"Um, it seems a bit different since the last time that I was here," Harry questioned.

"Of course we've made adjustments to the bank since the war became public."

That was the best explanation for the things that had happened to Gringotts since last year, such as the ten foot stone golem that was holding a giant axe and was standing in front of him, and the heavily armored goblins walking around the lobby. It wasn't until Bill Weasley walked by with a sword strapped to his hip that Harry realized just how much preparing the goblins had done.

"Bill?"

Doing a double take, Bill still had to take a closer look to make sure that it actually was the Harry that he had met last year. Besides being a bit taller, which wasn't all that odd for boys his age, his hair had grown unkempt, and, if he wasn't mistaken, his skin had somehow darkened. It was a good thing that he was absorbed in trying to figure out why he had darker skin that he didn't even notice the sword at his hip.

"Harry? Is that you? I thought you were supposed to be at your uncle's house?"

Harry winced at that, he wasn't really expecting to be caught going to Gringotts, but it didn't really matter as he was the only one with control of his life now, "A slight change of plans."

He blinked, as though he couldn't comprehend what it meant, but then he smiled in the way that most Weasley's have when they know that mischief is afoot, winked, and said, "You were never here," before walking away.

Wrapwrong shared a confused look with the guards, along with a shrug, and then motioned to Harry saying, "This way Mr. Potter."

They proceeded to the lobby, when Wrapwrong stopped abruptly and said to Harry, "I trust that you can find your way around from here Mr. Potter?" and, without waiting for an answer disappeared into the crowd of working goblins.

Frankly, Harry didn't really know what to do, after all, he hadn't been in Gringotts alone in, well, ever. He decided the direct approach might be the best one, so walked into a line for the nearest goblin teller.

One minute….

Two minutes….

Three minutes….

Twenty minutes…

"Oh for crying out loud! What's taking so long?"

"Next!"

Harry sheepishly looked around, only to realize that everyone within hearing distance of him was staring at him, and also that the goblin was talking to him. He cast his eyes down, and then sort of stumbled forward.

"What is your business?"

"I would like access to the Potter Vault please."

"And do you have reason to be there?"

Harry blinked, and then thought about it before saying, "I'm Harry Potter, can I just visit my own vault?"

That caused the goblins head to snap up and his eyes to search Harry as if to affirm what he had just stated. He looked at the hair, the eyes, and then, finally, to the infamous scar that everyone recognized immediately. What Harry wasn't expecting was the way the he also took in the color of his skin as though he know what he now was. Then he simply looked back down at his desk, sketched a quick note, and said, "Take this to the trolley operator, he'll know what to do."

Although mystified about this process, Harry stepped toward the trolley, and didn't even realize that he stepped through his shadow to appear right next to the operator. Without missing a beat, the goblin took the note from his hand and said, "Step into the trolley."

As soon as he was in, the cart took off at breakneck speed into the depth of Gringotts vaults. Deeper and deeper they went, until the vaults became more like catacombs than places to store ones gold. He was so interested in what they were passing that he didn't even realize that they were slowing down.

When they finally stopped, Harry stood up, and was amazed. In front of him, stood a dragon that dwarfed even the Hungarian Horntail that he had faced last year.

"This way Mr. Potter," which caused Harry to look down and begin to follow this goblin, to the left of the dragon, past the many columns that were foundations of the bank far above, into an alcove that, had he not been led there, he never would have known that it existed.

"Place your hand on the metal slate."

Doing as he was told, it was warm, despite the cool temperature of the cavernous depths, he felt a small pinprick and immediately removed his hand. Looking at his injured palm, he saw the small cut heal up almost instantly. Turning his gaze to the metal plate, he watched it absorb the blood, his blood, and then a grinding sound as the stone shifted and a door way was revealed. He walked towards it, only to be stopped by the goblin saying, "Place your wand in the holster."

Confused, he looked around for the holster that he had mentioned, and before his very eyes, the stone made a spot for him to place the wand. He still wasn't used to the world of magic. Dropping his wand into the slot, the stone receded, as though to steal the wand, and before he could even motion to take it back, it was gone. Looking at the dwarf, he was about to question him when there was a flash, and Harry was somewhere else.