Chapter 7

" Professor, where are we going? " I asked her as she led me through the crowd. 

" First we are going to go to Gringotts to get some money to buy the things on your school list. " 

" Is that like a bank? If so, are there more banks like Gringotts in the wizarding world? I asked her before she could continue. 

" Well, Mr Grey. Gringotts is indeed a bank, but it is the only bank we use in the Wizarding world of Britain. " 

" So does that mean that other countries have different banks? Then why don't we have other banks too? " 

" As inquisitive as ever, aren't you? Mr Grey. The reason we only have one bank is because of an agreement the Ministry of Magic made with the Goblin Nation a long time ago. A peace treaty deal, if you will. " 

" Professor, So you're telling me that we only have one bank, and it's being run entirely by goblins and not the government? A private bank is responsible for everything? " I asked. 

Honestly, I didn't know how to feel about this. 

' Why did the Ministry allow the Goblin Nation to have such a big monopoly over their economy?' 

' Could they really not see the dangers of trusting a foreign entity with all the money that circulated throughout the wizarding world of Britain? ' I thought to myself. 

The professor took a glance at me before she replied to my question. 

From the look on her face, I was almost certain that she knew exactly what I was thinking at that moment. 

After all, I couldn't be the only other person who asked her these questions before. 

" I understand what you are trying to say, Mr Grey, but the Ministry of Magic and the Bank have a strict agreement in place with rules that both parties must follow. In time, you will learn that our agreements are not like the ones muggles use, Mr Grey."

" Ours are bound by magic. Such things are not easily broken without facing dire consequences. " 

"Now, hush, Mr Grey, we are almost at the bank. It is not wise to talk about such things near the bank or in the presence of a goblin. 

" They are Spiteful and vindictive creatures. It would be in your best interest not to anger such beings. " The professor said this to me with a serious expression on her face. 

"Yes, Professor. " I replied. 

True to her words, it didn't take long for us to arrive at the bank. 

In front of me was a behemoth of a building when compared to the others that occupied the street. 

By simply observing the structure, it became clear to me that this bank served a dual purpose. It not only acted as a secure place for the goblins to store the wealth of the wizarding world but also as a showcase for the goblins to proudly display their power and money to every passing wizard and witch. 

The entire building looked like it was carved out from a single block of a very familiar and expensive material that was used by the elites of my previous life.

 " Is that marble? " I couldn't help but ask the professor. 

" yes. Mr Grey. Yes it is. " The professor replied as she started to go up the marble stairs. 

I couldn't help but stand in awe at how grand the place was.

From the all marble building to the huge silver doors to the menacing looking goblin guards at the door. 

The entire scene looked like it belonged in a fairy tale rather than real life. 

" Come along now, Mr Grey. We don't have all day. " I heard the professor say.

Breaking out of the spell I was entranced by, I quickly walked up the stairs to join the professor, who was already standing inside the bank. 

As I approached the bank entrance, I found myself compelled to read out the ominous poem that was engraved on the massive silver doors. 

Enter, stranger, but take heed 

Of what awaits the sin of greed, 

For those who take, but do not earn, 

Must pay most dearly in their turn, 

So if you seek beneath our floors 

A treasure that was never yours, 

Thief, you have been warned, beware 

Of finding more than treasure there.

*Snort*

" And you will do well to remember what you just read, wizard. " One of the goblin guards said to me as he looked at me menacingly. 

I couldn't help but nod my head towards the short creature before walking next to the professor. 

' They might only come up to my shoulder, but they do have a rather intimidating presence to them. ' I thought to myself as I followed behind the professor, who was now approaching one of the bank tellers. 

" State your purpose " the goblin asked in a gruff tone when we stopped in front of the counter. 

" I wish to take out some gallons from the Hogwarts help fund. " The professor replied, seemingly unbothered by the tone of the goblin. 

" Key and Letter. " 

" Mr Grey, your letter, please. " The professor asked me with her hand outstretched. 

" Here professor. " 

I observed as the professor handed the goblin my Hogwarts letter along with a golden key, which she retrieved from a pouch in her robes.

" Follow me. " The goblin said to us with a smile on his face. 

A gesture that sent shivers down my spine after seeing the rows of sharp teeth in his mouth. 

The professor and I followed the goblin through Gringotts until we reached a door with the words Loans engraved on it. 

"Why does it feel like I'm about to make a deal with a devil?" I pondered as the goblin opened the door.

" Damn " I couldn't help but mutter as we followed the goblin and sat down in front of a shiny wooden table. 

If I had to describe the room in one word, it would be the word "luxurious."

The entire floor was covered with a red velvet carpet.

The walls of the room were adorned with tapestries and portraits of goblins.

But what really caught my eye were the golden symbols that were etched onto the wall. 

' It's all over the room. Are these runes? ' I thought to myself. 

" Now, Mr Grey. Do you know what you are here for? " The goblin asked me with the same toothy smile on his face. 

" The Professor did mention something about getting a loan to get my school items. " I said as respectfully as possible. 

Getting on the wrong side of these buggers was the last thing I needed right now.

" Yes, excellent. Now read this contract and be quick with it, wizard. Time is money." The goblin said before he snapped his fingers. 

A piece of paper materialized in front of the goblin before it gracefully floated onto the table before me.

Warily, I picked up the paper. 

I couldn't help but audibly gulp as I read through it. 

In my hands was a contract that essentially forced the person signing it into modern day slavery unless they paid back the amount that was owed to the bank in a set period of time. 

If this is what most unfortunate muggleborns are forced to sign, then I don't ever see them being able to leave the wizarding world, even if they wanted to. 

In fact, I imagine most muggleborns who sign these contracts don't even bother reading through the damn thing properly. 

Not that it would do them any good. The real terms and agreements are masked carefully behind flowery words to make the contract seem like a harmless little deal, when in reality, it is anything but that. 

 A thousand gallons at a rate of twenty percent interest per year from the time they sign the contract to when they return the money in full. 

If the exchange rate between gallons and pounds is what I thought it was, then the loan itself, without interest, is impossible for most Muggleborns to pay back without resorting to illegal activities.

 But the worst part about this contract wasn't even the predatory interest rates.

 No.

 It was what the contract stated would happen if you failed to pay back the full amount within the time limit. 

The limit being two years after you finish the seventh year of Hogwarts. 

' Forced to work at Gringotts until you pay back the money.They didn't even bother to specify what they would potentially pay you if you had to work at the bank. What a joke. It looks like my thieving days are just starting. ' I thought to myself as I thanked my past self for studying law.

 If it wasn't for my knowledge about loans like these, then I would have been like any other muggleborn who was unfortunate enough to sign one of these things, unknowing and unprepared for how deep of a rabbit hole I was falling into. 

After taking a deep breath, I turned my gaze towards the professor, who now wore a sad smile on her face.

" Where do I sign it? " I asked the goblin as I turned back toward him. 

"Right here, Mr. Grey," he replied, pointing towards an empty section in the contract before handing me a quill.

As I looked down at the quill now in my hands, a sinking feeling crept over me, and I couldn't shake the sense that I knew exactly what I was holding.

That feeling grew even stronger as I recalled what the professor had said to me moments before we entered Gringotts.

*In time, you will learn that our agreements are not like the ones muggles use, Mr.Grey. Ours are bound by magic. Such things are not easily broken without facing dire consequences.*

' Our contracts are bound by magic. ' I thought to myself as I looked at the green veins that were visible on my wrists. 

 ' Of course, what was more binding than the magical blood that was flowing through my veins?'

Letting out a sigh,I clamped down on my emotions as I placed the tip of the quill over the place the goblin had pointed to earlier. 

' Looks like I was right ' I thought to myself as I looked at the blood red signature and the prickling feeling in my wrist. 

" Pleasure doing business with you, Mr Grey. " The goblin said to me as he snatched the contract as soon as I finished signing it. 

" Oh and Mr. Grey. Make sure to never speak of this to anyone else. If not, you will face some very nasty consequences. " The goblin said as the golden runes changed their color to an ominous red one.

The same color as my blood that was now on that bloody contract. 

A contract that would even make the devil smile at how devious it was. 

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