Chapter Six
Responses and Responsibilities
"Jennifer? Are you all right?"
Jennifer looked up from where she stood around the building to see Hermione standing there, looking at her with a concerned expression.
"Yes, I… I was just thinking," Jennifer said, looking around. A few feet away Ron stood acting incredibly impatient and with a look in his face that suddenly alerted Jennifer's attention. "What's wrong? What's going on with Bill?"
"Ugh, it's been a nightmare, and I don't have time to explain it all… do you have time to come to the bank with us?" Hermione asked.
"Sure," Jennifer said, glancing in the shop. Seeing that Severus wasn't there, she checked her watch before falling into place beside Hermione and Ron. "Are you all right, Ron?"
"Ask me again in a few hours when I've had time to calm down. What I'd like to do to Lucius Malfoy right now," Ron growled.
"Oh no, what's he done this time?" Jennifer asked.
"Only tipped off the Artifacts office to a particular address to look for illegal artifacts which happened to be inhabited by my brother, his wife, and their house guest…" Ron said. Jennifer groaned. "It's put Father in a nasty spot. Not only did they find a bunch of artifacts there that hadn't been licensed yet, but a several thousand year old Muggle princess to boot. Gringotts is claiming responsibility for the items because Bill swears they belong to the bank, only there's a problem with that."
"Which is?" Jennifer said impatiently.
"The bank has decided that the princess is their property too. They say there's no legal proof that she was a human turned to gold, and that she may just as well be gold turned human," Ron said. Jennifer stared at him.
"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of!"
"Maybe, but have you ever tried arguing property rights with a goblin?" Ron asked. Jennifer sighed.
"This could get messy," Jennifer agreed.
"That's probably the biggest understatement of the year," Hermione agreed.
"Where's the girl at now?" Jennifer asked.
"At the Ministry at the moment," Hermione said as they stepped into the bank. "Arthur didn't want her to be in the middle of this."
"I don't think he wants to be in the middle of this either," Ron muttered, following behind them.
A large crowd of people had gathered at the back the bank; goblins, wizards from the Ministry, curious spectators, several counselors and even a reporter or two hovered about while Arthur, Ederick Thurspire, Rhys Brown, and the new Artifacts Minister, David Coffers stood talking to the members of the bank board.
Lucius, who had been standing near the edge of the crowd, was the first to take notice of the three approaching. His lip curled slightly as he looked back around, nodding to someone else in the crowd, but Jennifer couldn't exactly tell to whom. Bill was standing next to his bosses with his arms folded and mouth shut and a determined expression on his face. But nearly everyone had their attention on Mr. Coffers; an older wizard gentleman with a neat, tailored look to him, not a hair out of place (what little he had), and robes pressed as if they had come straight out of a shop. Only his glasses had a shoddy look to them; the frames were bent off center and one arm was wrapped with waxed string, and Jennifer couldn't help wondering why he didn't just fix them.
"Governor Knobgait, I can to some extent believe that your employee brings things home to inspect and record before he delivers them, but you still haven't satisfactorily explained to me what exactly it is you do with them when you receive them."
"We hold them for investment purposes," the goblin in question said. "After, of course, obtaining a permit to claim a particular find as your law dictates." Jennifer didn't miss the bitter emphasis, and neither apparently did Coffers, whose smile thinned a bit.
"Yes but some of these items, namely the carpet, are protected artifacts and illegal to sell in this country. How then is that a legal investment?" Coffer asked.
"This bank has interests in places other than in this country, and not all countries have such bans," Knobgait said coolly. "And since these items were not acquired here, bought here, or sold here, they're really not wizards' concern, are they? The only item remotely dangerous that our employee acquired, the goblet of wine, was handed directly over to you."
"And what about the girl? She can hardly be considered an investment," Arthur said. "And you can't truly believe she began as a gold statue. She would have no emotion, language, or memory. That girl is no more an animated automaton than I am." Someone snorted, and Jennifer didn't have to turn around to know it came from Lucius.
"Was it all that long ago when we were considered investments?" the goblin mused.
"Come, now, let's not bring up ancient history…"
"It may be ancient history for you and the Ministry, Arthur, but it is hardly so for us. In fact, it's amazing how little has changed since then." The softness of his voice only lent to the pause that followed, and Jennifer felt her own hair stand on end as if watching a cauldron of deadly poison about to bubble over.
"We had a legal claim on the find, Arthur, regardless of the nature of items included. We did our part by bowing to your regulation, so now it's time for you to do your part and stay out of our business."
"When it directly involves a Muggle woman it is our business, especially when there are some other laws in question," Brown said firmly. "The Asia Minor Wizard's Council are already inquiring about how she was revived and wondering why they weren't informed of it beforehand. I'm rather curious as to why we weren't appraised of the situation myself."
"I already explained that," Bill said quickly. "I put her in the river myself, just as the tales said to. It didn't seem to work, but by the next evening she was human again. I didn't cast any spells on her, only took the measures prescribed by the Muggles themselves in their writings. I will take full responsibility for doing that." Jennifer frowned slightly but didn't say anything.
"And since he's our employee and was on duty at the time, that falls under the bank's responsibility," Knobgait said.
"Since when does the bank willingly take responsibility for anything of this magnitude?" Coffers asked curiously.
"It was part of the claim," the goblin said. "Which the Council was informed of on paper, twenty-four hours in advance."
"It takes a barrister a good week at least to read through a goblin treasure claim, and you only gave them a day's advance?" Thurspire asked.
"The failure of humans not understanding their own bylaws isn't our problem," Knobgait said with a thin smile. "We merely use those laws to our best advantage."
"If I may," Lucius said, stepping up in a manner that indicated he was going to speak whether anyone liked it or not, "I am not sure I quite buy into this story William decided to grace us with. Perhaps our local Truth Seeker might offer an opinion. She obviously must be here for some reason, since she's hardly what I'd call an interested party." Jennifer felt the creeping tension plaguing the room begin to descend upon her like a circling vulture.
"I am not a licensed Truth Seeker as you know quite well," Jennifer said evenly.
"Yes, but you can offer an opinion outside of the court, can't you? In fact, I know that you have done so at the Ministry's request on several occasions, haven't you?" Lucius said, his cool eyes meeting hers with open defiance.
"Oh butt out, Lucius," Ron snapped.
"I suppose you would recommend that I wait to read the 'facts' in the Daily Prophet. Thank you, Mr. Editor, but I think I'd like an account that's not so obviously under the thumb of the current administration," Lucius said calmly.
"You don't have to offer an opinion if you don't want to, of course, Jennifer," Arthur said.
"I'm not sure that I can, Arthur," Jennifer admitted. "What Bill said was truthful, but you see, I was also there at the time, at least I was in the same hotel. Bill had written to me asking for an opinion on the spell involved, so Severus and I took the children to Turkey for a couple of days."
"You actually took the children to Turkey?" Arthur said with interest.
"Well it wasn't really a dangerous trip," Jennifer said insistently. "And as it turned out, the spell didn't appear to be a Dark spell at all, so I couldn't have helped even if I had wanted to. In fact, I wasn't even in the room when she woke up. I was trying to settle four rather excited children."
"It is just as well it wasn't a Dark spell if you intended to awaken her," Brown said sternly. "As strict as our laws are on casting spells on Muggles, you would have found that the Asia Minor Council are far more strict, especially against foreigners. You would have been fined, perhaps even jailed, not to mention a public scandal that might have resulted in job complications."
"If I could have helped her, I would have," Jennifer said firmly. "I don't turn my back to those in need no matter who they are."
"So where exactly was Severus at during all of this?" Lucius asked evenly.
"He spent most of his trip trying to convince me that waking her up was a mistake," Bill said immediately. "But what's done is done, and now we need to do what's best for Thera. Look, if the bank keeps responsibility, the board has already decreed that I should take charge of her progress. If the Ministry takes responsibility, I'll just apply for guardianship, although honestly I don't think she'll ever be ready to reintegrate back into the Muggle world after this. So why can't we just call for a cease fire, and I'll report her progress to both of you?"
It took a great deal longer in private discussions before both sides finally agreed to the solution, and Jennifer couldn't help but notice that the tension in the air had only gone down a fraction of what it had been. When had relations between wizards and goblins begun to deteriorate again? Or had it always been there, buried, and she had never noticed it before? At least the goblins still seemed to trust Bill, Jennifer mused with a sigh, wishing that Bill would step out of the back room long enough for her to talk to him about what they didn't say.
Everyone seemed to believe her when she spoke… everyone but Lucius Malfoy. Somehow, it had been much easier to hide things when she first got to Hogwarts and no one trusted her. She snorted softly to herself at that, wondering not for the first time when the exact moment was that she became respectable. There was, of course, one person she would tell the entire story to, and that, along with Aurelius' attitude beating down on her, made her want to get back to work more than ever.
As slowly as time can seem to pass, it does eventually pass. Aurelius, who had been sent to his room until he could exhibit some level of respect, chose not to come out at all, and despite several attempts of shooing the others away, the other three Snapes spent nearly all of their remaining weeks beside him, keeping him entertained with games and art and long talks and play acting and listening to the wireless with only Severus to look in and scowl at them at random times to keep them from even thinking of jumping paintings.
But soon, boxes and trunks were soon packed to head off to the Weasley's for the two weeks that Jennifer and Severus had to work before school started. Aurelius joined the others as they stood waiting there for Jennifer to go through them, still without apologies, but knowing they couldn't possibly keep him cooped up in his room any longer.
"You've double checked your books and supplies? I shan't have to come back here at the beginning of school and fetch your things?" Jennifer said, opening and closing each trunk for the fifth time as the children answered dutifully in the affirmative. "Alex, Aurelius, where are your wands?"
"Mine is up my sleeve," Alex said, receiving an immediate frown from her mother. "Father said I could! As long as I don't use it except in a life or death situation." Jennifer glanced up to give Severus a dirty look, but he pretended to be completely absorbed in an advertisement for tempered cauldrons.
"Well, I'll just have to keep that in mind if the department for the Misuse of Magic sends us an Owl then," Jennifer said dryly. "Aurelius, where's yours? I'd like to see it, if you don't mind."
"Sorry, I chucked it. Thought I would just go to Hogwarts without a wand," Aurelius said sarcastically. Severus squinted at him, while Jennifer was busy counting to ten in Latin.
"It's all right Mum, he packed it. I made doubly sure myself," Alex said quickly, pointing out the box under a neatly folded stack of robes. Aurelius muttered something under his breath that made Alex turn around and hit him in the arm. "Nothing to be ashamed of, you know. Charlie Weasley had a Unicorn hair wand. I think Ron started out with one too."
"Of course, stupid, it was the same wand," Aurelius glared at her.
"Well, I'll just make sure the Weasleys double check to make sure you have it as well before you get on the train!" Jennifer snapped. Severus suddenly cleared his throat and Jennifer glanced over at him. "Very well! Off we go then. Take care, Mercy! See you at Yule! Let us know if you or the other House Elves need anything!" Jennifer waved as they stepped into the fireplace, delivering the children as fast as they could politely get away with.
Severus could hardly help but notice the pure relief on Jennifer's face when the two of them had begun the walk up to the castle gates, gazing at it as if she had been gone for years instead of mere months.
"Finally home, is that it?" Severus inquired thoughtfully.
"Oh! Well, it's not that the Broom Closet isn't home too," Jennifer said, slightly sheepish. "It's just that lately being at Hogwarts seems to be the least chaotic part of my life."
"Rather frightening, isn't it?" Severus said with such a solemn expression that Jennifer couldn't help but chuckle a bit.
It was not unusual, of course, for returning staff to be met at the gate by another staff member already settled in. Jennifer very much expected Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmaster and general staff supervisor to be standing there waiting for them as she most often did. But she and Severus were taken quite by surprise to see a golden robed, silver bearded figure quite patiently waiting for them as they stepped closer. It was none other than the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore himself, smiling warmly at them as he watched them approach below the rim of his thin golden spectacles.
"Welcome back! I have been waiting for you. I trust you have had an interesting summer," he said mischievously.
"Is there something wrong, sir?" Severus said, looking quite concerned at the unexpected greeting.
"Why, Severus? Do you have a guilty conscience?" Dumbledore asked in the same joking tone. But Jennifer couldn't help but gather from the question that the Headmaster had a few suspicions about what really happened in Turkey. "No, everything is quiet here. But there are a few things I'd like to discuss, if you can spare a few minutes before you get settled. Things that I would rather you hear from me first than from anyone else."
"Of course, Albus," Jennifer said, gazing over at Severus to see the same worried expression on his face that she knew was on hers, wondering more and more if this hadn't something to do with the rescue of the princess after all. But Dumbledore didn't hint at the reason, he merely chatted about the weather and the new candy selections at Honeydukes and about the newest additions to Argus Filch's growing list of banned items for the upcoming year.
The stairs weren't all that cooperative either, changing their direction at devilishly annoying times and making the trip to Dumbledore's office twice as long as usual, so that when the three of them finally got to the top of the spiral stairs, two of them were hardly very calm at all.
"So, is there anything you'd like to discuss before we get started?" Dumbledore asked cheerfully, sitting at his desk. Jennifer glanced at Severus, who grimaced noticeably.
"Perhaps we should start from the beginning," Severus said. Jennifer decided to sit down, preparing for a long evening.
"Yes, that's always best," Dumbledore said, and sat intently listening as the two of them explained everything they knew about Thera. His expression didn't seem to change at all through the entire story until he finally sat back and clasped his hands together thoughtfully at the end, looking between them. "I thought I was having a full summer chasing missing Fomorians, and here the two of you get yourselves mixed in an entirely different mess, I see. And despite your best judgment too," Dumbledore added, looking pointedly at Severus.
"All I did was offer a choice," Severus said evenly.
"Yes," Dumbledore mused, glancing over at Jennifer. "You and William both handled the situation at the bank quite well. That could have turned out far worse… for the goblins, the Ministry, and the school alike."
"Then why do I feel so dishonest," Jennifer muttered. Dumbledore glanced at her above the rim of his glasses knowingly.
"Neither one of you strayed very far from the truth, Jennifer, nor do I think your choice to withhold a bit of knowledge now and again will damage your public image much. Not that I would be too concerned about public image if I were you," the Headmaster added with a twinkle in his eyes. "Goodness knows I've fallen out of favor with the public often enough, and yet I'm still here, so that must say something. I would, however, recommend that this matter be kept a family secret. Since the children were there as well, perhaps it would be wise to employ what methods you have to make sure it stays that way."
"I've already spoken to Aurelius," Severus nodded. Jennifer frowned at him, wondering why he hadn't mentioned that to her.
"Good," Dumbledore said with a pleased nod. "I heard, of course, that he received Keki's wand. I am quite looking forward to seeing him at Hogwarts." Severus nodded almost proudly in response, but Jennifer couldn't help but sigh.
"Well, I hope you're not expecting a model student," Jennifer said. "Despite his perfect marks, his attitude lately has left something to be desired. In fact, he hated the wand from the minute he got it."
"Did you tell him about where the wand came from?" Dumbledore asked calmly.
"He hardly gave us the chance," Jennifer said irritably, glancing at Severus, "and later we decided that he needed to learn to appreciate it as a just a wand rather than give him any more reason to try and reject it."
"Are you so sure it would cause him to want it less?" Dumbledore asked curiously. Jennifer nodded, and Dumbledore smiled softly. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Don't fret about it, Jennifer, it's a good sign, not a bad one."
"A good sign?" Jennifer repeated with disbelief.
"I would worry about any student that took such a wand of obvious power and was instantly convinced that it was his or her own to wield," Dumbledore said, glancing at Fawkes the Phoenix, who was listening from his golden perch with interest. "Like another student I could name. When Harry received his wand, I understand from Ollivander that he viewed it with suspicion, perhaps even with a bit of reluctance. I have faith in the boy, Jennifer, and you should too. After all, faith is a very powerful thing, even if it does mean you sometimes have to make sacrifices to keep it alive." Dumbledore paused and glanced up at the doors into the study, which opened to reveal Minerva McGonagall standing there, looking apologetic.
"Am I early, or am I late?" Minerva asked, throwing Jennifer and Severus a welcoming smile.
"Just right, Minerva. I was about to update them on the Fomorians before we got started," Dumbledore said.
"You've found them?" Jennifer asked hopefully. Dumbledore sighed and decided to polish his glasses.
"No, I'm afraid not. But my time in their magnificent city has convinced me that Severus was right in that they left abruptly; either by being persuaded to leave or forced to leave."
"But to where? How could anyone hide moving such a huge society of people to a different location without anyone knowing about it?" Jennifer asked.
"Well, the Fomorians are experts at hiding themselves. They've been doing it successfully for over a thousand years. If they can stay hidden for so long, I've little doubt there are other places to hide them. After all, we ourselves have hidden magical creature reservations as well as giant reservations in several parts of the world that few are aware of."
"Anyone with any magic ability can find those places easily enough. What kept the Fomorians from being found is their vast knowledge of ancient elemental magic," Severus mused, gazing at Dumbledore. "And in that, I am not sure that anyone of this world is either powerful enough to contain them, nor would the Fomorians ever strike a deal with anyone to leave. They don't respect wizards, or their own relatives the giants, either. In my mind, there could be only one person with the motive and the power to do this."
"Ciardoth," Jennifer said softly.
"Yes, I'm afraid I've come to that conclusion myself," Dumbledore nodded to them, putting his glasses back on his nose. "The strength of their Mages, not to mention their imposing size, would likely prove to be a very formidable army for someone bent on destruction."
"I can't possibly believe that the Fomorians would simply agree to become her army without a lot of coercion," Jennifer said. "I know they hate us, and I know in their minds that they have good reason to. But they are not a fighting people. They only wanted to be left alone and are willing to go to extreme measures to do that, but that is a matter of self preservation."
"Yes, they are willing to fight if it means self preservation. But we have no idea exactly what it is she has told them or how she is holding them. I do agree that it is more likely that she has found a way to control them somehow, rather than having made any sort of mutual agreement. The Fomorians are hardly unintelligent and would not be easily conned by anyone outside of their society," Severus said. "But is her magic alone enough to do such a thing as this?"
"No item has the power to do anything like this," Jennifer said firmly.
"Perhaps not in the way you are thinking, Jennifer," Severus replied. "But I'm sure you remember when we rescued the Cauldron how much the Fomorians revere their artifacts. Perhaps somehow she managed to get a hold of something valuable to them; something they knew about but had lost before they moved to the Western Isle. The threat of losing an item such as that, along with her magic power, may be what is keeping them in check," Severus conjectured.
"But how would that be linked to their own self preservation?" Jennifer asked. "Since that does seem to be their primary motivation."
"That is what we're going to have to find out," Severus said evenly.
"Well, I'm afraid you are going to have to let someone else do that, Severus," Dumbledore said, causing he and Jennifer to look up in surprise. "You and Minerva are going to be much too busy to be doing much of anything outside of school this year."
Minerva smiled thinly at Dumbledore and then over at Jennifer and Severus' puzzled expressions before taking a seat. Jennifer, glancing at Minerva's face in complete disbelief of what she was reading, turned her full attention to Dumbledore with such a look of shock that it put Severus on edge.
"And what exactly is it that is more important than Ciardoth's activities?" Severus asked, folding his arms.
"The welfare of this school of course," Dumbledore said calmly. "Always remember,
Severus: family first, then Hogwarts, and then the rest of the world… unless of course one of the previous priorities directly impacts the welfare of one of the higher ones," he added, glancing at Severus above the rim of his glasses before settling back in his chair. "And now that I've gotten that little lecture out of the way, I suppose it's time to tell you what it is that I have been chatting with the board about. I have decided, after a good hundred years of doing without, that I am going to take an extended holiday."
"How long are you going to be gone?" Jennifer asked.
"Nine months, actually, starting from the end of January to the end of October of next year. I have asked the board that during my absence, for Minerva, as deputy Headmaster, and you Severus, as my senior staff and security, to jointly run the school until my return. Provided that you agree to do so, of course, Severus. You'd get a rather substantial pay increase for the duration if you chose to accept."
"I could care less about money. I can't believe you're leaving right now!" Severus snapped. "Ciardoth is still on the loose, and probably now with the Fomorians at her side, and you want to leave for nine months?"
"Severus, there's always going to be some sort of threat going on, and if I used that to determine whether or not I can take a few hours for myself, I never will," Dumbledore said. "The fact of the matter is the long time period for you is merely an afternoon for me. Merlin has asked me to have tea with him at his home, and I've simply run out of excuses. And honestly, it is too much of an opportunity to pass up. I would very much like to go, Severus. After all these years, do I not at least deserve that much?" he asked quietly. Severus grimaced slightly in apology, the anger fading from his eyes.
"Forgive me, Headmaster, you merely took me by surprise. I will do whatever's required during your absence."
"We'll speak about it from time to time over the next few months, and of course, Minerva already knows the ropes. But I simply cannot fathom anyone trying to run this place alone. For one thing, someone with a good deal of magic that knows all the school security must be present within the school at all times, even during the summer. I don't expect anyone to spend their entire summer in the school with only paintings and ghosts to keep one company, although there have been some summers when one of us had to spend more time than the other here," Dumbledore added, looking slightly apologetic towards Minerva.
"He's given me plenty of chances to get caught up with my sewing," Minerva agreed mischievously.
"And with Jennifer hovering about and some of the other staff to help, I think things here should go quite smoothly. It'll be Halloween again before you know it. Hopefully I won't find the school a complete disaster when I get back," Dumbledore added with a twinkle in his eye.
As Dumbledore turned the subject to the schedules and securities of the upcoming year, Jennifer found her mind wandering, glancing over at Severus, who hadn't really recovered from hearing about Dumbledore's absence. After all, Dumbledore had been the closest thing he had to a father after his parents died, and Jennifer was sure Severus still turned to him over past events when he didn't want to burden Jennifer with them. Still, he was not going anywhere until January, and everything was usually in full swing by then. Hopefully Ciardoth wouldn't be as well.
