Upon hearing the goblin’s introduction, Wentworth cast a fleeting glance at the elder goblin leaning on crutches. He then turned his expressionless face back towards Lockhart.
Lockhart couldn’t help but try to assess the situation and force a smile to ease Wentworth’s sinister stare at him, “What is it? Can I help you, my dear future student?”
Once Wentworth’s attention shifted to Lockhart, a subtle smile played on his lips, and he inquired, “So, Professor Lockhart, did you come here to help?”
Lockhart vigorously nodded and replied, “That’s right! Even though I haven’t taught a single class yet, I am still your professor. If the students have any concerns, it’s the responsibility of a professor to offer assistance!”
With that, Lockhart deliberately surveyed the surroundings of the Gringotts hall, let out a sigh, and continued, “However, considering the current situation, it appears that you don’t require the professor’s help, Wentworth. In that case, this professor shall take his leave! We’ll meet at Hogwarts once the school year begins! See you at the start of the new term!”
Upon concluding his words, Lockhart turned on his heel and began to stride towards the exit of Gringotts.
However, as he took his first step, Auston promptly obstructed Lockhart, standing before him with an impassive expression.
Auston stated expressionlessly, “Where do you think you are going? Our lord hasn’t given you permission to leave. Go back!”
Faced with this, Lockhart could only pivot with a sheepish grin and direct his gaze toward Wentworth. “I am sorry, Wentworth. I thought we were all clear here. I simply thought you don’t require my help right now.”
Still wearing a genial smile, Wentworth remarked, “Professor Lockhart, don’t be in such a rush! Who said the students don’t need your assistance? Currently, there’s a minor issue, and I require Professor Lockhart’s help!”
Upon hearing this, Lockhart hesitated momentarily, then chuckled to conceal his embarrassment before responding, “No problem. I just need to know how I can be of assistance.”
Wentworth gestured toward the goblin elder behind him and explained, “Professor, kindly extend your help in confirming if he is, indeed, the goblin’s Great Elder.”
In response to Wentworth’s words, Lockhart shifted his attention to the goblin standing behind Wentworth with a cane.
The goblin remained there, silent and seemingly detached, observing both Lockhart and Wentworth.
Observing the situation, Lockhart inquired with curiosity, “How exactly do you want me to confirm this?”
With a shrug, Wentworth replied, “It depends on your expertise, Professor Lockhart! The most straightforward approach would be to use Legilimency.”
However, immediately after uttering those words, Wentworth leaned towards Lockhart and whispered in a low voice, “Of course, if Professor Lockhart prefers, the Imperius Curse is also a viable option!”
Upon hearing Wentworth’s suggestion, Lockhart felt embarrassed and uncertain about how to proceed. “A-ah! I see! I will think of this for a while and let me choose between my strong arsenal of spells to deal with this problem. Don’t worry about it the slightest, Wentworth!”
As he contemplated the situation, Lockhart couldn’t help but feel a sense of bitterness in his heart.
He realized that Legilimency was not his strong suit, and attempting it might result in erasing the old goblin’s memories. Such an outcome could complicate matters further; not only might the Alliance object, but the Gringotts goblins were unlikely to tolerate such a development.
At this juncture, the young goblin supporting the elder voiced his protest, exclaiming, “Don’t deceive people too much! We goblins also have dignity.
This remark immediately captured Wentworth’s attention.
He sneered and advanced towards the goblin opposite, prompting a sigh of relief from Lockhart standing behind him.
Wentworth approached the goblin, towering over the two of them. Auston and the others drew their wands, directing them at the goblins in a defensive stance, ready to thwart any potential attacks on Wentworth.
Surveying the chief goblin elder with closed eyes and no response, Wentworth turned his attention to the younger goblin, who glared at him with intense anger.
Wentworth smirked disdainfully and remarked, “Dignity? In the wizarding world, dignity is only upheld through the wand! What dignity can you boast about without a wand? You lot are merely posturing nobility without any real substance.”
“You’re spared from a beating today not out of your merit but my choice. Don’t parade around pretending to be noble; you’re just a bunch of losers!”
Upon hearing Wentworth’s words, the young goblin clenched his fists in anger, seemingly on the brink of retaliating against Wentworth.
However, at that very moment, the goblin’s great elder spoke up, questioning, “Does the successor of the Grindelwald family truly find us so unbearable? It’s crucial to note that even after the Alliance’s defeat, Mr. Gellert Grindelwald confined himself to Nurmengard, and our ancient contract obligated us to safeguard the Grindelwald family’s treasure.”
“Today, you intruded into Gringotts recklessly, mercilessly slaughtered our Gringotts employees, and even your fellow humans!” The elder goblin’s words resonated.
Wentworth responded with a disdainful smile, “Elder, don’t romanticize your nobility. Your goblins rely on these jobs to survive in the magical world, driven more by necessity than altruism, isn’t that so?”
“As for our intrusion into Gringotts and our actions within it, surely you’re aware of the reasons behind them?” Wentworth’s voice trailed off, leaving Gringotts in a solemn silence.
After a brief pause, the sound of footsteps resonated once more. Directing their attention towards the source of the footsteps, they observed four Gringotts goblins escorting a disheveled and unshaven wizard towards Wentworth and the elder goblins.
Though maintaining an expressionless face, Abernathy discreetly scanned the assembly as he entered the hall. Upon spotting Wentworth amidst the confrontation with the Gringotts goblins, Abernathy’s countenance broke into a smile.
Approaching Wentworth, Abernathy casually remarked, “They initially opted for imprisonment instead of killing me, knowing that death wasn’t an option for me! Haha!”
Observing Abernathy’s seemingly upbeat mood, despite his downcast appearance, Wentworth felt a sense of relief.
Upon seeing him, Rosier took a few strides forward and and addressed Abernathy with an impassive expression, stating, “You truly are a despicable individual!”
Abernathy, though visibly angered, refrained from offering a retort.
Seizing the moment, the elder goblin addressed the assembly, disclosing the intruder’s intentions and the subsequent discovery of the Alliance’s mark. “We have no intention to harm him the slightest. We were simply doing what we thought would fit the best at the moment! Instead of killing him, we’ve chosen to detain him for trespassing on our property.”
Despite the trespass, they opted not to detain him, proposing his return to Alliance.
With the goblin elder concluding the day’s events, he turned the inquiry to Wentworth, inquiring about his thoughts as the successor of the Grindelwald family. “I wish you understood everything now, young lord of the Alliance. What do you think about it? I must admit this whole ordeal is simply a miscommunication from our side.”
Wentworth responded with an ambiguous smile. Initially, he approached Abernathy, straightening his attire and handing him over to Rosier.
Then, turning his attention to the goblin elder, Wentworth questioned, “May I ask another question?”