A Curious Trip

"Come along Mr. Grey, we don't have all day." An older stern looking woman said to a young boy. She wore her graying hair in a tight bun and her flowing dress glided across the ground gracefully. To her right was a young boy with his face seemingly glued to a window. He had long dark hair that was smooth as silk, he turned and gave a sheepish grin in apology, but his mischievous grey eyes gave away that he didn't mean it. They both made their way down the street amongst the large crowd that had gathered for what seemed like a festival.

"Sorry professor but flying broomsticks!" The boy exclaimed in disbelief, "I thought the part where they said first years weren't aloud any was a joke."

The stern-looking woman sighed in annoyance, as surely this was a topic she had discussed a great many times, "I assure you Mr. Grey, it is no joke. In fact, flying broomsticks are used in our leading sport, quidditch."

The boy looked at her in disbelief as she sped up her pace. He started to follow before he had a disturbing thought, "That can't be comfortable to sit on." He murmured as he glanced at a poster of a qudditch player riding on the newest model.

The woman rolled her eyes as she overheard him from a surprising distance, "As much as I would love to explain to you the amount of charm work that goes into making a broomstick, frankly, I just don't think you'd understand a majority of what I'd say and I have better things to do with my time."

She shot him a glare and said in an admonishing tone, "Now if you don't mind I'd appreciate it if we could hurry along to Gringotts, preferably while it's still daylight."

A bit of color rose to the boys cheeks as he'd been overheard. He hurriedly nodded his acceptance and trotted behind her to a large white building. As they walked past the large copper brown doors that led into the bank, a a second set of doors appeared that had a strange poem engraved on them.

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.

The words sent shivers down the boys spine. He decided to take his mind of it by observing the numerous wizards going about there business. He especially enjoyed watching someone get thrown out when he started yelling at one of the small tellers. They looked like small men in funny suits and he would have left it at that before he noticed razor sharp teeth and claws. Not to mention the large amount of them holding spears surrounding the bank. He decided then and their not to get on the small peoples bad side.

"This is Gringotts, the only wizarding bank in Great Britain," The woman lectured as we made our way through the lobby, "It is run entirely by goblins and was founded in 1474. It is said to be one of the most secure places in the world, second to Hogwarts of course."

The boy tuned the woman out as he made his way to a desk. Gold engraved the beautiful wood desk and it stood at least two feet taller than the boy. He started to think he'd need to look elsewhere when a goblin peaked over the edge and barked out, "Name?"

The boy jumped, he looked over at he older woman who nodded before saying, "Percy Gray,"

The goblin looked over some papers and spat out, "Business?"

The woman spoke up saying, "We'd like to open a vault and exchange some muggle money for galleons."

The goblin paused and looked over the table once more and said, "Ah, Professor McGonagall."

He pointed at a nearby hallway with a sign that said 'Private' as he said, "Right this way and a teller will be with you shortly. Next!"

They hurriedly along into the room as Percy grumbled, "Rude little thing isnt he?"

Professor McGonagall shot him a reproachful glare that made him wilt before she explained, "Goblins are very serious about not wasting time since they belive time is money."

They entered into the private room that was equipped with a couple of chairs and a desk. As we sat down, Percy glanced at the artwork on the walls. Large paintings depicting goblins conquering various beast were strown across the walls in the room. One showed a goblin shoving a sword through a beast quadruple the size of him.

A voice broke him out of his thoughts, "Our people are fine warriors."

The boy turned to see that he hadn't noticed three goblins enter the room one sat at the head of the desk and two stood guard by the door. The boy turned to the one who spoke and said, "This actually happened?"

The goblin bared his razor sharp teeth in a mockery of a smile and said, "Yes, everything that you see up there was done by one of my ancestors."

Percy feeling a little intimidated gave a nervous chucked as he sat down in the empty seat.

"Welcome to Gringotts young wizard, I am Griphook. Now let's get down to business." The goblin spoke as he slid a piece of parchment along with a bowl and a knife over the table.

Perxy glanced at the items before looking back at Griphook lost. Seeing his look of confusion the goblin explained, "In order to set up an account at Gringotts we must first get a sample of blood. Blood carries a large trace of Magic and while much can be faked, Magic cannot."

Perseus grimaced at the thought of using the knife but took a deep breath and grabbed it. He placed the blade against his finger and after debating for what felt like hours sliced it. He blinked as he looked down and noticed that he didn't feel much pain. He hurriedly placed his finger over the bowl so not to spill anymore blood.

Perseus looked up and saw a smirk on the goblins face as he said, "We cover our ceremonial blades with an instant anesthetic, otherwise you weak wizards would cry like babies everything we asked for a little blood."

Perseus thought of taking offense to that but was just relieved it wouldn't hurt so he let it go. The goblin took the bowl once the wound stopped bleeding and after throwing in a few plants and grinding it up with a pestle he poured it over the paper. The thick liquid sank into the parchment and words began appearing on it like someone was writing.

As the goblin started reading his eyebrows rose higher and higher, he looked up at Perseus and glanced back down at the parchment. After several times Professor McGonagall grew worried. She stood up and walked behind the goblin. As she studied the text, her face turned white as a sheet.

In a eerily calm voice never losing her look of horror she asked, "Mr. Gray do you know the names of your parents."

Perseus growing scared said, "No, my mum died when I turned two from disease, I barely remeber her, and I never knew my father."

Professor McGonagall took a deep breath and picked up the sheet of parchment from the still shocked goblin and handed it to Perseus.

Blood Identification Test.

Name: Perseus Sirius Black

Age: 11

Father: Sirius Orion Black (Alive.)

Mother: Elaine Roberts Grey (Deceased.)

Vaults: Black Family Vault, Heir Trust Vault, Vault 2392.

He read the words over and over but he couldn't help coming back to one of them.

Alive.

His father was alive.

His mind flew into overdrive as questions popped up like popcorn. Where was he Did he abandon him? Did he not want him? Did he even know he was alive?

As thousands of questions raced threw his mind Professor McGonagall looked at him with a grimace as she said, "I can't believe I didn't see it, he's practically Black reincarnated."

The words made Perseus snap his head in her directions as he stared her down with his now hauntingly familiar eyes, "You know who my father is!?"

She winced and turned away from both his eyes and question and grumbled under her breath, "Merlin, what have I got myself into."

She took a couple of deep breaths and with a new determination she turned back and said, "It seems we need to have a talk."