Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0376 Gringotts in Paris

An extraordinary and mystical barrier, woven with ancient spells, separated the ordinary Muggle realm from the wondrous wizarding world, safeguarding the cherished secrecy of the magical community. In the heart of Paris, nestled within the 7th arrondissement, stood the imposing headquarters of Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

This colossal structure, a harmonious blend of diverse architectural styles, exuded an air of grandeur that personalized the immense wealth and influence of the goblin nation. Flanking the grand copper entrance doors, beneath the snow-white marble steps, stood two fierce-looking Bull statues. These creatures, valued as symbols of wealth and prosperity, served as a marvelous representation favored by the treasure-obsessed goblins.

Ascending the steps, one's gaze was drawn to the dazzling golden Galleon, its diameter spanning a huge ten feet, embedded above the door beam. This dazzling emblem, shimmering with the radiance of untold riches, announced the goblins's financial power to the wizarding world.

Passing through the bronze doors, one could see what Gringotts headquarters truly looks like.

Unlike the bustling Gringotts branch at Diagon Alley, this vast hall, approximately five or six times the size of the Great Hall at Hogwarts, lacked the endless rows of counters and the never-ending clinking of goblins meticulously calculating wealth. Instead, the decor leaned towards that of a prestigious Muggle hotel, its lavish furnishings and elegant appointments exuding an air of refined luxury.

Yet, even in the dead of night, when the world slept, the majority of the numerous guest suites across the dozens of floors remained brilliantly illuminated.

Gringotts headquarters did not offer the usual personal vault services like its regular branches. This was a financial center, a nexus of power where both goblins and wizards met.

Here, the goblins would receive the leaders of influential families and Controllers of the magical industries from around the world, accepting their collateral before lending out shimmering piles of Galleons. Of course, the goblins would also assess promising industries for potential investments.

One could say, without exaggeration, that if one were to choose a few places capable of influencing the entire Wizarding World, the Gringotts World Banking Center would undoubtedly rank among the top ten, a veritable epicenter of financial might and political sway.

Buildings in the Wizarding world were seldom excessively tall, and the goblins were no exception to this unwritten rule. However, to accommodate the immense business brought by the hundreds of prosperous Wizarding societies worldwide, the goblins had built their headquarters layer upon layer, until it nearly matched one-third of the height of the iconic Eiffel Tower.

At this moment, as the twinkling stars descended from the heavens, illuminating the night, an air of anticipation hung in the air.

The top floor was the only level in the entire building without any partitioning walls, a vast, open chamber that exuded an air of grandeur and importance. The lavish velvet carpet that adorned the floor matched the reception hall of the British Ministry of Magic. The walls, crafted from the finest materials, were embedded with numerous fireplaces, each corresponding to Gringotts branches worldwide. Whenever an urgent matter arose, these branches would use the fireplaces to come here and consult with the goblin leader overseeing operations.

In the deep silence of the night, the vast room was eerily quiet.

Thus, when a series of crisp explosions suddenly echoed through the chamber, shattering the tranquil silence, Barnah, seated behind a massive black and red ebony desk along the western wall, immediately looked up, his brow furrowed with concern.

This aged goblin appeared quite old, his face bearing the weight of countless years and the burdens of leadership. When he rose, his graying beard, tinged with shades of moss green, fell past his knees. Donning a meticulously styled pair of old-fashioned spectacles and a silver-green robe tailored to his stature, his stern demeanor bore a faint resemblance to Barty Crouch Sr. in his working state.

"Mr. Barnah--" Ragnok bowed respectfully to Barnah, with the other goblins, including Laddie, reacting almost identically.

"What's the matter?" Barnah's old voice carried an air of authority as he glanced at the unconscious Bryan being carried by a few goblins, his tone showing neither joy nor anger, but rather a calm detachment born of decades of experience. "Is this wizard Bryan Watson?"

Barnah's clouded eyes swiveled as he turned his gaze toward Ragnok, his piercing stare seeming to penetrate the very soul of the goblin before him. "I instructed you to simply confuse this wizard's mind and prevent him from causing further trouble. Ragnok, why have you brought him back? Did you encounter fierce resistance? But I don't see any casualties among you."

"The operation proceeded smoothly, Mr. Barnah--" Ragnok remained bent over, his respectful tone tinged with a hint of nervousness as he replied without being told to stand upright. "When we entered the room, this wizard was asleep and did not wake from our movements. However--"

At this point, Ragnok swiftly glanced at his superior Barnah, and seeing no sign of anger on his face, he proceeded cautiously, his words measured and deliberate.

"Ludovic Bagman informed us that this wizard used a special alchemical device to record our actions, claiming the device was not completely destroyed. Forgive my bluntness, but Ludovic Bagman is not the brightest wizard. I worried he might have been deceived. Perhaps Bryan Watson has obtained evidence, or perhaps this claim is merely false information, and Ludovic Bagman was duped. Therefore, I decided to bring him back for your interrogation."

"You have considered this carefully, Ragnok--" The goblin leader, Barnah, spoke in a slow, measured tone as he looked down at the pleased Ragnok. "But have you considered the risks of your actions? For instance, what if this wizard has already sensed something amiss with Bagman, and his apparent subdual is merely an act?"

Ragnok's expression faltered slightly as he intended to argue that he had ensured Bryan Watson was rendered unconscious through magic. However, before he could speak, Barnah continued, his voice resonating with authority, "Furthermore, there is ample evidence suggesting that Albus Dumbledore holds Bryan Watson in high regard. If Dumbledore has been covertly protecting him all along, and now discovers his protégé in an unreasonable circumstance, how shall we face an enraged Dumbledore's wrath?"

Ragnok's wrinkled face twitched nonstop as he lowered his head, his pointed ears drooping in a gesture of submission.

Laddie seemed somewhat unconvinced, his eyes showing a flicker of doubt, but he obviously did not dare to openly contradict Barnah, so he could only bury his resentment in his stomach, swallowing his pride for the sake of obedience.

Seeing their silence, the ever-busy Barnah lost interest in further admonition, his mind already turning to the myriad of other pressing matters that demanded his attention. He calmly said, his words carrying the weight of finality, "Take Bryan Watson to a secure chamber, wake him up, interrogate him thoroughly, and then erase his memory before returning him."

"As you command, Mr. Barnah--" Ragnok's forehead nearly touched the ground as he respectfully replied.

"Also, Ragnok--" As if suddenly recalling something, Barnah, who was about to return to his desk, turned his head to silently gaze at Ragnok, speaking slowly to ensure every word was clearly heard. "In the future, I expect my orders to be executed with due regard. If there is a next time, you may find yourself missing more than just an arm."

A chill swept through the enclosed room the moment Barnah's voice fell. The group of goblins who specialized in carrying out unsightly deeds, fell as silent as crickets in winter, their bodies rigid with fear, and even the fluff on their heads trembled with barely suppressed terror.

"Go on, then--" Barnah had completely lost interest, his mind already consumed by the innumerable matters that demanded his attention. As the overseer of wealth beyond the imagination of even ancient, affluent pureblood families like the Malfoys, he had too many responsibilities to handle daily. His willingness to spend precious time admonishing his subordinates stemmed solely from their foolish actions potentially involving Albus Dumbledore, a wizard whose power and influence could not be underestimated or ignored.

"Mr. Barnah, is it?" Just as Ragnok prepared to follow orders and lead his subordinates to find a secret chamber to interrogate Bryan Watson, a polite yet unfamiliar voice, suddenly resonated throughout the room, shattering the tense silence. "Would you be willing to spare some time for a private conversation with me?"

In an instant, the tense atmosphere within the chamber exploded!

The aged and feeble Barnah whirled around in astonishment. To his utter disbelief, the young wizard who had previously lain on the floor, surrounded by Ragnok's underlings, was no longer in his original position but had instead appeared behind Ragnok and the others. With his hands naturally folded before him and a gentle, disarming smile upon his lips, he calmly looked at him with a pair of faded purple eyes.

"Kill him." Without wasting a second's thought, Barnah issued his command in a solemn, unwavering voice.

"Mr. Barnah, please leave this to us!"

The events unfolding before their eyes had proven Barnah's earlier words prophetic. The goblin warriors, their faces twisted in rage and fury, charged towards Bryan with primal howls of bloodlust, Ragnok and Laddie shrieked furiously as they led the charge.

Bang!

Suddenly, a silver halo manifested around Bryan's body, its luminous brilliance cutting through the dim lighting of the chamber. As soon as it appeared, this halo violently expanded, possessing an unseen power that seemed to repel every attack. Ragnok, Laddie, and the goblins charging behind them were struck by the halo's wave with the force of a hurricane, their tiny forms blasted away one by one, their bodies tumbling through the air like leaves caught in a tempest.

Barnah glanced only once at the scene unfolding before him, his aged eyes narrowing as he processed the implications of what he had just witnessed. Without hesitation, he immediately decided to leave this place.

However, just as he was about to snap his fingers, the four walls of the top floor chamber suddenly erupted in searing golden flames. These curtain-like raging Fiendfyre, a manifestation of pure, destructive magic, sealed the room completely shut, yet remarkably did not damage anything inside, as if held in check by an unseen force.

Barnah immediately realized that he might not be able to leave. Gazing at those destructive flames containing immense power, his aged face slightly paled as he suddenly became aware of something, a truth that chilled him to his very core. He turned to order Ragnok's subordinates to stop, but one goblin who had been tossed to the ceiling by the repelling aura sprang back into action the moment it landed, faithfully carrying out its duty to kill Bryan Watson. However--

Swish!

Bryan raised his right hand, a wand inexplicably appearing in his palm as he gave it a slight flick. A stone spear materialized from thin air, its surface glinting with razor-sharp edges, and it pierced through the void with thunderous speed, a blur of motion that could scarcely be followed by the naked eye. The unlucky goblin had not even taken half a step before the spear, packing immense force, impaled it through the chest with a sickening crunch, sending it flying dozens of feet before pinning it to the ground in a grotesque display of violence, its life extinguished in an instant.

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