Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling or Timothy Zahn.
The Ford Anglia lands on the surface of Nottingham.
Ron. Well, here we are: Nottingham, fur and moving plants a specialty.
Hermione. None of that. [aside] Political dealings with beings I'm familiar with are easy for me. Diplomatic missions to regions that are alien to me are something else entirely.
Using Legilimency, Harry senses Hermione's worries.
Harry. You'll do fine.
Ron. I wish you two wouldn't do that. It's like listening to half a conversation.
Harry. Sorry. Looks like our reception committee coming. I'll go get Percy ready.
Hermione. We'll be there in a minute.
Exit Harry.
You ready, Ron?
Ron. Yeah. Last chance to change your mind, Hagrid.
Hagrid. Rrrarrgghh.
Ron. Oh, come on. You've been fawned over before. Remember that big awards thing back at the Hogwarts base? I didn't hear you complaining then.
Hermione. It's all right, Ron. If he wants to stay aboard with Hedwig and work on the stabilizers, that's fine. The Gobelins won't be offended.
Ron. [glances out the window] I wasn't worried about offending them. I just thought it'd be nice to have a little extra backup along. Just in case.
Hermione. [smiles] These Gobelins are a very friendly people. There won't be any trouble.
Ron. I've heard that before.
Ron clips his transmitter to his collar.
Hermione. It looks good there. Are you going to put your old general's insignia on your belt now?
Ron. Very funny. With the transmitter here, all I have to do is casually switch it on, and I'll be able to talk to Hagrid without being obvious about it.
Hermione. Ah. It sounds like you've been spending too much time with Lieutenant Peakes and his commandos.
Ron. I've been spending too much time sitting in on Council meetings. After four years of watching political infighting, you learn the occasional value of subtlety. Come on, Hagrid. We'll need you to lock up behind us.
Enter Harry and Percy.
Harry. Ready?
Hermione. Ready.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Percy deboard the Ford Anglia and approach the Gobelins.
First Gobelin. [in Gobelin] Greetings to our distinguished visitor, Senator Hermione Granger Weasley. I hope your discussions with the clan elders will be fruitful. And Captain Weasley, I would request that you leave your weapon in your car. Weapons of violence are not permitted within the city. No exceptions.
Percy. He offers greetings to the distinguished visitor, Senator Hermione Granger Weasley, and hopes your discussions with the clan elders will be fruitful. He also requests that Captain Weasley return his weapon to the car.
Hermione. What was that last?
Percy. Captain Weasley must leave his weapon aboard the car. Weapons of violence are not permitted within the city. There are no exceptions.
Ron. [to Hermione] Terrific. You didn't tell me this one was coming.
Hermione. I didn't know this one was coming.
Hermione smiles at the Gobelins.
It doesn't look like we've got any choice.
Ron. Diplomacy.
Ron draws his rifle and returns it to the Ford Anglia.
Happy?
Hermione. Aren't I always? Tell them we're ready.
Percy. [in Gobelin] We are ready to proceed when you are, sir.
As the Wizards' Council delegation follows the Gobelins, Hagrid seals the Ford Anglia.
Hermione frowns at Harry's lightwand.
Hermione. Harry?
Harry. Yes, I know. Maybe they figure it's just part of the proper Auror's outfit.
Ron. Or else their weapons detector doesn't read 'wands. Either way, what they don't know won't hurt them.
Hermione. I hope so.
Hermione notices a crowd of Gobelins watching their progress.
Merlin's beard. Would you look at that crowd?
Second Gobelin. [in Gobelin] The Council House is just ahead. It is the location of our regional council.
Percy. He says the Council House is just ahead. It's the location of their regional council.
Hermione glances at the Nottingham Council House.
Hermione. Percy. Ask what that thing is beside it, that building that looks like a three-level dome with the sides and most of the roof cut away.
Percy. [in Gobelin] The Princess desires to know what the building beside the Council House is for?
First Gobelin. [in Gobelin] It's the city's main marketplace. We prefer the open air whenever possible. Perhaps you can be given a tour before you leave.
Percy. [in English] It's the city's main marketplace. He says they prefer the open air whenever possible.
Ron. That roof probably stretches to cover more of the dome framework when the weather's bad. I've seen that design in a few other places.
Percy. He says that perhaps you can be given a tour of the facility before you leave.
Ron. Sounds great. Wonderful place to pick up souvenirs.
Hermione. Quiet. Or you can wait in the Anglia with Hagrid.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Percy enter the Nottingham Council House, where the Gobelin clan elders reside.
Third Gobelin. [in Gobelin] Greetings to our distinguished visitor, Princess Hermione. However, we must apologize for the fact that the talks cannot begin quite yet. I'm afraid that our chief negotiator has become quite ill just moments ago.
Percy. They add their greetings to those given you at the landing area, Princess Hermione. They apologize, however, for the fact that the talks will not be able to begin quite yet. It appears that their chief negotiator became ill just moments ago.
Hermione. Oh. Please express our sympathies and ask if there's anything we can do to help.
Percy. [in Gobelin] Princess Hermione expresses her sympathies and desires to know if there might be anything she could do to help.
Third Gobelin. [in Gobelin] Thank you. However, that will not be necessary. There is no immediate danger, merely an inconvenience.
Percy. [in English] They thank you. But they assure you that will not be necessary. There is no danger to him, merely inconvenience. [hesitates] I really don't think you should inquire further, Your Highness. The complaint appears to be of a rather personal nature.
Hermione. I understand. Well, in that case, I suppose we might as well return to the Anglia until he feels ready to continue.
Percy. [in Gobelin] Princess Hermione offers her understanding and suggests that she and her family return to the car.
Third Gobelin. [in Gobelin] That would be satisfactory, unless if course you desired to conduct a tour of the marketplace while you wait?
Percy. [in English] He offers an alternative, Your Highness: that he would be eager to conduct you on a tour of the marketplace while you wait.
Hermione glances at Harry and Ron.
Hermione. Any objections?
Third Gobelin. [in Gobelin] Perhaps Mr. Potter or Captain Weasley might find something of interest in the Council House's upper chambers. There are relics there dating from the middle era of the Old Ministry.
Percy. He further suggests that Master Harry and Captain Weasley might find something to interest them in the Council House's upper chambers. Apparently, there are relics there dating from the middle era of the Old Ministry.
Hermione. [aside] Are the Gobelins trying to split us up? [to the Gobelins] Harry and Ron might like the market, too.
Percy. [in Gobelin] Princess Hermione counters that Master Harry and Captain Weasley might enjoy the market as well.
Third Gobelin shakes his head.
Third Gobelin. [in Gobelin] I fear they would find it excessively dull.
Percy. [in English] He says they would find it excessively dull. Frankly, if it's anything like marketplaces I've seen . . .
Ron. I like marketplaces. I like 'em a lot.
Hermione. [to Harry] What do you think?
Harry studies the Gobelins.
Harry. I don't see what danger they could be. I don't sense any real duplicity in them, nothing beyond that of normal politics, anyway.
Hermione. [nods] In that case, we accept.
Exit Harry.
The Gobelins lead Ron, Hermione, and Percy into the marketplace.
Third Gobelin. [in Gobelin] The marketplace has been in the same spot for over two centuries, thought not in this exact form, of course. The Council House, in fact, was built here precisely because it was already a common crossroads.
Percy. [in English] The marketplace has been in this same spot for over two hundred years, though not in this exact form, of course. The Council House, in fact, was built here precisely because it was already a common crossroads.
Ron observes the marketplace.
Ron. [to Hermione] Hasn't changed much, has it? I've seen many marketplaces in my time, and seldom have they been this crowded.
Hermione. You can see why this place is worth getting into the Wizards' Council.
Ron. I guess so.
Enter a vendor who tries to sell metalwork to Ron.
No, thanks. [to Percy] Percy, will you have our host tell him that we're not interested?
No response.
Percy?
Percy stares off in the crowd, searching.
Hey, Goldenrod. I'm talking to you.
Percy turns around.
Percy. I'm terribly sorry, Captain Weasley. But our host seems to have disappeared.
Ron. What do you mean, disappeared? [looks around] How could he just disappear?
Hermione. I've got a bad feeling about this. Let's get back to the Council House.
Ron. Yeah. Come on, Percy. Don't get lost.
Enter the vampires, armed with Dungbombs.
We've got trouble.
More vampires circle around Hermione, Ron, and Percy.
Hermione. Ron.
Ron. I see them. We're in trouble, sweetheart.
Hermione. Who are they?
Ron. I don't know. I've never seen anything like them before. But they're not kidding around. Those things are called Dungbombs. They shoot a spraynet mist two hundred meters, with enough shockstun juice to take down a good-sized Swedish Shortsnout.
The vampires begin herding them away from the marketplace.
They're herding us toward the down ramp. They must be trying to take us without stirring up the crowd.
Percy. We're doomed.
Hermione. What are we going to do?
Ron. Let's see how closely they're paying attention.
Ron tries to contact Hagrid, but one of the vampires raises his Dungbomb threateningly.
So much for that idea. I think it's time to pull in the welcome mat. We had better give Harry a shout.
Hermione. He can't help us.
Ron. Why not?
Hermione. [sighs] They've got him, too.
