Chapter 169 - – Vault 113

Some days later at breakfast, Rowan casually broached the subject. "Grandfather, may I be permitted to visit Gringotts?"

"Whatever for?" Reginald asked with an arched brow as he glanced over the cover of the Daily Prophet.

"Professor Flitwick assigned us to converse with a goblin," Rowan truthfully answered. "But as I have already finished most of my summer homework, I'd very much like to finish this final assignment and be done with it."

"I want to go too!" Severus eagerly chimed in to only have his voice awkwardly break.

Rowan and Georgine loudly snicker as Reginald hides a smile as Severus begins to turn red in utter mortification. Reginald in pity of Severus and remembering puberty himself says, "Have you finished your summer homework yet, Rowan?"

"Yes, grandfather," Rowan retorted with a great deal of satisfaction. "But Severus hasn't"

Severus glared mutinously at his twin sister but didn't dare speak for the moment lest his voice break again. It had been occurring more often as of late and was normal according to his grandfather all boys went through it. Still, it was rather vexing considering the fact that girls go through it as well to a lesser embarrassing degree.

"Still, I'm sure you can wait, Rowan until we go school shopping," Reginald firmly declared to the satisfaction of Severus who smugly stared back at his twin.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Reginald," Georgine yawned from her side of the table. "Allow the girl to have a bit of fun! All her friends have gone on trips this summer and she's been stuck at the manor all summer long not to mention the weeks of punishment she went through.

And besides, may I point out that our father let you frequent Diagon Alley all on your own. And unlike your ruffian self, Rowan tends to be rather calm and well mannered. She proved herself to be quite polite the other day when she accompanied me to see Dorea Potter."

Reginald pursed his lips, before a resigned expression he said, "I will allow it." Rowan instantly perked up as Severus looked on dismay and glared over at his aunt Georgine, who smugly smirked back. "However, I want you to only head over to Gringotts and then head right home."

"Reginald," Georgine forebodingly said as Reginald quickly amended his last words. "You are permitted to tarry at one or two shops but no more. I'd like you home no later than four."

"Thank you, grandfather!" Rowan said with delight as she leapt to her feet and ran over to plant a kiss on her grandfather's cheek. Reginald instantly beamed as in a rare sight Rowan ran over to give Aunt Georgine a quick hug as well.

"Get off, girl!" Georgine snapped with no real fire in her voice, but rather had a pleased sort of expression on her face. Rowan scurried off leaving a rather depressed Severus poking sulkily at his breakfast.

Rowan quickly changed into proper clothing, before grabbing the expanding pouch that had been gifted to her first Christmas. With care, she placed inside her Gringotts key as well as the envelope of Charlus Potter Jr. And finally, her wand and one of the mufflers from her trunk into the bag. It was the transfigured old Basilisk skin.

Assured that she had everything, Rowan hurried downstairs to see Reginald, Georgine, and the sulking figure of Severus in the hallway. "Good it seems as though you have everything," Reginald remarked.

"Yes, grandfather," Rowan dutifully replied.

"Now then, it is quite easy to get to Diagon Alley," Reginald explained. "Simply use the Floo system and say, Diagon Alley. You'll pop out at one of the floo entrances located within Diagon Alley."

There is a long moment of silence as both Severus and Rowan slowly turn to stare at Reginald. "Grandfather, I thought you said, that we couldn't floo to Diagon Alley?" Rowan coldly said as Severus's eyes began to darkly gleam as well.

Reginald shivers at seeing the intense glare resembling that of his wife appear on his grandchildren's faces. Trying to ignore the cold shiver running down his spine, he hastily says, "We haven't because both times we've had to meet the Evans couple. Had we not needed too; we would have simply floo'd there."

Rowan and Severus appear to be unconvinced as a wicked gleam appears in Georgine's eyes. "Children it is rather simple, brother enjoys driving that steel death trap. He says it makes him feel young again," Georgine darkly cackled. The temperature in the hallway drastically plummets as both Rowan and Severus gaze icily at their grandfather as they recall their suffering from their rides from hell.

Reginald loudly clears his throat and says, "It was all for a good cause, children. As I recall, you were the ones who begged to go with the young Miss Evans." Rowan continued to eye their grandfather as Severus is somewhat more mollified by the last statement.

"On that note, how do I get back?" Rowan asked recalling that it was impossible to floo back to the manor.

"Oh simple, simply say, Norton," Georgine stepped in to answer. "The Diagon Alley Floo will drop you off just inside the muggle town just outside of the forest in a magically closed off fireplace. I'm sure you can find your way back via the hidden tunnel that Sir Knight Prince, no doubt has already showed you."

"Yes, but he didn't show us the entrance," Rowan grumbled.

Georgine dismissively waves her hand in the air. "It is the home of some muggle noblemen. The drop off point is right across the street. The entrance is located on the back wall of the home it has the Prince family insignia on there. Simply tap your hand across it thrice and whisper, Lamia. The tunnel only reveals itself to those of Prince blood otherwise no one else can force it open."

Rowan nodded her head in thanks as she walked over to the pouting figure of Severus. "I'll bring you something back, Sev," Rowan promised as she gave him a quick hug. Severus stiffened for a moment, before finally hugging her back.

"It better be something good," Severus growled into her ear before letting her go.

"Mm,' Rowan hummed, before nodding at them one last time. Grabbing the floo powder from the silver pot, she puts a good pinch in her pocket, before throwing another pinch of dust into the fireplace as it once more turns green. "Diagon Alley!" Rowan shouted as she stepped into the green flames. Instantly the world began to spin, but as the time before she managed to keep her bearings and merged straight on her feet.

Taking a moment to orient herself, Rowan glances around as the sky is a bit cloudy this day. Easily spotting the grand-snow white building in the distance, she moves forward past the shops and crowds. It didn't take her very long to reach her destination as the uniformed goblin guards stand before the burnished bronze doors.

Walking into the grand marble hall, Rowan glances about for the shortest line, before stepping in line for the goblin counter. Glancing about as usual Gringotts is busy with goblins bowing and escorting patrons, while others sit behind counters in some form or another dealing with money. Though with interest she did spot what looked like an Indian prince and his encourage being escorted by a group of goblins through one of the various doors.

Finally, it came to be her turn as the elderly goblin at the counter sagely peered through his spectacles at her. "Morning sir," Rowan said in Gobbledegook.

The elderly goblin blinked in abrupt surprise causing his slightly sharp teeth to show in his jaw. "I've come to claim vault #113 left behind by a Charlus Potter Jr," Rowan finished.

"And what sort of proof do you have?" The elderly goblin asked. "Do you have a will and vault key?"

"Yes, sir," Rowan politely said as handed over the written envelope. The goblin narrowed his eyes as he began to read the rather short letter. While the elderly goblin read the letter, Rowan read the name tag on the counter that read, Bogrod. "It would seem that everything is in order," the elderly goblin said.

"I shall have one of the younger goblins lead you over, Griphook!" Bogrod called out, before turning back and switching over to English. "You still have an accent, child, but you are doing rather well. Who has been teaching you, child?"

"Professor Flitwick, sir," Rowan replied in English. Bogrod nods his head sagely as he hands over the envelope with the vault key back over. "Go on child, he'll lead you to your vault." Bogrod gestured to the younger goblin with long fingers.

The younger goblin Griphook led her to one of the doors leading out of the hall. Griphook holds the door open for her to reveal a narrow strong e passageway lit with flaming torches. The tunnel sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They quickly climbed in and were off.

Rowan thanked her lucky stars as they hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Had it been in the past, she surely would be heaving all over the cart. The tunnels were quickly being added to her world mapscape as a map of Gringotts steadily began to appear.

Of course, there was one point, where Rowan nearly did scream at noticing that the rattling cart seem to know its own way because Griphook wasn't steering. Trying to breath she found that her eyes stung from the cold air but kept looking straight ahead. Once, she even saw a burst of fire at the end of the passageway as she cursed them for keeping bloody dragons in a public facility. They plunged even deeper passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.

The cart abruptly stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall. Griphook got out first to unlock the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out as it cleared out. Rowan patiently waited for the smoke to clear out before heading inside the vault. Even from where she had been standing, she hadn't been able to see anything in the vault. However, after glancing around for a minute she finally spotted a brown thick envelope laying in the corner. With great care, she placed the bulky parcel in her pouch, before glancing about to ensure she had not missed anything else at all. Satisfied that was the case, she hurried back out.