The Cupboard Series 2: Hermione's Book Nook

Chapter 6

"Close the door behind you, Mister Potter and take a seat," the goblin instructed, indicating one of the two chairs in front of his desk.

"My name is Slipshard," he continued once Harry was seated, "and I have been the Potter Account Manager for the last forty-three years.

"Nice to meet you, Mr Slipshard," Harry said, rising slightly so that his outstretched hand could reach across the desk.

Slipshard cocked his head slightly and appeared bemused as he shook Harry's proffered hand.

"May I assume correctly that you have some questions about your finances?" Slipshard asked.

Harry nodded as he withdrew his father's letter and the folder that it came with from inside his cloak. "I found this yesterday in my Investment Vault and I was hoping that you could help me understand it all. I've never had any money that I've had to manage before, well, apart from my Education vault, but I only found out about that last year and I've only visited that once."

Taking the folder, Slipshard gave it a brief look over before piercing Harry once more with his penetrating gaze.

"This all looks in order," Slipshard stated, "it's the standard Investment Portfolio that all Potter fathers set up for their children to help them learn about finances and investment. You have a single building set aside for your use, along with the funds in the vault itself. The rest of these documents detail the instructions to Gringotts in the extremely unlikely event that you need the main Potter Vault to cover complete financial disaster. Not that any Potter has ever needed that clause."

Harry sighed and dropped his head. "Reckon that I'll be the first then."

A low growl accompanied by a thump on the desk snapped Harry's head up.

"No. That will not happen," Slipshard stated emphatically. "You are a Potter and I, your Account Manager, will not see a Potter fail." Suddenly, his tone softened. "I will need you to tell me why it is that you think that you will fail in this task so that we can work to mitigate that outcome."

"As I said, Mister Slipshard, I don't know anything about finances. I've never had to look after money before and no-one's ever taught me anything about money. I just know that whatever decisions I make will be the wrong ones."

Slipshard leant back in his chair, his head cocked to one side as he studied him. The longer that the gaze lasted, the more nervous Harry became. Finally, Slipshard leant forward once more. His hand shot out to wave over a particular part of his desk before he spoke in a language that Harry didn't understand, before he once more waved his hand over that part of the desk.

"You know your limitations, Harry Potter, and that is good," Slipshard stated. "What you and I need to do is to take those limitations and eliminate them."

Harry nodded, unsure exactly what Slipshard had in mind, but liking the general notion.

"Can ... can you teach me about money and how to invest like my dad wanted me to?" Harry asked.

Once more that strange tilt of the head was back. "Certainly, Mister Potter, that is indeed what I had in mind. I must say, that you are indeed one unique wizard."

Harry's eyes closed as he fought a sigh of frustration. It seemed that even among the goblins, that Boy-Who-Lived nonsense was prevalent.

"There's nothing special about me," he insisted, "I'm just Harry."

"No, Mister Potter, you are indeed special, just like your father and his father before him," Slipshard retorted. "You treat me not just as an equal, but as a better. That is very unusual in a wizard. And I have heard the same from the tellers that you have encountered. Most wizards treat goblins as little better than something that they stepped in. I thank you for that. It is most refreshing."