The goblin climbed down from his stool and walked around his desk coming to a stop just in front of Karen. Holding out his hand he gave a slight bow of the head.
"Pleasure to meet you Miss", the goblin gave what Karen interpreted as a smile, though with those sharp pointed teeth and that expression it looked more like a snarl. Karen gave a slight smile and grudgingly took his hand.
"You too, ah, Mr. Goblin", Karen shied back a step after feeling the sand paper texture of the goblin's skin.
"My name is Ratson", he looked taken aback by being referred to by his race and hastily started walking back towards an archway behind his desk.
"I'm sorry Mr. Ratson I never meant any offence", Karen was blushing; embarrassed she had offended the goblin. Ratson mumbled something about it being fine and continued muttering under his breath as he walked in front of Karen and Dumbledore, his tiny lamp swaying beside him as he strode purposefully down the corridor.
Ratson led Karen and Dumbledore through the myriad of passageways and tunnels to the small way station. The dark chamber lit barely by candles was even scarier than the creature guiding them. A small cart pulled up in front of them and the goblin gestured them to get into it.
The cart swiftly picked up speed as it zoomed through the passageways. Ratson calmly sitting in the prow of the cart was talking back to Dumbledore about the newest by laws of the Ministry. Karen not understanding anything they were discussing took to looking at the walls as they span past in her vision.
Karen was taken by surprise; though it was eerie traveling this fast in the dark around unknown bends it was all terribly exciting for her. The walls were decorated, statuettes, carvings, inscription, the deeper they traveled the more beautiful everything became. A burst of flame and heat surged forth at them as they rounded the next tunnel, Karen screamed as a huge creature loomed in front of her, its bulk taking up every space in her vision. Then suddenly the creature disappeared once again as the cart zoomed around the next corner leaving the flames behind to lash at the walls.
"What was that?" Karen glanced back as the flames flickered leaving the tunnel behind in darkness once more.
"That was one of the dragon's we keep to ward off intruders, if any make it past the enchantments", Ratson gave a sinister grin.
"Enchantments?" Karen looked around trying to find any source of hidden power.
"Yes they are all around here without a Gringott's goblin you would most likely be dead by now", Ratson explained. Karen went white and suddenly appreciated this strange creature's presence.
The cart slowed and finally came shuddering to a stop. Karen shakily got to her feet, even though she had enjoyed it, the trip had been off putting. Her stomach reeling she climbed out of the cart and lent against a pillar set beside an enormous, carved stone door. Getting out of the cart almost regally Dumbledore stood to one side slightly crouched under the ceiling as Ratson took the tiny key and inserted it into a small key hole at knee height. The door made a terrible creaking noise and gave a loud squeak. Jumping back from the pillar Karen starred mouth agape at the door. The grinding of gears sounded loudly behind the round door and it began to slowly swing open. As though by magic the noise stopped and a hiss of trapped air escaped from the gap of the opening door.
Taking a position in front of the outwardly swinging door Karen couldn't believe her eyes. A loud whoosh and all the lamps inside the chamber instantly ignited. A glittering world lay inside the doors, the many tables piled high with gold and shiny objects. Karen's eyes took in the sight mouth agape as she stared in disbelief. Ratson took a place beside the door, obviously satisfied that he had fulfilled his position as guardian for this moment in time. Dumbledore walked into the chamber looking over strange objects, some lighting and making noises at his approach.
Slowly following his example Karen entered the vault. Her footsteps echoed through out the vastness. Softly Karen extended her fingers towards the mountains of gold coins in front of her, trailing a finger over one almost as if to see if it were all real.
Forgetting her fear Karen grabbed a handful of the strangely marked coins and holding them out to Dumbledore asked "What do these symbols mean?" as her eyes passed over the small markings around the edge of the coins.
"The markings are able to tell you when the coin was made, the goblin that made it and the value", Ratson explained before Dumbledore had even opened his mouth. Dumbledore nodded in approval and picked up a single gold coin.
"These gold coins are galleons. Those silver ones are silver sickles and at the current rate are thirty seven to a galleon. Then those are bronze knuts worth about twenty to a silver sickle", Dumbledore explained that for Karen to purchase school books and such in the magical world you needed magical currency. Dumbledore also explained that you could exchange 'muggle' money for wizarding coins but due to the fact Karen's parents had collected quite an amount in their short lives she had plenty to last her through school and beyond.