Chapter Six: Heart's Treasure

Silnok's gaze was sympathetic as he called for a house-elf to clean up the mess. Once the mess was dealt with, he approached Sergeant and gryphon, unafraid of the gryphon's soft hiss. Without a word, he offered a flask to the pale, green-tinged man.

"I, uh," Parker gasped, "Don't drink."

"It's water," Silnok informed him wryly.

Parker eyed him, then snatched the flask, downing half in three gulps. He sucked in air for a moment, then gulped down the rest of the water. Off to the side, Potter looked both unhappy and apprehensive, clearly understanding that he'd lost the challenge. Just as Silnok had expected, to be perfectly honest. He turned to the house-elf, giving a few quiet orders while Parker collected himself and the young gryphon twittered over the Sergeant. Once the house-elf had departed, taking Parker's dress robes, Silnok turned back to both humans and the gryphon.

"Young one," he addressed the gryphon, "Bear with us for a few more minutes, if you would." The gryphon inclined his head, managing to look both noble and dignified despite the fact that one wing was currently outstretched and discreetly supporting a still gray-faced Parker.

Silnok repressed his smile and presented the rope portkey. Parker sighed with resignation and latched onto the rope, his gryphon companion grabbing hold with a claw right after. Potter snatched up a free end and Silnok uttered the phrase to activate the portkey, sweeping the group back to Gringotts. They landed in Silnok's office, the gryphon cushioning Parker's landing. Silnok pulled the rope away and returned it to a bin near his desk. Once done disposing of the portkey, Silnok slipped behind his desk and faced both humans, grateful for the expansion charm that kept his office from being crowded by the gryphon's presence.

"Lord Potter," he began, keeping all smugness from his voice, "As Sergeant Parker has succeeded in the challenge of Gringotts, he will retain guardianship of the Heirs Calvin."

Potter's eyes narrowed in fury. "That's it?" he questioned, a touch of desperation in his words, "You're just going to give them back to this Muggle?"

"What exactly is your problem with me?" Parker demanded, bringing the raging wizard up short.

"I know how Muggles see wizards," Potter snapped, "If you lot aren't jealous of magic, you're 'trying to stamp that nonsense out.' "

There was a long moment as both men faced off, the former indignant, the latter sorrowful. "So who did that to you?" Parker asked quietly. When Potter sputtered in shock, Parker elaborated, "Who was jealous of you, Auror Potter? Who tried to treat your magic as something to be ashamed of, rather than proud of?"

"None of your business," Potter snarled.

"Seeing as it quite nearly cost me my family, some would say it is," Parker retorted. Then he deflated. "Tell me one thing, though, Auror Potter. Were you trying to overturn Arthur's will because you were afraid I'd abuse his kids?"

Silence hung in the air, answer enough for both Silnok and Parker. Silnok cleared his throat, drawing attention back to himself. "You need not answer, Lord Potter; your silence is answer enough. Does England or the House of Potter have any further business with the House of Calvin?"

In the background, the gryphon trilled softly; Parker cast the animal a curious look. Potter gathered himself, glaring at Silnok. "What happens when he starts resenting them for something he can never have?"

"Resenting them for their magic, Lord Potter?" Silnok echoed, sounding amazed. "You greatly misjudge Sergeant Parker if this is your belief." The goblin shook his head. "Do you know why Sergeant Parker was so afraid of the challenge Gringotts set forth?"

"Magic, obviously," Potter hissed, though he looked confused.

"No, not magic," Silnok disagreed, shaking his head again. "Sergeant Parker is afraid of flying, Lord Potter."

Potter gaped in shock, looking between an embarrassed Parker and Silnok in disbelief. He sat down hard, looking as if the rug had been pulled out from under him.

Parker took his opening to add, more than a trifle frosty, "If I was into resenting the kids for their talents, it would have been after one of Madame Locksley's Aurors hit my constable with Percutio. And if you still don't believe me, you can ask her!" Behind Parker, the gryphon scree-ed, flapping his wings in annoyance.

"Is there anything further?" Silnok inquired, his eyes harder than obsidian. Potter glared at all of them, then, at last, stomped out and slammed the door behind him. The gryphon squawked in minor alarm, huddling behind his wings at the loud noise. Silnok shook his head in disapproval of Potter's behavior, making a note to keep an eye on the unhappy Lordling. Once Potter's footsteps had faded, he turned to Parker, letting a twinkle show in his eyes. "As I said before, Sergeant Parker, well done," he praised.

"My kids?" Parker pressed, looking towards the door anxiously.

Silnok laughed openly, turning in his seat toward the gryphon. "Illishar," he beckoned.

Illishar pulled his head from under his wings, twittering a question at the goblin.

Parker looked confused, "His name is Illishar?"

"Yes, indeed," Silnok replied, "Named, I believe, by his affectionate younger sister." He smirked as Illishar let out a grumble at that description of his sister. "Now, as to the details, Sergeant Parker. Just as I informed Lord Potter, your Auror badge does indeed grant you sufficient authority within the magical world for Gringotts to fulfill Lord Calvin's proviso. However, that alone was not my primary reason for interfering."

"Then what was?" Parker demanded sharply.

Silnok sighed deeply. "The children of a society are that society's most valuable commodity. Sadly, there are many who forget, or worse, ignore that truth. When it comes to the magical world, Sergeant Parker, blood is oftentimes held far above any other considerations. Thus, Lord Calvin's choice of a guardian that none could challenge, as the two of you share a blood relation through the paternal line. Unfortunately, without you and your, shall we say, preeminent blood claim, the Heirs Calvin are left vulnerable to the same elements that made them orphans."

Greg swallowed hard. In a raspy voice, he concluded, "Those elements are related to them?"

"Precisely so. Though Lord Potter's attempt to gain custody was, on the surface, backed by the British Wizengamot, the likelihood of his retaining custody is, by my reck, almost nonexistent. The Heirs Calvin have, through their paternal grandmother, cousins who are in Azkaban for a number of heinous crimes. Their proxy would be perfectly within his legal rights to demand the guardianship of the Heirs Calvin. The Wizengamot would grant his request almost before he finished making it. I am certain you understand what would likely follow such an event."

Parker paced a moment, thinking. "So, to protect them, you chose to challenge both of us? Why not just override Lord Potter's attempt to take guardianship?"

The goblin's chuckle was harsh and inhuman, but not cruel. "You are correct; Gringotts could have simply overruled the guardianship snatch with a bit of legal wrangling. However, that would not have resolved the issue, as the challenge today did."

Silnok's smile grew wide at Parker's confused expression. "None may challenge you again, Sergeant Parker. After all, today you showed that you have the heart of a Calvin," the goblin continued, "Thus, the late Lord's offspring are now considered by the family magic to also be your offspring. The British Wizengamot may make as many proclamations as it wishes; they cannot take the Heirs Calvin from your care, no more than they could have taken them from their late, honored parents."

"But I don't have magic," Parker pointed out. "From those genealogy records, my grandmother was a Calvin, but not even she had magic."

"You don't have to have magic to take in two orphans," Silnok replied firmly. "You don't have to have magic to consider them your own, you don't need magic for them to return that regard, and you certainly didn't need magic today when Illishar made his preference clear." Raising his voice, Silnok added, "Did he, lad?"

"Um, no?"

Greg whirled around so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash. A very sheepish Lance was standing right where Illishar had been, flushing bright enough to make the room glow red. Greg snatched his nephew up in a bearhug, almost crushing his nephew's ribs in the force of his hug. "How?" Greg breathed out. He turned, eyes wide. "The test?"

"Was very real, Sergeant Parker," Silnok said, voice still firm. "It is an old, old goblin spell, normally used against wizards who attempt to use their animagus forms to steal from our vaults. In this case, it was used with a passphrase. Regardless of the outcome, I would have used the passphrase; young are just as important to goblins as they are to most wizards. For today, it was Illishar whom you dealt with, Illishar who reacted to both yourself and Lord Potter."

Silnok paused long enough for both to absorb that fact, then continued gently, "Alanna is being brought here now, Sergeant Parker. As we wait for her, I do have something else to speak with you about."

"And that is?" Parker looked and sounded much better now; Silnok was quite pleased with himself.

Silnok drew several sketches and diagrams from inside his desk and placed a pair of reading glasses on his nose. "As it happens, Sergeant Parker, Gringotts has far more experience with the Muggle world than most any other part of the magical world does. We are, in most countries, forbidden from investing goblin gold in the majority of magical enterprises; thus, we invest in the Muggle world."

"Tech," Lance corrected, to the Silnok's considerable surprise. Silnok peered at the youngling, flummoxed by the correction. "The House of Calvin would prefer to describe the non-magical world as the technological world, Account Manager Silnok," Lance explained, quiet, polite, and formal.

Silnok grumbled a bit, but was pleased at the lad's spunk and the title the lad had bestowed on him. "Very well, Heir Calvin, as you say." Clearing his throat, he returned to his initial point. "As the Tech world has advanced, Gringotts has oft been confronted with the problems of using such technology in the magical world. Of old, the Calvin family achieved a status unknown to many wizards today: Goblin-Friend." Parker's eyes went wide as he reached the logical conclusion, but Silnok said it anyway. "As an acknowledged member of the House of Calvin, you do have the authority to request that Gringotts apply our knowledge of magic and technology on your behalf."

"What technology are we talking about?" Parker asked, cautious to the last.

"Your telephones, of course," Silnok began, pleased with Parker's performance throughout the day's events. "The computer may require some additional adjustments, that particular rune-set is rather delicate. Other, more specialized equipment will take additional research, I fear…"

"Cameras?" Parker questioned hopefully.

Silnok bowed. "Quite so, Sergeant Parker." He pulled his spectacles off as young Alanna was ushered in. "Is there anything else you would like us to focus on, Sergeant Parker?"

Parker swept Alanna up in a hug, holding tight to both children as he faced Silnok. He considered for some minutes, then nodded to himself. "Babycakes…Constable Scarlatti's bomb-detection robot," he decided, "Get Babycakes working on the magic side of things if we have something like a bomb call."

Silnok leered in appreciation. "It shall be as you say, Sergeant Parker."

Parker gave Silnok a wide smile of his own. "Thank you, Account Manager Silnok," he managed, "For everything."