"Why are your procedures so complicated?" a witch complained, nearly frantic with the parchment.
The goblin on the high stool behind the counter nodded with a smile. "We'll seriously discuss the issue you raised," the witch's anger subsided slightly.
Anton watched curiously from a distance. The goblin who greeted him handed him a key and an oil lamp. "Sir, the procedures are complete. Let's go to the vault." "?"
Anton glanced at the witch curiously. "I don't have to fill out forms like she did."
The goblin glanced at Anton's hair again and said in a sincere and friendly manner, "Some people have privileges."
Anton finally understood.
His own bright red hair with a platinum sheen, and a face that looked vaguely like Ron's, could he really be a Weasley relative? A pureblood family?
These goblins didn't monopolize wizarding finance, but rather operated this bank to serve wizards. While they looked the same, their actual status was completely different.
Especially to those at the top of the wizarding pyramid, these goblins might seem little different from house-elves.
Even if the goblins were unwilling, submission was submission.
Anton raised an eyebrow. "Lead the way."
Pure-blood families meant little. There were no true aristocrats in the wizarding world, and there weren't many truly successful pure-blood families. The Weasleys were merely a small civil servant working a diligent 996 schedule to support their entire family.
He had no interest in his own bloodline.
But the title was useful!
It was a waste of time. The more arrogant Anton became, the more visibly humbled the goblin's expression became.
They walked through a narrow stone corridor, sat in a small cart, and sped along the small railway track.
Spinning, rolling, drifting...
it was a roller coaster-like experience, nauseating and almost vomiting.
Finally, they stopped in front of a dragon.
"Dear young wizard, Griphook has selected a wonderful vault for you. It's neither too large nor too small, perfect for a young wizard like you who craves independence..."
The goblin chattered attentively into his ear.
Anton simply stared at the enormous fire dragon.
Such a behemoth, curled up in the middle of the passage, its mountainous form heaving and trembling with every breath, evoking a chilling sense of awe.
"The fire dragon guards the most important vault. Griphook looks forward to having a luxurious, enormous vault there when the young wizard reaches adulthood," the goblin continued.
Anton nodded and averted his gaze.
"So where is my vault now?"
"Second only to the most important vault, this is the best location Griphook could think of." The goblin smiled, pointing to a large door beside the dragon.
"Here you'll experience an unprecedented sense of security."
"Bird food," Anton nodded admiringly.
Griphook's smile widened.
It took the key from Anton and, after a complicated operation, the door opened. "You may go in and store your belongings. The goblins are not allowed to enter the vault without your permission. I will be guarding the door."
Despite the goblin's attentive attitude and the massive metal door, the vault itself was pitifully small.
Less than five square meters, smaller than the bathroom in the studio apartment Anton rented in his previous life.
It was also quite low, less than three meters.
Aside from the door, the three walls each had lattices carved into the stone to serve as shelves. It was extremely rudimentary.
Clearly, the goblins provided only services beyond practical benefits.
Anton thought for a moment, then stepped out and told the goblin, "I might need some time to pack."
The goblin clearly didn't mind. "Please."
The suitcase cast by the Invisible Extension Charm wasn't permanent. Anton had once helped the old wizard unload its contents so he could cast a spell to secure it.
But Anton didn't know how to cast that spell. If the spell wore off and the suitcase exploded, the bottles and jars containing potion ingredients would likely be damaged.
Some items would soon deteriorate or even burn if exposed to air.
Like ants moving house, the potion ingredients were gradually placed on the shelves.
The old wizard's life savings contained countless premium ingredients unavailable on the market, and Anton was both exhausted and delighted.
Thanks to the old wizard's penchant for collecting, the trunk's shelves held countless items Anton didn't recognize.
The old wizard's possessions fell into two categories:
potion ingredients and
books and research materials.
But he clearly wouldn't store even the most basic magic books in his trunk, just as a university professor wouldn't keep first-grade textbooks in his study.
Anton couldn't understand most of them.
The "Wizard's Eye" potion research and the "magic images" of various spells observed using the "Wizard's Eye" accounted for nearly 90% of the collection.
Anton flipped through the contents until only the original copy, "The Apprenticeship of the Great Alex Fiennes," was left.
"..."
Anton rubbed it for a moment, finally opened his wizard robe, and stuffed the magic book into his messenger bag.
After emptying the suitcase, all that was left was a broken bed and the old wizard's body.
Anton looked at the old wizard and pursed his lips.
The old wizard not only abused him, but if it weren't for his amazing physique, Lupin might be in his current state.
No.
He might have died long ago.
Although he was no longer afraid of corpses after much experience, Anton still felt uneasy.
He planned to sell the suitcase after dealing with the body.
The gold galleons were neatly arranged in the small grids on the wall. He only counted out 100 gold galleons from it.
He put them in the dirty cloth bag given by Hagrid and lifted it. It was quite heavy.
He couldn't run to Gringotts to withdraw money every day.
These gold coins were enough for his future expenses.
"Looks like I need to buy another messenger bag to hold the gold coins." Anton walked out, secretly planning.
The fairy Griphook obviously sensed his need, and after returning to the ground hall, he specially found a bronze pendant.
"This is a goblin wallet, crafted using unique goblin magic. You can put coins inside without feeling the weight."
"Of course, it has a limit. It can hold a maximum of 100 metal coins, whether you're using gold Galleons or copper Knuts."
Anton took it and curiously placed a gold Galleon on it.
The Galleon flickered and disappeared, and a golden Arabic numeral 1 appeared on the bronze plate.
"Isn't this the Stretch Charm specifically for gold coins?" Anton curiously flipped the plate, looking at Griphook in amazement.
"No, no, no," Griphook frantically waved his hands. "The Stretch Charm is banned by the Ministry of Magic. It's a magic unique to us goblins."
"I understand!" Anton drawled, shaking the plate in his hand. "Do you have any small backpacks or bags made with this magic?"
Griphook shook his head again. "Sir, because of the similar effects to the Stretch Charm, alchemical items like these are not allowed to circulate, and we at Gringotts can't provide them."
"Alright," Anton shrugged.
He placed Hagrid's greasy and dirty sack on the table, and patiently took out the gold Galleons from it, putting them in one by one.
But at this moment, the goblin Griphook screamed.
Then he ran out in a panic, and walked in with an old goblin.
The old goblin looked at the sack carefully with a magnifying glass with many metal parts, and exclaimed, "Unicorn hair, purely handmade!"
Griphook looked at Anton in shock, "My vision is right!"
Anton was dumbfounded.
He knew that Hagrid was an invisible tycoon.
But to be so inhumane to this extent is simply unbelievable.
The old goblin pulled out a piece of wool that was obviously about to fall off from the tattered sack, and exclaimed, "Just one piece can be used to make a wand."
Anton looked at the two goblins who were becoming more and more respectful, and the corners of his mouth twitched.