As they landed near the Leaky Cauldron in London, because according to Hagrid, it was the entrance to Diagon Alley, Harry and Ciri got out from the sidecar with shaky legs. They were surprised when, after they left the grounds of Kaer Mohen, they began to fly. While for Harry it was kind of fun, but for Ciri it was almost a nightmare. Until today, she never flew so high and far on one trip. The only time her feet left the ground was when a monster was throwing her up into the air where she could escape thanks to her special ability. As for Harry, he could not explain why he found it nice to fly, that was something he would have to find out. Hagrid told them there was a way to travel even faster, but because he could only use magical items, but was prohibited to use magic itself, this was the only way he could get to them. He would not tell why he was prohibited to use magic, so they dropped the subject.
They were walking through the street, getting many looks because of how big Hagrid was as like Ciri because of her attire, as her top was open, but was still protecting her modesty. Her tight trousers too were accentuating her curves as she was walking, letting her get some whistles from the men es on the street. It was getting on her nerves a bit, but she could not change it right now, so she took it with pride and ignored the men. Later, as they entered the pub where the patrons were sitting on the tables and drinking or eating and talking with each other, not registering the newcomers. The only person that saw them enter was the owner of the pub, as he was greeting Hagrid.
"Hello Hagrid, do you want the usual?"
"Ello Tom, no I am here on Hogwarts business. I escort Harry here to get his supplies." As Hagrid said that Harry was looked at from everyone in the pub. He did not know why, but it gave him a shiver up his spine.
"Is that really Harry Potter?" Tom, the owner of the pub, was looking with his eyes wide open. There was a mild commotion as like every guest was trying to reach Harry and shaking his hand. Luckily, Ciri stood in front of him and shielded him.
"Please stand back, he is only a kid. You frighten him with all of this. Please let us through and going on with our business." They retreated, a little ashamed to have reacted like that. Harry letting out a breath he held, never experienced being in the middle of all the attention. His life in Kear Mohen was quiet after all, the exception being his training sessions.
They were going to the back door where an old stone wall was around the ground they entered. Harry was confused, he expected the Alley they were going to, not a small backyard. Hagrid pulled out a purple umbrella and tapped some stones in the wall in a specifc pattern. A short time later, the stones began to move and forming into an arch over an open gate letting them see a busy street with diverse shops alongside said street. Ciri and Harry were in awe, but Hagrid just began to walk and beckon them to follow him. As they were walking down the street, Harry was looking at all the windows from the shops, wondering what he would all need. He saw the bookstore a little of a shop for animals, were he saw multiple owls and cats in the window. One white owl was looking intently at him, watching him with her bright yellow eyes with every step he took. He thought about the list, letting him get an owl of his own. Maybe he could get that one. Somehow, he felt a connection with it.
They were nearing a great white building with the name Gringotts across the entrance. "That must be the bank Hagrid told us about. Man, this is big." Harry heard the voice of Callie through his glasses.
'Ah Callie, good you are with us. Could you mark the animal shop from before with a marker, so I can find it easier? It is pretty crowded here.' Harry thought, as Callie. 'And also, can you pull any information about this place with your sensors? I don't think that Doctor Halsey and Cortana have already a databank about it. Or else we wouldn't need Hagrid to show us around.'
"I'll see what I can do with the sensors at my disposal. I will send a report back as soon we are finished here. And please don't forget that Cortana was a out of action until Doctor Halsey got our problem fixed. So, information gathering was a minor priority until then. And someone is following us, the scans show that this person appears to be interested in us, but until now is not hostile. But watch out, just in case. And tell Ciri about it as soon as possible."
"Will do, thanks Callie"
They entered Gringotts into a great marble hall, with big marble pillars holding the domed roof. By the tables were multiple goblins working as tellers with the witches and wizards that were standing before the desks. They walked to a free desk and waited to be acknowledged. The short, whitehaired goblin was reading some reports he needed to sign. "What can I do for you?" he asked, without looking up. Harry did not know what to answer. Of course, he knows what a goblin is and how to great them. But how should he phrase the query they wanted?
"Dear Goblin, my name is Harry Potter. I am here to get some gold from my vault. If you could please show me the way?"
"Do you have your key?" The goblin was now looking up, watching Harry with watchful eyes. Harry blushed; he did not know he would need a key. To his luck, Hagrid fumbled inside his coat.
"Wait, somewhere here should be his key. Sorry 'Arry should have given it to yeh sooner. Ah, there it is." Hagrid gave the goblin the key for Harry's vault. As the goblin was inspecting the key, Hagrid also gave him a letter. "Oh, and I need something for Hogwarts, Headmaster Dumbledore did give me the letter with the instructions for you. I hope that won't be a problem?"
The goblin read the letter and called another goblin. "Griphook, take these people to the Potter trust vault 687, after wards to the vault 713. Mister Potter?" Harry just stood up, thinking that would be it. As he looked at the older goblin, he continued. "After you return to this hall, your account manager wants a word with you. Do not worry, it won't take long. Your companions are allowed to accompany you. Until later." Harry nodded, wondering what that could be about. As the passed through a door behind the counter, Griphook whistled for a cart on the tracks. These tracks were going in the ground and vanished in the darkness, only some torches here and there were providing some light.
"Please take a seat, we need to depart," Griphook pointed to the back of the cart, climbing to the controls. Harry sat in the middle, while Ciri was to his right and Hagrid, during his size, tock both seats in the back. The vehicle was been set into motion and as soon the first turn was in sight, Harry knew that this would be a wild ride. Soon, they were thrown left and right on the cart, Harry could even swear he was lifted of his seat as the cart was diving down the cave, which seemed to go as deep as the light would go. As Harry thought that they would never get to their destination, they slowly stopped. As his senses calmed down once more, Griphook got out of the cart and hold his hand out for the key from Harry. He gave him the key and Griphook was walking a short way to a door that he opened with the key. So that must be his vault. He stood up too and walked over to the goblin to look inside the room, Harry was surprised from the amount of gold inside it. Griphook took a bag from the inside and handed it to Harry.
"You should use these bags to carry your Gringotts money. They are charmed to be weightless and bottomless. Do you know the value of each coin?" Harry shook his head. "29 silver sickles to a gold galleon and 17 brass knuts to a sickle." Harry started scooping up handfuls of galleons and sickles taking a few knuts.
Harry shrugged at the weird math with regards to the value of each coin and Callie gave voice to the weird logic of the math. "It makes you wonder if wizards actually have any grasp of logic at all. I know Cortana and Doctor Halsey had mentioned it but I would have thought the goblins would have some logic. Guess not. But these bags being weightless you should take more galleons than anything else, you'll get change anyway."
Harry paused in in collection of his money to look over his shoulder at Griphook who was waiting patiently. "What about the exchange of galleons to British pounds? In case I want to buy something in the muggle world."
Griphook semmed to expect this question since it appeared to the goblin that the boy was muggle raised, or so he thought. "Five pounds to a galleon. I should also mention this is your trust vault so you would have a lot more gold than you see here. Talk to your account manager about that. All done? Good, here is your key back."
After he closed the vault, Griphook gave Harry the key and walked back to the cart. Harry dreaded the way back, but first they needed to go deeper. He just wished they would slow down a bit. As he asked the goblin, he just answered that there is only one speed. Harry saw Hagrid get even paler, closing his eyes. Only Ciri was unaffected by the speed. She smiled and was looking around the cave in wonder.
"Excuse me Mr Griphook, are there dragons in here? It seems there are multiple singes in this cave."
"You are very observant, Miss. Yes, we have some dragons in the lower levels by the most secure vaults. So, if anyone wants to steal something from Gringotts, they will pay with thei lives. In one way or another. Now, we are at the other vault you asked for. Please stand back until I open the door." Griphook got to the door and put his hand on it. At his touch, the door dissolved and showed a smaller vault then Harry's, which was almost empty. Just a small brown package was inside, which Hagrid, after he got out of the cart, took and put it inside his coat.
As Hagrid got out of the vault again smiling a bit because his job was almost done. Harry quietly relayed to Ciri what Callie has detected on their way to Gringotts. Ciri frowned and nodded her head in understanding and told Harry she'll be more alert to any suspicious behavior. As they traveled back with the cart, Hagrid got pale again. Harry, on the other hand, was beginning to have fun, after he got used to it.
As they came back to the entrance hall of the bank, Harry remembered that his account manager wanted to speak with him. After asking Griphook, where his office was, he knocked at the door with a small sign on it, reading *Grankor, Account manager*
"Hello, Mister Grankor, You wanted to speak with me?" The goblin looked up from the papers, watching the young boy before him. He knew already that he would be coming today, after all he had to get his school supplies. He showed him and his escort to the seats before his desk and took out a folder from under it.
"Hello Mr Potter. Yes, I wanted to talk to you about your accounts and investments. Until now, they lay dormant, but with your return, they are active once again. We must discuss how we well proceed with these investments. As you can read here," he handed Harry a parchment. "Your accounts and interests from the investments your parents did are high. But the money needs to flow, so I would suggest investing it again and make so even more gold. Now, because you are not of age, you would need an eligible adult, preferable someone you trust. Do you have some one?"
"Well, I would trust anyone in my home, Kaer Mohen. But if it does involve managing and gold, I would think that Yennefer of Vegenberg as well as Doctor Catherine Halsey would be suited. They are both smart and can learn fast what you want to teach them. But can I get regularly reports about the money in my account? I would like to learn too as soon as possible, so that I would not burden them as much."
Grankor was taking notes. "Of course, that will be arranged. I will inform these two persons about your decision. Now, to another matter our Chief, Ragnok wanted to talk with you too. If you are willing, I could call him."
"Why want the chief of the goblins want to speak to me?" Harry was puzzled. If he was correct, this Ragnok was something like a king of a country. Why does someone as important as him wanted to speak with a kid.
"I think, but I am not certain, he wants to talk with you because your father was a very good custumer for us."
"Then please, call him. Maybe it is very important and needs to be done quickly."
Grankor stood up and nodded. He left the office and told them to wait. Soon after, an older goblin with white hair and glasses on his crooked nose. He was watching the occupants of the office with his black eyes until they landed on Harry.
"Greetings, Mr Potter. What we need to discuss is for your ears only, so I have to ask the others to leave the office for a while. Please excuse the circumstances."
"Oh, alright. Sorry guys, but can you wait outside? I am sure this does not take long."
As they left the office, Ciri and Hagrid were going outside the bank to wait for Harry. As the waited, Ciri was watching the crowd, but did not see someone who would be strange. Well, except of Hagrid, but that was because of his height. "Can I ask you something Hagrid?"
"Well, it depends, does it not? I can't tell you what I got inside the bank."
Ciri grinned. "No, it is not that. Is there a reason why you are so big? As far I know, normal people do not grow that much."
Hagrid blushed. He did not like to talk about his heritage. But he knew that she would not judge him because of his mother. "Well, I would like if we could talk about this somewhere quieter. Because some people should not hear about this. For these people I just fallen in a growing potion as a child. So, maybe I tell yeh when we are back in your place. Is that alright with yeh?"
"Yeah, I don't want to push you. If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay for me." She was glancing around, still looking for that person Harry told her. In cases like this, she wished she had something like John, Halsey or now even Harry. An AI would help her tremendously in her work as a monster hunter. Or finding people in a crowd like this.
A short time later, Harry got back out deep in thought. He almost bumped into Hagrid, apologizing to him for his carelessness. Hagrid just laughed and told them that they should now begin with the shopping. As they walked down the stairs from the bank, a grey cat walked up to them. Harry got a notification from Callie about it, so he looked down to the cat. Ciri saw it too and crouches down.
"Hey there little fella. Where do you come from?" She tries to pet the cat. Letting it move a bit back. Suddenly, the cat transforms into a person, a woman with a stern look in her eyes.
"'Ello Professor, I see you could make it. How are you?" The older woman was still staring at Ciri, but answered nonetheless.
"I am well, thank you Hagrid. And Miss Ciri, I thought I told you that I don't like to be touched, even as a cat. Now, where are we heading? Have you have bought anything until now?"
"No, Professor. We just left the bank. But you can go with Harry to get his wand, while we going to get his books. Afterwards we can go to the apothecary and get the needed ingredients for his lessons. And maybe I can even get him a present." Hagrid told her, thinking about the last point.
"Oh, Hagrid. Can we go to the animal shop in the end? I would like to have an owl." Harry said hopefully.
"That would be good. Okey Harry, we go afterwards. Now off you go with Professor McGonagall to get your wand." Before the group split up Harry reached into his Gringotts money bag and handed Ciri 15 galleons, hoping that was enough to buy all the books on his book list.
So, they departed, with Harry being accompanied with McGonagall. They were walking into the Shop called Ollivanders. Inside this shop were many boxes, stacked over each other. Harry was wondering if the owner made all of those wands and where he was. As summoned, he appeared right behind the shelves, looking to the entrance.
"Ah, Mr Potter. Nice of you to come to me. Ah, Minerva, hope everything is still good with your wand?"
"Hello Garrick, it still works wonders. Now, Harry here needs his wand. Please see to it that he will have the one suited for him." Ollivander was already grabbing some boxes of the shelves, so Harry surmised that inside these Boxes had to be multiple wands. Soon, Ollivander came to the desk in front of Harry and McGonagall, showing some of the wands.
"Now, mister Potter, I am a firm believer that the wand will choose the wizard. So, for that, I will give you the wands until we find the one that fits you. And if we have to try all I have in the shop." Harry was looking again at all the boxes and paled. That could take a long time.
"Now, here is your first try, Mr Potter. Beechwood and dragonheartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave." Harry did just that, feeling a bit out of place. Ollivander snatched that wand out of his hand and gave him another. And another. And another. After what felt like days, Ollivander was going back into his store, mumbling. "I wonder if…that would be peculiar." He handed Harry another wand. "Here Mr Potter. holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple." Harry took the wand out of Ollivander's hand and felt it. A warmth coursed through him like the first time he trained with a sword in Kear Mohen or he shot his first bullseye with the pistol John gave him. It felt wonderful.
Callie couldn't help but offer a cheerful comment when she processed Harry's thoughts. "I think we have a winner!"
"Well, that is curious. You must know, Mr Potter, I remember every wand that I made and sold. And as it happens, the same phoenix who gave me a feather from his tail that I used for this wand, gave me also another feather. The wand I made using this feather, well….it was its owner who gave you that scar you have on your forehead. Also, the combination of wood and core in your wand is quite temperamental. So that it chosen you shows that we can expect great things from you. Yes. Oh, that would be 7 Galleons please."
Harry paused to process what Mr Ollivander has revealed as he looked at the wand in his hand. Placing it back in the box Mr Ollivander held out Harry looked up to the wandmaker with a thoughtful look. "I wonder, sir, do you sell wand holsters? It doesn't seem right to hod your wand in a pocket. Also I presume wands need specialized treatment for cleaning?" One thing Harry learned from his training with John and Geralt is to always maintain his equipment.
Ollivander nodded his head and moved behind his counter and pulled out a box of leather holsters. Reaching back under the counter he pulled out a small box and placed it on the countertop "You are a very practical young man, Mr Potter. Very few would take the think about maintence and care of their wands. So often wizards and witches take for granted that their wands clean themselves. Now these holsters are made from dragonhide, they attach to your wrist of your wand arm. To summon your wand just flick your wrist. When you are done using it just let go of your wand and it will return to your holster." Ollivander picked up the small box and showed it to Harry. "This is a wand care cream for cleaning your wand. Use a dry cloth to clean it. That'll be 16 galleons altogether."
After Harry paid, with the help from McGonagall they left the store. Harry glanced down to his hand and wondered how much different it felt to hold his wand and use magic than without it.