The expression on the face of Vernon Dursley changed from anger to what looked like joy in one second.
"Good, good." Vernon erupted, with the face of someone who had been told Christmas came early. "Tell your aunt the date of your return before you go."
As if the elder Dursley was interested in seeing her returning.
More like 'I can best prepare an excuse to sell to the neighbourhood for your absence and spread the nastiest rumours possible', was the unspoken affirmation. The Valar forbid the Dursleys cared about her well-being.
"DUDLEY! PIERS! MALCOLM IS HERE!"
The horrible voice of Petunia ended the conversation, and as Vernon Dursley moved to see if his spoilt his son wasn't lacking anything with his friends, Alexandra charged towards the kitchen hoping there was some food left.
There wasn't of course. Dudley had emptied the fridge leaving only the vegetables and some fruits.
6th July 1992, Gringotts Bank, London
"I have the feeling you are going to make the end of my life very interesting, Heiress Potter." Said Accountant Grimjaw in a tone which sounded really amused.
Alexandra raised an eyebrow at this affirmation and the old goblin grunted.
"When you were introduced here last year in my office, I hoped you were going to live a calm and boring life, leaving me small amounts of paperwork for the next decades. Tranquil enough for me to be your accountant for four or five more decades and then pass the mantle to my son and enjoy my retirement. "
"If the events which happened at Hogwarts during my first year are any indication for the future, life isn't going to be boring." She remarked.
"Indeed." Sighed Grimjaw, continuing to read the papers Alexandra had brought with her relating the most memorable moments so far having marked the magical school while she was present.
His lecture took a few minutes, giving her the opportunity to observe the office of her goblin accountant. There were not any major discrepancies. The piles of paperwork crowding the room were still present, the red desk had not moved at all, and the diverse pieces of furniture were littering with parchments, books and ledgers. Bankers at Gringotts did not love empty offices apparently.
"Well this is a fine piece of hippogriff dung." Told Grimjaw in a disgusted voice, making her almost jump in surprise as he finished his lecture.
"Even if only a quarter of what you imply is true, Dumbledore is losing really his touch with reality. Trolls, a dragon and a Cerberus?
However, most of the data you have linking him to his criminal activities with Nicolas Flamel are only rumours and gossips, Heiress Potter."
"I assume there's no way we will be able to send him to jail with the evidence I have?" Alexandra asked, more resigned than hopeful truth to be told.
Grimjaw laughed, although his eyes remained cold and without joy. "For any common wizard? Maybe, maybe not. Stealing from our race has never been made a felony or a crime by your Wizengamot, but the threat of any Goblin rebellion is generally enough to make the Ministry extremely compliant."
The tone of Grimjaw implied he and his fellow goblins deeply regretted it. Time for another Goblin Rebellion, perhaps?
"But we are speaking about Albus Dumbledore, the Grand Sorcerer and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. In the unlikely chance you would manage to find enough evidence against the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the Wizengamot or the Minister for Magic would exonerate him in less than a minute. Maybe less.
Not to mention the man is right now your official magical guardian Heiress Potter, which could give him the right to dismiss the charges in your name before entering a court."
"He has that much power..."
Grimjaw watched her with a surprised look.
"Exactly what sort of things do you learn about the Ministry in your school?"
"Nothing, our dear Professor Binns is still droning about the Goblin Rebellions. Professor Tiroflan is too lazy to open a book, never mind read it."
"Ah, that explains it." The goblin shrugged, having evidently learnt one way or another of Binns ineptness and Tiroflan's incompetence. "Your Headmaster controls about directly one-third of the Wizengamot at the moment. His direct power will decrease in the next years, as new heirs and heiresses including you will take their seats, but the majority of the Ministry administration is crowded with his supporters or people owing him favours. One or two request for vice of procedures is all that is necessary, at the end of the day. And the only possible opponents are people...who share conservative values about magical and blood purity."
Which was perhaps the understatement of the year to say these persons had been Death Eaters of the Dark Lord Voldemort in the last conflict.
Well, it was not like she had been ready or willing to enter the political arena at the age of twelve, or when she was adult for that matter. Moreover, with the number of Slytherins and Ravenclaws she had sent to the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts this year, it was more probable the politicians would be more tempted to sue or try Alexandra in a magical court than Dumbledore.
That still left the other subject...
"And the chances of finding any clues useful at Brise-Roc are?"
"I'm afraid no one here at Gringotts can answer that."
That was not the answer Alexandra had expected to hear.
"Isn't Brise-Roc a goblin fortress?" The young witch demanded with consternation in her voice.
"It is." Said Grimjaw. "Unfortunately, in the last seventy-two hours, no contact with our French redoubt has been made. The fortress is in full lock-down."
One look at the goblin face was enough to see how bad it was.
Alexandra had suddenly a very bad feeling in her stomach. Dumbledore or one of his associates making a burglary to obtain one Philosopher's Stone was one thing. Cutting an entire place where thousands of goblin warriors were no doubt garrisoned had far more unpleasant and worrisome implications.
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