Chapter 81 - Inspection 2
Ragnok asked one of the attendants to bring the equipment needed for checking the true owner of the invisibility cloak. Meanwhile, the curse-breaker team started their work on the cloak itself.
The goblins carefully spread the silvery cloak across a black stone table inside the ritual chamber. Strange silver lines were carved into the floor around it. Blue flames burned quietly in small bowls near the walls.
Harry and Dudley stood close beside me, watching everything with wide eyes.
The curse-breaker team was still in the middle of their work when the goblin attendant returned carrying few boxes and instruments like silver knives and crystal bowls.
Ragnok took the items but did not use them yet.
"We will first remove every foreign charm from the cloak," he said calmly. "After that, we will proceed with the ownership test."
I nodded. "Very well. We will follow your lead."
The goblin team continued their work. They moved around the cloak slowly while muttering in Gobbledegook. At times, sparks rose from the cloth itself. Once, the cloak suddenly shimmered and vanished completely before reappearing again a moment later.
Dudley jumped slightly.
"Bloody hell," he muttered.
One of the goblins smirked proudly.
After several more minutes, the team leader finally straightened himself and nodded toward Ragnok.
"It is done," he said. "Every charm put on it has been removed."
Then he looked at the cloak carefully before adding, "And I must say, this is no ordinary invisibility cloak. It is extremely old, durable and powerful."
He looked toward me while saying that.
Ragnok only gave a small nod, as if he already suspected something. Still, he wisely did not say anything further.
I respected that about goblins. When they were professional, they truly kept matters private.
Soon, Ragnok turned toward Harry.
"Mr. Potter," he said politely, "please raise your hand."
Harry obeyed immediately.
Ragnok took out a small ceremonial knife. The blade was silver with tiny runes carved into it. He gently made a tiny cut on Harry's finger and collected exactly three drops of blood into a crystal container.
The moment the third drop fell, the wound closed completely.
Not even a scar remained behind.
Harry blinked in surprise.
"That's useful," he said.
Ragnok allowed himself a tiny grin. "Goblin craftsmanship."
Dudley looked impressed.
The crystal container was then handed to the curse-breaker team leader.
The goblins placed the blood beside the cloak on the stone table. Soon the entire team surrounded it in a circle and began chanting in Gobbledegook.
None of us understood the language, but the magic in the room seemed to become heavier.
I could actually feel the resonance being tested between the cloak and the blood.
The blood inside the crystal container started glowing faintly red. The cloak itself answered with a soft silver glow.
Harry stared silently.
After a few minutes, the glowing blood slowly rose into the air by itself. Dudley gasped softly as the three drops floated above the cloak and then merged into the silvery fabric.
For a split second, the entire cloak glowed brightly.
Then everything became still again.
The team leader turned around toward us.
"Congratulations," he said formally. "The ritual confirms that this cloak belongs to the Potter family through blood inheritance. And its ownership stretches back many generations."
Harry looked stunned.
"So it really belonged to my dad?" he asked quietly.
"Yes," the goblin replied. "And perhaps even further than that. It is possible that the original makers themselves belonged to the same family line."
Harry carefully touched the cloak.
For a moment, he looked both happy and sad.
I asked the team leader, "Why did the blood merge with the cloak?"
The goblin answered patiently, "The inheritance connection had weakened slightly over the years due to lack of proper magical reinforcement. The blood has restored and strengthened the cloak and its power."
"So the cloak is stronger now?" I asked.
"A little," he replied. "It is more stable as well."
Harry looked amazed by that explanation.
Dudley, meanwhile, looked at the cloak with half admiration and half jealousy.
"The Potters really were rich, weren't they?" he muttered.
Ragnok chuckled lightly.
"Yes, Mr. Dudley. The Potter family is an old family. Rich not only in gold, but also in history and knowledge."
Harry scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He still was not used to hearing things like that about his family.
I stepped forward and bowed my head slightly.
"Thank you, Mr. Ragnok. And thank you to your team as well."
Harry and Dudley quickly followed my lead and thanked the goblins too.
The curse-breakers actually looked surprised for a moment.
Most humans probably did not thank them properly.
Ragnok seemed pleased.
"You have taught them well, Mr. Dursley," he said. "Humans rarely show goblins proper respect. Most carry a false sense of superiority."
I shook my head.
"It is only basic common sense. When somebody shows skill and professionalism like this, they deserve respect and admiration."
Ragnok smiled broadly at that.
"Yes," he said. "But basic common sense is often the most uncommon thing in the world."
That finally made Harry and Dudley laugh openly. Even I smiled a little, though I restrained myself from laughing too much.
After all, the old goblin was not wrong.
Once everything was finished, the cloak was carefully folded and handed back to Harry.
"This object is now free from all outside charms and tracking spells," the team leader informed us. "Only the original enchantments remain."
Good.
Very good.
So Dumbledore's little monitoring system had been removed completely.
That was one less problem to worry about.
Harry carefully placed the cloak back inside his bag.
"Can I use it safely now?" he asked me quietly.
I nodded.
"Yes. But still use your brain before using it."
Dudley snorted.
"That already sounds difficult for Harry as he seems to lack it."
Harry immediately elbowed him in the side.
"Ow!"
The goblins watched the three of us with amusement.
The atmosphere became light after the ritual.
Still, deep inside my mind, I was thinking about only one thing.
Dumbledore truly had planned everything carefully. I have to wait and see if he puts the charm back on the cloak after realising.
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End of Chapter 81 - Inspection 2