Diagon Alley, Gringotts

Gawain stood on the marble steps, watching the wizards come and go, feeling like he had used up a whole year of surprise.

It was a tall and conspicuous white building, and they could see it as soon as they entered from the Leaky Cauldron Bar. It had three floors, and for some reason it was crooked, and in the shiny bronze gateway, there were two rows of small, green-skinned spirits standing in uniform.

"At what cost?"

For some reason, Gawain always wanted to come up and ask.

And behind Gawain is Colin who is watching everywhere, and Elsa who is nervous.

Gawain was amused and deeply moved by the thought of Colin's aching expression in the morning when he even sold the original bottle of the 1975 Château Latour in order to ask the director Joseph for leave.

However, Elsa's side was much simpler, and she called the hospital where she worked directly.

"William, I'm going to take a day off. ”

"It's okay, it's okay. ”

"Okay, goodbye. ”

Then she hung up the phone and went upstairs to put on makeup with a relaxed face.

Shaking his head, Gawain simply walked into Gringotts. Stepping through the threshold, behind the bronze gate, there is a silver door with many words engraved on it.

(Please come in, stranger...) Please see the paragraph for the original text)

Behind the door, there is a spacious marble hall. About a hundred or so goblins sat behind the long counter and scribbled on the large ledger. Some weigh coins with a scale, while others use eyepieces to inspect gemstones.

"I'm Tianping, what does this gentleman need to come to Gringotts?"

A somewhat gaunt goblin greeted Gawain, bowed his head, and said that his ears were covered with white hair, and he looked a little sloppy.

"I want to exchange pounds for gold galleons, can I handle it here?"

Gawain asks for Fairy Scales, and takes out the envelope from Hogwarts and shows it to him.

"Oh yes, Mr. Little Wizard at Hogwarts, please come with me. ”

Tianping took the envelope, carefully examined the coat of arms on it, and checked the name, as if to confirm Gawain's identity. After a few moments, he folded the letter and handed it to Gawain, turning to lead the way.

"Mr. White, according to our agreement with Hogwarts, you can exchange pounds sterling for no more than 100 Galleons per year, and the exchange rate of pounds sterling to Galleons is 5:1, how much do you want to exchange?"

While walking on his short legs, the balance turned back to ask Gawain.

"All of them, of course, and what kind of hedging products do you have for the pound?"

But before Gawain could answer, Colin, who was looking at the goblin behind him, took over.

You can open an account at Gringotts and keep your wealth here, and we will charge a management fee based on the size and time of your vault. ”

Fairy Balance didn't understand what Colin meant, and replied dryly.

"Why do you have to pay for keeping money in the bank? Don't you have a portfolio? bonds, stocks, futures, or derivatives? Don't you even have current and fixed interest rates?"

Colin looked a little indignant, and whenever he brought up a term, the scales shook his head. Gawain felt that the goblins called the scales had become a little staggering when they walked.

"Could it be that Colin really fooled him?"

Gawain thought with interest, he really didn't expect that the wizard's economic system would be so backward.

- In their largest and only bank, the goblin, who was the teller manager, had never even heard of these basic financial concepts that he was familiar with.

"Please come to the counter here, and you, go and bring some water and snacks to your guests. ”

Balance quickened his pace, leading Gawain and the others to a counter in the back, instructing a young goblin who was waiting there without the slightest hint of anger.

"Galleon's exchange will be there in a moment. While you wait, I wonder if you would explain to me the meaning of the words you just mentioned?"

The goblin turned his head and smiled at Gawain and his party, Colin to be exact. The elves of Gringotts may be arrogant, but their greed for the Golden Galleon is enough to overwhelm all dignity. He was keenly aware that there was definitely a good way in the head of this well-dressed middle-aged man to make him mention the position of the counter.

"Okay, but first we'll have to find a place to sit. ”

Colin looked a little reluctant, but nodded in agreement.

The next development naturally became a little weird.

While Gawain and Elsa sat at the table in the space behind the counter, leisurely drinking tea and tasting desserts in the wizarding world, Colin sat behind the counter and explained the basics of money and banking with an impatient face. And the fairy scales, who were supposed to be sitting in that position, stood beside Colin like a good student, listening hungrily.

Sometimes, when it comes to the rise, Colin will pick up the ledger on the balance table and find some examples of asset transactions to illustrate how it should be operated, and the frequent nodding of the balance does not stop Colin from looking at the ledger that should have been confidential.

Even when Gawain and the others finally leave Gringotts, the goblin named Balance gave Gawain a tattered-looking dragon skin bag as a "memento of his acquaintance with Mentor Colin".

It's said to be a dragon skin, but it's actually just a third layer of broken skin put together, but it's enchanted, and there's a huge space inside, and no matter how heavy it is, it won't sink in.

"Where do we go next?"

Standing in the doorway of Gringotts, Elsa asked Gawain about her free right hand tugging at Colin's collar, who was studying the dragonskin pocket with his head down, lest he get lost because he was too serious.

"It should be said that it is not from getting lost in the 100 Galleons that I just changed..."

Pouting, Gawain took the envelope from his bosom and took out the page with the list written on it.

"First of all, the clothes, three sets of plain overalls, a plain peaked hat for daytime, a pair of protective gloves, and a winter cloak. I think we should go to that dress store called Mrs. Morkin?"

Gawain read it, looking up diagonally across the street, where there was a narrow shop with a copper-framed sign that read "Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions." ”

"And tin pots, brass scales, glass or crystal tubular bottles, astronomical mirrors, why do you need such things? But I think on the way here you should have seen a shop selling these. The rest is the textbook. ”

Elsa stepped aside, studying the contents of the list.

"And the wand, don't forget Gawain's all-important wand!"

Colin tied the dragon leather pocket around his waist and gave his opinion as well.

"Elsa is good at these equipment, so I'll leave it to you. After I took him to buy clothes and a wand, we met in front of the bookstore. ”

As he spoke, he took out a handful of gold galleons from his pocket, wrapped them in prepared letters, and handed them to Elsa.

But Elsa just looked at him and didn't say a word.