Chapter 4: chapter 4
Hope strolled out of the fireplace at a brisk pace with her eyes partially shut as the converging green flames died down behind her. When she heard the indistinct chatter around her she opened her eyes to take in the establishment that was the Leaky Cauldron. Hope stepped over to the nearest unoccupied table to lean against until the Flamel's showed up.
"That wasn't as difficult as the books made it out to be." Hope muttered under her breath so no one in the pub would hear her.
After a couple of moments the fireplace flares with green fire and Nicolas walks out with a slightly panicked expression before it settles at the sight of Hope. Nic walks over towards the young Tribrid and copies her actions as he leans on the table with her.
He leaned down next to Hope's ear and whispered. "While we are here, make sure to just call us Nic and Nelle. No one will recognise us, but it's best not to give people any hints."
"Sure thing Nic." Hope replies in a normal voice as Perenelle walks out of the fireplace.
"Hey, Nelle. Floo Travel is not as difficult as I thought it would be." Hope called aloud over the boisterous crowd with a smile as Nelle made her way over to the mischievous pair.
Nelle laughed with a proud smile, drawing the attention of the barkeeper, Tom, who called out from over the bar while cleaning a glass. "Hey Fell's. Do you want me to hold a table for you?"
"No thanks Tom. Just getting some supplies for our ward so we won't know how long we will be. But thanks for offering, Tom." Nic answered with a smile as he walked towards the back alley way of the pub with his wife and Hope following him.
Nicolas pulled out his wand and tapped on the corresponding bricks to open the magical gateway to Diagon Alley. Hope came up next to Perenelle and tapped her arm and motioned for the older witch to lean down so Hope could whisper in the Healer's ear. "Fell's?"
"We needed a last name for people to call us by. Might as well shorten our names and use an alliterate last name to see if people can figure out who we are. It's kind of like a game for us. To see if anyone can make the connection. We leave some obvious hints so others can guess, otherwise it's not any fun." Perenelle replied just as quietly with a playful smirk.
Hope smiled and shook her head at Perenelle antics. "No belief that the Magical Community can put 2 and 2 together?"
Nic heard the back end of Nelle's explanation and mumbled back to Hope with a roll of his eyes, "Hasn't happened yet."
"Well, have fun with that. I won't ruin your game." Hope chuckled to herself as the Flamel's guided the small auburn haired girl towards the crooked building that houses Gringotts Bank.
When the trio entered the incredibly large and acoustic building made up of practically marble only, Nicolas and Perenelle walked up to one of the Goblins standing behind a large wooden desk.
Nelle placed a hand on Hope's shoulder while Nic moved back silently so he was behind the Tribrid's other shoulder. Placing Hope in between them as they waited quietly and patiently for the Goblin to notice them.
As one of the Goblin's eyes tilted up and saw one of their oldest clients, the small creature stood up before making his way around the desk so he was standing in front of the trio regarding the young girl in curiosity.
The Goblin spoke in a deep and growl-like voice. "This way, please."
Then walked off down a corridor behind him expecting the group to follow behind him.
The group followed the Goblin but Hope was frowning slightly as the seemingly bitter creature ignored them as he acted as a guide for the trio. Instead of saying anything Hope decided to stay quiet as she doesn't want to piss off a Magical Creature for no reason.
Especially a whole community that she knows looks after the money in the wizarding world. That would be a rather stupid idea if she can't find a way home sooner than she would like.
The Goblin opened a door to an office and motioned for the group to enter, as soon as Hope made it through the door.
The Goblin shut the door behind the group and walked further into the room before greeting them with a hand over his heart and a small nod. "Greetings Mr and Mrs Flamel. May your gold ever grow and prosper."
"Greetings Warrior Grimtooth. May the blood of your enemies always wet your blade." Both Nicolas and Perenelle answered while repeating the same respectful greeting while Hope watched the proceeding with curious eyes.
The Goblin looked at Hope as Nicolas spoke, "Warrior Grimtooth. We wish to announce our new Heir and allow her to access our vaults as well as fill out the necessary work to become her Magical Guardian."
"You've chosen another successor after 300 years? This must be some child." Grimtooth mentioned with shock looking at Hope.
"What is your name, young one?" The Goblin questioned the young girl with piped curiosity, wondering how the girl would answer. With respect or the blatant disregard most wizards seem to portray.
"Greetings Warrior Grimtooth." Hope said with a nod and a hand over her heart, copying the Flamel's greetings.
The Goblin's eyes widened in surprise as the girl spoke clearly and maintained eye contact with him as she gave her name. "My name is Hope Mikaelson."
"Mikaelson… That's not a name I recognise. Muggleborn I presume?" Grimtooth thought aloud.
"Actually I'm not completely sure. My lineage is complicated." Hope answered with uncertainty as her thoughts went to the Mikaelson's family tree as well as Inadu, The Hollow, who is also her ancestor even though she really wishes she wasn't.
The little bitch.
The Goblin snapped his fingers drawing Hope's ire away from her memories of The Hollow and she watched as two pieces of parchment appeared on the desk along with a knife. "We'll do an inheritance test after we sort out the Flamel Hierarchy."
The small Goblin walked over to the desk and picked up one of the pieces of parchment before passing it over to Nicolas and told him, "I know you've done this before but I am required to give out the instructions on how to name a new Heir. So you will just need to imbue your magic into the parchment along with your intent as well as your wife's and then have your Heir place her magic into the parchment. That will start the process to allocate a new Heir for the Most Ancient and Noble House Flamel."
Hope squinted at the title Grimtooth gave the Flamel's, wondering what she was getting herself into as she watched Nicolas close his eyes and focus his magic into the parchment before handing it over to Perenelle. Nelle also had to close her eyes as she concentrated her magic into the parchment before handing it off to Hope.
When Hope touched the parchment, the parchment flashed and a ring box appeared on the desk.
Grimtooth picked up the box with thinly veiled surprise.
"Most Muggleborn Wizards usually have trouble accessing their magic, whereas it seems natural for you child." Grimtooth remarks with a cautious gaze.
Hope shrugs slightly to the Goblin as Grimtooth hands the ring box to Nicolas who opens it and pulls out a bulky silver ring with geometric symbols with triangles, squares, circles and even pentagons etched into an onyx face.
Nic walked over to Hope asking for her right hand. Hope extends her right arm out to Nicolas without fear and Nicolas slides the large ring onto her fourth finger. The ring flashes and resizes to Hope's small finger size.
"Congratulations, Hope Mikaelson. Heiress of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Flamel. The ring has accepted you. The ring will grow as you grow and you can will the ring to hide on your finger if you so desire." Grimtooth explained with a small bow.
"Thank you, Warrior Grimtooth… Do you mean like an invisibility charm?" Hope asks with curiosity as she examines the symbol on the ring. It reminded her of the old Alchemy symbol in her Grandmother's Grimoire.
"Sort of." The Goblin said mysteriously.
Hope raised an eyebrow at the Goblin but she also wished for the ring to be invisible and it vanished off her finger. Hope ran her fingers from her left hand over where she expected the ring to be and felt the bulky ring.
"Cool." Hope smirked at the ease it was to hide something so easily.
The Tribrid looked over to the Flamel's and asked curiously, "Do you want me to hide it?"
"For now and in public. But when we are at home don't worry about it." Nicolas answered after some thought.
"No worries." Hope replied.
The time-traveller looked over to the Goblin and questioned him without fear but also without demand. "Warrior Grimtooth. You had mentioned an inheritance test? What do you require me to do?"
The Goblin walked over to the desk and asked Hope. "Come forward please?"
Hope walked up to the desk but stood opposite of the desk and awaited further instruction from the Goblin.
Grimtooth picked up the knife and held it out for Hope to take, which she did with a raised eyebrow as the Goblin spoke. "Now just prick your finger with the knife and collect some blood on the blade. Then place the tip of the knife gently on the parchment in front of you."
Hope silently scanned the blade with her magic, wondering if there were any harmful magics on the knife but found none. The Tribrid followed the Goblin's instruction and pricked her finger, twisting the knife a bit into the wound, so her skin didn't heal too quickly allowing her blood to coat the blade.
She didn't make a sound or flinch at the pain of cutting herself as she has felt much worse pain over the years than a simple cut, recalling the pain of her first shift into a Werewolf. That was painful. Inadu possessing her and slowly killing her over the course of weeks was practically unbearable.
The Goblin's eyes rose at the girl's resistance to pain with respect as most wizards shy away
from pain and blood.
When the Tribrid felt like there was enough blood on the knife she removed it from her finger and closed her fist tightly, hiding her healing ability from the Goblin as she held the knife above the parchment. She lowered the knife slowly until the tip touched the parchment and held it there with a steady hand.
Hope watched as the blood from the knife spread across the parchment forming words with her blood.
"You can remove the knife now, Heiress Flamel." Grimtooth said suddenly, startling Hope causing her to lift the knife from the parchment and place it down on the desk beside the bloody parchment.
The Goblin moved forward and picked up the parchment to read over it. Hope went to stand over near the Flamel's as the Goblin was reading the results of the inheritance test.
The Goblin's eyes grew wide and looked at Hope in disbelief before letting out a string of unpronounceable sounds before saying, "Stay here please." As he ran out of the office quickly, still holding the inheritance test results.
Hope watches as the Goblin leaves in a hurry.
Hope cocked her head to the side before turning to face the Flamel's with worry plastered over her face. "Why does this not fill me with confidence when a Goblin rushes out after reading my inheritance test? Do you think it will say I'm from another universe?"
The Flamel's looked at each other with concern in their eyes before Nelle tried to come up with an answer for Hope. "I guess it's possible? Just don't lie to the Goblins."
Nic nodded before continuing on from where his wife left off. "They will keep your secrets so long as you respect them. Which you are doing an excellent job of by the way." Nicolas mentioned with a proud look.
Hope sighed quietly as she began to pace in the small office-like room, waiting for the Goblin to come back so she could settle her nerves.
It was almost 5 minutes later when the office door opened again with Grimtooth and another Goblin. Who held a natural aura around him and Hope felt like he was very important within the Goblin Community.
Her Wolf immediately recognised this particular Goblin as the King of the Goblins.
Nicolas and Perenelle bowed low to the newcomer while Nicolas said with a worried respect as he gazed over to Hope. "King Ragnok? To what do we owe the honour of your presence?"
Well that answered that question in Hope's mind.
King Ragnok was staring at Hope with a very stern glare as he regarded her in fascination and absolute astonishment as he held the girl's Inheritance test in his hands.
Hope twitched her nose before bowing her head slightly before greeting the Goblin King, like she would've greeted another member of royalty in her universe.
"King Ragnok. I'm sorry for encroaching on your lands but I only wished to complete the necessary documentation then leave without any drama." The Tribrid said cautiously and calmly as she flashed her golden wolf eyes at him.
The power coming from her simple exertion of changing eye colour, showed the girl's control and strength. This also had the added effect of proving her inheritance as a Queen.
"There's no need for apologies, young Queen of the Werewolves, Princess of the Vampires and descendant of the Great Wizard Merlin of Legendary House Emrys." King Ragnok replied, bowing his head the same distance as Hope did.
Nicolas and Perenelle were in a state of shock and looked at Hope stunned.
Hope however frowned before asking, "Wait. What was that 3rd one? Descendant of Merlin?" Hope questioned incredulously to herself.
"That one I didn't know." Hope said in confusion as she looked back to the shell-shocked Flamel's.
The Goblin King cleared his throat and drew the intriguing girl's attention back to him. "However what confuses us is your results. None of it makes sense. Do you care to explain?" King Ragnok asks in expectation and raises an eyebrow at her, or what could be considered a raised eyebrow on the taller, bulkier Goblin, that like his brethren, didn't actually have eyebrows or lashes.
Hope answers with as much simplicity as she could as she raises her arms in confusion. "Well, I'm from another universe. I've gone back in time and I've also been de-aged."
The Goblins once again raised their eyebrows in surprise but continued listening as Hope continued with her sudden explanation. "My grandmother was a Witch. My mum was a Werewolf Alpha and my dad was one of my universe's Original Vampires, but he was born as a cursed Werewolf. His Werewolf side didn't activate until after he took his first life when he was first turned into a Vampire. Making him a Hybrid. Since I have all three of these species in my immediate bloodline. I'm all three. A Tribrid."
The Goblins blinked and King Ragnok looked back on the Inheritance parchment looking over the facts Hope had given.
"Well shit." King Ragnok said in exasperation while scratching at his bald head. "This is going to be one massive clusterfuck. I can tell."
Hope couldn't help it as she let out a snort of unimpressed laughter. "Sorry. I know this is probably really complicated. But why do I get the feeling this is going to end up with me being some sort of messiah? That I'm going to have to end up saving this world from Voldemort and most likely end up liberating the Magical Creatures by giving them a voice or something due to my Tribrid status or something?"
The Goblins looked at the Flamel's still shocked faces at Hope's rant before turning back to Hope and saying, "Actually yes. That's exactly what we want you to do." Ragnok replied honestly and straight to the point, shocking the Flamel's further.
Hope rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"Fuck my life." She muttered under her breath so quietly she thought no one would hear her but Ragnok snorted in amusement as he stared at the young girl.
"With your Tribrid status and the fact that you are a member of the Legendary House of Emrys, this should be easy for you to achieve." King Ragnok added with a feral grin causing the time-travelling girl to shake her head in annoyance.
Hope groaned as she recalled something from the 5th 'Harry Potter' movie. "Why do I have this strange feeling that this is going to involve politics?"
She saw the rest of the occupants in the room nod, causing Hope to swear. "Fuck! I hate politics… Is there a book on this universe's etiquettes that I have to follow?" She pleaded with the group.
"Generally the Ministry of Magic doesn't have a rulebook. But thankfully, since you are a member of the Legendary House of Emrys. One of the oldest families in the Wizengamot. You would have the original copy of rules in your vault." The King Goblin replied happily.
"Great." Hope said with the most unimpressed look on her face causing Ragnok to laugh at the child Queen.
King Ragnok pulled out another ring box before handing it over to Hope. "You must place this ring onto your right index finger."
Hope accepted the box from the King and opened it with a sigh.
The Emrys ring had a sea-blue background, the same colour as her eyes and there was a silver triskelion engraved on it.
Hope couldn't help but stare at the simple but elegant design of the new ring as she asked. "What's the difference between this ring and the other ring I placed on earlier?"
"This ring is a Head of House ring and when you wear it, you'll be known as Lady Emrys. This also emancipates you. Meaning you no longer need a Magical Guardian. This Legendary ring protects from poisons, mild altering charms and potions as well as safeguards your soul from the Imperious Curse and even the Killing Curse. Making you the safest person in the world."
"Okay." Hope dragged out through gritted teeth.
"Can you keep my identity a secret from the magical community until after I finish school? I really don't need all the judgemental stares and feigned friendships due to this ring being on my finger." Hope asked the Goblin while rubbing at the migraine she felt hammering into her forehead with a groan.
King Ragnok sighed but agreed. "Very well. But we do have to mention to the Ministry of Magic that a Legendary House has been activated. It is unfortunately unavoidable."
Nicolas added in his knowledge. "The good news is you don't have to announce how old you are, nor your name. You can be known by your title Lady Emrys to avoid anyone from knowing who you are. However you will need to announce a Faction you will support in the Ministry."
"Which one do you suggest, Nic?" Hope asked intrigued and also hoping that the older wizard would help make her decision easier.
Perenelle shook her head before answering this for Hope.
"Nic doesn't pay attention to politics. I would suggest the Neutral Faction. The Light and Dark Factions are usually at each other's throats. Where the Light tries to include Muggleborns better into society. The Dark wishes to make sure the wizarding world never leaves the Medieval Ages and wants more privileges for the Purebloods. Whereas the Neutral tries to move the wizarding world to the current era as well as trying to provide rights for Magical Creatures." Perenelle explained putting a hand on Hope's shoulder.
Hope looks back to the Goblin King.
"Neutral Faction." She replies quickly to the Goblin King once she hears the quick summary of the Factions.
The King grinned at her. "Wonderful choice young Queen."
Hope twisted the ring in her hand and slid it onto her index finger, feeling it fit onto her finger ensuring her fate as this universe's saviour as she asked no one in particular. "I'm also assuming that since I'm underage I can assign a proxy or something until I've learnt the rules and have some experience? Right?"