The edifice of Gringotts was a looming structure.  The crooked pillars didn’t appear to be weak or crumbling, as one might expect from such an old and lopsided building.  Rather, they conveyed a sense of strength and cut an imposing figure above the rest of the shops and buildings in Diagon Alley.  Archer stood in the middle of the street for a moment, in his brilliant crimson cloak.  He hated the thing, preferring to melt into the background for the most part, but on official business in a place that had recently caused more than one scene in the public eye, Archer was advised strongly to consider the identifying cloak. 

It would not hurt Level 2’s reputation to be seen in the community, conducting business as usual. 

Climbing the steps to the heavy doors, Archer’s boots thunked with every step.  The doors were heavy and thankfully, Archer just had to wave his wand for them to whisk open, creating a breeze that pulled the corners of his cloak in before the rush of hair flicked it out behind him.  His pace did not break and Archer continued the long walk in, the echoes of business as usual: coins clinking, goblins murmuring, and busy steps. Gringotts was entirely predicable.

Unfortunately, he seemed to disrupt each patch of predictability as he walked boy.  The volume of voices dropped and beady eyes followed him along the marble walk.  Even quills stopped scratching from the podiums above.  Archer paid them no mind, however, and walked with the letter of confirmation from Josephine St. Just about their appointment, and it’s location in her office.

The goblins, for the most part, controlled human traffic around their hallowed halls, so Archer approached the entry point for wizards and cleared his throat, presenting his wand as it was formality to do so – confirmation of who they were looking at.  The Radley family had a modest vault for family things, but it was nothing impressive or exciting. 

The goblin looked at him and took the wand, “Auror,” it greeted in its gravelly voice and nodded its large head, ears sort of flopping a bit.  Archer just gruffly nodded in return and after several moments, the goblin presented him with his wand back.  “Do you require vault access, Auror Radley?” the goblin asked. 

“Not today,” Archer informed him stiffly and presented the paper, “I need to speak with one of your cursebreakers, Ms. St Just,” he expanded and the goblin’s eyebrows (did they really have eyebrows?) rose.  “If you could show me to her office, your cooperation would be helpful.”  He did not say for who, but he assumed, by the relaxing look on its face, it understood that both of them would benefit from this. 

The goblin stood (he presumed by the change in height), but a voice cut in as the little thing turned.  “No need, Nagnok,” it was a woman’s voice and when Archer turned his head, the redheaded woman was standing there, poised as could be with swept up hair and a sharp outfit.  She clearly meant business.  Archer recognized this look. 

It was what Tamis would embody when she was going into the lion’s den, so to speak.  It was armor.  Archer wondered why she needed it, or if it was just the trappings of her profession.  He knew other cursebreakers, less formal by far, so it was a note he already had.  The goblin sat back down and Archer tucked his wand in his cloak pocket.  “Ms. St Just, good to see you,” he greeted amicably.

A polite, but guarded smile bloomed over her face and Archer tried to relax his posture.  To set a woman like that on edge immediately would get him nowhere.  “Forgive me,” she soothed, “I wasn’t under the impression aurors were particularly punctual.  I hope you weren’t waiting long.”  It was a dig, to be certain, but Archer wasn’t going to take the bait. 

“Only long enough to get verification,” he looked over his shoulder at the Goblin.  He couldn’t tell if the thing’s expression had changed at all, but it seemed just as displeased as Archer felt.  “So I guess we’re both on time,” he tried to be good humored as he turned back toward her and put his hands in his pockets. 

She laughed a little, he couldn’t tell if she was serious or not and took a couple of steps toward him.  “Excellent, I’ll show you to my office for our conversation.”  Apprently, she felt the need to expand, “marble caverns might not be the best place for a private conversation.” 

Archer nodded in return, not really knowing how to response: she was right, but it was odd to say so.  He didn’t want to confirm any suspicion she might have had about him or his motives.  “Lead the way,” he said before she turned almost immediately.  Archer fell into step easily, his footsteps much quieter than the click of her heels. 

She led him behind the counters – he never got over the fact the desks were on pedestals and the stools were just normal height.  He had always assumed the chairs would function as ladders.  Some people just had a harder time of letting go of childhood notions.  Refocusing himself, he extended his stride until he caught up again.

Tamis had once told him that she and St Just had been friends in school.  Certainly, they had similar notions of sharpness, and professional demeanor was similar – though Archer did admit fundamentally different.  But, they were both driven women and formidable in their fields.  So, Archer understood to some degree what type of person he was dealing with. 

Apparently, like Tamis, she was a woman of few words and the entire walk to the office was silent outside of footsteps.  The halls were long and the portraits definitely sneered down from their positions – at least at him, anyway, and Archer was not comforted by the presence of goblin paintings alongside witches and wizards, in fact, more numerous. 

What a different world Gringotts was from the ministry, he mused and walked down a set of spiral case stairs that seemed to come out of nowhere, even though his guide did not appear phased at all.  “You’re far in, aren’t you?” he asked, trying to make a little small talk. 

St Just glanced over her shoulder and up at him.  “Employees are like vaults,” she informed him, though did not elaborate.  Archer could only assume she meant their relative ease of access indicated importance.  Good to know what she thought of herself – and anyone else who worked in the organization.  Thankfully though, after the next two turns (and what felt like the longest hall he’d ever been in), they approached a door and St Just took out her wand, relieving her door of the wards she’d placed upon them.

Archer watched her wand movements – fast, obviously practiced from years of use… The movements were also associated with some… heavy spellwork.  He could pick up a little bit, just from watching.  One of the skills an auror could use if their hearing was obstructed during a duel – reading the other person’s wand.  But, seeing hers, he was glad he wasn’t asked to come to this office alone.  There were things he wouldn’t even think of in the combination. 

When she was done, the door slowly opened, revealing a packed office – decidedly different from what he would have guessed by the looks of her – far more messy than she let on, but that wasn’t really relevant to his visit, so it remained unofficially noted in his head. 

The redhead ran her hand over a chair as she passed, “Take a seat,” he assumed she meant the chair she’d just brushed, as she took the space behind her desk.  She folded her hands on the dark wood desk top. “Forgive my manners, I haven’t got any tea to offer.” 

How did she see what was going on here?  It certainly wasn’t a social visit, and Archer waved his hand, dismissing the idea.  “That’s not a problem,” he informed her and sat on the chair provided for him, not entirely comfortable, he noted.  Probably wasn’t meant for people to stay long. 

There was a pregnant pause between them.  Archer could have gone on, but Josephone cut in.  “Well, I assume you’re busy, so I don’t want to keep you longer than I have to.”

“Very well,” Archer shifted in his seat and got out his quill and paper.  “Official,” he explained and the quill assumed position to dictate the conversation.  “If you don’t mind, of course?”