Chapter Note: This chapter is dedicated to Wishfull-star, who suggested what action Gringotts should take against Dumbledore. Kudos for a great idea! Thanks as well to Ace Trainer Jessie who reminded me about Lucius' likely need for retribution.

Chapter 5 – The Bigger They Are

Albus Dumbledore Arrested!

By: Rita Skeeter

My dear readers, we here at The Daily Prophet are shocked to inform you that Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was caught yesterday by Aurors Kingsley Shacklebolt and David Grimsby whilst attempting to plunder the home belonging to our savior Hera Cullen. The very same wizard, who many have once looked to as a leader during our darkest moments, became trapped on Ms. Cullen's property when one of the wards recorded the breach and activated. This ward, which is commonly used by goblins to catch would-be bandits, disallows the culprit to flee by any known wizarding means of travel until it is reset.

What, you may ask, was so important to the aged headmaster as to warrant the risk of being caught in the midst of his crimes? According to Auror Grimsby a search of the bag, which contained what Albus Dumbledore claimed to be his own possessions left in alchemist Nicolas Flamel's keep years before, revealed not only the deceased wizard's famed sorcerer's stone, but Flamel's personal work journals as well as books from his own private library! Should anyone else be tempted to try their hand at robbing Ms. Cullen, I should warn you that her inherited residence has since been placed under much heavier wards as a result of this incident.

Any outrage I have previously expressed in regards to this once beloved man of our community's illicit affairs pales in comparison to the disgust I'm now feeling. I also feel the need to pose this question to you once more, dear readers: Why does this liar and thief, who has such a blatant disregard for the rights of the citizens he has sworn to protect, have such a high-ranking position in both our government and our school? What is it going to take for the Ministry for Magic to remove the obvious threat from within its walls?

How many more crimes must the head of our Wizengamot commit before he's asked to turn in his official robes?

Albus Dumbledore screamed in rage before tossing his copy of the wizarding newspaper into the fire. That insipid little reporter had finally gotten her wish. Not five minutes had passed after the paper was delivered when he received an official notice from both the Wizengamot and the International Confederation of Wizards politely telling him he was dismissed from their coveted ranks.

He took a seat behind his desk and slouched down with his head in his hands. It had taken him calling in nearly every favor owed in order to keep his position as Headmaster of Hogwarts. Thankfully, he still had enough ministry backing to escape a prison sentence. All it had taken was professing his guilt in front of a sympathetic audience and appearing suitably chastised. He had played his part of woeful grandfather and begged his peers for forgiveness, and it had worked… he had escaped with nothing more than a fine. The amount was substantial, but nothing a wealthy man such as himself couldn't afford. As soon as he paid his bill it would be as if none of this mess had ever happened. At first Albus had been smug, thinking he had successfully thumbed his nose at Hera Cullen and her annoying family. Unfortunately that feeling was short lived when he realized how much this accursed endeavor had cost him.

Could this day get any worse?

No sooner had that thought crossed Albus' mind than an official Gringotts Owl flew into his office and stuck his leg out. Freeing the messenger bird of his burden, the headmaster read the missive and felt himself grow pale.

Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore:

We here at Gringotts Bank hereby regret to inform you that due to your confessed crimes against one of the valued citizens of the Goblin Nation, you have been judged to be in violation of the signed treaty between our two races. As is our right, outlined in the agreement signed by yourself in blood upon the opening of your account with this esteemed institute, we have subsequently seized control of your vaults as well as any investments in which we goblins hold via proxy.

You need also be aware that, due to your misdeeds, you are forthwith permanently banned from reentering goblin soil. Any attempt to circumvent this decree, having been passed down directly from His Majesty King Battlescream, will be considered an act of war upon our nation and shall be suitably addressed.

Sincerely,

Ragnok

Director of Gringotts Bank

London Branch

Albus Dumbledore stared vacantly into the distance as the Gringotts notice slipped from slackened fingers and fluttered to the floor.

Emmett was coming from his and Rosalie's room when he saw something that gave him pause. Hera's door was wide open and his sister was sound asleep at her desk, head laying against the runic magics assignment on which she had been so diligently working since arriving home from Ardaigh. He sighed sadly and went to settle her into her bed. Ever since Edward had hired a private instructor to give Hera extra lessons the girl had been working herself into the ground. Determined to prove to her family that she could handle the extra work load, the phoenix had taken to pretending that nothing had changed.

He cleared the clutter from the purple bedding and pulled the covers back before gently picking the child up. Thankfully she had already been dressed in her night gown after having her bath. Emmett smiled fondly at the ink stains on her face from where she had rested it against the wet parchment. As soon as he tucked his baby sister in, he kissed her forehead and turned the light off.

"Guys we have to do something," the large vampire said as he entered the living room where the family was congregated. "Hera's working herself to the bone. She doesn't even take time to play and be a kid any longer."

Edward sighed and cast a worried glance up to his mate's room. "I know. I promised to let her keep the lessons as long as her grades didn't suffer, but I didn't know she would exhaust herself in the process. What do I do, Carlisle? She's keeping her end of the bargain; Hera has the highest marks in her year."

Carlisle listened to the family's concerns about his youngest daughter. "Well, there's only three more weeks before she's on summer break for both schools. I suppose you could ask her if she wants to put her Krav Maga and weapons training on hold until then so she could focus on her end of term exams with less stress."

Esme kissed her husband on the cheek. "That's a wonderful idea, darling! Once school is out, she can focus on the other lessons without having to worry about homework and testing."

"But what if she doesn't want to," asked Alice. "She relishes Krav Maga, and now that Jedidiah has her working with daggers she's beyond thrilled. I have to say," she added, "Hera seems to be incredibly gifted with daggers. Between that and her groin kick, I almost feel sorry for anyone who messes with her."

Carlisle frowned as his children laughed. "That's not funny. She could have really hurt that boy in the bank." He sighed. "I would have grounded her for that, but at this point what luxuries could I take away from her? She already doesn't have time for television or play."

Jasper snorted. "The kid was asking for it, Carlisle. I almost wish I had been there to see her kick him. I think the stern lecture you gave her about using her training responsibly was enough."

True to Carlisle's word, they allowed Hera make the final decision on whether or not to put her training on hold because, as per hers and Edward's agreement, she hadn't once sacrificed her education. In the end Hera decided to stick with both Jedidiah's lessons and schooling. And even though her family had half expected the stubborn girl to come to this decision, they were still disappointed.

Lucius Malfoy was beyond irate. It seems that little half-breed throwaway, Hera Cullen, had decided to team up with her repugnant twin and assault his heir whilst he was busy inside one of the Malfoy vaults. He had emerged to see his son on the floor, writhing in pain as the disgusting goblin vermin chuckled. Humiliation wasn't a strong enough word for what the Malfoy family had endured that day.

He had immediately taken Draco to the finest healer where he was patched up with a warning that had the injury occurred during or after puberty, he could have suffered fertility problems as a result. That had shocked both father and son because nothing was more important than heritage to a Malfoy. Their family was notorious for being as proud as the albino peacocks that strutted around the grounds. Of course, being incredibly wealthy gave them much to crow about, so to speak.

The Death Eater finished off his glass of scotch as he plotted the downfall of the Cullen freak. Just as he had begun penning a letter to his solicitor containing orders to sue the chit for everything she and her family had, an owl bearing the latest edition of The Daily Prophet landed on his desk. He paused in his task and focused instead on the newspaper.

Dumbledore Bankrupt!

By: Rita Skeeter

Finally, my dear readers, we have justice on behalf of our savior! I, like many of you, was outraged as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore managed to once again slip through the cracks of our judicial system. After confessing to his crime in front of a full hearing, he received nothing more than a hefty fine for this latest audacity! It seemed to me, as I watched him walk out of that courtroom a free man, that anyone in a position of power could rob us poor hardworking wizards and witches blind with little or no repercussions to fear. I can't help but ask myself, "Where's our champion?"

However, it seems that goblins are not afraid to take care of their own and have subsequently hit Headmaster Dumbledore where it hurts the most… his wallet. Word has it that the once famed Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has had his vast fortune confiscated in a bold move by Gringotts. Albus Dumbledore had forgotten, in his bid to get his hands on Hera Cullen's possessions, that the beloved phoenix is now a member of the goblin nation.

And because Ms. Cullen is protected by goblin laws as one of their citizens, Gringotts was allowed to blacklist the headmaster for his crimes against her as well as seize control of his vaults and investments. All of this occurred the very same day as my last article pleading for righteousness on behalf of our savior. The day that, I'm pleased to say, Albus Dumbledore was dismissed from his duties as both Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. It seems that the goblins need no prodding from outside sources when it comes to standing up for the rights of their people.

Why do we?

Lucius Malfoy stared at the article with a shocked countenance. Though he was gleeful about the aged headmaster's sudden bout of bad luck, the prospect of the same happening to him caused the lord to ball up his half-written letter and toss it in the rubbish bin. He had forgotten the girl was protected under goblin laws, and he knew from experience that angering goblins always came with consequences. He had no intentions of experiencing his on proverbial kick to the testicles from pursuing retribution.

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