Chapter 118: Opening The Diary
“The underground vaults are cast from a special clay magic door, only authenticated goblins can knock it open, anyone else touching the magic door will be sucked inside, trapped in the wall unable to get out. For vaults that haven’t been opened for a long time, we check once every ten years to see if any thief’s corpse is stuck inside.
“Stored items can also have duplication charm and fire charm applied, thieves touching the treasures will cause burning and endless duplication, if the thief still doesn’t give up, they’ll eventually be crushed and scalded to death.”
Ragnok came to the front of a vault with no markings, raised his hand and pressed it on the metal door whose material couldn’t be discerned, and lightly knocked twice.
Dust-covered green rust peeled off layer by layer, revealing some blurry reliefs, Melvin carefully identified them for a moment, confirming they weren’t any familiar runes.
It should be the goblin kingdom’s casting technique.
The vault rumbled open, inside was a color of iron-blue mixed with dust, air flowed between inside and outside, a cold dry smell carrying rust assaulted the face, like cement ground on a rainy day, the walls and dome looked solid and thick, the material indistinguishable, some faint residual alchemy runes glowed dimly.
This was a fairly spacious space, area about the same as the Hogwarts great hall main hall, not as big as the Room of Requirement’s storage room.
“Shouldn’t we clean it up a bit?” Melvin turned his head and asked.
“Leave it to me, sir.” Ragnok slightly bowed.
The room was open with no miscellaneous items blocking, the dust accumulation wasn’t too severe, no webs or vixen, with a few snaps of the fingers a large area was cleared, very fast.
Taking advantage of the goblin staff cleaning, Melvin looked around the walls and vault main door, obsidian and refined iron mixed and piled, mortar mixed with some strange powders, looked very reliable, unknown how many spells it could withstand.
Melvin glanced at the goblin staff from the corner of his eye, the vault cleaning was almost done: “Do items for first-time storage in the vault need to be registered?”
“Yes, sir!”
Ragnok’s sharp voice echoed in the empty room, while sweeping the last small area, answering the customer’s questions: “Please rest assured, this is for longer cooperation, Gringotts only keeps one list just in case, we won’t inquire about the collection’s origin, ordinary goblins or even the manager can’t access the records.”
“Is that so…… I plan to store these things, help me inventory them.”
Melvin tossed the linen pouch over, the mountain of galleons made a crisp sound, “Also, I’m still a bit uneasy about the walls’ protection, can I try an attack test?”
“This…”
Just a young wizard’s test, should be no problem…… right?
Ragnok’s mind had a scale, one side light hesitation, one side heavy galleons, the pointer unhesitatingly tipped to the latter: “Alright, Gringotts has the duty to dispel customer’s doubts.”
“Such thoughtful service.”
Melvin smiled and softly praised, before his words fell, he flung a thick magic beam at the wall.
【Thunderous explosion】
Earth-shattering rumble, as if the vault floor was faintly shaking, lamps and torches swayed, casting flickering shadows in the vault.
“…”
Ragnok was a bit dumbfounded, mouth agape, expression dazed, looking at the shallow pit on the wall, then at the young customer, as if that spell wasn’t cast on the wall, but on itself.
Even a fire dragon’s full-power dragon breath wouldn’t make this much noise.
“Really sturdy, isn’t it?” Melvin said in a tone of admiration.
Ragnok came back to his senses, covered his face and wailed shrilly: “We’re done for, done for…… this month’s performance is all ruined!”
“Don’t say that, Ragnok…… you showed me Gringotts’ reliable protection, if you can dispel the last bit of concern, I’m willing to pay the maximum deposit.” Melvin patiently persuaded, like an excellent professor guiding patiently in class.
Ragnok looked up at him, murmuring repeat: “Last bit of concern?”
Melvin nodded heavily, expression solemn: “The previous test proved the vault can resist blasting spells, but whether it can face cutting and piercing spells, I’m still uneasy.”
“…”
“If the last doubt can be dispelled, Gringotts will gain a loyal customer, this is all your credit, Ragnok, perhaps when leaving later, I should relay your dedicated service to your manager.”
Ragnok grimaced at the shallow pit, thinking of the possibility of promotion to counter, gritted his teeth and agreed: “Alright then, last time.”
“You’ll be manager soon!”
Melvin gave sincere praise, then turned to face the shallow pit, releasing the spell again.
【Sectumsempra】
Thunderous roar, the vault as if rammed by an adult graphorn, Ragnok staggered twice, the spell’s impact and penetration sent stones flying, a piece of crushed stone hit the forehead, immediately seeing stars, a bit unsteady.
“Really sturdy and reliable, now I’m reassured.” Melvin’s surprised voice rang in its ear.
Ragnok’s face was pale, thinking of the stored items just inventoried and registered, thinking of Gringotts’ big customers, felt slightly comforted: “Professor Levent, the galleons are all placed, let’s go up, still need to sign some contracts and hand over the vault key.”
“Of course.”
Melvin nodded with a smile.
Riding the cart back the same way, that old fire dragon was still listlessly lying in the cave, the anti-theft waterfall’s water flow icy cold, Ragnok let out a long breath, his stiff tense body relaxing.
The rest was signing contracts, paying deposit, handing over vault key and a series of processes, for the sake of the galleons, the goblins’ attitudes were attentive and considerate.
Finally even dispatched two goblins to personally escort Melvin out of Gringotts.
Melvin pocketed the vault key, glanced at the slogan on the silver main door, his pitch-black eyes meaningful.
…
Back-to-school season’s Diagon Alley was exceptionally crowded.
The previous procurement went smoothly, the Weasley family and Harry happened to meet Hermione on the road, the group grew again, walking side by side on the street blocking traffic like that.
Little wizards each holding an ice cream, eating while walking, chattering, innocent laughter especially crisp, then cursed by passing pedestrians, grumbling:
“A whole family of redheads! What are you blocking the road middle for, are you undigested nut shells from a fire dragon’s anus!?”
“…”
Harry and Ron looked at the nut ice cream in their hands, suddenly not appetizing anymore.
The Weasleys looked at each other, had to consider splitting up.
They parted at the Eeylops Owl Emporium entrance, Percy muttering about buying a new quill, George and Fred chasing Lee Jordan planning to browse the joke shop. Arthur planned to go to the Leaky Cauldron with the Granger couple for a drink, Ron fussing to go together, because the projection mirror was playing Charlie’s Firebolt team’s match.
Molly then took the others to Flourish and Blotts, to procure new school year’s textbooks.
The bookstore’s crowding was enough to cause fire dragon constipation.
Because Flourish and Blotts was holding a signing event today, legendary adventurer Gilderoy Lockhart personally on site, almost every housewife doing back-to-school shopping in Diagon Alley came to line up, looking at the banner unfurled on the second floor, looking at the standees in the bookstore shop window, the queuing wizards from inside the shop to outside, extending all the way to the street corner.
The bookstore manager with fatigued face stood at the shop entrance, with hoarse voice calling: “Ladies, quiet, Mr. Lockhart won’t run, don’t crowd!”
Harry and Ginny quickly regretted it, they should have gone to the Leaky Cauldron with Ron, instead of silly queuing here, listening to Mrs. Weasley and Hermione discuss Lockhart’s legendary adventure stories.
Harry and the others would occasionally be greeted by strange wizards.
In these wizards’ eyes, Harry’s reputation was no less than Lockhart’s, the curly-haired messy little witch beside was also a protagonist who appeared on the projection mirror, last year’s school stories more exciting than Lockhart’s adventures, pity no book or poster, otherwise could ask for signature too.
For those with friendly attitudes, Harry and Hermione would respond normally, while some extreme pure-bloods gave Hermione sour faces and said weird things, Molly would step forward and scold them away.
Speaking of pure bloodline purity, only the Twenty-Eight Families could compare with the Weasleys.
Entering the bookstore interior, the ears immediately quieted.
“Hermione……” Harry looked up at the long queue ahead, asked in a low voice, “Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?”
Hermione buried her head flipping Lockhart’s book, head not lifted, quickly answered: “Professor Levent? That’s not strange.”
Harry was a bit stuck, thinking carefully, Professor Levent indeed different from other professors, not the stereotypical good wizard, would flood trolls with water, use Norbert to scare them to achieve purpose, not to mention the dark magic items against Quirrell.
“Not just Professor Levent, also the Malfoy father and son.”
“What did they buy?”
“They went to sell things…”
Harry subconsciously answered, then reacted, said softly: “That’s not important, the important is, Professor Levent met Malfoy, and talked alone for a long time!”
Hermione lifted her head from the book: “You mean, they might have made some transaction?”
“Mm!” Harry nodded heavily.
“…”
The two frowned, involuntarily sinking into thought.
Ginny in front holding mom’s hand, pretending to look aimlessly, actually using peripheral vision to glance at Harry behind, occasionally sweeping Hermione, this was a technically challenging move.
Harry head down pondering, completely unaware.
“…”
Ginny’s little face scrunched, fists slightly clenched.
Are those two whispering?
Why are their heads so close?
…
Night fell, Charing Cross Road lights bright.
Melvin sat by the hotel room window, observing Gringotts in Diagon Alley from afar, recalling the situation observed and probed during the day.
The deep underground vaults indeed heavily protected, above with goblin guards, on the road the old fire dragon of the anti-theft waterfall, these problems could still be solved, he had tried during the day, the anti-theft waterfall though could break magic, penetrate iron armor charm, but could resist with mental control.
The real difficulty was finding the vault.
From rough observation during the day, deep underground about four or five vaults, unclear if other core areas, unable to pinpoint which was the Lestrange family’s vault.
Breaking open the vault also very difficult.
Melvin’s magic power far exceeded ordinary adult wizard, his powerful spells effective on walls, but too much noise, too time-consuming. At full power, breaking all vaults would take at least half an hour.
Also had to consider accurately finding the golden goblet among the piled treasures in the vault.
This time enough for goblins to call for Ministry of Magic aid, whether could beat Aurors aside, mainly worried the scene would be too ugly, he a famous young professor, couldn’t make himself look like a dark wizard.
Mainly worried about bad influence on Hogwarts.
Considering comprehensively, if can’t strong attack, can smoothly pass anti-theft waterfall, still want to find way to get Lestrange family’s vault key, then use polyjuice potion disguise, have goblin lead to open door.
“Lestrange…”
This family similar to Rocher, also pure-blood family with branches in multiple countries, originated in France, Britain’s branch grew in 19th century, becoming one of the Twenty-Eight Families, itself strict patriarchal family, only recognizing male members, but influenced by Voldemort, Bellatrix instead became the power holder.
Britain’s Lestrange side, all currently in Azkaban.
Short term no breakthrough.
Since adult Tom Riddle temporarily out of reach, time to look at senior Riddle from student days.
Melvin withdrew his gaze, sight falling on the diary on the table, pupils flickering with faint light.
Outwardly just an ordinary diary, about 13 inches, black cover dates faded unclear, except somewhat old, almost nothing special.
The diary passed through many hands, Lucius Malfoy personally touched it, in the original story even circulated in several students’ hands, should have no curses or poison on it.
Horcruxes in memory could probe minds, in other words legilimency, just unclear if the diary probes through text, or some other secret magic.
Melvin’s eyes slightly lowered, index finger pressed to brow, occlumency fully activated.
Simultaneously using false memory charm to construct false identity.
“I’m Melvin Levent, a soon-to-be assistant teacher at Hogwarts, subject Care of Magical Creatures, this diary I found in a cabinet in an abandoned classroom at school…”
Lived in remote town before 11, entered magic school after 11, graduated worked one year, Professor Kettleburn about to retire, so circled back to Hogwarts as assistant teacher.
Half true half false, virtual and real combination, such memories could maximally convince others.
Thanks to last year making films, editing splicing memories hundreds of hours, whole wizarding world hard to find wizard more skilled than Melvin. In short three minutes, already constructed ordinary wizard’s twenty years life experience, all adapted from real experiences.
Fully prepared, Melvin opened his eyes, reached to flip open the diary.
Title page no traces, paper oxidized yellow from age, edges some dried water stains, as if once soaked.
Further in, blurry ink wrote: T.M. Riddle.
Ink blurred after wetting, front half turned to ink shadow, Tom’s writing unclear. Following pages all blank, only the last page’s back cover printed with a newspaper distributor’s name on Vauxhall Road, London.
