The group followed two goblins into the grand marble hall of Gringotts.
Rows of goblins sat on high stools behind long counters, some weighing coins on brass scales, others examining gemstones through magnifying glasses, occasionally jotting down details in enormous ledgers.
The hall had countless doors leading in different directions, and goblins directed people in and out of these doors as they passed.
William approached an elderly goblin who was inspecting a thick gold coin through his lenses. Noticing William, the goblin set the coin aside and greeted him.
William's recent achievements, especially his receipt of the Order of Merlin, had earned him considerable recognition even among the goblins.
"I'd like to open a personal vault," William said straightforwardly.
"Oh, Mr. Stark, what level of vault would you be interested in?" The goblin stood up, his tone becoming notably more enthusiastic.
"Our most basic vault starts at 200 Galleons," he said smoothly. "The next level up is 600, then 1,000, and for even greater security, we offer a premium vault for 2,000 Galleons."
The goblin had clearly done his homework, aware that William's Order of Merlin came with a 2,000-Galleon reward.
"The basic vault will do," William replied, unconcerned.
He couldn't just splurge on a vault with only 2,000 Galleons on hand.
"Very well." The goblin remained courteous and didn't bat an eye at William's choice of the least expensive vault.
He handed him a small golden key. "Mr. Stark, if you'll follow me, I'll escort you to your vault."
The elder goblin led them through a narrow stone corridor lit by blazing torches. The corridor sloped steeply downwards, where a small railway awaited at the base.
With a sharp whistle, the goblin summoned two carts which zoomed up the track to meet them.
The group divided and climbed into the carts, which instantly plunged deeper into the earth. They zipped past a vast underground lake, enormous stalactites hanging from the ceiling above, while massive stalagmites rose from the ground below.
Following the maze-like tunnels, the rickety carts seemed to know their way, needing no guidance from the goblin.
Freezing air whipped past them, forcing everyone to squint.
William flicked his wand thrice, summoning a shield to block the wind.
The goblin, seemingly unaffected, stared straight ahead with unblinking, bulging eyes.
William had to resist the urge to ask if the goblin's eyes ever dried out from not blinking.
After roughly twenty minutes of rattling descent, the cart stopped at a door. The elderly goblin inserted the key into the lock, pressing it all the way in until the door swung open on its own.
They entered a modest-sized vault, and the door closed behind them with a deep thud.
"If no one comes to claim their assets, what happens to these vaults?" Hermione asked curiously.
"That depends on the level of the vault," the old goblin explained. "With the basic vault, we hold it for two years. If no one renews the contract in that time, everything within becomes Gringotts' property."
In other words, the goblins were free to take possession of any unclaimed items.
"Of course," he continued with a grin, "higher-level vaults come with longer terms, and then there's a certain kind of vault whose keys are passed down through generations, and its contents are never cleared."
"There are that kind of vaults?"
"Yes, but they're very expensive and only the oldest families can afford them."
William noticed a similarity between Gringotts and Swiss banks: both prized secrecy and independence.
Gringotts wasn't bound by Ministry control; even if a wizard committed a crime, the Ministry had no right to confiscate assets from their Gringotts vault.
In much the same way, Swiss banks were globally known for their confidentiality.
The anonymity of numbered accounts allowed individuals to store assets beyond law enforcement's reach.
The high ranking officials or criminals could rest easy withot having to worry about an large sum of unidentifiable money being caught from their backyard.
Swiss banks' numbered accounts often became inherited assets, much like the generational vaults at Gringotts.
William intended to open such a vault someday, but for now, he could only afford the most basic option.
After securing his Galleons inside, William withdrew a pouch of four hundred Galleons. "Let's go," he said.
Everyone seemed a bit disappointed not to have encountered the legendary dragon that was said to guard the vaults.
The cart ride hadn't been much more thrilling than a theme park roller coaster. what was the point of this rollercoster ride without a dragon sighting?
But just as they prepared to leave, William frowned. "Did anyone else feel that?"
"Was that… an earthquake?" Hermione asked, alarmed.
"Impossible!" the old goblin bellowed, clearly looking a bit insulted. "Gringotts vaults are buried twenty thousand meters underground and are reinforced with countless spells. In thousands of years, we've never had an earthquake!"
He looked as if he might burst with indignation at the mere suggestion that Gringotts was anything less than indestructible.
No one responded, but William placed a single Galleon on the table before them, and it wobbled slightly on the surface.
Roy and the others turned pale. Any hint of curiosity thay had about seeing the dragon had evaporated in an instant.
This deep underground, an earthquake would be deadly; if the ceiling caved in, they'd be crushed.
"Let's go!" William shouted.
They hurried out of the vault, but as they reached the corridor, a powerful roar reverberated from deep within, growing louder and closer with each passing second.
"It's a dragon," the goblin whispered, visibly shaken.
"Get in the cart!" William shouted.
They piled in, and the cart zoomed back toward the main hall. Rocks fell from the tunnel ceiling, crashing dangerously around them.
Suddenly, a huge boulder tumbled onto the track, blocking their path. The cart sped forward too quickly for the goblin to brake, and they crashed headlong into the rock.
The cart veered sharply and overturned, flinging them all into the air. It smashed against the tunnel wall, shattering into pieces.
William raised his wand, yelling, "Molliare!"
A blue light surrounded them, and they floated gently to the ground, unharmed by the rough landing.
"What's going on?" Leanna asked, her voice filled with panic.
"I don't-" William began, but a distant noise caught his attention. He turned to look, and what he saw made everyone's blood run cold.
A massive dragon was barreling down the tunnel, smashing through enormous stalactites with reckless force.
The beast collided with one of the private vaults, reducing the huge supporting pillars to dust as the vault itself crumbled like a toy underfoot.
Everyone drew a sharp breath.
They'd finally seen the dragon… up close. And it seemed like they would have a very intimate encounter as well.
Their 200 Galleons for the vault were suddenly very well spent.
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