Chapter 5

31 JULY 1990 Gringots city

The sound of metal hitting metal could be heard right through the city of Gringots. Every goblin could be seen with a slight smile and a gleam of respect in their eyes at the sound.

A sweaty Harry was smiling as he met blades with yet another goblin who challenged him to a sparring match.

The ring was a simple sand pit to the side of the training are. If blood was drawn, the battle was won, simple rules for training warriors.

If by chance you were stupid enough to let your adrenalin filled mind get the better of you and not stop when first blood was drawn, you would be unarmed (sometimes to the shoulder) and tossed out of the ring.

Fairly simple charms and runes made the ring a safe place to fight for training, honour or death, depending on who your opponent was.

At this moment Harry was just having fun with some goblin friends, letting off some steam as they say and hanging out.

"Well look at that!" A young rich goblin spoke from the side of the pit.

Self-entitlement was a rare thing amongst goblins, yet one would always have "BAD APPLES" in society.

"Such a magnificent weapon wielded by such an unworthy creature. What has the world come to that any THING would now days be allowed in the pit?" the goblin spoke with disgust in his voice.

"You must be new to the city to be talking in that tone of voice. Not knowing WHO people are and making bad remarks could be dangerous." The goblin who was sparring against Harry said as he halted the match.

Harry pulled his sword to his side and stepped back to a neutral spot in the pit. Not knowing who the arrogant newcomer was, he left it to be handled the goblin way.

"I will speak to unworthy THING in any way I see fit. Who are you to challenge me to do otherwise?" the arrogant pounce sneered at the other goblin.

"My name is Ironstep, son of Steelpurge, leader of the Iron smith clan here at Gringots." He said as he stepped closer to the new guy. "Who are you and where do you come from?"

"I am called Diamond Finger, son of Diamond Fist, OWNER of the largest Diamond mine in the West Country." Diamond Finger said in a very pompous voice now that he knew his standing was higher than that of Ironstep.

"I would have welcomed you in a nicer way if you were a nicer guy, but you are not." Ironstep said as he turned his back on Diamond Finger and walked back to where Harry was standing.

"How dare you turn your back on me you worm? I am of higher standard than you, you will show me respect or I will have your ears as payment." Diamond Finger growled at Ironstep

The sound of very loud laughing came from the other side of the pit where Harry was standing.

Lord Sirius Orion Black of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black was standing with his arms crossed over his broad chest against a rough wall just to the left of the training area and was very loudly making clear that he thought the arrogant whelp to be a joke.

"Is he mental?" Diamond Finger asked the crowd.

"He is not mental, yet he is quite right in his wish to laugh AT you." Ironstep said as he kept walking towards Harry.

"You young man would be the mentally challenged one if you were to continue with your train of thought and challenge ANY of these young men here. You are a new comer, an outsider in Gringots and yet you stand there as if it belonged to you. Your attitude leaves much to be desired." Sirius said as he pushed off the wall and walked over to where Harry and Ironstep were standing now.

"Big words for a human in goblin territory." Diamond Finger said as he stepped closer to the trio.

"Who are you to even be here, never mind this deep inside the city?" he sneered at Sirius.

"I am a very close friend to the Chief and one of this young gentleman's sworn guardians here inside Gringots." Sirius said in a calm and strong voice.

"HA, we shall see how close you are to the chief once he hears of how I was treated here!" Diamond Finger sneered and turned to head back to the Bank area.

"My family will have satisfaction of your rudeness to me."

Angry grumbling could be heard from far down the narrow hallways in the office section of Gringots bank.

No goblin worth his quill dared to go near the office of the Chief of Gringots at the moment.

Harry on the other hand was not a goblin and walked right pass the guard at the door. Knocking three times and waiting a few seconds, he the proceeded to open the door and walk right in, followed closely by Lord Black and Ironstep.

Chief Ragnarok was in the middle of a pointing match with a wealthy looking goblin.

"Greetings to you Chief Ragnarok." Sirius greeted.

"May your gold drown your enemies this day and the next."

Ragnarok realized what Sirius was doing and immediately turned away from the pointing and screaming match to greet him back.

"Greetings to you Lord Black of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. May your House grow larger and your foes less." Ragnarok replied and gave a slight nod of his head.

"Greeting to you Chief Ragnarok." Harry said as he stepped forward and bowed slightly by the hip.

"May your tribe slay all their enemies and fill your coffers with blood covered spoils."

Before Ragnarok could return Harry's greeting, the wealthy looking goblin next to him lost his temper at being so rudely ignored and screamed at the newcomers.

"How dare you just walk in here and interrupt MY meeting in such a rude manner? I can see why the humans are held in contempt by our race. You are nothing more than rude being who do not even have the decency to KNOW their place! Lord or not, there are protocols to follow!" he screamed and pointed a jewel covered finger in their direction.

Harry stepped forward a step and bowed his head first to Ragnarok and then to the panting goblin next to him.

"Excuse me for interrupting then. I did not realize it was custom to SCREAM at one's HOST. Nor was I aware of ANY protocols as you said that has been broken by US knocking first and then entering. Furthermore I was not aware that it was custom of a LOWER ranked goblin to point fingers at a higher ranked goblin in his own city and office." Harry said as he stepped up to the table separating him from Ragnarok and the panting goblin.

"Now, as I was saying before I was interrupted. Chief Ragnarok, I came here to challenge accusations of lower beings. As I am the current champion for THIS city, CHOSEN by Magic, I challenge Diamond Finger, son of Diamond Fist, owner of the diamond mind of the West Country to an honour duel in the training pit." Harry calmly spoke as he looked straight into the eyes of the now silent goblin next to Ragnarok.

Ragnarok looked in Sirius's direction and saw the seriousness of the challenge.

"Very well Champion of Gringots. Your challenge will be brought forward in the pit. The challenged will have a chance to explain the accusation. If the excuse is insufficient, then the challenge will have to be met as an honour duel." Ragnarok spoke in a deep voice and called for a guard to find Diamond Finger and bring him to the training pit.

"That is my son! I forbid this challenge! This is barbaric and uncalled for. I even bet this is a plot to get hold of my wealth!" Diamond Fist spat in Harry's face

Slowly raising his left hand, Harry whipped away the spit that landed on his face.

"I assure you sir, I have no reason to STEAL from you nor am I claiming false challenge here. If you are so fearful for your son, then accept the challenge on his behalf and meet me for the honour duel then." Harry spoke evenly and clearly.

"Accepted!" Diamond Fist shouted and stormed out the office.

Once the doors were firmly closed, Harry turned to Ragnarok and asked in a VERY innocent voice.

"Family of yours?"

That was just too much for the tension in the room and everybody burst out laughing.

"As a matter of fact, he is my cousin on my mother's side. He inherited the diamond mine from his mother's late husband and has been parading it around since the man's death." Ragnarok said as he sat down to catch his breath from laughter.

"How big is this mine?' Harry asked.

"About the size of your Dragon's cavern I would estimate. Mining in that area was halted after a rockslide a few years back, but he got out some big stones before that which are currently carrying the family and its wealth." Ragnarok said as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"Is it worth claiming?" Harry asked in a business-like manner.

"If we could scout the area and see if it still holds treasure, then yes. Otherwise, I would leave it to the son. It would then fall as a legacy piece and not truly inherited from his father. The value of the family name will not hold much weight after that." Ragnarok said and looked Harry in the eyes.

"What happened in the pits Harry?"

"Little Ass walked in like he owned the place. He started insulting everything he saw and then insulted me. He did not even consider a greeting or an introduction; he just insulted me and then the city for allowing me in. Ironstep then stepped up and defended my honour from Little Ass. Ironstep turned his back on him and walked away. Little Ass tried to instigate a battle but Sirius then laughed him out and called him insane when Little Ass actually had the nerve to ask the same of Sirius when he told him he was outmatched and outnumbered. Little Ass then had a temper tantrum and ran off to Big Ass. You know the rest from there on." Harry told the story with little to none emotion, almost like a soldier giving a status report.

Ragnarok and Sirius was trying hard not to laugh at Harry's report of the situation, but the nicknames he gave Diamond Fist and his son Diamond Finger was just too much for them and they were hanging on each other for support.

Harry paid them no mind as he told HIS side of the story as he saw it. He had nothing to hide from his guardian.

Holding his side and drying his tears, Ragnarok looked to Sirius for confirmation. Sirius nodded his head and pointed to Harry.

"What he said." Was all he got out between the fits of laughter.

"In that case, what are we waiting for? To the pits I say! There is an honour duel to be fought today and I dare say a name or two to be made less that it was worth to begin with!" Ragnarok said as he got up and walked over to his office door.

Holding it open and sweeping his hand in an outward motion, he then nodded his head to Harry and Sirius. "After you I would imagine?"

Harry walked over and nodded his own head.

"Why that is positively generous of you my Lord! I shall lead our way to victory soon enough." Harry said as he walked out the door with a fake swing of the hips.

The pure childishness of the act sent the adults into fits of laughter again, but they followed Harry all the way down to the pits anyway.

They were followed by many other goblins who enjoyed a good show when it was offered so freely.