The goblin king was not the only one blinking in confusion at the declaration. Hermione however made the connection. 'Since he was declared the 'King' of Britain they are indeed rebelling against him.' she realised and praised Harry's ability to make such a leap of logic.
"Harry Potter, as a Campione, is considered to be the King of the British Isles. Since the Goblin Nation attempted to assassinate him yesterday that could easily be considered the first move of a rebellion King Gragalt." Hermione declared as she fought the urge to blush and look away instead of declaring it proudly like a diplomat delivering the declaration of war.
King Gragalt sputtered for a moment and Hermione felt a rush of pride that they clearly had derailed whatever script he was working from. The sheathed sword of Gryffindor seemed to pop between Harry and her as Mia fluently offered it while she kneeled down. "I was tempted to say 'Ten point to Gryffindor' Miss Granger." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye.
"She makes a very valid point we have been trying to avoid. However should Campione Potter wish for it I am more than willing to lend my knowledge and abilities to suppress this brewing rebellion." Dumbledore declared, putting a known and powerful wizard in the same corner as a Campione. "I think house Black has a hidden vault or two hidden somewhere." Sirius said musingly with a malicious glint in his eyes. "I am sure I can move my family's wealth there regardless of the choices made today. With this second successful break in in five years it is clear that the Black gold just is not safe here."
"That… That would be in breach of the treaties!" Gragalt stuttered. "How is that so?" Dumbledore asked genuinely curious. "If yesterday's attempts were an indication that the Goblin Nation former leadership intended to rebel. If anything Mister Potter has been merciful for not demanding reparations of his own. So the Goblin Nation broke the non-aggression part as they attacked first while mister Potter was allowed into the underground sections of the bank with the stipulated goblin escort."
"If this is about Lord Black's proclamation to secure his family's money. This is fully allowed. Unless the family signed a separate contract his money is exactly that, his." Dumbledore lectured as if Gragalt was just another student. He then gave the goblin his inquiring look again like the teacher he was wondering how his student thought things worked.
The humans tensed as more than one set of goblin eyes went for their axes. Harry held back the urge to draw the sword of Gryffindor, shoot over the table and cut down the king and his minions in one single power stroke.
"Perhaps." Gragalt started carefully "We should discuss this issue another day." "No." Harry replied immediately before any of the adults could answer. "Campione Potter. It is clear we are not going to come to an agreement today. We could better spend this time discussing the…" the goblin king tried to stall. "The laws surrounding the successful thieves of yesterday night? I do not believe we made much progress there either." Gododdin finished for the goblin.
"And why would we provide you with an opportunity to make the Potter wealth disappear?" Sirius demanded as he started to lose his patience. The goblins sputtered once again, this time in denial that no such thing would happen. While the goblins generated their noise Cressida leaned forward to whisper into Harry's ear.
"Perhaps you can use your magical aura to convince the goblins your patience has run out. As long as they think you will bend to their wishes or Dumbledore's pacifistic guidance you will not get your family's belongings." Cressida advised. The woman hoping that the bellicose move would cower the goblins.
Harry was not sure what to do. It felt like bullying the goblins into doing what he wanted. 'They did try to kill me yesterday. Even if it was a different leadership.' he thought as things calmed down again after Sirius's accusation. 'On the other hand they are trying to bully me from the things I own. My parents' things.'
That was the trigger he needed. Power poured from his form making Hermione and the Witenagemot representatives jerk away from him. "Intimidation will get you nowhere human!" Gragalt barked as he drew an axe from under the table. In a flash Harry unsheathed the offered sword of Gryffindor, threw back the chair he was on and leaned over the table while slashing down, cutting through the axehead.
The goblin king jerked back to find the goblin forged sword pointing at his nose. "You started the fight yesterday and I finished it. Do I need to do it again?" Harry barked as he could almost feel the goblins go from 'sentient beings' to 'obstacles' in his mind. "The goblin Nation…" his words were cut off as he fell backward to avoid having his nose skewered as Harry glided up the table to get closer.
"Will present my belongings and all the records they have on it. One misplaced Galleon and I will be back later." If Harry had looked backwards he would have seen the disappointed expression from Remus, Hermione and Albus. "You cannot do this!" The goblin king objected loudly. "He is going to do it." Sirius rebutted while he kept his wand just out of sight below the table.
"If the Campione can just rampage through the bank, the rest of the humans will think they can do as well." Gragalt shouted despite the sword tip in his face. "It will be suicide for the Nation to let a boy just walk over it." "A key difference is that the 'boy' is a god slayer. One that killed a goblin god even." Dumbledore observed calmly despite being surrounded in a sea of rising tempers. "And how will all those humans think when they learn their gold is not safe in the bank?" Remus added with a pointed look to the goblins.
The goblin King glared into Harry's eyes but found that the boy was not budging. "Fine. Take all your gold wizard, take all your things. But you will never be able to do business with the Goblin Nation again if you do!" The new goblin king promised direly.
"I don't even want to do business with you again once I get my things." Harry replied calmly as he pulled back the sword and stepped off the table to his chair, and then to the ground. 'What greedy self-centered creatures.' Harry decided in his mind. 'Why did anyone trust them in the first place.'
He sheathed the sword of Gryffindor and gave the goblins a challenging look. "Well, who is going to take me to the vaults where my things are?" What he received was a stunned silence from the goblins. "The muggles have plenty of banks, if the Witenagemot does not have something. I do not have to rely on you." he reasoned calmly.
"I am afraid with the estimated size of the Potter Estate it will be too much for us on the drop of a hat. But I am certain long term arrangements can be made through our contacts Campione Potter." Duke Goddodin noted thoughtfully. "Any chance the Black Family is important enough for your club?" Sirius asked curiously.
"Directly, I am afraid that is not the case. But I am sure miss Layla can relay several interesting companies for your perusal later." The duke answered smoothly as the goblin eyes started to widen in terror. "Thank you Duke Goddodin." Harry cut in with a nod towards the Duke. "Well?"
Gragalt slowly shook his head as Harry's question. "You cannot do this." the goblin denied as reality set in. "There will be a bank run the moment that it comes out the Campione and the Black family both withdrew their gold." "Then you shouldn't have tried to swindle my godson." Sirius suddenly exploded as his fist slammed on the table.
"Then your godson should not have cut down countless goblins!" Gragalt shouted back. "Oh so he should have just lied down and died by a goblin axe while your greedy little hands robbed his vaults? No wonder you don't want any thieves inside, they are muscling their way into your territory!" Sirius roared back, ready to kick off a war on his own.
The goblin king exploded and started hurling insults towards Sirius. Halfway through his rant he switched to Gobbledygook that most of the humans could not understand. Although by the slowing raising of Dumbledore's eyebrows Harry suspected it was quite colorful. He was tempted to bring the meeting to order again with his sword. A glance to the side however showed Hermione looking at him with a fairly disapproving expression so he refrained from making it worse.
Remus slipped his hand in front of Sirius' mouth before the man could launch a blistering reply. "Then we are at an impasse." Cressida observed calmly. "Indeed. As the businessman you claim to be, you seem eager to turn yourself into the next example of what an angered Campione can inflict." Duke Goddodin concurred.
The goblins bristled and several snarled towards the duke. "A... Compromise then." Gragalt all but spat out. "Lord Black and Campione Potter keep their gold in Gringotts, in return the Goblin Nation will not pursue any reparations." Harry could not hold back the snort of derision. 'As if I would entrust my gold after they tried to steal it.'
Duke Goddodin leaned forward and intertwined his hands. "That is not a compromise, that is an insult. A return back to the status quo after an assassination attempt and theft of Campione Potter's belongings?" The duke shook his head. "That will not work. Unless you are completely new at this you would know this as well. A serious offer if you will."
"What more is there to give? A written contract that the goblins will not touch Campione Potter's gold again?" Gragalt demanded in a rough tone. "I do not know." The duke admitted calmly. "I am not the one however who you need to convince to entrust the gold to a Nation that just the day before tried to murder him."
"That was the action of the previous leadership that died in their attempt!" Gragalt growled, taking up the previous position that nearly got him skewered in the first place in a desperate attempt to distance himself from any responsibility.
"Quite correct, yet just minutes before you were trying to make Campione Potter pay for defending himself." Goddodin replied with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "He was using excessive force!" The goblin king objected loudly. "If he was then he would have not spared the room full of children and the matrons looking over them." Cressida cut in. She was trying to keep her expression neutral but it was clear she was baffled by the goblin's game.
"And so far I haven't heard any reason for me to keep my gold here." Sirius added after pointed glare to Remus for his manual silencing. "Then what do you want, humans?! A tribute of gold for the conquering hero?!" The new goblin king demanded furiously. "It would not be a tribute. If someone stole or defrauded the goblins there would be a substantial gold penalty depending on the severity and success. Mayhaps we could apply those rules on the Potter estate?"
The goblins almost nodded and then froze when they completed their mental math. Harry had no idea what those penalties were. However with the goblins' well known greed he suspected it would be percentage based. 'I don't even know how much gold my family owns but if it's enough to bring the goblins to a pause then it is not unsubstantial.' he wondered.
"Isn't it usually twice or thrice the gold stolen at the lightest?" Hermione muttered and Harry held back a quip that there was something Hermione hadn't read about. 'Like usual she seems to be correct however.' Harry thought as Gragalt recovered. "Those laws are by your own opinions too heavy. I suggest we use the British magical laws for this."
Harry could not see it but a malicious spark glittered through Dumbledore's eyes. "Oh no. I would not dare to accept that. The goblin Nation always made it a point to enforce the 'Goblin Land, Goblin Rules.' point in any previous conflicts. As the entire incident has happened well within the bowels of Gringotts we should maintain this… tradition."
"We will consider it." Gragalt replied after a moment. His voice was even but his eyes showed he was under considerable strain not to say anything else. "No no no." Dumbledore rejected immediately with a shake of his head. "We are all important people here. Another meeting like this will most likely not happen unless there is another unfortunate incident, the very thing we are trying to prevent now."
"Indeed." Duke Goddodin agreed while his companion nodded. "We are all very busy people swamped with other duties." Harry smiled slightly as he could almost see the screws tighten around Gragalt. Judging by the nasty looks the goblins shot him they could also see that this was not a desirable course in their opinion.
"I suppose it will have to do." Harry said with some reluctance, hoping to fake the impression that he was disappointed it would not come to bloodshed. As chopping up goblins would garner Hermione's disapproval. Gauging them with their own penalties would do as payback. Dumbledore nodded pleased. Sirius leaned back and crossed his arms. "As long as the harshest goblin rules are applied for stealing Harry's gold." he grumbled in agreement after Remus whispered a few harsh words in his ear.
"Then I think a suitable compromise has been reached." Dumbledore said, satisfied as he stroked his long white beard, even though the word 'compromise' was a stretch. He reiterated the terms out loud while quickly penning them down and presented the list to the goblin king. Said goblin king made no attempts to hide his opinion, he looked at the contract like it was a pile of dragon produce and signed it with the air of a person selling off their firstborn to a demon.
"Well I am glad this all resolved amiably." Dumbledore said brightly. "Indeed, I apologize I pointed my weapon at you." Harry noted after Hermione gave him a sidekick to his foot. Gragalt blinked in surprise at the apology while Dumbledore beamed. "It is understandable." he replied politely although it was clear he wanted to throw all the humans out.
"Then we shall take out leave." Duke Gododdin said. Formalities were exchanged, albit strained from the Goblin side of the divide. One goblin started to lead them out but even before the door could fall closed behind Remus, who took up the rear of the group, shouted gobbledygook emerged from the room they just had left.
"Did you have to point your sword at the goblin king!" Hermione hissed as they descended to the ground floor. "I was angry okay." Harry hissed back. "They were trying to steal everything from me, wouldn't you be angry with them?!" he demanded. "I think most people would be." Duke Gododdin cut in and the teens blushed slightly at being overheard.
"As.. uncivilized it might have been, you must remember that the goblins see the world differently than we do. Campione Potter's willingness to show force was actually quite helpful in getting somewhere. You might as well have shown as all up when you did with all the progress we have made until then." he lectured. Hermione couldn't stop herself from glancing at Dumbledore who nodded.
"Oh.." she mumbled awkwardly. "I am just glad there is no goblin conflict coming out for this." Madam Bones noted. No further words were exchanged as they went through the main hall and the door was opened to let them out to Diagon Alley. The head of the DMLE went ahead and made sure her aurors knew there would be no war with the goblins.
The rest of the group made their way through the lesser known exits of the Diagon Alley while Dumbledore broke off to assure the expected crowd waiting in the leaky cauldron that all was well.
"Campione Potter." Duke Gododdin said to draw attention to him and bring the group to a halt. "I had hoped to meet you in better circumstances. But I can see why my daughter thought you would be a responsible Campione." Harry blinked as he wondered if he meant it after his display in the bank. The Duke however did not recognize his befuddlement and continued. "I hope we can work together in the future to keep the peace in the magical world. By your leave" he bowed and he and his unnamed companion disappeared without further word.
"Who is his daughter?" Hermione asked with a frown. "Princess Alice." Cressida replied immediately. "Ah." "We'd best keep going before the press figures out we are here." Remus said with a nod towards the limousine that was waiting for them.
"I still can't believe those damned goblins thought they would get away with it." Sirius grouched. "Why did they think they could get their filthy grubby hands on Ja… Harry's things anyways."
"They must have had assumed Perseus killed him, perhaps he was dead enough for their methods of keeping track of lines before he ascended to being a Campione." Remus explained calmly and Harry winced, he did remember his unpleasant meeting with the ground. "Since they managed to hide it from the ministry, why would they just not silently reverse their decision and pretend nothing had happened?"
"That would be a breach of the treaties signed." Remus explained. "And the goblins involved would have to admit they made a mistake to the humans… something their pride would not allow as you just saw." He gave Sirius a hard look. "And before you suggest moving out your gold, the goblins are unfortunately the best there is due to the sheer bulk involved, no muggle bank can match their defences, the dwarves certainly don't and all attempts at magical banks by humans have failed." The werewolf lectured.
"Damned if you do, damned if you don't." Cressida summarized. "Even the Witenagemot would have struggled, thankfully the goblins did not test that bluff." "I am going to keep two eyes on them." Harry decided. He still did not trust the goblin as far as he could throw their bank, but the alternatives were not good either. Short of doing a dragon imitation he had to trust somebody with his gold. "That would be wise." Cressida agreed.