Chapter the Second:
Gringotts
My soft hearted cousin managed to peel me off the boy before I could do any serious harm or permanent damage. The boy clutched his hurt genitals and, though he looked in pain, growled at me: "I will tell father!"
His growl sounded like a high pitched screech to me, honestly. Any type of growling becomes nothing when you live in my house. My father growls, both of my grandfathers growl, my uncles growl, and both of my younger brothers growl as well. A person tends to get used to that type of noise after a while. Plus, I didn't know his father, and even though his father sounded important, I doubt a businessman or a politician would come running to kiss his son's scrapes, especially if a girl caused it.
My cousin pulled out his stick – er, wand and pointed it at the blonde's face. "You won't dare Malfoy."
Ah, so I finally have a name to a face. It's a good name; it fits him. Just as slimy and filthy sounding as the boy's interior. The boy, for the first time seemed to notice my cousin. His eyes widened briefly in fear and he began to rub his arms.
"And why shouldn't I, Hawke?" He said, his tone daring but his voice broke at the end. He's nervous. Cousin must have something on him.
"Because if you do I will hex you with a tongue-splitter. Do you remember it, Malfoy? Would you like to splutter like a fool in front of all of these people?"
The boy quieted and turned to leave. Well, spluttering like a fool would be a huge improvement – at least he won't look like a witless idiot. After all, even fools have wit.
Both my cousin and Malfoy stared at me with opposite expressions. Have I said that loudly? Oops. I smiled at the blonde, my mouth twitching from the effort. I really wanted to snarl and take a piece of his arm off with my teeth.
It didn't take Malfoy long to run away when he saw my fangs. Yes, I had one of the sharpest fangs in the world, and yes, I am proud of it.
"You really should control yourself, Fai. That's Draco Malfoy and his father is pretty strong." He advised, though the proud smile on his face managed to erase the effect of his scolding, and I whistled happily. Or tried to – I never learnt how to whistle properly.
"You know," He said, "Some people can communicate using whistles."
Ah, he did realize my failed attempt at whistling. Stupid me.
"Really?"
"Yes, have you ever seen the Canary Islands?"
"Where?"
However, before Valentino could answer me, two pairs of arms slithered around his neck, stopping my cousin from moving, and he let go of my hand. His hands wrestled around the arms around his neck, and I realized my cousin was squashed between the two boys who were hugging his neck.
"Why!" One of my cousin's attacker, a red head with freckles, said. His twin (Or I assumed it was his twin because they were of the same height and face.) continued his brother's sentence, "If it isn't our dearest friend, Valentino Hawke!"
"Hello Fred." Valentino started, renewing his attempts to get free, though it was less violent than before. "Hello George. Do you mind letting-"
The twins didn't allow my cousin to continue, speaking in union and cutting him off.
"How was your summer, Mr. Hawke?" Began one of the twins.
"It was fine, now let me-" My cousin was once again cut off.
"Ours was wonderful, thank you for asking, dearest Hawke."
"I don't need to ask, you buffoons – your letters told me everything!" My cousin exclaimed, freeing himself from the grip of the two boys by ducking his head and crawling away from their bodies.
"Oh, you did read our letters!"
"We feared that you wouldn't!"
Valentino sighed and patted his clothes, removing the dust that collected while he crawled away from the twins' death grip.
"I forgave you two for that prank a long time ago. I just thought letting you guys bumble your way through the exams would be funny,"
"It wasn't!" Both Fred and George whined.
"Well, it was for me."
Any hope I may have had of sticking close to my cousin in Hogwarts vanished right then and there. My cousin obviously had friends, and he would be too busy to stay next to me. Why would he bother himself with me when he can hang out with his friends?
I was about to fume and walk away when Valentino's hand wrapped around my upper arm and pulled me close so that we were next to each other. He also put me in the line vision of the twins.
As he hissed: "Stay close!" both of the boys demanded he introduce us. I forced a smile as Valentino said: "Fred, George, this is my cousin, Fai Aldea. She is starting Hogwarts this year."
"Faye?" One of the boys said. I opened my mouth to correct him – no it's not Faye, but it's Fai, but then, the other boy said: "Aldea! Blimey, I thought your family died out!"
"Well, it obviously didn't." I snapped, my emotions still reeling from meeting Malfoy and the realization that my cousin wouldn't be there for me twenty-four seven. I regretted what I said as soon as I said it. "I am sorry – " I began, but the twin closest to me (George?) clapped my shoulder.
"She's got an attitude – that's good! It will help her while dealing with prats like Malfoy!"
His twin's hand joined his on my back. "Indeed Gred, I think she will get along well with our itsy minni Ginny!"
"I agree with you Forge!"
What? Whose Gred and Forge? I thought their names were Fred and George. Ack, never mind that! I cleared my throat, and all three boys stared at me.
"Gringotts?"
I reminded my cousin, and he slapped his forehead, seemingly unable to believe his own stupidity. He said something naughty and then: "I forgot about grandmamma and your parents!"
(\_/)
("")("")
The building of Gringotts is beautiful. The workers there? Not so much – that is, in my humble opinion, of course. Goblins, in every story I've read has been presented to me as evil and greedy. And here they are managing the finances of the wizarding world. 'The Only Bank in the Wizarding World' too, according to my cousin.
Am I the only one who sees something wrong in this picture? Greedy creatures who love gold taking control of the bank. It's a wonder the wizards and witches even have money.
Apparently, though, Gringotts is impregnable, according to this engraving in the door:
Enter Stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay 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.
A pretty poem and an unspecified threat to put off thieves. Nice, and apparently, it worked. I should hang a similar poem on my bedroom door; maybe it will stop my siblings from entering my room.
As we entered Gringotts – we including the Weasley twins, who insisted on following my cousin, because apparently their mother was waiting for them there too.
I spotted my parents and grandmother as soon as I entered, because father was having a shouting match with grandmother.
"Relax? How am I supposed to relax, Sophia? My daughter is out there, and Valentino is with her! You may trust the boy, but he is just a child! You can't just trust them to wander off alone!"
"Valentino, Fai!" My mother cried out, tears in her eyes, running toward us and embracing us both. The strength behind her assault forced the boys away from my cousin.
Interestingly, my cousin twitched a bit, a smile on his face but his back stiff. He was both relieved and feeling a bit awkward. Strange.
My father seemed to have finished with my grandmother and instead moved forward to begin scolding us. I cut him off when he reached the part that we should 'stick like glue' to them:
"But it wasn't our fault; we were distracted twice!"
My father raised his eyebrow, as though he was asking me: "Oh really?"
I nodded my head furiously, eager to rid myself from any punishment father may come up with.
"I was triggered. And then, Val was attacked."
My parents seemed to have despaired upon hearing the word triggered but they let me off to fuss over Valentino instead. He glared at me as he assured my parents that he was alright. Stupid boy looked at me as though I had betrayed him.
The Weasley twins glared at me; they obviously weren't happy with me for taking their favorite toy away. Hmph.
"Faye!" My grandmother called. I almost didn't move, not recognizing the way my name was pronounced, but then I remembered that my name was spelled Faye in my British passport. Pity; I prefer Fai.
"Yes, grandmamma?" I asked, and my grandmother took my hand and pulled me toward one of the counters, where a goblin with white, silvery hair sat on a high stool, scribbling in books using quills.
My grandmother ignored me and instead addressed the goblin. She cleared her throat, and though it was quite loud, the old goblin took no notice of her.
Hm! How rude.
My grandmother seemed to have agreed with me, for her face had begun to take on a nasty shade of red.
"Excuse me!" She said loudly, her voice taking on a curt tone that I have never heard used against me or any of my siblings or even Valentino! It was quite harsh and I found myself cringing at the sound of her voice.
The goblin looked like he wanted to cringe too. He slowly looked up from his work; his spectacles hanging on his long nose seemed a bit fragile as though it would break off at any given moment.
My heart squeezed in my chest, and lurched abruptly. I resisted the urge to kick my grandmother. They are both old people, and old people should be treated kindly.
Even if they were ugly, greedy creatures.
The old goblin stared at my grandmother and gave me a fleeting glance. "Yes?" He (It?) croaked tiredly and my heart gave another painful leap.
"We – my granddaughter and I that is – are here to take some money out of the Aldea Family Safe."
The elderly goblin pushed his spectacles up his nose and asked: "Do you have a key, Madam?"
"Of course I have a key!" The 'you idiot!' thankfully remained unsaid. My grandmother busied herself searching for the key and I pulled my lips up in a smile. The goblin seemed shocked at my smile.
With a triumphant: "Aha!" My grandmother produced a big, golden key. She handed it to the goblin and he examined it. Then he nodded and handed the key back.
"It seems to be the correct key, Mrs. Aldea. I will have Stonebone escort you both to vault seven hundred fifty."
As the old goblin painfully wobbled away, my grandmother muttered: "I hate those creatures."
I sighed: "What have they ever done to you, Grandmamma?"
My grandmother rolled her eyes. "They occupy job space that should be given to witches and wizards."
"Goblins need to earn their livelihood too."
"They could go back to smith-working. At least they did that well."
By then the old goblin came back with a younger, but sourer looking goblin. I assumed he was the Stonebone goblin who was meant to escort us down to the vault.
As my grandmother followed after Stonebone, I made an effort to follow her, but the old goblin stood between me and her, so I stopped. Luckily, I didn't crash onto him.
He extended his wrinkly hand. "Den Madjeer, Miss." He introduced himself, and I opened my mouth, unsure of what to do.
Luckily for me, my mother had nailed my manners into my personality, and they came to a decision without consulting my brain. The heart could be such a hindrance, yet when dealing with others it is quite the weapon.
I accepted the hand and smiled. "Fai – I mean Faye Aldea, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Madjeer."
He nodded his head and let go of my hand, wobbling back into his seat behind the counter.
"Faye!" My grandmother shouted. I waved at my parents, who had stopped fussing over Valentino, who was missing – though I doubt his disappearance was much of a reason to worry; the twins were nowhere to be seen either, and were instead talking with one of the goblins. Mother waved back but father was too engrossed into his conversation.
I followed grandmother through a door, where I found rails instead of more marble. How quaint.
Judging by the size of the railway, I'd say it was not meant for trains, but rather, something smaller. A cart, perhaps?
Stonebone whistled and a cart came racing toward us.
Bingo: theory proven.