7
Crystal turned to the three parchments left, each one containing information about each of her accounts. She picked one up and looked at it, it held the information on the Peverell accounts.
PEVERELL FAMILY
- Peverell Castle [Habitable]
- Peverell Manor [Habitable]
Family Vault
- Peverell Family Vault 1: 6,153,235,099 Gallons, 983,144,923 Sickles, 919,927 Knuts.
Investments/Ownership
- 2% in Gringotts Wizarding Bank [Successful]
- 10% in Ollivander's Wand Shop [Successful]
Transactions
- None
Contracts
- None
Fortunately, there were no surprises with this account. No money was leaving the account improperly, and the two investments were thriving. Shares in the bank, which might be the only bank in magical Britain, and a wand shop were solid investments. Everyone needed a wand, as she’d observed during her bank visit.
She picked up the next parchment, noting it contained information about the Slytherin accounts.
SLYTHERIN FAMILY
- Slytherin Castle [Habitable]
- Slytherin Manor [Uninhabitable]
- Gaunt Shack [Uninhabitable]
- 25% of Hogwarts Castle [School for Witchcraft and Wizardry]
Family Vault
- Slytherin Family Vault 12: 3 Gallons, 32 Sickles, 10 Knuts
Investments/Ownership
- 80% in Knockturn Alley [Loans need repayment/Rent has not been paid for over three hundred years]
Transactions
- None
Contracts
- None
Crystal frowned as she read the investments section. “Grinlast, I need some advice. It says here that I own eighty percent of Knockturn Alley, but no one has repaid their loans or paid rent for over three hundred years. Would Gringotts be willing to handle this?”
“Please pass me the parchment, Lady Potter Peverell Hufflepuff Slytherin,” Grinlast said, holding out his hand. He took the parchment when it was handed to him.
“Please, just call me Crystal,” she said with a grimace, not noticing Grinlast’s surprised reaction before he quickly masked it. She did, however, notice his furious-sounding growl.
“We shall take care of this, Crystal, you have my word.”
“Thank you, Grinlast. The bank can keep 5% of the money recovered, and don’t forget to charge interest. If they have no money but seem to be good people or have families, offer them the chance to do community service to pay off their debt and earn some extra cash. Half of the recovered money can go towards the debt, while the other half they can keep.”
Grinlast stared at her in surprise. “Are you sure, Crystal?”
She nodded with a determined look on her young face. “I’m sure. I don’t want anyone suffering for their ancestors’ actions. I want to ensure they have an honest way to repay the debt while still being able to support themselves and their families.”
Grinlast stared for a moment before shaking his head. “Very well. I shall add this option for those who truly need it.”
Crystal gave him a bright smile before turning to the last parchment and picking it up.
HUFFLEPUFF FAMILY
- Hufflepuff Castle [Habitable]
- Hufflepuff Manor [Needs Fixing]
- Hufflepuff Cottage [Needs Fixing]
- 25% of Hogwarts Castle [School for Witchcraft and Wizardry]
Family Vault
- Hufflepuff Family Vault 10: 862,085 Gallons, 346,867 Sickles, 16,194 Knuts
Investments/Ownership
- 15% in Mr. Mulpepper's Apothecary [Successful] (Invested in by one of Helga’s descendants)
- 3% in Gringotts Wizarding Bank [Successful]
Transactions
- None
Contracts
- None
She relaxed upon seeing that this account was in order. She would need to find out if the bank knew of anyone who could repair the houses she owned, but that could wait until she shopped for her school supplies.
“Grinlast, I need to go shopping for my school supplies, but when I return, could you come with me to my aunt’s home—I suppose it’s really my house now—and inform them about what needs to be done?”
“With pleasure, ma’am.” He smiled, which made her slightly uneasy, but she shrugged it off. A happy goblin was a creepy one.
She paused, remembering something important. “Before I go shopping, I have a few more questions.”
“What are they?” Grinlast asked.
“What are Gallons, Knuts, and Sickles?”
~Time Skip~
Crystal stepped out of the bank half an hour later, now knowledgeable about how money worked in the magical world and equipped with a brand-new magical wallet. The wallet was connected to the Peverell vault. She just needed to think about the amount she wanted, reach into the wallet, and pull out the exact amount she had been imagining. It also worked for Muggle money.
Her first stop was a store with a sign reading "Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions." She hoped to find her school robes there. Grinlast had advised her to get a full magical wardrobe, including formal and dress robes. Although she wasn’t sure of the differences, he hadn’t steered her wrong so far.
It took a while to get measured for the new wardrobe. She was told that the order would be finished by tomorrow and that she could pick it up then. Crystal bought a simple blue robe to help her blend in with her normal clothes before leaving the store.
Her next stop was a trunk store where she purchased a six-compartment trunk. The first compartment was for her writing supplies, both Muggle and magical. The second was for her books—both Muggle and magical school books—because she didn’t want to risk getting ink on them.
The third compartment was designated for clothes, shoes, accessories, and hygiene products. The fourth compartment was for her potion supplies, to avoid contamination. The fifth compartment would hold other items like the telescope and cauldron needed for school.
The sixth compartment would be for miscellaneous items, such as sweats and knickknacks.
She chose a sea-green trunk with rose-gold trimming. Her initials were engraved on the top in the same rose-gold color. The trunk was charmed to only open for her. Anyone else attempting to open it would first receive a warning shock. If they persisted, they would be dyed barf green and receive another, slightly stronger shock. If they continued, they would face a severe shock requiring medical attention.
Crystal thought it might be a bit excessive, but the trunk’s security was reassuring. It was also fireproof and could shrink or grow at will. Although it was quite expensive, she paid the price, wanting to ensure her belongings would be safe from theft and damage.
After getting her trunk, she visited the apothecary to pick up her first-year potions kit. She also bought the best dragon-hide gloves available but was dismayed to learn she needed a pewter cauldron. Hadn't anyone heard of lead poisoning?
Crystal refused to buy a pewter cauldron and resolved to ask the Goblins if they knew of a place where she could get one that wouldn't pose a health risk. If pewter was used for cauldrons, she dreaded to think what they used for pipes. Lead pipes would be a surefire way to get sick! She would need to carry a water bottle to avoid potential contamination. Wizards, she decided, were quite mad.
She shook her head and picked up the crystal vials she needed, but she bypassed the brass scales, planning to find a better option later.
Next, she went to a telescope shop but was unimpressed with the magical telescopes. She bought one but decided to also get a Muggle telescope to see if it would work better.
Crystal decided to get her wand last. Instead of going to the wand shop, she headed to the bookstore. While browsing and pulling the books she needed from the shelves, she froze when she saw a set of children’s books being sold. Normally, this wouldn’t upset her, but the titles and a nearby sign claimed these books were true according to the owners.
The books were titled "Crystal Potter Adventure." She was furious. Who thought they could get away with this? She growled, grabbed one of the books, and paid at the counter.
She needed to calm down, so instead of going straight to the wand shop, she decided to visit the pet shop. As soon as she walked in, a snowy owl landed on her shoulder and began grooming her hair.
A cat ran up and started rubbing against her legs, leaving her surprised. One of the workers rushed over to apologize, but Crystal reassured them it was fine and had them ring up everything the owl and cat would need. The two animals seemed to soothe something deep inside her that she hadn’t realized was aching.
After paying for the animals and their supplies, she learned that the cat was a boy and the owl was a girl. She promised to give them wonderful names later when she got home.
As she looked at her new pets, she noticed that the cat had black fur with a white patch in the middle of its back that resembled a heart. Its eyes were two different colors—blue and green, the same shades her own eyes took on in ghost and human form.
Crystal wondered if that meant anything special. She then turned to the owl, which had pure snow-white feathers and amber-colored eyes that sparkled with intelligence. She gently ran her fingers over the owl's soft feathers.
After a few more moments, she headed to the wand store, having delayed her visit long enough.
As soon as she entered the store, she froze. The air felt as charged as it had when she first entered the Ghost Zone. Although it wasn’t as powerful, it was still very strong.
Distracted by the magical aura, she didn’t notice the old man approach from behind.
“Good afternoon, Miss Potter,” a raspy voice said from right behind her. She instinctively turned around and punched the person in the gut before kicking him away.
She froze when she realized she had just attacked an old man—likely the store owner. “Oh my god, I am so sorry!” She rushed over to check on him.
It wasn’t all her fault; who sneaks up on people like that without expecting a reaction?