https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-893-The-Early-Newspaper-and-Kyle-s-Strategy/13017515/
Chapter 892: Confrontation and Ulterior Motives
Chapter 892: Confrontation and Ulterior Motives
Is the Auror Office missing a Galleon?
Undoubtedly, especially with their escalating conflict against the Death Eaters. Whether it's recruiting new Aurors, purchasing Potions, or providing compensation, a substantial amount of Galleons is required.
But the Ministry is also short on Galleons, with almost every department reaching out to the Minister for funds. The meager amount allocated to the Auror Office is simply insufficient.
This is why Scringer endured listening to their arguments for several hours, choosing to stay and play his part until the matter is resolved.
Earning money is all for the job; there's no shame in it.
Half of thirty thousand Galleons is fifteen thousand Galleons. With just a few hours of effort and coordination, they managed to secure such a substantial sum. Any Head of Department would be unwilling to refuse such an offer.
Unfortunately, they didn't have that opportunity.
Scringer straightened his body, continuing to play his role until the matter was concluded.
Fifteen thousand Galleons—this figure was much higher than he had anticipated, a real windfall.
As for the nominal purpose of this money... No one really cared.
Diagon Alley had indeed suffered some damage, but in the wizarding world, dragon flames were not as destructive as regular fires. A simple repair charm could fix most issues, so there was no need to worry.
The goblins knew this too, but they still paid up.
Because this was just an excuse—the Ministry needed Galleons, and the goblins needed to quickly resolve this theft incident and restore Gringotts' reputation. It was a mutual understanding between the two parties.
However, this process didn't need to be so complicated, but Kyle voluntarily took on this task, causing the cost they had to bear to increase several times over.
Thirty thousand Galleons... Bogrod's heart was bleeding. According to their initial plan, this was the absolute bottom line, and they couldn't afford even one more Knut.
It really didn't want to haggle with Kyle anymore. In its experience, he was the most shameless wizard it had ever met. He was stubborn, irresponsible in his words, and quick to place blame on the goblins.
If this continued, even it would start to suspect that the goblins' rearing of dragons was a genuine attempt at rebellion.
Exhausted, it decided to let it go.
"Very well, now that official business is concluded, it's time to discuss personal matters," Kyle said, taking another sip of Butterbeer. "What about the six thousand three hundred Galleons that were stolen from me? You should provide an explanation for that as well."
Not done yet?!
Bogrod's heart, which had just settled, started pounding again.
"Your money has already been retrieved!" he croaked. "What happened afterward is no longer Gringotts' concern."
It wanted to drink Butterbeer too, or even just water, but no matter how it hinted, the Auror seemed to completely ignore it, not giving it any attention.
Damn wizard!
"No longer Gringotts' concern?" Kyle scoffed. "If I had been robbed outside Gringotts' doors, I wouldn't have said anything. But I was robbed inside your vault, and if it weren't for that goblin's face, would I have let my guard down?
He dropped quite a few Galleons when he robbed me. You can go and check for yourselves!"
Bogrod glared at him.
They did find scattered Galleons in the tunnel, but... that didn't mean this wizard had been robbed, did it?
"You wouldn't be implying that I threw those Galleons, would you?" Kyle glanced at Bogrod. "Do you think I had the time? Or do you think the Death Eaters are so easy to talk to that they would help an enemy like me?
Bogrod's mouth moved, but he didn't speak.
"So, don't waste time with useless talk. This is compensation for your negligence... medical expenses, mental distress, nine thousand Galleons, not a Knut less!
If you disagree, I'll go to Fudge and file a complaint against Gringotts!"
"Well... Gringotts is unlikely to win that case." Scringer stepped in and spoke a word of fairness.
"We Aurors have thoroughly inspected Kyle's belongings, and indeed, we didn't find the Galleons he had just retrieved."
Kyle had just helped the Aurors secure a substantial sum, so he was willing to offer a little assistance.
Of course, Scringer wasn't lying. The Aurors did inspect Kyle's transfigured lizard skin bag, right in front of Bogrod.
However, they didn't find anything, and although there were some Galleons, the number was far less than six thousand, basically confirming that the two were unrelated.
Did Bogrod believe it?
It might believe it, but it didn't want to compensate.
And so, the two parties began a new round of haggling.
However, this time, Kyle had new allies.
Scringer, representing the Ministry, would occasionally speak up with fairness, and even Dumbledore joined in from time to time.
Three against one, Bogrod's pressure multiplied, and he couldn't hold out for more than two hours. He left the Auror Office on the pretext of going to the restroom.
Kyle rubbed his throat and turned to look beside him.
"Professor Dumbledore, how did you get here?"
"I came to visit you," Dumbledore said. "You were sent to St. Mungo's by the Aurors right in front of everyone, so as the Deputy Headmaster, I naturally had to come and visit a former outstanding graduate of Hogwarts on behalf of the school."
"Deputy Headmaster?" Kyle blinked.
"Ah, the Board of Governors didn't want me to completely leave the school," Dumbledore explained. "So after discussing with Professor McGonagall, they hired me again.
"It's just that Professor Snape might not be too happy. He was supposed to take on the position of Deputy Headmaster, so I kind of took his place."
"I see." Kyle nodded.
He understood the Board's thinking very well. After all, with Dumbledore at Hogwarts, it was the safest, so it was normal for them to not want to let him go.
In the current situation, it was as if Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had switched positions.
"But you just said you were a bystander." Kyle asked. "Aren't you afraid that the goblins will come after you when they find out the truth?
"The appointment will take effect tomorrow," Dumbledore blinked and continued, "I heard you left St. Mungo's."
"There was a... slight incident," Kyle said, slightly embarrassed.
The goblin and Kyle had gone to St. Mungo's together, and throughout the journey and the bandaging process, they had been discussing compensation.
Their voices were a bit too loud, and even on the sixth floor, their voices could be heard in the hall. The Headmistress Saxia, unable to bear it any longer, had them removed.
They couldn't argue on the street, and Kyle didn't mind, but the goblin's appearance... If ten Muggles saw it, nine of them would call the police.
To avoid causing further trouble for the Reverse Occasional Events Team, they decided to move their argument to the Ministry of Magic.
"Your Galleons were really stolen?" Dumbledore looked at Kyle with a meaningful gaze.
"Of course," Kyle replied without hesitation.
Dumbledore nodded. Did he believe it? Well, that was obvious.
If the Death Eaters had indeed stolen Kyle's six thousand Galleons, he didn't think they could have left so easily.
After waiting a while longer, Bogrod still hadn't returned.
"That goblin, he didn't run away, did he?" Kyle frowned and muttered.
"No," Dumbledore said.
He had figured it out; Kyle now represented the Ministry of Magic, and by helping them, he was also gaining leverage for himself.
If the goblins at Gringotts wanted to resolve this incident, they had to get Kyle's approval, and this was something the Ministry had tacitly agreed upon...
A benefit fee, perhaps.
Sure enough, as soon as Dumbledore finished speaking, the office door opened.
Bogrod walked in, his short legs carrying him from outside. Without waiting for Kyle to speak, he took the lead, "Six thousand five hundred Galleons, the extra is Gringotts' way of thanking you for helping to drive away the Death Eaters."
He didn't mention a word about medical expenses or the so-called mental distress fee.
The goblins did want to pay to settle the matter, but that didn't mean they were willing to rub their brains on the ground again.
Once was enough; they couldn't keep doing it.
"No problem," Kyle agreed without hesitation, nodding in agreement.
If he hadn't guessed wrong, Bogrod must have contacted the goblins at Gringotts just now.
Although the amount didn't meet Kyle's expectations, he was willing to give them face since the greedy goblins were willing to compromise.
A little less profit was fine.
"Over a hundred Galleons... Gringotts sure is cheap," Kyle said. "When will the Galleons be delivered? I warn you, don't think of delaying it for a year or two."
"If I don't see the money, I'm afraid my colleagues at the Ministry won't be in the mood to work."
"You, you..." Bogrod stared at Kyle intently, but soon his expression wilted.
"We'll do it as soon as possible..." He sighed, "You know, nearly forty thousand Galleons isn't a small sum. Even Gringotts needs time to prepare."
"But I assure you, once Gringotts is ready, the Galleons will be delivered immediately."
"Alright, we'll leave it to you then." Kyle tried to immerse himself in the large sum of Galleons, and surprisingly, he was unusually agreeable this time.
Bogrod couldn't help but twitch his lips, but soon his expression returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
After that, there were some insignificant details to discuss, which didn't take long.
After reaching an agreement, Bogrod turned and ran out of the office, fearing that if he moved any slower, he would anger the people inside.
He was truly exhausted.
Not only was his heart tired, but his throat was as well.
People said goblins were greedy and had no bottom line, but in his opinion, this wizard was the greediest. His appetite was bigger than a camel's, and his heart was more venomous than a leopard's.
Dealing with him was torture every second.
Bogrod also regretted a bit. If, in the vault, they hadn't tried to shift the blame onto the wizard, would these things have happened?
But the problem was, they didn't know this would happen at the time, and they were used to trying to remove Gringotts from the scandal and finding someone to bear the loss.
If only the Aurors had arrived a little later.
Bogrod sighed and quickened his pace, soon disappearing into the corridor.
The original text can be found at Six Nine At Bar!
...
As soon as the goblin left, the atmosphere in the Auror office immediately brightened, especially for Scringer, who couldn't close his wide smile.
The monthly salary of ordinary Ministry employees was only around sixty Galleons... Fifteen thousand Galleons was indeed a huge sum.
With this money, it would be much easier to do some things, and they could also pay off the part of the pension they had to borrow... No, with an additional thirty percent, all Auror benefits would be improved.
For the wands damaged in the Hebrides Islands, they would be reimbursed double.
There would also be Healing Potions, Vitality Elixirs, Skele-Gro, and other essential items, all in boxes, one for each Auror.
Now every department was short on funds, and they had to spend this fifteen thousand Galleons quickly to avoid jealousy from other departments. They needed to turn this money into visible combat power.
Scringer was planning the use of this money in his mind, and he even started to find Kyle more agreeable.
No wonder people said Dumbledore valued him.
Even the former Minister Cornelius Fudge had offered him a high-paying position in the Ministry before he had even graduated.
At the time, many people had criticized this decision, including Scringer himself, but now he understood that the man truly had skills.
Scringer couldn't help but acknowledge that Dumbledore had an eye for talent. As an Auror, he was skilled at capturing Dark Wizards and Death Eaters, but when it came to dealing with greedy goblins, it wasn't his forte.
If the Aurors had handled this incident, they might have managed to squeeze a few thousand Galleons out of the Goblins at most. But Kyle, with his unique approach, effortlessly multiplied that number tenfold.
It had to be said that while Fudge was incompetent as a Minister, his eye for talent was exceptional.
"You've really outdone yourself." Scringer spoke with an uncharacteristic gentleness, "I've never seen those greedy Goblins take such a huge loss before."
"It's fine, I didn't do this solely for the Ministry," Kyle waved his hand, "and this isn't over yet."
"It's not over?" Scringer was taken aback. "Didn't they agree to pay?"
"They agreed, but that doesn't mean they'll pay right away," Kyle said.
"You mean, the Goblins might renege?" Scringer frowned.
The thought of fifteen thousand Galleons slipping away made his temper flare, and he glared, resembling an enraged lion.
"They won't renege, but they won't pay up honestly," Kyle said.
He had seen the expression on Bogrod's face; for a moment, the Goblin wanted to laugh.
To be able to laugh after such a loss... there was something strange going on.
But Kyle didn't mind.
Dumbledore was returning to Hogwarts, and after parting ways with him at the Ministry entrance, Kyle headed back to Diagon Alley, to the Leaky Cauldron, to meet a familiar face.
delve into the depths of Gringotts to get first-hand information, and now she couldn't publish her article?
"Forget it." Kyle sat down opposite her, "The Goblins have backed down, so your article probably won't be published."
"Ha!" Rita Skeeter was furious, "I risked my life sneaking into Gringotts, to get exclusive information, and now the Ministry won't let me publish? I won't back down!"
"You can try." Kyle said calmly, "But I'll kindly remind you, if you mess up a deal, don't be surprised when Scringer comes for you."
If the substantial sum of Galleons slipped away, given Scringer's temper, he might make the culprit pay dearly.
"Should I be afraid of Scringer?" Rita Skeeter banged the table angrily.
She had dared to write about Dumbledore's personal life, so a mere Head of the Auror Office wouldn't intimidate her.
Okay, maybe she was afraid.
Rita Skeeter quickly faced reality. Dumbledore was easygoing, and he wouldn't get angry even if she portrayed him as a crazy old man.
But Scringer wasn't as forgiving. He could be ruthless.
Kyle glanced at her and didn't expose her lie. After a moment's thought, he said, "If you want to publish, it's not impossible."
"What do you mean?"
Kyle didn't answer directly but asked an unrelated question.
"When does the Daily Prophet usually go on sale?"
Rita Skeeter was puzzled but answered honestly, "If it's not an urgent report, it's usually at 8 a.m."
"Then, at 7 a.m., deliver a copy of the newspaper to Gringotts."
"Just one copy?" Rita Skeeter scowled.
What's the point of this? Was he playing with her?
"One hundred Galleons." Kyle threw a heavy bag onto the table, "You deliver the newspaper, and I'll pay you one hundred Galleons, cash."
Before Kyle could blink, the bag on the table vanished.
"Is one copy enough? There are many Goblins in Gringotts."
Rita Skeeter smiled, "We have professional equipment. One copy or a hundred, it's all the same. Rest assured, this is a free service, no extra charge."
"Then deliver to every Goblin." Kyle said, "Remember, one hour earlier, deliver only to Gringotts, and remind them it's the day's newspaper."
"No problem, I'll deliver it personally." Rita Skeeter assured him.
They clinked butterbeers and parted ways.
"What did those Goblins do to deserve you?" Rita Skeeter couldn't help but ask before leaving.
As a former victim, she knew better than anyone the methods of the wizard before her.
In the past, she had fearlessly reported scandals and gossip about famous wizards, unscathed. Yet, she had stumbled and fallen at the hands of Kyle, a student who hadn't even graduated yet.
If even she faced such a fate, what chance did the Goblins have?
"Don't talk nonsense, I'm helping them," Kyle corrected her with a glance.
"Fine, you've paid, so whatever you say goes." Rita Skeeter vanished into the fireplace.
Kyle headed to his shop in Diagon Alley.
Due to its proximity to Gringotts, his shop had been affected to some extent, but not severely. Dobby had repaired the shop immediately, and everything inside was intact.
For the first time, Kyle felt Dobby's actions were too swift... Why repair so quickly? He could have made more money.
Before entering the shop, Kyle deliberately glanced at the nearby Gringotts, its doors tightly shut.
The Goblins were equally swift; the hole in the roof, caused by the Dragon, was gone. From the outside, Gringotts appeared unchanged from before.
As for what was happening inside, what the Goblins were up to, their plans... it didn't matter.
As Kyle had said before, he didn't care what tricks the Goblins had up their sleeves.
...
(End of Chapter)
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