Chapter 13: Chapter 13: History in the Making
Hogwarts did indeed settle down to its new 'normal' over the following weeks. Thanks to the warning from Padma, Hermione was more aware of what was happening around her - or should that be Harry - regarding the behaviour of the Hogwarts witches.
Ravenclaw House were adapting well to what was happening within its own blue and bronze walls. Morag, Mandy and Lisa were all friendly with the trio, sharing Harry's defence and now potions classes too certainly helped. Cho was continually making eyes at Harry, and finding any excuse to talk to him. In these situations, Harry was polite but nothing more. The older Ravenclaw girls - apart from Penny - were staying clear, Chambers example perhaps playing on their mind.
The other first year witches were all on good terms with the friends too, with only the two Gryffindors continually pushing the boundaries. Parvati and Lavender had approached as they walked to class, chatting to Harry a mile a minute. It was when Lavender decided to move things along by latching onto Harry's other arm that she was politely but instantly and firmly rebuffed.
"Miss Brown, never take a sword-wielder's right arm unless it is specifically offered to you. In my culture this can be considered an attack, as you are hampering my ability to draw my weapon." Lavender released Harry's arm as if it was red hot and had just burned her fingers. No one wanted Harry to even think they were attacking him, they had now all seen what he could do with a blade.
He nodded before continuing. "You were not aware of the situation so nothing further needs to be said." Both Gryffindor girls had given him a wide berth after that.
When some of the older girls from the other houses approached, Hermione hoped it wasn't wishful thinking on her part but Harry appeared to use her as a shield. This was a function she was more than happy to provide. These witches may have had a specific agenda at Hogwarts but so did Harry, his agenda though had far more reaching consequences than simply finding someone to marry. Hermione was reminded of this as they were leaving their normal Monday defence class, Professor Weasley had a short message for him.
"Harry, your father says 'it's time', he assured me you would know what that means."
His grin was feral, setting Hermione's danger alarm off. "Harry, please tell me you are not going to go all 'goblin warrior' on us?"
"Hermione, I am a goblin warrior."
"Okay, bad choice of words. What I really meant to ask was if you were going to be rushing into danger with a blade in each hand?"
He could see she was merely worried for his safety so attempted to put her mind at rest. "Hermione, I have been tasked with ending a great wrong - and that's all I can say about the matter until it happens. What I will say is that I shouldn't need either of my blades to defend myself, there will be no danger at all."
After the Lucius Malfoy incident, Hermione had accepted that Harry was at Hogwarts for a purpose other than just receiving a magical education. Here was obviously the next phase of that purpose. That he couldn't tell her any more was fine, that he wouldn't be in any danger was all she really needed to know.
At least this time she had six weeks of magical training under her belt, and a few curses up her sleeve. Hermione believed Harry when he said it wouldn't be dangerous but it was always better to be prepared.
She had also been preparing by reading the book Neville gave her from cover to cover. Hermione thought a lot of the behaviour and customs could at best be described as 'quaint', but it at least explained Harry's 'old world' behaviour. He'd obviously read something similar before attending Hogwarts and thought things like offering a young lady your arm or kissing the backs of their hands was the way wizards behaved normally.
Purely by observation, Hermione could tell that this behaviour was no longer commonplace amongst the magical fraternity. Perhaps it was now only used at the most formal of occasions or functions but the young witch wasn't too bothered about that. Since she was currently on Harry's arm, and it was her hand being kissed, it would be a cold day in hell before Hermione as much as raised the subject with her best friend. Hermione could only hope Harry had reached the same conclusion, but enjoyed having her on his arm too much to stop.
Her latest mini faux pas against goblin culture set her mind racing. She didn't rush to the library because Hermione was sure the best source of the information she required was currently walking right beside her.
"Harry, I've read that book Neville gave me on ancient and noble houses. It was very insightful, a brilliant source of information for someone like me with no magical background. I was wondering if there was a book like that on goblin culture? I could see if it was in the library or order it from the bookstore."
Harry had actually stopped walking as Hermione's question set him thinking. "The short answer is no, there are no books. I think the reason for that is probably because no one has ever been interested before."
"Okay, confused again. How could no one be interested? The goblins store and control the magical community's wealth, yet no one knows anything about them - that's just nuts!"
It was a chuckling Harry that started them off down the corridor again as he answered his best friend. "You'll get no objection from me on that. I think the reason there may be no books is that they really need to be written by an outsider observing a culture that's different to their own, goblins tend not to let strangers get too close." He could see Hermione struggling with that concept so tried to give her an example. "We could ask Padma to tell us about her years in India, and she could talk for hours. That doesn't mean she would mention riding a flying carpet, because to her that would just be normal behaviour and not worth talking about."
"I see what you mean now, you need someone from another culture to observe what is different - and also what is the same."
"Exactly, goblins always hold their beheading muggle parties on the last Friday of every month - who knows when wizards have theirs."
"Harry Crow, don't you dare. I get more than enough teasing from Padma without you starting too!"
"Why Miss Granger, is that any way to talk to your only source on all things goblin?"
Hermione let out a groan. "I was going to say I could check with Master Pitslay but I can just see you both setting me up for a fall. Just remember Crow, you're staying with me for the Christmas holidays. I'm your only source for all things muggle and payback can be a bitch." She tried to be stern but couldn't quiet manage it, both of them ended up laughing as they made their way back to the Ravenclaw common room.
-oOoOo-
In the Gryffindor common room, Neville was trying to prepare for this week's potion's lesson. Ron was bored though, and kept pestering him to play wizard chess.
"Go and ask Seamus, I'm busy Ron."
"Dean's telling him all about that football game again. Did you know they played it on the ground? Twenty-two players and only one ball - bloody mental if you ask me."
"Ron, I didn't asked you. I am actually trying to get some work done here."
When he took the time to actually look at what Neville was doing, Ron got the distinct impression he was being conned. "That's potions, you said this goblin creature never gave out homework." It wasn't a question, more like an accusation.
"Master Pitslay doesn't have us writing essays, he does expect us to know everything about the potion we will be brewing before we step into his class."
Ron still thought this was merely a manufactured excuse to dump him. "It's only Monday, you don't have potions until Friday. You'll have forgotten it all by then."
"No I won't, because I'll be going over my notes every night until Friday."
"Bloody hell, I tried to warn you. See what happens when you hang out with Ravenclaws, us Gryffindors have got to stick together."
"If sticking together means taking potion lessons from Snape then you can forget it."
"Where is your house loyalty? Abandoning your housemates and siding with Ravenclaws, you're a disgrace to Gryffindor Longbottom."
Neville was on his feet at that. "You're a fine one to call me a disgrace, you fired a curse at a girl! Real brave Gryffindor, didn't even have the courage to apologise."
"I bloody did, you were there."
"Anyone can say the words Ron, we all knew you didn't mean any of it. Harry just didn't want to get into an argument with you and spoil Hermione's birthday. You call me a disgrace to Gryffindor yet I'm in a class with nine Ravenclaws, I'm ahead of six and keeping up with another two. I would say I was doing my house proud. What have you got to show for your time at Hogwarts? Detentions, lost points, a suspension and now on probation - way to go Ronnie boy."
Ron's complexion was turning deeper and deeper shades of red but Neville just faced him down. "You've tried to curse two of my friends, and actually managed to hit the other one by accident. Draw your wand on me Ron and you'll get to see just what your eldest brother teaches us every weekend."
Their confrontation had gotten louder and louder, gathering a rather large crowd. Two of the crowd suddenly had an arm each as Ron's feet left the floor, the twins whisked him away up the stairs.
Neville sat back down and continued his work, until Parvati spoke to him. "Neville, six and two only make eight. You said there were nine Ravenclaws in that class."
"Ah, but when it comes to potions, Harry is in a class of his own. Even the twins couldn't brew a potion that would be undetectable by Snape."
As he worked studiously, Neville was unaware of the changes taking place around him. Most of the house just had their opinion of the shy, quiet boy drastically altered. Especially two first year witches who were having no success with their repeated attempts to get near Harry Crow. Neville Longbottom might just turn out to be a rather fine replacement.
-oOoOo-
Bill also had a Weasley harping on at him while he attempted to accomplish a task, he should have known better. A quiet meal at the Burrow was as good a definition of a misnomer that Bill could think of.
"But he's Albus Dumbledore, surely there must be some way to bypass those secrecy terms to help?"
He put down his knife and fork, Bill had had more than enough – both of dinner and his mother's nagging. It was time for a few home truths. "Would you be so insistent if it was Lucius Malfoy who wanted information?"
"Don't be ridiculous, he's a death eater who used his money to avoid Azkaban."
"Yet to a goblin, both are classed the same. Dumbledore has been barred from Gringotts for a decade…"
"That was over a misunderstanding…"
Bill finally lost it at his mother. "If that's the story he's putting about then it makes him a liar too, I'll tell you about your great Albus Dumbledore. He left an orphan child on a muggle doorstep, a child who had been hit with the killing curse by Voldemort."
He didn't know if the yelp from his mother was because the dreaded name was spoken aloud, or that it was one of her children saying it. Bill pressed on regardless. "That child was sporting a scar on his head, no healer, no treatment, just dumped on a doorstep with a letter attached. Now here is where his stupid scheme started to fall apart, the muggles didn't want a magical child in their home so took Harry to Gringotts and deposited the toddler who saved us all there."
Molly had tears in her eyes as she shook her head. "It can't be true…"
"Harry's father still has the letter in Dumbledore's handwriting, McGonagall and Hagrid were present that night too. Hagrid keeps attempting to talk to Harry at Hogwarts but the boy wants nothing to do with him. He knows Hagrid is Dumbledore's man, and anything he said would make its way straight back to the old fool…"
This was still a step too far for Molly. "Albus Dumbledore is no fool, I will not have that said in this house."
"Do you know how that troll got into Hogwarts? Dumbledore is desperately trying to keep it secret but Madam Bones wants him up on charges for his part in the fiasco. Voldemort is not dead…"
This time he was sure what had caused his mother to scream. "You're lying, Harry Potter killed him – everyone knows that."
"Yes, but what everyone doesn't know is that he's trying to come back. Why do you think I returned from Egypt and took this job? Voldemort is not dead, and we know he's going after Harry. Dumbledore knew this and didn't tell anyone, especially Harry. Instead, Dumbledore set a trap inside a bloody school. I have four younger brothers currently in that castle and that old bastard is playing with their lives. Voldemort possessed a teacher and was actually inside Hogwarts, that's who let the troll in."
Bill hadn't realised he'd been shouting but it looked as if he'd finally gotten through to his mother, unfortunately it also looked like he'd terrified Ginny. She was curled on his father's lap and crying. "The goblins are doing everything in their power to help that young man, I have no idea what Dumbledore is up to. As a Weasley, my position on this matter should be crystal clear - against the dark and for the light. My champion though is not some old wizard who likes to play games, but a young man who defeated Voldemort once before. I am on the side of the goblins because they are backing Harry to the hilt, as am I."
Arthur was trying to sooth his daughter but really needed to know something. "How much of this is known within the ministry?"
"Fudge and Bones were there the day Harry laid most of the Voldemort stuff out, that was also the day he took down Lucius Malfoy. The details of what Dumbledore did to Harry, I got from his father. Dumbledore is the head of the Wizengamot, yet it took one of my students to do what should have been done years ago. With Gringotts backing Harry's actions, Malfoy has legally been stripped of his wealth - and with it most of his power too."
Events at the ministry began to fall into place for Arthur. "I wondered why there was a sudden recruitment drive in the auror department, we were left wondering if Amelia had finally gotten something on Fudge. That was probably her pay-off for Malfoy not standing public trial. The minister would be too afraid of just what Lucius might reveal under veritaserum."
Molly's mind though was stuck on one single fact, a single fact that would change her outlook forever. "You-know-who was near four of my babies, and Albus bloody Dumbledore never even mentioned it!"
Bill knew what his mother's next action would be, and tried to head it off. "Mum, don't mention we had an argument over this. By all means say you've heard a certain rumour, just not where you heard it. It might be fun to hear what excuse he comes up with, I trust Dumbledore about as far as I could throw Hagrid."
Arthur was busy trying to comfort his daughter. "It's okay Ginny, your brothers will be safe inside Hogwarts."
"What about my Harry, Bill said the bad wizard was coming back for him."
Bill couldn't let that go. "I thought we talked about this Ginny? He's not your Harry, you've never even met him."
"Bill, it's just a harmless infatuation..."
"No dad, it's not healthy and should have been discouraged years ago. The last thing I want to see is Ginny getting hurt, but that's exactly what's going to happen if she doesn't stop this now. How do you think Ginny's going to react when she discovers this whole boy-who-lived fantasy she's constructed is just that - a fantasy." He absolutely hated to see his sister cry but this needed to be said.
"Ginny's fantasy will inevitably come crashing down around her ears, Harry doesn't even know she exists and already has his own set of close friends. At this point she will be heartbroken, and six hundred miles from home. The twins and Percy are barely coping with Ron's problems, do you honestly think they will be able to handle something like this?"
"How do you know Harry won't like me? You can't possibly know that."
He tried to phrase his answer in a way that would be as gentle as possible for his sister to take, yet at the same time get his point across. "Harry Crow is a very serious young lad, only the fact that he's in first year gives his age away. If you didn't know that, you would swear he was older. His friends are also really serious, about their studies and being his friend. Every weekend I think I've pushed them too hard, yet the following week they're back and eager for more. They are rattling through the defence course, doing the same with potions and near the top of all their other classes. I have no idea what level they'll be at by the time they're ready to start second year."
Bill could see this was not well received, and knew the next bit would be even less so. "We already have one Weasley at Hogwarts disgracing himself due mainly to his immaturity, we really don't need a Weasley fan girl following Harry around like a little lost puppy. The fantasy needs to stop here before Ginny gets really hurt. I'm not saying she'll never be friends with Harry - I'll even introduce her - but this fantasising over a boy she's never seen - never mind met - is not going to end well."
Ginny focused only on one part of what her brother said. "You would introduce me - to Harry?"
Bill was torn, he wanted his sister to put this behind her but Ginny clearly hadn't. Introducing her to Harry might just be the shock Ginny needed to get over this infatuation, especially if Harry had a certain young witch on his arm. "I'll introduce you to Harry when he get's off the express for the holidays."
He could see her eyes practically sparkling at that but had to give a warning. "Harry's going to be spending Christmas with his best friend, Hermione asked both him and Padma to spend the holidays at her house."
It looked as if Ginny had been told she'd won the Prophet grand draw, only then to be informed there was a mistake. "His best friend? Isn't that the girl Ron mentioned as his girlfriend?"
"Hermione Granger currently wears a goblin made gold bracelet that's inscribed Harry, Hermione, best friends forever. Harry gave it to Hermione for her twelfth birthday." Bill felt as though he was having to be cruel to be kind with Ginny. He'd watched as witches older and far more developed - both emotionally and physically - than Ginny had been rebuffed by his student. They were mostly mature enough to accept the knock-back - Ginny wasn't.
He watched as his sister made an excuse before heading up to her room. Arthur waited until she had left before confronting his eldest. "Was that really necessary?"
"Yes dad it was. You've been filling Ginny's head with this boy-who-lived nonsense for years."
"It's only a children's story book..."
"To us yes, but Ginny believes every word of it. Why shouldn't she, her father read it to her. The difference between this and Babbity Rabbity is that little girls don't grow up thinking they're destined to marry the hero and live happily ever after - and then have to go to school with the hero!"
"She's only ten - Ginny isn't thinking anything of the sort."
Bill knew Ginny was his father's favourite, the entire family knew it, but he still saw his daughter as much younger than she actually was. It would be a big wrench when Ginny left for Hogwarts next September. "Dad, I found Ginny on her bed crying her eyes out, clutching that bloody book. Do you know why? Ron told her Harry already had a girlfriend. It's one thing to daydream on what you would like to happen in life, Ginny is struggling to tell her fantasy from real life. I've been trying to convince her he's nothing like the book but now she seems ready to fixate on Harry Crow. Maybe seeing him in real life will shock her out of this. If not, we've still got the next eight months to think of something."
Molly was shaking her head. "I always thought the twins were our biggest problem, now I'm not so sure. Ron's in far more serious trouble than they've ever been, and Ginny seems set to bring us a whole new set of problems. Where did we go wrong with those two?"
Bill had some words of comfort for his parents. "Neither Ron nor Ginny are bad kids, both just need time to grow-up. It will be keeping them in Hogwarts while the do their growing that might be the problem."
-oOoOo-
As the first years were leaving charms class next day, Parvati thought she would make her move - before Lavender got in there first. Harry and Hermione were in front, with Neville and her sister just behind them. There wouldn't be a better opportunity.
"Why Mr Longbottom, I thought you were a gentleman? Your friend there Mr Crow is showing the way so why don't you have a young lady on your arm?"
Neville noticed rather a lot of people were now looking at him. This Neville though had good friends, friends who gave him the confidence to do what he needed to.
"You are correct, I apologise for my oversight. Miss Patil, would you do me the honour?"
Parvati was overjoyed her ploy had worked, that was until she saw Neville offering his arm to her sister.
"Why Mr Longbottom, I would be delighted." Padma was walking away on Neville's arm, but she still took time to turn her head round and wink at her twin.
"Thanks for that Padma, your sister and her friend are a little too 'clingy' for me."
"Oh no problem Neville, I'll guard your body any time you like. This is wonderful material for teasing, do you think it would be too cruel to thank Parvati? I was working along the lines of her remark bringing us together. If she hadn't said anything, who knows how long it would have taken for you to ask me out?" She couldn't hold her laughter as Neville's jaw dropped lower and lower. "This is just too good, the same lines should work just as well on Pav too. I'll take your arm anytime you want Neville - as your friend."
After the panic had passed, Neville found it was quite nice to be teased by a friend. "Do you want to sit with me at the Gryffindor table? I think we could have your sister and Lavender green with envy by the end of lunch."
"Neville, that's a brilliant idea - providing I don't need to sit where I can see Ron eat." Padma rested her head on his shoulder as they walked arm in arm to the great hall, both were struggling to contain their giggles at the reaction this got from other students.
Hermione noticed exactly what was happening with her friends, she barely managed a smile though. All her concentration was on her best friend. "It's going to be soon, isn't it?"
"Goblins are masters of hiding their emotions, impossible to read - sometimes it scares me just how well you can tell practically what I'm thinking. Remember, no one will be in any danger. Now let's both go and attempt to eat some lunch."
Hermione didn't have too long to wait, the hammer fell their very next class.
-oOoOo-
Professor Binns was droning on as usual, and as usual half the class were struggling to stay awake. That all changed when Harry Crow stood, this could be history in the making.
Harry waited until the professor noticed him standing there. "As Hogwarts champion, I can no longer permit you to continue inflicting this torture and lies onto students. As a goblin, you disgust me almost as much as that butcher you called grandfather."
"How dare you sully my grandfather's good name. He died a hero, fighting in the goblin rebellion of 1612..."
"Bloody Binns and his band of cutthroats were responsible for starting what you refer to as the goblin rebellion of 1612. They didn't die heroes, they were tried, convicted of their many crimes and sentenced to goblin justice."
Binns was putting more emotion into this argument than anyone had ever seen him use during teaching, no one would be falling asleep in this class. "By what rights do goblins try wizards, they should have handed them over to the ministry - where they could have received a fair trial..."
"Where they could have been released by wizards who thought the same as them, that murdering goblins was not a crime. They expected to be released and boasted of their atrocities, all thought the purity of their blood protected them. Guess what professor, dragons don't give a shit how pure someone's blood is, they just chew you up."
If a ghost could appear shocked, Binns managed it. "Their bodies were fed to dragons?"
"No, they were thrown still alive into the dragon pens. They screamed for mercy but received the same they had shown us - none whatsoever."
"You lying goblin bastard!" Binns literally flew at Harry but not having a body rendered his attack harmless. The rest of the class were shocked, both at Binns actions and Harry's description of what the goblins did to their prisoners.
Only Hermione was brave enough to ask a question. "Harry, do goblins really throw people in with dragons."
"Only for the very worst atrocities Hermione, and only after a fair trial has found them guilty. Just about every culture has or had some form of death penalty, none were ever pleasant. From being burned at the stake to beheading, hanging to having your soul sucked out your body by one of the foulest creatures on the planet. That last one is currently wizarding Britain's answer to the problem."
"What did they do Harry?"
This was something Binns had never experienced in all his years of teaching, he wasn't sure how to handle the situation but tried to reassert his classroom authority. "They didn't do anything but were killed by vicious goblin raiders. My father told me the story since I was a little boy, I grew up with this - you think I don't know what happened?"
Harry remained very calm as he answered Binns, there was no point in loosing your temper to a ghost. "If that is your only source of information, then yes. We live in a community where no one ever checks information - 'it said so in the Prophet so it must be true' is not an acceptable method to prove the truth. I'll tell you what really happened..."
Binns was incensed at this. "You will sit back down and shut up boy, there will be no goblin propaganda spouted in this class."
"You are right about one thing professor, there should be no propaganda here. This is a history class yet you have used your position to preach anti-goblin propaganda for almost three centuries, installing fear, mistrust and even hatred against us into children placed in your care. That all stops today. I intend to tell everyone the goblin version of events and let them make up their own minds to who's telling the truth."
"Fifty points from Ravenclaw, and it will soon be a hundred if you don't sit down at once."
"The truth is far more important than any number of house points. It's time for some real history to be told in this class. You see, goblins didn't always live only under Gringotts..."
"They were forced to live there by treaty, it's all covered in OWL's."
"It may be covered but it's all lies, lies that have slowly become what is now regarded as fact. This happened because a certain professor has deliberately fed the same lies to everyone who has passed through Hogwarts for the last two hundred and eighty years - man and ghost. Do you know British OWL and NEWT passes in History aren't recognised outside this country? The rest of the world realises what he teaches is wrong, biased and disproportionate - it's one supposed goblin rebellion after another supposed goblin rebellion. The entire course has become a joke but still nothing is done about it."
It was a shocked Terry Boot who asked the question that they were all struggling with. "Why would they teach us something they know is wrong?"
"Ah, you're forgetting Terry, the people in power were all taught the same shit we are being fed - by the same professor. Even the author of our text book - Bathilda Bagshot - was taught her history classes by Binns - she apprenticed under him. Is it any wonder her writings match Binns accounts of things? In this country she's hailed as a great historian, outside Britain she's ignored and even thought a touch mad."
"Is that what you are trying to do here boy, tear down reputations people have spent decades building?"
"It's better than tearing down dwellings, just because the occupants are goblins. That's what Bloody Binns did, male - female - child, it didn't matter to them as they slaughtered every goblin they could find. They didn't want goblins living amongst what they called good wizards, so they systematically set about slaughtering those who dared pollute what the purebloods considered theirs by birth."
Harry was trying to keep himself calm and let the facts speak for themselves as he'd been taught, it was proving difficult though. "The ministry was turning a blind eye to what was happening, after all it was only goblins who were being slaughtered and they didn't count. When the goblins caught the wizards in the act, they demanded to be handed over to the ministry. They were standing there splattered with goblin blood and expected to be released, they were tried like the crazed animals they were and executed."
The class were hanging on Harry's every word, and ignoring the continual docking of points from Binns. "The ministry had to take action, there were now purebloods dead. As usual, the ministry decided to pass laws to get what they wanted. The ministry attempted to claim jurisdiction over the goblins, basically meaning we had to do what they said. No goblin was going to stand for that and so we have the goblin 'rebellion' of 1612. There were casualties on both sides as the ministry attempted to impose their new laws before common sense prevailed."
"Your precious goblins were defeated and slunk back to their holes in the ground. That's where the filthy animals belong - not staying amongst decent magical people."
Harry ignored the ghostly spittle that Binns was spraying him with as the professor screamed at him - mere inches away from his face, Harry had to finish the task he'd trained for. "The ministry were forced to concede that the goblins were their own masters, and that Gringotts was sovereign territory. This didn't stop them passing anti-goblin laws that prevented us buying land or housing anywhere near a wizard dwelling. To some, this didn't go far enough..."
"Of course it didn't go far enough, my grandfather was only one of many the bastards murdered. The entire species should have been wiped out..."
Harry had just about enough of this ghost. It had been pure torture having to sit in this class, knowing what he did. "The reason Professor Binns here never took up his wand and avenged his beloved grandfather was that he didn't have one - a wand that is. You see, our professor here was a squib. Now I personally don't have a problem with that, but our ghostly professor did. He grew into a bitter and twisted man, much like a certain caretaker we all know. His only purpose left in life was revenge, revenge against the race of 'creatures' he wanted to see exterminated."
"Typical goblin, honeyed words to your face while they stab you in the back. Not content with murder, you robbed the Binns family blind - we lost everything!"
"Yes, the Binns family lost their home, land and gold - but not to the goblins. Your father was barred from Gringotts for an incident that he was lucky to escape with his life, leaving you to inherit the family fortune when you came of age..."
"I never received a Knut, you goblin bastards stole everything."
"We took only the agreed vault rental, until the vault was closed by the ministry. It was the purebloods of the Wizengamot who passed the law that squibs couldn't inherit pureblood fortunes. They also sneaked a clause into the agreement of 1612 where, after a century, those unclaimable vaults passed to the ministry. Since they were effectively robbing their own, we goblins took the view this was none of our business."
This was information Draco had a vested interest in. "Are you saying the ministry claimed the Binns family vault?"
"Vault, land, home and all family possessions. Everything was sold to swell the ministry's coffers. When his father died, the professor here was forced to seek a job in Hogwarts as he couldn't even access the home he'd been raised in. He died just before the century was up so at least didn't see the ministry take everything, but he refused to cross over because he had unfinished business..."
"Yes I have unfinished business, to ensure wizards are never taken in by you thieving, lying, murdering goblin bastards ever again."
Filius had been alerted that something was wrong when the Ravenclaw points counter began spiralling downwards, he could only think of one person capable of wiping out the entire total of accumulated points in a single period. The Ravenclaw head of house entered the history classroom and witnessed a ghostly professor screaming in a most unprofessional manner at one of his students.
Seeing Harry was unfazed, and in no danger, Filius decided to just observe for now.
"Even in death, he wouldn't give up his life's work. Ensuring relationships between goblins and wizards never progressed beyond where they are today - strained at best. By teaching lies to generations of children, wizards and witches are taught that goblins are to be feared and detested - never trusted. I'll bet every witch and wizard in this room - apart from the muggle born - have been taught only one thing about us from their parents. Never mess with a goblin."
Binns was still shouting, though had given up all pretence of justifying his behaviour as anything but revenge. "You ruined my life and I won't rest until I have my vengeance. I'll cross over when every last goblin in the country has been slain. Knowing I played a small part in that will be enough for me."
"When you crossover is nothing to do with me, I cannot allow you to remain in the castle."
The ghostly professor actually laughed at this. "What are you going to do goblin-lover, hold an exorcism? You don't have the power to force me out the castle. I was here long before you were born, and still be here after the dark lord kills you. He has also promised to wipe your kind out, that was why I helped him so much when he was a student here."
This revelation drew gasps of astonishment from the entire class.
That revelation was unexpected but Harry knew he had Binns now, condemned by his own words. "I can't, but others can. Have you heard enough?"
The four house ghosts passed into the room, all appeared grave. Helena spoke for all of them. "Yes young champion, we have." There was then a loud clang last heard at the sorting.
The Bloody Baron took over. "Hogwarts has spoken. She provided shelter and allowed you to continue with your passion to teach, only for you to betray her in the worst possible way."
The Fat Friar was next. "Systematically lying to her children to further your own aims is despicable. You are no longer welcome within these walls."
Sir Nicholas then demonstrated the heads were united in this. "You can crossover or be banished from the castle. Those are your only choices..."
The ghostly professor wasn't given any time to make a decision, Hogwarts had already made her mind up. Another loud clang and it seemed as if invisible hands were dragging a screaming Binns through the castle walls.
The headmaster came rushing into the class, having heard Hogwarts 'speak' and instantly come to the same conclusion as Filius as to who would most likely be responsible. He burst through the classroom door, just in time to see a Hogwarts Professor forcibly ejected from the castle. His gaze also focused on the only student who was standing. "Mr Crow, I want some answers - and I want them right now!"
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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