Reinforcements

A Game of Chess

Lily Rose Potter strode purposefully into the bank. People said that Gringotts was intimidating but today Lily took the prize. Lily walked forward, head held high, back straight, shoulders relaxed. She thought she looked every bit a lady and Hera - resident fashionista - had been the one to help her.

As a muggleborn, she had not been raised to cope in affairs that were 'upperclass' though she could guess what muggles wore. This was not Muggle Britain though, it was Wizarding Britain and she had absolutely no idea how to dress so Hera had been a blessing.

She had also been educated by the purebloods on how to act. Unsurprisingly, it had not taken the brightest witch of her era very long to pick it up.

She approached one of the goblins and asked to be taken to the Potter vault.

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Bearclaw looked up as a transformed Lily Potter entered the bank. It was clear that Hera had been influential which immediately informed him of the changed relationship between the Rejected and Lily Potter.

Lily scanned the bank, her eyes searching? Bearclaw wasn't sure what she was doing. Her eyes passed over him once and then she looked at him again and blinked. Then she started to smile.

Bearclaw felt oddly light at the prospect of the Rejected referring him specifically to her. She approached her gait light but purposeful.

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Lily Potter scanned the bank searching for Bearclaw. She'd been given a detailed description of him and spotted him quite quickly and strode over.

"Master Bearclaw, would you please direct me to the Potter account manager?"

Bearclaw - she was sure it was Bearclaw - got up and gestured that she should follow him.

Dutifully she did. When they reached a wooden office, he paused at the door before turning around to face her.

"I recommend you make your pendant visible."

Lily was confused but complied anyway. How had he known about the protection pendant she had been given by the Rej - oh obviously that was a stupid question. They trusted Bearclaw. But that didn't answer her other question. Why did it matter how visible her pendant was?

Unless - she fumbled with the black pendant revealing a white hand on the other side - a symbol of Rejection. Presumably, allies or people who were important to the Rejected received these.

Whoever was inside probably had a pendant too. Lily wondered who was beyond those double doors. She didn't have much time to speculate before the door was opened from the inside.

Amelia and Susan Bones stepped out coldly nodding her way. That explained a lot - if these two were her daughter's allies she could understand how they had managed to escape so many times.

It also explained the breaking up of Sirius and Amelia's relationship and her changed attitude towards Lily.

As Susan walked past behind Amelia she seemed to notice Lily's pendant. Susan tugged her Aunt's arm gently.

"Auntie, look at her pretty pendant. Where is it from?"

Amelia turned around to observe Lily's pendant while Lily told Susan it was one of a kind. The two goblins watched the three humans before Bloodfang spoke.

"Perhaps it would be better to discuss this inside." he suggested gesturing to his office. Wordlessly, not breaking eye contact, Amelia and Lily stepped in together - Susan following behind.

Once they were all in, Bearclaw shut the door activating the privacy wards that prevented anyone eavesdropping.

Bloodfang broke the silence. "Lady Potter, perhaps we should start with the blood test. 7 drops of blood please." he said handing her a knife and a bowl.