Later, Wentworth gathered Thomas and Lockhart together to delve into detailed discussions. After a while, Rosier and others also joined in.

Meanwhile, the Weasley family, who had been waiting at the entrance of Gringotts, had already reconciled with the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic under the leadership of Arthur.

Considering that the Aurors were already present, it seemed inappropriate for the group to stand on the side of the Alliance again.

Lucius, observing from a distance, approached and listened to Arthur as he reported to the Aurors of the Ministry of Magic about what he had witnessed and heard.

Lucius sneered inwardly, disapproving of Arthur’s choice. From the depths of his disdain, Lucius thought, “Idiot! You align with the Ministry of Magic at this critical juncture. No one understands the Ministry better than I do—it’s a gathering of useless worms!”

Just as Lucius contemplated how to inform the Alliance about Arthur Weasley’s actions and set the stage for potential revenge on the Weasley family…

“Boom!”

A resounding explosion within Gringotts set Diagon Alley ablaze with intensity. Shortly after the blast, Auston hurriedly emerged and addressed the witches and wizards outside Gringotts, “We must retreat for now and conserve our power. We’ve wasted too much from earlier fights; these two wizards are too powerful! Retreat!”

Observing the hasty departure of the Alliance wizards, the onlookers outside Gringotts were left in astonishment, unable to respond immediately.

After a brief pause, the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic surrounding Gringotts began to move unconsciously, gradually advancing from all directions toward the bank.

As the Aurors reached the entrance of Gringotts, they were greeted by a fervent declaration from within, “Thomas Vole! Gilderoy Lockhart! Don’t you dare think you’ll get away unscathed from here! We, the Alliance, swore to destroy everything that stands in our path!”

The Aurors, taken aback by the thunderous roar emanating from Gringotts, were startled once again.

Then, without any apparent cue, the Aurors brandished their wands and hastily retreated from the bank.

Simultaneously, in the absence of Aurors maintaining order, reporters from various newspapers, including the Daily Prophet, surged toward Gringotts. Among them was Rita Skeeter, the notorious gossip reporter and chief executive of the Daily Prophet.

Amid Rita’s desperate attempt to push forward, someone from behind slipped a small note into her hand. “Who’s there?!” Startled, she turned to look, only to find no one behind her.

Rita raised her hand in surprise, unfolding the note in her palm.

A quick glance prompted an abrupt change in her expression, and she promptly concealed the note.

In the midst of the commotion, a collective gasp arose from the crowd, drawing Rita’s attention. Turning her gaze forward, she witnessed a scene of high tension unfold.

She witnessed the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic gradually swinging open the massive door of Gringotts, revealing two figures leaning against it, supporting each other as they tumbled to the ground.

Immediately, a chorus of exclamations erupted in front of Gringotts, accompanied by the relentless flashes of camera lights.

One of the fallen figures, bracing against the door with blood-stained hands, gritted his teeth and slowly rose to his feet.

Then, with his signature smile, he eloquently declared, “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve successfully fulfilled our mission! Though we may not have emerged victorious, neither have we suffered defeat!”

A few seconds of stunned silence ensued before the crowd erupted into a thunderous cheer. Countless wizards enthusiastically shouted the name of the person who had spoken, “Lockhart! Lockhart! Lockhart!”

Meanwhile, a certain Ministry of Magic official lying on the ground could only respond with a resigned “Sigh…” Followed by a long, dragged breathing.

Shortly after that, the Ministry of Magic Aurors rushed forward.

They picked up the seemingly “unconscious” Thomas and swiftly departed from the scene.

However, when the suggestion was made to take Lockhart to St. Mungo’s Magical Hospital for treatment, Lockhart vehemently refused.

Instead, he dragged his “exhausted” body toward the crowd, slowly making his way through the cheers of the wizards surrounding him.

In the midst of the jubilation, Lockhart addressed the surrounding wizards with feigned tears of gratitude, saying, “Thank you, thank you! I’m truly grateful for your unwavering support! In Gringotts, every time I felt like giving up, the thought of all of you outside the door reminded me that we couldn’t quit—not for ourselves, but for the wonderful people waiting beyond the entrance!”

“In case you’re wondering if I was afraid,” he continued with a laugh, “well, with all of you here, fear was never an option! Of course, Thomas feels the same way!”

And then, pausing dramatically, Lockhart added, “Huh… Thomas, huh?!”

Despite the warm atmosphere prevailing in the scene, not everyone was swept up by the cheers.

Some individuals observed the proceedings with cold, calculating eyes, never succumbing to the celebratory fervor.

The Arthur family, joined by Harry, stood together at Gringotts, with the Malfoys nearby.

“Good heavens! Lockhart is simply astounding! Let’s all cheer for the wizarding hero, Lockhart! You lot are incredibly fortunate! With Lockhart guiding you personally, this semester’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class is bound to be extraordinary!” Mrs. Weasley couldn’t help but join in the cheers for Lockhart.

Finally recovering from his shock, Lucius observed the scene in front of him and remarked without turning his head, “Arthur, what are your thoughts?”

Without diverting his gaze, Arthur responded, “I’m seeing it for myself! While I may not understand what’s happening inside Gringotts, I do know that the Aurors haven’t apprehended a single Alliance wizard!” As he spoke, Arthur pointed towards the Aurors emerging from Gringotts, empty-handed.

Upon witnessing the scene, Lucius gave an unusual nod and then sneered, remarking, “Well, I’ve observed a bit more than you have! I’m truly curious about which Alliance wizard was seemingly in no rush to evacuate, leisurely using amplifying spells to shout as if he was concerned we wouldn’t hear him outside Gringotts!”

Hearing Lucius’ words, Arthur nodded in agreement and then gestured towards Lockhart, who was enthusiastically celebrating in the crowd. “Speaking of which, does this character seem to be recovering a bit too swiftly?”

Lucius responded, “It’s fine! After all, he merely fainted so he could stand up on his own and maintain an authentic London accent.”

Simultaneously, Rita recalled the contents of the note she had received earlier, looked at Lockhart before her, and offered a cold smile. After a moment, she put on a warm expression, navigated through the crowd, approached Lockhart, and gazed at him with admiration. “Mr. Lockhart, may I interview you?”

Lockhart locked gaze with Rita as his signature smile slowly faded after seeing her, “Yes, you may.” He answered calmly.