章 14: The Mystery of Gringotts
Harry left the car and entered the pub. It didn't look like much from the outside, and the inside wasn't any better. It wasn't particularly clean or lively. Although, that's probably because it was a pub, and it was noon on a weekday. Honestly, everyone looked shady.
Harry was intimidated, and there was no shame in admitting it. He was lost in a world that was new to him, and so, he chose to do the simple thing and ask a question. In his last life, Harry understood the value of asking the right questions. And so, he walked to the bartender and asked, "Excuse me, Sir?"
Immediately, the man brightened up, "I assume you're here to get your Hogwarts supply?"
Harry nodded, "I'm sorry, but Professor McGonagall told me that this was the entrance to the alley. Can you tell me the way?"
The bartender gave him a warm smile, "Oh, don't worry about it. I get it dozens of times in the summer. It's practically a tradition now. I'm Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron."
Harry did his best to return the smile and followed the bartender as he motioned the back. With a practised motion, he tapped one of the bricks three times with his wand. Immediately, the wall started to morph into a large archway towards what seemed like a crowded street.
It was the first piece of magic Harry had ever seen that wasn't his own, and it was amazing. It was nice to have visual confirmation that none of this was in his head, that it wasn't some hopeful ideals that he made up in his head.
"Welcome," said Tom, "to Diagon Alley."
The man was visibly smiling at the awed look on his face, and Harry blushed in embarrassment, "Tom, can you tell me where the bank is? The professor told me to meet her there."
"Oh, that's no trouble. Gringotts is at the end of the road. Just keep walking straight and you'll see it. It's a big white building made of marble."
Harry thanked the bartender and started walking around the alley. From the looks of it, the currency was the same as the stories. The big gold coins were Galleons, the silver ones were Sickles, and the small bronze ones were Knuts.
Although he didn't have any money, Harry was still very curious as to what a magical shopping district looked like. It was surprisingly normal. Sure, the buildings just looked structurally wrong and were probably held up by magic, but the shops had windows demonstrating their products. There were salesmen all over the street advertising their shops and offers. There were floating advertisement pieces all over the street for one shop or another.
Harry looked down the street to find the shops that had his required supplies. He already found what was probably the potions store, the sign showed 'Cauldrons – All Sizes – Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver, Self-Stirring, and Collapsible', in the store called the 'Brewery'. He also found the pet store called 'Eeylops Owl Emporium'.
He passed by the broom store and so many others. It was fascinating, to find such marvels on display. It must look so common for the people living there.
Harry didn't take long until Harry found himself staring at the giant white building. Where the alley was chaotic and disorganized, the building stood imposing. It was far larger than any shop and Tom hadn't wrong when he said that Harry wouldn't miss it.
The young wizard tried to discreetly observe the Goblin guards as he walked up the stairs to the entrance of the bank. It was his first time seeing a Goblin and Harry had to admit that they were very intimidating. They were shorter than wizards, with pointy ears, even pointier teeth, and long fingers.
Harry did his best not to stare and instead chose to focus on the inscription engraved on the bank door:
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn,
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
Well, that's ominous. Harry had no plans on breaking into this bank, although it was funny how this was practically a written threat by the Goblins in the middle of a wizarding alley.
.....
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