UNLIKE THE OUTSIDE of the white big building of Gringotts, the inside was dim and scary. Wendy was not sure if their mode of transportation was the safest, and at that moment she preferred to apparate and its deeply weird feeling over the carts with no seatbelt. With a long hesitation, she got in with Dumbledore and the creature, Wendy understood to be a goblin; behind them there was another cart with two other goblins, which names Wendy didn't really catch.
"These goblins really care about security, don't they?" She whispered to Dumbledore receiving a look from one of them. Apparently, their long ears were useful.
"One must protect what they value most." He simply said.
After a long bumpy ride, that did shame to all the scary roller coasters Wendy has been to, they finally reached a platform. It was dark and the only light came from the two lanterns that they brought from the carts.
Dumbledore cleared his voice, "Wendy, before we proceed—" he quietly said, "remember that you are totally safe until I'm here with you, okay? I won't let any harm come to you."
His words brought shivers down Wendy's spine as she was unaware of what was to come. So his reassurance just worsened her feelings.
She looked around, following closely behind Professor Dumbledore. A man who, just a few hours before that, she believed to be fictional. She didn't know if she could trust him, as this all could still be just a joke or part of her imagination; yet, she was not there to risk anything and act reckless.
The three goblins in suits started to wave around their Clankers, surprising the gitters out of Wendy. But that was soon to be forgotten when the outline from the two lanterns drew the form of a vicious white dragon. Wendy felt all her breath leave out of her mouth followed by a screeching scream.
Dumbledore was soon beside her, "Wendy," he called her gently putting his hands on each little shoulders, "it's okay, he won't hurt you. You just have to move."
Wendy couldn't move her gaze from the creature, much less move any other part of her body. But as soon as the dragon was retreating she noticed the scars the creature had on its body. Such terrifying and majestic creature reduced to a small corner, trying to protect itself like a small puppy. Wendy immediately felt bad, but there was nothing she could have done for it. She followed the professor, still with her eyes fixed on the giant, until it was out of sight and the sound of metal against metal was gone.
They were in a narrow corridor that gave to a big and weird looking door. They approached it and two of the goblins placed their hands on the door, starting a reaction, that Wendy could only explain by biometrics.
"I thought wizards were a bit antique, but you guys have biometrics for your banks." She tried to wave off the feeling of fear with some jokes.
The door finally opened revealing a big shining room full of antiques and golds. Wendy was quite mesmerized, but she soon remembered Aladin's story. She should take only was she's here for. She looked at Dumbledore who, in turn, was frowning.
"I don't have enough money to exchange for any of these, I think." She said worryingly.
She had a credit card in her bag, and with that, she may have gotten enough money; but perhaps this bank wouldn't take a modern, yet to exist, credit card.
He slowly looked back at her, not sure of how to break it down to her. Maybe he was taking a bit too long, since one of the goblins, the Head Goblin, talked first.
"I don't think you know quite what is happening, Miss Wendy Moira Angela Stone." He started, "This already is yours."
"But isn't it a bit too much for someone who just started?" She asked timidly.
"Wendy," Dumbledore said, "Gringotts is a place made to safeguard the valuables of wizards. They keep safe the trasures even after the owner's death and, like muggle's wills, will be transferred to the nearest kin."
"Are you trying to say that I have a family member that was a wizard?"
Dumbledore looked up to the farthest wall from them, squinted his eyes and frowned once again. Wendy followed his gaze but could only see little among the mess of the golds in that room. However, something did catch her eye; a piece of wood beautifully displayed on the wall, what would seem to be a wand, the sorts she saw the other wizards bring around. Although, this one looked to be quite old. From afar all she could distinguish was the dark wood used for the wand, so dark it could have been black. Like the carbon left when fire was out.
"Wendy Moira Angela Stone." Dumbledore whispered for himself.
"So are you going to withdraw anything? We can't keep these doors open for too long—we have rules and protocols." A sickly voice spoke; one of the goblins that opened the vault.
"Uhm, yes—" Wendy looked at Dumbledore, "How much should I get?"
Dumbledore shook his thoughts away and smiled at the girl, "100 galleons—just to be sure."
Wendy nodded and turned to the piles of gold searching for what galleons were, she moved towards one of the looking coins that were there, but she stopped herself and moved towards another pile. The goblins grunted in frustration; one of them, although being just human arms length away from the pile, walked with heavy footsteps towards it to get exactly 100 galleons.
"Oh—right— thank you." Wendy said embarrassed as she got the bag of coins the Goblin assisted her to.
They all left the depths of Gringotts and Wendy and Dumbledore finally walked out with a sack full of coins ready to get the necessaries, and to start, nowhere less than Ollivander's. Every wizard's first wand comes from Ollivander's and, although normally everyone was 11 when they got theirs, Wendy stepped into the store for the first time at age 29—or 13, for what people could see from outside.
"Well hello?" An old man said from inside the store as soon as the bell rang, "wasn't expecting anyone to come by today, is there something wrong with you wand Mr. Dumbledore?"
"No, everything is alright with mine, but the young lady with me, not quite."
Wendy walked out from behind Dumbledore, where she was hiding, "I don't seem to have one, sir."
"Oh." He simply said looking at her, he nodded knowingly and partly to shake off his thoughts away, "well, we should change that."
He bolted towards the back of the store to get one or two long boxes. He came back with three different ones, not sure which one would suit best for the unusual girl.
"Here—try this one." He said handing it to the girl.
Wendy looked at the box placed in front of her, it was a beautiful wand, black and quite long, it had a simple smooth looking design over what seemed to be the handle, and so Wendy grabbed that part. She was a bit confused of what to do but she quickly remembered the movies and flicked the wand, following Harry's lead. Books and papers started to levitate, nothing disastrous, but it was enough of a shock for Wendy to let go of the wand.
"Okay, not bad, maybe don't let go of it."
"I'm s-sorry, I got nervous." She admitted.
Ollivander got the wand from the floor and placed it back to its box, "That's quite alright. Want to try again?"
She nodded and picked the next wand, which was soft brown, reminded her of the wooden armchair her grandma had on her porch back at Birmingham. She held it tightly, making sure she didn't drop it. Little sparks came out of its tip and started flying around her, nearly bringing fire to the paper that were now on the floor because of the previous wand. She quickly put down the wand, not wanting to burn the whole shop down and whispered an apology.
Ollivander looked up at the girl and sighed. All these wands were quite the job and he was sure they would be good enough. But this girl was quite a unique type—she required something unique too. So he went back into the back of the shop, looking for what he had in mind when he found it. Old and dusty, not touched in years in fear of actually finding the right person for it. But he knew that he must face the truth. Every wand belonged to someone, and this one has been sitting down for far too long.
"Incredible things wands are." Ollivander said extracting the box from its place and taking off the dust from its top. "They always know which one is their partner. This one was a tricky one—it was my first work—it was uncommonly picky and whenever I proposed a wizard or a witch to it it nearly destroyed Diagon Ally with a simple flick. That is when I learned, at great expense, how important it is to listen to the wands' will first."
Wendy glanced at the box he held out shakily; not sure if it was because of his old age or his own fear, but Wendy understood it. She didn't want to try that wand as, from the story just told, seemed to be a dangerous wand. But when Ollivander opened the box she found the most beautiful wand she has ever seen. Upon the reveal professor Dumbledore could not help but look astonished and glanced at Garrick Ollivander.
When Dumbledore saw an impossible and never seen before work Wendy only saw fine work of details on the dark brown wood. Carvings of spirals that started from the bottom of the wand and faded towards the tip, elegantly.
"This was my first work after my father's death. He tragically left me and my brother, and in his—I want to say honour but I'm not sure exactly what I created—I made this."
"Well—it's beautiful." Wendy admired, "may I?"
Ollivander could only nod once. Wendy gently lifted the wand and gave a look at it. Before she could even flick the wand to try it out lights brighten up, winds cooled down in the closed space they were in, and echoes of distant songs joined together to celebrate this new pair. A witch and her wand.
The two watched the scene as it played out before them. Dumbledore could not help himself but speak, "Garrick, I don't th—"
"11 inches," he interrupted him.
"Quite bendable." He added as he came closer to a smiling Wendy.
"Blackthorn wood—gracious and strong." He placed a hand on her shoulder.
"And the hair of a magical creature only few have the chance to see."