8 Gringotts

While Professor Mcgonagall was visiting Kiara, Virgil was inside his workshop modifying his wand.

The workshop was divided into three areas. The work area doubled as the entrance, the incubation room, and the living quarters.

The living quarter was a small mansion with complete facilities and a small yard attached.

The incubation room had a sense of technology and where he created the organic parts of his puppets. It looked more like a scientific laboratory than anything else.

In front of Virgil was his wand which looked completely different. The shaft turned into black twisted tree roots and the handle was covered in small dark purple dragon scales. At the pommel was a three-toed claw making a gripping motion.

Above the wand was a shifting black fog surrounded by magic circles. Swafts of mist were being pulled from the fog and absorbed into the wand.

"Now all I have to do is wait for my wand to absorb this Boggart, a spirit representing fear. My core will complete its transformation from a unicorn to a Nightmare."

Virgil inherited Touko Aozaki's love of creation. From creating his own territory down to making magic items. If not for his curse, he would rather look for inspiration to further his craft and push it to the limits.

At least his study of black magic over the years allowed him to make this wand. The wood absorbed the boggart's body and the core its spirit.

His eyes turned towards Victoria who was lying naked on a table. Her pink nipples on her pale white skin were a sight he'd never tire of.

Virgil walked over and placed his hand on her forehead. "The magic in this world isn't very destructive. It's the spells no one cares about that I find far more dangerous."

He pulled his hand back and extracted a wispy cloud-like substance from her brows. "This is the last memory that makes you, you."

Virgil waved his hand and scattered the memory. With it, the person Victoria was had disappeared forever. "It only took three days this time to prevent mental damage. It seems like I'm getting better."

He placed his hand between her breast and broke the spell that kept her asleep. Victoria's eyelids trembled before she opened her eyes.

She looked around in confusion before her eyes fell on Virgil. "Master."

Victoria struggled to get up, feeling a bit weak after lying down for so long.

"Take it easy." Virgil pressed down on her shoulder to keep her from getting up. "Something went wrong in the experiment and your memory was affected."

"My memory?" Victoria touched her head and realized she knew a lot of things, but nothing about herself or anyone else. Only a few memories about Virgil were like a beacon in the darkness.

"What happened?" She looked towards Virgil hoping to get answers.

"Hahh." Virgil sighed and showed a bit of helplessness. "I was studying the Vampire curse in your body and something went wrong."

Victoria could feel Virgil's sorrow and grief through the connection they now shared. "It's okay, Master. I'm fine."

She wrapped her arms around Virgil's neck and sat up to hug him. "I'm glad I could contribute to help you break your curse, I knew the risk."

The corners of Virgil's lips curled as he hugged Victoria and felt her soft body. "You don't blame me?"

Victoria shook her head. "How could I?"

Virgil pulled back and brushed her cheek. "Have Hassan take you to your room, maybe you can remember more things there."

Hassan stepped out from invisibility and gave Virgil a look before leading Victoria to a door on the left. 

Virgil knew Hassan didn't like being an escort but his lab puppet was recycled. He wanted Victoria to take its place as his housekeeper.

Some things in the lab needed someone to watch over it and a puppet was the least ideal for that. If something unexpected happened they wouldn't know what to do. This was the main reason Magus created familiars in the first place, to help them.

Just when he was thinking, he received a message from Kiara. [Professor Mcgonagall just delivered my letter. We're going to Diagon Alley in a group tomorrow.]

[It makes sense, Having Voldemort or his Death Eaters kill muggle-born students before school starts will be a bad look. I doubt they would do it though, their kids have to attend school as well. They probably have an understanding with Dumbledore. I won't attack school-age kids and you don't kick out the entire Slytherin house.] 

Virgil walked back to his wand with his hands behind his back and watched it transform. Watching creation was a beautiful sight. He needed a break from his research and would continue later.

[I'll let you know if anything happens after tomorrow.] Kiara sent another message before breaking the connection. 

Virgil shook his head at her willfulness. Using the mental connection to talk was usually initiated by the Magus to prevent them from being disrupted. Only someone like Kiara wouldn't care what he was doing.

His eyes turned toward the Boggart sealed above the wand.

"I wonder how ghosts are different from Boggarts. Ghost in the Fate world exists because enough people believe in them and others can't prove they don't. That faith is enough for the World to permit their existence."

"Ghosts in this world don't seem as negative or dangerous as Wraith as well."

Thinking of the ghost at Hogwarts his eyes flashed. "The soul carries a person's genetic information, I wonder if a ghost does as well."

His eyes narrowed as thoughts ran through his mind. "Did Voldemort study the resurrection stone to attain his achievements in soul magic? Did he really not know what he had? I find that hard to believe."

"Hogwarts, everything I need is there now."

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The next day, Kiara stood outside the house a half past twelve and waited. Seven minutes passed and a three-layered purple bus came flying down the street and came to a complete stop in front of Kiara.

"Ms. Budha, nice to see that you're on time." Professor Mcgonagall was standing inside and made a gesture for her to board.

"Good morning Professor." Kiara flashed a smile before walking up the stairs.

The moment she entered the bus the doors closed behind her and the bus took off. Professor Mcgonagall was already holding onto something and didn't have time to remind Kiara. She was surprised to see Kiara was already bracing herself from falling.

"Find a place to sit, Ms. Budha, and watch your step." Professor Mcgonagall didn't think much of it and sat in the first seat.

Kiara walked past Professor Mcgonagall and looked at all the kids already sitting on the bus. They too were looking at her, or rather her hair.

Her eyes glanced over everyone as she walked but soon saw something interesting. A cute redhead girl with emerald green eyes was sitting next to a poor boy with shoulder-length dark hair whose clothes were too large and full of patches.

Kiara's eyes flickered as she sat behind the two and listened to the boy talk.

"Now matter how fast the night bus drives, it will never crash. It's charmed to push everything out of the way."

"Can it run into a building?"

"I don't think so, maybe it will drive over the building like a flat road?" This time the boy spoke with a little less conviction.

Kiara knew these two were Lily Evans and Severus Snape. She had read about the Prince family in Virgil's study. Just like the Gaunt family, they blew their wealth and fell into decline. Snape's mother was the last known Prince and married a muggle.

Now it seemed like the family kept some of their books. She knew that knowledge was the true wealth of these pureblood families. Just like Virgil and his books on black magic and curses.

She counted the kids on the bus and it was a little over twenty. If she added in the pure and half-blood wizards, the number of students this year would only be around forty.

After picking up two more students the bus stopped outside the Leaky Cauldron. "Everyone off the bus."

Professor Mcgonagall got up and walked off the bus first.

Kiara followed all the kids off the bus and walked into the bar. To her surprise, the bar was empty.

"Sorry to disrupt your business Tom, but you know we can't take any chances with the kids." Minerva stood next to Tom and counted the kids as they came in.

"It's alright Professor, it's a shame we have to go this far." Tom shook his head and sighed. "I used to enjoy seeing the look of wonder when those kids walked into my bar, now I have to fear for th-"

"Okay, Tom." Minerva cut him off before he could finish. "Follow me, children."

Minerva walked to the back of the bar where the alley was connected.

Kiara stuck close to Lily and Severus and listened to him speak. "Normally this bar is crowded with witches and wizards. Only the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade can compare."

"Is it always this dirty?" Lily looked around with curious eyes as they walked to the back of the bar.

"Always!"

Minerva opened the passage to Diagon Alley and led the students to Gringotts. On all sides of the group were Aurors escorting the way and blocking any possible threats. They couldn't close down Diagon Alley for the students and could only keep people away.

When they walked inside Gringotts the shining white tiled floors and dark blue granite counters that ran parallel down the hall caught one's eye. Stone-carved pillars held up the high roof donned with crystal chandeliers. The entire room was filled with nothing but class.

Coming from Diagon Alley to Gringotts was like stepping into a different world. The dirty and shabby shops outside seemed backward and archaic compared to this.

Only the Goblins sitting behind the counters broke the beauty of this place. Their faces were full of disgust when they saw all the muggle-born kids walk in.

Professor Mcgonagall gathered the students together and started explaining. "Those of you who brought money can exchange currency at the counter. Those who received subsidies can also exchange any extra money they have as well."

Kiara followed Severus and saw his clenched fist in his pocket. He walked up to the counter and put a few crinkled bills on the desk.

Lily didn't have much money as well and only put a few hundred pounds on the counter.

Kiara walked up to a goblin and dropped a stack of pounds on the desk. "Change it for me."

"You can only change a hundred galleons for muggle currency! This is the deal we made with Hogwarts and the Ministry." The goblin looked at the paper money and snarled with his sharp pointed teeth. "Five pounds per Galleon!"

Kiara raised her brows and didn't argue about the exchange rate. She counted out 500 pounds and placed it on the counter.

The Goblin snatched the money and dropped a bag on the counter. "Next!"

Kiara took a deep look at the Goblin and grabbed the bag with a smile. Instead of leaving, she walked over to Lily. Seeing Lily counting her money, Kiara stuffed another 300 pounds into her hands.

Lily turned towards Kiara with a look of surprise. "The Goblin said you can only exchange 100 Galleons, help me out and you can keep half."

"Is that okay?" Lily glanced to the side and saw the Goblin baring its teeth.

"Of course! This is the deal they made!" Kiara turned towards the goblin who helped her and smiled before walking towards Severus.

"Half for you, half for me." She stuffed the money into his hand without giving him a chance and walked away.

Severus clenched the money and stared at Kiara's back before turning around and slamming the money on the counter. "Exchange!"

Seeing this, Lily put her money on the counter as well.