Chapter Five
“What in Merlin’s name –?”
Aspen and Fig cried out as they both watched the wall in front of them change to a cobblestone wall while they felt themselves get moved somewhere from an unseen force.
“What in Godric’s heart?” Fig exclaimed as he and Aspen looked behind them, examining their surroundings as they found themselves in a small lobby of some sort with the aesthetic of a vault or bank.
“Where even are we, Professor?” Aspen asked as she began to walk up to the small creature in front of her sleeping peacefully on top of a podium, snoring and muttering whilst using the large book as its pillow.
“I don’t believe it…” Fig let out in disbelief as he finally recognized where they found themselves. It was frustrating for the younger of the pair as she voiced out her question once more to her mentor, still not getting a response back.
Huffing, the blonde just blew some hair out of her face as she finally reached the creature that was resting and cleared her throat softly before calling out. “Excuse me...?” she said as she leaned forward on the tips of her toes, creasing her black Mary Janes. “Hello?”
Fig eventually got out of his slight stupor and walked up towards what he recognized was a goblin banker at Gringotts. Holding his hand out in front of the witch, he stopped and cleared his own throat once and then twice before a third time, much harsher and louder than the previous two.
With a gasp, the goblin woke with a start. Bleary eyes blinked dazed, trying to register who woke him from his scheduled nap time and leaned forward a bit, long hands with overgrown fingernails grasping the book in front of him as he took in the sight of two people in front of him. Realizing that there were actually two humans in front of him and not as a daydream caused the sleep that lingered in his system to vanish as the goblins eyes widened.
“It can’t be.” he said in awe before smiling at the two in front of him. Fig and Aspen just glanced at each other briefly confused at the reaction before looking back at the goblin as he got into action, telling the pair to wait a moment as he climbed down from his spot.
Mumbling could be heard as the banker fixed himself from his sleepy appearance to be ready to receive such esteemed guests of the bank before giving them a large bow. “Welcome to Gringotts Wizarding Bank.”
At the knowledge of where they were, finally answering her questions of where they were, Aspen just gave a smile back at the banker. Her first ever goblin and he was a banker for the wizarding world, finding the whole thing sensational and almost mind blowing if it weren't for the dragon attack that happened earlier that day. Still amazing in its own way.
Realizing she was probably standing there like a fish with its mouth wide open, she licked her lips before speaking up. “Pleasure to meet you!” She said, still finding it a bit awkward to be able to speak however she likes, not having to wait for someone to acknowledge her.
Looking over at Fig wondering what they were going to do now knowing where they were, Fig took a small step forward before stopping in his tracks as the banker continued on speaking. “Vault number twelve, I presume?”
Eyebrows furrowing, Fig quickly jumped on the lead that was handed to them and nodded. Holding his hands behind him, he straightened his back and nodded with an almost impetuous manner. “Precisely.”
Aspen had to stifle a giggle at how blatant her mentor was being and was sure the goblin noticed it as well but said nothing in fear of ruining the momentum Fig was going.
For a beat, the three stood in silence before the goblin grew a bit impatient and tilted his head and looked at the man in slightly annoyed confusion. “The key...?” he prompted as he held his hand out towards the professor.
“Hmm, what key…?”
“Your wife’s Portkey sir, I believe he’s referring to it.”
“Oh! Y-yes, of course.”
The quick exchange between the two was enough for Fig to produce the key for the banker before handing it over. Briefly the banker looked the key over, making sure it was theirs and for the matching vault. Seeing nothing wrong, he allowed the two to follow as he began walking towards a platform.
Aspen, beginning to follow the goblin. was met with Fig’s arm stopping her. “Stay close, Aspen. Goblins right now aren’t being viewed in the brightest spotlight right now and for good reason. Of course, not to say all goblins are like what the Daily Prophet is perceiving them to be but just err on the side of caution alright?” The mentor wanting to make sure Aspen was aware of the risks this journey seemed to be taking them on.
Nodding, readying herself for what may come, she stayed behind and close to Fig as the two caught up with the banker.
The three stood on a metal platform that opened up into the cave system, a rail in front of them as the goblin brought his hand up to whistle. It wasn’t long after that a cart came down the tracks, stopping just in front of them. The young witch could feel her jaw want to drop but chastised herself mentally, telling herself to not let her shock show.
She figured with everything that’s happened to her during the span of the first half of her day, she should just expect all sorts of things to be plausible in a world filled with magic.
As all three got on the cart, she tucked herself in ready for a long ride.
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“What do you suppose we should be looking for?” Aspen asked as she tucked some stray blonde flyways behind her ear once more as she crossed the threshold of the vault. The inside definitely seemed a bit older than the ones they passed on the way down to the lower levels of the goblin run bank.
Shelves empty with a few trinkets here and there, everlasting candles that seemed to have been burning for years and stalagmites creeping down towards the floor.
Nose burning, Aspen sneezed and rubbed at her nose with the end of her sleeve as Fig looked around before turning back towards the girl and focused on the goblin still outside the door.
“I’m not sure… Sir, I wonder if you might –” The professor began to ask, wondering if the goblin knew what should be in the seemingly empty and useless room.
“The instructions for vault twelve indicate that I am to grant access to the holder of the key – and then close the door. Best of luck you two! Many apologies!” The goblin recited before hastily apologizing as he snapped his fingers and shut the door on them.
Aspen and Fig began rushing towards the door before stopping in their tracks as they watched the locks shut from the inside mechanisms and let out matching heavy sides.
Glancing over at the man, Aspen raised an eyebrow at him. “Are you sure we can’t Apparate out of here..?” she asked albeit sarcastically.
Giving a dry chuckle, he just sighed once more before sharply inhaling to refocus on the task at hand. “Well that was certainly unexpected. Now clearly there must be something here or otherwise why would they go through the lengths of locking us in a vault deep in the depths of Gringotts. Hmm…”
Fig paced back and forth a bit before snapping his fingers. “Ah, Revelio perhaps may be key here.”
Aspen just cocked her head towards the man confused. “Revelio? Is that just a wizard way to say reveal?” She asked curiously before Fig went into explaining the spell. He showed her the movements and how to say it once before nudging her forward to try out the spell herself.
Pulling out the wand she had tucked into her pocket, she flicked her loaned wand in the shape of the letter “R” before the two saw a shimmer at the end of the room. Gasping, she whipped her head back towards the man in shock she actually managed it. “There! I saw something Sir!”
Grinning, he walked forward with the girl encouraging her to try again, closer now. Watching, he saw her cast the revealing charm perfectly as a door appeared before the two of them, the symbol that’s appeared all day show up once more as the door’s lock.
“Beautifully done Aspen. A great start to this riddle we’ve found ourselves in. There’s that symbol again as well… Hmm, I don’t suppose you see a way to –” Fig began looking over to the girl before seeing she was already thinking on the same page as him as she stretched her hand out towards the glowing flame symbol. “I do, Sir. Way ahead of you.”
Proud at the initiative to move forward, he was excited to see where his late wife’s Portkey had led them. “Then I daresay we are about to discover the secrets this vault holds.”
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“Lumos!”
Aspen held the wand out as she began walking around trying to get the statue’s reflection to match the one in front of them before hearing the statue slowly stand, the rock scraping against itself as it raised its sword up before stabbing it towards the ground.
The action caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand in a chilling way as she took a half step back, the room seemingly growing colder as it lit up around them in a circle. Torches with a pale blue flame flickering to life allowing for more visibility than their wands allowed them.
Then six more of these knight-like statues dropped towards the ground, also moving as if they were alive and almost surrounded them. A shaky breath left her as she readied herself, the grip on the wand growing tight.
In an instant, the sluggish movements the statues were moving at were no longer present as the first one raised its sword towards her. She could see blue light emanating from the moving rock in front of her and felt as if everything was moving in slow motion.
The same feeling she felt back in the Home when Ms. Turner had threatened her.
Terrified, Aspen watched with wide eyes as the sword grew closer to her. Fig’s warning was washed out by the beating of her heart and something else. A roar that was beginning to crescendo was overtaking her hearing and the rapidness of it made her move on instinct as she shouted, the hand with the wand held out in front of her.
“PROTEGO!”
Seeing a blue shield take the hit intended for her caught her off guard, not knowing what came over her before stumbling once more feeling the force her shield was hit with. Exhaling, she let out a breath with a small, surprised cry before seeing her mentor jump into action.
With an almost practical ease, she watches Fig begin to duel with the large statue knights, lifting one up and summoning it towards him before sending out another spell that plummeted the statue to the ground, shattering it almost instantly with the force. The small shock wave it sent out also caused nearby statues to break just the same.
Now with a few less enemies, Aspen followed his lead. Shooting off basic casts towards whatever statue he was working on, hoping to help weaken it for him, before letting him finish it off. On a few occasions, she looked away to keep other statue knights back and when they got too close to her, she would cast her shield charm to keep from harm.
There were of course a few times where she missed the timing and ended up getting knocked around a few times, but she remembered she had the remaining Wiggenweld potions on her and quickly downed one of the revolting potions down before rushing back into action.
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Enveloped in darkness and the roar of her heartbeat taking over any sounds, Aspen let out a panicked whimper before forcing herself to inhale and calm down.
“C’mon now Aspen, y-you’re fine. You’re a witch now who has light whenever she wants.”
Taking another shaky breath, she gripped her wand in a knuckle white grip “Lumos!”.
When the light lit up the tip of the wand, she could feel herself release some of the tension that overtook her when she found herself in the dark. Looking around, the blonde came to realize that her mentor was nowhere to be found and called out.
“Professor? Professor Fig? Oh sodding–” grumbling was all that came out of the girl’s mouth as came to the quick realization she was indeed alone. Sighing, she dusted herself off, now calm having stood in her spot for a couple of minutes in the light her wand produced.
Giving the room a look over, Aspen began moving forward, wandering about in the dark before the whispers she heard early on start back up again. This time it sounded like it was far ahead of her, wisps of ancient magic fly past her, leading her towards what seemed to be the other side of the room...
Realizing this was exactly like before, the witch began a quick jog forward before spying the same puddle like spot on the floor. Acting on the same instinct before she waved her wand out, feeling the drag of the molten liquid of ancient magic as she guided it up and out like a geyser watching the floor change, a pulse shooting off from her causing the lights to all fade out.
This time prepared she casted Revelio before lighting her wand up once more before spying the three statues in front of her.
Dread and anxiety washed over her as she came to the conclusion, she’ll probably have to fight the statute knights again but alone this time.
Staring at the statues in front of her, Aspen had a moment of silence pass by before breaking it herself.
“God Damn It–!”