying experimentally ways to make a synthetic unicorn blood by analysing the active ingredients, something I believe has never been done before. Whilst one cannot rely on supplies from a willing donor, if it IS possible to duplicate something almost as efficacious that would be a great breakthrough. Have you any other questions for Ktell? Because if not, the children ARE putting in their last couple of weeks of term to make sure they are properly prepared for their ZH classes and would very much like to get back to it."
"They're bloody gluttons for punishment if you ask me, Professor!" said one. "Well that kinda destroys the myth that goblins are feckless and lazy!"
"Sir; there are some feckless and lazy goblins even as there are feckless and lazy humans" said Ktell "what I think you'll find is the sad truth is that poverty makes people apathetic; unless they take to crime as a means to keep body and soul together. Both are soul destroying, and it isn't only goblins in such a poverty trap. Before I got sidetracked onto the hospital I was going to tell you that there are those coming up the school hoping to improve small businesses in which their families have worked in order to generate more wealth not just in goblin communities but across society. The per capita income in the German sphere is lower than anywhere else in Europe; we'd like to see that change. Yes I DO want to run a revolution; a revolution of Germany's explosion of industry, returning to our country's traditional role as the top manufacturer in the world!"
"Well said lad" said Wulf, quietly "You just became 'the patriotic goblin' I'm afraid; as newsmen like labels. But it's a positive message."
Ktell grinned.
"And cynically put together too sir" he murmured back.
"You'll do" said Wulf.
The newsmen milled a little, determining that Shizue and Gauda wanted to teach, that Gunnar was torn between teaching and being a healer, and that Kole felt that teaching helped repay all that had been done for him unless he became an Anwalt. Lazek answered happily that he was content to leave school to help support his family so cleverer siblings had a better education so he might be able to help with the fees and not be beholden and planned to take his skills into industry in his own country; it sounded better than being a scrap merchant. He had asked to leave right after the interview to start earning as soon as possible; and Wulf agreed it made sense and wished him luck before apparating him to his home.
It may be noted that his employer later said
"Gawd, kid, we're industry now are we?" to which Lazek shrugged and pointed out that a recycling centre did have more cache than junk yard; and got a raise on the spot for turning his education to clever-arse stuff.
oOoOo
Ktell was plastered across the front of several periodicals as 'the patriotic goblin' as Wulf had predicted. He received several letters of congratulations from readers, three death threats and a marriage proposal which he declared scarier than the death threats.
oOoOo
And the school went back to normal for the short remainder of the term; and culminated in a feast.
"May I say" said Wulf "How tremendously proud all the staff and I are of all of you; of your industry and dedication. You have all done really well; and stuck to it. I hope you continue to do so; we've had a very favourable press so far. Let's try to keep it that way; NO showing off in the holidays, and as it's a school rule that I keep your wands, no temptation to use them. Those of you who DO cast wandlessly DO try to be discreet when colouring the, er, flatulence of those who irritate you. Try to stay out of fights; I know it's going to be hard for those of you who get taunted about taking a sissy education instead of a man's job; if you can, take a holiday job that shows you are as hard as any of them. I would suggest you might tell any who are longing for a fight that you are sorry but that as you learn to fight at school you don't want to hurt them; which won't work in most cases, but then you HAVE warned them when you use Kung Fu to flatten them and I never advised that. Don't boast; it's unseemly. I seem to be giving you a list of don'ts; so here are some do's. DO have a good holiday; do get a good rest ready to work hard next year when you'll all be the old hands showing little ones about. DO try to get any holiday assignments done early on so you don't have to worry about them; DO note if you had difficulty with them so we can help you. DO remember that term starts on the first day of September; and DO remember to pack your brains to bring back with you. I'm sure your parents are all keen to see your yearly report and your grades and class placement; it's something parents like to see. And do also remember that kind hearts are better than high grades and that education is about more than numbers of qualifications but about learning to co-operate and to use your skills in the best way for YOU. And the staff are all here to approach if you have any subject you wish help in. This first long holiday will give you the chance to reflect on what you have learned; and perhaps on what you would like to learn. So without more ado, I'm going to say let the feast begin!"
There were rousing cheers; less formal than those generally raised in the likes of Hogwarts, Prince Peak or Durmstrang; but heartfelt and sincere. And as the butterbeer was passed around someone began a drinking song; and the feast was heartily heralded with song.
And the only thing to be concerned about was whether these young people, taller, better fed and healthier for the greater part than when they had first arrived, would eat their families out of house and home in the holidays for being used to plenty of good food.
There would be those willing to employ them in temporary jobs out of sheer curiosity; and from that they might earn enough for their increased appetites, enhanced by the gruelling work of casting spells.
Wulf banged on the table.
"One more thing!" he said "You've been eating more than usual because of the hard work of spell casting; I do hope you won't come back overweight for expecting to pack away as much without the energy use to burn it off! If you get a holiday job, that's different – because it's the same level of work. And those of you in the ECC, DO try to keep up your fitness regime; it WILL help your spell sustaining remember!"
It was a good way to hint that they would NOT need to eat so much unless they DID get a job to pay for it.
And it was the end of the first year; and really it had gone very well.
"And no problems yet" said Wulf happily to Jade.
"Anyone would think you'd been to Hogwarts to call an attack of racists 'no problem'" teased Jade. "I'm glad Lucius is on the job of getting us a divination teacher; and too that Berthold ran away to school. We would have defeated them; but possibly at the cost of some lives if it had not been marauders at the front."
"True enough" said Wulf soberly "What's the solution?"
"A circle that warns if anyone crosses it with floating scrying globes concealed about the grounds to check out our infiltration" said Jade. "We can chant that up in a trice and lay it on top of the anti-apparating zone. No sweat."
Wulf nodded; and was glad that for his talented little wife it WAS no sweat.
And he was already looking forward to the next term when they would have a more or less proper school with first through lower sixth classes, even if the fifth only had three members. It was all very exciting!
finis
6