Chapter 7
31 JULY 1990
Gringots City
Training pit
"Let's dance shall we?"
Harry effortlessly lifted his sword to battle stance and watched as Diamond Fist charged at him.
Breath
Relax
Focus
Strike
Diamond Fist never stood a chance from the beginning. He might have had many years of experience above Harry, but he did not have honour or respect. His life was forfeit the moment he laid the challenge.
Magic decided who was worthy of her champion and the dumb greedy goblin lost the right to be part of Her children the moment he claimed superiority over them.
Diamond Fist rushed at Harry and was just about to raise his axe when a slight flash of light appeared and the sound like scissors closing could be heard.
Harry stood as still as a post.
No weapon drawn to fight, just holding it and looking at the goblin standing frozen in front of him.
Nobody moved or made a sound.
Harry simply shed one tear, bowed his head and turned away. He sheathed his sword and left the area.
A few seconds later Diamond Fist's body split perfectly in two pieces and flopped to the ground.
No guts and blood could be seen anywhere.
It was like he was cut in half and then healed at the same time.
Nobody made a sound or effort to move.
Not even Diamond Finger.
Harry was found by Ragnarok a few hours later in his private library reading a book on bonding and bond ceremonies.
Ragnarok: You seem troubled by what just happened. Want to talk about it and what it meant for you as the champion?
Harry: Not now. I want to find out what happened out there. I did not lift my sword to him, and yet he is clearly dead.
Ragnarok: Yes that he is, but you did not need to have lifted your sword. The challenge was to you AS the champion of Magic. Magic protected Her chosen one and ended the threat without blood spilled on our ground. He died a painless and clean death, much more than he deserved.
Harry: HE STILL DIED. His moronic son is standing out there without a family member to guide him or to take him back home. He is standing in our city as an alien while I am sitting here with his life in my hands due to his stupidity and arrogance!
Ragnarok: Your hands are clean of this Harry. Yes you might hold his life now, but you CAN decide what to do from this moment on. Leave him here as a slave, alien, runt or you could be even better than they ever tried to see you as and allow the kid to start new here and try to be a better person.
Harry: Always up to me. I know I have to make important decisions sometimes, but this one I refuse to make. I am not his master.
Ragnarok: Then he will die alone here. That is the sad fact of honour duels Harry and you know this from your many studies and the link you hold to Ravenclaw. You alone MAY now decide what happens to that kid.
Harry: FUCK IT!
Ragnarok: I agree.
Harry: Where is he now?
Ragnarok: Still next to the pits. The body has been moved and prepared to send back to the remaining Diamond family.
Harry: Give me a minute to get my mind straight. I will be there in 10 minutes.
Ragnarok: That would be a wise move.
Ragnarok nodded his head as he turned to leave his private library, stopping only to make sure Harry was moving.
10 minutes later
Harry walked into the arena area and climbed one single step. He stood there and looked AT everybody before him; deciding what to say and how to ask his questions.
Diamond Finger stood to the side of the pit staring at the ground.
Harry speech only
It has been a very long day. It was supposed to be one of celebration as I aged one more year alongside my friends and family here in Gringots.
Yet I found myself in the face of arrogance, greed, stupidity and then death.
I did not ask for this task that now lies before me as the one to decide the fate of this goblin child.
Harry pointed to Diamond Finger and looked sad.
His upbringing and the beliefs his father drummed into his head that he was better than those around him, forced my hand.
Now he stands there, an outcast of our nation. Not one of you here can touch or aid him while he is bonded to me and that to me is sad.
He is but a few years my senior and yet I now have to look after him as a son, a slave or a pet.
Harry counted the points down on one hand held high.
THAT IS THE LAW OF THE LAND.
I may not sell him or give him to another. His family may wish to bargain for his return, but I doubt they have the means to satisfy MAGIC.
Today I stand before you as a son of the nation, NOT as the Champion of Magic, and I ask you this question.
What is that goblin child to you?
Do you wish for him to be a slave?
Do you wish to see him on a collar as my pet?
Do you wish to have him as one of your SONS of the City as my adopted son?
Which one of you will step forward and say your say as my friend and brother to this City?
At this point in time Harry stepped off the step he was standing on next to the arena and sat down on it, he lowered his head into his hands and cried.
"I hold no name or titles here in our fair city." a very old goblin said from the back of the crowd.
Slowly walking forward with the aid of his cane, making a narrow path to where Harry was sitting, nobody blocked him or even made a move to touch him.
"I sit at my station before my tunnel and I take stock of what goes in and what comes out, nothing more and nothing less. If Magic sees me fit to take this child, then I will step forward as your hand young Champion and take his burden from you. His family will be notified by me and they will stand chance to bargain as you said. Until then the child will be in my care. If you wish it, then I will do this as a penance for the Champion and what has been forced upon him by a false prophecy." The old goblin said as he finally stood before Harry with his head bowed in sign of respect to Harry and Ragnarok.
Nobody knew who he was or where he sat in the tunnels. He had no distinguished features to be linked to a certain clan in the City.
"He will work with me and eat at my table, sleep in my burrow and drink from my cup. He will earn his keep and learn my trade as I have done from the one who took me many years past. If he desires to not take this offer I give, then I will personally walk him from the city into exile, where I will then stay with him for the offer I made." The old man said as he turned and looked at a shivering Diamond Finger.
SILENCE
"I wish to wait and see who of my family comes for me. If within 30 days no one has come to claim me, I then wish to be taken to my family estate. I will then close and give the diamond mine to you as my Lord and Master. I humbly ask that you hold to me as your prize as anywhere else my worth would be less than that of a dying kneezel." Diamond Finger rushed forward and fell to his knees in front of Harry.
"I am the sole heir to the mine and it cannot be taken from me less I am killed in a battle for it or I relinquish it to someone of my choosing." He was sitting in a beggar's position before Harry and begging to be given the right to remain as a "PRIZE".
SILENCE
"I relinquish my NAME to you, Lord Potter, and beg allowance to remain at your side to the end of my days." The young goblin spoke as he held a small dagger in his left hand and his right hand palm up towards Harry.
Harry looked from the old goblin to the young goblin and wondered what the significance was of the trade-off.
Why would this young goblin willingly cut his name away rather than follow an old man into the tunnels and remain his apprentice?
Harry looked toward Ragnarok for an answer but received nothing more than a VERY slight nod of the Chief's head.
Harry turned to the crowd and looked those he could see in the eyes and waited for a sign, anything to make his decision a little easier.
SILENCE
Standing up from his stone seat, Harry stepped towards the old goblin and hugged him.
A hug like a son would give his grandfather after some good advice was given, a lesson well learned.
A rush of breath rose from the crowd but nothing more.
Harry stepped back and simply nodded his head at the old man.
Harry: Being humble enough to take a burden from another man is a sign of wisdom beyond years. Being prepared to follow through with a punishment for that act is more humble than wise years could make. Your willingness to take this young goblin as your own and care for him like you were once cared for speaks of a soul older than your age give you credit.
Old man: You speak in a noble tongue yet you hold no nobility over me. You address me as a friend and hug me as a grandson would.
Harry: How else would I hug my creator Mother Magic?
Harry bent to one knee and lowered his head in respect.
SILENCE
Every last goblin looked over at Harry and then to the old man still standing in front of him, holding on to an old wooden cane for support.
A soft warm wind blew into the pits and covered everybody there with a feeling of love and safety.
"You truly are beyond your years if it was that easy for you to recognize me my child." A beautiful woman like creature stood where the old man was before.
Harry was still on bended knee.
"Kindness like that could only ever be given from a mother to her child." Harry said without lifting his head.
"And a child should never be on bended knee before his mother, so please raise Harry and stand with me." She said as she held out her open hand to Harry.
Harry lifted his head and took her hand as she lifted him to his feet.
Stepping on to the second step of the pavilion in the pits, Magic turned to her children the goblins and spoke in a gentle breeze voice.
Before you all stand a generous and true leader.
A boy he might still be, but one day he will lead us all to victory and freedom for all.
His name shall be called as the one who brought change to the unchangeable.
Freedom for all of our kind.
Man, woman and child.
Magical, non-magical or beast.
Equality will be there for all to live under as we follow the man who fought for the right.
I have chosen very carefully when it came to MY Champion and I am happy to see that He takes his role as My Champion as seriously is he has.
Today I step away from him as he steps forward and take his rightful place as My Champion.
Come forth Harry and receive the rest of your armour from the Gods.
Your sword was given and imbued with our magic to you when you were but a child, now you hold the same sword as a leader should.
With your sword in your right hand held at chest height, step forward and into your new armour as OUR Champion.
Magic pointed to the ground where a bright golden circle was forming.
Without hesitation, Harry unsheathed his sword, held it at chest height and stepped into the golden ring on the pit floor.
A funnel of wind closed around him and all sound stopped.
He could feel his body changing, filling up with energy that was so beautiful it made him want to cry.
His sword sang to him a song of old days where there was peace for all men.
When Dragons owned the skies and Krakens owned the seas.
When the desserts had their Sphinxes and mountains had their giants.
Where elves and nymphs danced in the forests and merpeople swam the lakes.
When humans and magical beings greeted each other with friendliness and respect not fear.
Harry was openly crying now.
It ended as fast as it had begun. To all present Harry just walked through the light and came out the other side wearing magnificent armour.
Nothing like what Diamond Fist tried to brag with.
Harry wore what seemed like millions of runes decorating his body.
All of the runes were in different colours and sizes to indicate their purpose and strengths.
Harry was glowing from head to toe and crying like a small child who just received the best gift ever.