The Vault of Memories
"Mom, are you hiding something from us?" Percy asked suddenly, while he and Harry were still rubbing their sore arms from the injections they had just received.
Sally smiled softly. Technically, she wasn't hiding anything from them, but she knew that around them, things had begun to happen that were far too strange to keep ignoring.
"Come on, I'll take you to a special place," she said calmly.
Both boys followed her to a fireplace in the hospital's waiting room. Harry and Percy exchanged a confused look when they saw their mother leading them to stand right inside the fireplace itself.
Then Sally took a small handful of powder, let it fall downward, and clearly spoke a name. In that instant, a green glow enveloped them, a cloud of ash swirled around, and a slight dizziness shook them. When they opened their eyes, they were no longer in the hospital.
Before them stretched a bar packed with strange, noisy people.
Harry was the first to react, his eyes wide. That place wasn't completely unfamiliar to him… he had seen it before, though only in dreams.
"The Leaky Cauldron," he murmured in awe.
Percy, upon hearing his brother, looked around in disbelief. Some customers drank and laughed like in any common tavern, but others were absorbed in impossible acts: quills writing by themselves, mugs refilling with magic, objects floating as if it were the most natural thing. He even saw a group of wizards practicing with wands while holding an open book, casting spells on cups before them.
If at the hospital they could still believe it was just a collection of oddities, like a freak show, here there was no room for doubt. It was real magic, alive and tangible right before their eyes.
Sally, with a calm smile, took their hands and led them to the back of the bar. There she drew out her white wand—the one she had bought some time ago—and tapped a brick three times.
Then, to the children's incredulous eyes, the wall began to open, unfolding like a portal to another world.
Both of them gasped.
On the other side was a street brimming with life: wizards and witches strolling casually, shopping; owls carrying packages fluttering overhead; sparks bursting like miniature fireworks. Rows of shops offered goods so fantastic they seemed plucked straight from their bedtime stories.
Harry and Percy stood in awe before Diagon Alley.
Even Harry, who had dreamed of it, couldn't compare it to the reality. Dreaming of a strange place was one thing, like when you dream your house is infested with goblins without it meaning it's real. But now, seeing it before him, he understood his dreams hadn't been simple illusions.
"So, how about that ice cream?" said Sally with a playful smile, as if she had just pulled off the best prank, giving back some of the surprises they so often gave her with their mischief.
The two turned to look at her, then at each other.
"Looks like we are special after all, Harry," Percy said, his smile growing wider and wider. "We just got the meaning wrong."
…
The boys ran from one place to another, their excitement contagious to everyone around them. Sally walked quickly behind them, trying to keep up.
Harry stopped, fascinated, in front of a shop displaying brooms with animated images of wizards flying. His eyes gleamed with interest as he realized they were real flying brooms.
Percy, on the other hand, approached a window where quills moved on their own, writing on parchment. When he realized they were designed to do homework, he quickly stepped back and kept exploring until he reached the pet shop. There he found the strangest creatures: some with long necks and enormous eyes, others that looked like nothing more than furry balls with eyes stuck in them. There were also cats and dogs, though with oddly colored coats or tongues far too long to be normal.
Finally, Sally bought each of them an ice cream, and the three sat on a bench, watching the busy crowd. They saw a woman with piles of luggage who, with a simple flick of her wand, made it all float behind her; a wizard stepping out of a shop and vanishing in an instant as if sucked into the air; others arriving on brooms, landing right among the people; and, inside a nearby establishment, several magical cooks stirring cauldrons that let out smoke of every color.
"Mom… tell us the truth already," Percy asked, his eyes still full of wonder.
Sally, sitting between them, looked at them tenderly before answering in a gentle voice:
"This is the wizarding world. It's been hidden in plain sight all this time. And apparently, within your genes lies a magical heritage that makes you part of it."
She fell silent, saving the other part of the truth for when the time really came to speak of their roots.
"So, you too?" Harry asked.
"No. Not me. You inherited it from your parents, Harry. And Percy got it from his father," Sally explained with a calm smile.
"We're part of this world," Harry murmured, a warm emotion igniting in his chest as he looked at the people around them.
Percy was excited too, though he didn't feel the same immediate bond Harry did. Still, he was equally fascinated by everything they had just discovered.
…
"This is Gringotts," said Harry, stopping before the imposing building that had appeared so many times in his dreams.
"That's right. If you saw it in your dreams, maybe we should find out why. You said you had a vault here… maybe it's something your parents left you," Sally remarked, watching her son closely.
In that moment, Harry's eyes glimmered briefly.
Meanwhile, one of the guards stationed at Gringotts' entrance fixed his gaze on Sally. It was the same goblin who had helped her once before.
"Oh… looks like you came back. Did you find more of that gold?" he asked, a glimmer of interest in his eyes.
"No, not this time. I just came to bring my son. Apparently, he has a vault here," Sally replied quickly.
The goblin frowned. His gaze first shifted to Percy. He observed him intently, as if perceiving something deep within the child, and his eyes widened slightly before shaking his head. Then, he fixed his eyes on Harry, who was wearing a cap to cover his scar. The goblin repeated that same inquisitive expression, but at the last second, his eyes focused exactly where the scar should have been, studying it with particular attention.
"Mmm," he murmured softly. Then he turned his head toward one of the guards. "Watch the entrance."
The other goblin nodded nervously, and the first one gestured to Sally and the children.
"Follow me," he ordered, moving into the bank.
The moment they stepped inside, Harry and Percy couldn't contain their fascination. Their eyes darted restlessly, watching every goblin behind the desks, their stern and grumpy faces busy counting gold or writing endless scrolls.
The goblin led them to the back, where metallic tracks stretched out. Without a word, he took a lamp from the hands of another goblin guarding the area and climbed into a mine cart.
"Get in," he instructed.
Sally helped them sit, and at once the cart shot forward at full speed through the underground tunnels. Cold air struck their faces, and Harry and Percy couldn't hold back their laughter and shouts of excitement, as if it were the greatest roller coaster in the world. They passed through a waterfall that poured over them like an icy veil, drenching them from head to toe.
The goblin, however, never took his eyes off the two children. And when both touched the water, his gaze hardened, as if confirming something he had expected. Finally, he nodded silently, an expression of understanding crossing his face.
The cart stopped in front of a corridor guarded by an imposing iron door with magical locks.
"The key," the goblin said, extending his hand toward Sally.
"Ah… I'm sorry. We don't have any key. We didn't even know we needed one. We've never seen anything like this," Sally admitted with slight embarrassment.
"Hmph, I figured as much," the goblin replied without surprise. Then he approached Harry with a serious gesture.
Harry took a step back, but the goblin firmly took his hand and placed it against his own.
"Boy, do you give me permission to create a copy of your key to open your vault? In exchange for 100 gold galleons," he asked solemnly, looking him directly in the eyes.
Harry lifted his gaze to his mother. Sally watched him for a moment, confused, then nodded gently.
"Yes," Harry said.
In that very instant, he felt a tingling in his palm. The goblin raised his hand and revealed a golden key, carved with intricate patterns, with the number 2 engraved in its center.
"Normally this requires more paperwork and time… but that's the advantage of being the head of this place," he said calmly, taking the key from Harry's hand. Then he smirked ironically. "Although, just so you know, usually it only costs a single galleon."
He inserted the key into the lock, and they all heard the bolts begin to turn and release one by one. Finally, the door opened with a heavy creak.
"You may enter. You'll only be able to withdraw certain items stipulated until the boy turns eleven. They'll explain it better to you when the time comes," added the goblin, walking back toward the cart as if nothing had happened.
Sally, intrigued, stepped into the vault accompanied by Harry and Percy. The moment they crossed the threshold, the children's eyes widened.
Piles of gold gleamed in a corner, shelves filled with ancient books lined the walls, and several solemn paintings hung in place.
Harry and Percy looked at each other in disbelief. They didn't know the real value of all this, but the mere sight of the gold was dazzling.
Percy immediately ran to a golden sword resting on a table. He held it in awe, though he noticed it wasn't sharp. Harry, on the other hand, approached the paintings. The first showed two elderly people posing with a gentle smile. Then his eyes stopped at a smaller one: a red-haired woman and a bespectacled man holding a baby in their arms, gazing at him with deep love.
Harry's heart skipped a beat. He knew, without a doubt, who they were. His parents.
He slowly stepped closer, watching how the image moved. His father laughed happily, while his mother cradled him, softly singing what seemed to be a lullaby. A tear rolled down Harry's cheek as he reached out a trembling hand toward the painting.
"Well… that's the same smile James had when he was a boy, isn't it?" said a male voice suddenly, startling Harry.
Sally immediately turned, hurrying toward him, while Percy gripped the golden sword tighter, ready to defend.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Don't worry, I'm not dangerous. Well… a dangerous person might also say that," the voice added with a hint of humor.
Everyone's attention turned to the largest painting. There, an elderly man with glasses and a kind smile was watching them from the canvas. Beside him, a woman of the same age looked at Harry with tears shining in her eyes, unable to utter a word.
"Hello, Harry. Technically… we're your paternal grandparents," the man said, giving the woman a gentle pat on the shoulder as she continued crying with joy at finally seeing her grandson.