-7-

He took me to the counter and pulled out a photograph. "Look."

I did, and my breath caught in my throat. There they were- my family, flesh and blood, my own people whom I'd given up for others. Grinning, standing before Ollivanders'. Grandpaw- thin and pale, with handsome twinkling eyes. Grandma- ethereally beautiful with rippling black hair, lovely sapphire blue eyes and dimples. Aunt Petunia- slim and pink-faced with smoldering coal-black eyes-her father's- long black hair falling in ripples. And she.

Elfin-slim, fair and petite. Long gleaming, crimson-red hair, the velvety color of roses. Full, rosy-red lips. Deep dimples. Unblemished skin the color of cream and peaches. And those beautiful, sparkly, aqua green eyes, ringed by twin frames of deep-forest green. My eyes, but much larger, more beautiful, brighter.

My lovely, lovely mother.

"Well?"

I blinked back the moist from my eyes. Stared at the old, frail man. "Can I keep this?"

"Your vault number is four hundred and nineteen."

I snapped out of my reverie. "Eh-?"

The goblin sighed. "Miss Evans, money to be deposited in 419."

Petunia seemed excited, "Could we see it."

"Certainly." He bowed. "This way, if you please."

We'd been for about twenty minutes at Gringotts. It was the most wonderful, enchanting place I'd ever been to. The long passage led to a hallway lined by gilded tables on which were piled mountains of paper and coins. Enormous cut-glass chandeliers swooped down decorated by crystal drops. But the most curious of all were the workers….they were goblins! Maman grew faint seeing their squashed-in and wrinkly faces. They were solemn, serious creatures (Severus had said they possessed a criminal cunning) and talked in smooth, respectful tones. It was my first brush with creatures of the tales!

Our goblin, attired in a blue pinstriped suit, led us to an elevator styled passage where there was a large wooden sleigh-like structure.

"Do we-?" Petunia seemed apprehensive. "Do we sit on this?"

"Yes."

We did. The goblin pressed a button and the sleigh moved forward on iron tracks, like the rides in the Spring Carnival. We moved forward into the dank, dark passage-buckled to our seats. The walls were made of rocks and there were creepy sounds miles below (yes, my vault was underground). Then, just as we came over a steep height, the sleigh plunged down.

The air blew into our clothes, filling them like balloons. Petunia and I screamed with horror, grabbing Maman who in turn grabbed the goblin (who, to his credit, didn't grab Father). The sleigh went down, then up, then down yet again till I felt violently sick. Thus, it was with great relief that we eyed the gold floor far below.

"Vault no. 419."

We gazed up at the large, embossed door standing in the dark passage.

"And this is your key."

Father took the key hesitantly. Our goblin walked up to the door. "Give that to me."

We watched with bated breath as he inserted the key into the star-shaped hole. There was an ugly, squelching noise (kind of like that time when Marc Taylor of my class had squashed a rat) and then the door swung open.

We peeped in.

The vault was HUGE. It had dark green walls of a jade-like material. There was a single glittering crystal shower above our heads.

"Come."

A raised platform had been placed in the middle. Mr. Goblin(seriously, what was his name?) extended his hand towards Maman. She hesitated, then placed the red pouchful of coins to be exchanged in his leathery palm.

"Uh…..Maman?" Petunia said. She was looking a bit faint. "Could I go outside…please?"

"Sure! Lily, accompany her, baby."

"I'm no baby…" I mumbled. I hadn't wanted to go, I'd wanted to watch the transactions. But I reluctantly followed my sister outside to the glistening corridors.

A drowsy-looking goblin sat at a corner, drinking something out of a plastic mug.

"What's that noise?" Petunia inquired fearfully. A low rumbling in the distance came to our ears.

"Dragons they be." It was the sleepy goblin. "Dragons to protect them' vaults."

"Dragons? You keep dragons down here!?"

"Yesh."

While Petunia stared, positively goggle-eyed- I let my mind wander.

Severus.

He had promised to accompany me to Diagon Alley. We had made shopping lists together, ("You'll need a pewter cauldron for Potions class but the cauldrons at Potage's aren't really up to the standard!") discussed wands and wand woods ("What do you think? Sycamore? Rosewood?") and even made plans for what to do once we got there("But not exploring the dungeons, please!"). I'd been sure, very sure that he'd accompany me on my BIG day…..but he hadn't come.

I mentally relieved the scene today morning. We'd waited outside his home at Spinners' for about an hour before someone finally stepped out.

Not Severus. But his mother. A fragile-lady with stringy, greasy hair and pale grey eyes. "I'm very sorry but I'm afraid…."

Her silence had spoken more than words.

Petunia had said, "I wonder how she knows that we were about to ask him to escort us? For that matter-does she know-"she had turned to me-"that you're….?"

A good point. I'd definitely not thought that up on the spot. I only knew that she was a witch…perhaps she was a mind-reader too?

Maman emerged. Father too. They were carrying the pouch, now bulging. "Time for said cat! And your waaaaand!" Petunia sang.

My mind, warped as it was with these thoughts, reverted back to Gringotts. I looked at Petunia's face- glowing with delight. I remember her like that when I think of her now- a girl with long beautiful blue-black hair, excitement in her eyes a fresh, shining black. I remember mentally chiding myself for occupying my thoughts with Severus on a day like this…my day, for myself. I also remember with shocking clarity the immediate guilt and regret that swallowed these thoughts. Severus was a part of me…

Even back then. And after all those days….