WhiteDevil here. First I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas. The next chapter is coming along and is almost half way down on the draft board. My aim is to get it finished before the new year is upon us. Fingers crossed as my new time is split between family, presents, and hearty meals with my family. In the spirit of the seasons I present you with a teaser of the latest chapter (work in progress). Merry Christmas to all and hopefully I'll see you all before the new year is up. And for my beta's I swear to god I will get a damn Discord up if it's the last thing I do dammit.
And for all you who don't celebrate Christmas I hope you are enjoying your own festivities in this joyous time of year. I have been spending time at my local clothing donation center and it's turned out to be surprisingly fun. Apparently I have a talent for sewing.
Book II :: Chapter 16 :: Golden Opportunities (Teaser)
Sitting behind his desk, Ragnuk focused his attention on the files in front of him. What lay before him was a conglomeration of betrayal to his people. A summarization of facts giving credence to the biases of people. Ragnuk, despite his rage knew that even all of this wouldn't change anything. It would only bring harm to his people and do nothing to change the status quo of the world. Even should they place charges against Albus Dumbledore, Ragnuk knew those charges wouldn't be able to do anything against the man let alone the wizards that supported him. He knew the wizards wouldn't dare go against their image of the man, so blind they were to their own egos revealing anything only inspire a rebellion from his people as justice was ignored. Easier to turn a blind ear towards the 'lesser creatures' rang loudly in his mind with a venomous sting. His knuckles clenched his battleaxe until the gnarled green of his knuckles turned white.
The Tonks man had presented to him all that he had found. A status report with pages upon pages of crimes against the goblins and the Potters. All of it circumstantial, the worthless man could find no solid evidence to prove his case. Nothing that would hold in court really.
A useless man, Ragnuk had thought, yet now he was looking at the official records which took a full three months to acquire from the administration itself and not only did that circumstantial evidence suddenly have evidence proving the claims made, it explained some inconsistencies too. Albus Dumbledore's coming and going, the disappearance of a galleon which would reappear in another linked vault. The proof the man altered and hid the true Potter will. Proof he stole from the Goblin people. Proof he stole from the Potters after their death. Proof that from the shadows the man was playing the long game. What that game was remained unknown, but here it was.
Ragnuk let out a growling sigh.
Yet even with all this he could do nothing. No, he could do something, but even Ragnuk knew it was unwise to reveal these findings with nothing to gain.
Nothing would come from dragging these documents before a court much less a wizarding court. The wizards would naturally side with their so-called hero. Why listen to goblins who they considered inferior.
Ragnuk threatened to swing his axe down on his table, but bit back the urge. It didn't matter.
The evidence itself was one of many closely guarded secrets that only the goblin nation knew of and if they could manage would ensure was never known to any wizard. At best this knowledge if shared would be ignored by the nation, preferring it remain secret and stomaching the injustice. At worst, this would start a war. One, Ragnuk wasn't sure they could win. Against the wizards, easy victory. He had no doubt they could take on the wizards. The last two Rebellions were close calls, ending in their loss. But years of decline and death brought about by one of their own had rendered them significantly weaker than before. No the wizards weren't the problem but who they would have to fight afterwards.
The other goblin nations. Many of whom in their dire times were eager to take from Gringotts. A war with the wizards would weaken them, and in turn Gringotts would be left vulnerable and weakened by the other nations. The first to try would lose, but the next one and the one there after, spurred by the prospect of a weakened Gringotts from war would inevitably inspire nations to try and eventually result in their demise.
So he sat there, fuming. Staring at the evidence that no wizard would be allowed to see and Ragnuk grimaced at the hilarity of it all. Here was a chance for the revenge every goblin wanted and it would either bloom to nothing or result in their doom.
Ragnuk relaxed his grip and let go of his axe, his fingers tracing over the Potter Will, the only evidence that could be used. The blank document with damning ramifications against Albus Dumbledore.
This paper drew even more annoyance from the aged goblin.
"Mr. Potter hasn't deemed us worthy of our summons." Ragnuk grumbled out. He had expected better from the young boy, believing he was of a different character but it turned out he was another wizards after all.
"My apologies for that Sir Ragnuk."
The sudden and unwarranted acknowledgment from Harry Potter drove Ragnuk into preemptive action. Not even aware of who answered. He shot up gripping his axe and swinging it at the invader who spoke, instincts and rage roaring for blood. His edge suddenly stopped short of its target just as his mind caught up with his instincts.
Standing there as comfortable as humanly possible sat Harry Potter, disguised as his alter aged ego, Return Returner. Six feet of dashing, in an official tux, and blocking his blow with a large cloth wrapped package that was near four feet long.
"Mr. Returner, this is a grave insult you present to me. I should take your head." Ragnuk bit out, a mix of adrenaline and spite intertwined in his words. Yet a bit of approval was there too. He did sneak up on him with surprising skill.
Harry chuckled a bit moving the long wrapped package down, lowering Ragnuks blade in the action. "Forgive my insult, but I come here with no regard to protocol because secrecy is absolutely required for this transaction."
With his eyes sharpened to match even the edge of his blade, Harry bowed in respect, an act of silent request. Ragnuk was again reminded why he liked the boy. Wizard as he might be, but he showed respect to those who earned it.
Growling Ragnuk grumbled. "Next time go through proper channels Mr. Returner. You'll lose your head next time."
Harry smiled and nodded, placing a silent hand on the cloaked form of Ginny in such a manner that Ragnuk wouldn't know that he was.
"How did you break in?" Ragnuk demanded.
"With means that are only capable by myself." Harry responded just as firmly. "I have a cloak, far superior to what magic is accustomed to. I suggest adding some pitfalls or bear traps to Gringotts if you wish to keep me from entering."
"I think we will." Ragnuk started with a toothy sinister grin. The tone Harry spoke clearly told him that any further details would be ignored and the boy clearly came with intent, with something big.
"Well, for now I'm glad you didn't." Harry said. Pulling up his package he handed it to Ragnuk, softly and respectfully placing it on his desk for the man to take. "Consider this a gift, an apology, and a preamble for my proposal." Harry announced respectfully.
Ragnuk harrumphed but took his seat and reached to grab the object. As his hand approached he felt the familiar presence of goblin magic. His eyes wide and assuming the worst glared at Harry. Gripping it carefully he unraveled the package and his hostility was consumed by a mix of awe and jubilation. Caressing the silver edge with a single hand, Ragnuk held the Sword of Gryffindor.
"A red headed friend of mine told me what it was when I showed it to them." Harry explained giving an appreciative pat on Ginny's with his hand masked by the table. "Turns out I could summon it from its hiding place and when she told me of the story behind it, I decided to return it to you. And so, Sir Ragnuk of Gringotts, I hand over and return to you, the Sword of Gryffindor."
Ragnuk carefully held the blade as if it was his own offspring. "What's your angle wizard? Whats the catch?"
Harry shook his head. "Nothing. I wish to express where I stand before I possibly ruin what faith I have established with you and your side." he explained. "What comes next may be the greatest insult and or threat to Gringotts if misread, so now seems like no better time to hand it over. What better way to demonstrate I am a friend of Gringotts and not an enemy."
"And what exactly is this 'next' you wish to not misconstrue?" Ragnuk asked Harry cautiously.
"What is the value of gold to the Goblin Nations?"
Ragnuk froze for a moment but hid it well enough that even Harry didn't notice. "Gold? We Goblins make our living by managing gold. I thought that would be obvious."
"With riddles, the most obvious answers tend to be the most incorrect." Harry retorted. Holding his finger up Harry proposed, "Here's what I think. I think that gold holds far greater worth to Goblins than it does to Humans. I think Goblins need gold as a necessity. I think for Goblins gold holds power and that it is essential that you keep possession of gold. The more the better."
Ragnuk was very tempted to sever Harry's head from his torso as he spoke. A mix of fear and fury tempered only by the weight of the sword Harry had returned. As much as he wanted to raise his battleaxe, the sword's weight fell upon his fury like gravity damning his desire.
"And what do you exactly, do you plan to do with what you 'think'? Mr. Potter." Ragnuk asked hesitantly. He would give him a chance. Harry Potter had shown to him that he was different from other wizards, he snuck in and risked death to keep these 'thoughts' a secret. An effort that was to their benefit and not his own. He was here offering his own respect to all of Gringotts, and with due care touching upon the greatest secret of all Goblins.
"Nothing." Harry answered surprisingly, causing Ragnuk to tighten his grip on the sword. "I know that I am very likely touching upon may very well be a critical weakness of your people. A weakness that if the rest of the wizarding world knew of would bring about the end of your people. I do not want this, but for my proposition I need to know for sure, how much your kind truly values- no, the necessity of gold in your lives."
Silence loomed over the room in equal measure with the tenseness of the atmosphere. So thick and heavy that a spark could probably ignite it. Slowly, Ragnuk weighed in favor and trust ruled in favor of hostility. The boy after all was taking great care to not share this truth that he was so close to touching upon.
"We goblins require gold. Gold to us is reason. It is power and fury. Without it our ancestors were mindless, powerless. The greater the gold our nation possesses, the greater our power is in the world." Ragnuk began. "As we created empires, gold became a symbol of power. Gold lets us focus, retain our cunning and reason and is viewed as a scale to measure another nation's power. The more gold in their care, the more powerful the goblin nation is." Ragnuk explained speaking honestly to the glowing seriousness of Harry's eyes.
Harry nodded. "There is more than one goblin nation, and the reason you tolerate wizards is because we have bequeathed our gold over for you to manage."
"Our hatred of wizards is well earned, however the benefits for our nation tempers our desire to sever the heads of each of your lying kind." Ragnuk stated with a burning rage.
"Then it is my turn to trust you." Harry said, causing Ragnuk to raise a brow. Pulling out of his coat, Harry removed a plate of gears. Tapping his wand, the plate began to rise, its parts separating into multiple levels of floating rim gears. The air within shimmered in a spherical wave as magic began to concentrate within the whole formed by the multitude of gears. The golden apparatus began to hum to life and began to glow slightly.
Ragnuk looked upon the device with teetering intrigue. Despite attempting to appear uninterested Harry could see his natural pull towards the device, only further proof of its value in accomplishing his objective. "Before you ask, this is a magical device of my own creation. Created via charms, runes, alchemy, and a particularly old spell." From his pocket Harry pulled out a vial slowly so as to not provoke Ragnuk. "A simple vial of water." Harry explained as he slowly tilted it over the device. "Such an abundant thing, water, capable of being conjured by magic, spellcraft, or simply harvested from the world itself. And with this device-" the vial began to empty into the gap between the horizontal gears and the moment they reached the center a golden platter phased into existence. The water making contact with the plate scattered out and down the plates slowly transforming from a liquid into small beads of metal. Upon sliding off the plate's convex edge – no longer water – flowed down and fell through the remaining partition of gears to settle on the desk as smooth granules of pure gold.
Ragnuk could not sit quietly upon seeing this. Shooting from his desk, a calm and hostile facade no longer matters, his eyes wide and violently shaking along with the rest of his body. With shaking hands he picked up a single grain and pulling out a small magnifying glass examined the grain with disbelieving haste.
It was real... and if he was correct in his guess, pure. A pure, solid piece of gold devoid of impurities. Not water, not a coated shell. It was gold. Pure, uncontaminated, solid gold.
The weight of what Harry presented before him shook him to his core. The prospect was terrifying. It took him a few minutes to calm himself down. Slowly lowering himself back into his desk, he shakily put away his battleaxe and specs. At this point, he could do nothing against Harry. Rather, he couldn't afford to act on his own. There was too much at stake now. No longer did room exist for impulsive action or pride. This was far above his station as a civil servant to his nation.
This device was world changing. For humans, it would be revolutionary, but for the goblins, it would either bring forth inflammable prosperity resulting in a world war between the many goblin nations.
If this device became known to any one of the other nations, Ragnuk knew they would stop at nothing - literally nothing - to obtain it. This device would make any one nation not just the strongest Goblin Nation, but the Goblin Nation. Had this boy gone to any other goblin nation, any of Gringotts's many enemies, Harry Potter could guarantee the end of Gringotts.
For a second, Ragnuk fear drove him back to his battleaxe. The temptation inching his hand closer. This was an opportunity. The chance to change everything. The goblins were dependent on the wizards, he knew this, was loath to admit it. Yet it was true. Their gold made Gringotts one of the leading goblin nations in the world. With this item, that could change. They were alone. No one knew he was here. If he killed him now then no one would know, and he could...
Ragnuk stilled and shook such thoughts from his head.
No, at this point the young boy would already have plans in motion. Even if he wanted to, it was too late to silence him. Ragnuk knew this for certain having worked with the young heir.
Yes, he could kill him, but Ragnuk knew the boy was particular for a human. He conducted business with the cutthroat clarity of a goblin but the honest transparency of a human. When he entered the room, he did so with everything prepared. Ready to engage in business efficiently and swiftly and just as ready to conclude his business with respectful haste. He didn't waste his time, and what time he did use he did so with reason. Respectable for a human, even more so for a wizard.
Before, Ragnuk saw this as simple respect for taking up his time. However it became clear with time, Harry Potter did so with his own interests in mind as well. It wasn't only for respect, it was to not waste either parties time. Harry Potter conducted business as such because that was what he also expected from the Ragnuk. He wouldn't come here without precautions. So long as he didn't know what those precautions were, he couldn't threaten Potter without risking the very existence of Gringotts itself. Not with the artifact that lay in front of him.
For a moment Ragnuk wasn't sure what to do, but as he looked up and stared into Harry's eyes he saw the same eyes he encountered the first day they did business. Eyes carrying the weight and sincerity of his faith. Eyes that conveyed the truth of the words he spoke.
"Any deal is built off of trust... you coming here was to respect that trust." Ragnuk stated with a questioning look as he started to piece together Harry's intentions. The secrecy, the gift of Godric's Sword, the artifact and his words, they were coming together in his mind. Harry's nod only made Ragnuk feel even more out of place. Trust, after all, wasn't something a goblin was used to feeling.
Yes, trust was important to Harry, and for Ragnuk, it gave him pause as he considered trusting a wizard for the first time in his life. A wizard ally. As absurd as it was to think of, Harry Potter may very well be...
"What exactly do you want Mr. Potter?" Ragnuk asked, ignoring the secrecy of Harry's guise. "As plainly as possible. What do you want from this?"
"The economic backing of Gringotts, equal to this fount's maximum output, and a non hostility pact between Gringotts and myself along with those I love and care for."
"And they would be?"
"Few in number right now and growing." Harry stated, "If need be, I'll make a list of names to specify as new people enter that definition."
Ragnuk nodded. Internally he debated but he decided to go with the instincts that had never failed him in battle. While uncertain he had made his decision. One that went against the social expectations of his kind.
"Follow me." He dictated finally and abruptly.