Carrick and Malfoy exchanged bewildered glances, then turned to the goblin manager for answers. The manager simply shook his head, defeat evident in the gesture. Initially furious at their breach of Gringotts protocol, he now felt only pity, seeing them in Umbridge's crosshairs.
Carrick began to speak, but Malfoy stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head subtly.
Umbridge, witnessing Carrick's frustrated expression, smirked. "Go on, say it! Weren't you just brimming with clever excuses? Or is it because Mr. Carrick here is too busy packing his bags, knowing he's about to be sacked? Hahahaha..."
She threw her head back and cackled, then turned with a flourish and departed.
The other goblins, sharing a sense of misfortune, offered a few insincere words of comfort before trailing after her. Even the manager—two employees were expendable. Replacements were always available.
"…"
Carrick watched them go, then turned to Malfoy. "Malfoy, what now? Are we really going back to pack?" His tone lacked the despair Umbridge had anticipated. He'd seen Malfoy's knowing look earlier; they weren't beaten yet.
"Heh, we don't have any luggage."
Malfoy chuckled, then turned his gaze to the minecart behind them.
...
"Whoosh!!~"
The elf's piercing scream echoed through the vast, empty underground, dislodging droplets of water from the stalactites.
With no other minecarts nearby and far from any known vaults, Carrick made no attempt to conceal himself. He felt a surge of exhilaration. Voldemort was finally acting! He'd been urging him to force their way in all along! So what if they were discovered? If they were strong enough, they'd simply subdue everyone!
We might even have to thank that oversized pink toad for spurring us on! Without her, we'd probably still be stuck in those endless meetings!
"Malfoy, watch it!"
Malfoy cuffed Carrick impatiently. "If we're caught, we might not be able to get out!"
Gringotts, as the wizarding world's bank, was protected by powerful Anti-Apparition Charms. Being caught down here would mean a confrontation.
But is Gringotts really that easy to breach?
Okay, Quirinus Quirrell managed to get past the first layer of defenses, but that was Quirinus Quirrell—a highly skilled wizard with the help of Voldemort's remnant soul. Most would never make it that far. And this? This was deeper than where Quirinus Quirrell had gone. There was bound to be a Ukrainian Ironbelly guarding this place. Even Quirinus Quirrell would have been badly mauled.
However, Carrick and Malfoy weren't intimidated. Otherwise, they wouldn't have come this far. As sixth-year Hogwarts students, though not yet seventeen, their magic had already reached B-rank, rivalling adult wizards! With the power of the treasure box and their hidden skills, they were confident they could escape even the Ironbelly.
...
The minecart plunged deeper into the subterranean labyrinth.
They passed rows of ancient vault doors, glimpsing goblins going about their duties. The goblins ignored them, assuming the cart's driver was one of their own. Their temporary adoption of goblin guises had been a wise move.
Finally, they reached the lowest vault.
Clang, clang...
The sound of the speeding cart echoed through the chamber, reaching the ears of the colossal beast slumbering within, a creature as large as a small mountain.
A pair of red eyes snapped open, and the mighty Ukrainian Ironbelly rose to its forelegs.
Sniff...sniff...
It recognized the scent from earlier that morning—it was not an intruder.
Under the tense gaze of Carrick and Malfoy, the Ironbelly settled back into slumber.
"Hoo~" Carrick's clenched hand loosened in his pocket. He hadn't realized his palm was slick with sweat from the strain.
Malfoy appeared calmer, clutching a small, dragon-hide pouch he'd produced from within his robes. Though unopened, the pouch pulsed with magical energy, suggesting it contained something extraordinary.
Clang...
The minecart lurched violently, veering sharply in a new, deeper direction.
A moment of darkness was followed by a return to light in less than ten seconds.
Below them lay a vast new underground space.
Illuminated by magical lamps, the area rivaled Diagon Alley in size, crisscrossed by countless underground passages leading to unknown destinations.
"Malfoy, this isn't just some vault."
"Ah."
The sharp clang of metal on metal echoed through the cavern.
Below them lay a chaotic assembly of massive, half-finished forging machines. Scattered parts lay strewn about. Goblins hurried back and forth carrying magical metals, others hammered at forging tables, and still more drove carts through the passages.
Clearly, this is a secret that must never reach the outside world.
And what was happening here was something no wizard could condone.
If Carrick and Malfoy knew that Umbridge had been sent by the Ministry to inspect these goblins, they would have ensured she received a thorough dressing down. This underground space had obviously existed for some time, and that idiot Umbridge hadn't suspected a thing.
However, that was the reality. Drunk on power and shielded from scrutiny by the Ministry, Umbridge had become complacent. In her first months, she would have insisted on investigating herself. But the cunning goblins had observed her, learning her weaknesses before carefully beginning to construct their "new treasury." And due to the goblins remaining harmless, "obedient," and the subject of arbitrary beatings and scoldings, Umbridge disregarded them, no longer believing they could cause any trouble.
Now, faced with the prospect of a "new treasury," she, mired in her lust for power, had lost all interest.
Clang.
The minecart screeched to a halt. Carrick and Malfoy had arrived at their destination.
In this underground space filled with the clamor of industry, the preoccupied goblins didn't notice the arrival of another minecart.
This provided Carrick and Malfoy with a significant advantage, but a new problem loomed: the goblin guards standing watch ahead.
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