Gringotts Bank 

Chapter 9: Gringotts Bank 

Simon thought he would just have a conversation with a teacher or envoy from the Ministry, since they do that too, who would introduce him to the wizarding world. He didn't know it would be Snape who would come, much less that he wouldn't even have time to get the gold he had transmuted that week.

Muggle money has no value in the wizarding world, so Simon transmuted 10kg of gold and hoped to open a Gringotts account. But now he would have to postpone it for a while, which in a way was good; he didn't need to keep explaining how he got so much gold to someone like Snape; even if he didn't ask himself, he would attract unnecessary attention to himself. 

- Come with me, we have to get some galleons for you first.

- Galleons? 

- Pounds sterling have no value in the wizarding world, here we use galleons, sickles, and Knuts as currency to trade. A galleon is worth 17 sickles, and one sickle is worth 29 knuts. 

Simon already knew about galleons and other things; he just pretended not to know. After all, he was a Muggle. Furthermore, he didn't know the real value of each currency in relation to each other, so he listened patiently to Snape's explanation of the monetary system in the wizarding world. 

 - I understand. 

 - How many knuts is a galleon worth, Mr. Morgan? 

 - What? 

- How many knuts is a galleon worth, Mr. Morgan? Even though Hogwarts is a wizarding school, I don't want to have to teach a student who doesn't even know how to do simple math.

Simon understood immediately what Snape meant. Muggle wizards were common, orphan Muggle wizards were somewhat uncommon, but they still existed in spades. But a Muggle wizard, an orphan, apparently lived alone. Even though he wore good clothes, Snape wasn't very convinced that he could adapt to classes at Hogwarts and would probably need to take additional classes. 

- It's 493 Knuts, Professor Snape, and before anything else, you need to know something. Même si personne ne s'occupe de moi, cela ne veut pas dire que je n'ai pas étudié. Je vous garantis que je serai le meilleur élève auquel vous aurez eu le plaisir d'enseigner. (Although I don't have anyone looking out for me, that doesn't mean I haven't studied. I guarantee I will be the best student you have had the pleasure of teaching.) 

Snape listened to Simon speak French fluently before nodding and stopping his little tests. Not that he was impressed with the boy speaking another language, he was just satisfied with not having to provide extra classes for him, in addition to the fact that he found him a little arrogant and decided to break that arrogance during his classes. 

As for Simon, he could almost feel what Snape was thinking, but he didn't much care, after all, he really would be one of the best students that Snape would have the pleasure, or displeasure, of teaching. 

As for the fact that he knew how to speak French, it was because, while he was still living in the orphanage, a year before he left, he asked Director Victoria to teach him.

Because she was very busy, she ended up asking her mother for help, who was more than happy to teach one of the little boys from the orphanage his mother tongue. So with his intelligence and childlike ability to retain more information than that of an adult, Simon learned to speak in a few months, and from time to time he would still talk to other people in French so as not to lose practice. 

Remembering the orphanage, Simon gave a small smile when remembering his brothers and friends. Of course, he wouldn't be a hypocrite to say that he regrets what he did and that he wouldn't have the courage to look them in the eye after everything. 

Simon would never go back, his only regret might be not being able to enjoy a little more of that peace he felt while living with them. 

- We arrived 

Suddenly, Snape's voice woke Simon from his little world as they both stopped in front of a helpless building made of white marble with large bronze gates with griffins adorning them. In front of the gates, there were two goblins providing security for the place, and when they saw Snape approaching with Simon, they just looked at them for a moment.

Entering the bank, Simon found himself in a long corridor with a high, vaulted ceiling and marble pillars around it, along with statues of elves that decorated the place. Along the route, there were several ticket windows with elves working while counting coins and taking notes. Some people were in these lines and chatted briefly before moving on to settle their affairs. 

Snape did not take Simon to the center like Hagrid did with Harry, as he did not have a safe and therefore had no need to speak to the bank manager. Instead, he lined up in front of one of the booths and waited a while before being served. 

- Name? 

- Simon Morgan. He came to exchange some muggle money for galleons 

- The exchange value of a pound for gallons is set at a maximum of 50 gallons per student per year. Each galleon costs 10 pounds, how many will you want? 

Simon didn't speak right away and looked at Snape who was looking around as if nothing was his business; however, noticing Simon's silence, he turned and looked at the boy, who was making a strange face. 

- What happened? 

- I don't have any money. 

- What? 

- You didn't tell me we were going shopping, I thought it would just be a quick coffee for you to tell me about the wizarding world, so you don't leave with a lot of money. 

- So you mean to say it's my fault, Mr. Morgan? 

- In some ways, I think we can agree with that, Professor Snape. 

Although a little irritated by this future student's arrogance, Snape remained impassive before turning to the goblin and withdrawing 50 gallons from his own account and handing it to Simon. 

- You have until school starts to pay me, Mr. Morgan 

- No problem, professor. 

Simon wasn't too worried and waved lightly at the goblin, who didn't even care about him, and continued his work. A sullen Snape and a smiling Simon left the bank before heading to the stores and purchasing Simon's school supplies. 

Simon looked at the mages walking around him as a greedy gleam began to appear in his right eye. 

- "So many materials" 

- What are you thinking? We have to move fast, I still have work to do. 

- Yes, Professor Snape. 

Keeping his smile, Simon followed Snape to the most famous weapons store in the wizarding world, the Ollivander Wand Shop.