Ch 4: The Loots from Gibbon

Jon's exploration of Gibbon's memories yielded a wealth of information about the world of Harry Potter.

For instance, he discovered that Harry Potter had been at Hogwarts for three years, and the Triwizard Tournament was on the horizon.

This suggested that the current timeline coincided with "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire".

Voldemort, it seemed, had not yet returned, as evidenced by Gibbon's previous statement: "The master is on the brink of return". However, the Death Eaters were likely already in motion. Peter Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Jr. were poised to resurrect Voldemort, with the resurrection set to occur at the Triwizard Tournament, in the Riddle family cemetery.

At this juncture, Voldemort was in a state akin to infancy, bereft of his magical prowess, with only two Death Eaters, Peter Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Jr., at his side. Gibbon, the Death Eater in question, had not made contact with Voldemort during this period, likely out of prudence. If Voldemort's resurrection failed, he would avoid imprisonment in Azkaban, but if it succeeded, he would promptly pledge his allegiance to his master.

Having assimilated Gibbon's memories, Jon's next objective was clear: confront Voldemort directly. Given Voldemort's current state and the limited support from his Death Eaters, Jon, in his Ghost Rider form, could easily handle them.

However, despite the information he had gathered, Jon was still unaware of Voldemort's exact location.

Moreover, he had to address a pressing issue: securing the basic necessities of life in this world.

He knew that the wizarding world had its own currency system, rendering Muggle money useless. Although he could exchange it at Gringotts, he doubted that five pounds would suffice.

Fortunately, Gibbon's memories revealed a substantial deposit in his Gringotts account. Jon could potentially access this, as Gringotts' security measures recognized the key, not the individual.

Armed with Gibbon's key, Jon could withdraw Gibbon's money at will.

Guided by Gibbon's memories, Jon located the vault key and set off for Gringotts.

Gringotts, situated in Diagon Alley, was a stone's throw away from the Leaky Cauldron. Its white marble facade, grand and imposing, towered over the neighboring shops.

As Jon approached Gringotts, he noticed a diminutive figure in a scarlet and gold uniform standing by its golden gate.

"A goblin, I presume?" Jon mused, eyeing the figure.

The goblin, barely reaching Jon's waist, had a dark complexion and a pointed beard. As Jon entered, the goblin respectfully bowed his head.

Despite his preparedness, Jon found his first encounter with a creature he had only seen in films quite intriguing.

Gringotts, a bank run by goblins, was the sole financial institution for wizards. The wizards trusted Gringotts with their money due to its stringent security measures.

As Rubeus Hagrid had once told Harry Potter during his first visit to Gringotts, "Only a madman would dare rob Gringotts, Harry."

This was partly because the goblins were adept at magic, and the high-security vaults deep beneath the bank were guarded by a Ukrainian Ironbelly dragon.

Jon traversed the bank's ornate corridor, noting the inscriptions detailing the severe penalties for breaking the bank's laws.

Upon reaching the second door, another goblin escorted him into a grand marble hall. Along one side of the hall, a dozen goblins were busy behind a long counter. Guided by the goblin, Jon approached one of the counters.

"Good day!" Jon greeted a goblin behind the counter, "I wish to withdraw some money for Mr. Gibbon Campbell!"

"Do you have his key, sir?" the goblin asked without looking up.

"Indeed, I do!" Jon replied, taking out a small, oddly-shaped golden key from his pocket. This was the vault key he had found among Gibbon's possessions, as per Gibbon's memories.

The goblin paused his work to inspect Jon's key, then scrutinized Jon for a moment.

The goblin, sporting old-fashioned glasses, and a stern expression, made Jon uncomfortable. He wondered if he had made a mistake that the goblin had noticed.

"Everything seems in order!" the goblin declared, adjusting his glasses, before calling out, "Griphook, please escort him to his vault!"

Griphook, another goblin, took Gibbon's key and led Jon out of the hall through a door.

Upon reaching the entrance, he unlocked the door, revealing a narrow stone corridor lit by torches on either side.

The corridor sloped steeply downwards, with a railway running along it. Griphook whistled, and a small, rickety cart hurtled towards them along the track.

"Please step in, sir!" Griphook instructed Jon once the cart had stopped.

Jon eyed the small cart, noting the absence of safety rails and the antiquated railway, with skepticism.

"Well, it's just like a roller coaster!" Jon reassured himself before climbing in.

Griphook joined him in the cart and set it in motion.

They sped along the winding railway. Initially, the cart's pace was manageable, but it soon picked up speed, the cold air stinging Jon's eyes as it rushed past.

After what felt like an eternity, the cart began to slow down. They had reached a deeper level underground. After crossing an underground lake, the cart finally halted in front of a small door along the passage.

Uhggggg~!

Jon, feeling queasy from the ride, couldn't help but vomit. He was unaccustomed to such experiences, having rarely ridden roller coasters before.

"First time, I presume?" Griphook remarked nonchalantly, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

He then turned to unlock the door.

He touched the vault door, which emitted a faint golden glow before falling silent. Griphook frowned and tried again, but to no avail.

"You..!" Griphook's tone turned cold, "You must have seen the rules inscribed on Gringotts' walls as you walked in, right ?!"

Jon sensed that something was amiss, but maintained his composure, "Yes, I did. Is there a problem?"

Griphook spun around, his eyes cold as he said, "Then you must have read the final rule. 'All those caught stealing from the bank are immediately expelled and never allowed to enter the premises again.' The Ministry of Magic also imposes hefty fines and imprisonment on those convicted of stealing from Gringotts. You've been warned, thief! It's not your Galleons that have brought you here, but your malevolent intentions!"

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