[thd] [gringotts] you know my name [freya]

Now that he'd signed the lease for their new flat, Finn needed to get some of his money out of his Gringotts vault as the real estate agent wanted the rent for the first three months the day he'd hand over the keys. It was quite a lot of money but he'd saved most of his earnings up for times when he really needed them so there should be more than enough in his vault. After waiting in line for a while, he finally reached the counter, a pleasant expression on his face. "I'd like to withdraw some money, please. Finn McKenzie, vault number 822."

He fumbled for the key in the pocket of his leather jacket, giving the goblin in front of him an apologetic look for not finding it immediately. Thirty more seconds passed and the key still wasn't there. Shit. It had still been in there when he'd left Reagan's place this morning. "I promise, I had it earlier..." He checked his other pocket but it wasn't in there either. The goblin was beginning to look annoyed and he quickly continued. "You might know my face? From the papers? You're interested in Quidditch games, aren't you?" He still didn't look impressed. "I play for the Magpies, the Montrose Magpies?" Nothing. "I promise I'm not lying."

That was something every liar would say, wasn't it? Oh crap. Next to the rent he wouldn't be able to pay for the gift he'd wanted to buy for his nephew's birthday. Shit, shit, shit. He was just about to turn around and leave again when he spotted a familiar blond ponytail. He'd recognise her everywhere. "Freya?" He shouted, ignoring the annoyed looks he was getting. "Hey Freya, could you come over for a minute?" He turned back to the goblin, a hopeful smile on his face. "She can confirm who I am."

Working wasn't like school, she thought. In some ways it was easier; things were more repetitive. Aside from the days that Freya actually got to go out with Erika to weird and wonderful places, the girl mostly spent her time doing the same thing over and over again. Changes were welcome. The blonde glanced up from her paperwork as she heard a familiar voice. She dropped her quill, not watching it fall to her desk as she got up and moved over to see what was happening.

Freya had no idea how this was happening. Twice in one week! The blonde went over to her friend, glancing at the clock on the wall and quickly doing some time math to see if she could take her break now instead of later. It should probably be fine, she thought. Freya went to Finn with a weak smile on her face. She glanced between him and the goblin. "You really do need your key," she said in a low voice, smiling apologetically at the goblin behind the counter. "Sorry Ragatha," she added, addressing the goblin before taking Finn's arm and leading him away. Freya didn't want to embarrass him or deny him, but the goblins were a little scary, even though she worked with them every day. "They're super strict about rules," she said with another apologetic smile.

The blonde glanced up at the clock on the wall again, biting her lip for a moment. "Do you have time to get some food or something?" she asked, turning back to him, "I'm kind of on my lunch break." Freya smiled again, adjusting her glasses.

His face fell as he realised that she wouldn't be any help. Shit. How in the name of Merlin would he get the money now? He had to find the key. And sooner rather than later. "Yeah, sorry," he mumbled, ignoring the relieved sighs coming from the people who had been standing behind him. Freya pulled him away and he followed, mentally going through the places he'd been at earlier. After leaving Reagan's place he'd wandered through Diagon Alley a bit, looking for a present for Kenneth so maybe he'd lost it in one of the shops? Which meant that someone might have found it.

"I wish I had but we have a different problem right now. Without my key I can't get my money and without the money, I can't pay the real estate agent tomorrow. You know what that means, right?" He hoped that she'd realise how serious this was. "Let's get sandwiches somewhere and you can help me find it? I'll tell you where I've been prior to coming here. How long is your lunch break anyway?" He figured he should know but right now he had other things on his mind.

The pair made their way outside into the street. "Oh," she said, her eyes going very round as she imagined not being able to get the perfect apartment that she wanted. No. No, no. that would not do. "Where have you been?" she asked, racking her brain to see if there had been a time when she'd been around when he'd had his Gringotts key on him. Freya chewed her lip nervously as they walked. "You can get a replacement key," she said, "but you have to submit your wand and jump through all these hoops, you know? It takes a while." Hours, depending on how amiable the goblins were feeling that day.

"Just an hour," she answered, skipping over a crack in the cobbled ground underneath. Freya's mind was on the Gringotts key but after a moment, her thoughts started to wander. if they weren't able to get this place then maybe one of the other apartments were still free? Or... Maybe her dad could put down the bond and first few weeks of rent while Finn searched for his key. She didn't know what kind of money her parents had, but she knew they had some savings to dip into for emergencies like this.

Freya was thinking about all of this, when they rounded a corner and she was face to face with a large hippogriff. "Ah!" The blonde stopped dead in her tracks, causing Finn to bump into her. The blonde blinked in surprise, then looked beside the hippogriff. A petting zoo? In the middle of diagon alley? Before she did anything else, the blonde bowed deeply just in case the hippogriff wanted to bite her face off. "Look how cute the babies are, Finn." she cooed, pointing them out to her friend. Nearby, in a cleared out area, two little hippogriffs fought over a stuffed toy. In moments, they'd ripped the teddy bear in half, bits of fluff going everywhere. "So cute!" All thoughts of their money problems were temporarily forgotten.

"Let's see. I've been at the Quidditch supply shop, the joke shop and at Sugarplum's. That should be it." Freya mentioned getting a replacement key and he nodded thoughtfully. "If we don't find it, I'll do that. If that goblin at the counter has anything to say, it'll probably take hours to get it but I guess that'll be my problem then." He shrugged, hoping that they'd find the key within the next hour. It should be enough time to cover at least two of the shops.

They walked around a corner and when his Gryffindor friend stopped all of a sudden, he bumped into her which sent them both tumbling a few steps forward. Acting on instinct, the'd often practised it at school, Finn bowed as well, hoping that the hippogriff belonged to the chill ones. Apparently it did. Relieved, his gaze followed her hand and when he saw the two little baby hippogriffs he knew exactly what she meant. Even though they were basically destroying the stuffed animal, it still looked adorable. Unfortunately they didn't have the time to stay and watch them.

"I know they're cute but we don't have the time to stay here..." The young man's voice trailed off as he spotted a sign a few metres in front of them. Ride a hippogriff today! Maybe it was a stupid idea but he was desperate and so he quickly checked his pocket if he had enough money for half an hour. "Here," he said, pointing at the sign. "It should get us to the shops much faster. And I'm pretty sure we'll get everyone's attention by arriving on a hippogriff, don't you think?" Not waiting for Freya's reply, Finn handed the money over and after bowing to the hippogriff once more, he found himself on its back.

Honestly, Freya just wanted to cuddle the baby hippogriffs - hippogriff foals? chicks? - forever. She wasn't convinced she'd seen anything half as cute as them. "Sorry what?" Freya looked up at Finn as he started desperately searching his pockets for change. "What?" she said again as he handed his money over to the people who were manning the hippogriff-for-hire stand. Freya was dumbstruck. Maybe Finn was drunk or something. Why else would he have randomly decided to hop on the back of a hippogriff?? "What about apparating?" Freya said weakly, but Finn was absolutely determined to do what he was doing so she just went along with it. What the hell. Why not?

Freya was a loyal friend and she'd said she'd help. When he held out his hand for her to get on the thing, Freya grasped it and let him pull her up. "I have to be back in like fifty minutes", she told him seriously. The blonde quickly tied her hair back off her face and proceeded to wrap her arms tightly around his waist. Finn had a kind of stubornness that there was simply no point in arguing with. The creature started moving, picking up pace along what seemed to be a take-off strip. Freya clung for dear life as they took off up into the sky.