Bring the Rain
by Jardyn39
Chapter 14: Reception Committee
Harry Apparated silently into the dark, deserted street in front of Gringotts bank in Diagon Alley. It was strangely quiet and Harry realised he had never visited here at night before.
"You did that rather well," said a familiar voice from out of the shadows.
Harry turned suddenly to see Albus Dumbledore emerge from the shadows. He lowered is wand.
"Thank you, Professor."
"Can we get on with this?" asked Grublok impatiently, making Harry start. He had no idea where the goblin had just come from.
"Um, how do we get in?" asked Harry uncertainly, looking up at the bank. All of the windows were shuttered and there were no lights on the building outside.
Grublok marched up the steps and rapped loudly on the closed doors. To Harry's utter amazement, it opened and a goblin beckoned them inside.
"Hello Griphook," said Harry warmly as they entered the dimly lit banking hall.
"Welcome, Mr Potter. Mr Dumbledore," replied Griphook bowing deeply to each of them. He just looked suspiciously at Grublok without saying a word.
"This is Grublok, Griphook. He's a friend of ours," said Harry.
"Griphook knows Grublok, Sir," Griphook replied coldly.
"We understand some Muggle money was deposited in my name a few hours ago. Is that correct?"
"Yes, Sir. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley made the deposit."
"We need to withdraw that money and return it to its rightful place. Is that going to be a problem, only we don't have much time?"
"What currency do you need the money in?"
"Muggle British Pounds, please."
"Very well, however we will have to deduct a small fee for utilising our night service."
"No, I'll pay any fees out of my own account."
"As you wish, Sir. The fee will be Two Thousand Five Hundred Galleons."
Harry gasped but fortunately Grublok stepped in and negotiated a lower fee.
"How much did Kingsley take, anyway?" asked Harry in a whisper as Grublok concluded his deal.
"It was a rather significant amount," agreed Dumbledore as Griphook wheeled out five large trolleys all stacked with high denomination notes. Harry simply couldn't believe the amount of money he was looking at.
"No wonder they needed to hire a security van," Harry mused. "Surely withdrawing this amount of cash had to look suspicious?"
"Perhaps that particular bank is used to suspicious withdrawals," offered Dumbledore. "However, I agree, we should look out for any notifications the bank may be required to provide the financial authorities regarding large cash transactions."
"Would Sir like to count it or may I bag it for you?"
"No, I don't need to count it, thanks. Sorry, but what do you mean bag it?" asked Harry.
Griphook help up a small blue envelope and flicked his fingers. The stacks of money leapt into the air and flew into the envelope. Griphook the closed the blue envelope and carefully placed it inside a slightly larger green envelope.
He handed it to Harry and said, "No extra charge. Just touch the blue envelope and the cash will fly out and stack itself up as before. I have taken the liberty of including a list of serial numbers that can be transferred as required."
"Wow, thanks," said Harry, signing for the money and transferring the fee from his account.
*
Outside, Grublok Disapparated away quickly but Dumbledore remaining behind to speak with Harry.
"Harry, you don't know where the bank is and in addition you have not Apparated that distance before."
Harry nodded, expecting Dumbledore to create a Portkey for him.
"In a moment I'm going to Disapparate but hold myself here. I want you to Disapparate and follow me. If you become lost, simply Apparate to a safe point and wait for me to find you."
"Okay," said Harry uncertainly, taking his wand out again.
Dumbledore smiled and vanished.
Harry took a steadying breath and concentrated. He too then Disapparated and held himself there. Dumbledore was a clear presence then as a glowing golden flame.
Dumbledore's outline turned and flew high over the Diagon Alley rooftops. Harry followed and soon they were speeding towards Surrey.
An instant later, Dumbledore slowed and then vanished again. He had Apparated. Harry did the same and found himself in a shop doorway standing next to his Headmaster.
"Excellent, Harry," said Dumbledore. "I can see it's time to advance your tuition."
Grublok coughed pointedly.
"Indeed," agreed Dumbledore, "perhaps we should conclude our business here first. Shall we proceed inside?"
"There's a problem," said Grublok.
Dumbledore turned to Harry and asked, "Did you see them?"
"Yes, three of them are in that van parked over there, one is in a doorway and I suspect that two are in a car down that way."
"Yes. There are also two up on the roof over there."
"Sorry, I forgot to look up as I passed," admitted Harry.
"So, we have a reception committee."
"Give me a moment to disable the alarms," said Grublok, "then follow me in."
"Is that wise?" asked Dumbledore. "I suspect they will be alerted as soon as the alarm system is disabled."
"True, but I can freeze the sensors for a few minutes. Besides, it will take them a while to react, anyway."
"Harry, I suggest you go directly to the vault. There are no alarm sensors in there."
Harry nodded and Disapparated. He flew into the building remembering the layout from the plans drawn into the back of his Slinkhard book.
He quickly made his way down the lift shaft and attempted to pass through the great shiny steel vault door. For some reason he was unable to get through, though. There was a kind of resistance that kept pushing him back.
Determined to get inside, Harry went instead through the lightly reinforced side wall and around to the back of the vault. It was easy passing through the earth but the heavily reinforced walls of the vault gave him more resistance. Harry pushed himself through and realised there were two people waiting inside for him. Concentrating as hard as he could, he Apparated silently behind them.
Harry looked around. The vault was bigger than the sketch plans had led him to believe. He was standing inside an open cage beside an assortment of strong boxes. He carefully edged his way out into the vault central area, thankful that the two were facing away from him, towards the vault door.
"I spy with my little eye," said a bored sounding Pagelow, "something beginning with M."
"Money?" suggested Harry.
"No, I already did that one," said Trent before they both fell off their crates with surprise.
"Sorry," said Harry apologetically, but he couldn't help grinning at their shocked faces.
"Accio!" he whispered and their walkie-talkies flew into his free hand. The pair of them looked too stunned to resist.
"Are you armed?" asked Harry.
"Y- You!" stammered Pagelow. "I knew you were mixed up in this!"
"I told you we should have checked those boxes!" said Trent, clearly convinced Harry had been hiding all the time they'd been waiting.
"Pardon me for asking, but why are you waiting in here?" asked Harry.
"We knew you'd be after the money in that account, obviously. You had to get it tonight, didn't you? After tomorrow morning the money will be moved over to a Trust and the new Trustees will have control over it."
"Er, actually, that money was withdrawn yesterday, during normal banking hours."
"What?"
"Yes," replied Harry, adding an apologetic, "Sorry."
"But the transfers are due to happen tomorrow morning," argued Trent.
"That's why I had to return the money tonight. The people that took the money thought they were helping, but actually they just made things a little more complicated. I am a Trustee of the new Trust, actually, if that helps."
Pagelow and Trent just looked at each other.
"Where shall we leave the money?" Harry wondered aloud. "Those side cages look about the right size."
He walked past them and pulled out his envelope. The cages were locked but he hoped that wouldn't matter. He gingerly opened the outer envelope and pointed the open end towards the empty cages. He gently brushed his fingers against the blue envelope. Instantly the money flew out of the envelope in a blur and stacked itself neatly inside the cages.
"Right," Harry said turning and folding up the envelope. "That was the easy part. Now all I have to do is amend the records to credit this money to the account."
"Unfortunately, you are trapped in here with us," said Pagelow. "The time lock will not open until tomorrow morning."
Harry grinned as the vault door clicked and slowly opened.
Dumbledore pointed his wand and said calmly, "Obliviate!"
*
"Sir, what are you doing?"
"I don't like leaving them locked inside like this."
"The emergency phones will work as soon as we leave, won't they?"
"Yes."
"Look, the two full breakfasts you've left might be appreciated," said Grublok with some annoyance, "but the two loungers do look rather out of place."
"Have you amended the transfer details?" asked Dumbledore.
"Yes, as far as I can. There will be an anomaly in the computer accounts but I'm hoping they will assume the computers are wrong. They'll have the cash and all the paperwork, so that shouldn't be too much of a problem."
"What about the cashiers and manager who paid the money out?" asked Harry.
"They should assume it was a separate transaction."
"But that vault isn't that big. You couldn't get enough cash for two transactions that size in there!"
"Except, it couldn't be your account, because your account was closed. Banker's logic; never fails. Well, I believe we should be going. We have only minutes before the security switches over."
Dumbledore closed the vault door and joined them.
"Well," said Grublok, "I believe this is goodbye."
"Wait a moment Grublok," said Harry, kneeling down in front of the goblin. "I want to thank you. I know you you tried to stop the Basilisk from seeking me out. Thank you," said Harry holding his hand out for the goblin to shake.
"We all do what we can," Grublok said modestly. "Voldemort ordered most of my family to be killed. I'm sorry to use you to get to him."
"I'll try not to let you down."
"Remember that Voldemort isn't the only thing you must live or die for. I made you a Trustee to remind you of that. You will need to select the other Trustees, but I suspect you have already decided."
Harry grinned and nodded.
"What about you, Grublok? You received a rather frosty reception at Gringotts tonight. Is there any way I can help there?"
"No, that is a personal matter."
"Well, if you ever need anything, just ask, okay?"
"I will. Goodbye, Harry Potter. Goodbye, Professor Dumbledore," he added with a short bow before Disapparating with a snap of his fingers.
"That was the first time I've seen him bow to anyone but Edenhardt," observed Harry.
"According to the bank clocks, Harry, we have twenty seconds to leave."
"After you, Professor."
Dumbledore vanished. Harry looked around once more before Disapparating directly back to the Granger's house.
*
Harry Apparated silently into the middle of the room, feeling slightly disoriented. The room was in complete darkness, but something told him that something wasn't quite right.
There was a click and Hermione's bedside lamp blazed into life.
"There you are, Harry. Hermione's been so worried about you," said Ginny.
"Can we assume you weren't caught?" asked Luna.
Harry realised he was standing between their two sleeping bags.
"Sorry," said Harry. "I'll speak to you in the morning."
"We can pretend to be asleep if you want to kiss her goodnight," offered Luna as Ginny stifled her giggles in her bedclothes.
"Or I could go and say goodnight to Neville again?"
"I'm not sure he could manage that again quite so soon," pointed out Luna. "He went terribly red last time."
Harry thought it would be best if he made a quick exit. He stepped over Luna towards the door when an owl flew in through the open window and dropped a scroll on his head. The owl didn't wait for a reply.
"That'll be your latest reprimand from the Ministry," said Hermione sleepily. "You have a few more downstairs that came earlier."
"Thanks, I'll go and read them. Goodnight."
As he closed the door behind him, the girls erupted into guffaws of laughter. He headed downstairs.
*
Downstairs, Harry made himself a mug of coffee and sat at the kitchen table, staring at the small pile of Ministry reprimands.
He was barely aware of the shuffling slippers making their way towards him.
A pair of hands held his shoulders as he received a peck on his cheek.
Harry started when Mrs Granger said, "You look tired, Harry," before sitting down opposite.
"Did everything go okay?"
"Yes. Well, I think it did. The Police were waiting for us. They didn't know that Kingsley had taken the money."
"Gosh."
"Mrs Granger, you know the letter from Grublok said I had to select the remaining Trustees?"
"Yes, Harry."
"Well, I'd like you and Mr Granger to consider becoming Trustees for both the Trusts."
"I'm sure we'd be honoured, but I rather assumed you'd want Hermione and your friends to become Trustees."
"They are Muggle Trusts. They'll need help and I think your compassion and experience will be of great benefit."
"You'll be here to help too, though."
Harry looked at her for a long moment before looking down at his coffee again.
Mrs Granger frowned slightly, but decided to change the subject.
"Hermione says these reprimands may be quite serious."
Harry shrugged his shoulders.
"Actually, Mum, I said they would be quite serious for anyone else."
Harry snorted and looked up.
"Harry gets them all the time these days," Hermione said yawning widely.
"Oh, we have a visitor," said Mrs Granger, jumping up and sliding the patio window open. In hopped an owl carrying a rolled up magazine. Mrs Granger untied the magazine and the bird flew off at once.
Hermione slouched into the chair next to Harry, resting her head on his shoulder.
"It's the latest Quibbler edition," said Mrs Granger. "Oh, I love the headline. PROPHET REPORTER CAUGHT."
"The Ministry of Magic last night formerly charged Daily Prophet Reporter Henry Rabble with breaking into the Muggle residence where Harry Potter was enjoying the remainder of his holidays. Rabble confessed to Aurors that he fabricated his last Potter story and was intending to do the same for today's edition when he was caught red handed by Potter himself," she continued to read.
"Rabble also accused Potter of using magic to assist his capture, but Auror Shacklebolt praised Potter, saying that the International Statute of Secrecy took precedence over the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, and that Potter did no more than uphold the law."
"This is wonderful," enthused Mrs Granger. "I'm so glad that ghastly man is getting his just deserts."
She wandered off upstairs, still reading passages out aloud.
"Poor Dad," said Hermione with a smile. "He's going to be woken up now and have the entire magazine read to him."
Harry smiled as Hermione reached out and put her arms around his neck.
"I lost it, Harry," she said sadly.
"Lost what?"
"My sock. I think it fell out of my pocket while we were in the field."
"We still have one left," he said, pecking her on her lips.
"But I was going to wear it for you, remember?"
"You'll look just as good in the other sock, Hermione."
Harry felt her smile widen as she said quietly, "I'll feel rather underdressed in just the one, though."
"Okay, Hermione. One more reprimand, just for you."
He pointed his wand out over the garden fence towards the fields behind the house and said firmly, "Accio sock!"
"No, Harry!" Hermione shouted as she jumped up and slid the window closed just in time.
A wide assortment of muddy socks and tights slammed into the window, leaving muddy trails as they slid down the glass.
Harry looked on in bemusement as Hermione collapsed in fits of laughter.
"Harry, I think some of these were still being worn. Ew! Look, that one's still steaming! They are probably coming from all over the county!"
He got up and went over to her. Harry offered his hands and pulled her up, trying to ignore the garments still hitting the window with dull thuds.
"How about we do without the socks tonight?" he suggested.
Hermione smiled up at him and put her arms around his neck once more.
"Thank you for a lovely evening, Harry."
"Sorry about all the interruptions."
"Just so long as you're safe and back with me."
"Nothing could stop that."
"That basilisk dying upset you more than you wanted to show, didn't it?"
"Yes. Piente chose to die rather than kill me and go free."
"Let's go into the living room," she said gently. "You can tell me all about it."
Harry nodded and Hermione pulled herself up to kiss him. They went into the living room and closed the door behind them, leaving Crookshanks to watch the growing pile of socks building up outside the house.
One more Chapter to come…