Falling into Lava

Amosta's sudden silence made Bogrod, the goblin in charge of Gringotts in Britain, uneasy.

In truth, goblins were not as faithful to contracts and honor as most wizards believed. For vaults whose wizarding heirs had been confirmed dead, goblins had always shared the wealth within with Ministry of Magic officials. This had gone on for many years, only improving somewhat after the Minister for Magic came to them and told them that someone had exposed the matter.

Even for vaults whose owners had made agreements with the goblins, granting inheritance rights to anyone holding a token or fulfilling the necessary conditions, the goblins would "clean them out regularly" if too much time passed without anyone claiming them.

But Bogrod had just urgently checked the internal records. Salazar Slytherin's personal vault was still perfectly intact. It was not because they did not covet the treasures within, but because Slytherin's own magic was on the vault door, and the goblins could not open it.

"Mr. Breen?"

Bogrod guiltily wiped the sweat from its wrinkled brow. It had heard rumors that Amosta Breen had once approached Mr. Bana at Gringotts' Paris headquarters, demanding that the British Gringotts branch provide a list of wizarding vaults they had illegally opened and claimed, along with records of how the wealth had been divided with Ministry of Magic officials.

"Would you like to visit Salazar Slytherin's personal vault?"

"Oh, of course—"

Amosta snapped back to his senses. He glanced at the cold sweat on Bogrod's brow and its shifty eyes, and something stirred in his mind. Smiling, he nodded.

"Then could I trouble you to lead the way?"

"It would be my honor, Mr. Breen!"

Bogrod bowed deeply, though inwardly it breathed a sigh of relief. The goblins feared Amosta Breen not only because he was recognized