Harry Potter: From Muggle Cousin to Conceptual Wizard

Chapter 22 The Gringotts goblins' compensation!

Dumbledore didn't say much on the topic, because he didn't understand how Dudley had suddenly become a wizard from a Muggle, and even more so, how he had become such a powerful wizard without any formal instruction.

He stroked the fake magic stone packet that Hagrid had handed him with his aged hand, letting a wisp of magic seep into it, and then his expression changed slightly.

With his alchemical expertise, he could tell at a glance that it wasn't a magic stone at all, but at most a natural ruby ​​of decent quality.

Voldemort succeeded? Was the goblin switched? Or was it the magical Mr. Dursley...?

Dumbledore pondered, and based on the information he already possessed, the answer to this question didn't seem too difficult to guess.

It was as clear as the impassioned voices from not far away.

"Is this how Gringotts does security? The vault is like a sieve, where terrorists can come and go as they please? The employees are like rats, running away at the first sign of trouble?!"

And the Fire Dragon Guardians, the Fairy Squad—pfft! They're all just paper dolls! You think you can stop a fire? What are you good for?

All those families in the wizarding world pay their annual treasury management fees, and it all just disappears into the Irish Sea without a trace!

Do you know what? It was so close, so very close! My cousin, my big friend, and I would have all died here!

Those who know the situation will think we've come to the bank to withdraw money; those who don't will think we've stormed a terrorist hideout!

In front of the goblins cleaning up the mess in the underground vault, Dudley passionately launched into a tirade, spitting as he spoke. His presence was even more imposing than Hagrid's. The goblins, filled with shame, lowered their heads, unable to meet his gaze.

A leading goblin manager, steeling himself, stepped forward and sought reconciliation: "Esteemed guests, Gringotts is deeply sorry for your unfortunate experience..."

"An apology?!" Dudley immediately interrupted the fairy. "How much is an ounce of Galleons for an apology? You think you can just touch your wrinkled, dry upper lip to your lower lip a few times and get away with it?"

I'm under the Cruciatus Curse! The Cruciatus Curse, the most torturous of all the Unforgivable Curses! How do you calculate my suffering? How do you calculate the terror we endured? How do you calculate this life-or-death crisis we faced?!

If you don't give me a satisfactory answer today, I'll expose your utterly incompetent security to the Daily Prophet as soon as I leave, so all the wizards can see your true colors and take all the wealth from you—not a single copper nut will be left!

"Do not--"

The fairies were terrified. Their ancestors had been defeated by the wizard and lost the right to use their wands. Now, their only desire was for gold coins and treasure.

If a large-scale bank run were to occur, it would be better to simply take their lives.

"How about one thousand, no, three thousand, three thousand Galleons? Plus, the Porter family's treasury will be permanently exempt from management fees!"

The fairy manager reluctantly offered his price.

“I don’t think we need to talk anymore, Harry. Take all the money out of the vault and let’s go straight to the Daily Prophet and get the front page headline for a year!”

Dudley's expression turned cold, and he made a move to leave.

"No! Please no! Okay! You win! Ten thousand Galleons, plus a vault with permanent free management fees!"

The fairy manager slumped helplessly on the stone steps, as if under a spell that had robbed him of his soul, feeling as if his entire soul had been hollowed out.

"I want 100,000! 100,000 Galleons! Not a single gold coin less!" Daritu revealed his true colors, exuding a wicked smile of unwavering determination.

"No! This is impossible!" The fairy manager seemed to have been burned by the steps, and jumped up suddenly, jumping up and down in a panic.

The other fairies chimed in, saying that the price had cut them in the bud.

"Hmph!" Dali chuckled contemptuously, then fell silent, using his silent, cold violence to attack the fairies' psychological defenses.

The fairy manager was sweating profusely, with drops of sweat running down the folds of her skin, clearly indicating that she was under immense psychological pressure.

After a long while, he reluctantly took another step back.

“Fifty thousand Galleons! That’s really the most we can offer!” The goblin manager said with difficulty, wiping his sweat. “This is the highest price Gringotts can give, for the sake of Harry Potter and Professor Dumbledore!”

Seeing Dumbledore and Hagrid approaching, the goblin manager got a clever idea, thinking he could do them a favor.

Unexpectedly, Dudley became even more excited when Dumbledore's name was mentioned.

"What, are you saying that Hagrid and I aren't even worth a single Galleon, not even worthy of being mentioned?" Dudley roared angrily, his magic surging. "Are all unknown people supposed to die?!"

The fairy manager was forced back several steps by Dudley's terrifying aura, stammering, "No... I... I didn't mean that."

"What does that mean?! Huh?!" Dali pressed on relentlessly.

"Gringotts should make compensation!"

At this moment, Dumbledore, who had approached, spoke solemnly, "In your attempt to cover up the scandal, you kept me out of the vault, thinking you could handle it yourselves, but you nearly caused the deaths of innocent people..."

"you shut up!"

Dudley scolded the old man again, realizing that Dumbledore was defending him and explaining to him and Harry.

But the old man made this pot himself; he can't deny it!

"Fifty thousand Galleons! Permanent waiver of management fees for the Potter family vault, plus two wounded Norwegian Spinosaurus, one male and one female!"

Amidst the shocked gazes of the goblins and Hagrid, Dudley forcefully presented his final price.

"Okay...okay...deal!"

The fairy manager's mind went blank for a moment, but his instincts told him that he couldn't say no to a tough guy who dared to confront Dumbledore directly, so he agreed without really thinking.

When he came to his senses, he realized something was wrong and hurriedly asked, "The Ministry of Magic doesn't allow private individuals to keep dragons, so you killed the dragon..."

"Huh?!" Dali glared at him fiercely.

"Um... I wanted to ask where I should send the two fire dragons to you?" The fairy manager asked again, speaking from the heart.

"Fifty thousand Galleons, deposit them into the Potter family's vault! Two Norwegian Spinosaurus, heal their burns, and then wait for my message. Once my letter arrives, deliver it exactly where I tell you to go, without the slightest deviation! Otherwise, you will bear the consequences!"

Dudley withdrew his terrifying magic, pulled Harry along, and jumped onto another intact little train that had been summoned by the goblins. With a flick of his wand, he sped away.

"Do as he says!"

Dumbledore said this to the goblins, then put his arm around Hagrid's and Apparated, the two of them spiraling away and disappearing.

After everyone left, the fairy manager remained silent for a long time, then suddenly roared at the other fairies:

"What are you all standing there for?! Use the Healing Charm! And enhance my Anti-Apparition Charm! I don't want to see anyone coming and going freely in our vault anymore!"