Jack Smith and the Theory of Charms: Chapter 2: Diagon Alley: Part 3

"Name please," the goblin said in a bored voice when Jackson finally got his parents to the counter.

"Thomas Smith," Jackson's dad said.

"And your son?"

"Jackson."

"Will Jackson be opening an account with us, or will this just be an exchange?"

"Um, just an exchange, I guess."

"Very well," the goblin shifted his weight in his seat before saying, "Cash or check?"

Jackson looked at his dad, who already had his debit card in his hand. "Plastic?" his dad asked, holding up the card.

The goblin rolled his eyes before saying, "Credit and debit cards won't work in areas with so much magical energy. Magic tends to make any complicated muggle technology, particularly electronics and related things, stop working. We can only take cash or a written check. In fact, next time it might be a good idea for you to leave your cards, cell phones, and anything like them at home."

"I never carry checks," Jackson's dad said, looking uncertainly at his wife. "Dear, do you have your checkbook?"

Jackson's mom was staring at the goblin like she wanted to turn around and run.

"Mom... Mom... MOM!" Jackson shook her arm.

"What? What is it?" she asked, shaking herself and looking down at Jackson.

"Do you have your checkbook?"

"Oh, um, yes," she said, sounding relieved to have such a boring task as finding her checkbook. She opened her purse and rummaged through it until she found it. Handing it to her husband, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Jackson waited impatiently while his dad wrote the check. The goblin inspected the check then placed it in a teller. Then he began counting out gold, silver, and copper coins, placing them on a wooden board. Jackson felt his jaw drop as he watched the pile grow. When the goblin finished he pulled out a black cloth bag that shouldn't have been big enough to hold such a pile, but the goblin just dumped them into the bag, cinched it shut and handed it to Jackson.

"That's one hundred ninety three galleons, eight sickles, and twenty three knuts," the goblin said. Without any other explanation he looked at the family Jackson hadn't noticed get in line behind them and said, "Next."