The goblin named Turner glared at Gilderoy Lockhart with barely concealed irritation. Recently, he had frequently heard other goblins grumble about Lockhart, and now, here he was again.
Lockhart had been making frequent withdrawals from his vault without any deposits. Initially, he had around 30,000 gold Galleons, but now, only less than a thousand remained. Goblins, known for their greed, found this practice particularly irksome.
Nevertheless, Turner maintained his professional demeanor. "Mr. Lockhart, what business do you wish to transact?"
Unaware of Turner's hidden disdain, Lockhart handed over an envelope. "I am here to collect my royalties, a total of 2,745 gold Galleons. Also, I need to access my vault."
The amount of royalties surprised Lockhart. He had expected around 1,000 gold Galleons, but leveraging his Hogwarts professor status had boosted sales, especially overseas.
Turner's expression darkened as he realized this meant another withdrawal. Despite his annoyance, he dutifully checked and stamped the envelope.
A young goblin nearby called out, "Mr. Lockhart, I will take you to your vault and collect your royalties." He then suggested, "Why not leave your royalties in the vault? We can arrange it for you."
Lockhart shook his head. "No need, I want to retrieve some items from my vault first and then take my royalties."
The young goblin, Nott, looked at Lockhart with a mix of curiosity and pity, probably seeing him for the first time. Lockhart coughed lightly, urging Nott to lead the way.
Nott led Lockhart through a door into a rough grotto. Despite its cramped appearance, it was well-lit by numerous torches. They reached a cliff-like area with iron locks and railways.
Nott whistled, summoning a small cart that quickly arrived. Lockhart and Nott boarded, and the cart sped through the maze-like corridors. Lockhart conjured a defensive shield against the oncoming wind.
"Thank you, sir," Nott said, grateful for the shield.
Lockhart nodded politely, saying nothing more. Soon, the cart slowed and stopped beside a vault.
"We have arrived at vault No. 1273," Nott announced, stepping out and unlocking the vault door.
As the vault opened, revealing a small number of magical items and a thin layer of gold Galleons, Lockhart felt a flash of embarrassment. He had spent ruthlessly, especially on survival items after transmigrating.
He waved his wand, transferring all the items and gold into his space extension bag. The empty vault now signified his resolve to safeguard his assets from goblins, whom he trusted even less than before.
"Sir, are you really taking everything?" Nott asked, his face showing heartache as if Lockhart were taking his own money.
Lockhart nearly laughed at the goblin's expression, recalling banks from his previous life that treated depositors' money as their own. Shaking off the thought, he said calmly, "Let's go collect my royalties."
Nott, looking dejected, led Lockhart back, summoning a cart. They returned to a less crowded, darker platform, unlike the bright, clean marble hall in front.
Lockhart handed an envelope to a goblin at the counter, stating, "I want to collect my royalties, a total of 2,745 gold Galleons." He emphasized the amount to avoid any tricks from the goblins.
The transaction went smoothly, and Lockhart received his gold Galleons. He turned to Nott, handing him three gold Galleons. "Two Galleons are to keep my vault ready. More Galleons will be sent in later. The remaining one is your tip."
"Thank you, sir! Thank you!" Nott's previous dejection vanished, replaced by excitement.
What Nott didn't notice was the pale golden mark that appeared and disappeared on his shoulder when Lockhart patted him.
Lockhart left Gringotts, satisfied with his preparations for the auction tonight. He felt confident, knowing he had taken steps to secure his assets and reinforce his plans.
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