Harry nodded. Professor McGonagall counted a pattern on the wall with her wand and then tapped a certain stone in the wall three times with her wand. To Harry's surprise the bricks in the wall shuffled away and created a stone arch. On the other side there was a big alley, brimming with people, housing shops of every kind. Harry wished he had a few more eyes to take it all in. He followed Professor McGonagall again and looked left and right. There were shops for all kind of things. Cauldrons, an apothecary, a shop that sold owls, a book store, some clothes stores, he was sure he overlooked some others on the way. Well, he would have time to inspect everything later. In the distance he saw a big, white marble building. Seemingly they were headed there. Professor McGonagall stopped a short distance away from it.
"We are now going to Gringotts. It's the wizarding bank as I told you and is run by goblins. Never insult a goblin. They are smart, cunning and utterly resentful. Treat them with respect, but don't give an inch. Goblins are different than humans. They are a race whose culture is based on making profit, honour and strength." She explained.
Harry nodded. He would observe and collect information before he would start business transactions. They entered through the big doors on top of a set of marble stairs. Harry was interested in the poem that was engraved on top of the doors.
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,
If you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
'So the goblins are going to be vicious if anybody would try to rob them. I will need more information on their culture. Probably it would be best to get more than one opinion.' Harry thought.
Professor McGonagall went to one of the tellers that was free and waited until he looked up.
"Yes?" He asked with a sneer.
"I am escorting Harry Potter to see his trust vault. Here is his key." She said and handed the goblin a small golden key.
The goblin inspected the key.
"This seems to be in order. Somebody will take you down there." He said and handed the key back to Professor McGonagall. "Griphook." He called out.
Another goblin appeared behind the teller.
"Griphook will take you down to Mr Potter's vault." The goblin said.
"Thanks." Professor McGonagall said.
.....
She and Harry followed the goblin called Griphook to a side door, which led to a narrow stone corridor, which was lit with torches. They reached a room with little railway tracks and Griphook whistled. Immediately a small cart came hurtling down the tracks towards them. They climbed in and were off. The hurtled through a maze with incredible speed. Harry lost track of the route after a few changes of direction. He could make out some stalactites and stalagmites and once he thought he had seen fire. He pondered what kinds of protections would be there to protect the treasure the goblins kept for the wizards. Finally they stopped besides a small door in the passage wall.
"Vault six hundred and eighty seven, Potter trust vault." Griphook announced and climbed out of the cart, followed by Professor McGonagall and Harry. Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Harry couldn't help but gasp. Inside were mounds of gold coins, columns of silver, heaps of little bronze coins.
"Griphook, I would like to know how much money is in this vault?" Harry asked.
"Wait a moment, Mr Potter." The goblin said. "Currently the balance in this vault is three thousand galleons in total, which is divided in two thousand five hundred galleons, six thousand eight hundred sickles and forty nine thousand three hundred knuts." Griphook said.
Harry quickly did the maths.
"So seventeen sickles make a galleon and twenty nine knuts make a sickle. What is the current exchange rate between galleons and Pound Sterling so I get an idea how much this is in a currency I am used to?" Harry asked.
Obviously Griphook was impressed with the quick mind of the young wizard.
"The current exchange rate is set by the Ministry of Magic at five pounds to a galleon." Griphook said.
Harry got the underlying message that the goblins were not that fond of the exchange rate. But for him that meant he had the equivalent of fifteen thousand pounds at his disposal for now. He didn't know yet what was in the main family vault.
"As this is my trust vault, which type is it? I know of three types. Type one is a fix amount of money that will have to last me until I get access to the main vault, type two is a refilling type that returns the balance of the vault back to the starting amount on a fixed date and type three would add a certain amount either monthly or yearly." Harry asked Griphook.
Professor McGonagall was very impressed. Obviously Harry knew a lot about money and finances.
"It's a type two. The maximal amount in this vault is three thousand galleons. The date of return to that amount is the thirty first of July, your birthday." Griphook answered.
"Is there a way to keep informed about my finances on a regular basis and if it is, how much would it cost?" Harry asked. He had learned to always ask for the cost of things.
Griphook gave Harry an eerie grin. This was not your normal stupid wizard. This one obviously knew something about Financial Management.
"You can sign up for a ledger that is self-updating. It's a fee of fifteen galleons a year. The other possibility are quarterly statements by owl post for one galleon a year." Griphook said.
"What are the advantages of the ledger? I assume that there is a reason for the massive difference in the fee." Harry wanted to know.
"Yes, there is a difference. It would probably be best if you made an appointment with Corpnik, the account manager for the Potter family. He will be able to answer you all the questions you have and inform you about investments and other services Gringotts offers." Griphook informed him.
"I will do that. What kinds of methods for safe transport of money are there? It would hardly do to run around with a big bag of coins. The possibilities to be robbed are too big." Harry asked.