Harry Potter and the Thunderstruck Muggles(01) - Sahits

only effect Harry could achieve was a loan contract with him rather than with Gringotts, fivegrand, interest zero, to be paid back within the next five years.At Gringotts, Harry made some transactions - five grand for the twins, the same for Ron,based on the agreement they had closed in the Three Broomsticks, the same for Ginny. Thenthey spent some time waiting until the newest invention for financial transactions in thewizarding world was prepared. One each for Harry, Ron, and Ginny - a GALA, a GringottsAccount Liquidity Affirmation.To the unknowing eye, a GALA looked like a double-sided picture which could listen andanswer. The picture on the front side showed the account owner, smiling friendly and sayinghis or her name. The picture on the back side showed a Goblin. When asked whetherGringotts would honour a bill of a certain sum, this Goblin answered "Yes" or "No",depending on the sum and on the current account balance.A Muggle would have called this a credit card, missing the point entirely for several reasons.The card didn't offer a credit line. It couldn't be faked. And maybe the most significantdifference - when losing or omitting the card in a shop, the Goblin started shouting with ahigh-pitched voice.A GALA suited worlds better than walking around with a heavy bag of galleons. ForGringotts customers with an account above hundred grand, the thing came for free. ForGringotts customers in the company of Harry Potter, it also came free, no matter whichaccount balance. For other people, receiving a GALA came shockingly expensive.Then Harry visited the Ministry, to deliver the first pile of glossy brochures in ArthurWeasley's office, and to talk with his godfather about an Apparition license. Sirius lookedsour. "Why can't you run the normal procedure like any good citizen?""Because it takes forever," explained Harry truthfully. "This ministry is a bunch of timethieves, some notable exceptions granted.""And why do you come to me, who has sworn to fight corruption and nepotism ...""C'mon, Sirius ... do you know any license coach who's ready to do an Apparition contestwith me?"Harry's godfather had never before asked the question himself, felt nevertheless sure hewouldn't find any, and agreed grudgingly. Two days later, Harry's Apparition jumps showedan invisible though important improvement in quality - they were legal.But a merciless God was sanctioning small sins immediately, and only this could be thereason why, suddenly, things started going awry.With Cho nowhere in reach, running wild somewhere in the United States, Harry tookmeasures to get the Haiti trip going - planned to look for werewolves, as test candidates forHermione's Wolfsbane project. However, as it turned out - from Harry's perspective, the tripmarked the first flop of these weeks, supposedly the best in the year.Mrs. Benedict was a remarkable woman, much darker than Almyra. She welcomed Harry butmade clear that he could forget about searching for Haitian werewolves by himself. Yes, once4