Gringotts' Goblins
Chapter 9 of 20
Celestial MelodyRiana meets the goblins of Gringotts (although she doesn't know that they are goblins) and exchanges her Muggle money for wizard currency.
ReviewedGringotts' Goblins
Riana edged forward as Tom stepped back and shuffled past her to the grimy doorway leading back into the Leaky Cauldron. Mouth hanging open in utter disbelief, Riana nearly tripped over the slight step that leveled the ground between the backyard of the Leaky Cauldron and the cobblestones of Diagon Alley. Shutting her mouth with a snap, Riana swallowed hard, her slanting eyes as wide as they could manage. This place is amazing... she thought, awed. Her respect for the wizarding world grew with each step she took.
Emerging from the backyard into the alley, Riana didn't know which direction to look first. Directly to her left, she spotted a shop with a sign hanging in one of the windows over a stack of brightly-polished ... Cauldrons! Riana thought, immensely pleased. The sign read:
Cauldrons
All sizes
Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver
Self-Stirring
Collapsible
She took a glance at her list and read that she needed a pewter cauldron, standard size 2. With this information safely tucked away in her mind, Riana dashed lightly to the shop and was about to yank open the door when she remembered that she didn't have any wizard money. Whipping around with a slight frown on her mouth, Riana surveyed the alley and not seeing anything that looked remotely like a bank, stepped away from the cauldron shop and continued along her way.
Many shops, all of them incredibly appealing and some extraordinarily bizarre, caught her eye as she passed them, and she found herself ogling at them all like a child on Christmas morning. Though there were not many others awake yet, Riana, aware of how she must look, shut her mouth irritably. For once...just for once!--she wished that she didn't care about what others thought. But then she caught sight of her reflection in the window of a passing shop and she threw that thought out of her mind. However, she still stared at the wonder around her, taking in all she could with her thin grey eyes.
There on her right was Slug & Jiggers Apothecary ("We Carry Every Potion Ingredient You Could Ever Want...Guaranteed!"), a little further on was Eeylops Owl Emporium where there were ... Ohmygod...OWLS! Riana gaped, completely shocked.
Again to her right, was a shop called Quality Quidditch Supplies. This store Riana stopped in front of a little longer than the others, trying to puzzle out the name. She'd never heard of Quidditch before, although she determined that it involved broomsticks for there was a particularly shiny one with straight bristles on display in the sparkling glass window. But who ever heard of an activity (besides cleaning the house, and that's never fun) that involved sweeping?
She passed several more stores and began to notice that more people were appearing in Diagon Alley. There weren't many, to be sure, for it was still early ... but all of them were hurrying in and out of the shops with a marked determination.
One gentleman dressed in a long purple cloak with matching pointed hat, shambled out of a small stationary shop, passed by Riana, and mumbled something under his breath that sounded like, "Five Sickles for ONE quill...ridiculous! Should have tried..." and Riana could hear no more for he had gone on his way. She looked curiously toward the grouping of shops that the man had just left; one of them was a small stationary shop next to a larger place called Flourish and Blotts that looked like a bookstore. Riana had to exercise a great amount of willpower to tear herself away from that one.
She traipsed past a magical instruments outlet and continuing along her way spotted a shop called Dean's Ice Cream Parlor in Cooperation with Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans with a slogan proclaiming, "Now There's Every Flavor Ice Cream...A Risk With Every Lick!"
Riana vaguely wondered what a Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Bean was as she passed the ice cream parlor, her stomach betraying her as it growled fitfully at the distant memory of cold, sinfully delicious ice cream.
Directly across the wide alley-way was a store labeled Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Riana made a note to stop there after a perfunctory glance at her list. Looking up from the list, however, she saw a gleaming white, marble building several yards away. She approached with a minute amount of trepidation. It certainly looked like a bank, either that or a government building. As she came tentatively closer she saw a giant bronze plaque determining that the building was indeed Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
Slowly, Riana climbed the marble steps, each slender ankle threatening to give way as her heart pounded faster. What if they couldn't take her money here either? What if, what if ... what on Earth? She had reached the top of the stairs and on them was a strange creature acting as doorman. She squinted closer at him? Her? It? The strange animal snapped its mouth and stood up straighter, ignoring Riana's gaping stoically. Riana's own mouth turned upwards in a slight sneer as she strode past the creature and through the impressive revolving glass doorway of the bank.
*
Once she'd stepped through the shining glass doors rimmed in gold trim, it was as if Riana had stepped into another world. Scurrying to and fro were pint-sized creatures like the ugly doorman carrying various artifacts and bags, which, Riana surmised wryly, were probably full of wizard currency. She moved forward nervously but the strange creatures did not pay her any attention. Using this anonymity as fuel, Riana squared her sharply-jutting shoulder blades and scurried up to a very long and tall desk behind which still more goblins were studying precious stones or counting towering stacks of coins.
She approached one of the slightly less wrinkled bankers who was sporting a pair of gold spectacles with enormously thick lenses and cleared her throat apprehensively. "Ahem! Excuse me ... I'm here to ch-change some Muggle money." Her voice petered out as the creature reached a vein-lined hand up to its spectacles and adjusted them, leaning down to see who was speaking.
"Do you have the money?" the croaky-voiced creature asked, looking down at her blearily with a rather bored expression on its face.
Would I be here if I didn't? Riana thought sulkily. However, despite her feeling of vague annoyance, Riana gave a sharp nod and reached into her skirt pocket for the bag of Muggle money. She extracted it and, standing on tiptoe, laid the purse gently on the desk, looking up with a challenging gleam in her grey eyes.
The creature returned the stare seriously over its glasses and untied the golden purse strings. One elderly hand, long, cracked, yellow fingernails clicking together, removed the money and the ... 'thing' murmured, "Wait a moment, please," and disappeared behind the granite desk.
Taking this time to gaze around the room, Riana was amazed to see that, although the bank was obviously wealthy and assuredly grand, they didn't make an effort to clean it. From the gilded chandeliers hung thick sinewy cobwebs, and everything, from the parquet floor to the curving staircase balustrades, had a slight glaze of aged dust.
"Ahem," a soft voice urged from above. Riana looked up to see that the odd creature had returned and was bearing a considerably larger purple cloth bag and a roll of thin parchment. "This," the goblin said, handing over the bag, "is your money. You have Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts. Should you choose to open an account, you will receive a key and a vault. If you should so choose, please fill out this application and owl it to Gringotts. Good day."
Riana staggered slightly, falling from tiptoe, as the weight of the money caused her bony back to arch painfully. Steadying herself, Riana tucked the parchment into the waistband of her skirt, tied the purse strings around her tiny wrist and, supporting the heavy bag with one thin hand, walked across the dusty parquet to the revolving doors and emerged into the sunny, bustling world of Diagon Alley.
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Latest 25 Reviews for Serpent in the Moonlight
33 Reviews | 7.45/10 Average
It was all incredibly well-written. So does Riana get help to deal with her anorexia? Did you adopt the plot in another more well-read FF because we readers here aren't doing your authoring justice in reviewing? I think it's just that the traffic isn't high, but it will come! Is the completed FF posted in another HP portal?
Love your pace. And the OCs. Too bad I wouldn't have come across this story if not for the random FF spinner.
I have been reading your story avidly since the beginning. Good work, though I wish the girl would eat!
Wow ... a much longer chapter! I have about thirty seconds to review, so I'll just say that that was great, and I can't wait till they get to Hogwarts. I'm glad Fabian will be looking out for her!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Oh, I know ... it was very long. I'm not too fond of it, actually, so I'm going to rewrite it and then resubmit it. I'm glad you enjoyed it though. Your reviews, as always, truly encourage me! :-)I, too, cannot WAIT until they get to Hogwarts ... it's been too long. :-PThanks again!~Julia~
Ooh ... what an unusual idea! I'm looking forward to finding out exactly what happened in that chapter. Does Leanne know that Riana is at the Leaky Cauldron now?I thoroughly enjoyed your writing in that chapter, particularly this : "Carefully ignoring the prone figure frozen on the bed, Riana’s evading gaze hurriedly glanced at the floor where the broken glass from the photograph mixed with the fibers of pink carpet, creating a sparkling mélange of color as it was touched by the pinpricks of moonlight from the room’s open windows."Really lovely. Well done! :)
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thanks for your complimentary review, :). I'm so pleased that you are still enjoying the story.
I'm so glad, too, that you liked the idea for this chapter--it has been the one that most people have complaints against. Some feel it's too vague, others don't understand the point. However, rest assured that there is, indeed, significance in that blue book with the bronze writing. Hee!
I believe that the way in which I wrote it explains why most people find a hard time enjoying it, :-S. This chapter was very similar to my one-shot, "The Ultimate Trust" in that it was very image-oriented and had less of a storyline. Most people don't like that. But I'm thrilled that you tapped into that. Kudos to you for being observant! :P
And about Leanne, yes, she knows that Riana is alive, anyway. But she doesn't know--and I believe I can tell you this without ruining anything--that Riana is at the Leaky Cauldron. There are other things, though, that she does know...Hee! But I won't say what they are.
My utmost thanks, again, for your endlessly wonderful reviews. They truly encourage me. :)
~Julia~
how strange...very interesting...
more. :)
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thanks for R&R-ing. I hope you enjoyed it. :) More should be around soon... but no rushing, eh? We want the next chapter to be good, too. :P Hee!
~Julia~
Response from togspled (Reviewer)
i want to say rush, but i know you're right. take it slow. make it good. (as i know you will.)thank u!
Really nice chapter. I love the way Fabian is having a positive effect on her ... he's good for her.Your writing is getting more and more fluid ... keep it up!And ... can't wait to find out who her parents are! More ... and SOON!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thank you, as always, for your lovely comments. This was one of my more ... eloquent chapters, I suppose you could say, hee! Just kidding... but, really, I'm grateful to you for your kind words.
I, too, am glad that Riana now has Fabian. He's not perfect, but I love him to death. :)
And... I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit longer to truly know who Riana's parents are. *pulls face* There are aspects of her history that I wouldn't want an eleven-year-old to know. So, years must pass until she finds out the Truth. *giggles and points at the capital T*
Anyway, thanks so much for your comment and I'm going to go and read/review the newest chapter in "Where My Future Lies." :)
~Julia~
Response from little beloved (Reviewer)
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Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
swoons and faints*. YEARS??? We have to wait for YEARS until we find out the Truth (capital T!)???Cruel! Intriguing, though! :) Gosh ... and I thought I was cruel for stringing things along!Gotta go read your new chappie now!BTW: I was slightly incorrect about the inventor of the entrail-expelling curse. It was Urquhart Rackharrow, chapter 22 of OotP.
riana and fabian are so cute together! this mystery about her parents is fascinating. (and i can't wait to see what fabian thinks is 'real fun')
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thank you so much for your review. :) I'm so glad that you are enjoying Riana and Fabian's time together.
The mystery, yes... that will all be revealed in good time. I'm so glad you're intrigued; your enthusiasm truly encourages me.
Fabian... well, not this next chapter, but the one after that... that will show a bit of Fabian's definition of 'real' fun. :P Not all... but then, Riana's not a werecat either. Thus, she wouldn't be able to accompany him on his nighttime jaunts, more's the pity. :(
Thank you again, though, for your lovely review. I love getting them.
~Julia~
Wonderful! Well written, as always, and Padma Patil is a most welcome addition!There is only one thing I would like to point out, and it is not something you could be exptected to know if you haven't been to Britain. I live in Ireland, lived in England for two years, and make many trips to London/Scotland. Biscuits with gravy (especially the white kind) are an entirely American phenomenon, and would never be found in any pubs/restaurants/diners in Europe. They simply don't exist here. Gravy here is runny and brown, made from meat stock, and biscuits here are what you refer to as cookies.I went to the U.S for the first time in January, and came across 'biscuits with gravy' ... and was very puzzled indeed! There are so many differences between our cultures and U.K/U.S English ... it's quite mind-boggling!Okay ... rambling finished now! Anyway, as I said, I thoroughly enjoyed that chapter, and look forward to the next! Well done! :)
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thank you for your lovely comments and also for your con. crit. Those comments really help me, I wish I could get more of them, hee! But I will change it right away!
I had no idea that "biscuits" weren't available with (American) gravy. *gasp* It seems to be a main staple on restaurant/cafe' menus here in America.
Again, thank you ever so much for R&R-ing as well as for the correction. :)
~Julia~
Response from little beloved (Reviewer)
You're very welcome! If I had to write a fic set in the U.S, I would be completely lost as regards many things, such as food.I see so many Americanisms creeping into HP fics. A very common one is 'pinkie' ... a word never used here. We simply call it a 'little finger'.Having said that, my beta (who is American) is forever finding Irishisms in my work. Even between England and Ireland there are so many differences in phrases and sayings.Can't what for chapter 12!
Response from little beloved (Reviewer)
Can't what for chapter 12!!!???Can't wait for chapter 12, obviously! ;)
i love your descriptions of the books! ~~Or so she thought…~~ that has me interested indeed...
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thanks very much,
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
! :) It really encourages me that you like the story and find it intriguing. I enjoyed writing the descriptions of the books very much.
And you shall see ... what "~~Or so she thought...~~" meant. Oh, yes ... you shall certainly see. :)
~Julia~
Well done, well written and you obviously have done your homework with all those books ... lots from Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them etc ... I'm looking forward to her meeting students and getting some dialogue going!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Why thank you, :). Yes, if there's one thing I can do ... it's my homework. *grimaces slightly* Although homework for HP is much better than homework for ... anything else. :)
There will be plenty of dialogue in the following chapters, however there is so much background to cover that the first chapters are rather limited in dialogue. Never fear! There are great things to come.
Thanks so much for R&R-ing.
~Julia~
great intro to diagon alley!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thank you very much. I love writing about Gringotts because it is such an amazing place! Me and my "dusty balustrades," *sigh*
Hee! Thanks again for R&R-ing.
~Julia~
Another good chapter :) Am getting imaptient for her to meet some witches/wizards now, though!Keep up the good work!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thank you for your review. I assume you've just started reading the story? :)
And there will soon be contact with witches and wizards, hee! :) Chapter after next, I believe...
Again, thanks so much for your review--it was very encouraging!
~Julia~
riana's anorexia seems to be getting worse, poor girl. it'll be interesting to see how that affects her at Hogwarts.
I never would have thought old Tom could make a smoothie! haha...
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Well, thank you, :). Personally, that wasn't my favorite chappie, however, I'm glad that you are still sensing Riana's conflict.
Tom is very talented, hee! The only problem is that he doesn't want anybody to see that, *shiftily looks left and right*
Thank you so much for R&Ring.
~Julia~
This is such an interesting story. I'm so glad to have discovered it! Looking forward to your next update!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thank you so much! :) I'm thrilled that you are enjoying the story. I didn't want it to be run-of-the-mill, which has caused a smidge of trouble when getting it validated on other sites! Hee! (Something about 'delicate issues...') :P
However, I'm very glad that you have found my story and the next chapter is in queue, so it should be up soon.
~Julia~
What a very different and interesting story! I'm so glad you reviewed mine, or I might not have discovered this!Well written and intriguing ... reading on now!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Oh, thank you so much! I'm so glad I reviewed yours, too, or I might not have ever found it! (That's slightly confusing, but you get the picture, hee!)
Thank you, again, for your kind comments.
~Julia~
Nice start, i like it, please continue soon!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thank you very much for your review! It encourages me ever so much that you like my story! :)
The next chapter is in queue, so it should be up soon.
~Julia~
And ... I'm so looking forward to her upcoming journey to Hogwarts!!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Oh, thank you very much! I'm sorry that it was such a short chapter, but I'm very glad that you enjoyed it! :)
~Julia~
Response from notsosaintly (Reviewer)
Short chapters are nice ... and sometimes they are essential. As in this case; it was a pivotal point. Now, I'm really looking forward to the next chapter!
omg...parseltongue. riana is a very complex character! (and definitely a true slytherin?) great job
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thank you very much! I'm so glad you find her interesting. The last thing in the world that I wanted to do was create a "Mary Sue." :) Considering, however, that she's her own person, that wasn't too difficult at all! Thanks for R & R - ing ... I really appreciate it!
~Julia~
Yes, Riana will definitely be sorted into Slytherin. You captured Leanne's feelings very well. Being a mom myself I could feel her desperation. You really have a way of capturing feelings in your writing. I am enjoying this story and looking forward to more!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Hehe, how'd you guess? I'm kidding... yes, I did want her to be in Slytherin. We always hear such bad things about the Slytherins and I wanted to look at the whole "magic" situation from a 'Snake's' position. :)
Thank you very much for your kind review!
~Julia~
Yes, I should be assigned detention with Professor Snape for not reviewing until now. You really have created suspense with this chapter. I loved the detail, her search for the key. It reminded me of similar personal pursuits. But the end, with her mom coming into the kitchen and her trying to look normal, like she wasn't up to anything... well, I could feel my heart thumping in my chest as if I were a teenager again and was definitely up to something. Well done!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Wow. What great praise! :) Thanks very much for your kindness. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. And it's fine that you haven't reviewed 'till now... you've read them, at least. :)
Again, thanks very, very much!
~Julia~
oh i just love it when u post another chapter!
the story is coming along so very nicely. keep it up!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thanks very much for R&R-ing. *smiles*
I'm so glad you like the story. :) Also, Riana will soon get to Hogwarts, just stick with her, please. The story is taking its own precious time, but I think it will turn out all right ... at least I hope so, hee! :)
~Julia~
Ooooh! Urquhart! Wasn't he that entrail-expelling curse chappie?And yay! His Mum's Irish. Gosh, it looks like this is going to be a seriously long story! Any idea how many chapters?Enjoying ... as always!
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Hmm.. not sure about the "entrail-expelling" but he was the captain of Slytherin Quidditch team at one point. :)
I love Favel (plus her name is so fun!) She was a pleasure to write, even though she is a very minor character ... at this point. Hee!
About the length, hmm, well... I really don't know how long it's going to be. *laughs uneasily* I was going to try and make it 30 chapters, however, the length of some of the chapters is so short. I simply ended where I felt a cliffhanger would do well. They just happened. I'm sure you know what I mean. :)
Now, though, I'm thinking that I may do volumes of Riana's life. You know, Serpent in the Moonlight: Volume One. This one details her first year. Serpent in the Moonlight: Volume Two... and so on and so forth. A bit like the HP books, but not. There's just so much information about her that I want to share and she can't discover everything in her first year ... that much knowledge would kill her, poor thing. :( Honestly, I have some ghastly stuff planned for her in the future. I'm so mean. Hee! *snickers evilly*
Anyway, that was a really long post. *sigh* I should have just said "Thank You," except that I love getting your reviews and your feedback. Talking to much again... must go. Thanks so much!
~Julia~
so there's still pureblood-mania so long after the HP events? that's intriguing. i'm eager to learn the missing history there. fabian's character is getting more and more complex...
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Oh, as long as there are purebloods, there will be pureblood mania. :) I'm glad you are intrigued by Fabian's character ... the last thing in the world I wanted to do was make him "flat." *cough Ron & Hermione cough cough* Hee! Just kidding... only in canon, not in fanon. :D
I love getting your reviews! :) Thanks so very, very much.
~Julia~
great byplay between riana and fabian. he seems like he'll be good for her with his friendly nature and everything. if only he could convince her to eat a licorice wand...
Response from Celestial Melody (Author of Serpent in the Moonlight)
Thank you so much for your lovely compliments. I do plan to continue Fabian as a foil to Riana ... if only he could get her to eat that Licorice Wand, hee! :)
~Julia~