A/N: I love to write about goblins and Gringotts so this chapter is mostly about them.
Arthur Weasley made his way to Gringotts Bank. He rarely had to as he and his wife were fairly thrifty. Most food they grew themselves, they didn't go on many shopping trips, potions supplies were stocked during the summer, and they were not the type to spend frivolously.
In truth, he allowed his Ministry salary to accumulate as much as possible so that the large expenses could be covered. It wasn't cheap sending children off to Hogwarts.
The Magical Education Trust had been a godsend for them. The books they had to buy new over the summer, rather than used, had been covered and the return Galleons had seen the couple and their daughter through for the previous months.
The Weasleys really didn't waste money.
But, he needed an accounting because the family had to decide on Holiday plans. While Molly made excellent sweaters for the family and many gifts were inexpensive or homemade – some expenses were inevitable.
So, here he was checking his balance. He had a parchment sheet which listed the tuition and supplies cost for the next year for the children. He had mapped out exactly how much had to be accrued and how much had to be spent.
The goblin cartdriver said, "Key, please." He handed over the key and the goblins used it to open the vault before returning it.
He walked into the vault while reviewing the parchment once again and mumbling to himself. "So, that's 1200 Galleons for tuition, 100 for household …" Arthur had just looked up and realized that what he saw was not what he had expected.
He looked at the vault and then moved back outside. "Is this the proper vault?"
The cart driver looked at his as though he was insane. "Your vault is 1217?" Nod. "Your key opened the door?" Nod. "Ergo – this is the proper vault." The goblin then gave a look as though to say, "Stop wasting my time."
Arthur nodded and went back inside. He took a few minutes to inspect the vault contents and retrieve twenty-five galleons – the original amount he had planned on retrieving.
The cart driver sneered as Arthur returned before slamming the lever down and taking the cart back to the surface.
The goblin ignored him as he left the cart and made his way to a teller.
"Next!" a teller called.
Arthur moved to the counter and said, "I need to speak to the manager for my account."
"Key, please." Arthur handed it over.
The teller looked at the key and then said, "Wait here." The teller hopped down and made his way to the back. Within a few minutes, the teller returned with another goblin.
The new goblin said, "Come with me."
Arthur followed the goblin to an office where a second goblin was waiting. As soon as Arthur stood in front of the desk the goblin said, "What?"
The wizard before him was not the holder of an ancient and powerful vault and so did not rate some of the courtesies the larger accounts would engender.
"Er. Yes. I went to inspect my vault this morning and found that the vault contained much more gold than I had anticipated. I need to see an accounting as to where it came from." Without being asked, Arthur presented his key.
The goblin looked at the key carefully and then returned it. He rooted around a pile of ledgers until he found the one in question. He opened it and then said, "Sit, please." The amount in the vault was more respectable than others he managed.
Arthur sat down.
"You are Arthur Weasley, youngest son of Septimus and Cedrella Weasley nee Black?"
"Yes."
"Your father died 12 years ago?"
"Yes."
"Your father split his will equally amongst all of his children?"
"Yes."
"You have three brothers. Two have passed away, one without children."
"Yes."
"You were Billius Weasley's primary beneficiary?"
"Yes, well, to be completely accurate my children were the beneficiaries through me."
At this the goblin looked at Arthur piercingly. "Your brother's will named your children individually or as a group?"
"Individually actually."
"I see. Well, there was an error made then."
Arthur was curious. "How so?"
"On 30 August last, the estate of Septimus and Cedrella were credited with a substantial sum. Your late mother was reclaimed into the Black family, as were two others that had been disowned. Another family member, Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black was disowned as of that date and her dowry reclaimed. Now, the proceeds from that were split between the three reclaimed House members or their inheritors. Your father's estate received 423,257 Galleons, 12 Sickles, 14 Knuts. This was split between your parents' inheritors and each received 105,814 Galleons and 11 Knuts with the extra two Knuts being given to the eldest brother. Your brother's share was assigned to your vault as the primary inheritor."
Here the goblin paused. "However, there was an error. Regardless of the fact that your sons were all minors when Billius Weasley died, each was named individually. Your children should have each received 15116 G, 10 S, 4 K with your eldest son receiving the remaining 3 Knuts. So, I need authorization to remove 30,233 G, 3 S, 11 K from your vault so that it can be correctly disbursed between your two eldest."
The goblin pushed a parchment over and waited impatiently for Arthur to sign it which he did.
"Is there any other business?" the goblin asked.
Arthur began to sweat a bit but the amounts of money they were speaking about brought back a few lessons his mother had tried to impart to her children.
"Not to be offensive, but why am I speaking to you rather than the manager I normally deal with?"
The goblin grinned a bit. "When your mother was reclaimed, a stipulation was the involved accounts were moved from Fang clan management to either Claw or Hook clan management. I am Bloodhook and I will be managing your account."
The Fang clan had been upset when what they thought were worthless accounts being reassigned were later reported to actually be of value. Bloodhook had a particular dislike for the Fang clan and so their screams of outrage had been quite enjoyable.
"Yes. Well. That's fine." He paused. "Er. Can I arrange a few things with you as regards my youngest children?"
"What would you like to arrange?"
"Well, we're a frugal family and my children won't need the Galleons until they come out of school and my wife and I are responsible for them until then. If you create the vaults for each of them from the amount they should each get, can't you … well, invest the amounts in each vault so that the amount they have available when they come of age will be better?"
He was a little scared of the expression on Bloodhook's face. If he knew goblins he would have been more relaxed about it.
"Anyway, what I am saying is, my wife and I will support them from our vault. So the vaults with the 15,000 Galleons each can be invested until their 17th birthdays. They'd have to have the Galleons when they turn 17 but wouldn't that be more than the 15,000 each?"
Bloodhook wanted to be clear. "So, you are requesting that instead of holding your children's inheritance in the main family vault that we disperse their inheritances – which you are still responsible for – and aggressively invest each separate vault until they turn 17 whereupon all investment shall be liquefied and all profits returned to the vault? Until that time, no liquidity is required?"
"Yes. That's what I'm saying. Oh, and perhaps an investment of … half of the other 100,000 in the family vault unless I need the Galleons. That could be a separate investment vault." He blushed a bit as he said, "My wife doesn't need to know about that bit until I tell her." Arthur figured that even if there were losses, he could make up for them from his own salary. As far as he was concerned, whatever was left after the children moved away would eventually wind up in their hands anyway.
It was a gamble – but a much smarter gamble than his grandfather had made which saw the Weasleys first become destitute. His grandfather had tried to increase his money through a scheme by a fellow wizard – who was far less scrupulous than goblins were. The Weasley family had paid dearly for that hard-learned lesson.
Bloodhook's face took on a particularly vicious and satisfied look. The Weasley family had a very poor reputation amongst the account managers and even the clans as they were notorious for poor financial management and being guilty of the one thing goblins despised: Being gullible.
However, with a 125,000 Galleon immediate investment between six vaults the Hook clan could reap a great profit for themselves and their clients. To be honest, their clients' wealth was a secondary concern. But, if they made gold for the client, they made gold for themselves.
Bloodhook had a sudden fondness for the Weasley family, much greater than any goblin had felt for the family in over a century.
When Arthur made his way home, he told his wife the good news – but not all the news.
"Well, Molly, we're in a better position. My parents' estate received an infusion from my mother being reclaimed by the Black family. It's about 50,000 galleons and a bit for each of the children which they'll get when they're 17." He didn't even mention the other 50,000 invested or that the children's vaults were also being invested.
Molly's family was known not for being poor but for being micromanaging. He didn't think Bloodhook needed his wife constantly bothering him for reports. He'd take each child aside before they got their vault and quietly tell them exactly what they were getting.
Luckily, Molly was so shocked at the 50,000-Galleon amount that she didn't even ask further. She was still a bit speechless when he handed her the bag with 500 Galleons (he had gone back to the vault after the meeting with Bloodhook) and said that 100 of it was for household expenses until summer and the rest could be spent for Christmas and birthdays.
Molly began immediately making plans to find out if Charlie and Bill could visit home for Christmas or if the family had to go visit them.
Sharpclaw and Steelclaw were meeting regarding the Potter family's latest endeavour - the one their clan was partnered into.
"The business opens on 15 October then."
"Yes. The wizard manager said that he wanted to be open in enough time for people to purchase for their holiday."
The goblins sneered at the mention, even oblique, of Christmas. It was a useless holiday which oftentimes ate up much capital from their clients. That some profits were seen meant that they didn't outright despise it, but it was seen as a stupid reason for gold to move around in the amounts it did. Also, non-goblin employees almost universally expected a few days off.
The goblins knew that their primary source for income were wizards but wizards' foibles annoyed them to no end.
"What have been the costs so far?"
"37,257 G, 14 S, 8 K. This is solid until the opening."
"And projected value and sales?"
Here Steelclaw grinned. "The Muggle government has appraised the shop for tax purposes, including inventory, at an equivalent of 55,245 G. Inquiries from many quarters show an anticipated 12,000 G sales already planned. The shop also has an armored display which shows coins that will be auctioned next year. These coins are uncertain in value – but inquiries are very promising."
Sharpclaw answered the grin from his Clan brother. The Fang clan would be screaming soon. And they wouldn't be screams of victory.
OMAKE
Allen Creevey was working his new job.
For years, he was a milkman and supported his family that way. But milkmen were going the way of the dinosaur and he and his wife had been very concerned about the future.
Then, just the month before, he had been contacted by a new business which sold old coins. He had put in a resume but hadn't expected to hear back. The man, Ted Tonks, who managed it had told him some wild and crazy things. That it answered a number of things he had seen with his children meant he was leaning toward believing it.
When he heard how much tuition cost and that the job would help, he had decided to go for it.
So, he was busy doing his menial job which paid a decent wage, helping to prepare the new shop for opening.
Suddenly, a man who had come in on the basis of being a vendor showed himself as a robber. He pulled out a knife and threatened the employees. Holding a broom and looking rather mousy, he was dismissed as a threat.
However, he was outraged that someone was trying to take advantage of a company that doing so well by him. As a result, he unscrewed the handle from the broom he was holding slowly and, just as the robber's head was turned in the other direction, he viciously swung the broom handle and caught the man completely unaware.
Fearing for his safety, he swung the handle one more time and hit the man so hard the handle broke - as did the arm of the man he had attacked.
In the aftermath, the adrenalin withdrawal left him shaking. The violence he had committed left him shocked. He was worried that he would be fired for overreacting and creating media trouble - a reporter had shown up rather quickly with the police.
However, the manager had called for a solicitor very quickly and he wasn't taken away. The solicitor had argued that he had only defended himself, his coworkers, and his employer.
Allen was completely shocked with the size of the bonus that was added to his next paycheck. He was also a bit embarrassed when the manager told him that the broken handle above the counter with a sign telling people what it was would not be removed. He was a bit surprised to learn that one of the owners claimed bragging rights for his actions.
He also found that his new broom was given a steel handle. It just seemed weird to him.