King Ragnok
De Amore Et Bello
Chapter 7
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Previously on De Amore Et Bello:
“First my uncle now my father?” Draco shouts. “What is it with you Weasley-Prewitt’s trying to marry into my family? Do you love me that much?” Draco shoots at them. Harry chuckles.
“Don’t kid yourself, Malfoy. And don’t blame them, blame Lady Magic for making them soulmates in the first place.” Harry giggles as Draco pouts. Draco turns to face Percy, eyeing him.
“Guess you’re going to be my step-father.” Percy chokes and starts coughing. He’s blushing red to ears, opening his mouth to refute something when the doors slam open, ricocheting off the walls and echoing around the room. The others straighten to attention and Harry’s hand falls to his thigh where his wand is situated in its sheath.
“What is the meaning of this?”
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Saturday, September 7th, 1977
“What is the meaning of this?”
Ragnok, King of the Goblin nation, lives up to his name. There’s a slight snarl on his lips. At his waist curls a sword holster with a blade forged in iron and dragons fire, one that can slice clean through enemies skin and muscle like it was nothing. He’s a warrior, that’s clear and he looks ready to fight for his nation if they, the time travellers, pose a threat towards the goblins.
Harry stands, bowing. “King Ragnok, it’s an honour.” At the King’s still hostile look, he straightens and clears his throat. “We do not come to harm you. We find ourselves in the past due to an Unspeakable time turner—” Ragnok’s eyes become interested, “—and truthfully we do not want to go home nor can we. The future is bleak. And … I believe we have a common enemy at this very moment.”
Ragnok steps further into the room and waves away the entourage that come forth at his step. The recede, shooting looks the time travellers way, wary and filled with fire and revenge if anything is to happen to their King.
“A common enemy, time traveller?” He waves a hand and a golden throne seats itself in front of the table where their inheritance tests are situated. He prowls over to it and sits, filled with elegance of a rightful ruler. “Do tell.”
“Albus Dumbledore.” As soon as the name is issued, Ragnok hisses and lets out a string of Gobbledygook. Harry bites his lip to hide his smile and gathers up the tests, handing it to the goblin. Ragnok pauses and stares down at them before accepted them and ruffling through them, counting them. “First, if you would read these. It helps towards the situation. You may be believe us, but blood does not lie.” Harry utters it like a prayer. Ragnok eyes him.
“You are knowledgeable in our customs.” Ragnok states. It’s not a question but it demands an answer. Harry nods.
“You took to training me at one point. I was … lacking in certain areas should I say. You took to rectify that before I went into hiding. It was for but a short three months, but it was very interesting and useful.” Ragnok eyes him before he nods and settles back to read through the inheritance tests slowly. His lips begin to thin and his eyes twitches.
When he’s finished he swears softly.
“Dumbledore will pay for this.” He looks towards where the time travellers are. “I swear it.” Magic thrums throw the air and then settles, merging in with the Gringotts marble walls. The runes and symbols seem to pulse before it falls silent and stops. Harry smiles.
“Thank you. I swear to help you in whatever way I can if you’d deem my help.” His magic snaps and thrashes. Ragnok’s face lights up in a ferocious grin.
“So, younglings, tell me. What is your story?”
Harry takes a deep breath.
Then he tells Ragnok the story of a lonely eleven year old boy who defeated a Dark Lord, who made friends and enemies. Told King Ragnok of a boy who’s whole life had been nothing but a lie.
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When Harry’s finally finished, Ragnok summons a glass of water and hands it to the male before standing, smoothing the crinkles in his clothes. Then he sits back down and rubs at his jaw thoughtfully. “What else do you need, youngling?” Harry’s lips thin as he ponders that.
“I’m sure most of us need cleansing of compulsions and such. So if we can get that, I’d be immensely grateful.” Ragnok nods.
“Done.” Ragnok folds his fingers and sits back, staring over at them, scrutinising them for a long moment. “There’s another story you need to tell me, isn’t there?” Harry laughs in surprise, the sound seeming to rip from him at Ragnok’s bluntness. Way back when he’d appreciated it after all the lies and deceit, the treachery and betrayal. He still appreciates it.
“Yes, you see before me, Dumbledore also deceived another person and messed up his life. Tom Marvolo Riddle was his name—”
“I remember that youngling. He was quite a talent. Charming. And most of all respectful. He came in once to the bank then disappeared. We never saw him again.” Harry hums to himself, thoughtful over that. “So, this Tom Riddle? He was impacted by Albus Dumbledore as well? Like you were?” Ragnok inquires. Harry nods once more.
“Twenty years into the future, Albus Dumbledore instructs me to look for Horcruxes to destroy. Supposedly they’re Voldemort’s soul being split into pieces. However, I’ve come to find that Voldemort’s rise to power wasn’t entirely consensual neither was it his idea.
“You see, when Voldemort was born, he was named Tom Riddle. Supposedly, he created a Horcrux when he was in his fifth year, but I know for a fact that Riddle did not want to take over the world and murder all muggles. Sure, he hated his muggle father but that was because he beat his magical mother and killed her by heartache. She killed herself shortly after they were cast out and Riddle went to an orphanage to live his younger years away.
“He became almost like a bully. A creep. A weirdo—but the rules in the orphanage were simple; be ruthless or be stomped upon. But then that all changed when he attended Hogwarts. He was in his element—he had finally found purpose. Imagine his surprise when he goes to Hogwarts to find out who his parents were and sees that he has a soulmate and it’s his best friend—Abraxas Malfoy.
“A surprise, right? Riddle finally had something good in his life and it gets even better because Abraxas—Abraxas was everything to Riddle. Recently, we found out that they fell in love, slowly yes but it was a strong bond—only Abraxas had a marriage contract. Now it wasn’t serious as the only thing that can label the contract invalid is if the guardian and or lord of the house deems it admissible. Or, if one’s met their soulmate, I’ve heard it’s quite rare.” Harry smiles with a little shrug as if saying ‘what can you do?’
“They had found each other. So, the contract was no big deal—except for one person. Albus Dumbledore. He needs Riddle to be the guy that takes the fall, the person that makes his name big again. Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald, but his name was faltering in the wizarding world again. He needed something to get it running again. Another dark lord? It’d worked the first time, so why not the second?
“So, some little imperius’s and Riddle sells his life away. The marriage contract doesn’t get admissible, and Abraxas sells his life away. Draco’s grandmother is ruthless, so I’ve heard from him. Abraxas heartbroken and miserable, is easy to manipulate. Riddle is—well, currently, he is insane by all counts.” Harry says with another small shrug.
“And you want us to help you …?” Ragnok asks, Harry smirking a little.
“I want you to help me piece his soul back together. Currently, there are five Horcruxes made—Slytherin’s locket in the Gaunt family house. Nasty dark curse on it though. Ravenclaw’s diadem which is hidden in Hogwarts on the seventh floor in the lost things room. Hufflepuff’s cup, which is in the Lestrange vault right now, in Gringotts. That needs to be collected and kept safe. There’s a multiplying charm on most of the stuff around the cup, making it harder to get to the cup, so try not to touch anything else.
“Then there’s the locket. I’d imagine he’s getting ready to put it in the cave with the inferi, however, he doesn’t have Severus on his side to brew the potion, so he’s probably got that stored in the Malfoy manor with Abraxas. Oh, the diary, that’s also with Abraxas. He hasn’t made Nagini a Horcrux neither has he killed my parents, so I’m not a Horcrux. Thank merlin.” Harry chuckles and peers at Ragnok, who gives a nod.
“As you wish, youngling.” Releasing an internal sigh of relief, Harry smiles.
“Thank you, King Ragnok.” Harry bites his lip. Ragnok clocks this and tilts his head.
“There’s another reason you want Tom Riddle whole and sane again isn’t there?” Ragnok asks. Harry sighs a little.
“The other reason I’d like Tom Riddle back to himself is that we’ve found out that Tom Riddle and Abraxas Malfoy have a son, Cyrus Malfoy. He is the twins soulmate. Right now he’s in a complicated situation. As I said Belladonna Malfoy is quite vicious and is already emotionally abusive towards Abraxas’s son. They don’t even know who the father is. He was dropped off on their doorstep, no note, nothing.”
Ragnok frowns. “They did not do a blood test?”
“Maybe just one on Abraxas to test if he was a Malfoy. But the other parent? It’s unlikely. Belladonna wouldn’t have cared. It was an act of infidelity, and I don’t think Abraxas has told her about his soulmate as it’d just make her more angry towards Cyrus.” Harry explains. Ragnok shakes his head, tutting softly.
“Stupid old witch.” Draco giggles a little as the twins cackle. He stands once more and smooths his close back down again. “I shall go and get my wife. She shall do the cleansings.” They all nod and Ragnok leaves with a glance over his shoulder at the time travellers.
“Well, you’ve always been fucking crazy, Potter. Going toe to toe with the Goblin King in the beginning made me hair stand on fucking end.” Draco says after a moment. Harry finds himself giggling. The others trade glances before they’re all snickering.
“Yeah, well, you chose to follow me, Malfoy.”
“I didn’t have much choice!” Draco protests, practically falling over with laughter. “We were on the bloody run being chased by Aurors.”
“You save the bloody wizarding world and then get chased across the country.” Harry snickers. “What a thank you.” Draco and he share a smile. After a moment of waiting, Harry huffs out a string of tired laughter, unable to help himself just as the doors slam open and the Goblin King comes back in. Ragnok’s wife, Bhaftaaz, stops at his side and looks through all the inheritance tests that Harry hands her at her husband’s insistence. She makes a small noise of anger.
“That manipulative old fool.” She seethes, clenching her teeth. Her husband places a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gently takes the inheritance tests away from his wife. Bhaftaaz regains her composure after a moment. “Poor younglings.” She murmurs quietly, patting her stomach softly. Harry suddenly remembers that Ragnok and Bhaftaaz have a son in the future which means right now she’s expecting—probably a couple months along as it doesn’t yet show. “I can take off all these compulsions and blocks, no problem,” she nods, “however for those that have love potions, we’re going to have to do a little ritual. That’s no big problem, I can do that and mix it in with taking off those pesky little things there. Once that’s finished, Gringotts shall send you the anti-love potions every day. I assume that Mr Potter shall be paying for them?” She looks towards Harry, who raises an eyebrow.
“Is my account still running?” He asks instead. Ragnok nods.
“Yes, you are the richest wizard in the wizarding world.” He bows his head. Harry brings his hands together in a celebratory clap.
“Wonderful.” Harry smiles widely. “Then yes, yes, I shall be paying for it all.” Ragnok nods and leaves the room with his fellow goblins rushing after him. His wife is the only one that stays, and she leads them to the beds, asking them to sit, saying that she’s going to do them all at once.
“Some shall take longer than others to wake up after the ritual.” She tells them all. Harry gives a nod.
“It took me half an hour to wake up the last time I did one of these.” Harry says, the others glancing at him.
“When did you do one of these rituals? You had literally no time.” Percy points out, watching as Harry averts his eyes, grinning mysteriously.
“A magician—or in this case a wizard—never reveals his secrets.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense! If you don’t reveal the way you can do something, then—”
“It’s a muggle saying, Draco.” Charlie says in amusement, sending Harry an exasperated look that Harry laughs at. Bhaftaaz tells them to be quiet and that the ritual is starting to begin. Harry waits for a long moment, waiting for something to happen. When nothing does, he lifts his head a little to look around him and sees that the others are all asleep.
He sighs and leans back, getting hit with a wave of fatigue suddenly.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting that—” Harry says sluggishly as his head slumps, eyes closing.
He certainly doesn’t expect everything to go black so quickly.