A/N:
This one shot has been written as part of a challenge set by the lovely people over at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments).
Task: Write about a character visiting Diagon Alley
Extra Prompt: Gringotts
Chocolate Frog: Silver – Bill Weasley – (Challenge) To write about Bill Weasley
Gringotts Prompt Bank: English Proverbs: Where there's a will, there's a way; Flattery will get you nowhere; Better late than never; OC Names: Male: Erich Henlein; Desmond Blankley; OC Names: Female: Toyama Nyoko; Catarina Schnyder; Weather words: Drizzle; Downpour; Instead of Walked – Travelled; Instead of said – Questioned; Instead of laughed - Chuckled
Before the Interview
Bill Weasley slowly meandered down Diagon Alley, past numerous shops that he had frequented when he was younger to buy his school supplies. It felt strange to be back at this iconic street, and not be there to purchase books and quills and potion ingredients.
The light drizzle turned into a heavy downpour of rain and Bill prayed that this was not going to be an omen of things to come. He had worked too hard and too long to let this opportunity pass by. He had to nail this interview.
As he walked up the white marble steps that led to the double door entrance to Gringotts Bank, he went over what he already knew about the four people who would be conducting his interview this afternoon.
There was Erich Henlein, the chair of the panel who would be deciding his fate on this gloomy Friday afternoon. He was a Swedish wizard who was in charge of the hiring and firing of Curse-Breakers at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, and he was not a man you wanted to cross. It was said that there were many goblins that quaked in fear at the very sight of him.
There was Desmond Blankley, the man that he would be working directly under should he be successful and get the job. He was a world renowned Curse-Breaker and his most notable achievement was breaking the curse on the tomb of Tutankhamun. His work fascinated Bill to no end.
There was Toyama Nyoko, a well thought of Japanese woman who had made a break through with regards to curse breaking techniques in the last year. She had just completed her latest book, and Bill made a mental note to see if Flourish and Blotts had it in stock once his interview had concluded.
And then there was Catarina Schnyder, a notoriously difficult woman to impress at the best of times, if all he had heard about was correct. Of all the people in the world to end up on the panel of interviewers, Catarina had been right at the bottom of Bill's list.
Bill travelled down the endless corridor towards the counter where his letter instructed him to go to upon arrival at the bank. The closer he got to the counter the sweatier Bill's palms got and the drier his mouth felt; his mind went blank, he couldn't recall any of the information that he had crammed into his mind over the last few weeks in preparation for his interview, and it was a struggle for him to even remember his own name. He fought every urge in his body that told him to turn around and leave the bank.
Where there's a will there's a way, that's what his mother had always raised him to believe, and right now Bill had to believe that there was a way for him to make it through his interview.
He straightened his back and held his head high as he took the final few paces to the counter where the goblin name Griphook sat there going through some paper work.
Bill cleared his throat and said," Excuse me, my name is Bill Weasley. I have an interview at two o'clock."
The goblin stopped what he was doing, and leaned forward to observe Bill who was standing in front of him trying his best to conceal the nerves that were steadily beginning to build up inside of him.
"Ah yes, Mr Weasley, better late than never I suppose," Griphook said glancing up at the clock on the far wall which read five past two. "Follow me."
Griphook made his way down from behind the counter and led Bill through a set of double doors and down a long and winding corridor. The walls were covered in paintings of past and present employees at Gringotts Bank, the largest of which belonged to Gringott the founder of the bank. His nerves dissipated slightly with every step and every deep breath he took
"Wait here," he said to Bill before knocking and entering the room behind the ornately decorated double doors, where Bill could only assume the panel of interviewers who would be deciding on his future waited.
A few moments later, Griphook exited the room and informed Bill that they were ready for him. Bill swallowed, flexed his hands and readjusted his tie before pushing the door in front of him open.
Once all the members of the interview panel had introduced themselves and shaken hands with Bill, he took the seat in front of the desk and took a deep breath to calm his nerves which had begun to bubble to the surface again.
"Miss Nyoko, may I just say that it is an absolute honour to meet you, to meet all of you in fact," Bill announced as he settled into his seat.
"Flattery will get you nowhere Mr Weasley," Toyama chuckled, as she shuffled the papers in front of her and exchanged glances with the other members of the panel, and nodded at the other woman behind the desk, indicating that she should commence the interview.
"So what makes you think you are the right candidate for this job?" Catarina questioned, leaning forward onto her hands and observing Bill over the top of her glasses in anticipation of his answer.
A/N:
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