With the joys of Christmas smothering their minds, Alexander and Hermione had forgotten about their intentions on going to Gringotts to ask about the tournament that Arthur had alluded to during their meeting. It was a new year, the couple and their family having watched the fireworks of 2004 being rung in from the joined backyards together the previous night, and the teens were walking hand in hand down the cobblestones of Diagon Alley, they hands moving as they walked, melting the ice and snow in their paths.
"Why do I get the feeling that this tournament will be bad for us Mia?" Alex said as they walked.
"Alex, honestly, when does anything happened around us of that magnitude that is good for us?" Hermione responded.
"Alex my love?"
The brunette blushed, "Well, we're getting older, and Lex is a child-like name. Besides, everyone else already calls you it."
Wrapping his arm tighter around her waist, the wizard grinned, "I was just joking with you Mia, you can call me anything you like."
Shaking her head, dislodging some snowflakes, Hermione laughed along with him, "Cheeky sod."
As they walked, they watched people rushing about, slipping on the icy stones, and saw a few of their friends from school having great fun skating along with ease. Waving at them as they passed, the couple carefully walked up the steps to the bank, nodding their heads in respect to the guards out front. Shaking out their respective manes of hair, the demigods tied them back into ponytails before continuing into the building; smiling at the goblins and people they passed by.
"Ah, my favourite humans," Bogrod declared from his teller as they approached.
After bowing to him and shaking his hand, Alex asked, "How many other humans do you like my friend?"
"You have me there, come, let's talk," the trio left the foyer and made for the goblin's office, "You've made me a very busy goblin indeed since August. Chief Ragnok has personally come to the bank in hopes of meeting you both, an impressive feat."
"As long as you are not overrun with the work Bogrod, that is all that matters to us, your work is always perfect," Hermione said with passion.
Sitting in his chair, Bogrod smiled at them both, "There is no such thing as too much work for a goblin, just so long as we get paid, and I'm getting paid, as are the others who are assisting me in running your accounts smoothly. You've made a pretty galleon since that first visit."
"We trust you to do what you do second best, we're getting your main best thumped into us every Sunday by Grunhot and Thurhot," Alex joked lightly, "Now, we have an issue to bring up that we hope you can help us with."
"What would that be?"
"Start of November we went and congratulated Minister Weasley on his new position, and when we were there he was very frustrated about the idiot who he replaced," Hermione smiled at the sneer on the goblin's face, "And let slip something about a tournament coming up that he couldn't prevent. When we pressed him for more information, which we will no doubt need, he said that we should ask someone from Gringotts and was sorry he couldn't say anything more. Do you happen to know what the hell he was talking about?"
Bogrod sighed, "Yes, I'm afraid that I do. The tournament that he was referring to is the TriWizard Tournament that has been restarted and will be happening during the next schooling term."
The teens' minds were shooting through their memories, knowing that they'd read about that tournament before, "TriWizard Tournament, between Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang; there has been at least one death through each competition. They're bringing that back? Are they insane? Who in their right minds would want to subject students to that?"
"Cornelius Fudge; the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Bartemius Crouch Snr; and the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman; as well as their opposites in France and Bulgaria. It was decided to happen at Hogwarts, as the other two schools are paranoid about keeping their location secret from everyone else," Bogrod then sneered darkly, "We were brought in to make a clue that links the first and second tasks."
It took many deep breaths to calm the demigods down, "Okay, thank you for answering our questions Bogrod. There is no doubt in our minds that we will be here at some stage later in this year, asking for more information."
"Which I will freely give," the goblin rose, "Before you leave, I was not joking about Chief Ragnok wishing your presence."
They'd honestly thought he had been, why would the leader of the goblin race want to meet with them? It would be like meeting the Queen of England and the President of the United States, "O-okay."
In silence they followed their friend as he led them through hallways, smiling politely to goblins who had passed on as they walked by their portraits. They reached a large wooden door that Bogrod knocked on once before walking in. As soon as they were inside, the teens and Bogrod were bowing lowly towards the desk and goblin who sat behind it. A youthful voice spoke, "You may rise, thank you brother Bogrod."
Shaking the goblins hand as he left, the teens walked forward, towards the desk. Sitting there was a goblin much younger than Bogrod, but with many magical races, trying to pinpoint his true age by appearances would be a useless endeavour, "Chief Ragnok, it is an honour to be in your presence."
"It is I who is honoured, son of Zeus and daughter of Poseidon," Ragnok said clearly, "It is a rare occasion that a human, even though demigods, impresses me with their actions. Have a seat."
The teens really were shocked at hearing that, "We, we were simply being polite to a race who has done more than enough to deserve it, even if you were to only take in our encounters as evidence. It wasn't anything special."
"But to us it is. Humans treat us with a limited amount of respect simply because we control their money, it is a respect borne of fear, not camaraderie. You have gained the respect of Bogrod, Grunhot, and Thurhot with friendship, and with that you have reminded my brothers and sisters that we are capable of being friends with humans," still seeing the belief that it was no big deal in the teens' eyes, Ragnok asked, "If Bogrod was insulted by a human in your presence, what would you do?"
The fire that flashed through their eyes spoke more than the words, "We would defend our friend."
The goblin smiled and nodded, "See; that is something that no human for a long while has said or shown. There are those who treat us as they would other humans, but the respect is still out of fear. The fact that you call Bogrod a friend in front of the customers in the foyer and have no worries that they will react badly against you speaks more than anything."
"Chief Ragnok, we understand what you are saying, and it is infuriating that people would treat a race as powerful, loyal and caring as goblin the way you are treated sickens us, but honestly, it is no hardship for us to acknowledge anyone, goblin, human, centaur, whoever as a friend. If someone were to find it a problem, well then they can take it up with us and be proven that it is none of their damned business."
"Which is why I've chosen to present you with these," passing over two boxes, "They are a token from the goblin nation to deem you both under our protection and that you are our friends and brother and sister-in-arms."
Opening the boxes, the teens found a platinum cuff, it was etched with runes and script that they couldn't understand, "Wow, this is amazing."
"A word of warning before you put it on," Ragnok said, watching them intently, "If you are true at heart, the cuff will merge with your bodies, it will become a marking on your skin."
Despite knowing they would need to explain it carefully, neither teen had a problem with it, and carefully placed their cuffs on their left upper arm, just below their shoulders. The metal began to heat up, turning nearly unbearable, before cooling and the tightness was gone. Lifting their shirts, they smiled at the dark tattoos that were now there. It was a tribal like design, mixing Celtic bands with the same symbols that had been etched into the metal. It was in their bodies that the big events were happening, feeling the strength and bravery that made a goblin warrior, the connection to their new brethren.
"Chief Ragnok, we cannot thank you enough for your trust in us, we will not misplace it or disappoint you," Hermione said, extending her hand to the goblin, Alex's right by hers.
"Sister Hermione, Brother Alexander, you are a part of the goblin nation, you will not disappoint. Let me walk you out."
The trio walked together, making small talk about the various things that the teens were going through in training. But as soon as they stepped foot into the foyer, everything stopped. Every goblin was looking at the teens, and as one, hopped down from their tellers, drew their varying weapons, and went to one knee, their weapons pointing up in front of their bowed heads. They felt inside of them they were to do the same, so did, not caring that there were humans around.
When Ragnok hit the marble with his own sword butt, everyone rose and went back to work, the teens breathless but running late, "May your blade forever be sharp."
"And your gold always flow," the leader replied, watching in fascination as the pair left in a rush.
As soon as they returned home, everyone knew something had happened, but it wasn't until Amelia spotted the tattoo that they truly knew. The magical adults had to explain to the freaking out Muggles that it was a sign that they were part of the goblin nation, that they hadn't gone out and had it done to themselves, and Wade and Kelly settled slightly. The teens got another shock when they changed forms after dinner; the spot where their tattoos were was now also white on their animals. Definitely an odd start to the year.