18 Diagon Alley and Gringotts
Chapter 16 – Diagon Alley and Gringotts
Three days later, Snape returned to fetch Simon and take him to Diagon Alley to buy his supplies. After waiting a bit at the door, Simon came out carrying a backpack.
- Are you ready?
- Yes.
- Hold onto me and try not to vomit.
- What—
Before he could say anything, Simon felt his feet leave the ground, everything started to spin, and after a few seconds, he could feel his feet touching the ground again.
Simon paused for a moment and leaned against a wall while trying to hold back nausea.
- "Apparition sucks."
- Have you recovered?
- Yes.
- Good. Follow me.
Simon looked at Snape and followed him through the streets of London for a few meters before reaching an old and rustic bar called the Leaky Cauldron. He knew that this was the entrance to the famous Diagon Alley, or at least one of them. He couldn't remember exactly, but he knew it was the most commonly used entrance by wizards coming from the Muggle world, or something like that. Inside the bar, several people were chatting while enjoying a good drink. Some looked at Snape, and after a moment, they waved courteously, while others frowned with a certain displeasure.
Simon noticed this but didn't say anything. Although some people respected Snape for his work as a Hogwarts professor and his proficiency in potion-making, potentially even reaching the rank of Potions Master or something close to it, some also knew about his involvement with the Death Eaters.
Simon understood the complexity surrounding Snape. He also felt this about himself when he watched the movies, and Snape's quest for redemption left him somewhat impressed.
Of course, he knew that Snape was far from being a good person. He was deceitful and did terrible things. If someone said that, during his time as a Death Eater, he was only responsible for potion-making, Simon was sure he would punch such an idiot. Snape was at most someone seeking redemption, but using that as a reason to label him as a good person and "misunderstood by society" was the highest level of stupidity.
After passing by the wizards and briefly talking to Tom, Snape guided Simon to a brick wall.
- Pay attention to my movements; I won't repeat them.
Snape said lightly before drawing his wand and tapping on some bricks in a specific order on the wall, which suddenly started to open, forming a passage. On the other side, an extensive alley full of people with different attire walking back and forth while chatting could be seen.
Simon was amazed by this. One thing is to see Diagon Alley in movies or imagine it while reading the books; another is to see it with your own eyes. He saw some parents accompanying their children while buying their supplies—mostly wizards, some well-dressed, others dressed plainly. He saw some like him wearing Muggle clothes and being accompanied by what he assumed were Ministry employees responsible for guiding Muggle-borns or maybe half-bloods.
- Follow me.
- Yes.
Snape guided Simon through the alley, showing him where each shop was and what they sold. Simon passed by the Quality Quidditch Supplies, Flourish and Blotts, Owl Emporium, Madame Malkin's, Wizarding Wear for All Occasions, and, of course, Olivanders Wand Shop, affectionately known by Harry Potter fans as the home of the world's greatest wizarding arms dealer.
Simon never understood that joke. Well, he understood it but never found it particularly funny. Anyway, clearing his thoughts, he found himself in front of a huge building made of white marble that had an imposing structure, although it seemed a bit... crooked. In front of him, some statues of goblins wearing armor were stationed in front of the grand iron gates, discouraging anyone from trying to invade the place.
- Gringotts.
- Yes. I believe you're familiar with the bank.
- Sort of. I know how some things work, but Stephanos hasn't been here in almost 60 years. As someone who was basically banished from the wizarding world, the information he provided me with wasn't exactly the most up-to-date.
Snape frowned upon hearing Simon's words and turned to face him.
- Why didn't you ask me earlier when I visited you?
- Because it was unnecessary. Stephanos informed me of the most important things I needed to know about the wizarding world. As for the rest, well, according to him, the wizarding world is very backward and unlikely to change anything, unless something significant happens.
Snape stopped for a moment before turning around and entering the bank with Simon. He didn't deny or try to contradict the boy's words because he knew they were undeniably true.
Wizards are proud and see themselves as superior to others, be they Muggles, magical creatures, non-beings, or even other wizards.
Inside the bank, Snape stopped in front of one of the counters and waited for the goblin to finish whatever he was doing. After a few seconds, the goblin turned to Snape and smiled, showing his teeth resembling a saw.
- Mr. Snape, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?
- A new student, coming from the Muggle world.
Looking at Simon, the goblin removed his fake smile and stared at him before speaking with a monotonous and professional voice, showing no consideration for him.
- I understand. Well, the limit for this year is £1000, considering the gold ounce price is valued at £240. And since each gold Galleon is equivalent to 7g, you can redeem up to 18 Galleons and 48 Sickles. The bank also provides support to new students, an annual loan of 50 Galleons to be repaid, with interest, of course, after graduation or after leaving school, whether by withdrawal, expulsion, or the like. If you fail to pay, you'll be subject to interest and fines, as well as having your assets in both the wizarding and Muggle worlds confiscated to offset your debt. So, what will it be?
Simon looked at the goblin and smiled briefly before taking the backpack off his shoulders and opening it slightly, revealing several small gold bars.
- I want a vault, please.
The goblin, until then scowling, was visibly stunned before giving a flattering smile and leaving to inform the bank manager.
Snape was also shocked by Simon's action, but he didn't say anything or ask where he got that gold. He figured that perhaps it was something done by Stephanos. Knowing that Muggle currency had no value here, he bought some gold bars and handed them to Simon.
Both remained silent as they waited for the goblin to return. In a few moments, Simon saw the goblin return with a flattering smile before guiding him to a separate office to be attended by the manager.
Snape didn't enter the room with Simon because it wasn't necessary. He saw that the boy was intelligent, and by demanding a vault, he should know what he was doing. Moreover, it wouldn't be polite of him to see what his students did outside of school or how they managed their money.
Inside the office, Simon saw a smiling and well-dressed goblin sitting behind a beautiful wooden desk adorned with small gold ornaments. On the walls, some frames were displayed showing beautiful artworks, some moving, others not.
- Do you like art?
- A bit.
- Well, it always cheers me up to see a young art lover. Please, have a seat.
- Thank you.
Simon sat in front of the goblin and stared at him. Like any goblin, he had small eyes, pointed ears, and wrinkled, dry skin. His hair was also short and gray, and his clothes were simple and efficient, but made of excellent fabrics.
- Where are my manners? My name is Gringor Ironvault, manager of Gringotts Bank at the UK branch.
- I'm Simon Morgan. Pleasure, Mr. Ironvault.
- Likewise, Mr. Morgan. Well, I know you must be in a hurry, so why don't we expedite everything?
- Sure.
- Good.
The goblin began to explain to Simon how the vault and account system of the bank worked. Basically, vaults were only provided to individuals with significant assets and were divided into three levels. The common ones were in the underground, protected by various layers of spells; just below, in the intermediate levels located in the catacombs, were the vaults of less prominent families, mostly pure-blood, and were protected by additional layers of spells and some magical creatures.
And finally, the dungeons that housed vaults held by significant names in the wizarding world, also containing cursed objects or extremely rare materials. They were protected by the highest level of security, reinforced by a dragon on guard. Only a fool would try to break into such a place.
Simon listened attentively and sadly learned that the bank did not have a savings system and only kept the money still. However, it could invest the money in some areas, provided a 10% fee on profits was paid to the bank. Additionally, they charged a fee of 20 Galleons monthly to maintain the security and functionality of common vaults, 50 for intermediate-level ones, and 200 for dungeons.
It was a hefty sum for most people in the wizarding world, but acceptable for Simon, who opted for the common level. Afterward, he dumped the gold bars on the manager's desk, who immediately smiled and began to weigh them one by one.
- It's exactly 5kg, Mr. Morgan, totaling 714 Galleons of gold and 28 silver Sickles.
- Good.
Simon took two hundred Galleons and deposited the rest in the vault after paying the one-year fee. After that, he informed that he would soon be bringing some other things to the vault, which made the goblin smile even more.
Simon left, and after facing an evidently irritated Snape, he set out to buy his school supplies.
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So, I decided to follow the advice of a reader who recommended using AI to translate the work more efficiently. This chapter is a test; frankly, I don't know how it will turn out for you, and I would like to hear your opinions on the matter and let me know if it got better or didn't change anything.
