Mourning Dawn (A Prelude to The Wand of Elder)

"Goblins?" asked Ron in bleary impatience. "Do we have to sit here now and talk about those little gits?"

"I'm afraid that we do, Ron," said Bill seriously. "The ministry was approached yesterday evening by goblins from Gringotts, including our friend Griphook. It seems the goblins have a few complaints about you four."

"They're angry about us breaking in?" asked Harry. "Well, that would be easy enough to explain now."

"No, it can't only be the break-in," offered Hermione. "Voldemort was no friend to magical creatures. I am sure that they are happy he's gone. Plus, Neville had nothing to do with that."

"You are correct," said Kingsley. "Perhaps it would be helpful if I fill you in on what Neville and I had discussed earlier today."

Neville sat up straighter. "You mean...they asked about the sword?"

A feeling of dread settled in the pit of Harry's stomach. He glanced at Ron and Hermione and they also bore looks of dawning apprehension.

"Yes," said Kingsley. "Their complaints about the break-in to the Lestrange vault were perfunctory to say the least, especially since a Gringotts goblin assisted you. As Hermione has correctly noted, they understand that it was tied to the defeat of Voldemort, though I would guess that they do not know that it was a Horcrux they were keeping. Also, they have stated that the basis for their claim to the sword resulted from the break-in. Therefore, we need to know exactly what happened."

Harry's dread deepened. He suspected that his agreement with Griphook concerning the Sword of Gryffindor was about to come back to bite him.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and said, "We spoke with Neville at length about the sword this morning because we needed to be certain exactly how it come to be in his hands. We needed to know how it presented itself to him. Why don't you explain that, Neville, for the others?"

Neville shrugged his shoulders. "It's pretty simple, really. Harry had told me to try to kill the snake no matter what. I tried to cast a spell at it when Voldemort was out front of the school gloating over his 'victory.' Voldemort disarmed me, and bound me with a spell, and then started to gloat some more. While I was held, I was trying to figure out how to get to the snake...because Harry said it was important."

Neville paused for a moment. A look of raw determination came across his visage as he remembered that desperate moment. He looked as fierce as he had looked when he struck off the head of Nagini.

Harry marveled again at the change in his friend. Since he had entered the Headmistress' study with Didact, Neville had remained unobtrusive. Yet Harry could see that the unobtrusiveness was now a type of confident reserve as opposed to the timidity which had characterized Neville's adolescence.

Harry foresaw Neville's future. Harry was sure that his friend would not seek involvement in great events or roles of leadership, but that these things would be thrust upon him. Dumbledore had said something about that - something about greatness. Harry felt sure that Neville would be equal to any tasks set before him.

Neville's self-effacing manner returned as he continued his story. "Then Voldemort put the sorting hat on me and it burst into flame. It hurt terribly and I was sure I was a goner. All I could think about was getting to that snake before I passed out or was killed, because it burned so terribly."

Neville grimaced in recollection of the pain. Hermione had put a hand to her mouth as she heard the tale. Ron looked very impressed.

"I remember asking the sorting hat for help, continued Neville. "I didn't say it out loud. I said it, you know, in my mind. 'I need to get that Snake!' I thought. 'Please help me!' Something like that.

"Then, all of a sudden, the spell holding me just broke! At the same time, something heavy hit me on the head. The sorting hat said, 'Try this! It should work.'"

Neville shrugged and smiled. "It was the sword. It worked."

"Your effing right it did!" barked Ron with a laugh. Professor McGonagall looked at him sharply and Ron instantly wiped the grin off of his face.

"I didn't know it was a Horcrux, though," Neville muttered with a smile, shaking his head. "What would Gran say about that, I wonder."

Harry was also impressed. It sounded a lot like what had happened to him in his fight with the Basilisk back in Second Year.

"That is really amazing, Neville. I can't imagine how you could have done it. You were so brave," said Hermione proudly, beaming at the formerly hopeless boy who she had tried to help so often in Potions class. Then she turned her attention back to Professor McGonagall, trying to sound as innocent as she could. "But, Professor, what do the goblins have to do with it?"

"Well, Hermione, we were hoping you three could tell us," said the Professor severely, not believing Hermione's innocent tone. "Last night, the goblins requested that you, Neville, Harry and Ron be taken into custody for theft!"

"Theft!" objected the four students in unison.

"Theft," confirmed Kingsley heavily. "After the goblins told me their version of events, however, I convinced them that this was not a criminal matter, but a private dispute. They agreed readily enough, but that leads us into other problems."

The group sat in silence for several minutes as the implications of such a charge, from goblins no less, sank in.

"Harry, I know that you made a deal with Griphook," said Bill. "Obviously it was to assist in getting into the Lestrange vault. Did you offer to give him the sword in exchange for his aid?"

Harry took a deep breath. "Yes, I did."

Harry had expected a storm of protest and indignation from those across the Headmistress' desk. It did not come. Instead, they just looked at him with looks of pity and...was it fear?

"Oh, Harry," said Professor McGonagall sadly. "That is very, very bad."

"Well, I had some pretty important reasons for doing it, you know," said Harry defensively.

"We know you did, Son," said Kingsley, and the mournful sound of his deep voice was more damning than any angry accusation could be. "But I think you do not understand the repercussions of what you did."

Harry was confused. "But we got the sword back," he protested, looking to each of them. "And we didn't steal it. Neville couldn't help that it appeared to him. That's what it does."

Professor McGonagall exhaled heavily. "That is the problem, Harry. That is exactly the problem."

"I don't understand," said Hermione, looking cross at the cryptic answers they were receiving.

Kingsley appeared very weary. "Let me ask you this, Ron and Hermione. Did either of you offer the sword? I mean, did either of you actually speak words to Griphook agreeing to give him the sword?"

"Harry did the talking, I think," said Ron. He looked worried.

"You were right there with me!" exclaimed Harry.

"We all discussed it with each other," said Hermione thoughtfully. "We all agreed amongst ourselves to do it. But Ron's right, Harry. You actually made the deal and spoke the words."

"Big difference," said Harry grumpily, feeling abandoned. Ron and Hermione looked at him apologetically.

"It is, actually," said Bill. "That is actually helpful."

Kingsley nodded in agreement with Bill. "Based on this information, I think it will be possible to get Hermione and Ron off the hook, so to speak. And the goblins all but acknowledged that Neville is blameless for anything other than being a Gryffindor," said the Minister.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," said Harry sarcastically. "Do you think that you could explain what the bloody hell is going on, so I can understand exactly what it is that I am on the hook for."

Kingsley and Professor McGonagall looked at Bill.

Bill took a deep breath. "Harry, do you remember at Shell Cottage when I explained that goblins view ownership differently than wizards? Do you remember when I explained that goblins view purchases of goblin-made objects as more like renting, and that passing objects from wizard to wizard is little more than theft?"

Harry nodded.

"Well that was a bit of a simplification, and I will try to explain it thoroughly now. When wizards purchase something, we view it as complete ownership. That is, we view it as being capable of resale, gifting, passing down to heirs, and so on. Goblins view such practices as immoral and wrong because they think true ownership always remains with the maker of an object.

"When wizards pass objects to each other, goblins don't think of it as exactly equivalent to theft. They think of it more like a tenant who rents a house and stops paying rent. The tenant is not technically a thief, but they are certainly a deadbeat, and the landlord should be entitled to some sort of compensation. Yet goblins understand the difference in viewpoint between wizards and themselves, and wizards are the goblins' biggest customers. So they tolerate our practices, while grumbling and feeling constantly slighted. Is that more clear?"

It wasn't, really, but Harry nodded anyway.

"Now I am sure that you have heard the stories of how you should never cheat a goblin. Goblins can be very...intense...about collecting what they view as their due..."

"Violent, you mean," interrupted Ron with a snort.

Bill gave Ron an annoyed look, but nodded. "Yes. So if you make a contract with a Goblin and renege on it, you are setting yourself up for misery. And traditionally in Goblin culture, not only you, but anyone in your family, clan, tribe, etc., could also be held accountable for your breach of the agreement. The extension of this 'clan' liability was made in proportion to the value of the agreement. For example, a few centuries ago, if you owed a goblin five galleons, they would come after only you. If you owed them one hundred galleons they might come after you and your immediate family. If you owed them a hundred thousand galleons, they might come after your whole city.

"Now, of course, since the Goblin Rebellions were put down, wizards have put a stop to such practices. But you have to remember that goblins have never accepted this deviation from their traditional culture, except to the minimum extent necessary to co-exist with us. And even so, we have still given goblins certain...latitude in collecting their debts."

"That's why they still have a violent reputation," offered Neville. "My cousin got roughed up pretty good because he owed some goblins money for furniture that he sold for them. The Ministry didn't do anything to protect him, and didn't go after the goblins. His right shoulder still hurts when it rains. Gran said that it serves him right for being stupid enough to try and cheat them."

"But I fulfilled the agreement, Bill," said Harry desperately, wishing Neville could have kept his wayward cousin's misfortunes private. "Griphook took the sword. He got it like we agreed."

"Yeah," said Ron angrily. "The little git took it and ran out on us when we were trying to escape the Lestrange vault."

Bill shook his head. "You still don't understand, Harry. You didn't fulfill the agreement from a goblin point of view. Griphook got the sword, but the sword presented itself to Neville, another Gryffindor, almost immediately."

"Oh my God!" whispered Hermione. She had caught on to something quicker than Harry, as usual.

"But that's not my fault," said Harry. "That was Godric Gryffindor. I can't help that!"

"Harry, you have to look at it from a goblin's point of view," said Bill patiently. "You're right that you could not help the sword going to another Gryffindor. That, in fact, was how the Minister convinced Griphook that this was not a criminal matter. But you have to think of things from the point of view of goblin ownership and goblin contracts, and from a point of view of 'clan' liability. You have to understand that this is about more than just your debt to Griphook."

"Okay..." said Harry slowly, still confused.

"Uh oh," said Ron softly, and Harry was surprised that Ron was catching on quicker, too. Harry looked at Neville and felt better. Neville seemed as lost as Harry.

Bill continued. "The sword is priceless, Harry. It is ancient and absolutely priceless. I doubt there are enough Galleons in Britain that would make Griphook part with it. Furthermore, because of the way the sword can present itself to any Gryffindor, it belongs to any and all Gryffindors. From a goblin point of view, it is in the control of any Gryffindor holding it and it is subject to that Gryffindor's authority. But it also is the responsibility of all Gryffindors since it can so easily pass from Gryffindor to Gryffindor in time of need. With the magic that was embedded in the sword by Godric Gryffindor, the sword cannot be given to the goblins permanently since it will eventually present itself to another Gryffindor. Is all that clear, Harry?"

"Yes..." said Harry slowly, starting to understand, fear gathering with the dread in the pit of his stomach.

Bill looked mournful again as he dropped the hammer. "So, first and foremost, because of the magic in the sword, you cannot effectively turn control of the sword over to a goblin. Therefore you have made an agreement with a goblin that you cannot fulfill.

"Second, from a goblin point of view, you had authority to give the sword because you are a Gryffindor.

"Third, all Gryffindors, and perhaps all wizards in Britain, are liable for an agreement which features an object of such priceless value."

"Oh my God!" said Harry, realization dawning.

"Yes," said Bill heavily. "And you all must understand the ramifications of this from a goblin point of view. For an object so incredibly priceless, they will stop at nothing to possess it now that they have what they consider a legal basis for its possession. Furthermore, from a goblin point of view, an object so priceless would make it worth reverting to their traditional practice of 'clan' liability. Since the sword is priceless, if they attack the 'clan' of Gryffindors, the 'clan' must suffer in proportion to the value of the agreement. Finally, the destruction of all Gryffindors has the added bonus of actually fulfilling the agreement. That is, if all Gryffindors are dead, then there would be nobody else to whom the sword could present itself. The sword would then be truly theirs."

Harry's mouth fell open.

"But that could mean...that would mean another Goblin Rebellion," said Hermione, horrified.

"That would be war!" squawked Ron.

"War..." breathed Harry, feeling sick. Just when he thought he could find peace, he finds out that he may be the cause of another War.

But could the wizards fight such a war? Harry caught Kingsley's eye. "We are too weak right now, aren't we, Kingsley? We are too weak to be sure of winning after all that has happened. They know that, don't they?"

Kingsley nodded.

Harry shut his eyes, thinking hard. Sudden images of crazed goblins attacking wizards and burning Diagon Alley passed before his mind's eye. He felt a shiver run up his spine and barely managed to keep from throwing up.

"But, this all happened last night?" squeaked Ron incredulously. "They threatened all of this last night?"

"Not exactly," said Bill.

Hermione spoke up again like she was sitting in class. "There are procedures that Goblins follow when collecting a debt and these should give us some time, right?"

"Right. They consider it uncivilized not to follow collection procedures," said Bill, nodding. "They will follow them even in a situation such as this. They also will never make actual threats of violence until violence is imminent anyway. But based on what they are seeking, if you know goblins, you know where their inquiries are leading."

Hermione brushed a strand of curly brown hair from her face as she concentrated, speaking as if to herself. "If it is a very valuable debt, which might have implications to more than the debtor and his immediate family, goblins inform the Ministry of the dispute through the Goblin Liaison Office," said Hermione.

"Griphook formally did that yesterday," responded Kingsley, looking at Hermione appraisingly. "Very good, Hermione."

Hermione continued as if she had not heard him, caught up as she was in her concentration. "Then he should be seeking Harry out in the next few days to make a formal demand. Harry will then have thirty days to pay or settle the debt. If he doesn't pay it or settle it, they will then make a second demand and he will have fifteen more days. If he still cannot pay or settle, then they can seek enforcement, if practicable, through the Courts."

Kingsley looked impressed.

"If the courts are not practicable - like in this situation because of the magic in the sword and the fact that it's priceless - then they will make a formal demand to the Ministry," continued Hermione. "At that point, the Ministry, through the Goblin Liaison Office, has fifteen days to accept responsibility for the wizard and to satisfy the demand by the goblins, or to reject the demand. At that point the goblins must accept the Ministry's decision or..."

"Or what?" asked Harry, his head spinning.

"Well," said Hermione weakly, "the last time the Goblins did not accept a Ministry decision, it led to the Fifth Goblin Rebellion. That was almost two hundred years ago."

Ron let out a low whistle.

"So we have sixty days, then?" asked Neville, looking determined.

"Have you ever considered a career in the law, Hermione," asked Kingsley pleasantly, as if they had not just discussed a looming war. "That was truly outstanding."

"Not really," said Hermione, coloring prettily. Ron tried to look at her proudly, but then another giant yawn split his face.

"Well, tell me this, Hermione," said Kingsley with a smile. "Are you aware of any way that we can extend the time frame from sixty days to a year?"

"No..." said Hermione uncertainly. "Well, only if Harry had a position...oh!" She looked around at Harry in surprise.

"What?!" asked Harry. He was annoyed at being a step behind all the time.

Kingsley folded his hands and looked across the table at Harry. Kingsley's smile was a bit inappropriate to the gravity of the situation. He looked a little bit like the cat that ate the canary.

Hermione looked back at the Minister and then at Harry. "Well, Harry. If you are a Ministry officer or agent...then by tradition and law, the initial thirty day period is extended to one year. That provision was agreed to by goblins and wizards even before the goblins came under wizarding rule. It is an old tradition designed to avoid the wars that almost certainly would result from goblin assaults on Ministry officials."

"That's good," said Ron slowly, visibly counting on his hands. "If the first thirty days is extended to a year, that would give us...what...thirteen months, right? We could get a lot stronger by then."

"And that might deter the goblins from starting a war," agreed Bill.

"What the hell good does that do? I don't work at the Ministry!" said Harry, exasperated.

"It means," said Kingsley, still smiling, "that you must come and work for me."

Harry stared at Kingsley open-mouthed. "I...what?!"

"Well, Harry," said Professor McGonagall sympathetically, "you did always want to be an Auror, didn't you?"

Harry immediately began to speak his protests, but they were half-hearted. He already knew what his answer would be.