Lucius Malfoy locked himself in the Malfoy family vault at Gringotts.
He was packing the wealth accumulated by the Malfoy family over hundreds of years into a leather suitcase enchanted with the Undetectable Extension Charm.
He was extremely grateful that Hydrus still held a shred of familial affection for their family and had notified him in advance not to lend money to Gringotts. Otherwise, among those extremely ungraceful pure-blood wizards outside in the hall clamoring for Gringotts to return their money, there would have been a place for him, Malfoy.
As for emptying the vault, that was just a precaution. Who knew if the goblins, pushed into a corner, would jump over the wall in desperation and rob Peter to pay Paul—
The current Gringotts had no credibility to speak of. If they commandeered his family's vault to solve their urgent needs, he would have nowhere to cry.
After all, goblins believed that as long as they made something, the ownership belonged to them, including Galleons.
So Lucius did what Hydrus had done a few months ago, leaving not even a single Knut in the Gringotts vault.
Walking out of the vault and closing the door, Lucius headed toward the cart.
The goblin who had brought him down immediately came up to greet him.
"Respected Mr. Malfoy, regarding the matter of Gringotts borrowing money from your noble family, we can discuss it further. The interest has risen to 30% annually. What do you think?"
"No need for discussion, Griphook," Lucius held his head high. "The last batch of families who lent you money are still causing trouble upstairs."
...
Reaching the surface, Lucius left through a side door. Passing the main hall, he saw through the grille that the hall was crowded with people, and cursing filled the air.
Avery, Abbott, Bulstrode, Carrow, Greengrass, Nott, Rowle...
Those were all familiar faces.
Gringotts had offended so many major families in the wizarding world at the same time; at least in Britain, they couldn't continue to operate.
What Lucius didn't know was that such scenes were actually playing out in Gringotts branches elsewhere as well.
...
Diagon Alley Gringotts, Elder Conference Room.
"Thetis!" Moristor shouted loudly. "It's all because of you! If you hadn't provoked that little witch, how would she have come to pit our Gringotts!"
Thetis spread her hands. "Lord Moristor, stop shifting the responsibility. You signed the expense application for recruiting Astley to excavate the ruins. Besides, we need her to unlock the ancient magical secrets in the ruins for us! This matter is imperative!"
Moristor was furious. "But I didn't tell you to threaten her!"
"Come off it, Lord Elder," Thetis stood up. "What truly led Gringotts to eternal damnation was your stupidity in falling for her trap. Although I don't know why she was certain the Ukrainian Coupon would devalue, that's not important. If you had been even slightly rational, you wouldn't have fallen to this state."
"You!" Moristor pointed angrily at Thetis, and other elders also spoke out to reprimand her.
"Presumptuous!"
"Woman! Mind your words and deeds!"
"This is the Council of Elders, not a place for your ravings!"
...
"Bad news, bad news..." Panicked shouts came from outside the door. The conference room door was slammed open, and a Gringotts banker stood at the doorway, sweating profusely and gasping for breath.
"Bastard!"
Moristor transferred all the anger ignited by Thetis onto the innocent banker.
"We are in a meeting; how can you be so unruly?"
"Lord Elder! The Ministry of Magic has sent people. They ordered us to pay back the money. If we can't pay, they will forcibly dissolve Gringotts and seize Gringotts' real estate to pay off the debt!"
Moristor slumped into his high-backed chair. "It's over, it's over, it's all over..."
The other elders also looked like they had lost their parents, their faces ashen—oh, their faces were ashen to begin with.
Moristor suddenly shouted, "Someone come! Empty all the vaults! If we want to make a comeback, we must have capital!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
A green light hit Moristor. This once prominent Gringotts Grand Elder instantly fell silent.
Thetis held a wand, sneering at Moristor's corpse. "Foolish! Empty the vaults? That would be making an enemy of the entire wizarding world completely!"
The curse-breaker team behind Thetis stepped forward one after another, all holding wands in their hands.
"Thetis, you... where did you get wands?"
Thetis smiled. "I'm not as rigid as you old fogies. I believe that if we goblins want a way out, we must master power! Owning wands is just a small step forward for us."
An elder retorted, "There is no power in this world stronger than money!"
Thetis waved her hand, green light flashed, and the elder died on the spot.
"The power of money? If the power of money could truly protect us goblins, then how did today's tragedy at Gringotts come about?"
Thetis looked around the room. "Does the Ministry of Magic have the power of money? No, they don't! Their Minister is even a slave to Galleons! But did you see today? If they want to seize Gringotts, they only need an excuse! An order!"
"Why is this?"
"It is because we goblins lost in the past wars! And in the current wizarding world, there are existences like Dumbledore that we cannot contend with!"
"That is the gap in power!"
"Therefore, we need power!"
The elders lowered their heads in silence.
Thetis snorted coldly and left with her subordinates. Before leaving, she dropped a sentence: "I will continue the unfinished business of Grandfather Ranrok. I must get the power of ancient magic. As for you, don't hold me back!"
The young goblins following behind those elders exchanged glances.
Finally, one stepped out from the crowd, ran toward Thetis's team, and shouted loudly, "Lord Thetis! Please accept me; I am willing to become one of you!"
An elder cursed angrily, "Tyron! You traitor! If you dare take another step, I will..."
A green light flew over, and the elder immediately fell to the ground.
Thetis turned around, her voice hoarse but incomparably firm. "We welcome any compatriot willing to join us. No one can stop us from possessing power! We goblins will eventually rise by relying on our own strength!"
As soon as these words came out, the young goblins immediately joined Thetis's team enthusiastically.
"Count me in!"
"Accept me, Lord Thetis!"
The remaining elders sat helplessly at the table, like walking corpses.
Today, they lost their followers and also lost Gringotts, which they had managed for a lifetime.
They truly had nothing left.
...
The matter of Gringotts had nothing to do with Audrey.
This instigator of the Gringotts incident was letting Norberta out for some air in the Forbidden Forest.
Hagrid giggled foolishly as he followed behind Norberta.
He spoke from time to time, seeming to talk to Audrey, yet also seeming to talk to himself:
"I must protect her! Otherwise, the Acromantulas will tear her to shreds!"
"Oh, she is just too beautiful!"
Audrey didn't think Acromantulas could pose any threat to Norberta.
Although this guy was still a hatchling, the skirt of the T-80 was already covered with her teeth marks!
That was high-quality steel!
Hagrid stopped and suddenly looked back at Audrey:
"Audrey, the O.W.L.s are in just over ten days. Are you ready?"
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