Chapter 20: Twentieth Mortgages and Resignations
Albus Dumbledore sat down on one of the plush chairs at Gringotts—no, it was called Gold Bank now. He had to remember that. That was hard to do, because it had been Gringotts for so long, and he hadn't been in Gold Bank until today.
He hated the new lobby. It just seemed so cold, and there were no goblins to gossip with. Not that goblins gossiped, but they were better than the shrewd looking Argentinean muggleborn transfer student turned receptionist that now managed the desk.
"You'll have to make an appointment, professor." Was what Alejandro Cortez told Dumbledore when he asked to speak to the owner of the bank.
At least he wasn't trying to tell him that Gold Bank was owned by a juridical person, Dumbledore was tired about learning about the magical world of corporate entities. It wasn't that magical in his own opinion, rather it was droll.
"Fine," Dumbledore said. "Well, if he can't talk to me, I need to talk to someone who is dealing with the foreclosure on Hogwarts."
"Oh yes, that nasty matter." Alejandro said. "So, sad to see that the governors weren't acting responsible with the school's finances."
"Well, running a school is a very complex task, young man." Dumbledore started to lecture but Alejandro cut him off.
"It's none of my business. I know that the paperwork was filed accordingly and unless you can pay off the mortgage right now. Well, the school's still is going to be foreclosed."
"And what about the children?" Dumbledore explained. He really didn't want to pull out his trump card, because it was going to call in a lot of favors. He'd rather get the bank to do his bidding through pity.
Alejandro laughed. "They'll get a better education. Especially the muggleborns."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "But without Hogwarts where would you have been taught magic?"
"I did attend magic school in Buenos Aires for two years before my parents moved to London. And there are other magic schools in Europe," Alejandro said. "And a lot of them are a lot more liberal when it comes to muggleborns AND they actually continue teaching muggle subjects."
"I don't see why that's important. We teach Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, anyone who takes it should know how to properly plug in a toaster upon graduation."
"Seriously, a toaster? How do you think I got this job?" Alejandro stated. "It wasn't from Snape's I- Have-Ridiculously-Small-Genetalia-So-I-Must-Torture-My-Potions-Class. No, it was because I kept up with my studies and got a finance degree and was a citizen in muggle Argentina so the damn Rothenberg Convention didn't apply to me."
A lot of this went over Dumbledore's head. "Right. Well, I need to speak with your boss. Circumstances have aroused to change the foreclosure."
"That doesn't seem likely."
"Your boss, Mr. Cortez." Dumbledore said going into teacher mode.
The receptionist sighed. "I am the acting bank manager of this branch at the moment."
"But you're on reception," Dumbledore exclaimed.
"Nombre de Dios," Alejandro muttered. "Who says I am the receptionist?"
"But you're at the reception desk," Dumbledore said as a petite witch of Asian descent came over. "Alejandro, thanks for the break. You are the best."
"Thank you, Joan." The former Ranvenclaw said. "Can you do me a favor?"
The witch nodded.
"Tell the professor what position at the bank I have?"
"Acting bank manager when Mr. G is not at the bank." The girl said before going over towards her desk.
"Mr. G, is that the owner?" Dumbledore asked.
Alejandro rolled his eyes. "It's none of your concern. Now I want to see how you apparently magic-ed your way out of a foreclosure. If I remember, all the solicitors agreed that there was no way that the school would be able to recover."
Dumbledore smiled, "Lawyers aren't wizards, Alejandro."
Alejandro rolled his eyes. "Remember Eric Carson."
"Who?"
"Hufflepuff, my year. He's a lawyer. And yes, he's a Hufflepuff who became a lawyer. Go figure."
Dumbledore sighed. "You should've been sorted into Slytherin, Mr. Cortez."
Alejandro ignored the barb. Honestly, he had no problems with Slytherins. Most Ravenclaws didn't. They viewed them as useful allies. That was something a bull headed Gryffindor could learn about.
Not that Dumbledore would learn anything since he was, well, Dumbledore.
Instead, Cortez motioned Dumbledore to follow him to his office. It wasn't the office that Dumbledore had associated with the bank manager. That office, they passed. Dumbledore mentioned that to Cortez.
Cortez shrugged and said. "That belongs to the bank's CEO. He's currently here."
"Right now?" Dumbledore said.
"No." Cortez rolled his eyes. "He's in muggle London, or has been, doing some work here. But he's not here right now."
"I'd like to talk to him." Dumbledore said. "I want to settle this mess today."
Cortez sighed heavily. "I am the acting bank manager, Professor Dumbledore. I can handle a measly foreclosure."
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardly is NOT a measly foreclosure. The school is an institution. You went there."
"And fat load of good it did me." Alejandro stated as they entered his office.
Dumbledore noted how muggle it looked. It even had one of those computer thingamabobs that Arthur was always talking about. Although, this one seemed sleeker than the ones he usually saw.
"How is muggle technology working here?" He asked. "I thought Gringotts magic rendered it useless."
Cortez ignored him. "Let's see, the deficit that is owed for Hogwarts is five hundred million galleons. Jesu Christo. There's no way you can pay that, Dumbledore."
He sighed. There was no way he could pay five hundred million galleons. The amount was obscene, he wasn't even sure the ministry had that much money in their coffers. But luckily, the ministry didn't have to have that much money. To do what Dumbledore was going to do next.
"You know money, isn't everything." He stated his eyes twinkling as he looked at Alejandro.
Cortez just rolled his eyes. And at this, Dumbledore remembered why he always got so annoyed with Ravenclaws. They were so pragmatic that often the whole being a good person talk just went over their head.
Maybe that's why they were able to get along with Slytherins so well.
What Alejandro said next made Dumbledore truly gasp. "Actually, Professor, studies show that money buys happiness to a point."
"Well, that might be. But regardless, money isn't going to resolve this issue here."
"Is it?" Alejandro said. "Because according to our company solicitors, according to common wizard law, when a building is foreclosed on it means that the mortgagor—that would be us—can collect what is owed. Which would be the school or five hundred million galleons."
"Well, you're not getting five hundred million galleons. At least not today. I have something better."
"Half a billion galleons with interest compounded?" Alejandro asked.
Smart ass.
"No," Dumbledore said with a wry smile. "A temporary injunction for relief from the ministry."
Alejandro glared at him. "Let me see that!"
Dumbledore couldn't help but smirk as his former pupil read the paperwork. It had taken a lot of finagling, but he had finally managed to figure something to save Hogwarts (at least for now).
Alejandro quickly shook his head at this. "This is bull shit, Dumbledore."
Dumbledore was appalled. Although, it wasn't the first time a former student had cussed him out. Lucius did it all the time, but that was Lucius. Alejandro was a Ravenclaw; Ravenclaws normally just mocked Dumbledore behind his back.
"I beg your pardon, Alejandro." Dumbledore said.
"You have you dirty hands all over this," The bank manager said. "It's not going to stand. Rest assured, our solicitors are going to fight it."
"Well, be that as it may. Hogwarts is going to open September 1st and there's nothing you can do about it. It's a binding legal order."
Oh yes, he still had it!
It was only too bad that the rest of his day couldn't have been successful. Though to be fair, what happened next wasn't expected at all.
There was no way he could've expected what happened to happen.
There was sipping a glass of mead—the good kind of mead—in his office and thinking about how he had one upped Gold Bank when Minerva knocked on his door.
Inwardly, he sighed.
He wasn't a huge McGonogall fan. Even though she was the head of his favorite house.
The problem was she was a little too good at her job. Actually efficient and could, truth be known, be a better headmaster than him.
Not that would ever happen.
"Well," She said. "I take it you took care of the little foreclosure problem."
She hadn't exactly been the nicest about that little issue. In fact, she had hissed and cursed multiple times about how it was Dumbledore's fault. And truth be known, she was right. He might've made some bad investments that were suppose to help both the school and the Order. But those were just details.
Really, how was he supposed to know that zebra print robes weren't going to catch on with the wizarding world. He certainly liked his animal print.
And nothing that could be proven.
"It's resolved for now," He said before offering her a lemon drop.
She shook her head. She couldn't stand the muggle sweets.
Pity.
"Well, I hope you find a more permanent situation in the very near future. " Minerva said. "The last thing you want on your legacy is ruining a thousand year old institution."
Ah yes, that would cause quit the smear on his legacy. That, Albus, was sure of. However, he had friends in the ministry and he was sure he could convince the CEO of the bank to give him a permanent retrieval.
Surely, he was not as foul as that Ravenclaw bank manager.
Though, you did wonder what sort of person hired Alejandro Cortez.
"Minerva, Hogwarts, isn't going anywhere."
She sighed, "If you say so, Albus. This foreclosure thing isn't to be treated lightly. Anyway, here are the enrollment statistics for the year. I just got it from registration this morning."
Dumbledore nodded as he grabbed the file. Owls had went out just last week. It was amazing that the end of summer was already in sight.
Smiling he said, "Nothing unusual this year, then?"
"Honestly, I haven't looked." Minerva said. "But registration has told me that everyone has responded whether they're going to attend or not. I think they might've mentioned a couple withdrawals, which isn't that surprising considering the rumors about the Malfoys."
Again Dumbledore nodded his head. Nasty business with Lucius Malfoy. He was wanted for holding dark artifacts in his estate in the Lake country. He hadn't been seen since the day of that board meeting. Though, there had been rumors that Narcissa had taken Draco and flew the coop to Bulgaria of all places.
Dumbledore wasn't sure if he bought it. Narcissa just didn't seem like the Bulgarian type. Not enough high end shopping for her there. No, if he knew her it was more likely that she ran off to Paris or Milan. Whichever country had worse relations with the British ministry.
"Thank you, Minerva." He said finally. "I'll look over this. Are you sure you don't want a lemon drop."
"Quite." She said. "I'll be in my quarters if you need me."
Again he nodded, before opening the file. Out of the forty first years that were accepted, three of them had declined. Two of those were muggleborns who were simply confused, and Dumbledore quickly made a note to have Minerva send someone to give the parents the "Magic is real" talk. One of them had opted to attend Beauxbatons. Not surprising since the perspective student's parents were French nationals.
He then looked at the withdrawals from the school. As he suspected Narcissa had pulled Draco out of the school. It was done shortly after Lucius's disappearance, but before charges had been brought up.
As interesting as that was, what was more intriguing was the other withdrawal. At first Dumbledore did not know what to make of it:
To Whom It May Concern:
My son, Harrison Gold will no longer be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary. We are pursuing other academic options that will better suit our needs.
Regards,
R. Gold
Harrison Gold?
As far as Dumbledore knew, they didn't have a Harrison Gold on records. And he began to look at the enrollment to see if he could see if there had been a Harrison Gold on file. But he found none.
Sighing, he decided to look through the current enrollment and see if he could find a gap.
He started with the second years and imagine to his surprise when a certain second year was missing.
Harry Potter.
At first Dumbledore thought it was a mistake, until he called the registration office.
Which was ran by what had to be the most incompetent wizards ever. Since apparently, Harry Potter was pulled out of the school.
Or Harrison Gold, because that was apparently his legal name according to the ministry records which had been updated the past month by a solicitor on the behalf of the boy's biological father, R Gold.
Biological father.
Somehow, the Dark One had done the impossible. He had found a way into this world and had reclaimed a son that he didn't even know exist. And might, just might, ruin Dumbledore's plains if he didn't find the boy and rectify the situation soon enough.
But even Dumbledore couldn't help but shudder what he was up against. Because while he might've been able to manipulate Cora due to her weakened state, she was not the Dark One. She did not obtain the power or the rage that, that being did. And God knows, what he was doing to undue Dumbledore's hard work on making the boy a malleable asset.