Harry Meets The Weasleys
Exiting the vault and making the journey up to the surface Harry carried with him a heavy heart along side the heavy bag of gold stowed safely in the magical messenger bag Mrs. Grimore had given him. The trip up felt longer in many ways.
“Why didn't you come with me?” Harry asked the goblin who accompanied him.
The goblin just grinned viciously, as if hearing something funny. “Well, only a potter can go in and out.”
“So, if I wasn't who I said I was, I'd have been stuck down there?”
“Astute observation, young Potter.”
Harry exhaled, well that certainly was a horrifying prospect. He did have to hand it to them though, that is a rather smart way to deter theft. It was starting to make sense now why wizards would allow another species control over their gold. Goblins seemed shrewd creatures with rather harsh natures suited to protecting economic interests.
Returning to the front hall to find Mrs. Grimore and Griselda waiting for him patiently Harry smiled. “Thank you Mrs. Grimore for taking me, it was a very moving experience.”
She smiled back. “I'm glad Harry, did you get enough gold? We do have some shopping to do, sure Hogwarts is years away for you both, but there's no rules against getting an early start to your studies.”
“I did ma’am.”
“Good good, are you ready to go?”
“Yes!” It was not Harry who answered but Griselda, she stood almost shaking with repressed energy, I've had quite enough of this stuffy bank and all that sitting and waiting! Lets gooo!” It wasn't quite a whine, but it came close, Mrs. Grimore laughed lightly, eyes crinkling softly. Harry loved how fond she was, how motherly and guiding, it gave him joy to know his friend was being cared for by a woman who knew when to laugh and when to snap.
They exited Gringotts Griselda latching on to the elbow of Harry's shirt with her slender fingers. She leaned in and whispered, "It's only proper Harry, we both need practice and I'm sure mother will have my head if I do any more unladylike pulling.”
Harry snorted, “I don't quite understand the obsession with being ladylike, but I'll follow along, what do you want me to do?”
“Just allow me the crook of your elbow, like a proper wizarding gentleman should offer a lady.” She giggled, “it's like in the books mother makes me read.” Slotting her hand into wrap around the crease of his inner elbow Griselda squeezed twice to let him know she had a good grip.
They must have been quite the site, Griselda looking every bit the pureblood witch she was all done up in her long skirted robes and plaited pinned hair under a matching scarf. And then accompanied by Harry in his worn slightly ratty at the edges collared shirt and slacks. Not to mention they were only nine years old, acting like some ancient couple in a book, Harry could hardly contain his smile at the humorous image.
Settled into the pairing as comfortably as they could, Harry and Griselda under the approving eye of Mrs. Grimore walked towards Flourish & Blotts, the bookstore which Griselda had taken great pains to indicate to Harry was where the best of the best texts for all manner of magical readers could purchase.
Before they could reach it however they were accosted by a pair of red headed children around their age who came running out into the center of the walkway before tripping on a loose cobblestone and crumbling into a heap of limbs and screeching. What in the world? Harry thought eying the squabbling pair who he surmised must have been siblings.
“I told you Gin! Not every black haired boy is Harry Potter! Besides this one is clearly taken, go look at another one!”
“Shut up Ron! You absolute arse, it's him I know it is.”
Once the pair had separated from each other Harry and Griselda shared a look before offering a hand each for the pair to help them up. The older looking of the two, a boy mumbled out a thank you. His eyes however did not leave who Harry assumed was his sister, glaring angrily at her with such an intensity that it made Harry a little uncomfortable.
“You’re not him are you?”
“Who?” Harry questioned, trying to play innocent. Griselda however was not having it. She grabbed Harry's cheek and with her other hand swept back his unruly black locks to reveal his lightning bolt.
“Bloody Hell!” The older boy exclaimed, both looking much like a cat caught sneaking, eyes wide with surprise.
“SEE RON!” The younger girl squeaked, “it is himmmm.”
“Shut it Ginny before you draw attention.” Ron said this almost absent minded, eyes still glued to Harry’s forehead. “Clearly he doesn't want everyone to know, it would cause a riot.” Harry found himself liking this boy immensely.
“But you are Harry Potter?” The girl demanded of him looking awestruck, she was blushing, how odd Harry thought.
“I am, and you are?”
“Ginny Weasley.. And this is my brother Ronald.”
“Oi!” The boy piped up sounding insulted. “I go by Ron. Ginevra just thinks it funny to try to embarrass me by saying my full name.” He stuck his tongue out at Ginny in retaliation before extending his hand for them to shake.
Once he had the boy, Ron, stepped back and stared at Harry surveying the situation he had found himself in. Ginny took this chance to go forward almost shyly fighting with the sleeves of her blouse. She shook his hand with both her small hands, they were warm and clammy, Harry noted. She was rather pretty though, pale with her shockingly vibrant orange hair braided much like Griselda's had been when he met her.
“Nice to meet you Ginny and Ron.” Harry said allowing Grielda to step forward and repeat the same greetings, she did them gracefully though with less of a smile as she eyed them appraisingly.
“Weasley?” she questioned looking contemplative. “You must be purebloods then, your father is Arthur Weasley, Misuse of Muggle Artifacts?”
“Yes he is, what of it?” Ron questioned, suddenly guarded. And you are?”
“Oh nothing, don't worry, I'm no blood supremacist, Griselda Grimore…” She introduced herself, a slender hand coming to rest upon her chest in indication. ”My mother is a member of the Wizengamot and speaks rather highly of your fathers muggle protectionist motives. He is a good man from what I have heard.”
Just as Ron opened his mouth to respond a loud grating feminine voice shouted from behind them: “RONALD AND GINERVA WEASLEY COME HERE AT ONCE!” Ginny groaned and grabbed Ron’s hand before they ran towards the shouting, calling over their shoulder that they had to go.
“It was nice meeting you!” Harry named after them, while Griselda just waved with an amused expression plastered on her face.
“That ought to be the mother. She's quite the force of nature I have heard.”
“I didn't know your mother was in the Wizengamot?” Harry questioned, surprised that Griselda had neglected to mention something so important as that.
Griselda shrugged, expression schooled into a neutral mask. “I didn't find it important, sorry Harry. Not everything is so easy to share you know, there's a reason it's my mother in the Wizengamot and not my father, at this she looked rather sad.”
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push”, Harry backtracked, realizing he had found a boundary.
“It's alright Harry.” Grislda smiled sadly, “we all have things we ought to keep to ourself and things we share. not always easy knowing which is which.” She looked contemplative, but then shook her head and buried it.
“Right, sorry.” Harry ground out, feeling guilty. He was however saved when Griselda changed the topic, eyes scanning for a location before locking in on the bookstore.
“Harry, how about we go grab our books? She looked around for her mother, finding no one she concluded.. “It looks like mother stepped into Ollivanders for a chat, that should take a good hour or so. Certainly gives us more than enough time for us to get our books and do some reading in the store, they have little tea booths on the second floor, it's rather cozy!”