Chapter 28

"Sinch, take these two guests to Vault 511," the goblin teller bellowed, his voice cutting through the noise of the bank. Right away, a much younger goblin appeared before them. "Greetings, I am Sinch," he introduced himself politely. "Please follow me."

After what felt like a wild roller coaster, Tony stumbled out of the cart looking queasy. He turned to Jamie, who hopped out of the cart effortlessly, and didn't look the slightest bit winded. "Do I seriously have to go through this every time I want to retrieve my money?" he asked.

"Of course not, this is your first time here," Jamie kindly explained, "In the future, you can let them handle it for you."

Sinch's finger traced the door of Vault 511, and with a satisfying CLICK, the sound of mechanisms being unlocked filled the air. A door handle materialized, and Sinch confidently grabbed it, pulling the door wide open. "Please," he said, stepping aside to allow Jamie and Tony to enter.

Jamie nudged Tony and signaled for him to enter first. The vault revealed itself as they stepped inside, resembling a small bedroom. Coins were scattered across the floor, forming a large pile of wealth. Along the walls, closets overflowed with a mesmerizing collection of antiques. Tony stood in the middle of the room, his eyes widening in awe. Despite his considerable wealth, seeing it physically displayed before him was an entirely different experience compared to watching the numbers on his bank statement.

In the innermost part of the vault, a brown trunk caught Jamie's attention. Resting on top of it was a sealed envelope. Curious, Jamie walked over to find it bearing Tony's name in elegant, green cursive. "Over here, Tony," she called out, beckoning him over. "It's a letter left by your mother."

Tony hurried over to her, carefully maneuvering through the coins to avoid tripping. His hands trembled with anticipation as he took the letter from Jamie. Indeed, the writing belonged to his mother. When he tore it open, to his surprise, there wasn't much written inside—just a simple request for Tony to take the trunk back.

After a brief pause, Tony stashed the letter, hoisted the trunk, and spun to Jamie. "How much do you think I should take?" he asked, motioning to the pile of coins on the floor.

As they both stared at the coins in contemplation, Jamie looked toward Sinch, who was standing by the door. "Can he apply for a Gringotts Bank card?" she inquired.

Sinch glanced at Jamie, his expression thoughtful. "Certainly," he replied. "We offer Gringotts Bank cards to our esteemed clients. It provides a convenient way to access your funds without the need to physically come to the vault each time." Sinch reached into his pocket, pulled out an application form and handed it to Tony.

"Simply fill out this form with your details, and we will process the application for you. Once approved, you will receive your Gringotts Bank card, which can be used at various establishments to make purchases or withdraw money from your account."

Tony took the form and started filling it out, ensuring every detail was accurate. When that was done, he handed it back to Sinch, who accepted it with a nod of approval.

Soon after, Jamie tossed a pouch brimming with coins to Tony. "I've gone ahead and grabbed some spare change for you. Our business here is done. Let's get going."

Some time later, Tony exited Gringotts with his new bank card. "I swear I'll never ride that thing again," he told Jamie, still haunted by the perilous cart ride through the Gringotts tunnels. "It's a death trap waiting to happen."

Jamie chuckled in agreement. "I couldn't agree more. How about we take a break first?" 

Tony wasted no time in giving his approval, and together, they strolled over to a nearby cafe. Inside, Jamie ordered herself an iced americano, while Tony opted for a cappuccino. They found a corner table and settled in, enjoying the cozy atmosphere of the cafe. The freshly brewed coffee aroma wafted through the air, and the hushed conversations of fellow customers provided a calming backdrop.

"You're going to need an owl," Jamie said, casually stirring her coffee with a tiny spoon. "It's the go-to method for sending messages in the wizarding world."

Tony took a sip of his cappuccino and raised an eyebrow. "An owl? Seriously? I've never owned a pet in my life, let alone an owl."

Jamie chuckled softly. "Well, you're entering a whole new world, my friend. Owls are not just pets; they're like magical mail carriers. Plus, they're quite intelligent and loyal. You'll soon realize how handy they can be."

"Why not just use a phone? It's way easier," Tony grumbled.

Jamie leaned in, her eyes filled with amusement. "Tony, in the wizarding world, phones and technology like that don't work well around magic. Owls, on the other hand, are attuned to it. They can find anyone, anywhere, as long as they know the person's name. It's a system that's worked for centuries."

Tony sighed, realizing that he was in an entirely different world with its own set of rules and traditions. "Alright, an owl it is. But I hope they're not as moody as those goblins."

Jamie laughed. "Don't worry, owls are generally quite friendly. We'll find you the perfect one."

"Oh, and by the way," Tony suddenly turned to the house-elf who was serving drinks in the cafe, "do you mind if I ask where I can find a house-elf like yours?"

Jamie nodded. "Sure, we can arrange that one for you too."

Tony's face lit up with enthusiasm. Finding a capable and trustworthy housekeeper was quite a task. "That's fantastic!"

Their next destination was a pet shop, where Tony eventually settled on a Tawny owl after carefully considering the various owl options available. The owl had a calm demeanor and wise-looking eyes, which Tony found endearing. The owl flew off from his shoulder as they left the shop, but Jamie reminded him that the owl could track his location, which put his mind at ease.

Afterward, they swung by the Network Floo Authority office to get Tony's home set up with a Floo connection for convenient travel. The friendly staff at the office provided Tony with all the necessary instructions and helped him register his fireplace address.

Their final stop was at the House-Elf Relocation Service, a specialized agency that matched skilled house-elves with those in need of household assistance.

After Tony outlined his requirements, the service provider located a young house-elf who met his criteria. They formalized a lifelong agreement, with the condition that the house-elf would only gain freedom upon Tony's death. Even then, Tony insisted on providing the elf with fair wages and occasional time off, despite knowing they were bound to serve wizards.

With their shopping finished, Tony shouldered his trunk and trailed Jamie back to Oak Bar. They utilized the Floo network to return to Jamie's home. Once he bid her farewell, he made his way back to his mansion. Upon arriving home, Tony entered his residence and descended to the basement workshop. There, he set the trunk he had retrieved from the vault onto the table.

Tony ran his fingers over the aged wood of the trunk, marveling at the intricate carvings and ornate details. It was a treasure in itself, holding a piece of his family's history. As his fingers grazed the lock, it audibly clicked open, seemingly of its own accord.

With a burgeoning sense of curiosity, he gingerly lifted the lid, revealing a striking, large painting. The artwork depicted a study with book-laden shelves, a warm fireplace, and an organized desk. Tony carefully extracted the painting from the trunk and leaned it against the wall. Yet, as he continued to explore the trunk's contents, his excitement waned, as he discovered it to be disappointingly empty.

"Hello, Tony." Suddenly, a gentle voice broke the silence, startling him from his thoughts.

Taking a step back, Tony drew out his wand and cautiously scanned his surroundings. "Who's there? Show yourself! JARVIS, has anyone broken in?!"

"No, sir," JARVIS calmly replied, providing assurance that there was no unauthorized intrusion.

"I'm here, Tony," the voice spoke again, this time coming from the painting he had propped against the wall. Tony cautiously approached the painting, his curiosity overriding his apprehension. To his amazement, the painting now featured a woman with blond hair seated in a red armchair chair by the fireplace.

"Mom," Tony breathed, his voice filled with awe as he carefully lifted the painting, his eyes locked on the familiar face. There was warmth in her smile, as if she were truly alive and present in that moment.