Hidden Magic

Chapter Eighteen

Contrary to what I hoped, the bank was not run by goblins, but rather by what I believe to be members of Nithene branch, their connection to metals seemed to be useful in this job. I knew little about the skills that people who had their main element as something other than shadow, with me only truly knowing the basics of what I could achieve with the other elements, it was actually Amalia who recognized what they were, as coins whizzed from one place to another, all seemingly under control of the bank workers.

There was no main desk that we had to show a special vault key to, that I definitely didn't have, instead it was more similar to a normal bank in the human world, with multiple booths open to customers, I knew theoretically that my family must have an account here, that if we had been well off in the human world, it couldn't be much different here. But still, when I scanned my hand print on the offered scanner, a part of me feared that I would have nothing here, no money or anything. I should have known better, with my family having helped start Crest-Fallen Academy, realistically any funds garnered from it, a portion at least would go to my family.

"A Valdis, we haven't see you at this branch of our bank in a very long time. What would you like to do? We have your money stored in your vault, though we can access it for you if you'd like?" Or maybe vaults were a thing here, I suppose it made sense, using metal coins for currency they obviously didn't have credit cards, so why would they have online accounts?

"Um, I'd like to access them myself I think." He nods easily enough, looking like he expected as much, if he thinks I'm somehow checking to be sure all the Valdis money is secure, he is sorely mistaken, because I am not even sure what should be there in the first place.

"Of course, and will you be doing it alone, or will your friends be coming with you?" I glance around at my friends, noting Rebecca's oddly eager expression, I shrug turning back to the bank teller.

"My friends are welcome along." He nods, taking it easily enough, he lifts up a sign on his desk, saying his booth was closed, and then opens a small gate beside it, gesturing us through, he leads us to an elevator, allowing us all entry easily in the large elevator, where another hand scanner waits for us, I scan my hand once the bank teller gestures me to do so.

"Since this is your first visit to our bank, I assume you have just enrolled in the academy, so I'll take some time to explain about our bank. Much like the academy, as well as most of the higher class of the Elemental world, pixies guard and sort the vaults, protecting its contents against intruders and keeping everything clean and in order. Of course, there are many other protections, but one of the main ones it that no one can access your vault without your express permission, if and when you deposit money with our bank, it is sent through a small elevator system directly to your vault, where your pixie properly places it inside, no bank teller is allowed entry without you being with them." I suppose it made sense, pixies were extremely territorial, they would protect the money fiercely, and with bank tellers not having direct access to it, no one could steal it without getting past the pixie first.

"How is the pixie tipped?" I am sure it was obvious to the others, but the bank teller didn't find it funny at all, instead he took my question seriously, and answered it easily enough.

"At the start of the year, or the closest visit to that, a pixie tip allowance is allocated, to be delivered every week, by our bank, in the vaults there are three doors, the entrance for which we will enter, the deposit elevator in which your money will be brought to your vault, or taken out upon request, and the pixie tip tube, which will deposit the pixies tip in the traditional pixie tip dish. Each of our vaults have water access via a small fountain, so that the pixie may keep everything tidy, sconces are around the room for pixie flame, there is ventilation, and the pixie makes shelving from the tree grown in each vault." This certainly no longer sounded like they vault I was picturing, either from the human or wizarding world.