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Both Sides	By : ccino49 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 10429 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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I do not own any of the characters or places from the Harry Potter books or films. They all belong to J.K. Rowling. All that is mine is Lou and the plot. I am not making any money from the writing of this story.

Both Sides.

Unbeta�d. All spelling and grammatical errors are mine. Plus any mathematical ones in this chapter. LOL
CH 24 Validus

They carried on down Diagon Alley, Lou keeping up this time until they stopped outside a tall white building.
It looked wonky to Lou as she stared up at it. They climbed white marble steps to a set of burnished bronze doors. They too were tall and led to a second set of doors, silver this time, with writing on them.

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

�Wow.� Lou exclaimed when she�d read the inscription. Then she saw the two short dark skinned creatures guarding the doors. �Err, are they elf�s Professor?�
�They are goblins, not a creature to be messed with I assure you. Gringott�s�s is run by goblins, not the most friendliest of creatures, so stay close.�
The goblins threw the doors wide, admitting them into a large hall with long counters. Behind the counters sat hundreds of goblins, all hard at work, counting coins, weighing precious gems, writing in ledgers and such like.

Others stood guarding the many doors that also lined the walls.
Lou stared open mouthed at the goblins, the gemstones and the piles of money that seemed to be heaped on every counter. �Are they real?� She nudged Severus.
�Of course, come on.� He led her to the high counter where Albus was already in discussion with a particularly gnarled old goblin.
When he turned his eyes to Lou, she shrank back and hid behind Severus, peeping round to see if he�d stopped watching her. He hadn�t, he was staring right at her.
�Severus.� She whispered, tugging on his robes. �He�s looking at me.�
�What do you expect? He is waiting for you to step up to the counter and speak with him.�
�I don�t want to, why me?�
�Because it is your vaults we are here about, now go on.� He placed a hand between her shoulders and moved her forward.
She gulped and looked up at the goblin, who in turn narrowed his eyes at her. She tried to take a step back but Severus� hand was still on her back and he didn�t let her.

�Hi.� She greeted the goblin with a little wave, hoping he might be a bit friendlier.
Instead he gave her a superior look and turned back to Albus.

�You have the keys?� He asked the Headmaster.
�I have the Black vault keys, Professor Snape has the Nilsen key I believe.�

�Good. There is also a high security vault under the name of Nilsen. I�ll have someone take you down. A blood let will be required from Miss

Black for the high security vault.�

Lou�s eyes widened and she turned to Severus. �Blood let?� She mouthed silently.
He merely smirked as another goblin beckoned them towards one of the many doors.
Through there they walked along a narrow stone cavern, it sloped down steeply and Lou found it difficult to walk with her bad leg. The torches didn�t seem to give off much light either.

Eventually they stopped at a set of tracks and a small cart trundled in their direction.
�Everybody in.� the goblin said.

Albus sat up front with the goblin and Lou climbed in next to Severus.
�What happens noooow. Whooo hooo. This is nearly as good as the broom. Wheeeee. Ooooh. Hey, I love this.� She shouted, screamed and whooped as they flew round hairpin bends and up and down steep inclines, deep into the bowels of the earth, then came to an abrupt halt.
Severus decided if she was like this on the return trip he would clamp his hand over her mouth.
�Vault 711. Sirius Black, now the property of Lady Louhi Melaina Nilsen-Black. Key please.�
Severus passed the key and the goblin opened the vault.
�In you go.� Severus told her.
Lou stuck her head a little way into the door and pulled it out again. �I�m not going in there on my own.�
The two wizards followed her inside. �Oh my God. Will you look at it all.� She breathed. Lou had never seen so much gold before. In fact Lou had never seen any gold before, apart from when Severus showed her a Galleon. �How much of this is mine?�

�All of it.� Severus told her, a slight smirk on his face.
�All �all of it? Oh. Oh. Can I have some? Now I mean?�
Severus rolled his eyes and passed her one of the bags set on a small table for the purpose of collecting the coins, as Albus chuckled merrily at her.
Lou hurriedly filled the bag to overflowing and looked up at the two wizards. �Will one be enough do you think, or should I get another?�
�One is more than enough. Come on, we have several more vaults to examine.�
Lou clutched the back tightly to her chest as they climbed back into the cart. She was surprised how light it was, considering how full it was. �How much do you think is in here?�

�I have no idea, but certainly more than you will be able to spend in a year.� Severus said dryly.
�Vault 693. Black family vault. Now the property of Lady Louhi Melaina Nilsen-Black.� The goblin told them as they stopped outside another vault. �Key please.�
Albus passed the second key in his possession, a gold one this time, to the goblin.
This vault was slightly bigger than the first. It also had piles of Galleons, as well as several trunks, what seemed to be items of furniture covered in dust sheets, and various small chests and fancy boxes set on tables around the room.
Lou walked in and started opening the small chests, wondering what was inside. She got a nasty shock when the second one let out an ear piercing scream and she slammed the lid down. �Bugger.� She muttered, her heart beating frantically. �Did you see that?� She asked, turning to find Severus standing directly behind her.

�I saw and heard, I also heard your response. Do not let it happen again. Leave the boxes, the next one may be fatal.�
�Sorry.� She said quietly, her cheeks burning. Lou didn�t take anything from the Black family vault.
�Vault 287. Orvokki Nilsen. Now the property of Lady Louhi Melaina Nilsen-Black.�
Lou scowled at the goblin and turned to Albus. �Does he have to keep saying my full name like that?�
�Unfortunately yes. The vault must recognise you, the only way for that to happen, is for the goblin to announce the change of ownership. Whenever you return, it will not be necessary.�
This vault was twice the size of the last one. It had enormous piles of Galleons, plus trunks, chests, cabinets crammed full of various items. Lou spied something sitting on top of one of the chests and moved closer to look. It looked like a photograph album and she desperately wanted to open it, but she was afraid. Not because she thought it would explode or curse her, but because it might have a picture of her mum, and she wasn�t sure if she could handle it right now.
From behind, Severus reached over and picked it up. He reduced it and put it in his pocket. �For when you are ready.� He told her kindly, and walked out of the vault.

She rummaged about for a while, picking up several books, odd bits and pieces, a small silver trinket box and made her way to the cart. �Can I take these too?� She asked, her arms full of the items she couldn�t fit in her own pockets.
Severus nodded, reduced them and they joined the album in his pocket.
�Vaults 464 and 465. Nilsen family vaults. Now the property of Lady Louhi Melaina Nilsen-Black.�
At the first one, the goblin ran a finger down the length of the door and it simply faded into nothing, revealing a treasure trove of Galleons, piles of gemstones, rubies, emeralds, diamonds of various colours and sizes, and sapphires. Plus several others she didn�t recognise. Lou picked up a large gem that shone in a multitude of colours. �I like this one, look at it Severus, the colours, look. What is it?�

The goblin told her it was rainbow topaz. Not particularly valuable, but rare because of it�s size and clarity.
She replaced it with several smaller versions of the same stone before plonking her backside on the floor. �All this. I�ve spent my life with nothing, scrimping and saving, working and begging for every penny I ever got, and all the time this was here, waiting for me. It�s not fair. And now it�s too much, far too much. What am I supposed to do with it all?�
�Lou you don�t have to do anything with it if you do not wish to. Most of it has been here a long time, you do not even have to touch it if you don�t want to.� Albus told her. �You have one more vault to look at and then we can go and retrieve your owl. Then you can forget about all of this until you are ready to deal with it. At least from now on, you know that you will never have to go without, you are very fortunate.�
She nodded and they headed for the final vault.
�I shall need a blood let before you can access the vault.� The goblin told Lou.
�Err, no. It�s alright thanks, I think I�ve seen enough.�
�The vault needs to recognise you. It requires only one drop of blood on this occasion, it will not be necessary again.� He told her, holding out a small gold knife.
She took the knife, scrutinising the sharp edge.

�You do it.� She told Severus. �I can�t.� She screwed her eyes tight shut and held out her finger.
As soon as he took hold of her hand she pulled it away sharply, opening one eye and peering at him.
�Sorry.� Shutting her eyes tight again, she held her hand out.
This time he held on tight and though she tried to pull away, she couldn�t.
�Ow. Ow.� She wailed.
�I haven�t done anything yet.� He growled.
�Oh. Well hurry up, otherwise I �Owww. That hurt.�
He raised an eyebrow and held her finger in the goblins direction, who in turn indicated a small hole in the vault door and Severus moved to place Lou�s barely bleeding finger inside.
�No.� She snapped. �Nonono. Anything could be in it. It might �I dunno, bite �or something.�
Severus gave an impatient sigh and forced her finger into the hole for only as long as it took for one drop of blood to fall.
As soon as he released her, she examined her finger, making sure it was still intact.

�Pillock.� She muttered under her breath.
Severus cuffed her gently across the side of the head.
The vault door disappeared and Lou stepped in first, followed by Severus and Albus.
This vault, the largest of them all, contained stacks of gold, silver and bronze coins. This time though the stacks were higher than Lou was tall, the piles of gemstones, taller than Severus. So much of so many things that Lou couldn�t take it in. Her leg was throbbing like crazy, her head felt woozy and she swayed as she tried to take it all in.
Severus noticed and immediately conjured a chair.

�Lou, what�s wrong?� He asked, easing her down onto the chair.
�Too much. Leg hurts. All this, it�s too much Severus.� Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a phial and passed it to her.
She drank it down.

�Thanks. You know, I�d give it all up in a second, if I could have ��
�What?� Severus said.
�If �just one of them, mum, or dad. Someone who cared, who loved me.�

Her voice was raw, empty when she spoke and Severus was unsure of what to do, what to say.
�I know, but unfortunately we cannot change what is Lou, you have said so yourself. If I could �no matter. Would you like to leave now?�

She nodded and he helped her to her feet, vanished the chair and cleared his throat to get the Headmasters attention.
Her leg felt fine now, but he kept hold of her arm as she was trembling slightly. The strain of what she�d seen this morning now telling on her, making her unsteady on her feet.
Once back in the main hall of Gringott�s, they were escorted through another door, and seated in front of a desk with yet another goblin behind it.
�Lady Nilsen-Black, I have ready your account details. Would you care to know the full value of your worth, now that you are legal owner of vaults, 711, 693,287,464 and 465?�
Lou said nothing and looked to Severus. He squeezed her hand reassuringly and nodded.
�Okay.� She told the goblin.
�Very well.�

Vault 711. 784,175 Galleons. 14,591 Sickles. 9,463 Knutts.

Vault 693. 14,825,218 Galleons. 93,726 Sickles. 67 Knutts.

Vault 287. 7,863,555,781 Galleons. 847,354 Sickles. 19,715 Knutts.

Vault 464. 14,287,574,751 Galleons. 41,574 Sickles. 27,009 Knutts.

Vault 465. 285,346,710,984 Galleons. 42,888 Sickles. 426 Knutts.
Sub-Total. 307,513,450,909 Galleons. 1,040,133 Sickles. 56,680 Knutts.
Grand Total. 307,513,512,208 Galleons. 23 Sickles. 04 Knutts.

�The final figure takes into account the 752 Galleons you have already removed from vault 711. This figure does not include the value of any gemstones, jewellery, estates or land holdings, nor any other personal effects contained with these vaults. Should you decide you wish to rid yourself of the various gemstones, Gringott�s will offer you the best prices around since they are all high quality cut stones. The price for your diamonds alone, I dare say will more than quadruple your present balance. Is everything to your satisfaction Lady Nilsen-Black?�
Lou hit the floor with a dull thud, taking Severus and Albus by surprise.

Both had been so engrossed with the figures the goblin was spewing forth that they didn�t notice Lou pass out with shock until she hit the floor.
The goblin snapped his fingers as Severus picked up Lou. Immediately a small army of goblins arrived with a couch, a glass of water and a tray of tea and biscuits.
Severus carried her to the couch and laid her down while one of the goblins bought over the water.
Lou whimpered as she came round, wondering what on earth had happened. �Severus, what ��

�Shh.� He told her. �You fainted, it was a bit of a shock. How do you feel?�
�Cra �awful. Did I really faint?�

�Considering you hit the floor like a lead balloon, I would say so. You also have a wonderful bruise on your forehead.�
�Oh I feel like an idiot.�
He smirked and nodded as she sat up.
�Well you don�t need to gloat about it. Did I hear right, about the galleons?�

�You most certainly did. A little more than the thousand you were expecting.�
�Your not kidding. What�s a Galleon in pounds?�
��5.� One of the goblins chirped up as he walked from the room.
�Severus, let me see that paper with the numbers on it.�

He passed her the account parchment and watched as Lou closed her eyes. Her lips moved minutely for a few seconds and then her eyes opened wide and crossed.

�Do you know how much that is where I come from?� She gasped.
�Considering you come from the wizarding world, I would say it comes to the figure stated here.�
�No, I mean muggle money. Pounds. �1,537,567,561,046. Oh and 81 pence.�
�You have just worked that out?� He asked her, astounded.
�Yeah, maths was always my best subject.�
Meanwhile, a goblin was furiously totting up numbers on a piece of parchment. It took him eleven minutes to come up with the same answer as Lou. �The young lady is correct Sir, to the penny. Or Knutt if you prefer.�
�You are a mathematical genius Louhi.� Albus told her. �You will certainly excel at arithmancy when you begin at Hogwarts. I think Professor Vector will be overjoyed of you decide to take her classes.�
The goblins left them alone in the office, giving Lou time to recover as they drank tea, ate the biscuits and talked about the contents of the vaults.
�Can I have some of it put in a normal bank, you know, a muggle one so I�ve got pounds and pence?�
�If you wish, I am sure the goblins will arrange that for you immediately.�

As if on cue, a knock sounded on the door and a goblin entered. �Are you feeling better Lady Nilsen-Black?�

�Much, thank you. I want to put some of this money in a muggle bank, pounds instead of Galleons.�
�Certainly, and how much would you like transferring?�
�Just put the last eight figures in the Galleon total in the muggle bank, it�ll be more than enough.�

�Enough for what?� Severus asked.
�No idea, I�ll just feel better if I have a normal bank account, something familiar to me.�
�Very well, that will give you ��He sat scribbling down figures.
��67,561,040.� Lou told him. �Wow that�s a lot.�
The goblin finally looked up from his desk. �You are correct once again. Should you ever feel the need to seek employment Lady Nilsen-Black, there will always be an opening for you at Gringott�s.�
Lou flushed with pleasure. �Thanks, I�ll remember that.�

They took their leave and headed back to the Owl Emporium with Lou chattering constantly.

�Hey, I�ve got my first job for when I leave school. I won�t have to work if I don�t want to though will I? Do I get Validus now? What do owls eat? Will I need a cage? Look, there he is.� She said excitedly as they entered the shop.
Validus hooted happily as soon as he saw her. He flew down from his perch and landed gently on her shoulder, preening her hair.
Lou laughed. �You�ll make Moon jealous if you keep doing that, she likes to do my hair for me.�
She handed over 32 Galleons and 3 Knutts for the rare bird, then a further 24 Galleons, 7 Sickles and 5 Knutts for a large cage, a perch, similar to the one Fawkes used, and a good stock of food and treats, several toys and a swing, to be delivered.

Albus chuckled while Severus appeared disgusted at the idea of buying a swing and toys for an owl.
�She has never before owned a pet Severus, let alone a familiar. Leave her be and let her spoil the bird. Validus will soon repay her, in his own way.
Validus felt as though he�d died and gone to heaven. His new mistress was buying him all kinds of things that most owls only dreamed of. He would do his best to serve her well.

The moment he saw her he knew she was the one.

Many had entered the shop that day, captivated by the sight of him in the doorway. But Validus ignored them unless they approached him. Then he would snap at them viciously, none were who he was destined to be with. Validus didn�t know how he knew this, he just did.

When he�d realised she was the one, he was a bit disappointed at first. She limped, where he came from, any that weren�t perfect were thrown from the nest to die.

This one however, walked between two extremely powerful wizards. She too herself had great power, but it was stifled for some reason.

So he willed her to look at him, drew her to him. Then he showed her the dark wizard stalking up behind her and she turned to look. Yes, he had chosen well.
Lou got upset when Validus protested at the indignity of being put in a cage. �It won�t be for long, I promise. Just till we get home and then you can come out. Please don�t be angry.�
Validus quieted and shot her an image of lots of treats to compensate for this humiliation.
�Okay, lots of treats when we get back.� She laughed.
The man in the shop gave her a pamphlet on owl care and they left, Lou carrying the large cage proudly in front of her. It was heavy and awkward, but she wouldn�t hear of it when Severus and Albus both offered to carry it for her. She�d bought Validus herself, with her own money and she wanted to carry him. She chatted constantly to the bird all the way back to the Leaky Cauldron, all thoughts of school robes forgotten.
It was only during the apparition that she handed the cage to Albus. Once on the green, she took charge of it again.
Inside the front door, she noticed the kitchen door was open and she could see Remus and Kingsley sitting at the table.
Mr Lupin, Mr Shacklebolt.� She called excitedly. �Look what I got.� She dashed through to show them her bird, Severus close on her heels.

He�d been about to cuff her ankle when she�d suddenly shot off.

TBC

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