Aiden took the elevator to the fourth floor, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and made his way to the Goblin Liaison Office.
The hallway was already packed. Hundreds of goblins had gathered, waving signs and chanting slogans, vowing to defend their freedom to the death.
"Friend, what's going on?" Aiden asked, casually catching the arm of a passing Ministry staffer.
"Who are you?" the man asked, looking at Aiden with confusion.
Aiden's eyes flashed for a fraction of a second. He layered a subtle hypnotic suggestion over the man's mind, smoothing away his suspicion.
"Oh, it's you!" the staffer said, his expression clearing. "Fancy seeing you here! What was your name again…?" He scratched his head, struggling to recall.
"Gilderoy Lockhart," Aiden supplied smoothly.
"Right, Lockhart! It's been a while since you got that Order of Merlin, hasn't it?" The man beamed with a dopey smile.
"It has," Aiden agreed, his voice taking on a slightly hazy, distant quality. "So, what's all this about?"
The staffer leaned in conspiratorially. "The goblins. The Ministry arrested some of their people, so now they're protesting. I heard they're even threatening to shut down Gringotts."
"Is that so?" Aiden feigned concern. "If Gringotts shuts down, wouldn't that cause massive problems for everyone?"
"Nah, not really," the man said with a dismissive wave. "Most wizards don't need to exchange currency that often, and there's plenty of cash flowing outside the bank."
"I see. Thank you."
Aiden released the man from his hypnotic state and pressed the file from the Director into his hands. "Give this to your department head."
The staffer took the document, rubbed his neck with a puzzled frown, and wandered off toward his superior's office.
Inside, an energetic old wizard was meticulously reviewing a stack of reports. The staffer Aiden had just spoken to walked in.
"Director, sir. An urgent delivery for you."
"A delivery? Who from?" the Director asked, taking the file. He glanced at the seal and immediately knew its origin.
"It was… well, I'm not sure who gave it to me," the staffer admitted, looking confused again.
"The Department of Mysteries," the Director of Magical Creatures scoffed. "Always hiding in the shadows, that lot."
"So, what's our move, Director?" the staffer asked cautiously.
"Hmph. We cooperate. Stall the goblins," the Director muttered, before cursing someone under his breath, the name lost in a frustrated sigh.
Meanwhile, Aiden returned to Diagon Alley to assess the situation firsthand. The great bronze doors of Gringotts were shut tight. The goblins had hung a large, crudely painted banner across the entrance.
Aiden read the words aloud, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Damn Prewett, stole our gold, locked up our kin! Until House Prewett is gone, Gringotts stays shut!"
He threw his head back and laughed. The sound, clear and sharp as a mountain spring, echoed through the strangely empty alley. For a moment, it seemed as if no one was there to hear it. Then, his form dissolved into a swirl of silver-white butterflies that danced in front of the bank before dispersing into nothing.
The next day, the closure of Gringotts sent shockwaves through the wizarding community.
Just as Aiden anticipated, an angry mob of wizards who didn't know the full story had surrounded the Prewett family shop. A line of Unspeakables stood guard, wands at the ready, creating a tense standoff.
"Whoa, whoa, hold on now. What's all this?"
Aiden materialized from a shimmering swarm of butterflies. His sharp, draconic eyes swept over the crowd, and several of the more vocal wizards immediately lowered their heads, unable to meet his gaze. He gave a subtle nod to the two Dark Wizards he'd put in charge of the shop's finances, and they quietly slipped back inside.
"The Prewett family owes us an explanation!" a wizard at the front of the mob shouted impatiently.
A chorus of agreement rose from the crowd. "That's right!" "The bank is closed! Who's going to cover our losses?"
"Everyone, please, calm down and listen to me," Aiden said. His voice was like a gentle rain, imbued with a subtle magic that soothed the raw anger in the air. "I want you all to think carefully. Do I, a single wizard, truly have the power to shut down Gringotts?"
He paused, letting the question sink in.
"For thousands of years," he continued, his voice weaving a captivating spell, "we have handed our entire economic lifeline over to another race. The goblins have grown rich and powerful by controlling our money."
His words, infused with the power of his will, resonated deep within the crowd's collective consciousness. Fists began to clench.
"Now, with a single, simple act, they can bring our entire society to a grinding halt. I ask you, is that a position we should be in?"
A low murmur of anger began to build, a rising tide of resentment.
"Can you stand by while the goblins, sitting comfortably in their marble halls, hold your hard-earned gold hostage?" Aiden's eyebrows arched, and he tapped a finger against his cheek, the picture of a devilish tempter. "Can you tolerate this?"
"No!"
"We won't stand for it!"
"Take back our wealth!"
The mob, its anger now redirected, turned as one and marched on Gringotts.
Trilll~
A familiar phoenix cry echoed through the alley as a pillar of flame erupted nearby. From the fire stepped Albus Dumbledore.
"Is this wise, my dear student?" he asked, his eyes twinkling but laced with concern.
"Headmaster," Aiden said, his tone serious, "do you know what those creatures, driven by nothing but greed, are planning?" He handed Dumbledore the file the Director had given him.
Dumbledore's expression grew increasingly grave as he read. "Is this information reliable?" he finally asked.
"Do you doubt the Department of Mysteries?" Aiden countered.
"Alas," Dumbledore sighed, handing the file back. "You handle this. I will not interfere directly, but I will manage the response from the International Confederation of Wizards."
With another flash of fire, Fawkes took him away.
No sooner had Dumbledore vanished than Mr. and Mrs. Weasley bustled into the now-empty storefront. Molly immediately rushed forward and pulled Aiden into a bone-crushing hug.
"Aiden, my child, are you alright? Let's go home. You don't need to be involved in this dreadful business." She tried to pull him toward the fireplace.
"Aiden, are you hurt?" Arthur asked, stepping forward. For the first time, Aiden saw a flicker of genuine ruthlessness in the normally gentle man's eyes. "I heard the goblins came after you. Just say the word."
"No, Uncle, Aunt, it's alright now," Aiden reassured them. "Look, the other wizards have already gone to Gringotts to sort things out." He pulled back the curtain from the shop window. The street outside was now clear.
"Explain what's happening, right now," Molly demanded, her relief giving way to motherly sternness.
"Aunt Molly," Aiden said, his expression sobering, "the goblins are planning another rebellion."
"How dare they!" she gasped. "They thought the Prewetts…" Her voice trailed off, a flicker of old sorrow in her eyes.
Arthur's face, however, lit up with a fierce, joyful grin. "So, how are we going to handle this? A long-overdue alliance between House Prewett and House Weasley?"
[Chapter Complete]
***
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