Harry Potter and the Lost Cities

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

"Happy Christmas!" Harry exclaimed.

"Oh, good to see you, happy Christmas, Harry dear..." Mrs. Weasley replied, embracing him. "Come in, come in... Lily, dear! How are you, sweetheart? And Albus, good to see you..."

Harry felt a little bad as Mrs. Weasley greeted him and his family. He could see the fake smile on her face, the one many of them seemed to have. It was hardly a Weasley Christmas dinner without Rose. It didn't feel right. Harry wasn't really sure why he was even here, except that it was a tradition. And he knew his family, and maybe him, too, needed at least a little sense of normalcy.

He had to smile as he took in the Weasleys' Christmas decorations. It may have looked slightly chaotic to some people, with colorful lights and garland covering every free inch and a variety of ornaments hanging from a huge tree― with an angelified gnome on top, of course. And a dozen kids running around certainly added to the craziness. But somehow it was always beautiful to Harry.

Harry scanned the room, looking over the familiar faces of his siblings-in-law, nieces, and nephews. Then he spotted the one he was looking for: Bill Weasley.

Harry approached him, and Bill, who had been laughing at something Charlie had said, smiled at him. "Hullo, Harry, Happy Christmas!"

"You too!" Harry replied with a smile. "I was actually wondering... could I have a quick word? About some work stuff?"

Bill raised an eyebrow. "On Christmas, Harry, really?"

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, sorry, it'll only take a moment."

"All right." They stepped away from the group, and Bill asked, "So what's this about?"

"I dunno how much you've heard in the papers about our case..." Harry began.

"The one with the elves?" Bill asked.

"That's the one," Harry agreed. "But there's also something else... you see, it's not just the elves in this world we discovered. They have ogres, gnomes, trolls, dwarves, and... goblins."

"Well, I suppose it makes sense," Bill said, rubbing his chin. "It's not like these elves live on a new planet, they're bound to have some of the same creatures."

"But that's the thing," Harry said. "The elves' version of goblins...isn't like ours. Theirs are all tall and muscular... basically like an entirely different species that goes by the same name. And I talked to a goblin at Gringotts the other day..." Harry recounted his conversation with Erezle.

"That is odd," Bill agreed. "I don't think I've ever heard anything about any other goblins or something."

"You haven't?" Harry asked, crestfallen.

"No. Sorry, mate. I have heard rumors of goblins going by a different name once upon a time, though."

"Really?" Harry said, interested. "What name?"

"I dunno, I barely remember the conversation. I kinda passed it off as a rumor, you know? I honestly don't even recall where I heard it. You pick up all kinds of strange rumors and stories working with goblins."

"What kind of stories―"

"Harry?"

Harry glanced up to see Mrs. Weasley standing there, looking confused. "Um... there's some... children here? They are asking to talk with you?" She said it as a question, asking Harry what in the world was going on.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, confused, before it hit him: it was probably Sophie and some other elves. Although he wasn't sure what could bring them here on Christmas day.