The Grindelwald Legacy
Chapter 5
I own nothing but this sordid little tale. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I am not making any money by writing it. I must be insane.
The Grindelwald Legacy
Chapter 5
Lucy kept a firm hold on Hetty’s hand as they walked along a dimly lit stone passage. The ride on the cart however, cheered her up no end. It was better than any ride she had ever been on and Lucy would quite happily stay on it all day.
They didn’t need to go far before it stopped and the goblin stepped out.
Lucy didn’t utter a word. She couldn’t if she tried. The place was like something out of a fantasy film and she was waiting for the monsters to step out from behind some dark corner.
“This will be your vault.” Hetty told Lucy. I’ve arrange for funds to be placed in here once a month until you are legally an adult, after that you will have access to the family vault.”
A few half strangled sounds escaped Lucy’s mouth, then she nodded.
“Vault 362.” The goblin told them, producing a small key and placing it in the lock. “Miss Geller will enter first so the vault can recognise her.”
“First? You want me to go in there?”
“Well he doesn’t want you to sing dear. Go on, the sooner you make yourself known the sooner we can get down to the business of shopping.”
Lucy stepped up to the doorway and grabbed the doorframe before leaning forward to peep inside. “Gran look, there’s gold inside. And silver, come and see.” She waved the older woman over as she stepped inside. There were three small piles. One of gold, another of silver, and one of bronze.
Hetty explained the coinage to her. 1 golden Galleon = 17 silver Sickles, 1 Sickle = 29 bronze Knuts.
At Lucy’s request, the goblin told her that 1 Galleon was equivalent to approximately £5 sterling, depending on the current exchange rate.
At the moment there were around 5,280 Galleons in the vault.
“You’ll receive 40 Galleons a month until you are of age. You will need quite a few Galleons to get everything you need, so I’ve deposited a lump sum to get you started. Had I known about you from birth you would have received 20 Galleons a month until you started at Hogwarts, and 40 a month from then. This sum brings you up to date.”
“But gran, this must be a fortune. I’m sorry but I can’t take this, I told you I already have money of my own. I can get a weekend job and earn more, you don’t need to do this.” Lucy told her earnestly.
“Please can you put it back?” She asked the goblin.
Hetty stroked a hand down her granddaughters hair tenderly. “I want to do it Lucy, indulge an old woman would you. Besides, it’s not as if I’ll even notice it’s gone.”
“It is refreshing to see such a lack of covetousness in one so young madam.” The goblin said to Hetty. “She is a worthy addition to the Grindelwald stock.”
“Thank you Griphook. She is indeed. However, the money stays. It is yours Lucy whether or not you want it. In fact everything I have is yours once I’m gone. You are the last of the Grindelwalds.”
“Grindelwald? But my name’s Geller.”
“A slight disparity from your fathers first name, Gellert. Something else we shall have to change, that will mean a visit to the Ministry in the not too distant future.”
Lucy thought deeply as they sat in the cart that would take them back to the main area of the bank. She now had a hefty bag containing various coins in her backpack, as well as her ‘normal money’, as she thought of it. She had no idea if she’d have enough to buy a wand, or whether she had too much.
She eyed the shops again as Hetty led her to the far end of Diagon Alley. One shop sold giant spiders, the sight of which made her shudder and hurry along when she saw them in the window, next to that was one that sold shrunken heads, across the road her interest was caught by a pet shop, though it was odd to see owls for sale.
“Here we are.”
Hetty’s voice caught her attention as they stopped outside a small shop called Ollivanders. There was a dirty window in which lay a single wand on a dusty, faded, purple cushion. Inside, every inch of wall from floor to ceiling, was lined with row upon row of long, narrow boxes.
Lucy wasn’t too keen on Mr Ollivander, he had weird eyes and a tape that measured her independently of the man.
After trying quite a few wands, Lucy was given a Birch, 9 inch, with a dragon heartstring core.
As soon as she wrapped her fingers round the piece of wood she felt an overwhelming sense of harmony with it. “Oo, it feels weird. What happened?”
“What happened is that your wand has chosen you Miss...?”
“Err G...” She looked to Hetty, unsure what name to give.
“Her name is Grindelwald Mr Ollivander.” Hetty put in with a smirk, enjoying the look of shocked amazement on the old wizards face. “My granddaughter.”
Lucy felt a bit awkward at the mans reaction but said nothing. She paid for the wand and took her package, said thank you to him and practically pushed Hetty out the door.
“He is so not my type of person gran.”
“It matters not, between him and Rosmerta, most of wizarding Britain will know you exist by next week. It saves me the bother of having to inform anyone. You wait and see, the owls will be arriving soon inviting us to all number of private tea parties just so folk can get a gander at you.”
“I hope not, I don’t want to be examined by strangers.”
“I said the invitations would arrive, I did not say we had to accept.”
Lucy noticed her grans smug smirk and returned the gesture.
Unfortunately for Lucy, Hetty did not flag in the least as she dragged Lucy to Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions. She was again measured, then fitted for a multitude of various robes. Dress robes, occasional robes, everyday robes and workwear robes. Lucy had to practically fight to get the dressmaker to at least make the garments more figure hugging. When her gran also asked that she be fitted with school robes Lucy raised an eyebrow. “You want me to wear robes for school? Gran, everyone will laugh at me.” She complained.
“No they won’t. Everyone at Hogwarts wears robes, look.” Madam Malkin showed her row upon row of official Hogwarts school wear. From robes to cloaks, skirts, jumpers and shirts, blouses, scarf’s, shoes and ties.
Lucy pulled a face as she was fitted, yet again. She was hoping to get away with the robes thing, but having them as her school uniform was simply too much. How was she supposed to cope with wearing something that almost trailed the floor all day? They were cumbersome, heavy, and overwarm. “Can’t I at least have trousers instead? At least in place of the skirts. We wore trousers at my last school.”
Eventually Hetty relented and agreed on three pairs of trousers and three skirts.
“No gran I don’t need any more underwear thank you.” She leaned in to whisper in Hetty’s ear. “And I wouldn’t buy it form here if I did. It’s hideous.”
Next was Flourish & Blotts where Hetty ordered a selection of books that would enable Lucy to study simple magic under her tuition. After that was the stationary shop where they purchased various quills, inks, reams of parchments and notebooks.
“Just the apothecary next, then we can stop for refreshments.”
Lucy wrinkled her nose when they entered the apothecary’s. It stunk of rotten cabbage and bad eggs. If she hadn’t already lost her dinner, now would have been as good a time as any.
Hetty led her round the shop and pointed out armadillo bile, powdered root of asphodel, several dried stings of Billywig, Salamander blood, and Valerian roots. Each time she approached something, she showed Lucy the difference in quality between the various grades of each item, and how to see, feel, smell, or even hear the differences between what was good, what was bad, and what was exceptional. Then Hetty gave her a list and asked her to select the best she could find.
TBC
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