Harry found out rather quickly that he did not enjoy the cart ride down to his Trust Vault.

He eyed the rather rickety looking wooden cart. It was sitting on a pair of metal rails that were angled towards a stone corridor. It was made of thick wooden beams but there seemed to be splinters poking out from it like weapons themselves. The iron bars were wrapping around the top and bottom of the wood, like the pictures of the minecarts he had seen before. They hadn't seemed this dangerous in real life.

The stone corridor looked like a gaping mouth, its stone archway illuminated by two flickering torches on either side. There were other rails that sped into the darkness, each one either already gone or with an empty cart sitting on it.

The goblin, this one with a rather short height, gestured again to it. Harry ignored his impulse to get away from the strange cart and instead walked towards the cart, clambering inside. It was surprisingly roomy inside there, and had three seats at the back and one up front for the goblin. But the seats were stiff and made of unforgiving wood, and Harry squirmed slightly in discomfort.

James was there. He had, before the goblin could take them down to his Trust Vault, made it tell him about the ride. He had then decided to sit out after he had heard about the guardian dragons and dangerous turns. His face had been a bit green.

Instead, Professor Sprout sat next to him. She had her gray robes tucked close to her body and was sitting with the pose of a person who knew exactly what she was doing. She offered Harry a smile when she saw he was looking at her. Harry grinned back.

After signing the paper and seeing the words flare a bright white, James had snapped out his urge. He had looked around for a few seconds before he seemed to remember, one eyebrow coming up in realization. He had looked at Harry, eyes flicking over his form. But when he realized Harry wasn't injured, he had walked out of the room as soon as the goblin had dismissed them. He had gone out to the large room and made his way to Professor Sprout. He had apologized to her, and she had accepted it with a gentle smile on her face. She explained that many muggles were confused on their rules and she was yelled at many times. The professor said it was fine and she knew that everyone always panicked when they were introduced to magic.

James had tilted his head to one side, saying that he was apologizing for yelling at her. He was not, however, taking back any of the statements he had said about her world. Then he had stuck out a hand. She shook it, calm blue eyes picking apart his own.

They had walked up to the nearest teller, where they waited in silence for several minutes. Then they had been led by a goblin up to the cart and now Harry was staring at the stone opening with a mixture of trepidation and anxiety. One of the goblin's points had been that the carts traveled at a fast speed to avoid people from stopping them or being delayed for time.

Harry rather doubted it, and was wondering whether the goblins had a competition on how many wizards they could fling out of their carts.

He hoped he wasn't one of them.

The goblin seemed to get into the cart with a grace not present in either Harry or the professor. He grabbed onto a small iron lever poking out of the ground and had harshly yanked it towards himself, sending a small grin up at the two of them.

And then, with a heartstopping jerk, they had shot towards the blackness of the corridor.

Harry's hair was snapped flat against his head. His eyes were blown wide and he couldn't seem to close them. If his mouth had been open, he knew his lips would be flapping in the wind.

The sheer force of the speed of the cart was amazing. Harry guessed they were being pulled along with speeds any car could never hope to catch. All he could see was twisting stone and other rails disappearing in the darkness.

The goblin at the front grinned at them, showing needle sharp teeth that flared in the light of the torch on the cart. Strangely enough, the fire never seemed to go out despite the wind that battered against it.

His beady black eyes flashed as he stared at the stone wall they were next to. With a sudden jerk, he yanked the lever away from him.

The cart snapped to a stop.

Harry tumbled forward, eyes wide. The edge of the cart hit him like a sucker punch, and he watched in horror as his glasses snapped off his face and fell down. The area below was just darkness and stone.

But then the glasses paused in midair, hovering. They stopped spinning, stopped moving, with easy reaching of the cart. Harry's hand flashed and he had them in his grip. He put them back on his face, the world swimming back into focus.

Harry looked at the goblin, confused. He opened his mouth to ask about the glasses but the goblin, without even looking at him, answered quickly.

"Shield charm around the cart. Wouldn't be good for money to be flying, would it?"

The goblin grabbed onto the torch, pulling it out of its socket on the cart. The light seemed to flare brighter at his touch, and he closed his clawed hand over the base of torch. He held it high, letting the flame be at eye level with Harry.

Harry looked at the stone wall. There was a ledge, maybe two meters wide, that ran along the wall. Stationed every couple of feet, there were giant iron doors with enormous letters branded into them. They had keyholes over them, large ones right in the middle of the door.

The goblin hopped out of the cart, the torch unwavering in his hand. He landed safely and was already moving towards a door only a few feet away from them. It was large with the number 687 across the top.

Harry eyed the ledge, before standing up from his chair. He swung his leg over the side, feeling hard stone beneath him. He finished getting out, one hand steadying his glasses. He didn't want to lose them, even when he was in the cart.

Professor Sprout climbed out much faster than Harry, and soon they were both following the goblin towards the door. He held out a key and slowly slid it into the keyhole. Professor Sprout had been carrying the key, for reasons Harry didn't know. But he did intend to ask for it back, as it held the only way he knew to get his money. Maybe because his parents died, she had it? Even then, it was farfetched.

The door began to hiss open, and Harry half expected a wave of smoke to fall out from it, like on that one movie James had showed him. But instead, the firelight fell onto a glimmering pile of something shiny. Harry hissed, one hand shooting up to covered his eyes. But when the sting died away, he took his hand down and stared at the contents of the vault.

Gold. That was his first thought.

Piles of the large golden coins the goblins had been working with were sitting all around the small room. It seemed only the size of Dursley's living room, stretching back nearly four meters. It was around four meters wide as well, leaving plenty of room for whatever was inside.

And what was inside was money. Coins a bit smaller than the size of his palm glimmered up at him from every corner, sitting in unorganized piles. There was a thin path down the middle of the room, sneaking in between larges piles. There wasn't just gold, either; Harry saw bronze and silver glinting up at him as well, but the majority was the shining yellow.

"How much is in here?" Harry asked almost faintly. His eyes were are large as the coins as he stared over all of them.

"Every year, the vault is refilled to five hundred Galleons from the Potter Vault," the goblin said, his voice still full of his snark.

"In pounds?" Harry took a step forward, entering his vault. A single gold coin clanked over the stone floor as he bumped it with his foot, the sound loud and ringing.

"A Galleon is worth around 4.93 pounds by the latest show. It has to be converted here at Gringotts."

Harry shot a confused and rather desperate look at Professor Sprout, who smiled and answered his unspoken question. "This bank is called Gringotts, Harry. The Galleons are the gold coins, the silver ones are Sickles, and the bronze coins are known as Knuts."

"Is it five Knuts to one Sickle?" He asked, reaching out and grabbing a Galleon. It was smooth and cold. There was a carving on it of a string of number, and in the middle there was a fancy G.

Professor Sprout shook her head though Harry wasn't looking. "Its 17 Sickles to a Galleon and 29 Knuts to a Sickle."

"That's confusing," Harry muttered, dropping the Galleon back on the pile. It rang out with the sound of metal on metal.

"Well, I didn't create it, Harry."

"Why don't you just change it, though? It'd be much simpler." Harry turned back to the goblin, a question on the tip of his tongue. "Is there a way to move this? A charm?"

The goblin squinted at him. "Is this your first time visiting Gringotts?" He asked, turning back to the cart.

"Um, yes," Harry answered, confused.

"Here." The goblin handed him a small brown back. It looked like it was made of leather but when Harry grabbed it, it felt smoother, more like cotton. It had a drawstring top and was about as long as his forearm, though much thinner.

"Complementary moleskine bag. It is charmed with the undetectable expansion charm along with the feather-light charm." Harry stared at him until he sighed in exasperation. "It's larger on the inside and doesn't get heavier."

"Oh," Harry said, testing the weight out on his hand. He turned to his professor. "How much do you think I'll need?"

"Normally, a hundred Galleons would be fine, as you do have to buy a trunk. But if you want to get something else, more couldn't hurt."

Harry knelt by the closest pile, pulling open the bag as far as it could go. He counted about five before he simply started dumping handfuls of Galleons inside, the stream seeming unending. When the pile he had been taking from was nearly gone, he stopped and stood back up, grabbing the bag. It was the exact same weight.

Harry looked around the room. Now that he had taken over a hundred with him, the coins didn't seem quite so endless. It was only five hundred Galleons, after all. But it was refilled every year.

Harry stepped away from the vault, watching as the goblin pushed the giant iron door closed again. It must have a feather-light charm on it as well, Harry thought. Otherwise, it would have weighed several hundred pounds!

He held up the bag to his eye, staring at it. He held over 500 pounds in his hand, with many more inside his vault. He could buy his own apartment if he saved up some. He could move away from the Dursleys!

Then Harry remembered the paper. Maybe he already could. James was his Guardian now; maybe he could move and live with him. The money could definitely get them enough food and clothes, and then some.

"Harry?" Professor Sprout jerked him out of his thoughts. He smiled sheepishly at her and headed back to the cart, keeping a tight hand on his money bag. He got inside, settling himself back in the seat.

The ride back was just as annoying as the ride there.

Harry stepped out, head spinning slightly. He shook himself and jogged to catch up with Professor Sprout, who was walking back towards the front room. They pushed open the door and then James was there, going straight to Harry.

"How was is?" He asked, one eyebrow raised. Harry could only glare at him, brow lowered. James grinned and threw an arm over his shoulders. He directed his attention to Professor Sprout.

"What do we do next?"

She considered, head tilting to one side. "Well, you have a choice. You can either get your wand now or we can head to get your trunk. Do you have an opinion?"

"Wand." Both James and Harry said at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed, the sound bright.

Professor Sprout smiled at them before she gestured to the giant doors of Gringotts. "Well, that's just in Diagon Alley. We can go and get it right now."

Harry nodded quickly, tucking his money bag closer to his body. Now was not the time to lose it. "What's Diagon Alley?"

"Oh, did I forget to tell you? Probably." She laughed. "Diagon Alley is a wizarding market. Gringotts is in it, it's this street we're on right now. They sell everything from pets to parchment to wands; it's where we can sell our magical things and trinkets."

"Wicked," Harry exclaimed, even as two goblins pushed the giant doors open for them. The light blinded him but within seconds he got another view of the alley.

Memories hit him and one hand shot up to his forehead, smushing his bangs over his lightning scar. James chuckled at him but then they were walking out towards the alley.

Professor Sprout steered them left, heading towards the only dirty shop on the street. Harry tensed, fearing another Leaky Cauldron.

He read the sign. It read, in peeling golden letters, Ollivanders: Maker of Fine Wands since 328 B.C.

Harry pushed open the front door, a soft chirping of a bell announcing his arrival. He smiled at the memory of the one on James' store and looked around.

It was a large room, but it was dwarfed by the size of the shelves everywhere. They towered up tot eh ceiling, covered in thin boxes with tiny words written on the end. Some were piled on the floors, some on the thin counter. There was a thin layer of dust on the ground along with the boxes, with a few scattered footsteps everywhere.

Was this where he was getting his wand?

"Mr. Potter?" A soft voice filtered into his ear. Harry jumped, whirling around just as a man stepped out from behind a shelf. He was tall with a brilliant shock of white hair that curled and stuck out in the strangest manner. His eyes were like pools of moonlight, glassy and reflective. He had pale skin but his hands were well worn, covered in light scars and callouses.

"Yes?" Harry replied, peering at the curious man.

"You are here for your wand. Perfect. But who is this?" He was looking at James, who seemed weirded out by this strange man.

"I'm James Lakeson, Harry's Guardian," he said, putting a hand over Harry's shoulders. His gaze looked almost possessive.

"How curious." Then the man snapped to attention. "My name is Ollivander, and I am going to find you a wand, Mr. Potter."

"What is your dominant hand?" He asked, snapping his fingers. The twisting form of a tape measurer floated into view, appearing from on top of the desk. It made its way to Harry, writhing in the air.

"Um- right."

The measurer flew over his body, stretching out over every piece of him. It was completely supported on the air, just twisting around.

"Here." Ollivander was back, pressing something into Harry's hand that he didn't quite remember sticking out. "Try this one; cherry wood, 7 and ½ inches, unicorn tail."

It was a thin piece of dark red wood, short and with curling designs up and down it. Harry kind of jabbed it forward, like Professor Sprout had, and was rewarded when a layer of dust on the shelf caught fire.

Harry yelped, dropping the wand. The flames went out instantly.

"Not unicorn tail. Maybe phoenix feather," Ollivander muttered, speeding back behind the shelf. He reappeared seconds later with another wand in his hand, this one a light brown with a thick handle.

"Hornbeam wood, 14 inches, phoenix tail feather. A bit flexible." Harry grabbed onto this one, waving it around. Nothing happened but the man grabbed it from Harry all the same.

"Not phoenix either-"

"Um, Mr. Ollivander?" Harry interrupted, curiosity hitting him like a wave. "What do you mean, unicorn and phoenix? Like the creatures?"

"Yes, Mr. Potter," the man said, stopping his movements. "I make wands with three different cores; unicorn hair, phoenix feathers, and dragon heartstring. I surround them in different woods, and that creates a wand for a wizard or a witch to use."

"What about other creatures? Why those?"

"Well, dragons, unicorns, and phoenixes are the most magical beings in the world. They have so much magic inside of them that I am able to use their feathers, hair, and heartstrings to create wands that wizards can channel their core through. Certain wizards are more able to work with phoenix feathers while others can only use unicorn hairs. It's different across every person."

"That's interesting," Harry nodded, and with that Ollivander moved back off to the store.

And so began the hour of wand testing.

The man would bring out a new wand and Harry would wave it. Sometimes things would happen or nothing at all, but still the wand was taken away from him before he could do anything else. James had already moved to one of the chairs by the dusty window, and Professor Sprout had been there before Harry had tested his first wand.

Harry was getting tired, at least until Ollivander handed him a piece of wood.

"12 and ½ inches, manchineel wood. A dragon heartstring."

Harry grabbed onto it and was stunned as something hit him right in the chest. His own magic, the wave that had built up in him when he changed the flower, seemed to flow into his fingers and into the wand. Wind picked up around him, lifting up his hair and shifting his glasses. A burst of dark blue sparks exploded from the end, shining in the air.

Ollivander clapped his hands together, delighted. "What a show, Mr. Potter! This wand is a perfect match." He looked at the boy. "I can give you some more details about the wand, if you wish."

"Yes, please," Harry said, a bit heady from the rush of magic - because that was what he assumed it to be.

"Manchineel wood is very hard to work with, as nearly every part of the tree is poisonous." Harry's head shot up at that, and Ollivander grinned. "Yes. That is what the design is of; the wood had to be burned to purge the poison from it. It's core is from a Peruvian Vipertooth, a rather venomous dragon. Its length and rigidity shows a determined wizard who has a lot of willpower to do what he likes."

Ollivander leveled a look at Harry. "I feel you will do much with this wand, Mr. Potter."


Yay! Another chapter! I have to rush because I have to leave soon.

Sorry, I wasn't able to post until now; I was visiting my grandma. But I hoped you enjoyed this chapter!

I swear, when I was writing my outline, I didn't plan for the goblin vault to last 3-4 pages. It was supposed to be one, I swear.

But still. Hope you enjoy.

Foxglove will be revealed next chapter! Submit now for the final stretch!

Please read and review!

Frost OUT!