A/N: Mostly this chapter deals with the visit to the vault, as well as preparing the financial and real estate sides of moving to America. The next chapter will deal with the blood adoption and the chapter after that will be actually moving to America.
Chapter 2
Stepping quickly towards the door, Griphook said, "Come right this way, Madam, and we will head down to your vault."
Arabella followed Griphook through the back halls to the vault carts, and they took off on a roller-coater ride to, "Vault № 201: Cadogan Family Vault."
"Thank you, Griphook. If you don't mind me asking for some advice, it has been awhile since I have had children, much less infants. It has also been a while since I have activelly went between the Wizarding world and the Muggle World. What is the exchange rate and how much should I take out? I am also moving to our family home in Connecticut, which is in a Muggle town called Stoneybrook, so I will need some Muggle American money for over there."
"Well, Madam..."
"Please, Arabella. At least while we are alone. I am uncomfortable with always being called madam."
"All right, Arabella, the current exchange rate is £5 to the galleon. I would recommend taking out 2000 galleons (A/n: does anyone know if there is an actual symbol for galleons? Until I know otherwise, I will use the Gaurani sign ₲), which translates to £10,000. That should be plenty to purchase clothing, diapers, and other necessities for the boys, as well as leaving some money to pack up your personal belongings and such to be shipped over to Stoneybrook. As to having money for America, do you plan on bringing the boys back so they can attend Hogwarts?"
"I don't know at this point. I mean, with school loyalty and such, they 'should' attend the same school their parents did, but with their backgrounds, I don't know if that will be such a good idea. There are plenty of good schools in America, such as Salem, which I heard is now accepting wizards as well as witches, Pathfinder School in the Rockies, and a few other boarding schools, as well as non-boarding schools, where my boys could attend Muggle schools through their A-levels, and also attend magic school in the evening."
"Alright, Arabella, how about this: you go ahead and grab your ₲2000, and when we get back to Clan Chief Ragnok's office, we will pull a statement of your vaults and decide how much to exchange for Muggle money."
"Alright, Griphook, I will do that. Just let me have a second."
Arabella stepped into the vault, and when she had finished stuffing her moneybag with the galleons, she looked around the vault, and didn't see anything she really wanted to take with her besides some money today.
She walked back to the cart, and they headed back up to the surface. When they got back there, she followed Griphook back to Ragnok's office, where they found him pouring over some papers.
Griphook cleared his throat softly and said, "Majesty, Madam Figg would like to discuss some financial transactions as well this morning. If I may be so excused, I will go and retrieve a summary of her vault."
Chuckling slightly, Ragnok said, "Of course Madam Figg will be wanting to discuss some financial matters. This IS a bank, after all. And as to the summary of the vault, I have a copy right here," indicating the sheaf of parchments he had been looking at previously. "You may be excused, and Griphook? Could you inform the kitchens to send up lunch for two, as well as something for young Master Potter?"
Bowing deeply, Griphook agreed and excused himself from the office of the Clan Chief and King of the Glorious Goblin Nation.
"Now, Madam Figg, I assume with your claim of the family home being in America, you are referring to the Figg family home, not the Cadogen family home, which is here in the Commonwealth?"
At her nod, he continued, "Since the Figg home is in an American Muggle town, I took the liberty of assessing the costs of living in a Muggle area, and the figures boil down to the following costs per month:
GalleonsUSD
Electricity:₲ 6,16,05$70
Heat:₲ 5,16,08$60
Insurance:₲17,14,25$180 (Health and auto combined)
Petrol:₲ 7,16,01$80 ($20 per week in the 80s is Groceries:₲39,12,07$400 alot, probably, but I barely Other:₲20,14,15$210 even remember the 80s!)
Total:₲99,05,03 $1000
"If you were to stay in the States for good, I would recommend transferring all of your money to Muggle funds and opening an account at one of the banks in the area."
"At this point in time, Ragnok, I am undecided whether I plan to send the boys to an American school or to Hogwarts. I will take your advice on my finances, because that is what you are great at."
"Well, since you are undecided, I propose the following. Your current vault bears interest at an APY of 2½%. If you left ₲5,000 ($50,350), by the time the boys came back for Hogwarts, you will have accrued ₲1,250, which makes your vault total ₲6,250. That should be plenty for you to get through the first year of Hogwarts, since their schooling is paid by their trusts. After the first year, if they decide to remain at Hogwarts, you can move your money back into Gringotts, and if they decide not to remain at Hogwarts, or do not come back for it at all, you can withdraw the money at any time."
"That works, Ragnok. How much do I have in my vaults, excluding the ₲5,000?"
"2,571,016 galleons, 13 sickles, 24 knuts, which will translate to $25,890,139.31. That money will see you and your sons through the easy life for a long while. The house is furnished, there is no mortgage, and the taxes have been taken care of by the trust of the Figg family, of which Neville will be the heir when you blood-adopt him. Your deceased husband's brother is the head, and being a Muggle in a homosexual relationship, he will not be producing an heir, so Neville is eligible to assume heirship at 7 years of age."
"Excuse me, Ragnok, but my head is spinning from all these numbers. Could we take a break and maybe have a bite to eat?"
"Certainly, Madam. We will continue this after lunch."
Ragnok clapped his hands twice, and a scrumpscious lunch appeared on a side table, and they adjourned for lunch.
TBC...