Chapter 34: ch 34 Off Plan
August 5, 1989 Saturday 1:16pm The Burrow
"LEAKY CAULDRON!" I yelled out as I release Floo powder from my hand. Green flames engulfed me I felt a suction force but it was not uncomfortable. The whole experience is like riding a roller coaster.... a very rusty dusty roller coaster.
Why am I at the Burrow using thier Floo network? It's simple. Meeting the Lovegoods and Weasleys really throw my whole plans off. Arthur just came in this morning to my house and invited me, Nana and the Flemings for lunch at thier home, The Burrow.
Nana said she had plans for the afternoon and the Flemings were not at home. I don't really have any plans today as my friends just want to laze around the beginning week of the summer break.
So I put on a bit of a hooded jacket and a backpack. Then we apparated to the Burrow.
I finally met the whole Weasley family. I even got a chance to meet Bill. Even with all of the red heads around me, my shiny red hair stands out.
Then while having a very lively lunch, I found out that they will also be buying school supplies for Charlie, Percy and the twins, who will be starting thier first year in September, this afternoon.
So long story short , I got invited to tag along. Arthur suggested that I enter via Leaky Cauldron to have a 'proper' intro to Diagon Alley.
-Leaky Cauldron-
💥💨💨💨 I got farted out of the very crooked fireplace and choked a bit on soot and smoke. I'm covered with ash and feeling a bit disoriented but I can still see that I'm in a dark pub with people who look like thier hipsters or just homeless.
A few seconds later, 💥💨💨💨Arthur got farted out as well.
When he saw me covered in soot he brought his wand out and said, "Scourgify!" And the soot and ash vanished on the two of us. He apologize, "Sorry about that, Marshall. People don't usually go by the pub to go to Diagon Alley. Tom! You need to clean your fireplace."
A grandpa that looks like Hulk Hogan, who is handling drinks said, "Ah? Arthur, why travel here instead in the Alley? Oh? Accompanying your son here for first year run? But he looks too young to be eleven?"
*cough* "He's not my kid." Arthur look like he remembered the joked I made before.
I just approached the counter and greeted Tom, "Nice to meet you. The name's Marshall Witcherly." I extended my right hand that was met with Tom's calloused hand. I just grabbed it and do a little shake. He gave me a nod of approval.
"Come now, Marshall. Molly and the kids are waiting." Arthur then lead me at the back of the pub into a small, walled courtyard with a dustbin. He said, "Since you don't have a wand yet, you can ask Tom for help in opening the entrance."
He the point at the wall and said ,"Remember, from the rubbish bin, three up and two across."
🧱*tik*🧱*tik*🧱*tik*🧱. The bricks suddenly moved out of the way and exposed the bustling street on the other side. There were lots of people running around. Most notably are the kids with one or two parents accompanying them.
I looked around and found Molly with the others. How could I miss them, 'a group of 8 red heads huddle together looking our way.'
Me and Arthur made our way towards them. Molly smiled at me and asked, "How's your first time traveling through Floo, Dear?" The Weasley kids stare at me waiting for my answer.
"It was quite an experience, aunt Molly." I answered.
"No need to sugar coat it, lad." Arthur said and looked at his family and continued, "The fireplace down the pub hasn't been cleaned properly and we got choked by soot."
The Weasley kids laugh while Molly gave me an apologetic look. I reassured her I'm fine.
We proceed to go down the street. I saw some shops who's name I recognize. When we pass by the Eeylop's Owl Emporium, I just gave it a passing glace. I already have Naji so no need to add another one. I'm more excited to visit the Magical Menagerie.
I'm being careful with regards to adding animals in my Beast Space. The first week the restriction was lifted, I placed crabs, prawns, crayfish and 4 pairs of finches. The first three adopted well and became part of aquatic ecosystems. The finches however, directly built thier nest on Gavel's Coat.
I tried to reason with them but they won't budge since they already laid some eggs. I have no choice but to kick them out. They're not bonded to me so they won't listen like Naji(well except for the perching on my shoulder.).
I just placed thier nest and eggs on bird houses I made on the young ash tree I planted over Naji's family grave.
I kinda realized that my contracted beast have a maturity of an adult. Even Avatar Long stopped playing around with Naji when he passed 6 months of age. Naji acts more like a kid and I sort of became his father figure with the 4 being aunts and uncles.
Back to the alley. We made our way to Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Arthur want to withdraw some spending money and Bill have to submit his application for a job as a Curse-Breaker for the bank.
We made our way up the marble stairs and met two goblins in scarlet and gold uniform guarding a bronze door. They stared at us as we entered. I didn't pay them much attention. It's in thier nature to distrust others even thier own kind.
After the bronze door we encountered a silver entrance with writings:
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.
When I read it, I though, 'Wouldn't it be more effective to be direct when giving warnings. Just say, 'Trespassers and Thieves will be killed. Survivors will be killed again!'
When we passed through the silver door, we are met with a vast marble hall long counters stretching along its length with doors which I'm guessing leads to the vaults.
The goblins had thier work desk fashioned high up so that people will look up to them during transactions.
We made our way to the end of the hall where a goblin with white hair. Arthur said, "I would like to make a withdrawal from my family vault. Name's Arthur Weasley."
"Oh... hehehe... of course..Mister Weasley." The white haired goblin replied with an obvious mocking tone. He called a younger goblin that accompanied Arthur into one of the big doors.
Bill then said, "Good day, Sir. I'm William Arthur Weasley. I'm here to apply for the position of Curse-Breaker that you posted."
The white haired goblin stared at Bill for a good half minute while tapping his fingers at his station. Then called out another goblin that led Bill to the back door.
When we're the ones that left on the hall. I finally approached the front of white haired goblin and asked, "Can I exchange some muggle currency here, Sir?
The white haired goblin just pointed me to a counter in the left. When my gaze followed where he's pointing. I saw a low desked with a front sign having a barely legible writing saying, 'MUGGLE CURRENCY EXCHANGE'.
'Could they at least fix the sign.' I just said thanks and made my way to the exchange counter. I just said, "How's the exchange rate?"
The teller at the counter just grunted and sneered, "A galleon for £5."
'Damn banks! Shouldn't it be £4.93 for galleon.' I just opened my backpack took all the cash inside which is £3000 and place it on the counter. Even after I made a contract with Long, I still carry a wad of cash out of habit. If I know I'll be going to Gringotts today, I would probably had brought more.
But I'm familiar with the rules here. I need to be atleast eleven and with a wand or else I can't even open a Junior Wizard Savings Accounts. I could probably strong-armed them using Nana's name but that will just make a lot of noise. Plus I have the Weasley with me..... !
I just remember I'm with them. I turn around and saw thier dumbfounded expressions looking at me. I didn't know what to say. The call from the teller broke the the awkward silence, "Here's 600 galleon, kid. Do you need a bag?"
"Thanks, but no." I picked the gold galleons a handful at a time and inserted them to a hidden pocket in my backpack. That part has an expanded space made by Long.
I just realized how powerful my little dragon can be with regards to space magic. I'm still figuring out how to cast it and make the expanded space permanent.
When there's only 25 gold galleons left, I closed my bag. I just put the remaining 25 gal in my pockets. I nodded to the teller and he nodded back with a smirk. I return to Ron's side and act like nothing weird happened.
"""""BLOODY HELL!!""""" exclaimed the boys. Molly and Ginny were still dumbstruck.
One of the twins placed his arm over my shoulder and said, " Marshall, mate." Then the other twin did the same on my other side, continued with, "Can you maybe lend us so--..."
👋*toink*"Ouch!" 👋*toink*"Ouch!"
"Fred and George Weasley!!!" It was Molly who yelled after hitting the two at the back of their heads. She looks at me and apologize, "Sorry Marshall. You already gave me a gift please don't mind what those two said." She even pulled her sleeve to show me she's wearing the golden bracelet.
Once the bracelet was in view, the busy goblins stopped and stared at our direction. It became eerily quiet in the entire hall.
The white haired goblin came down from his high flatform and made his way to Molly. He's inspecting the bracelet and mumbling in Gobbledegook, {..this material...no runes but the enchantment is indeed there.. possibly strong enough to block a killing--.}.. then he looked at Molly and said, "10,000 galleons for the bracelet, deal?!"
When Molly heard it she became pale. The kids got even more gobsmacked but some of them are showing smiling faces.
I slap my forehead while thinking, 'Ah, stupid me.!'
The white haired goblin then look at me and saw something. He grabbed my arm and retracted my sleeve exposing the golden bracelet I'm wearing with more strings and stronger enchantments. He exclaimed, {How?!... different enchantment.... could it be?...}. Then we look at me.
I'm not smiling anymore. I stare straight into his eyes. I asked Siri,
Me: What's this guy thinking about?
Siri: He recognized the material used on the bracelets. He's thinking on how to get to know where it came from. How to buy it through galleons or forcing you all to spill all your secrets by taking one of you hostage.
When I read the last part, I just lost it and thought, 'F*ck this sh*tty bank!'
While I'm still staring at the goblin in front of me. The whole building started to shake. The goblin in front of me look at the surroundings and try to figure out what's happening.
Soon visible cracks appeard on the wall, on the marble floor and the ceiling. The white haired goblin then looked at the bracelet on my wrist and saw one by one, the strings started to break.
The goblins, Molly and the kids finally realized I'm causing the earthquake. But they don't know what to do.
Then deep in my mind I heard a bird's cry.
"Kuk..UUUUUUAAAAAKKKKKKK!!!"
It immediately snapped me backed to my senses and in turn, stopped the earthquake. But I didn't loosen my stern expression still looking at the goblin in front of me.
No one is moving in the hall. Then the big doors opened and Arthur came back to the hall followed by Bill from a different door and other goblins working in the back office.
Arthur quickly came over and hugged Molly and the kids saying, "Dear, is everyone alright? There was an earthquake in the tunnels good thing I was already returning back..."
When I heard that I said to myself, 'F*ck, I almost kill Arthur.'
Then a funny thing happened. Everyone in the hall except me stopped moving. Like time freeze...
Then I hear footsteps coming from the silver entance and saw a guy in a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, flip-flops and tinted sunglasses. He has a coconut with a opened top with straw and umbrella.
When I recognize who it was and didn't see any hook for his left arm, I sigh and just said, "Sorry about that. I messed up bad this time, Josh."
"Nah, don't worry about it. You should have seen me when my sister got threatened... oops... that's not important right now." He came by my side and inspected everyone.
"So what's your plan now, genius?" He quizzed me.
I honestly said, "I have no idea other than fighting everyone here."
"I'm guessing that you're no longer in Dora's 'range of sight' after you contracted the dragon." He nodded and a smile appeared on his face.
I got a creepy feeling when I saw his smile. He then said, "Now we can make a deal."
~end chapter~...
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