Athena Potter "The Girl-Who-Lived" gone "Dark"

Chapter 3

Athena's POV

After I arrived at the leaky cauldron I noticed that the pub was really dark, and it smelled weird I could only make out a tiny bit of the smell of alcohol, I know that smell because Vernon would often go to the house drunk after he was in a bar because something happened at work, but usually after he got home from the bar he would be really drunk and would often punish me for being a freak, he would beat me up with his belt or he would just punch and kick me, I was used to it because he did that really often.

When I went towards the bartender who I assumed was Tom I asked, "Hello, sorry for interrupting but I was wondering if you could show me where Diagon alley is?" Tom stared at me for a few seconds before responding, "Of course dear, what's your name?" I think I was blushing from all the attention I was getting from the pub, but I answered anyways "I'm Athena Potter, sir." I noticed the pub go quiet I looked around and saw everyone staring at me, at first, I thought I had said something wrong but then I remembered what Stan told me while in the Knight Bus, so I just looked down to hide my embarrassment from everyone.

I heard people start cooing at me and saying how cute I was, I think Tom saw how I was getting uncomfortable with all the people there, "Follow me Ms. Potter I'll show you how to get to Diagon alley." I followed Tom towards an alley in the back of the pub, I heard him say, "Remember this combination for when you come back to the alley."

I made sure to remember it because I knew I had to come back. "Thanks Tom," he just smiled at me then went back inside the pub. I guess I should first go to the bank, Gringotts, I started walking when I saw a large building, it looked like it was made out of marble and it had a large dragon on top of it below the dragon it said "Gringotts", it also looked like the building was about to fall, maybe it was and it was held up by magic or they simply build it that way, When I entered a set of glass doors I saw a sign that said:

Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.

I shuddered a little after reading the message, but I put it in the back of my mind because after I walked through another set of doors I stared in awe at the place it had gold and diamonds, I also so some goblins? I don't really know but I think they are goblins. I walked up to one of the banks tellers so I could get some money, because I don't think my parents would've left me without any money.

"Good afternoon sir, I was wondering if I could get some money for my school supplies?" The goblin stared at me in shock at how respectful I was being to him but quickly hid it, "Good afternoon, my name is griphook do you have your key for your vault?" I stared confused at him because I didn't know I needed a key to get the money, "No, sorry sir was I supposed to have a key?" He stared at me again confused and a little bit calculating, "What's your name?" "My name's Athena Potter, sir."

He stared at me in shock, I was starting to get really irritated with how people would stare at me every time I said my name. He called another goblin and told him something in a language I didn't understand but I noticed how the other goblin started walking really fast, "Follow me please" said griphook, I followed him and didn't even bother to memorize my way because it was like a maze.

After a while, we stopped in front of a pair of gold doors, I saw griphook knock on the door and I heard a voice say, "Come in" We went in and griphook immediately bowed towards the goblin that was sitting on the other side of the desk, I quickly did the same because he looked as if he could be really important, and I didn't want to disrespect him.