They only waited a few minutes before goblin appeared to escort Hermione and Aaron down to her vault. Both sat in the cart, as it whizzed along the miniature train tracks on it way to Hermione's vault and Aaron thought that his fiancé had been right it was like being on a roller coaster. His stomach did rebel by becoming queasy, but not so much he feared he was going to throw up.
"Vault 505," the goblin finally announced.
They must've traveled for several miles under the bank Aaron thought as Hermione exited the cart Aaron joining her.
Hermione inserted a small gold key turning it to the right and the vault opened.
Once the door disappeared and Aaron looked inside he saw a small pile of Gold-Galleons, Silver-Sickles and Bronze-Knuts. The vault was about the size of a large closet, which wasn't that full. Aaron figured that was because Hermione was still young and had only been earning money for a few years.
Hermione took the small leather bag she had brought and scooped some Galleons into it.
"I'm done," Hermione announced to the goblin and then got back into the cart.
The goblin didn't say a word simply said something in Gobbledgook and the cart started back the way it had come.
In no time at all they were back in the lobby and Hermione headed for the entrance with Aaron following her.
"That was very interesting," Aaron told her once they were back in the alley.
"I'm glad you think so," Hermione told him. "You didn't even throw up and a lot of people do."
"My stomach was unsettled for the ride, but I never felt close to throwing up. You were right when you said it was like being on a roller coaster," Aaron said.
"That's very good," Hermione said pleased.
"So how many vaults are under Gringotts," Aaron wondered quietly.
"No one except the goblins know that," Hermione told. "I do know that the deeper you go will be those family names that have existed for centuries. My vault isn't that far down because I'm Muggle-born so I don't have a family vault. It is said that the first ones to ever use the bank were the four founders of Hogwarts school. That Gringotts was created not long after Hogwarts. Hogwarts goes back over thousand years, as it was built in the dark ages. It was the first school of its kind with the goal of teaching magical children and what they needed to know. Now though, there are schools all over the world.
"I know you were a Gryffindor so that means he was one of the four founders," Aaron said and Hermione nodded.
"Godric Gryffindor and his mascot was a lion. You'll see it and the other three founders mascots on the Hogwarts crest," Hermione said. "House for the determined, courageous, daring, sheer nerve and brave. Godric was a warrior in a very violent time. It was said no one could match him with a sword whether magical or Muggle. His sword, that was goblin forged still exists."
"So what are the other three houses?" Aaron asked curiously.
"Ravenclaw for those of intelligence, creativity, acceptance and wit. It's been said that that's the house I should've been in instead a Gryffindor. Then there is Hufflepuff who are said to be loyal, fair, modest, patient and hard-working. Finally, there is Slytherin. They are cunning ambitious, resourceful, determined, prideful, shrewdness and are good at Self-preservation. Most of the pure-blood's were in Slytherin House, the ones that supported Voldemort. Gryffindor and Slytherin were constantly at odds when I was in school and not just on the Quidditch pitch."
"Bullying," Aaron said and Hermione nodded her lips pursed as she remembered when she had endured during her Hogwarts years.
"Yes and there were some students that should've been expelled not just given to detention, but Dumbledore just considered the misbehavior, as high spirits not what it really was. From an adult perspective I can tell you that Dumbledore allowed the children to get away with more than they should have. Giving the students detention didn't solve any problems, as a lot children saw it as a badge of honor Fred and George in particular."
"You can tell me more later," Aaron said.
"Yes, we have a lot of shopping to do," Hermione said.
Aaron looked around as they walked saw Ollivander's Wand Shop, as well as he Eeylops Owl Emporium and an Apothecary. Their was also Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Aaron also spotted a pet store.
Hermione flitted in and out of several shops and Aaron followed observing everything and noticed that the street outside the stores were made of old fashioned cobblestones, which was long, narrow and winding.
"Have you ever had a pet?" Aaron asked.
"I did, Crookshanks," Hermione explained looking sad. "He was half Kneazle, half cat and I bought him at the pet shop right here in the alley."
"What happened to him?"
"He died, because of an attack of Death Eaters," Hermione explained. "They attacked the Burrow and the Weasleys very nearly lost their home over it. The Death Eaters had heard that Harry was staying with them, which was true but how they found out I have no clue. It's not like we went out in public much we stayed mostly in the Burrow and the land surrounding it."
"Weren't the Weasleys well known as friends of Harry Potter," Aaron suggested.
"I suppose they were," Hermione admitted. "It was well known that Ron was a good friend of Harry's."
"Then they were probably just checking known friends of Harry Potter," Aaron suggested.
"The thing is that most magicals lack logic so how they came to that conclusion..."
"So you're saying that most magical don't know how to think logically," Aaron said.
"Even the Muggle-borns lose that ability to use logic and follow the strongest leader or they never had it to begin with. Most magicals don't know how to think for themselves and follow the strongest voice. It doesn't matter if that voice is someone like Dumbledore who was supposedly a good guy or someone like Voldemort. This is largely why the Wizarding World here in Britain is so messed up. To be fair, most Muggle-borns don't know how to think logically by the time they start Hogwarts at 11 so they never have a chance to develop that ability because Hogwarts doesn't exactly encourage freedom of thought."
"You seem different in that regard," Aaron observed.
"I am and I won't say I'm unique. The difference is, I already knew how to think logically by the time I started at Hogwarts, but it's a talent that needs to be nurtured and it just's isn't for the most part, not in magical Britain at any rate. Want to go visit the twins before we head home?" Hermione asked Aaron.
"If you want to. I don't mind either way," Aaron shrugged.
Hermione led the way until they came to an eye-popping shop with brilliant colors like pink, purple and orange all mixed together.
"Wow! Now that's colorful," Aaron said blinking, as he suddenly had spots before his retinas.
"It is and I always said that the twins must be colorblind every time I see it," Hermione chuckled at Aaron's reaction.
"They certainly like eye watering colors," Aaron said. "All those bright colors are bound to attract attention."
"I think that was their goal actually, though they've never said," Hermione grinned. Hermione opened the door and she and Aaron entered 93 Diagon Alley, also known as Weasley Wizard Wheezes.
"Hermione what brings you and Aaron to my humble shop?" came the voice of one of the twins.
"I thought I'd show Aaron around Diagon Alley and your shop was our last stop before we head home," Hermione answered.
Aaron looked around and noticed that the shop wasn't that busy but then this was probably a lull time.
"It's busier closer to Hogwarts starting," Hermione quietly explained. "Student shopping for the prank supplies. Of course they have a owl order business to escape the beady eyes of Argus Filch who is the caretaker at Hogwarts. He banned all Weasleys products the minute he learned they had opened a shop and this is the way that the students get around the ban. Filch is a Squib by the way, absolutely no magic whatsoever, and that makes him bitter. Living in a magic rich environment like he does, but being unable to perform it himself will make anyone bitter and Filch is no exception."
Aaron looked at all the products on sale and saw something called Skiving Snackboxes among other products. There was also a small section for Muggle jokes. There was more serious products like Shield Hats, cloaks and gloves. Aaron found it all fascinating. To make yourself sick just escape some class or chore. He had never been sick thanks to being immortal but it was certainly fascinating. He might just buy a Snackbox to test them out, to see what being sick was like.
No bad idea Aaron decided after a few seconds of contemplation. Why make himself sick just so he could know what it felt like? That was just ludicrous. He had always told people that he just had a strong immune system when he never got sick around mortals and they noticed.
"So what are you looking at," Hermione wanted to know.
"Oh, I was looking at these Skiving Snackboxes. I don't ever get sick as you know, but I think it would be fascinating to try one of these candies, make myself sick and then eat the other end to make myself well."
"Why would you want to make yourself sick?" Hermione asked quietly her astonishment plain.
"To know what it feels like, since I never get sick because of you know what," Aaron explained.
"Trust me, you should be grateful for your good health as there are multiple diseases that will kill Muggles by the thousands or just ones that will make them sick enough they wish for death," Hermione said. "I won't stop you if you want to buy one of the Snackboxes, but I wouldn't recommend it."
Aaron listened and decided against buying a Snackbox even though he was very curious about what it would be like to actually get sick. Should he really want to make himself sick, even if it was manufactured? No, Aaron decided he didn't, no matter how curious.
"Find anything you want?" George asked Aaron.
"I find your shop fascinating but nothing I want to buy at present," Aaron told George politely. "Considering that I don't have magic I find what Hermione can do rather fascinating."
"Come back anytime," George told him. "Or are you going to try to be like Hermione who is so serious that she doesn't believe in pranks even if it's just lighten the mood.
"I don't believe feeding some unknown product to students who don't give their consent just because you have to test it," Hermione told George. "Fred and George tested the line of Skiving Snackboxes on the students while they were still at Hogwarts and I was a prefect their last year and put a stop to it. They were doing it without telling the students what it was or what it would do to them.
"The students came to no permanent harm," George told Hermione. "And we were paying them."
"You didn't know that at the time though, did you? You were still in the testing phase," Hermione argued back. "You and Fred had no idea what those sweets would do to the first years you were testing them on. As for payment, you gave them a pittance, just to say you were paying them. A few Sickles was not enough for what you were doing."
"Let's not rehash old forgotten history Hermione," George suggested.
"I suppose," Hermione agreed. "Where is Fred?"
"Spending time with his wife of course," George grinned mischievously. "We take turns in the shop and I just happened to be the one to draw the short straw today."
"Where is Ron? Is he off today?" Hermione asked.
"Back in the stockroom stocking the shelves," George said. "Does that mean you have forgiven him for being rude at dinner the other night."
George looked severely disappointed at that possibility.
"Not really, but I know Ron will be Ron," Hermione sighed. "It wasn't so much that he insulted me, as I'm well used to how he speaks before he thinks, but he insulted Aaron in the same sentence when he had just met the him. I realize that Ron probably doesn't know that he was insulting but that doesn't excuse his behavior. He's the same age I am so he should have learned by now how to be polite, and how to think before he opens his mouth."
George suddenly looked like all his Christmas had come early. The grin he gave Hermione promised Ron was in for a bit of retribution for being rude to one of their favorite people and her fiancé.
"Yeah, he should have and our parents did try to teach him manners," George sighed. "In Ron's case, they just didn't take."
"Do let him know that until he sincerely apologizes I don't want to talk to him," Hermione told George.
"I'll let him know," George said thinking it was only fair that Ron apologize for being rude a dinner the other night, especially since he had never met Hermione's fiancé before then. "Congratulations on your engagement by the way. I didn't have a chance to tell you the other night."
"Thank you," Hermione said.
"Yes, thank you," Aaron said. "I'm looking forward to marrying the love of my life."
"I'll see you sometime George," Hermione said. "It's time for Aaron and I to head home unless there is more that Aaron wants to see."
"No, because we'll always come back," Aaron said and Hermione nodded.
"We will, because Diagon Alley is the center of commerce for wizarding London," Hermione said.
"It was nice seeing you George. Love the storefront," Aaron told the man before he and Hermione headed for the front door.
"Thank you, thank you," George bowed exaggeratingly causing Aaron to smile and give a little laugh of amusement.
Aaron and Hermione exited the shop and headed towards the entrance of Diagon Alley.
~~~Aaron and Hermione~~~
"So do you think that Ron is ever going to apologize?" Aaron asked Hermione once they were back at the house.
"I would say it depends," Hermione said.
"On?" Aaron asked.
"How many pranks Ron can take until he apologizes," Hermione told Aaron grinning. "The twins have pulled pranks on Ron all his life and they'll up the ante until Ron apologizes for being rude to me and you. They will get more and more embarrassing until he's eager to apologize to stop them. Fred and George have kind of adopted me as a sister just as I have adopted them, which means that they'll defend me. Also, there is Molly to consider. She'll keep haranguing her youngest son until he apologizes. He'll apologize just to get everyone off his back."
"A forced apology is not really an apology though," Aaron commented.
"Oh, it'll be sincere, as Ron will be eager to stop the pranks and also his mother's haranguing," Hermione said. "Remember when George grinned? Like all his Christmases how to come early?"
"Yes, so?"
"So that grin told me that George was looking forward to pulling numerous pranks on his baby brother until he apologizes sincerely for how rude he was at dinner. If I had told George I had forgiven Ron for his rude behavior then George would've been disappointed, as he and Fred wouldn't feel honor bound to protect my honor. I basically gave him and Fred carte blanche to pull a whole load of pranks on their brother and the longer he refuses to apologize or realize he was in the wrong the more embarrassing they will become."
"Sounds like the twins can be rather vindictive," winced.
"Not vindictive," Hermione disagreed. "It's more their helping Ron realize that he was in the wrong."
"And pulling numerous and embarrassing pranks on him is the way to do that?" Aaron said his astonishment plain
"It is, when one is as dense, as one Ronald Bilius Weasley. He can be as thick as a plugged nickle." Hermione told Aaron. "I told Ron once back in our first year at Hogwarts that he had emotional range of a teaspoon and that is still true even today. It never occurs to him when he's being rude or insulting. He never has been able to think before it comes out his mouth. He has absolutely no filters. He's like a two year old who hasn't learned to think before he speaks. Children aren't known to have filters. As you know, I've often wondered over the last few years if he has something like down syndrome."
"Is that possible?" Aaron asked. "I know I didn't get an answer before, but I thought maybe you had looked it up by now."
"You know, I never saw the point of researching wizarding diseases. Those that grow up in the Wizarding World grew up knowing that kind of stuff and unfortunately, that's not true for me."
"Maybe you can make it a future research project as you'll have plenty of time to research anything you want," Aaron told her. "I've come to realize that you love your research.
"I'll think about it," Hermione promised. "But since I'll be immortal I'll never be able to catch any wizarding diseases or get sick period, which is not a bad thing at all. No interruptions in whatever I'm doing, just because I'm sick. Like if I'm sniffling or sneezing or have a fever."
"No it's not," Aaron said. "I've always been grateful for my never being able to get sick, that my immortality protects me I'd probably be constantly getting sick if not for the fact that immortals simply can't get ill from anything."
"Yet you were thinking of buying one of the twins Skiving Snackboxes," Hermione reminded him.
"I did think I wanted to know what it would feel like and then I could take the antidote and get rid of the symptoms," Aaron defended himself. "I was curious."
"Curiosity is often the bane of my existence," Hermione admitted with a smile.
"You're welcome to indulge your curiosity as much as you want since you aren't going to die by any ordinary means," Aaron told her, "though some of the magic that I now know about sounds like it can kill even an immortal if it hits in the right spot. Like that cutting curse you mentioned that nearly killed George."
"I doubt we'll be dodging lethal curses anytime soon," Hermione told him drily.
"Which is very good in my opinion," Aaron said.
~~~Aaron and Hermione~~~