one of these little wands. He did not volunteer any additional information, however. The situation was already complex enough.

After the meeting, Harry told Hermione, "We need to go to Switzerland, and take Albus and Cleopatra with us. They both have unique wands, and I want to talk to the wandmakers there. I do not trust the Ollivanders here, not after that article."

"I agree, Harry," Hermione responded. "Can you find out when Scorpius and Cleo are going to be visiting?"

"I will call Molly," Harry agreed.

*

Ginny was in the kitchen of The New Burrow with her mother Tuesday afternoon when Molly's mobile rang. She looked on as her mother nodded and acknowledged the conversation.

"We will have dinner ready for you and Harry at seven-thirty," Molly told the gadget. "It will be a simple dinner so you can go back to work." After a pause Molly acknowledged, "I understand. Rita's article really poked the dragon this time.

"Cleopatra and Scorpius should be here Wednesday, but I do not know when. Narcissa wants to come over as soon as possible, but the rest of that household is not really eager to have the children come."

*

Hermione walked into the library at thirteen Grimmauld Place to find Albus and Rose deep in research.

"Goblins have always used objects to help with magic," Rose told her mother, showing her to book she was reading. "They have made magical toys and weapons and all sorts of other things. The only thing forbidden to goblins now are general purpose wands."

Hermione quickly read the section and mused, "How important is the definition of a wand made by Magi wandmakers?"

Albus volunteered as he handed her his own book, "Very important! The language seems to have been carefully written. Gobbledygook versions of the agreement are painfully specific about how a forbidden wand is a wand made by witches and wizards."

"What do you know about Thorin's wand, and for that matter the wands that Galadriel and Luthen were using?" Hermione asked.

"I think the wandmakers in Switzerland can tell us a lot," Albus theorized. "I do not want to go over there until Cleo is with us. Her wand is also unique, and she can see things no one else can."

"Your father does not trust the Ollivanders here," Hermione grumbled, thinking it sad how far the Ollivanders were digging themselves into a pit of distrust with the Potter/Weasley clan. "I don't trust Professor Olivia Ollivander. I'm not sure about the others."

"I do not trust Ashley Ollivander," Albus remarked, agreeing with his Aunt. "She and her Aunt made Cleo and me, Thorin and Galadriel very nervous and concerned by questioning us about our wands. I would expect a wandmaker would be interested in wands, but I do not feel it is just curiosity."

"Keep doing your research, Rose, Albus," Hermione told the pair, kissing her daughter on the head and ruffling Albus' hair. "I should see you at dinner, 7:30 this afternoon at The New Burrow."

*

The whole family met for dinner at The New Burrow Tuesday night to discuss the day's events. Harry did volunteer, "I would not be surprised if magic and magic wands came from the forefathers of the Elves and Goblins, the High Elves. I know that the Ollivanders are not happy with the idea that Magi did not make the Elves, but that maybe High Elves made Magi."

*

Wednesday's article by Rita helpfully pointed out that Harry was the Regent in Switzerland, so he owned the two house elves. As Regent, a Swiss goblin was probably his subject as well. Harry and Hermione announced to their staffs at the Ministry of Magic that as soon as they could they were going to go to Switzerland. They did not tell anyone but Kingsley that they were taking Albus and Cleo, but many people guessed.

*

It was Wednesday, December nineteenth, after lunch, before Scorpius and Cleopatra were able to visit Potter's New Burrow.

"I insisted that I needed to play the organ for the Christmas Eve Mass," Cleo announced when they arrived, both finally relaxing for the first time since they had gotten off the train. "I think we fought about it from the time I brought it up until the moment we left. The great-grandmothers and Mr. Malfoy are all very much against religion and church."

"It almost makes me want to join a church just because my father is against it," Scorpius confessed. "You are supposed to love your mother and father, but they are not making it easy to love them."

Ginny told Narcissa and the children, "Harry is going to be here as soon as he can, and then we are all going to Switzerland. The whole issue of wands for Goblins and Elves has blown up. Everybody involved is dodging dragon fire over this. I do not know how many of your Magi and Elf Language Learners are going to be in Switzerland before Christmas, but your group is right in the middle of this."

Within half an hour of Cleo and Scorpius arriving at Potter's New Burrow, Harry came home from the Ministry with Kingsley and Cindy Base and her husband Henry (the Potter/Weasley publicist and photographer.) The group soon left for Switzerland taking Albus, Rose, Cleopatra and Scorpius to Switzerland. They were met by Gerhard Richter, still the Chief Wizard of Switzerland and the Regent (Harry's) personal representative. Gerhard immediately took them to the castle.

Waiting at the castle were the Regent's Elves. Since signing documents years ago, the large group of Elves attached to the ruling family had operated very independently, researching the history of Elves and goblins, and helping to manage the vast treasures of the world of the Magi stored in caves in Switzerland. You had John and Mary Rivendell, the Chief Elves, their daughter and her mate, Arwen and Elrond Lothlorien, and Arwen and Elrond's daughters and the Elves in the Magi and Elf Language Learners (MELL's) Galadriel and Luthien.

The goblin Thorin Oakenwand was also there, as well as his grandfather Zefenslot and a goblin assistant of some sort. Thorin's grandfather was the chief goblin at the Swiss headquarters of Gringotts. Zefenslot was generally regarded as the chief goblin, although no one was sure exactly how the goblins governed themselves. The assistant was introduced as goblin Bibliothekar.

"We are waiting for the chief Swiss wandmakers," Galadriel announced to the assembled group. A few minutes later a large man with graying blond hair and beard walked in along with a striking white haired elderly woman.

Gerhart greeted the couple. "Welcome, Aragorn, Elanor. I would like to introduce Harry Potter, his wife Ginny, Hermione Granger-Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and four of the students from England learning Elfish along with my grandchildren Adel and Hermann, Albus Potter, Rose Granger-Weasley, Cleopatra Smith and Scorpius Malfoy. You know the rest of us. Documenting what is going on are the house publicists for the Potter and Weasley families, Cindy and Henry Hudson.

"Aragorn and Elanor Zauberstabhersteller are the chief wandmakers in Switzerland. They are experts in the genealogy of wands. They have a reasonably complete genealogy of most of the more famous wands, and of all the known wandmaker wands. The origins of Galadriel and Thorin's wands are not known, and we do not know how the first wands were made."

Elanor looked at Galadriel and asked her, "Galadriel, where did your wand come from? We have no record of it."

Galadriel replied, "It is a long story, and a history that has been hidden from all of us. We are just beginning to recover out history. We will share what we know."

The assembled group moved to an area where they could sit comfortably, and waited for the Elves to speak.

2019-2021