The world seemed to spin. The sky swirled, sounds distorted, and the weight of an impending disaster pressed down like a storm cloud. Goblin Supervisor Stout felt a sense of vertigo for the first time in his life.
Something had gone wrong with the gold galleons.
His mind reeled at the implications. Hundreds of thousands of galleons, forged? Impossible! Yet the urgency in the goblin messenger's voice left no room for doubt.
Glancing nervously at Ian, who stood nearby with a calm yet commanding presence, Stout leaned in toward the goblin who had delivered the report. "What exactly is going on?" he demanded in a hurried whisper. "What went wrong?"
The reporting goblin, clearly aware of the gravity of the situation, spoke quickly but quietly. "During the inspection of Kamar Taj's assets, a significant number of gold galleons were flagged. They appear to be counterfeit—highly convincing forgeries."
Stout's eyes widened, and his heart sank. He swallowed hard, his mind racing. "Is it only the Kamar Taj vault that's affected? Or are there issues with other vaults nearby?"
The messenger hesitated before replying, his tone even more grave. "Director, this issue isn't isolated to Kamar Taj's vault. Other vaults are showing signs of forged galleons as well, though not in such alarming quantities."
"What about the goblin who inspected the Kamar Taj vault last time? Bring them to me. I need to know how this went unnoticed!" Stout's voice was sharp with urgency.
"The inspections from before appeared thorough," the messenger explained. "The goblin in charge swears there were no mistakes during their review. But…" He paused, his voice dropping lower. "The forgery is of such high quality that it would take 30 goblins working together to uncover it under normal circumstances. If not for the sheer quantity—300,000 coins—we might have missed it again."
Stout felt the room tilt as dizziness overcame him. The number was staggering.
The goblin messenger added with hesitation, "Supervisor, this discovery raises even more troubling questions. How many counterfeit coins have already leaked into the wizarding world through Gringotts?"
The weight of the situation pressed down on Stout like a physical force. He closed his eyes, the ramifications swirling in his mind. The counterfeit coins posed not just an economic risk but also an existential threat to Gringotts' reputation and monopoly over wizarding currency.
For centuries, Gringotts and its affiliated goblin organizations had built their status and power on the unassailable credibility of their gold galleons. A breach of this magnitude jeopardized everything. If someone had perfected a method to produce indistinguishable forgeries, it would undermine Gringotts' authority, influence, and trust.
This could destroy us, Stout thought, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
The implications were catastrophic. Counterfeit currency flooding the market could destabilize the economy, but worse, it could lead to a loss of faith in Gringotts itself. Without that trust, Gringotts' very foundation would crumble.
Misfortunes never come alone, Stout thought bitterly. First, the chaos among American goblins, and now this. The goblin supervisor forced himself to focus, years of experience guiding him through the crisis.
He turned to the goblins stationed at the counter and issued orders in a low voice. "There's been an unforeseen development. Do not mention the gold galleons to anyone. Focus on the potions, magical items, and other assets for now. Begin the transfer process immediately."
The goblins nodded, quickly returning to their tasks. One of them began reading from a ledger, detailing Kamar Taj's holdings. "As per Gringotts' records, the vault contains 145 magical books, 1,573 bottles of potions, and 378 enchanted weapons."
Ian listened with quiet intensity, his sharp gaze betraying no emotion. Even so, the sheer wealth of resources held by Kamar Taj was staggering. It spoke volumes about the preparedness and vision of Lockhart, the headmaster and architect of Kamar Taj's success.
Following protocol, goblins began retrieving the items from the vault. As each artifact was brought forth, Ian called several students forward to assist with inspections, using the opportunity as a teaching moment.
Among those summoned was Daniel Fox, one of Kamar Taj's newer students. This was his first time in Diagon Alley, his first encounter with goblins, and his first step into the grandeur of Gringotts. Everything felt surreal, the novelty of the experience captivating him.
Daniel approached eagerly, following Ian's instructions. Despite the seemingly mundane nature of the task, he recognized its significance. Even so, a part of him couldn't help but feel the rewards for this mission far outweighed the effort required.
As the students meticulously examined the items, the goblin messengers returned to Stout, providing updates on the counterfeit currency investigation. Each report was grimmer than the last.
The counterfeit coins were not limited to Kamar Taj's vault. Their numbers were climbing, now estimated at over 500,000—nearly one-twentieth of the gold galleons circulating in the British wizarding economy.
Half a million coins, Stout thought, his steps quickening as he paced nervously. The implications were dire. If these coins entered the wizarding market, they would become indistinguishable from real currency. Worse, the individuals behind the forgeries would be emboldened to produce more.
Inflation, soaring prices, and economic instability would follow. But the greater danger lay in the erosion of Gringotts' credibility. If the wizarding community lost faith in their currency, the consequences would spiral out of control.
Stout wiped his brow again, the enormity of the situation weighing heavily on him. How did this happen? How did we not detect this sooner?
The supervisor's thoughts were interrupted as Ian and Wanda approached, having completed their inspection of the magical items. Ian's expression was calm but firm as he addressed Stout.
"The next step is the transfer of 300,000 gold galleons," Ian said in a low but steady voice. "Headmaster Lockhart specifically instructed me to ensure all of it is brought back to Kamar Taj. These funds are critical for upcoming plans."
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