Going to Gringotts

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Uniforms, first-year students require..." Li Mu muttered, reciting the list attached to the admission notice.

There were quite a few things to buy. Three sets of plain work robes (black), one plain pointed hat (black), as well as cloaks, gloves... Fortunately, he had already bought several books required for new students in advance.

But now, amidst the bustling and prosperous street, he had shifted most of his attention elsewhere, his eyes fixed on the buildings in the street, looking left and right.

Under Hagrid's lead, after the three of them stepped through the archway, the brick archway returned to being a wall—Li Mu would bet that this was a spatial spell, and there wasn't actually such a wide street behind the Leaky Cauldron.

That wall was a magic array, and they were directly teleported to another space through the array.

But he had thought about it for a long time and still couldn't figure out the principle, how exactly it was done... This also inexplicably reminded him of the Time-Turner that Hermione "used to" use.

In comparison, Eastern Taoism was still a bit behind in the study of space and time, not yet reaching this level of understatement and freedom.

"It's really amazing!" Li Mu exclaimed. He felt that he had made the right trip. Under the guidance of the old man Li Jianmin, he had cultivated for eight years, and the more he practiced, the more he realized the difficulty of cultivation, every step forward was difficult—after all, peerless geniuses in the world were a minority, and more people worked hard to climb up with a little bit of meager talent, and only after a long period of tempering could they achieve something small.

Coming to England this time, apart from satisfying the "chasing stars" bad taste, even if he only understood the principle of changing space and distorting time, he would have gained a lot.

"Yeah, it's really amazing..." Harry Potter couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Like Li Mu, as soon as he entered Diagon Alley, he kept turning his head, observing the strange shops on both sides of the street.

"Gringotts is here—Li Mu, do you also need to withdraw money?" Hagrid interrupted the two's interest, leading them towards a snow-white building. When he reached the door, he didn't forget to turn his big head and ask Li Mu.

Seeing Li Mu nod, Hagrid waved his big hand, "That's good, then we'll all go in... By the way, do you have the key?"

He asked Li Mu again.

"Oh, of course!" Li Mu smiled at Hagrid, took out a small golden key from his pocket, which the old man Li Jianmin had stuffed into his hand at Tianchao Huayang International Airport.

As they spoke, they had already arrived at the bronze gate of the pure white building.

On both sides of the door stood a few small figures in red and yellow uniforms, another species different from humans, with goat legs, short and curved tails, and sparse short hairs on their bodies, looking as frail as little old men.

But Li Mu knew that these little guys were not easy to mess with, and their slender hands might unleash incredible magic.

"Those are goblins!" Hagrid said softly to the two at this time, glancing at the little figures.

Goblins, this name is really... inconsistent with the appearance of these disgusting little guys. Li Mu smiled slightly, hearing those two words, he immediately thought of the legendary stories of the East.

Those annoying little goblins... tsk tsk... that's worthy of the word goblin.

However, he, who had lived two lives, did not know that in the legends of the ordinary world, those little figures were not called "goblins" either. Their accurate name should be "imps", some cunning and fierce pranksters, famous in the myths and legends of Britain and Germany.

As they walked through the first door, several goblins bowed to them. Passing through the second silver-white door, they arrived at a hall paved entirely with beautiful marble.

At least a hundred goblins sat behind the counters directly opposite the hall. They acted as accountants or shopkeepers, and the large number of wizards coming and going showed the prosperity of this Gringotts.

So there are so many people in the magical world?

Li Mu was a little dazed looking at the scene in front of him. He had always thought that the entire British magical world only had two or three thousand people... Or are all the wizards in the entire British magical world concentrated here?

Pa!

[Ouch, ouch, ouch... my shoulders, my shoulders are falling apart...]

Before Li Mu could continue thinking, Hagrid patted him and Harry on the shoulders with his left and right hands respectively, and then led the two of them, who were grimacing and sucking in cold air, to a counter that looked relatively free.

"Good morning!" Hagrid greeted the goblin behind the counter, "I need to take some money from Harry Potter's vault... Of course, there is also..."

He began to take things out of a pocket, which emitted a musty smell, causing the goblin to frown (if the few fine hairs on their big eyes could be considered eyebrows) and cover their nose.

Fortunately, Hagrid quickly found a golden key and also took out a letter: "I also brought a letter from Professor Dumbledore regarding that thing in Vault 713."

Li Mu felt that Hagrid at this time had a somewhat triumphant demeanor.

The goblin carefully read the letter, nodded, and returned the letter to Hagrid.

Li Mu also took out his golden key: "I think I need to go to my vault to get some money. It was a vault opened two months ago through the Tianchao Spirit Coin Regulatory Committee, under the name Li Mu."

The goblin took Li Mu's key to confirm for a moment, and then glanced at the three of them. It finally spoke, its voice sharp and childlike: "Well, are you together?"

"Uh..." Hagrid finally realized something was wrong, and he looked at the two little boys again, focusing on Li Mu. He saw the Harry's unease and panic, and also saw Li Mu's ignorance and indifference. He let go of his unease and made a roaring sound, "Of course, the three of us are together!"

The goblin nodded again: "Okay. I will send someone to take you to these three vaults."

Then he called out in a certain direction, and immediately a smaller goblin trotted over, leading the way in front of them. Hagrid dragged his huge mountain-like body, with Harry and Li Mu closely following behind. The three of them followed the little goblin to another door on the side of the hall.

"What's in Vault 713?" Harry asked curiously, while Li Mu remained silent.

Children are children after all. Some things are best not asked if others don't say, especially things related to money.

And that thing in Hagrid's mouth is much more valuable than money.

Sure enough, Hagrid shook his basketball-sized head and said mysteriously, "Can't tell you, this matter must be kept secret. That thing is... tsk tsk."

Uh... Li Mu was speechless. This reckless Hagrid is no better than Harry. Isn't saying that the equivalent of "a guilty person protesting their innocence," making it clear to others that there are valuables here? ...

Just as Hagrid was speaking, the little goblin opened the door, and Harry's mouth immediately widened, obviously surprised.

(=^^=)

(End of this chapter)