Chapter 1506: Intrusion into Gringotts
Chapter 1506: Intrusion into Gringotts
"This will serve as payment for your services and a token of my sincerity."
In a private room within Shelter No. 2, Harry held out the Gryffindor sword to the conflicted goblin before him, offering a compelling reason for the creature to cooperate, "I believe you can ascertain that this Gryffindor sword is the genuine article."
"Yes, it is authentic."
However, the two goblins' faces remained devoid of any delight, as they suspected Harry had never intended to uphold his promise of relinquishing the sword.
"I understand your concerns, but we can easily bind ourselves with an unbreakable vow. You aid us in accessing the Lestrange vault and retrieve the Hufflepuff Cup hidden within, while I, in turn, present you with the Gryffindor sword as recompense for your assistance in obtaining the cup." Harry proposed.
"The Hufflepuff Cup? Are you certain that such an item is within the Lestrange vault?" The goblins exchanged a glance.
They couldn't refuse; Harry Potter was simply too earnest in his offer.
Since they were willing to bind themselves with an unbreakable vow, it signified their commitment to honoring the agreement.
However… "It is there, and if you're curious as to why we're willing to exchange the sword for the cup, I can elucidate. Though I suspect you'd rather not know."
"Alright, if you're not interested, then let's leave it at that. We've been more than accommodating, so don't push your luck." Ron interjected at the right moment, disrupting the goblins' train of thought.
"We accept."
Matters were proceeding more smoothly than Harry had anticipated.
Of course, it was also because this might be the goblins' one chance in a millennium to reclaim the Gryffindor sword, and they weren't about to let such an opportunity slip by. As for why Harry desired the cup, that was none of their concern.
Especially since Harry Potter was willing to enter into an unbreakable vow with them, providing a solid foundation for their collaboration and assuaging fears of betrayal.
Having already decided to bind himself to the goblins with an unbreakable vow, Harry had naturally contemplated the stipulations both parties needed to abide by. Thus, it didn't take long for the trio to don disguises using Polyjuice Potion and, accompanied by Grip-Hook, stealthily return to Diagon Alley under the concealment of Harry's Invisibility Cloak.
Due to the influx of Dark wizards into Britain, Diagon Alley was even more bustling than expected, teeming with dangerous-looking individuals. The shops and stalls lining the streets displayed an array of rarely seen prohibited items.
Moreover, with the surge of Dark wizards in Diagon Alley, Gringotts had no choice but to bolster its security, leading to more stringent screenings for witches and wizards entering the wizarding bank.
But this posed no obstacle to the well-prepared trio.
Concealed under Harry's Invisibility Cloak, he cast the Imperius Curse at the entrance, creating a minor commotion. Then, when it was Hermione and Ron's turn to be inspected, he subtly cast a spell on the guard examining them, allowing them to slip into Gringotts with ease.
The rest was even simpler.
Using a "borrowed" Gringotts vault key, they boarded a small cart that would take them to the underground vaults—a journey that proceeded with uncanny smoothness.
After traveling some distance on the tracks, Harry tucked away his Invisibility Cloak, and the goblin driving the cart showed no surprise at Harry's sudden appearance.
Before even boarding the cart, Harry had already placed the goblin under the Imperius Curse.
Indeed, the Imperius Curse proved to be incredibly useful.
"This isn't the cart headed for the Lestrange vault." Grip-Hook, ever vigilant, whispered a reminder to the trio.
"We know."
Hermione reassured him after sending a message via a communication quill, "We have our brooms ready. We'll need you to guide us there later."
"That won't be easy. The Lestrange family vault is located deep underground, and we've implemented special protections."
Grip-Hook grew concerned, sensing that the trio was overly prepared, which made him wonder if he was being deceived, despite the existence of an unbreakable vow.
"A giant security guard?" Ron asked jokingly.
"Not a giant, but there's a fire-breathing dragon. We don't have a way to get past it." Grip-Hook clarified.
"Don't worry about it; it's just one dragon. We'll figure out a solution." Harry wasn't fazed; after all, this wasn't his first encounter with formidable beasts.
"The biggest problem now is finding the Lestrange vault." Hermione was similarly unconcerned about the issue of the fire-breathing dragon, as the Felix Felicis gave them immense confidence.
"No, you don't understand. Even if we find the vault, we won't be able to open the door. We need Bogrod. Only he has the authority, and only by placing his hand on the door can the Lestrange vault be opened. Otherwise, we'd be signing our own death warrants."
"We have a way to deal with that door."
Harry knew that this was probably one of the main reasons Albert had them master the Blasting Curse.
The Devil's Fire could even destroy a Horcrux, let alone a goblin's vault door.
Harry's words made Grip-Hook even more uneasy. He began to suspect that he might have done something foolish. From the trio's attitude, it was clear that they were well-prepared and intended to use extraordinary means to obtain the Hufflepuff Cup.
"When will the goblins discover our intrusion?" Hermione suddenly asked.
"As long as you don't do anything stupid, they won't find out that easily. After all, you're just here to get some gold, and you haven't done anything out of line yet." Grip-Hook hesitated for a moment before explaining, "However, there are sentry posts and patrolling goblins in the deeper underground areas. Once you do something against the rules or fail to return on time, the goblins will definitely sense that something is amiss. As for how long it will take, it's hard to say, but it usually doesn't take more than half an hour."
The goblins were confident in their security measures and didn't seem to worry about petty thieves stealing from them.
"Good. We have at least half an hour to find the Lestrange vault." Harry stepped off the cart and caught the Firebolt arrow that Hermione tossed to him, motioning for Grip-Hook to get on.
"If possible, we'd better retrieve the cup quietly, and the goblins can quietly get back the Gryffindor sword. That way, no one will have any trouble." Hermione also mounted her broom and said to Grip-Hook.
Hermione had specifically practiced her broom-flying for this day, and now she could keep up with Harry without falling behind.
"There's a sentry post ahead. I'm not sure if there's a goblin on duty." Grip-Hook tugged at Harry's sleeve to remind him.
Indeed, there was a sentry post ahead, with a goblin dozing off while holding a short sword. Deep underground, there were rarely any visitors, and those ancient vaults also had numerous anti-theft measures in place.
The deeper they ventured, the more oppressive the profound darkness became. Thankfully, the trio, having consumed the Felix Felicis, maintained an extraordinary calm.
They made their way through several sentry posts without incident and found the correct passage among the myriad of tunnels.
"Going straight from here will lead directly to the Lestrange vault, but I must remind you again that it will definitely alert the guards here. I hope you have a way to get past that dragon, or we'll probably all be burned to a crisp." Grip-Hook pointed at the stone passage below and warned again, "I don't want to end up as its meal."
"How do you guys tame a dragon?" Ron asked curiously.
"The goblins have their ways." Grip-Hook had no intention of revealing their methods. "Anyway, I definitely can't take you past that fire-breathing dragon right now. Be careful at the first corner; that's where the dragon is housed."
They landed on a stone passage, got off their brooms, and quickened their pace toward the interior of the passage. Just as Grip-Hook had said, at the first corner of the passage, a massive fire-breathing dragon blocked their path, forcing them to retreat back into the tunnel.
"Its eyesight is poor," Grip-Hook panted, "but that makes it even more ferocious. You'd better find a way to get past it, or we'll all..."
As they spoke, the fire-breathing dragon seemed to have caught their scent, and a burst of flame rushed toward them, engulfing the corner of the passage. If they had charged in recklessly earlier, they would have been swallowed by the flames.
"This is simple. A fire-breathing dragon chained up is nothing more than a sitting duck."
(End of Chapter)
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