Chapter 693
Chapter 693
Today's newspaper marks the end of an era. In the past, even after Voldemort's side gained control of the British Ministry of Magic, they never directly interfered with Gringotts' internal operations, let alone undermine the very foundation of Gringotts.
Gringotts has stood for so many years not just because of the Ministry of Magic's authorization. The key to its success lies in the goblins' commitment to maintaining customer privacy and ensuring they do not covet wealth that does not belong to them. Despite the differing views on wealth ownership between humans and goblins, the goblins respected human perceptions, especially given the significant power imbalance. This trust allowed Gringotts to thrive for centuries, even monopolizing Britain's financial sector.
But now, everything has changed. Just as Liam Travers's request for Swiss banks to disclose depositors' accounts severely damaged the Swiss banking industry, the Death Eaters' actions of removing gold from vaults that do not belong to them have dealt a heavy blow to Gringotts. From now on, Gringotts has lost its golden reputation and will no longer hold the same absolute advantage it once did.
However, this also indicates that Liam's strategy has been successful. The Death Eaters are now trying to raise enough funds to cover the losses from the destruction of their manors, in hopes of stabilizing the American wizards and securing more resources.
"Hmm, I'm not sure whether I should feel happy or sad about this", Hermione muttered, but Liam overheard her and asked curiously, "What did you say?"
"Well", Hermione said, watching as the people in the tent discussed the previous events and then walked out, taking with them two goblins who were almost sobbing into unconsciousness. "Our side has suffered significant losses, but the Dark Lord is sacrificing long-term interests for short-term gains. In a way, this could further tip the war's advantage in our favor."
"Fortunately, we've already established our own bank, so the overall impact on us should be minimal", Liam analyzed calmly. "But for the Dark Lord's side, the impact could be much greater. Remember, they can seize our wealth today, but they could also seize the wealth of others, including the Death Eaters, tomorrow. Honestly, the Death Eaters have far more wealth than we do."
After leaving the tent, Liam saw everyone packing up the camp and preparing to leave. A guerrilla fighter approached him and asked, "Commander, where are we heading next?"
Upon hearing this, many wizards who were packing up looked over, their spirits high after a string of victories. They were eager to fight bravely under Liam's leadership.
"I think we should take a break in Hogsmeade today", Liam told them. "We've been fighting for so long, and it's time for a rest. Besides, I just read the newspaper, and Christmas is the day after tomorrow."
"Christmas is coming soon?" Many wizards looked surprised, having been locked in dungeons or fleeing for their lives, even imprisoned with Dementors. In such conditions, they had lost track of time. Only now, hearing Liam's words, did they realize Christmas was near.
"Great, we can go home for Christmas", the wizards murmured happily. Despite their strong fighting spirit and determination, they had felt some fatigue from the continuous battles. The opportunity to rest and reunite with their families was a welcome and uplifting message.
After receiving the news that they could go home for Christmas, everyone worked much more efficiently. Soon, the entire camp was tidied up, and after returning from their patrol, they brought two Goblins back to Hogsmeade with them.
"Ah, welcome back, our heroes", Percy, who was the Town Guard Captain for the day, greeted them warmly as they arrived at the gates of Hogsmeade. "By the way, why are all of you here today?"
Previously, Ryan and the others would send a few people to deliver the loot and rescued hostages after a battle, but they had never all returned together. So, Percy looked a bit puzzled when he saw the group.
"Oh, we're back for Christmas", Liam explained. Hearing this, Percy lightly slapped his forehead. "Heavens! You're right, Christmas is just around the corner, and I've been so busy I almost forgot. If I hadn't remembered today, my mother would have killed me—oh, by the way, what's the deal with those two Goblins in your group?"
Percy asked, noticing the two Goblins who had been standing at the back of the group, hidden from view. "Did you rescue them during one of your raids? You always seem to bring back all sorts of people."
"Not exactly, we just met them on the way", Liam replied. "But they've been on the run from the Dark Lord, so we decided to bring them along."
"In that case, you should take those Goblins to the Ministry of Magic. I think the Ministry staff can find them a suitable place to stay", Percy suggested. At this point, the others had finished checking Ryan and the others' passes. Seeing the nod from his colleagues, Percy gestured for them to proceed. "Merry Christmas to you all!"
"You too", Liam said, and they all walked together into the town’s main street. The streets were much busier than before, almost as bustling as they were during the pre-war Hogsmeade Days. Snow from a few days ago covered the town in a thick layer.
The shops on both sides of the street and the roads were decorated with Christmas ornaments: people used sparkling decorations and mistletoe to adorn the shop windows and doors, and magical dyes were used to paint various Christmas banners and wreaths that hung above the road. Some of the wreaths were enchanted to continuously play Christmas carols.
Moreover, many shop windows displayed various Christmas items, and the merchants had organized special events. For example, Liam saw a Panda Person in a red and white Santa Claus costume at the bank’s entrance, handing out candy to every Wizard passing by. In short, the tense atmosphere of war had diminished, and everyone was immersed in the joy of the holiday.
"I'll take these two Goblins to the Ministry of Magic. I know some people there", Derek Crimp said. By this time, they had reached the center of Hogsmeade, where a massive Christmas tree had been placed, and a few children were having a snowball fight around it.
"Alright, then everyone can disperse and head home. We'll contact you if anything comes up", Liam said, watching as everyone left. Each Wizard looked excited, except for the two Goblins, who seemed lost and followed Derek up the hill towards the Ministry of Magic.
"So, where are we going now? Back to school?" Hermione asked, turning around after everyone had left. "Ginny and the others have written a lot of letters lately, and I'm looking forward to seeing them."
"Let's visit Weasley’s Joke Shop first", Liam suggested. "I heard they prepared some special Christmas items recently, and I want to see how they're selling."
(End of Chapter)
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