Finding Kallipolis

Chapter 34

Diagon Alley
November 18, 2006

Harry and Ginny trekked along the empty cobblestone road, their steps tentative, as if they were worried something lay in wait to attack them. "It's eerie," Ginny commented, her voice unnecessarily low.

"I don't think I've been here since before the Event ," Harry mused, feeling a tug at his chest as they passed the empty storefronts, noticing graffiti and other evidence of neglect. After the formation of the WEA, magical vendors gradually found their way to the non-magical shopping centers and main streets. Harry had never thought about it before, but seeing Diagon Alley in such a state was – disconcerting.

"What are you thinking about?" Ginny asked, eyebrow raised..

"Hm? Oh–" he paused, "–I'm remembering the first time I came here. I was quite young, and I'm sure it was for ice cream or something equally childish, but it was just so magical. No cars, everyone free to use their magic at will." He looked over and saw the faded sign, Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour , and felt a pang of nostalgia.

"Are you starting to gain sympathy for the isolationists?" Ginny asked, her voice teasing, with a hint of curiosity.

"No." He shook his head. "I don't think things are so simple. But perhaps bringing the magic of this place into the WEA is something to strive for. Not necessarily within enclaves or at Hogwarts, but everywhere . Isn't that the advantage of no more statute of secrecy? We're no longer isolated."

She put out her hand and he took it, and for a moment he could pretend he was out on a nice walk with his girlfriend, rather than searching for a Horcrux. As the pair approached Gringotts, he wasn't sure whether to be relieved or concerned when he noticed that, unlike the rest of the Alley, the bank appeared in pristine shape. The white building stood tall and proud amongst the hastily boarded windows and disrepair of its neighbors.

"I'm guessing someone's here." Harry raised his eyebrows as he opened the unlocked door.

"Welcome to Gringotts," a solitary Goblin greeted them, his face neutral as though it were just a typical day and they were there to do a bit of banking. "How can we help you today?"

Harry was utterly speechless. The lobby was spotless, the portraits that adorned the walls were clean of dust, and the marble floors appeared waxed. He couldn't help but wonder how long exactly this Goblin had been here waiting. "Uh," Harry started, blinking.

"Do you have an account with us? Or do you wish to open one?" the Goblin drawled.

"Oh shit," Ginny interrupted, watching the Horcrux detector in her hands. She looked at Harry wide-eyed. "It's here."

"Uh, sir," Harry addressed the Goblin, his vague recollections of Goblin history urging him to be as polite as possible. "We have a bit of a complicated situation we would very much appreciate your help with."

The Goblin nodded and gestured for them to follow him to an office. He waved at the front door, presumably locking it, leaving Harry to wonder if perhaps the only reason the door had been unlocked in the first place was because the Goblin detected his and Ginny's arrival.

The office was large, an obvious display of Gringotts' status and wealth. The Goblin immediately took the large blue velvet chair behind the desk, his back upright and hands clasped in front of him. The desk was large and mahogany, a relic of another era. Various golden instruments adorned the desk; Harry wondered if they served a functional purpose or were there merely to reinforce the wealth of this place. The far wall was covered in bookshelves, their every nook and cranny filled with what looked like priceless, rare tomes.