CHAPTER 1 : PROLOGUE
IN WHICH THE WIZARDING WORLD FALLS DOWN
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"You have got to be bloody kidding me."
Ronald Weasley stood on the white marble steps of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Diagon Alley Branch, and stared at the doors.
The closed doors.
"We'll come back later Ron, honestly it's a Sunday, I'm hardly surprised they closed up early." Remarked a shorter teen with messy black hair and emerald green eyes. "Don't you agree Hermione?"
Harry Potter looked over at the only female member of the group and was surprised to see that she too, was staring in horror and fascination at the locked doors of the imposing building.
"But I thought...book said…Professor Binns…History of Magic… wrong…couldn't be…Goblins…book…book…"
"Hermione?" Harry's uncertain tone shook the young woman from her state of disbelief and she immediately launched into an explanation, no doubt learnt word for word from a textbook.
"According to G. Oblin's condensed edition of the history and tenets of the goblin race, any establishment run by goblin-kind, whether within or outside of the Goblin Realm, works on a system which offers maximum productivity and profit. As such all establishments are open to conduct business, without fail, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and 366 days a year on leap years. Don't you understand Harry, goblins don't close early on Sundays! They don't close at all! We talked about this is History of Magic! Weren't you listening!? That's just how it is! For Gringotts to be CLOSED it's, why its… it's…." Words failed her attempt to describe the situation, and Ron took the liberty of finishing her sentence.
"It's like Voldemort deciding to bring cheer to sick children in hospital."
Quirking an eyebrow at the odd analogy Harry sighed.
"Ok so it's weird that they've closed, but I still don't see why everyone is making such a fuss. Honestly, it's just a bank…it'll probably be open again tomorrow. Why I'll bet it'll even be back open by later this -"
Harry's sentence was cut short as one of the monumental marble doors creaked open and a small figure emerged, withdrew a scroll from its coat pocket, and began to read in a heavily accented but surprisingly loud voice:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my duty to inform you the Diagon Alley Branch, and all other Branches of Gringotts Wizarding Bank are hereby closed until further notice. Any funds may be withdrawn via special appointment with an exterior goblin liaison, or by written cheque withdrawal. Thank you and Good Day."
"You were saying Harry?" This came from Hermione, but it was Ron who chose the momentary shocked silence to silence to shout out:
"You can't just leave it at that, why is Gringotts closed!? What's going on!?" Cries of agreement and similar requests arose from the crowd and the goblin, after extensive shushing motions continued to read out by means of explanation:
"This act is by order of his Majesty, King Jareth, Lord and Master of the Labyrinth, sovereign of the Goblin Realms, and High Lord of the Fae Kingdom. Recent events have caused him to reconsider the ancient alliance between our two peoples and until such a time as his deliberations are complete all Goblin activities in the Wizarding world are hereby indefinitely suspended."
With this the goblin turned, and disappeared back inside, the great door sliding soundlessly closed behind him.
Silence ruled over the crows until three words broke it, uttered of course, by one Ronald Weasley.
"This means trouble."
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AN: I know it's short but it's just a prologue. Hoorah! Foreshadowing! I shall try my hardest to put the first real chapter up in the next few days.
Feedback, preferably constructive, would be much appreciated as I'm new to this whole writing fanfiction shindig, so Please REVIEW! No that there's much of a story to comment on so far, but any thoughts are worth expressing.