[HPforGrownups] Money Issues

[rayheuer3 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 58985

emeleel at juno.com writes:

> Well, if Sirius had even a modest amount of money in Gringott's, if the
> WW has compounding interest like the muggle world, then it would have
> grown considerably in 12 years of just sitting there and not being
> touched.

Since there are bank vaults with physical coins, I suspect that the WW banks 
(if there *is* any bank besides Gingott's) work on the system that their 
service is storage only.  No interest, no paper money, and no checks as we 
understand them.  Under the proper circumstances, however, they will honor a written 
authorization to "remove money from my vault and pay it to" a specified person. 
 Theoretically, Gringott's has methods of authenticating such a document.

All *complete* speculation, of course.

As to Percy, I suspect that he would consider dress robes part of his 
necessary work wardrobe, just as a stock broker might purchase a tuxedo so that he 
can attend dinner parties.  Percy may (or may not) turn over part of his salary 
to his parents as "rent", or he may be storing up money so that he can move 
into his own flat, either way the situation seems to satisfy Arthur and Molly, 
and who else has a say in the matter?

Also, IMNSHO, JKR may simply be too unsure of her economics to try to make a 
point of how wealth and poverty works in the WW.  Note that, in the scene 
where Harry meets Draco Malfoy in PS/SS, they are buying custom-fitted robes, but 
no mention is made of payment.  Are the robes part of the school tuition, or 
did JKR simply not want to make up a figure for the cost?  Arthur and Molly 
provide the basics of food, clothing, shelter and a "public" education (which 
means something entirely different in Britain than in the US).  They have raised 
2 children to the point where they can support themselves independently, 3 
more very close to that point, and they still have the resources to play host to 
occasional guests.  They may not be wealthy in terms of finances, but they 
aren't exactly poor, either.

  --  Ray


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