Retrieval of Artifact Ⅳ

Wizards and witches on their own could not take down giants without great loss. Wizardkind depended too much on magic and the giants were largely immune to magic to certain degrees. It made sense on the scale of size to stun another human most witches and wizards are capable of it. However, how much power would be needed to stun a being that is over 20 feet tall?

Physics proves the idea that the more mass an object has, the more energy is required to change the state of the object. In this case, unless someone was very powerful say like Dumbledore it would be difficult for a Giant to be stunned. That is not to say that Giants cannot be hurt by the regular magical populace, but much like casting magic underwater, the results are often varied and unpredictable, undoubtedly weaker. It took a creative or rather deadly Auror to actually be capable of hurting a giant.

The pensive silence is interrupted by Grok Gringotts saying, "Do you have anything else to add, Prince?"

Rowan slowly shakes her head in reply. She had no further business with Gringotts nor in Diagon Alley. Ollivander not too long ago had sent her a note filled with great irk. Apparently finding a Hawthorn tree that had enough fire and earth elements to counter the water and air element of the core made from the Great Mother's snake horn is nearly impossibly difficult to find.

Ollivander reported that he had attempted other possibilities in exasperation such as snakewood much like Salazar Slytherin's original wand, but the core and wand wood attempted to destroy each other like two bitter lifelong enemies. With the still ongoing search, Ollivander said that the wand completion might take longer than a year or more as it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. He was certain that a Hawthorn tree existed somewhere in the world that could fulfill his requirements, but the question rather was WHERE in the world was it?! (Hawthorns are native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia with new variations located in North America, South America, and other parts of the world).

Seeing that Rowan Prince had fallen silent in thought, Grok does not interrupt as he reaches into a locked drawer of his and carefully opens it with a silver key that hung on a silver goblin forged necklace. With care, he twists and turns the key in the lock, before opening it and reaching inside. He removes a single sealed envelope from within, before loudly closing the drawer shut.

Rowan is pulled back by the sound of a drawer closing by Grok Gringotts. Grok holds out a sealed envelope in his long, thin fingers. Seeing Rowan's inquisitive expression, Grok murmurs, "The sealed letter was entrusted to Gringotts by Damocles Belby as part of his estate to be delivered to correct recipient when the time came."

"The letter is for me?" Rowan skeptically asked. "Are you certain it was not intended for my grandfather?"

Grok shakes his head as Rowan frowns slightly at having received a letter from Grok Gringotts. She and Damocles Belby had never corresponded beyond her third year nor conversed beyond the meeting in Slughorn's quarters. The only request that Rowan had for Damocles Belby, Belby had fulfilled and as such there should be no further ties between them.

"May I?" Rowan asked Grok as she gestured to his silver goblin forged letter opener.

Grok waves his hand in ready acceptance, before she reaches for the letter opener and breaks the wax seal. Rowan is surprised to see a Gringotts vault key and a folded letter. Carefully setting the vault key on top of Grok Gringotts desk, she unfolds the letter to read.

"Rowan Prince,

If you are reading this letter, I am most assuredly dead just as planned-."

Rowan's face grows stiff at those words causing Grok to stare at the young witch in curiosity. However, he was professional enough not to ask about the contents of the letter. The Goblins had for ages been the keepers of the wizardkind's most terrible of secrets. There really was much they hadn't seen before and yes, that included bodies. There was a reason that there were skeletons kept in some of the older pureblood vaults. And no, the bodies most certainly did not belong to thieves. (Enemies more like.)

Rowan's face carefully goes blank and continues to read.

"Prince, I will not leave much behind for I trust no one including myself. I have repaid the life debt owed to Reginald Prince, a life for a life so to speak. Still, I owe you an outstanding debt, Rowan Prince. I have left behind valuable tomes and manuscripts which I believe that you will find useful if not your brother as I am told he possesses a natural talent for potions. That being said, I know that this will not be sufficient to cover the owed debt to you, Rowan Prince. My former apprentice, Wilfredius has agreed to take a portion of my owed debt by acting in my stead. You may ask anything of him provided it is not illegal or unethical."

Damocles Belby's handwriting stopped as if annoyed. "Unfortunately, my apprentice is a Gryffindor and possesses moral qualms. It is a tedious nuisance at times. Nevertheless, he will do that which is required for a period of 3 years, before the debt is absolved.

Now for the final portion to absolve the owed debt, Prince, I will leave you a clue. IT is in me but contained. It will not remain shackled for long and so I bind it with my death. It whispers in the night in my dreams and at every waking hour. I can hear IT. Beware Prince of the one you call friend lest IT catch you unaware. Trust not the lioness!

Damocles Belby."

Rowan's lips press tightly together as she crumbles the letter in her hand. A cold gleam enters her gaze, so, her theories were unfortunately confirmed true. There was a vessel of Hydra at Hogwarts, a female Gryffindor, and someone that she and Lily knew.

Pulling out her wand, Rowan points it at the letter and firmly casts the vanishing spell, "Evanesco!" The letter vanishes out of existence before she stiffly nods at Grok Gringotts in thanks, who eyes her with so curiosity, but does not speak on the subject.

"I trust that the contents of the vault that Belby left me will be moved to my personal vaults?" Rowan asked turning to face the goblin king with a blank expression revealing none of her emotions.

"It shall be done," Grok replied. "Belby left detailed instructions for the contents of his vault. We will ensure that the transport occurs without any mishaps."

"Thank you. I shall see myself out, Gringotts," Rowan turned to go and paused, before turning sideways to glance back at the seated Goblin King. "Out of sheer curiosity, Ragnuk, the first goblin king had exactly how many sons? Forgive my sheer ignorance, but Professor Binns did not exactly perform up to standards when teaching History of Magic."

Grok blinks in genuine at the abrupt question. "Ragnuk, the first goblin king had only two sons. The eldest, Ragnuk Ⅱ died in battle against mankind, while the second son, Gruk went on to become the King of the Goblins after Ragnuk, the First, the goblin king perished in battle. The current line of Goblin King's is descended via the second son, why the sudden question?"

"As I said, simple curiosity," Rowan truthfully replied as Ragnuk, the second was the father of her ancestor Helga Hufflepuff, and by default her many great's great-grandfathers. And well, the current goblin Kin, Grok Gringotts's was her VERY DISTANT cousin, but a cousin, nonetheless.

Seeing nothing of suspicion on the young witch's face, Grok gestures at Rowan to depart and Rowan does. The door closes behind her as Grok taps his fingers pensively against the desk as his couriers nosily return. The goblin council could not very well oppose his actions as the goblins were not taking a stance against wizards nor witches but rather against one of their greatest foes, goblins. His enemies could try, but they would find themselves outmaneuvered. And this time, he would go for their throats.

A cold goblin smile appears on Grok Gringotts face looking far too terrifying like the stories told to wizarding children and muggles about the fierce, monster that goblins were. Goblins had not lost the war against wizardkind because of possessing weaker forces nor magic rather they were simply overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the army of mankind. They lost the war to the most pathetic of reasons, but one that vastly suppressed their own. It is the breeding capacities of mankind like that of rabbits. One can die only for two more to spouts in its place, a truly awful but selective breeding trait that had ensured mankind's continual existence.