"This is why you have guards assigned to you, pup. I know you feel like they make you both stand out but incidents like this need to be taken care of before they can happen," Sirius sighed as he watched the Goblin healer carefully wrap Hermione's fingers and hands with a pungent smelling potion soaked gauze. A dry wrap was placed over top and tapped with a finger and a muttered charm to harden a bit and dry, keeping the medicine against her sore skin.
Harry automatically tried to take Hermione to the Mediwitch for treatment but as soon as the guard saw them, they were both whisked back to the Vault, as they started to call it, and into the medical room there. Ironfist had been summoned and both adults were furious.
"Things have been better since the first task. People are talking to us again and the rumor mill slowed down. Madam Pince decided the Guard needed to stand outside the library since she doesn't allow wands to be drawn or you lose your library privileges." Harry answered. "I'm afraid to find out what she'd do to a goblin with a razor sharp axe."
Remus sighed. "That might stop the Ravenclaws and Hermione but it obviously didn't deter Mr Krum from laying hands on Miss Granger here. And the mail should have been redirected here and not to the castle. We need to look into what happened there."
"I can tell you what happened." Ironfist entered the infirmary looking grim. "Albus Dumbledore had his account manager go up the chain at Gringotts and using the excuse Harry was still his ward and under age had the mail redirect set back up. And using the reasoning all student mail must go through Hogwarts and its wards had Miss Granger's mail redirected to the castle as well."
"Wait, can he even do that? What about me? I'm his legal guardian," Sirius growled out.
"Apparently he brought forth some questions on your mental competence after spending so long in Azkaban in direct contact with the Dementors. It's not enough to raise legal issues but it was enough to put up the mail redirect. We are removing the mail redirect as we speak and setting up a meeting with Minister Fudge to push forward with the emancipation notice. Now why were there no guards in the Great Hall?"
An older goblin stepped forward, his battle axe blade nearly twice his size with only the blade gleaming. The rest was dark as was most of the handle except where it had been worn and moulded to his hands. This was no neophyte as most of the guards had been, this was a hardened warrior.
"Master Ironfirst, I will take that responsibility and the punishment that follows. I initially placed guards who were normally assigned to guard account managers when they had to travel outside Gringotts walls to interact with wizards. Those same guards complained the level of hostility Mr Potter and Miss Granger faced was not sufficient to warrant guards of their status and suggested using recent graduates of our training force for the task." The old goblin sighed. "Initially, I saw no problem in this. Our goblins are well trained to follow orders. But they thought that following two teenage wizards beneath them and left them alone in the classrooms and Great Hall, remaining outside the doors."
"It's the guards who will be punished as they cannot be trusted to do the job they were assigned." Ironfist turned to the goblin medic. "How are Miss Granger's hands?"
"The bubotuber pus was undiluted and contaminated the majority of Miss Granger's fingers and palms. While I have removed all the reactant there was significant damage to the nerves in her fingers. There will be scarring and some loss of sensation. We will not know how much until her hands heal over the next few days."
"Days?" Hermione sniffed. "How am I supposed to take notes? To brew potions or carve Runes? Solve my Arithmancy equations? I'll fall behind."
Harry moved to the bed and wrapped Hermione in his arms. "Hey, don't worry. If Skeeter can afford one of those Quik-Quill things then so can we. But this one will work like it's supposed to. And I'll help you with potions and Runes, I'm getting better, right?"
He looked so earnest, Hermione couldn't help but lean into him and smile. Her hands throbbed and the goblin medic gave her something for the pain that was making her sleepy. But they still had Care to get to.
"You're doing great in class, Harry, don't worry. But we need to hurry if we're going to make it to Hagrid's in time for our next class."
Sirius shook his head. "Sorry, Kitten. You're staying here for the rest of the day. You don't have to stay in the infirmary but you do have to stay in the Vault, at least until we get to the bottom of everything Dumbledore has messed with. We didn't think he would be able to override anything the goblins set up."
"What about me? I'm not leaving Hermione here alone when she's in pain."
"Pup, if we're going to the Ministry you're going to need to…"
Another goblin bowed his way into the infirmary, keeping his head low. "Pardon the interruption but HordeMaster Ragnok is here as is Dumbledore. Both insist on speaking to Mr Potter and Miss Granger as soon as possible."
Remus threw up his hands. "Wonderful. Just what we need, the Headmaster sticking his nose into things before we can file for emancipation."
"Be at ease, Friend. I don't believe Dumbledore considers emancipation a viable option for young Mr Potter here. Partly because that puts Miss Granger in a difficult position even with you as her Magical Guardian so to speak, Mr Black. Let us hear what he and HordeMaster Ragnok have to say." He glanced towards the two teens resting on the medical cot.
"Normally I would ask the two of you to change into formal robes, anything else could be considered an insult to the HordeMaster, but seeing as you are injured Miss Granger, I am hoping an exception will be made."
Harry helped Hermione to her feet and kept a steadying hand on her elbow as they moved towards the conference room set up in the Vault. Stationed at the head of the table was the largest goblin either teen had ever seen. He was wearing a neat, pinstriped suit that screamed high end fashion but his stance told them he was a warrior. Two guards stood back on either side of him while two more stood at the door.
At the far end of the table waited Professor Dumbledore who looked out of place with his long hair and beard, his robes a dazzling violet with moving clouds providing a distraction to the color.
Ironfist immediately bowed low to the Goblin, leading Harry, Hermione and the other adults to follow suit. "HordeMaster Ragnok this is an unexpected privilege you have granted us. Please excuse Mr Potter and Miss Granger, Miss Granger was recently the victim of a crime and as such was receiving medical treatment."
Dumbledore couldn't help himself. "Now, I hardly think I would call what happened to Miss Granger a crime. A misguided attempt to catch the attention of Mr Potter, perhaps, but an unfortunate accident surely."
"An unfortunate accident?" Harry growled. "The healer said there might be permanent damage to her hands! This whole tournament of yours has been one disaster after another! Dragons?! And me having to compete with legal adults -"
"Now, Harry…"
"Mr Potter, perhaps you can tell me about your participation in the tournament and Gringotts assistance to you and your companion?" Ragnok interrupted the aged wizard with a frown. "I have heard from you account manager but I wish to hear it from…'the horse's mouth' as I believe you humans say."
Harry nodded. "I'm honestly not sure who suggested the Goblins, it could have been my godfather, uncle or even Hermione but everyone was worried because the Headmaster said I MUST compete but couldn't have any outside help, even though I know the others are being trained by their heads of house. They worried not just because it was me, but also because I'm the last of the Potters. If I died, there was nothing in place to take care of the finances left from my parents."
"Now, Harry, I hardly think you have to worry about dying in a school tournament," Dumbledore interjected.
"Dragons," Harry snapped back.
The HordeMaster turned hard grey eyes toward the aged wizard. "Headmaster Dumbledore, you were permitted here as a courtesy and already I can see you providing little to no vital assistance in this matter. We spoke in your office and should we need additional information, we will stop before we depart. You may leave now."
If Harry could take a picture to savor the look on Dumbledore's face at being blatantly dismissed he would make copies and distribute them to everyone he knew, it was just that good. Better than him sucking on the sourest lemon drop. However, the headmaster wasn't going to let himself be dismissed from his own school grounds so easily and not by a goblin, no matter how high ranking that goblin may be.
"HordeMaster Ragnok, I may understand your position with the goblins here assisting young Mr Potter but I am still Headmaster of this school and both Mr Potter and Miss Granger are students under my authority. This is nothing more than some overly enthusiastic fans of Mr Potter who wish to make sure he is not being manipulated during his time here. While I can't say that I approve of their methods, no crime has taken place here."
"In the muggle world this would be considered assault or even terrorism since we can't trace who sent the mail and can't be sure that I would be the one opening it. An acidic substance that is potentially fatal was mailed to a minor and you're telling me there are no laws against this?' Hermione spoke up.
"It's not that there are no laws against it, Hermione," Sirius wiped his hand over his face, "It's that you being muggleborn makes it so those laws no longer apply to you."
A crack shifted everyone's eyes to Harry. He was gripping the edge of the table so tightly he'd cracked it. Hermione moved her heavily bandaged hand so it covered his and he let out his breath in a whoosh. "I'm sorry, Mi, it just pisses me off that because your parents are Muggle dentists, wizards think they have the right to treat you however they want. You're probably smarter than the lot of them."
"Miss Granger, please allow our Goblin healers to take care of your treatment at no cost to you or Mr Potter. The idea that strangers would intentionally injure a child is abhorrent to a Goblin and we will do everything we can to trace the source of the letter. We have all of the hate mail gathered together from this incident as well as the previous one and have already made several matches showing the same witches and wizards were behind both incidents."
Harry sighed. "Thank you, HordeMaster Ragnok, please don't think I don't appreciate everything the Goblins are doing, it's just I can't get over how no one cares because Mi is muggleborn."
Dumbledore spread his hands wide. "Perhaps if you and Miss Granger returned to the dorms and attended all of you regularly scheduled classes then the other students and our foreign friends would have more incentive to interact with the both of you and it would nip some of these rumours in the butt, so to speak."
"Not going to happen, old man. Hermione was practically assaulted in the library. Malfoy can hardly wait until we come into the Great Hall before he rushes over with his henchmen and toady to start his bizarre courtship ritual with me, no matter how many times I tell him I'm not interested, Snape looks for any reason to take points off of the two of us since we aren't in his class. I think I lost 20 points for my shoes not being 'shined to the point of reflecting his face'. Like I want to see the greasy git's face in my shoes. You're lucky we take the classes we do since the tutors we have here can cover everything we need," Harry snapped back.
"Now, see here young man, you are still enrolled in Hogwarts -"
"Am I? According to the Goblet of Fire and its 'binding magical contract' I'm a member of a fourth unnamed school."
"Be that as it may, you are enrolled at Hogwarts and Miss Granger is certainly enrolled as a student -"
"A student you have allowed to be assaulted in the Great Hall in front of witnesses. While your people may not consider this a crime due to Miss Granger's blood status, Gringotts certainly does and will take action against the perpetrators. Do you have anything else to add, Mr Dumbledore?"
The headmaster huffed as he rose and headed for the door but he was not leaving without Ragnok, he wasn't leaving Mr Potter and Miss Granger alone with the leader of the Goblins for any amount of time.
Harry and Hermione both rose along with Ragnok and Ironfist. The latter handed the HordeMaster a stack of paper and spoke quietly. "HordeMaster, we intended to file these letters of emancipation with the Ministry today for Mr Potter. As the tournament states only of age witches and wizards may participate, we are taking the stance this emancipates Mr Potter and gives him legal access to his full inheritance."
Ragnok nodded. "We shall file this with the Ministry. "By having us file these, the paperwork will be pushed through without a second glance and by the time the old meddler finds out that our Mr Potter is emancipated and in charge of his own destiny, it will be too late to file a Wizengamot motion against it. I take it you have plans to protect Miss Granger as well?"
Ironfist nodded.
Harry frowned slightly as they thanked the Goblin leader and watched as the group left the Vault. The next two weeks would now be packed full of dance lessons, homework, extra lessons on deportment and etiquette and hopefully some fun with their friends without people threatening them with bodily harm.
Harry turned out to be half right. The Daily Prophet continued to run 'exclusives' with his supposed close friends detailing his new relationship with Hermione and how the staff should be concerned with all the time they were spending together. A cease and desist order was promptly sent to the Prophet along with proof showing Harry wasn't under any love or loyalty potions.
Exams approached and with them came Hermione's usual frantic study schedules. Harry was technically exempt from everything - and Hermione by writ of the Goblins - as his trainer and researcher was permitted the same privileges, but she would never slack off and so neither could Harry. But this time Harry was able to reign her in a bit, focusing her frantic energy on other areas they needed to learn. Harry enjoyed meditating, it kept the bursts of anger and rage that ran through him at odd times at bay and centered his magic. And it was easiest to meditate for him when Hermione was meditating. He could feel her manic energy calm, along with her magic and it, in turn, calmed him. Even their hair was more settled at the end of a meditation session.
Snow fell heavily the days leading up to the Yule ball and by the time Friday, December 23 rolled around the Hogwarts courtyard was transformed into a battlefield. With the help of magic, two fortified walls were erected, one with a small tower, the other a working drawbridge, allowing for epic snowball battles to take place. Slytherin and Ravenclaw teamed up while Hufflepuff and Gryffindor took to the other side.
The Weasley twins declared open war on both sides by aerial assault and an old battlement wall was repurposed with snow and magic to be a tall white tower overseeing the battle field with one twin bombing from above while the other manned a slingshot below.
Harry and Hermione joined in the festivities though they didn't declare themselves a part of Gryffindor fully as they joined the Weasley twins and expanded their hightower wall and allowed any of the first and second years considered too small or clumsy by the rest of their house to join them. Were they covered in snow? Yes. But it was some of the most fun Harry could remember having at Hogwarts. He even managed to summon his broom for a final assault, Hermione enchanting a line of snowballs to follow Harry almost like a machine gun magazine, allowing him to keep pelting the enemy as he dive bombed them from above.
Hermione's hands healed from the bubotuber pus but remained heavily scarred. She'd lost some mobility in her fingers as well as sensitivity in the tips. She was most worried about brewing potions where a steady hand was vital, but the Goblin healer wasn't overly concerned. She was doing therapy on them daily with little balls she squeezed and flexed her fingers with while she read and studied.
Right now, Harry was a mess. At least on the inside. Remus and Sirius had collected him from the snowball fight and tossed him into the shower in Sirius' room. Andi had apparently taken over his and Hermione's room and he was banned from it until it was time to leave. Harry had showered, shaved (what peach fuzz he had), been clipped, polished, perfumed and stuffed into his dress robes all while Remus and Sirius clucked like hens and acted like he wasn't there.
At last he was able to look into a mirror.
"What do you think, Pup? Think Hermione will be impressed?"
Turning with a sigh, Harry finally caught a glimpse of himself and his mouth fell open. He never gave much thought to what he looked like. Sure, people were always telling him he looked just like his dad but with his mum's eyes but even with pictures it didn't mean much to him. He was skinny, scarred, and weak…a freak like he'd been all his life. Now, looking back at him was a teenager who stood tall (well tall-ish) and straight backed. He had some muscle definition from eating well and all the training he was doing for the tournament. Remus managed to keep most of his hair slicked back into a tail but his fringe still covered his scar.
"Not bad, old man, not bad."
"Who are you calling old!" Sirius barked out about to give Harry a noogie.
"Don't touch the hair!" Remus cried. "Do you have any idea what I had to do to get it to lay flat?!"
Harry laughed, escaping to the main common room and hopefully his date. Andi stepped out first and gave Harry a once over.
"Very nice, Mr Potter. You clean up well. Now, remember your manners, there will be representatives from the Ministry there. Most will be bored out of their minds and there just to be there, but still… impressions matter. Dobby will be popping you and Hermione into the main hall and will be guarding you tonight along with Noggin, my elf. The Ministry will not allow Goblins inside during the ball."
The door cracked open behind Andi and Hermione stepped out. She looked a bit unsure of herself but when she saw Harry's gobsmacked expression, she burst out laughing.
Harry was stunned. Sure, he saw Hermione everyday and he was well aware she was, in fact, a girl. But she was Hermione, she was safe, she was just a part of him. Well, now she was…
"Wow, Hermione. I mean - just - wow."
Her dress robes were made of some sort of floaty midnight blue silk while the underside was a pale blue. The floaty pieces attached at her shoulders were the same sheer pale blue. Her hair was tamed into soft curls, the majority hanging down her back while the front pieces were pulled up into a crown of ringlets at the top of her head. She was wearing something shimmery on her face.
"So, I won't embarrass the Great Harry Potter?"
"Nuh uh. I might embarrass you though. Seriously, you look fantastic."
"As do you, kind sir. I hate to spoil the mood, but between the snowball warfare and getting ready, I'm starving. Ready to show off for the schools?"
Harry bent his elbow and smiled. "Absolutely. To the spiked punch! Dobby!"
The excited little elf popped in along with another Harry guessed was Noggin and they were off to the ball.
