HARRY POTTER:Rainbow in the Dark

"Thank you, Sir," Harry said and waved goodbye as he followed Severus through a door that led out into a small cobbled courtyard. Severus took out his wand and tapped on specific bricks in a circular pattern. Suddenly the bricks began to move in and out of their own accord and then the solid brick wall parted revealing a crooked street with shops lining both sides of the street as well as all kinds of vendor carts adding to the already crowded conditions.

Harry was amazed. He tugged at Severus sleeve. "Professor?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"How do they hide everything here so people like my aunt and uncle don't find it?" Severus had explained to Harry about the International Statute of Secrecy.

"Do you mean so the Muggles cannot find it?"

"Muggles?"

"Muggles are what we call non-magical people," Severus answered. "Diagon Alley has centuries of spells on it. If you were to stand outside the Leaky Cauldron and watch the Muggles going past, you will notice their eyes will skip right over it as if it were not there. Diagon Alley is the same way. However, Muggles who have magical children, like your mum's parents, are able to see and enter it."

They had arrived at Gringotts, an imposing snow-white multistoried marble building. From Diagon Alley, a set of white stairs led up to a set of burnished bronze doors. The doors were flanked by two goblins dressed in uniforms of scarlet and gold. As Severus and Harry approached the goblins opened the doors for them. Severus nodded his thanks. This led into a small entrance hall and a set of doors made of silver and also flanked by goblins. Harry once again tugged on Severus' sleeve and whispered, "What are those?"

"They are Goblins and very clever. This bank was founded by a goblin and they have managed Gringotts for centuries. It is best to let me deal with them."

Harry nodded as a goblin came towards them. "Good day, Professor Snape. How may I assist you?"

"Hello, Zort," Severus replied. "May your riches and those of your family increase every day."

"And may your wealth and the wealth of your family increase sevenfold, Professor Snape," Zort replied with the ancient greeting.

"I need to take some funds out of my vault."

"Very well. If you will please follow me."

Soon they were racing down a narrow track at breakneck speed. It was like riding a roller coaster Harry decided. Not that he's ever ridden one, but Dudley had and he'd overheard Dudley telling his friend, Piers all about it.

The cart slowed and then pulled up in front of a row of iron doors and stopped. "Vault numbers 725 thru 755," Zort announced. The Prince's, Severus' mum's family originally owned 25 vaults, but Severus had increased his vaults due to the shrewd investing of Lucius Malfoy. Harry looked around, wandering how deep underground they were. Zort, Severus and Harry got out and watched as Zort placed his hand on the door. The door silently swung open revealing piles of what looked like gold, silver and bronze. There were other things in the vault too such as furniture, paintings and tapestries. Zort handed him a moleskin bag that Severus began filling with Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts. When he was done, he stepped out of the vault and Zort closed it again, sealing it with his hand print.

As they got back into the cart Severus asked, "Zort, I know the Potter vaults are on the next level. Do you know who the Potter vault manager is?"

"Yes, that would be Nangnook. He has taken care of the Potter vaults for many years."

"May I speak with him when we return upstairs?"

"I will ask him for you."

"Thank you, Zort." Severus said. He exchanged some of his money for Muggle money.

Nangnook agreed to see Severus and once they were settled in his office, Severus temporarily took the glamour off Harry. "This is Mr. Harry Potter, son of James and Lily Potter. While Mr. Potter does not need to get into his vaults today he will need to at some point in the future. Do you know who has the key?"

"Yes. Albus Dumbledore," Nangnook replied. "He authorized me to make a payment of a hundred pounds every month to Mr. Potter's relatives. He said it was to help them care for him."

Severus was furious when he heard that for it was obvious that the Dursley's had not been using the money to care for Harry and Dumbledore had illegally taken from the Potter vaults. Since he was not Harry's legal guardian, he had no authority to take Galleons or anything else from their vaults. He thanked Nangnook for the information and he and Harry went back out into Diagon Alley. He would deal with this situation later, but right now they needed to get Harry's school supplies. "Do you have your Hogwarts letter, Harry?"

"Yes, Sir," Harry replied taking the letter out of his pocket and handing it to Severus. They're first stop was at Ollivander's to get Harry's wand. He was very excited about getting his wand and literally skipped into Ollivander's.

There seemed to be nobody in the shop until Mr. Ollivander suddenly appeared from between two shelves. He was an older man with longish white hair and strange silvery eyes. He looked at Severus. "Ebony, thirteen and a quarter inches with a serpent core scale. Excellent for potions and defense."

Severus nodded and then once again took the glamour off of Harry.

"Ah! Mr. Potter, I thought I'd be seeing you in here soon," Ollivander talked as he pulled long boxes off his shelves. "It seems only yesterday that I sold their wands to your parents. Your father's was mahogany, 11 inches and pliable. Excellent for Transfiguration. Your mother's was willow, ten and a fourth inches and swishy; an excellent wand for Charms." He came out again holding several boxes and laid them on the counter in front of Harry. After trying several different wands in which he sent wand boxes flying off the shelves, cracked Ollivander's front window, and made the door open and slam shut endlessly until a wave of Severus wand put it to rights again, Harry was in despair of ever finding his wand.