"There are three steps to this p-p-p..." Quirrell stops, closes his eyes and takes a deep, calming breath.
"Plan. There are three steps to this plan. Step one: We wait for a distraction, so that Gringotts' security is not as focused on the high security vaults. Luckily, we already have just such a distraction. Harry Potter is accessing his vault today, and I have it on good authority that Gringotts' security has been mostly diverted to level six, where his vault is located."
Quirrell pauses and hands you the Recollector.
"Step two: I have purchased a high security vault on the same floor as you mother's journal - the seventh floor. We will request access to my vault and be escorted there by a goblin. On the high-security level, there are many magical barriers that prevent harmful spells from being cast. However, you will use the Recollector to unleash our pre-cast spells upon our escort and any other guards present. With any luck, they won't even know what hit them, or more to the point, who hit them."
You look at the cold, black Recollector and Quirrell points his wand to a small notch carved into its surface.
"Tap here twice to release the spells. And you might want to duck."
Before you can object, Quirrell continues.
"Step three: We access the vault belonging to the Unspeakables and retrieve your mother's journal. And here is where things get tricky"
"This is where things get tricky?" You say sarcastically.
Quirrell continues as if he didn't hear you, "Getting out is no simple task, but that is where this comes in."
Quirrell shows you his watch and shakes it back and forth. Tiny gold dust shimmers across the face of the watch, catching the light and bouncing off of the many, tiny watch hands.
"This is an invention of my own. That gold dust is from a Time Turner."
"We can travel back in time?!" You exclaim.
Quirrell shakes his head. "No, that sort of thing would be far too traceable. the Ministry would know of our exact location, which would defeat the whole purpose of our secrecy. However, this watch acts like a Time Turner that doesn't take you anywhere. What I mean to say is, a few twists and time is suspended until the alarm goes off."
You gasp, "So we just sneak out while everyone is frozen in time?!"
Quirrell looks at you disappointingly. "No, a very smart wizard realized that time and space are very much intertwined, if we are no longer in time, then we are no longer in space. However, that is the good news. Since we are no longer in space, we will not be visible to those still in space."
Seeing your confused look, Quirrell says, "Look, don't worry about it, . All you need to know is that when we start this clock, time will stop for us, and we will vanish. To us, it will feel like moments are passing, but to everyone else, it will be days. I've set my watch for three days - that will give Gringotts' security enough time to give up looking for any thieves, cleanup our mess, and lighten security. Then, we simply walk out of Gringotts, three days later, without anyone suspecting a thing."
"Can we go over that once more?" You ask.
"No," Quirrell smiles, "it's time."
Turn to Page 10.
