Griphook was helping to sort through the various documents of holdings that the newest members of their Nation held as everything was checked and transferred to Goblin standard when his eye caught on something. A goblin secrecy seal was no laughing matter and to find three interconnected ones in files that, until recently, had no real connection to each other was something to be investigated. A croaked word in gobbledygook had them glowing in authenticity before opening up to the first page. Griphook stared at the partially unsealed files in front of him in shock before bursting out laughing in an evil cackle that made his fellow workers shiver.
"Senior Investigator Griphook?" one of the underlings questioned warily. Griphook, as an Internal Investigator, had to pass through most levels of the Bank and of the Nation easily so he often worked in various jobs from lowly Cart Driver through Senior Manager at random. It gave him a freedom of movement at any given moment that was the envy of many of his more constrained fellow investigators.
"The fools gave us the Pendragon Line, the Emrys Line, and the Le Fay Line! Not only that the idiot wizards abused the heirs so badly that the Wild Hunt had been summoned to seek retribution before anything else but their pain was known!" Griphook cackled. "We can reclaim Camelot as a whole from all sides!"
"Why... how...?" the minion asked bewildered.
"Harry Snape nee Potter, Potions Master Snape, and the Dark Lord Voldemort just handed us the lands we have been trying to reclaim for all magicals by becoming of our people!" Griphook grinned nastily. "A missive will have to be sent to the muggles and we may have to see that they are granted muggle dukedoms or something along those lines to keep it from destroying the statute of secrecy outright but those are small matters. The Sacred Land is ours once more!"
As the goblins celebrated no one noticed the spider smirking up in one corner of the ceiling as it rested, satisfied, in its very special web. Now Anansi only needed to return the trio into the hands of Dumbledore and Sirius Black for them to be taught proper obedience before moving forwards with his plans. It was a pity the goblins had actually obtained the three so quickly and they couldn't simply be snatched from the street but that was a minor inconvenience. Anansi was walking a fine line when leaving them among the goblins as if two or three of the other magical peoples stepped up to help guard them then the trio would be out of reach. He couldn't have that if he was going to use the three to sink an anchor deep into the land and siphon off all of the deep magic. Yes, they would die in the process but then again after Anansi had the ability to draw on the power of this land it would hardly matter. His woven stories would finally become reality at his will.
The Creator shook his head at the foolishness of the Nephilim plotting against the three wizards. A whispered word to one of his Angels sent a discrete warning to the other peoples. The "teachers" from the other magical "creatures" needed to move more quickly to the side of their future students.
*+ovo+*
The three wizards stared after Marchek uncertainly for a moment before the two familiars got fed up with their frozen tableau and barreled into the trio.
"~The food is good, you will eat,~" Nagini scolded, chivying them into seats at the table. Hedwig huffed her agreement but still eyed the door. Their wizards had fretted for too long as it was. At this rate they would need to locate a good familiar for Severus too. He was the least prone to trouble and danger but it wouldn't hurt to look for one any way even if they had to raise his new familiar from the egg.
"~Wait,~" Hedwig warned, causing the trio to pause before actually eating or drinking anything despite Nagini's insistence. Hedwig climbed and crawled all over the table, being careful not to knock something over or get in the food as she examined their breakfast. Watching her bright purple serpentine dragon form climb all over the table was an odd sight be Harry had to fight not to reach out and cuddle his familiar.
"~Well?~" Voldemort asked stoically.
"~No poison, healing potions in three things but maybe harmful if eaten too much? Danger greatest to Severus. King Snake's Venom and Phoenix Fawkes' tears in Hatchling and Darkling... eat? yes, eat bad things in potions and help body heal with not bad things,~" Hedwig offered uncertainly. Her concentration caused a slight slip into truncated and simpler speech as she tried to explain what she sensed. "~Need put tears and venom in Severus to eat bad things in blood too.~"
"~Which items are tainted?~" Severus asked, nostrils flaring in irritation. Hedwig pointed them out. Severus scowled as he checked them himself with his wand.
"Well?" Voldemort asked again, in english this time.
"I have to avoid them but if your familiars are right then they hold no risk for either of you as long as you limit yourselves to two modest servings at most," Severus admitted with a scowl. "The potions are not safe for me due to my own sensitivities rather than the potions themselves. Its not usually an issue but the mix of spices in the food with the potions will magnify the effect on me and I would rather not be insensate for the next day or two."
"~Darkling for my Tom? I like that. Harry-hatchling is already Imp,~" Nagini chuckled. Hedwig hummed agreement as she settled next Nagini at her own food bowl on the floor.
"~We need to find familiar for Severus,~" Hedwig commented just as the man was taking a sip of his coffee, causing him to choke and sputter briefly. Severus turned a glare on the two unconcerned familiars as they continued to chat.
"~He is not drawn to as many dangerous things but he is still ours,~" Nagini hissed thoughtfully. Swallowing a chunk of meat as she considered the still currently baby dragon's point.
"~We can not watch him always and he will need a watcher for when he goes deep into something and can not watch for danger for himself. I have seen that it is far too common among wizardlings,~" Hedwig complained. Severus, by this point opted to quit glaring at the pair of reptiles and instead pointedly ignored them in favor of his food. Harry and Voldemort, on the other hand, exchanged looks as their eyes danced in amusement over the Potion Master's position of being mothered.
"Did we have a contingency plan for... any of this?" Harry asked carefully as he studied the scrambled eggs he was consuming.
"No, but with your luck perhaps we should have made the attempt at planning something to deal with the inevitable interest your memories have likely generated," Severus said sourly. Taking another sip of his coffee he sighed in a mix of relief and resignation. "I will inquire as to why we are being guarded beyond what Marchek told us when I leave later to see if I can gain access to a market place or my vaults. I noticed both of you flagging more easily in recent days so you will both rest. Perhaps discuss some things that show up in regards to your bond. If this is a threatening situation, beyond the obvious containment, I am the most expendable of us."
"No, you aren't expendable Severus," Voldemort rebuked sharply just as Harry opened his mouth to protest. Harry looked at him in astonishment before closing his mouth with the soft click of teeth coming together.
"I am not needed to keep the two of you alive," Severus huffed, refusing to look at them.
"You are still a part of this family and keep us in good health as well as the imp away from dangers he can not yet handle," Voldemort snapped. "If you get yourself killed I will resurrect you and make certain that you regret it!"
"Noted. I am still going," Severus informed them stubbornly. Voldemort growled in the back of his throat but didn't say anything more. They both knew they needed more information and limited freedom of movement was still more than one expects as a prisoner.
Silence reigned as they ate their meal.
"This still feels like we are trapped," Harry commented softly as they finished the delivered meal.
"Agreed," Severus nodded, wiping his mouth before continuing. "If we are lucky this is some parchment pusher doing something stupid that will be cleared up quickly. I will be investigating what I can with my guard while I am out."
"If we're not?" Harry asked, his voice remaining soft.
"Then they will discover how true their labeling of us as a military unit can become," Voldemort said grimly. "Should such an event occur you are to stay behind us as Severus and I clear a path. Your lack of training and practical experience will get in the way."
"No argument from me as long as neither of you die," Harry muttered, tossing a wary glare towards the door and the guards beyond.
"~None of you will die,~" Nagini hissed warningly. "~These small ones will face our fangs before all is done if they seek harm.~"
"~We will see,~" Hedwig said pensively. "~I am not yet old enough to flash us to another place.~"
"I forgot about that," Harry said sheepishly before clarifying for the rest of his, clearly confused, family. "Phoenixes can teleport."
"Ah, yes. I too had forgotten about that," Voldemort agreed as they all relaxed back into their seats and drinking their various morning drink. It would take time to win free if in fact they were trapped but none of them were stupid nor would they allow someone else to do to them again what Dumbledore had already done. Time was what they needed and time was what they would try to get.
*+ovo+*
A/n:
*Muse peers at new chapter over Author's shoulder before sitting back in satisfaction and returning the blanket knitting project to Author*
*Author glares briefly and tries to decide between nap to make up sleep Musey robbed or knitting another section on the ocean themed blanket*