Dear Reader,
Sorry that I haven't updated in a while but I just got back from a rafting vacation in the Grand Canyon. Not much technology down there, (nor are there beds, toilets or showers) so I haven't had much time to write. I have this chapter ready, however, and another one about Grindlewald will soon follow. I'm leaving on another vacation soon, though, and then will have to read the new Harry Potter book, so it might be another week or so after the next chapter before I update again. Hope you enjoy!
-LunarLitLover
Chapter 3: Grindlewald
Grindlewald paced anxiously around the stone floor of the crypts and smuggling vaults beneath Knockturn Alley. He was impatient. He wanted Riley to get here. He wanted to seal this contract with the goblins. And ASAP.
A knock on the old wooden door echoed through the stuffy, stone chamber. The tall goblin-like man stole one last glance at his bald, wrinkled, gray-green head before turning to respond to the knock. Pulling his wand out, Grindlewald quickly opened the door just a bit. Despite the caution (or paranoia, depending on your point of view), it was only Riley who emerged from the hallway.
Andrew Riley was one of the most respected businwizards in Britain. He owned and ran easily a quarter of Diagon Alley's shops, with his eye on more in Hogsmead. However, Riley's appearance did not suit that of your typical businwizard; he had sandy blond hair, tied back in a small ponytail despite the fact that he was in his early fifties. Riley also had a close-cropped beard and mustache and brightly glowing eyes, giving him more the appearance of an explorer or a mountain hermit than a businwizard. The man was extremely successful, though, and friendly too, despite his rugged looks.
In recent years, however, Mr. Riley had been finding it harder and harder to acquire and run his shops. In the last two years (ever since Charles Reese's appointment as Minister of Magic) more and more discriminatory decrees had been approved, decrees which restricted the business right of half-blood wizards. Riley, unfortunately, fell into the category of half-blood wizards. His grandmother had been a muggle, making him at least a quarter muggle himself. The Ministry placed many restrictions on what stores Riley ran, how he ran them, where they were, etc. Riley also had to pay an excess amount in taxes due to his family history. And, because of all this, he was loosing business and money. And that was not acceptable. Riley had a family to support. He was not about to let them down because of a corrupt and prejudice Ministry.
And that's why he, Andrew Riley, the good respectable businwizard, was here. That's why he was disobeying his conscience at an illegal, treasonous meeting. It was for his business. For his family. For half-bloods everywhere.
"Riley, are they here yet?" asked the deep-throated voice of Grindlewald.
"Yes, Sir," the wizard answered as he bowed. "Boric the Bold was the first one here. But the Oric the Odd, Grandle the Gay and Cretin the Curious came, followed by Artemis the Arrogant. She wished to arrive fashionably late because, well, you know her… but finally, Ithacus the Idiot turned up. He got lost because, well, you know his mental state. He-"
"Enough," Grindlewald silenced Riley with a wave of his hand. "If they are all here we will make our entrance."
Grindlewald stalked into the next room, his dark robes billowing around his slim figure. With Riley in tow, Grindlewald reached the meeting table first, making him look like Riley's superior. And although neither would admit it, this was the truth.
Yet the awe of Grindlewald's appearance was lost on the six goblin clan leaders. Ithacus the Idiot's attention was not focused on the wizard but on the rather large booger he'd just pulled out of his pointy nose. Artemis the Arrogant was glaring at him intensely. She was also examining her giant golden rings while refusing to touch the old, dusty table with even one little fingernail. Oric the Odd looked in her direction then in the opposite one while licking his eyeballs. He repeated this pattern with a beat, looking quite a bit like the windshield wipers of a muggle car. Grandle the Gay was also concentrating on other things, his prime focus being Boric the Bold. He fluttered his eyes at the goblin while Boric bared his sharp teeth, warning Grandle to stay away if he wanted to keep all of his limbs intact. And on top of it all, Cretin the Curious was upside down in his chair, both three-toed green feet sticking up in the air. Underneath the table, Cretin was licking the wood, due to his unbearable curiosity concerning its taste.
"Gentlemen," Grindlewald said, commanding their attention. Boric the Bold was the first to respond; "Ah, Grindlewald! It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance." Boric's greeting was kind enough, yet his glare and menacing, toothy grin were quite the opposite.
"Gentlemen," Grindlewald repeated, "I'm glad my proposition has…shall we say…interested you. I hope we can work out all the details here tonight and form an alliance stronger than the wizarding world has seen in many, many years."
The clan leaders were all ears now, as the two wizards sat down to discuss their plans for domination of the wizarding world.
Preview: The next chapter will be about what exactly Grindlewald wants and what he's giving the goblins for it.
