Hagrid's massive frame, Harry's slender figure, and Nios, a pale boy wearing a peculiar cartoon eye patch with a strange three-headed, winged creature perched on his head—this unusual combination instantly became the center of attention the moment they stepped into the magnificent and austere hall of Gringotts.
The Goblins' sharp gazes were fixed on them.
Hagrid, accustomed to this, led the two towards a tall counter. The Goblin behind the counter wore spectacles and had an arrogant expression. Hagrid said in a booming voice, "Morning! We're here to withdraw some Galleons from Mr. Harry Potter's vault."
The Goblin slowly took off his spectacles, leaned over the counter, his gaze sweeping over Harry and Nios, finally settling on the lightning-bolt scar on Harry's forehead.
He sat back down, his tone haughty, "Key, sir?"
"Got it!"
Hagrid replied, beginning to rummage through the pockets of his enormous moleskin overcoat. He pulled out a pile of odds and ends, dumping them all onto the Goblin's clean counter. The Goblin's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Nios precisely caught this fleeting look of distaste.
"Found it! Here!"
Hagrid finally pulled out a small golden key and handed it over.
The Goblin meticulously examined the key.
At this moment, Hagrid pulled out a crumpled letter, lowering his voice, "And this, Dumbledore's letter. He wants me to retrieve 'that thing' from 'Vault 713'."
The Goblin confirmed the seal and signature, then expressionlessly handed the letter back.
"I'll find someone to take you down. Griphook!" he called out.
Another Goblin swiftly darted out.
"Gentlemen, please follow me."
Griphook respectfully led the way.
Harry followed Hagrid for a few steps before realizing Nios hadn't moved.
He jogged back, and just as he was about to speak, Nios calmly said, "You two go ahead, I'll exchange some money here."
Although Harry found Nios a bit strange, after a morning together, he felt that Nios might just view things from a different perspective than his own.
He nodded, then turned and caught up with Hagrid.
Once Harry and Hagrid had walked away, Nios turned to the arrogant old Goblin from before.
The cartoon eyes on his eye patch were now staring intently at the old Goblin's face.
The old Goblin felt completely uncomfortable under his gaze, like a mouse being eyed by a cat.
"What do you think of nuns?" Nios suddenly asked.
The old Goblin was taken aback, then forced himself to answer, "You... you mean those female religious figures among Muggles?"
Nios nodded.
The old Goblin couldn't fathom Nios's intention, but adhering to the service principle of "the customer is always right," he cautiously chose the safest answer.
"I think... they are very good."
A mischievous smile played on Nios's lips. "'They'? You have quite the appetite, don't you?"
"Pfft!" Azazel, perched on Nios's head, couldn't help but quietly complain, "Bullying an honest Goblin like this, doesn't your conscience hurt?"
Nios pulled Azazel off his head and threw him on the ground, then continued to press, "What about female warriors, female assassins, and female heroes?"
He deliberately avoided Witches, as there truly were Witches in this world, and he was concerned that the Goblin who was "playing" with him might be terminated afterward, leaving no one to entertain him in the future.
The old Goblin's face looked rather unpleasant. "Sir, please don't tease me. May I ask what business you wish to conduct?" His tone was clearly impatient.
Nios didn't answer, his eye patch still fixed on him. Just as the old Goblin was about to lose his patience and call for security.
"I think they are all very good! Absolutely excellent!" a somewhat eager voice chimed in from the side.
It was a young Goblin, standing behind a relatively simple auxiliary counter.
He was one of Gringotts' lowest-ranking receptionists, named Glock.
Glock keenly sensed an indescribable special aura about this young Wizard.
He believed this was an opportunity, a chance that might allow him to escape his lowly fate!
If he gambled wrong, he'd at most be mocked! If he gambled right, he might soar to success!
He mustered his courage, met Nios's gaze, and clearly repeated, "Sir, I think they are all absolutely wonderful!"
Nios's smile instantly widened, his lips spreading to reveal two rows of shark-like sharp teeth. "Excellent! Very spirited! What's your name?"
"Glock! Sir! My name is Glock!" the young Goblin answered loudly.
"Good name!"
Nios nodded approvingly, reaching into his inner suit pocket and pulling out a heavy, gleaming gold bar!
He casually tossed it onto Glock's simple counter. "For you, a reward."
Buzz!
The gaze of the entire hall was instantly drawn to that shining gold bar!
The Goblins' craving for gold was ingrained in their very bones.
Glock looked at the hundred-gram, extremely pure gold bar before him, his eyes instantly widening, greedy light almost bursting forth!
He excitedly picked up the gold bar, feeling its weighty substantiality, its pure color, and even greedily sniffed its unique metallic scent—999 pure gold!
Although Goblins controlled the minting rights, Galleons were not pure gold! This gold bar's value far exceeded its actual weight!
"Sir... this... this is..."
Glock's voice trembled, too excited to speak coherently.
Nios tilted his head, "Your tip."
Glock's back instantly bent ninety degrees, as if he wanted to knock his head on the counter. "Thank you so much! Noble sir! Whenever you come to Gringotts in the future, please be sure to find me, Glock! I will surely give you the best service! The biggest discount!"
Nios seemed very satisfied, his hand once again reaching into his inner pocket, *pat*! Another gold bar of the same size was placed on Glock's trembling hand!
"Hiss—!"
A collective gasp echoed throughout the hall.
The eyes of all the Goblins, including the Wizard, went wide, fixed intently on the two gold bars and the mysterious young Wizard.
Glock felt like he was about to faint, his back bending even lower, his voice tearful, "Thank you! Sir! Thank you!!"
"Discount?" Nios waved his hand, an expression of "I'm rolling in money" on his face. "Completely unnecessary."
Glock straightened up a bit, his face full of confusion. "Then... noble sir, what can I do for you?"
Nios's mischievous smile deepened, carrying the cunning of a successful prankster. "It's simple. From now on, when you attend to me..." He deliberately drew out the words. "You have to dye your skin green."
Glock: "...?"
Although this request was absurdly strange, looking at the two heavy gold bars in his hand... what's a little dye?! The generous gold-giver is the truth!
"As you wish, sir!"
Glock didn't hesitate in the slightest, his finger swiftly drawing a complex Goblin rune in the air.
His original skin, as if painted with a layer of dye, rapidly turned a vibrant grass green!
Azazel despairingly slapped his own forehead.
"I say! Did you and Brother Huo receive electroshock therapy at the same mental hospital in your last life?! What kind of sick demands are these?!"
Nios ignored the complaint, looking at the newly transformed green-skinned Goblin, and clapped his hands happily. "Yes! Just like that! That's got the right vibe!"
The now-green Glock stood up, trying to maintain professional reverence. "Respected sir, what service do you require?"
"Exchange money!"
Nios waved his hand grandly, this time pulling out a stack of brand new pounds, which he slapped onto the counter.
Glock held the stack of Muggle banknotes, looked at the gold bars, then at Nios, his mind a bit stalled. "Sir... we offer a direct service to exchange gold for Galleons..." The meaning was clear: You have gold bars, why exchange pounds?
"No need!" Nios waved his hand magnanimously. "Go, exchange it for me!"
Azazel rolled his eyes dramatically, his voice weak. "Alright, you're quite ill, as long as you're happy."
Glock dared not ask any more questions, taking the banknotes and scurrying off to process the exchange.
When he returned with a bulging money pouch, the sight before him made his face contort with anger: Nios was surrounded by his "colleagues"!
Those Goblins eagerly squeezed forward, their faces plastered with the most fawning smiles, clamoring to pitch Nios various "exclusive services" and "private vaults"; the air was thick with naked jealousy and desire.
"Get out! All of you, get out! This noble sir is my client!"
Glock, like a hen protecting her chicks, furiously waved the money pouch, driving away those thick-skinned individuals.
He squeezed back in front of Nios, respectfully offering the money pouch with both hands. "Sir, ten thousand pounds were exchanged for two thousand Galleons. This... undetectable extension charm bag... is my personal gift to you."
As natural blacksmiths, it wasn't difficult for Goblins to make an undetectable extension charm bag, and those two gold bars were worth enough for him to make dozens of such bags.
Nios took the bag, barely glancing at it, and put it away, then casually slipped another gold bar to Glock!
The other Goblins watching this scene felt their eyes practically turn red, envy and jealousy almost materializing.
Dye their skin green? Do their regular job? And get three 999 pure gold bars?! Why didn't such a good thing happen to them?!
Just then, Hagrid and Harry emerged from the underground vault passage.
They then witnessed this bizarre scene in the hall: a Goblin with emerald green skin was bowing and scraping to Nios, Azazel stood beside him with a look of utter despair, and a crowd of Goblins around them stared at Nios with greedy eyes.
Both were stunned. Harry's small face was filled with the bewildered expression of "Who am I? Where am I? What happened?"
Hagrid's large beard trembled, his bell-like eyes filled with the confusion of "Are kids these days all this playful?"