Chapter 52: Is Gringotts Part of the Ministry of Magic?

Cole and a group of noble wizards arrived at the lobby of Gringotts. Before Cole could guide them, Marin from the Flint family rushed forward.

He grabbed the goblin by the collar and intended to throttle him in front of everyone.

"What have you damned greedy goblins done? Where are the Flint family's Galleons?"

"Oh, Mr. Flint, please let go. Don't act impulsively. This is all the fault of some thief," the goblin stammered in explanation, which was obviously unsatisfactory. If it weren't for the public gaze, Marin Flint might have drawn his wand and shoved it into the goblin's mouth.

Cole didn't have a deep impression of Marin, but he knew he had a son named Marcus, who was the Quidditch captain of Slytherin. However, the appearance of the Flint family wasn't very pleasing, with Marin's buck teeth alone enough to unsettle people.

Cole glanced at Marin and wondered: Could this be the result of incestuous marriages? This character seemed exceedingly irritable.

Following the Flint family's outburst, other nobles began to loudly reprimand Gringotts for its dereliction of duty.

Cole and Lucius found themselves standing aside. Lucius had a younger brother to speak up for him, whereas Cole's primary objective wasn't solely focused on the Gringotts goblins.

Seeing the situation teetering towards chaos, with continuous verbal abuse causing the goblins' eyes to redden, and noble wizards beginning to draw their wands with caution, Fudge realized he needed to intervene before things escalated to violence.

Fudge, observing the imminent conflict, knew he had to prevent any harm befalling goblins or noble wizards. He didn't dare to plunge into the crowd himself; engaging in a curse could spell his own demise.

Cole watched helplessly as the cowardly Fudge attempted to diffuse the situation. It was no wonder he'd ascended to ministerial rank with such a strong sense of self-preservation!

"Everyone, please refrain from acting rashly. Let's stop this. Everything can be resolved through discussion," Fudge urged from the outside, employing magic to amplify his voice. He dared not venture into the throng; engaging in spellcasting within could lead to fatal consequences.

Cole couldn't help but feel exasperated at Fudge's timidity and cowardice. No wonder he held such a high office!

"Everyone, please calm down and heed my words," Cole interjected, causing the noble wizards to pause. "Mr. Goblin, our property was stolen within Gringotts. This is a failure on your part, and restitution must be made."

Cole's authoritative tone resonated with the noble wizards, who nodded in agreement. The goblins appeared visibly embarrassed but remained silent, recognizing the gravity of the situation concerning Gringotts' reputation in the wizarding world and the fragile peace between wizards and goblins.

Cole, despite his disdain for goblins, recognized the historical complexities. Goblins, resentful of wizards, still harbored beliefs surrounding the ownership of Gryffindor's sword, further exacerbating tensions between the two races.

Turning his attention to Minister Fudge, Cole shifted the blame to the Ministry of Magic for the security lapse within Diagon Alley.

"Minister Fudge, the Ministry of Magic shares responsibility in this matter. After all, it occurred within Diagon Alley. Have the Aurors become too complacent? Aside from Wright and a few others, it seems the rest spend their days idly sipping tea."

Fudge, expecting Cole's support, was taken aback as blame swiftly shifted towards the Ministry.

With a sense of resentment, Fudge mused: Yes, the Blacks have eradicated the Death Eaters, leaving us to chase after criminal wizards across seas. What else can we do but drink tea?

"Cole, this matter falls under the jurisdiction of the goblins, not the Ministry of Magic. As per the treaty, Gringotts is solely under goblin control," Fudge retorted, grasping at his ministerial tenure for justification.

"Oh? Is that so? Isn't Gringotts a part of the British wizarding world? Shouldn't it be the Ministry's duty to ensure stability?" Cole countered. "If Gringotts isn't under Ministry control, why should we entrust our assets to the goblins?"

"Is it acceptable for an entity incapable of guaranteeing asset security to operate within Wizarding Thought?" he continued. "Had I known of such risks, I might as well have kept the Galleons in my family's treasury. The Black family could surely manage better than untrustworthy goblins."

Cole's words resonated with the noble wizards, sparking contemplation about the viability of alternative wizard banks.

Indeed, if Gringotts had maintained an unblemished record with the International Ministry of Magic's endorsement, who would hesitate to entrust their ancestral wealth to goblins?

Cole's proposal to establish the Black family's 'Gringotts' ignited intrigue among the noble wizards. Perhaps it was time for pure-blood families to assert their financial independence.

The seed of dissent had been sown, and the trajectory of events seemed poised for an unforeseen course.