Chapter Thirty-Seven - Lunch With the Goblin King
As we sat, I remarked to Harry on the thickness and richness of the crimson wool carpet. We sat for quite a bit more than a few minutes until the office door opened and the Chairman came out to greet us. He was quite a bit bigger than most Goblins I had seen at Gringotts, perhaps just an inch short of five feet tall.
"Welcome. I am pleased that you are joining me for lunch. I've wanted to meet you for some time, Harry Potter. Please introduce me to your associates." Harry shook hands with the Chairman and introduced each of us to him. When he came to me, he responded, "ah, the youngest child of the Minister". Ron got a similar comment and to Hermione he said "I've heard of you. You've been negotiating with my supervisor at Hogwarts." He beckoned us into the conference room, which was set up as an elaborate dining room, with silver bowls and plates, crystal glasses, and silver cutlery all on a lace tablecloth, above the dark, not marble, perhaps obsidian, table. The walls were white marble, the floor was the crimson carpet, and there was a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It was lit with gas lights, inside crystal shields. We sat as indicated, with Harry at the Chairman's right hand and Hermione at his left. A shorter Goblin entered the room, was introduced by the Chairman as his Deputy Chairman, Kelu Goblansk, and seated himself at the end of the table, opposite the Chairman. He looked a lot younger than the chairman.
We were served by two Wizard waiters attired in British formal wear. Lunch began with a dark wine of which the chairman said "a very fine port, I think you'll agree. Many, including myself, believe port to be the most magical of all wines," The port was accompanied by thin pieces of warm fried bread, and a soft white cheese. The Chairman addressed his comments to Harry. "I understand that you will be returning to Hogwarts in the fall, in addition to your duties at the Ministry. That must keep you very busy and not leave you much time for your lovely girlfriend."
"Yes, it's busy on all fronts, but I have so much that I want to learn, both at Hogwarts and at the Ministry. I feel a need to move beyond my year as a semi-rogue soldier, so to speak. Since Ginny will also be a Hogwarts seventh year, as well as a valued advisor, we actually spend quite a lot of time together."
"Yes, it was your roguish ways that brought you and your friends to my attention. Yours was the first successful robbery of a Gringotts vault in generations. Those who attempt such a thing usually do not survive. As I understand it, the three of you actually rode our guard dragon out of the tunnels and out of London."
"That's correct," Harry replied evenly. "I certainly want to apologise for the consternation that we caused. I would have simply come to you and asked permission to retrieve the horcrux from the vault, but with Voldemort about to attack Hogwarts and crush all remaining resistance, I'm sure you realise that we were confronted with exigent circumstances and acted in the best interests of Goblins, as well as Wizards."
"Yes, that's certainly one way of interpreting those unusual events. I agree that we are all better served to have Voldemort out of the way. I thank you for your apology. I'm sure you realise that this sort of affair is a source of embarrassment and some loss of faith and prestige for both the bank and me."
"I was afraid of that," Harry responded, "which is why we have not said anything of that particular adventure. The Minister asked me to assure you that our government in no way holds the bank responsible for that theft and recognises that your security is excellent. The Minister will certainly not speak of the matter. Nor will the owners of the vault. One of the owners knew that the vault contained an illegal article in furtherance of her and Voldemort's treason against the elected Minister. The other owner at the time has asked me to give you this note, saying she holds the bank harmless and bears no grudge against either me or the bank." Harry handed the note to the Chairman. "As it happens," Harry continued, "we've determined that Hermione here was the rightful owner of that vault, all along. Here is a certificate from the Restitution Commission, attesting to the fact that she is a rightful Black heiress and the owner of half of the vault's contents." Harry passed along that certificate to the chairman.
"I see," the chairman responded, "and I'm sure that Hermione also has no objections regarding the vault robbery and will hold the bank harmless."
"Of course," Hermione replied. "As you are aware, I was one of the robbers."
"I thought as much, but it was impossible to tell for certain, since you all used Polyjuice to trick my staff. I assume Ron was the third bandit." Ron nodded that this was correct. "I really wish you had come to me and simply requested that the bank turn over the horcrux. You all could have been killed by the dragon. Wizards riding a dragon is a very rare and dangerous feat. Far more die than succeed, especially in such a confined space as our tunnel system."
"You're right, it was a very stupid thing to have done, born of necessity and with little chance of success. Since the alternative was Voldemort's supremacy over all magical creatures, and the likely destruction of all those creatures in a war with the Muggles, I mean the non-magical, we each felt we had no choice but to risk our lives. I knew that red tape, and the probable need for someone at the bank to give the Thicknesse government a chance to challenge our request, would delay recovery of the horcrux until after Voldemort's ultimate victory. We all realised what a horribly difficult position the bank was placed in by the presence of an illegal Wizard government that had murdered our elected Minister and seized the Ministry by force. In a way, our action saved the bank from having to make a painful choice against Voldemort's Minister and expose the bank to his wrath had we failed to defeat him."
"Yes, that would have been a very difficult position for me. I was even forced to accept Thicknesse onto the bank's Board of Directors. If I hadn't done so, they would have simply seized the bank."
"It was a very difficult situation all around," Harry agreed.
At this point, the second course of candied walnuts and more port was served by our waiters. Viktor had not indicated how we should interpret the presence of nuts.
"Miss Granger has referred to possible restitution for the theft, in addition to the apology which you have just been kind enough to give to me. As you know, we lost a very valuable guard dragon during your adventure, as well as damage to some of the furnishings in our lobby and our front door."
"Yes, I'm very sorry for the damage and the loss of your dragon. Ginny has a brother who works with dragons. We are certainly willing to have him procure a very fine adolescent dragon to replace the one that we lost for you. I had hoped at the time that after the dragon ditched us and had a good drink and feeding, that it would return home to you. I now realise that it never did return."
"Yes, I don't think he enjoyed it so much down in the tunnels. But that was his job. Goblins also prefer not to live in tunnels. I'll accept the dragon with gratitude, on behalf of the bank. Miss Granger also mentioned other restitution in the form of the Sword of Gryffindor and a monetary payment."
"The Sword of Gryffindor is problematic, since it will always return to a Gryffindor in peril, if that Gryffindor possesses the Sorting Hat. That's how it departed your custody the last time. Of course, the offer of monetary compensation was made at a time when we didn't realise that the vault in question, and the relic within it, belonged to Hermione, or that Narcissa had no objection to our entering the vault."
"Are you reneging on the offer that Miss Granger made?" the Chairman asked, with some irritation. "The entrance to my bank was still damaged, whether or not the vault owner objected to your theft."
"I wouldn't do that." Harry replied, "as it would be dishonourable and a sign of bad faith. I was merely laying the groundwork for the parameters under discussion. As you know, Hermione and your Supervisor at Hogwarts did not agree a specific sum of money or the details surrounding the sword."
"That is correct. What specifically do you suggest?"
"I propose to give you 1,000 gold galleons in payment for the repairs to your lobby and to buy a right to the sword for the lifetime of myself, and my children, and the school of Hogwarts".
"I accept the payment for the damages. How much do you propose to pay for the rental of the sword?"
"Four thousand gold galleons".
"That is a fair price. Alright, Harry Potter. I'm also considering that you rescued a Goblin from Voldemort's custody, when I say that the debt that you and your friends owe to me and the bank on account of your robbery is forgiven. My Deputy will give you a note to that effect. Did you bring the money with you?"
"In a manner of speaking. It's in my vault here at the bank."
"That's fine. I'll personally assist you in retrieving it, after we finish our meal. I assume that the Goblin whom you rescued helped you in your adventure here."
"I would never speak unfavourably of a brave Goblin who stood up to Voldemort's torture and always had the best interests of his bank and his King at heart," Harry replied.
"Your loyalty is highly commendable. You'll be pleased to learn that the employee in question was given back his job and was not disciplined. I agree that he behaved quite well under trying circumstances, not that I'll forgive him a second time if he ever chooses to again exercise that level of initiative.
"To change the subject, tell me, what are your views on the trial of young Bruce?"
The next course was a thick squash soup in a vegetable broth base. I would not normally have viewed the pungent spices as such an honour, but felt thrilled to detect the taste of cinnamon, amidst the hotter spices.
"As you know, the trial was recessed, so that Bruce can receive a proper medical evaluation and so that the extradition requests can be considered. I attended the trial as a member of the audience, not having been called to testify as a witness. As Deputy Minister, I'm not allowed to have a public opinion on Bruce's innocence, mental competence, or guilt, or the appropriate sentence if he is guilty. I can tell you that the initial half-day of trial was more boisterous than I expected, and that I was taken quite off guard by the statement that Bruce made."
"Indeed, it seems the boy is clearly quite mad!"
"Well, you should know," Harry replied, picking his words carefully, "that under Wizard law, being adjudged sufficiently mentally competent to be fully responsible for your crimes is far from the same thing as being totally free of mental problems, or even of not needing some medical correction for those problems. It is a complicated medical and legal issue, which I am not knowledgeable enough to give you an intelligent opinion about. Even if I had that knowledge, my position would prevent me from telling anyone my opinion before the legal proceedings were concluded."
"Yes, I know you are hobbled by the law. Still, I'm just hoping on behalf of my old friend, Lord Montaigne, that he'll get a resolution to his liking."
"Yes, Chairman Goblanze, I've met Lord Montaigne and know how worried he is about his son. I've become friendly with Bruce's sister Cissy, as well, over these past few days. I sincerely wish that Lord Montaigne ends up with a verdict that he can live with, but that will in part be based upon his tempering his expectations. Bruce has been partially responsible for the deaths of dozens of students and has shown no remorse for that."
"I quite agree, Harry, Bruce is a very bad person, although I think more mad than evil. He doesn't show remorse because he truly can't comprehend his actions. He is the strange man who could not bear to kill another soul but can remorselessly purchase a hundred deaths. Not unlike a King, which is how Bruce views himself. I won't feel bad if he's locked away. I know he had planned to come after me, once he had conquered the continent. A King does dislike being called an inferior being in open court. "
The main course was a spicy crab cake with garlicky mashed potatoes with cheese, a mashed mix of carrot and turnip, and roasted Brussels sprouts. The sprouts had a pronounced garlic flavour and were pleasantly salty, with that rich, sweet taste that comes with proper roasting. The crab was delightfully spiced, hot and tangy, but not unbearably so.
"To change topics again, I appear to have lost one of my valued employees at about the time young Bruce was captured. A young woman by the name of Cho Chang, whom I believe was a school chum of yours."
"Yes, Cho and I fought Voldemort together. She was my girlfriend for about two weeks. She's now Viktor Krum's girlfriend and is going to visit him in Durmstrang."
"Yes, I remember Viktor quite fondly. A lot like yourself, the brave jock who appears stupid at first glance, but turns out to be very wise and scholarly. Viktor visited me here, shortly after he became headmaster of Durmstrang. I like to be on a person-to-person basis with the leaders of all the Wizarding communities. I entertained Viktor in this dining room and in my office."
"He mentioned that he enjoyed the meeting, Chairman. He said he was very impressed by your drawings. He specifically asked me to try to arrange a meeting so that he can see you, before he returns to Durmstrang tomorrow night."
"I knew he was a man of great taste. I'll show you the drawings after we finish our lunch. I'd hate to think that one of my employees betrayed the confidence of one of our customers. I hope Miss Chang didn't commit any fouls in her dealings with Bruce. I understand that Bruce used Polyjuice to perpetrate his theft of his father's funds."
"Yes, I was present when Bruce was questioned under Veritaserum. He admitted to impersonating his father to withdraw the funds. As for Cho, I certainly wouldn't mention anything that would impugn a loyal employee and brave soul, such as her. I know she took her work here quite seriously and hopes to return, if things don't work out for her at Durmstrang."
"I see, so her absence might be permanent, due to affairs of the heart. You may tell Viktor that I would be very pleased if he would join me here for lunch at noon tomorrow. I haven't seen Viktor since he assumed the title of German Minister of Magic."
"I think Cho's absence may well be permanent, Sir. She suggested that she might be in Germany for quite some time. By the way, this crab cake is truly excellent."
"It certainly is," I chipped in. "Do I detect a little cardamom among the seasonings?"
"I believe you are correct, Miss Weasley, you have a most discerning palate. I hate to keep changing the topic on Harry but feel I must touch on the renewal of the bank's charter."
"I'm aware, of course, that the charter is up for renewal in September," Harry replied. "As Deputy Minister, I have very little say in the matter. I would have brought my other aide, Percy, if I had realised that you wished to discuss the charter. I'm afraid I'm not as up on the details as I ought to be. I'll be happy, however, to relay your thoughts to the Minister. He said I should tell you, in the unlikely event that the matter came up over lunch, that he would be pleased to meet with you at any time to discuss it further. He was a little surprised that he hasn't heard anything about his seat on your Board."
"Yes, I need to contact Minister Weasley and headmaster McGonagall about joining our Board. They'll need some time to get themselves up to speed, before the September meeting. As far as the charter goes, there are some concerns of mine that you could relay to Arthur. It's very important that there not be a lapse in the charter. That could destroy confidence in the bank among our valued clients. It would be best if the renewal were for a prolonged period, such as a hundred years. That would facilitate our strategic planning and allow operations to continue smoothly. Although I'd prefer to see an increased share of the taxes flowing into the Goblin community, I can live with the present arrangements in the charter. Do you know if your government has any serious concerns about the charter renewal?"
"As I said, Chairman, I'm not nearly as well versed on the details of the bank's charter and operations as I intend to become over the next several weeks. I can tell you that there is great concern that the bank hasn't been doing any lending to existing and new Wizard businesses. This has greatly impeded the advancement of Wizard society."
"I know that is a concern, and I have been working on it. You should know that Lord Montaigne shares my concern that too much borrowing and increased commercial activity could lead to instability within the Wizard community. You and the Minister should carefully consider the social disruption that lending by this bank might cause. I'd hate to be responsible for the destruction of treasured Wizard social traditions."
"The transition will certainly take careful management by the Ministry," Harry conceded.
"And by this bank. Lending entails greater risk than our present activities, and we haven't had any experience with that line of business in three centuries. We'd have to retrain many our staff."
"I understand," Harry replied, "but that doesn't do away with the urgency of beginning a loan programme. Young Wizards are hungry for good jobs and economic opportunity. I'm sure many would be happy to be trained by your bank for the new jobs that lending will create within the bank."
"I'm sure there would be many applicants and I appreciate the enthusiasm of the young Hogwarts graduates. Unfortunately, your Hogwarts education is not very practical compared to the needs of the bank. Perhaps when I meet with Professor McGonagall, I should discuss the sort of training that would prepare her graduates for employment in the business world. I learned from Viktor that far more German Wizards are employed in commerce than here in Britain. Many actually work for Muggles, or am I supposed to say non-magical now."
"Cissy Montaigne first used that term and that caused the four of us to realise how derogatory that word is for a community as advanced and wealthy as the British. We've also started, among the four of us - the Ministry has yet made no change in word use - to use just British for the non-magical British and not magically inclined, although that may be a touch awkward.
"Quite true that the education of the continental Witches and Wizards is very different than ours and that their communities aren't as hidden as ours is. Headmaster McGonagall is considering what changes should be made to Hogwarts course. We do want more Hogwarts graduates to start businesses. That is why the loans are so important. Hogwarts graduates would be in a good position to understand business proposals from Wizards. I think that you could train them to fit into your bank."
"Do you know how many languages I speak, Harry? How many can you speak?"
"I used to be able to speak Parseltongue, in addition to English, but now it's just English. I'd guess, since you've raised the issue, that in addition to speaking Goblinspeak and English, you can also speak French and German."
"And the native tongue of the Elves, Centaurs, and Unicorns, as well as a smattering of Spanish and Italian. I don't say this to show off, but rather to give you an idea of what is required in the business world. Certainly, not all my professional employees speak that many languages, but they certainly speak at least three. A shame about losing the Parseltongue, we could have opened a new business line with the snakes. Don't look so surprised, that was just a little Goblin humour.
"I sense that you correctly interpret Lord Montaigne's reluctance to expand Wizard commerce as a self-serving defence of his own family's status. I agree that social stasis serves the financial and power interests of the Montaigne's, but there is more to Nigel's objections than that. More commerce would mean increased contact with the Muggles and an extreme increase in the danger of giving the whole show away. Wizards such as the Montaigne's, Malfoys, and some of the male Blacks and Parkinson's learned from an early age the skills necessary to mix with and work among the... British. On the other hand, your average Wizard is a farmer who doesn't know what electricity is. The Muggles would spot him out in an instant if he showed himself too much in their society. They can accept the notion of a half crazy, ignorant dirt farmer for whom electricity, the telephone, computer, and compound interest are foreign subjects. They can't accept a business associate or supplier with the same deficiencies. I fully agree that Wizards need to modernise, but you must take the time to bring your people up to speed gradually. A realistic approach is to start with the students entering Hogwarts. Their parents are likely a lost cause.
"You also have to watch that mixing with the British doesn't cause a lot of intermarriage and further depletion of your numbers. I realise that I'm an exception as a King, but I have twenty-eight children from seven wives. Unlike the famous British King, all my wives are still very much alive and quite happy.
"My point is that those who are my near-peers among the Wizarding elite have how many children? The Malfoys have one, the Montaigne's two of which one is mad, Dumbledore had none, McGonagall has none, Voldemort had none, Snape had none, the Black boys had none, Bellatrix had none, Barty Crouch, Sr. had one, Fudge had two, Scrimgeour one, Shacklebolt none at present. The Master bless Arthur Weasley and his seven little Weasleys. Unfortunately, he is the exception. If you Wizards mixed too much with the British, you might eliminate yourselves, even if the British didn't discover your secret and destroy you. And if they destroyed you, they'd destroy us as well. We don't even look like them. So, in conclusion, change at a moderate pace is good and I encourage Lord Montaigne to accept it. Rapid change could be deadly to all of us".
Dessert was served as the Chairman was speaking. It was a nicely poached pear, spiced with ginger and, I was happy to note, quite a bit of cinnamon. It was served with a rich vanilla custard. Harry had finished much of his pear while the Chairman spoke, and then kindly took the floor, giving the Chairman the opportunity to enjoy his dessert.
"I'm glad you support a measure of change and Wizard advancement," Harry replied. "Believe me, I fully understand your fears about unguided rapid change. Wizards have been static for generations and change will be a jolt to the system. I'll certainly relay your concerns to the Minister and discuss with all my aides the specific issues that you have raised. I'm encouraged that you've raised the need for change with Lord Montaigne. I believe we can find a way to both promote economic growth in Wizard society and avoid social upheaval or detection by the British population in general. I'm sure you realise that a half dozen officials in the British government have known about us for years. Voldemort did so much damage that the British government had to help us to explain it away.
"I would pass on one warning to you, if I may be so bold. The lack of modernity in the Wizarding world, and Wizards trying to conduct business in the non-magical world without the proper credentials or bonding, has greatly increased the risk of detection. You may think that the Montaigne's and Lucius Malfoy have escaped notice outside our world, but I know for certain that this is not the case.
"As British society has changed and Wizard society has not, we tend to stand out a lot more than we did even a couple generations ago. Lord Montaigne should realise this: his castle could easily be mistaken for a regular British Lord's home. His life is very much removed from the traditional Wizard ways of his father or grandfather. If it weren't so, he would have long since been found out."
"Your points are also perfectly valid, Harry. We must search for the golden mean, as we move forward. Might I suggest that we take our sherry and adjourn to my office?"
I noticed that sherry had, indeed, arrived. We picked up our glasses and followed the Chairman and his Deputy into the Chairman's office. It was very opulent, but in an unexpected way. There was no wood at all. This shocked my mind into asking itself whether I had noticed any wood at all on this entire floor. The desk was a single block of granite, resting on alabaster pillars and with a flat, clear crystal top surface. The walls were polished pieces of marble and turquoise, in various artistic colours, separated by strips of what looked like silver or platinum. The ceiling was a transparent dome, now partially obscured by a green sunshield. The floor was rough marble, and all the chairs and sofas were covered in leather, with no wood visible. There were several side tables scattered amongst the chairs and sofas. They had translucent, nearly flat, crystal top surfaces and were supported by an elaborate lacework of copper, silver, and gold rods and wires. The Chairman led Harry around the walls, to show off his drawings, after having motioned the rest of us into seats.
"I can see why Viktor was impressed by your drawings," Harry was saying. "The style and colour remind me a lot of Toulouse-Lautrec, or at least of his better work."
"Why thank you," the Chairman replied. "I've always admired Toulouse-Lautrec, so any comparison to him is high praise indeed. His better work, you say? Let me show you this drawing on the next wall, it is one of the two that I entered the talent competition in the tournament from which I was selected as the new King. I'll bet you'd be thrilled if you got such a prize for winning the Triwizard Tournament, eh?"
"No, I viewed that win as tainted. Voldemort helped me to win so that I would seize the cup and wind up where he wanted to kill me. Cho's boyfriend Cedric was close enough at the end and we had traded favours, so I thought it noble to let the contest end as a tie, but that led to Cedric's death. I didn't keep the award from the Tournament, and I don't think winning is something I'm remembered for, at least not favourably.
"Looking at the drawing you entered it looks like it has a particularly magical world quality to it, which is very appealing. It has the same emotional flavour to me as Gauguin's 'Creation of the Universe', which I also like very much. When I first saw his drawing, I thought the work, for an artist with no knowledge of magic, held a particularly Wizard quality to it. Not that I've ever seen any Wizard-made drawing or paintings, apart from faithful renderings of Hogwarts buildings and headmasters, but rather that it represents the world as a Wizard would envision it."
"I see you have some knowledge of art."
"I spent the first part of my life living with my British aunt and her family. It wasn't a great life, but it did expose me to British culture and get me to the British Museum and National Gallery. There were art books in the library of the British school that I attended. Ah, I see you've used Muggle, umm British, nude models, and captured their form in a very interesting way."
"I'm curious that you identified them as Muggle models, rather than Witches. What gave it away?"
"I don't know for sure, Chairman, I think Witches carry themselves a little differently. The neutral condition facial expressions are also different."
"You have a very good eye. I might make an artist of you. I understand that you are about to begin your training as a Keeper. I will, of course, assist in any way that I can. You'll want to spend some time among the Unicorns, Centaurs, and Elves. I understand that there is a Centaur on the Hogwarts faculty."
"Yes, Chairman, Professor Firenze teaches divination. I've met him several times and get along well with him. I also have a reasonably good relationship with the old Black house Elf Kreacher, and the former Malfoy Elf Dobby was an especially close friend. I made him a free Elf and he saved all of our lives."
"That's a good start. You may not believe it, but I've entertained the Centaur Bane in this very office."
"I've met Bane several times. We didn't get on well at first, but in the Battle of Hogwarts he saved my life."
"Well, if you've passed the Bane test, then you're really off to a fine start. He doesn't like many Wizards, or Goblins, or even Centaurs, for that matter. If I were you, I'd study divination with Professor Firenze. He's a whiz at astronomical divination. I understand there are three new prophecies involving you. Firenze can help you with that. I'm not sure there has ever been any being that was the subject of so much prophesying as Harry Potter. That is the major reason that I wanted to see you for myself. Your friends also figure in the prophecies, so it is good to meet them, as well. I really should have invited Mr. Longbottom.
"Please have a seat, Harry. I have one last question to ask you. One that is of some extreme importance to me. Should you become Keeper, what is your view on establishment of an above ground sanctuary for the Goblin people?"
"I can honestly say, Chairman, that I know far less about the duties of Keeper than I do about being Deputy Minister. I can only say, in totally nonbinding fashion and based on no information beyond my gut instincts about fairness, that I would be inclined to look favourably upon that. I really can't form any concrete opinion until I learn a lot more fact and history from Lord Montaigne and from our own research in the historical archives. I would be interested in hearing your views on Goblin-Wizard history and Goblin history, in general, at some future meeting."
"Arthur has coached you well, but I must tell you that tales of Goblin treachery in taking advantage of an off-hand statement and declaring it to be a binding agreement are very much exaggerated. Still, that is a very satisfactory answer, for now. We'll talk more of this in the future. I encourage you to discuss this with Firenze. To me, it only seems fair that if the Giants are getting a sanctuary from Viktor, after all their bad behaviour, that we should get our own above ground sanctuary for all the good behaviour we've shown. As you will learn, all the magical communities must be healthy for magic to be strong. We Goblins are the only completely underground magical people. It an earthquake struck London when Gringotts was closed, there might be no Goblins left in England. Underground tunnels are extremely fragile things during an earthquake. If we die, you also lose a lot. Please think on this. I don't think you and Arthur would enjoy King Ruppasta.
"Now, let me lead you to your vault, so that you can settle your debt. We can travel in my personal rail car."
The rail car was impressively decorated, and it rode very smoothly. The whole trip was smooth, and two Goblins were waiting for us at the entrance to Harry's vault. They opened it for us immediately, and Harry went about the business of separating 5000 gold galleons from the pile of his investments. The pile was greatly diminished, down to little more than a quarter of its original extent.
"I fear that I have greatly diminished your resources, Harry. There is a lesson in this for you. There is always a great price incurred when you set out to do good. When you set out in a totally self-sacrificing manner to surrender yourself to save Wizard-kind, expect the price to be very steep indeed. An expensive lesson to be sure, but worth every galleon if you take it to heart. It has been a pleasure meeting you. I knew you were an honest Wizard who could be trusted to make good on his obligations. I'll have the promised certificate ready for you by the time we reach the lobby."
The ride to the lobby was smooth, and the promised certificate of clearance of the debt was handed to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. We shook hands and said goodbye to the Chairman and turned to be on our way.
The Chairman left us with one parting shot. "I'm not blessed with the gift of formal prophesy, but I'm not bad at judging people or predicting future events. I tell you with confidence, that three of you will be future Ministers of Magic. I also warn you that you still have much to learn. Wizards have a tradition of choosing fierce warriors as their Ministers. The fiercest I've seen in some time is this one here."
He was looking directly into my eyes as he said that.
Break, break, break
Harry is not exactly a skilled negotiator. The King will certainly want to meet with him again.