There was a ripple of movement on the far side of the lobby behind the tellers, but he couldn't tell what it was. Moments before it'd sounded like someone had shouted, but from his seat in the unwelcome visitor's section he couldn't understand what it said, or even what door it'd come from.
The frizzy-haired dentist stood and tried to peer over to see what the disturbance was. There was nothing to occupy himself with in the small clutch of chairs, not even a single magazine, old newspaper, or tabloid so goblin-watching was the best he had.
His two goblin buddies - which made them seem so much more cheerful than saying 'those two goblins who'd like nothing better than to kick me out' - looked at him quickly in case he decided to move towards a door. While he carefully didn't take a step in any direction, he did rock back and forth heel-to-toe as if to loudly proclaim his right to stand… before quickly resuming his seat, crossing his legs, and putting on his most innocent expression.
Maybe he could read one of those books he just bought. There's no way whatever was going on could have anything to do with his Hermione. He drummed his fingers on the back of the chair next to him and looked around. He doubted they had tea, but maybe there was a coffee machine somewhere he could get to. Just as he was debating whether to ask one of his goblin buddies if they knew what cappuccino was there was another ripple of movement and a goblin buddy boy band tramped straight out of the bank and into the street beyond. They'd certainly be new kids on that block.
Looking back to the lobby at large he noticed something odd. All the tellers were gone, though the people waiting in line were still standing there. One-by-one the goblins popped back up again a few moments later, slammed the large book they used shut before shouting "Teller closed!" causing the book itself to disappear in a puff of smoke.
There was definitely something strange going on, but even the robed lollygaggers didn't seem to know what it was. The lobby started buzzing as talk increased each time a here again, gone again teller closed shop. His stomach then dropped several inches as he saw who walked in surrounded by those not-so-friendly goblin guards and hustled through to the far side of the lobby. Numbly he stood to see another ripple of movement across the way become a scarlet and gold line of goblins moving through and politely telling everyone to leave before hustling them towards the door. Well, as politely as goblin guards did things that is.
The only one who seemed to get special treatment was him. One of the new goblins separated from the line and made their way over as the triple set of double doors were closed and locked. He dropped back into his chair. This was it; the sinking feeling told him so. They were going to tell him something horrible had happened. He never should've let her come here. Now he was going to be condemned to be the only Granger left, again.
"Wendell Granger?" the new goblin asked and the man looked blearily up at him.
"Dan," he said automatically. "Everyone calls me Dan. Where's Hermione?"
The goblin glanced down to his slip of paper before wadding it up and putting it in his pocket. "Your daughter's a witness being held for questioning involving a breach of international wizarding law, and treaty with the Goblin Nation."
Relief like he'd never known washed through him and all he could do was laugh. If he hadn't been sitting down he wouldn't have been able to stand and he didn't know if the tears in his eyes were from the relief or the humor of the situation. His Little Puckle was a Granger after all, and was at least knee deep in shit. Well, if she got herself into it then she could get herself out. Grangers always did. After all, they didn't call you a witness this early on if you'd done something wrong.
When the giggles subsided he looked back up at the goblin in front of him. "So," he asked, kicking his feet up to rest on the chair opposite him. "Do you guys have a cappuccino machine?"
...
"Just relax and everything'll be fine," Lester said gruffly as he tried to calm the kids down.
It didn't work any better this time than it had before. The boy was still pacing back and forth like a caged animal and worrying about everyone but himself while the girl was staring off into space with her eyes bugged out like she'd just killed her own parents. It might've been a mistake to tell her what could've happened to her father earlier, but at least she was sitting down.
While he had to take responsibility for the girl's quiet state of shock, not that he knew how, he blamed Barchoke for the boy. Goblins had no patience, so while prompting them to tell what they knew and then repeating "Faster!" at them seemed the most orderly thing for him to do, it only made the tale disjointed and the kids worse before they got stuffed in here.
It was a wonder the boy hadn't snapped at him. Then again, it could've been Barchoke running off as soon as he had the boy describe the Stone itself that saved them from it. He understood the goblin's rush but there were better ways to do things.
The metal door squealed as it opened and a third kid was shoved inside in a ginger blur.
"That's my son!" an angry Arthur said from the hallway.
"Then get inside," the goblin guard said. There were too many of them to know any by name unless they shaved their head and swore vengeance upon you, but then you probably didn't have long enough to learn it.
"Ron!" Harry cried as he stopped his pacing to help the boy off the floor.
"Is this the one you want?" the guard asked as Arthur Weasley came sheepishly into the room, probably wondering if he'd ever leave it again.
"Yeah, he's the one," was all Lester had time to say before the door was slammed shut and was bolted from the other side. He'd never been on this side of the questioning process before; he didn't like it.
"What's going on here?" Arthur asked him as the boy seemed to come to his senses.
"Bloody hell!" the ginger boy exclaimed. "That bleedin' goblin almost tore my arm off."
"Watch yourself, boy," Lichfield said. "There are no runes in this room."
"Wha?"
Lester left the other kids to fill the new one in as he turned to the parent. "Does your family have a litigator?"
"No," Arthur answered, "We've never needed one. What's going on?"
"These kids stepped in something big, up to their necks by the look of it," he said by way of explanation. "I can't give you specifics right now-"
"The Socer-!" the ginger kid cried before Harry could stop him with a hand over his mouth. At least one of them was taking 'Don't say a word about that thing ' seriously without going catatonic.
"They're here as witnesses, not as criminals," Lichfield clarified. "Otherwise those guards never would've had leave to go into Diagon Alley to get you. I would've come myself but had these to look after," he nodded to where the kids were.
"Yes, well, they certainly caused a stir up there," the balding Arthur agreed. "If it weren't for seeing Ginny and the boys home safely Molly would be here too. I expect she'll make her way back here shortly."
"There'll be no way in or out of this building by now," Lester said, trying to keep the ominous implications out of his tone. "It'd take a rampaging dragon to get through those doors."
"Have you seen Molly when she's angry?" Arthur asked.
"Come on," Lichfield said with a grin. "I've got papers for you to sign." It was a stroke of luck the girl was a witch of non-magical heritage and without a magical guardian so she could sign them herself, once the boys brought her around again.
.....
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