Chapter 6: Withdrawing Money from Gringotts and Gaining Wealth

As Cole made his way to Gringotts, he glanced at the goblin with sharp teeth, feeling a sense of disgust welling up within him. The most unsettling thing, however, was the greed he saw in the goblin's eyes, a trait that left Cole deeply unhappy.

Cole couldn't comprehend why, despite the wizards having emerged victorious in the previous goblin rebellion, they had relinquished control of the crucial economic institution to the elves.

"Are all the wizards in the Harry Potter world mentally ill?" Cole muttered to himself. "They offer compensation even when they win, unlike the less exploitative Muggles."

"Hello, sir. Do you have any business that needs handling?" the goblin's sharp voice cut through Cole's thoughts.

"Withdrawal of funds. They belong to the Black family," Cole replied slowly, producing the family medallion. He had acquired it from Kreacher, though he couldn't help but wonder if Mrs. Black would react negatively upon learning of it.

The goblin examined the medallion carefully before gesturing for Cole to follow him.

Descending underground in a mine cart was an unpleasant experience for Cole, but he pushed through it until they reached a nondescript brown door.

The goblin activated the lock with the medallion, which transformed into a key. He then retrieved another key from his backpack, combining the two to open the vault.

As the door swung open, a dazzling array of gold greeted Cole's eyes, nearly filling the expansive warehouse. Mixed among the gold were various magical potions, materials for enchanted creatures, elixirs, and more.

These items, worth thousands of galleons each on the outside, lay within the Black family's treasury.

Noticing some empty space, Cole speculated that Sirius, known for his extravagant tendencies, had likely used his own gold to support the Order of the Phoenix.

Without delay, Cole deposited the funds into his wallet. Thankfully, the magical wallet had ample space.

Seizing the opportunity, Cole concealed it within his money bag and transferred the gold galleons into his system storage, the primary objective of his visit.

Satisfied with the transaction, Cole halted, having accumulated 40,000 gold galleons in the system. With his money bag full, only a small portion of the gold remained, hardly diminishing the treasury's splendor.

As they exited, the goblin locked the vault door and handed the medallion key to Cole. They ascended in the mine cart.

"Sir, is there anything else?" the goblin inquired.

Cole shook his head, pondering the peculiarity of goblins facilitating withdrawals that weren't their own. Nevertheless, he vowed that the Black family would establish its own bank in the future, asserting control over the wizarding world's economic lifeline.

Reflecting on this, Cole left Gringotts, resolving that the Black family would no longer rely on external institutions for their finances. 

Instead of heading to the Leaky Cauldron, Cole opted to phantom back to his home, a more convenient mode of transportation.

Upon returning, Cole embarked on his quest to amass wealth.

Would it be Avada Kedavra? For five thousand gold galleons, one could obtain it and instantly become a Master Voldemort.

The Cruciatus Curse? Acceptable. The Soul-stealing Curse? Less so, but still valuable.

However, Cole observed that these spells plateaued at level eight; level nine would require more than gold galleons.

Thunderbolt Explosion, Divine Edge Shadowless, Freezing Curse, Legilimency, Weather Curse, Misty Clouds...

In an instant, the gold galleons vanished, replaced by a profound sense of mastery over these spells.

Feeling the changes within him, Cole realized he could now cast these spells effortlessly, even without a wand.

With his proficiency enhanced by the expenditure of a mere hundred thousand gold galleons, coupled with his innate magical prowess, Cole felt confident in his ability to rival even Lao Deng.

Should he now seize control of Hogwarts, perhaps ousting the feeble Fudge from power? The title of British Minister of Magic seemed fitting.

Yet, Cole hesitated. Old Bee was not to be underestimated; after all, the concept of the first-generation Dark Lord originated with him.

Nevertheless, Cole found the prospect uninspiring. Developing a family, as the system urged, seemed futile with only himself.

However, a solution presented itself: exchanging wizards and bestowing upon them the Black surname, thereby addressing the family's scarcity of members.

"System, exchange for thirty junior wizards, ten intermediate wizards, and one senior wizard," Cole commanded.

"Understood, host," the system replied.

Though he possessed an abundance of gold galleons, Cole felt a pang of regret at the expenditure of honor points required to redeem the senior wizard. Nonetheless, it was a necessary investment in bolstering the Black family's strength.

Instantly, forty-one individuals materialized in Cole's room. Fortunately, its size accommodated them.

"I am Wright Sorich," the leader, clad in black robes, declared with unwavering resolve.

Cole knew this was the individual he had redeemed with his honor points.

"From now on, your name is Wright Black. Lead these individuals to become the family's guardians. Address me as Young Master," Cole instructed.

Wright and his companions immediately knelt, expressing their gratitude.

"Thank you, Master, for bestowing upon me your surname. I shall defend the honor of the Black family unto death," Wright vowed, extending his hand.

Cole reciprocated the gesture, summoning Kreacher to assist Wright and his cohort.

Observing from a distance, Kreacher contemplated whether to inform his former master of these developments. Deciding against it, he returned to his duties, inwardly acknowledging Cole's newfound power and influence.

Cole emerged from Meira's room, having learned of her background. A noblewoman whose magical talents had earned her a place at the wizard's tower, Meira showed no signs of defiance towards Cole, obediently heeding his words.

Despite uncertainty about the Shadow Snake's significance, Cole resolved that Meira would be his future wife.

"Mera Black," Cole murmured, relishing the sound of it.