Retrieval of Artifact Ⅲ

Through the maze of stone halls and flickering torches, Ragnok leads the way through Gringotts Bank. The closer, they near the quarters of the Goblin King, the more elegant and goblin-crafted furnishing begin to appear. They, at last, arrive at a carefully guarded hall filled with rows of goblin guards in shining armor holding sharp, deadly spears steady. The goblin guards remain still and firm as the two of them pass through the middle across a rich carpeted floor that led directly to the office of the Goblin King, Grok Gringotts.

Ragnok knocks loudly at the door and the door is opened by a goblin attendant in livery. The goblin attendant pompously says, "I present, Ragnok, and Miss Prince, before your excellency."

"Enough!" The irritated voice of Grok Gringott's snapped. "All of you are to leave! This is a personal meeting."

The attendants and guards begin to protest as always, but a single glare from the elderly figure of Grok Gringotts silences them all. Grumbling with dark expressions a train of attendants and other goblins depart from the quarters of the Goblin King. The attendants passing Rowan and Ragnok by shooting them fierce scowls and dark looks. Ragnok merely grins smugly at them and gestures for Rowan to enter inside, before shutting the door after her.

Rowan briefly studies the lavish office as her eyes linger for a second longer than necessary on the portrait of Ragnuk, the first goblin king. Then again, Ragnuk was the reason for starting the war between goblins and wizardkind over a bloody sword. Indeed, it was not Ragnuk's finest moment, but then again, Godric Gryffindor did not exactly go out of his way to make the situation easier. Male egos were truly a terrible thing to behold at times.

And as much as Rowan hated to admit it, but as it would turn out that same goblin king was her ancestor. Indeed, for Ragnuk, the first Goblin King was the father of Ragnuk, the second, who was the father of Helga Hufflepuff, her ancestor. Ironically, the first goblin king was her many great's great-grandfathers. Tragically, we can't always pick and choose our families.

The elderly figure of Grok Gringotts narrows his eyes pensively at the young witch, who carried the blood of the Prince family. For Rowan Prince was a Prince after all. "Rowan Prince, what might Gringotts Bank do for you this evening?"

Rowan turned away from the portrait of the first goblin king and takes a seat in the larger chair in the room as most of the chairs were goblin-sized that would only fit a small witch or wizard. "It is a rather delicate subject if I were to be candid."

"Very well," Grok grumbled and waved his hand making the room temporarily impenetrable from being spied on by magic or other means. "Speak freely, Prince."

"I wish for Gringotts to act as intermediary in the gathering of a large force of Hags and Trolls," Rowan plainly stated. "Naturally, I will pay for search and the upkeep of such a force. I will also request the forging of weapons with traces of goblin silver in the blade. And I will of course pay extra fees to cover the expenditure of such resources."

"This is a dangerous path that you tread on, Prince," Grok coldly said as he tapped his long fingers on his desk. "Another party might even suspect of the Prince rallying sufficient forces to overthrow the Ministry of Magic."

"No," Rowan firmly replied with a frown. "I can vow on my magic, Grok Gringotts, that my request is not an attempt to overthrow the Ministry of Magic by use of force nor to entrap Gringotts Bank in any ulterior motive."

"Then why the request?" Grok pointedly asked with blatant skepticism in his dark, slanted eyes.

"Giants," Rowan calmly answered, "they are coming."

Grok froze the instant he heard the word, 'Giants.' Just like for wizards and witches, Giants also held a terrifying place in the hearts of goblins. By nature, goblins tended to reside in the mountains near mineral deposits. However, giants also tended to make their home in those same mountains. Giants were not picky eaters eating beast, man, and goblin alike. Goblin magic like wizard magic did no to little harm to giants.

In ages past many a giant had eaten scores of goblin villages in the past and for that same reason thousands of years ago during the last giant war, the goblins had united with the wizards and witches to destroy the last great giant army. The giants were defeated in the end at the cost of the greatest alliance that man had ever seen. In the end, only remnants of the great and powerful forces of the giants were left. Scattered tribes across the world in forgotten lands. Still the might of the giants had been engraved into the depths of every goblin child.

"Why would Giants now seek to enter into war?" Grok asked unconvinced with blatant disbelief. "The might of the Giants was destroyed in the last great giant war. The remnants of the giants were scattered to the wind with only a third of their kind left in existence."

"True," Rowan acknowledged, "but a giant is still a giant and there will be no great human and magical alliance upon their arrival. With Giants as allies of the Dark Lord and the alliance between magic kind and humans torn asunder. The giants will be more than sufficient to turn the tide of a single battle much less a war; or have you forgotten the tales of their great horror and might, Grok Gringotts, King of the Goblins?"

Grok's expression stiffens in understanding as his mind races at the implications. "If you are speaking truthfully, Prince," he paused with a stiff expression, "and on the slightest chance that your suspicions are indeed correct, when are the giants set to arrive?"

"I do not know," Rowan tiredly admitted. "But they will arrive soon if not sooner with the fierce winter storms. They will only wait to cross the English Channel under the cover of the great storms. It is merely a matter of days if not weeks at best."

"Suppose that is the case and I am able to successfully gather some measure of forces," Grok proposed, "the Ministry of Magic will never permit such a force to existence. It would be seen as a threat to the Ministry of Magic! It would be TREASON!"

"The Ministry of Magic will not oppose the existence of such a force and will publicly give their verbal approval," Rowan firmly retorted.

"You are rather certain about something that has never been done before, Prince," Grok bitterly grumbled as he tapped his fingers on his desk, before coming to a halt. "I have your word that if these forces are gathered that the weapons forged will bits of goblin silver will only be used by the hags and trolls?"

"I cannot guarantee anything, Gringotts," Rowan flatly replied. "I will not be leading the groups except contracting them and paying them. Weaponry merely happens to be a part of that."

Rowan paused as if an idea had just barely occurred to her even if that had not been the case. "Although," she slyly suggested, "if the goblins were to personally oversee the Hags and Trolls to ensure there are no mishaps, I am sure that it would go a long way for improving the goblin image in wizarding society."

Grok snorts and folds his arms over his chest. "Don't think that I don't see what you are doing here, Prince?'

"And what am I doing, Gringotts?" Rowan feigned innocence.

"You are terrible at pretending to be naive," Grok hmphed. "Very well, Prince, I will begin to move as you say. I presume that the funds will be coming out of your private account?"

"Yes," Rowan firmly replied.

"Such an operation will severely deplete your account, Prince," Grok warned.

"It is an acceptable measure," Rowan truthfully said. She had not sold the Basilisk skin at the goblin auction to enjoy and live off a lavish fortune. Rather it was to prepare war funds for when the time came. Besides, if worst came to worst, she could always sell off more Basilisk parts in a pinch.

Grok intently eyes the young witch with new eyes. Rowan Prince lacked her grandfather's political maneuvering in society, but she was no less dangerous. In some forms, she was far more audacious than Reginald Prince had ever been.

"I will seek out the aid of the Society for the Reformation of Hags and Annis Black," Grok said. "Miss Black is a hag, who regularly writes to the Daily Prophet furious at their portrayal of hags as flesh eating monsters. If there are any hags, who are worth their salt, Annis Black will reach out to them."

"As for Trolls, I suspect that you are the best representative for negotiation, Grok Gringotts," Rowan drily said, "especially considering that they are regularly employed at Gringotts Bank."

"We pride ourselves on only training the brightest of Trolls," Grok murmured with a smug expression.

Rowan's face remains tactfully blank at the response. She knew it was a risk to involve the Hags and Trolls, but wizardkind on their own could not take on the giants. The first wizarding world had only proven that, and she would not the war be won at the greatest loss of Auror's in wizarding history. There was a very good reason for there to be so few children in Potter's time. And the second wizarding war only served further to decrease the wizarding population.