Chapter 27 Further Education

"Italic is in Gablish."

The next few months went without any major crisis coming up; the new primary school was proving to be a great success, St. Meriadoc's was making a real impression on the pure-bloods as well as the muggleborns. The purebloods could see the advantages of having their children begin the formal learning process earlier and the interaction with muggle-born children was seeing positive effects in the younger generation as well.

The New school was equipped with the latest in technology and seeing a pure-blood play with a game boy or an x-box for the first time was priceless, not quite as good I suppose as seeing the looks on the faces of the pure-blood parents when their child got home and wanted the same for their birthday or Yule whichever came next.

It was quite gratifying to see how a small simple thing as a primary school was doing so much to improve the wizarding world from the inside, the prejudicial barriers were slowly being eroded.

A surprise occurred for me just after the school had returned after the Yule/Christmas break, when I received an owl from Gringotts requesting a visit from Ragnok, the goblin chief. This was something major, one does not say no to Ragnok, the Clan Chief of the Goblins, essentially he was the head of state of the Goblin Nation in Britain, and thanks to the Queen essentially he held the rank of a Head of State, even King of the Goblins.

I read the letter and then read it again, the content of the letter gave away no reason for wanting a visit, but seemed friendly enough, so no major crisis was in the making from what I could see. I penned a reply and calmly walked to the owlery to send it. Even though Gringotts was into e-mails and everything these days, even sending out paperless statements if you requested them, it would be completely inappropriate for me to respond by e-mail, seeing as I'd been contacted by owl in the first place.

By the end of the day I'd had a reply from Ragnok and had a meeting the following morning at 9:00, this really must be of some importance if it was going so fast. I wondered what it was all about, I tidied up my desk for the night and went home.

Gabrielle was home with Henri when I arrived and there was some, well I suppose, interesting could be the right word, cakes on the kitchen table. They looked like a cross between cupcakes and rock cakes, had smiley faces on them in icing, one of which was winking at me I swear.

"We made cakes at school Dad, look," Henri beamed and pointed them out to me. "And Nana Weasley put icing on them for us." Ahh that explained the winking, Henri had learned how to do it recently and every picture he drew had someone winking in it and he himself was always winking.

"So you had fun today then?"

"Yes Dad. We made cakes and... and did some numbers and then we were told a story about the Goblins." I nodded at this, probably history then, I only hope it had been more interesting than Binns' lectures on the goblin wars.

"What's up Dudley, I saw a look cross your face when Henri mentioned goblins?" Gabrielle asked when Henri was happily drinking his juice and eating one of the cakes he'd made.

"Hmm. I suppose, I had a letter from Ragnok today, requesting a meeting. I'm seeing him in the morning at 9:00."

"Nothing serious I hope?"

"I really have no idea, the letter just asked if I could meet him and gave the time of the meeting. Relations with the goblins have been extremely good as of late, and we've come to see eye to eye or near enough on several thorny issues of the past, so I have no idea what this meeting could be about!"

I walked calmly into Gringotts the next morning and walked to the nearest available teller, "Good morning, I have an appointment with Ragnok at 9:00."

He gave me a good looking over to see if he could see any threat in my stance or appearance and then made a call from his desk to a guard at the back of the lobby in Gablish, probably forgetting that I could understand what he was saying. At a nod from the guard I was told to accompany said guard to my meeting. I quickly followed the guard through a pair of golden doors at the back and into the private offices of the bank.

The guard gave a knock on the large ornate doors at the end of the corridor, although they too were gold like others in this part of the bank, the amount of decoration and styling on them clearly said 'status' to whoever was waiting to be admitted.

"Enter," came the call from within, the guard opened the door and entered gesturing me to follow. "Thank you for responding so quickly to my request for a meeting Lord Dursley." He then looked at the guard standing to attention by the door obviously meaning to stay and protect his clan leader if needed from this upstart wizard who presumed to have a meeting with said leader. "Why are you still here, this wizard is a friend of the Nation and has the blessing of the Goddess. If he were too feel insulted by your presence he could ask for your head in recognition of the insult you are offering by remaining here and I would probably give it to him. GET OUT!"

The guard bowed so low that his nose almost brushed the floor and hastily departed from the room, "He was only doing his job, protecting his clan leader." I pointed out to the stately looking goblin seated in front of me.

"I know, but unfortunately I have to put up with him as a guard, he's the son of one my senior cashiers, and absolutely useless as a potential cashier as he can't count, he's not much use as a guard either, so I keep threatening him. Course I'd never do it, I'm rather fond of my grandsons even if they're not-so-brilliant." An almost feral grin on his face as he said this, "I called you here to talk of this new school, you've started. I would like to ask whether it would be possible for young goblins to attend. As you are aware the relationship between humans and goblins have been getting better recently; I would like to see the younger generation get a head start, especially if they're going to attend Hogwarts."

"I personally foresee no problems, I think Kingsley would certainly agree with me on that. We are hoping to get better integration with yourselves and the other magical races!"

"I also have something else to 'sweeten the pot' as I believe is the human expression, some of our master Armourers and Jewellery Artisans have agreed to take on human apprentices and teach them their craft!"

"Well that would certainly sweeten the pot as you say, but I think I can see a spanner... er... kneazle among the pigeons. Don't your Artisans use enchantments in their work to enhance properties amongst other things?"

"They do!"

"Well, enchanting has not been taught at Hogwarts for at least two centuries, so a student entering an apprenticeship would be at a serious disadvantage to your own goblin apprentices"!

"It should be possible for us to find someone willing to teach enchanting to those wanting to take the apprenticeship, would that be of assistance? I believe we could persuade one of the Neophytes to spend a time teaching, at Hogwarts, it could be construed that it was part of their apprenticeship."

"Neophyte? Where does that fit in the hierarchy of the training of Masters?"

"A Neophyte is a goblin who has progressed far enough in his training to be able to function on his own, indeed in the days of old a Neophyte would be sent out to ply his trade in the outside world and would have to return to take his final exams as a master after he himself had been practising for about three years."

"I understand, I believe there used to be a similar practice with human apprentices, they would be deemed a journeyman and would go out to ply their trade and later apply for Mastery with the appropriate guild."

"Indeed, it is the same with us, however these days the Neophytes take over some of the basic training of apprentices, and some of the work their master is commissioned to do!"

"What qualifications do you think a student would need to take this course, the exam grades as far as I am aware are 50%to 65% Acceptable,65% to 80, Exceeds Expectation, and 80% to 100%, Outstanding; The O+ is awarded when a student has done something extra-ordinary in the field. I understand I made 2 valid prophesies during my divination examination, earning me am O+!"

"I would think at least an E in Charms, Runes and Transfiguration would be required, two years of study to gain their pass in Enchanting."

"Now, we just have to convince the Headmistress and Kingsley about this. I suppose it will take a couple of days at least to speak to the Headmistress, and convince her and then there's Kingsley. I imagine I'm going to get more threats from him to obliviate me and dump me in a ditch."

"Explain!"

"Even before I actually joined the magical community and the ministry, I've been bringing ideas that have changed Magical Britain, I would like to think for the better. Every time I bring forward a new idea, he moans about all the extra paperwork I'm causing for him and threatens to obliviate me and dump me in a ditch somewhere!"

"I well remember your first intervention in the magical world, it was through your intervention that we were able to re-value the galleon and able to invest in the muggle world. That alone has generated more profit for the nation than anything else a wizard has done since we first began being the wizarding bank and it is for that reason you were acclaimed a Friend to the Goblin Nation!"

"It is a title that has not been awarded to a wizard in a long time, the last time was to a human called Godric who saved a goblin-wizard settlement from a Griffin earning himself the appellation Griffin 'dor, or Gryffindor, I assume you've heard of him?" (1)

"I knew he'd saved a village from a griffin, but I had no idea it was a joint human-goblin settlement!"

"Indeed, it was for that act that he was made a Friend of the Goblin Nation; it means that we see that person as an honorary goblin, with all clan rights as a born goblin. Indeed if Kingsley were to obliviate you and dump you in that ditch, it would be seen as an attack on a goblin and would start the next goblin wizard war."

I gulped at this revelation, "I had no idea, and I hope to continue to be worthy of the honour you have given me! Now how soon do you think we could speak with the Headmistress about this?"

Ragnok glanced at clock on the wall, that I hadn't noticed, and indeed couldn't fathom out when I looked at it, it showed 10 divisions on its face not the usual 12. "Hmm, around 11, as humans figure the time, if we sent a request for Headmistress McGonagall to join us at 12, giving her a goblin made portkey to my office, we might be able to settle this all today, then we would just need to convince the minister and I wonder how you feel about having a little fun at the Minister's expense?"

"What do you mean?"

"There is an old protocol from when we would declare war on wizard-kind, it involves the goblin chief sending a summons to the Minister imbued with a portkey to this office where we would officially notify him we were at war. I think you must be aware that all disputes between goblins and wizards has come as the result of wizards breaking the treaty in some way, not goblins!"

"I remember reading something to that effect when I was on honeymoon in the States, of course the course I took under that useless ghost Binns blamed the greedy goblins for all the 'rebellions' as they were called; I understand the present course is a lot more balanced, the result of hiring someone from outside Britain. And I would love to prank the Minister, that man has an uncanny knack of always knowing what I'm going to bring to him"

"Very well, we will prank the Minister as you put it!" He got a quill and proceeded to write a letter asking the Headmistress to come to the bank and pushed at a slightly off colour spot on his desk. Immediately, there was a knock on the door and a goblin rushed in. "Have this letter relayed to the post office in Hogsmeade for immediate delivery to the Headmistress, it is to contain a portkey to this office!"

The goblin bowed, "At once, Lord!" and quickly exited the office.

"Now, given that the headmistress is soon to join us, what do you think will be her reaction?"

"Positive, I hope, from what I understand of her from the interactions I've had with her in my working at the Ministry she is a witch who wants the best for her school and students."

"Good, that shows promise for Hogwarts' future, for too long we have seen our society constantly being put down by the Hogwarts education. A good sign was when she hired someone new to teach wizarding history. For nearly the past century we have had wizards leaving Hogwarts thinking we are barbaric animals who will declare war on them for no reason. Hopefully with a competent instructor that will change for the better!"

At that point there was a discordant chime in the office followed by the immediate appearance of headmistress McGonagall. "Director Ragnok, your note with the portkey to your office left a lot to be desired, it gave absolutely no reason for the meeting, I do hope its not about the finances for the school, as that is the only reason I could think of for a sitting Head to be summoned to the bank on such short notice."

"My apologies Headmistress, you can be rest assured that the Hogwarts finances are fine, this concerns another matter of education. The Goblin Nation is inclined to offer apprenticeships to some candidates with our master armourers and jewellers, but it was pointed out to us that we use enchantments in our crafting and that enchanting is no longer taught at Hogwarts. We would like to try and remedy that."

"I agree, I've been trying to get someone to teach the subject to come to the school for the past few years ever since I managed to get the board to release the funding to pay for such a teacher, but most of the candidates do not want to come to Hogwarts to teach, either because of the climate in Scotland or the poor showing of the school academically for the past few years. Now I understand our academic standards have improved recently, but I am still unable to fill the post."

"I may have a solution to both our problems which Lord Dursley and myself have managed to put together, we would assign one of our Neophyte artisans to Hogwarts to teach the Frog in Enchanting, the viable candidates would need an Exceeds Expectation in Charms, Runes and Transfiguration. Do you think this would be an option?"

"Err... Frog?"

"N.E.W.T. Headmistress the words are the same in Gablish, err... Gobbledegook," I looked at Ragnok in apology for using the wizard term for the Goblin language, he just nodded.

"I think that would be wonderful, would your teacher be willing to take students who just wanted to make enchanting a career rather than carry on to take the apprenticeship. I have had students before who wanted to pursue such a career and they've had to go abroad to get the relevant skills after graduation."

"I would have to consult with the goblin who would consent to be the teacher, at this point in time we are merely discussing the possibilities, it was Lord Dursley who suggested teaching the subject of enchanting at Hogwarts, there is usually an apprenticeship bond between the pupil and master...!"

The way this statement ended I could see there was more than was being said to the negotiations. "Of course, Director, I quite understand," answered the Headmistress, "the tutor would of course be paid by Hogwarts as a full professor, you will know from Filius Flitwick what a professor's salary is. I am given to understand that he maintains a close bond with his kin in the nation."

"Indeed, we goblins have never shown any prejudice against half-bloods or muggleborns, it is only when they show contempt for us that we treat them with the same disdain they show us. It is a pity not many wizards realise this!"

"What about the students who have taken the Enchanting Course and wish to continue on to take up training under one of your Master Artisans, will it be a traditional apprenticeship?"

"Again, those details are subject to negotiations, I know that it would be preferable to the Ministry and yourselves that some other arrangements be put in place as I know that apprentices are housed with their masters during their apprenticeships and being housed here in Gringotts would not be to many wizards liking."

"Hmm! I tend to agree Director, however if I may be so bold as to venture a suggestion, from what I am given to understand from some of our muggleborn students, there is a place of higher learning in the muggle world called a University! Now I begin to see an opportunity here to further progress the integration of both our worlds. I would venture the formation of a University of Magic, which would teach various topics to Mastery and provide teaching in subjects that a student has not got at Hogwarts. I believe that I'm aware of several post-graduates who suddenly find themselves wanting or needing a course they have not studied at school."

"I like that idea Headmistress, and again if I might be so bold as to venture a suggestion, there are several areas which education in the magical world is lacking, it has been years since Britain has produced a native-born wizarding artist and as much as I admire the efforts of some of your human singers, they do tend to be rather limited, I rather prefer something with a beat that some one can march to. And I did like like a particular song I heard on the muggle radio that one of our younger goblins managed to acquire, Thriller by some fellow called Michael Jack's Son I believe!"

"Let me guess, you probably heard that in October probably heading towards Halloween, if you haven't seen it I would recommend the video to that song, it was hailed quite a triumph when it came out."

"As interesting this diversion into muggle culture is, and indeed may be of use in the proposal for a University of Magic, there would be the issue of funding for this further education, I can't see the Ministry being willing to fund more educational institutes."

"The Muggle Prime Minister may be of assistance there. There is a policy of Student Grants to allow less well off students to attend University, If we could get the University registered as such in the Muggle world, they may be able to help there."

"Wouldn't that breach the Statute of Secrecy in a large way, any unsuspecting muggle could apply to the University?"

"There is a university application process that goes through a clearing system for want of a better word. When I applied to go to University a few years ago, I applied for a course leading to being a social worker, several universities offered this course. I was offered a provisional placement based on my mock exam results at Plymouth, West of England, and York, I chose West of England as it was near to a small village with family connections, Godric's Hollow, I'm sure you've heard of that place!"(2)

"Indeed, what witch, wizard or indeed goblin hasn't, but I still believe that hasn't answered the Headmistresses question!"

"Maybe, maybe not; Ragnok, Headmistress, are you both aware of the fact that Hogwarts is on the internet as an exclusive boarding school?"

"Indeed, I am, I was there when you brought your cameras and crew round to make the videos for the site!"(3)

"There are special security charms on the website, so only certain computers can access the site, you need a magical password to be able to access the site, anyone on a non-authorised computer would get a message of 'page not found', the same could be done with our university, I don't have any ideas as to a location though!"

"I may be able to help with that, there is a property on the edge of Hogsmeade, that the school has had since the early '70's. It comes with several acres of land, has access to the school via a tunnel on the grounds; would there be any objections to the site of the Shrieking Shack as the new university?"

"I like the idea, Headmistress, and I believe I could get some of our engineers interested in building the new university if it would be needed, all in the cause of furthering goblin-wizard relations you understand of course!"

"Oh! Of course, and please Director, it's Minerva. I think with everyone calling me Headmistress sometimes they forget I have a name. The only time I hear my given name is at home during the holidays and in the staff room when we're just having a simple conversation; if ever it's a school matter its Headmistress McGonagall!"

"Of course Minerva, and when we're here in my office, its Ragnok, on the bank floor it must of course remain Headmistress."

"Thank you, Ragnok; the same courtesy also applies to you Dudley!"

"Thank you He..." at a stern glance from the Headmistress / Minerva, I continued "...Minerva, there would be a matter of student accommodation needed, I understand you will not want the students of the university staying at Hogwarts so how can we accomplish this?"

"Hogsmeade of course!"

"Begging your pardon He... Minerva, but a university can have several hundred students, there isn't the room in Hogsmeade."

"Au contraire, Dudley, its about a mile from the school gates to Hogsmeade village proper, the village grounds itself start about 100 yards from the school, it extends to a similar extent on the other side, there is plenty of room for new buildings to be built."

"Hmm, there are often other support services in place on campus housing, on site laundry facilities, access to local shops, for basic food supplies, I mean how do the residents of Hogsmeade feed themselves, there's not even a local shop to purchase food?"

"Most things are ordered in, and most families have access to a house-elf to do laundry and thinks like that."

"We are talking young adults here, some may have a house-elf if they come from a magical family, but even with the increase in house-elf population we are not close to providing them for every muggleborn child or family. Then there's the food issue, I remember from my own university days, when sometimes in the middle of the night doing some revision work or other stuff and suddenly feeling hungry. If you have nothing in the place and want to eat something, you can't just order something in. There was a 24 hour store near to the campus and they did a roaring trade from the student population at all hours of the day and night."

"I can definitely see where Hogsmeade would benefit from one of the all night supermarkets, there happens to be one a couple of miles from my home during the summer months, but we again hit the problem of the statute; Hogsmeade is partially hidden from the muggle world, there's nothing to stop muggles stumbling across the village by accident, but when they leave, they forget the location in order for us to avoid hordes of muggle tourists coming to the village and subsequently the school.

"So, build the store on the very edge of the village, allow muggles to use the store, but ward the village in some way like the Leaky Cauldron. Hundreds if not thousands of muggles walk down the Charing Cross Road every day, how many walk into there looking for a pint?"

"Hmm if we had locals manning the store it would certainly be of help to the local economy, I know that some of the stores in the village only open on Hogsmeade weekends as most of the locals prefer to use Diagon Alley."

"It could even be of benefit to the school, if you take out the cost of delivery for foodstuffs the school orders in, that would save money there. I know for a fact that food in the magical world is brought in from the muggle world and the price is significantly higher because of it."

"I agree, with you on that point, one of the biggest costs to the school is the cost of foodstuffs for several hundred students and the staff, if we could manage to procure a deal with one of the major supermarket chains it would significantly cut costs there."

"There is also an issue that most universities have large libraries attached to their campuses, how would you feel about allowing students at the university access to the school library, of course, there would need to be additional books purchased for the university students and special areas for them to study in?"

"I think Irma, err Madam Pince, our librarian would welcome any new additions to the school library, of course it would mean expanding the area the library occupies, but there is no room on that floor to add space. In a normal situation if a wizard wished to add additional space to an area they would just apply expansion charms, but Hogwarts is not suited to such additions, anything like that would seriously interact with the school wards and we don't want that!"

"You're thinking like a wizard... er witch in these circumstances, you need to think a little like a muggle. What is on the floor above the library?"

"Several classrooms, most are not in use as the number of students we teach is not as high as it once was, and of course several courses have been discontinued over time. I see no point in bringing back the subject of phrenology(4), which fell out of favour about 100 years ago."

"That's your answer then, build an addition to the library on the floor above, access via a stairway in the restricted section, which the university students would have access to anyway, access to the university section only via university library card. Move the classrooms that are in use in the new library area to another part of the school and close off access from the third floor."

"Then there would be the problem of outside access to the school, the wards again will not allow people to walk willy-nilly onto the grounds, we would need some one to escort every student onto the grounds every time."

"Isn't there access to the shrieking shack from the grounds, I remember Harry mentioning something about it?"

"Of course, The Whomping Willow, that passageway was built to allow Remus Lupin to transform in safety, with the willow at the exit as another safeguard in case he got out of the shack transformed, but we really couldn't have that well known, it represents a danger to the school, and the willow is the only protection on the opening of the tunnel in the grounds and indeed the only such tree in Britain."

"Perhaps, we goblins could be of assistance there, we are excellent engineers after all. If The shrieking shack end was maintained and the existing tunnel kept, but then an additional tunnel built from there to inside the school, with the proper warding in the tunnel, only genuine students would be able to utilise it."

"That actually sounds like a good idea, we would need the work to be done during the summer, so as to cause minimal disturbance to the school, and then there would be the construction of the new university, and all its facilities."

"In regards to the student accommodation, we will need to follow certain guidelines set down by the muggle government, emergency exits, fire regulations; that sort of thing, but from what I understand with conversations held with MI5¾ and the Prime Minister, the use of portkeys and fire suppression charms built into the building would be allowed and go a long way in meeting if not surpassing those requirements."

"I can see Kingsley objecting on grounds of the cost of all this, its going to run into millions of galleons!"

"I don't think so, Minerva, if the goblins were allowed to do the construction work, it would be of benefit to our apprentices, saving the ministry lots and being of benefit to the nation, we would also put a branch of the bank in Hogsmeade, something I know that has been wanted for a while."

"Another advantage that muggle universities have is that some their work is sponsored by their industries, some very important discoveries have been made by universities, the potions students alone could generate a lot of income for the university."

"There's not that much of a rush, it would take 2 years for any students to earn an N.E.W.T. In enchanting, and I don't know how other courses would require different qualifications for the students."

"I think that the quicker we could get this university up and running the better, in European countries, they've generally done away with the one-to-one apprenticeship for potions, healing, and charms. In Germany, there's Einführen über Magie und Zauberei, the University of Magic and Sorcery; France has its School of Advanced Sorcery – L'école de Sorcellerie de Pointe; Japan has the university of sorcery - 魔術の大学 - (Majutsu no daigaku). There's many more out there, this would help to to bring Wizarding back into a new age." (5)

"What about teachers, for this new university?"

"We, the goblin nation could help there, advertising through our branches worldwide and indeed with the new contacts we've made recently with the other wizarding banking institutions I don't think we'll have any trouble getting teachers."

"I think there would be students from day 1, regardless of when the university opened, I remember Harry saying something about 1 of his classmates, a Thomas Dean, I think who was a brilliant artist and wanted to get into magical portraiture. I am sure there are others who could not follow such a dream, for lack of appropriate courses at Hogwarts. It could be that such people as this would make up the first classes at the university."

"I remember Mr Thomas, Dean Thomas, the pupil I believe you are referring to, its true he was a brilliant artist with charcoals and water colours, indeed I have one of his water-colours in my office of my animagus form, true its a non-wizarding picture, but with the appropriate teaching I am sure he could progress to wizarding portraiture, its such a pity as you say that we have no great artists of our own. The only real new portraits in wizarding Britain are done at Hogwarts and they are of the headmasters and are somehow done by the castle itself.

"Minerva, Dudley, I do believe we've managed to come to some sort of accord about the need for this new university of magic, it now seems that most of the preliminary planning has been done. I obviously will need to get some of our engineers and builders to tour a few existing muggle universities to see how student accommodations are set up and other matters, but that's just the icing on the cake as you humans say." He looked at me with a grin. "Minerva, I think you should be let into a little prank that Dudley and I are planning on the Minister; it seems to be a regular habit of his of threatening to obliviate Dudley for the extra paperwork he generates for his office. Dudley is a friend of the Goblin Nation and indeed through this an honorary goblin, if Minister Kingsley arrives here with his usual threat, in the mistaken impression that Dudley has been the instigator of a new Goblin Rebellion, we will of course inform him of his error and that obliviating Dudley will be the cause of the rebellion as it will count as attacking a goblin in goblin territory, i.e. Gringotts."

"I do hope that if he makes his threat you won't start a rebellion, I do not want another war to go through, after the last two with that madman, Voldemort!"

"Oh certainly not, we all know his threat is a means of complaining and blustering, but Dudley and I thought he needed a little help with his sense of humour so to speak!"

"Hmm! I approve, he may be a good minister, probably the best we've had in a long while, but he does bluster a lot, and as you say I think he could do with a good laugh, it might loosen his attitude a little."

With that, Ragnok nodded and wrote a note and pressed the same off colour spot on his desk as earlier. There was a knock on the door and a goblin rushed in. "Have this note delivered to the Minister with a portkey to this office, and please have a phalanx of guards in here for when he arrives." The goblin bowed and rushed out of the office. There was a second knock on the door and half a dozen goblins in full armour with halberds and shields trooped in, looking at both myself and the Headmistress. "Stand down, we are going to play a joke on the Minister of Magic; we believe when he arrives he is going to make a threat to obliviate Lord Dursley here, as you are well aware he is a friend to the Nation, I want you to look as if you stand ready to defend him, at all costs, even of it means another war with the wizards." The guards looked at each other and began to bang their halberds against their shields, the equivalent of applause for a goblin army.

Less than 10 minutes later, there was a flash and Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived in the office, he took one look at the guards standing at attention and myself! "Bloody Hell Dursley! If you've managed to start another war with the goblins I'm going to use one of the time turners in the Department of Mysteries, go back to yesterday and resign, obliviate myself and become a herbologist in darkest Africa!"

At this Ragnok roared with laughter, causing Kingsley to look at me and him in confusion; "You may go, obviously the Minister was too clever to fall for our little joke!" The phalanx of guards stamped on the ground with their halberds, turned and as one marched out of the office. "You can relax Minister, there will be no goblin rebellion as your historians put it." Again Kingsley look about the office in confusion, finally spotting the Headmistress where she had previously been hidden by the guards, only confusing him further.

"I... What...?"

"Dudley had informed me of your predilection to threatening obliviate him and dump him in a ditch, every time he proposed another change to Wizarding Britain, so we decided to prank you. The idea was that you would come into the office, see Dudley and once again make your threat, and my guards would have arrested you for threatening a friend of the Nation in the bank, drawing your wand in the presence of myself and anything else we could think of!"

Calming down slightly now, Kingsley muttered, "I see!". Then apparently pulling himself together asked. "I see, now that matter has been sorted can I ask why I have been summoned here in the presence of Dudley, the Headmistress and yourself?"

"That is my fault or the consequences of something I approached Dudley with, I offered training with some of our goblin artisans for select students, It was then brought to my attention that you no longer teach enchanting at Hogwarts, Over the course of the past two hours, the three of us have come up with a plan to build and create a new university of Magic in Hogsmeade. We wanted to get you to bring the proposal to the Wizengamot!"

Kingsley thought for a moment, "I like it, but I have a different idea in mind!" Ragnok and I looked at him in a slightly puzzled way! "I suggest you pose it yourself in front of the Wizengamot!"

Ragnok looked confused at this statement, "But I am not a member of your Wizengamot, therefore I cannot make proposals to it!"

"You are not a member yet! But the seat has been ready and waiting for you to claim it since her Majesty made her speech giving full rights to all magical races, the fact that you have not claimed it or that myself or someone else from my government has not informed you of this omission is buried within the protocols of wizard-goblin relations."

Ragnok again roared in laughter at this, "Of course, I see what you mean, any wizard informing the goblin leader that he had even by omission not done something he was entitled to, could have seen that person executed for insulting the goblin leader and another war starting."

"Yes, well. I'm glad you see the humour of it. But to elaborate further on my statement, if you took up your seat in the Wizengamot and as part of your 'Maiden Speech' proposed setting up a joint Wizard-Goblin univerity with goblin and wizard tutors this would give it a almost unprecedented support in the Wizengamot."

"And if I may be so bold, it would also give the impression to some of the fuddy-duddys sitting that you had not tried to take part in the politics of Wizarding Britain, as you had nothing to gain or lose from doing so!"

"I agree, Minister, I look forward to seeing you at the next session, and I thank you all, Dudley, Minerva for your help in putting all this together..."

A/N I apologise for the long wait for this chapter, I can only plead for mercy. A couple of things held me up, moving home, and family obligations. I also recived a review that out that the last few chapters had been 'conversation heavy,' I agree with this and tried to rewrite this chapter to resolve this, but unfortunately I was unable to do so. In response I will state there is one, possibly two more chapters to go on this story and the events in these chapters will see matters raised previously in this and my other stories will be resolved.

Thanks for reading and please give a review if you can.

(1) See New Resolutions Chapter 5

(2) See A New Beginning Chapter 11

(3) See The Start of Something New Chapter 18

(4) A Real Scientific area of study in the 19th Century, I was reminded of this in an excellent story 'Cold Blood' by DerLaCroix. Check it out if you like 'creature Harry' storys, this one is slightly different though.

(5) Translations done by Google Translate.

(6) See New Resolutions Chapter 10