The Goblin Crisis

"Uh."

Yinduo froze, then tossed down his cards and smoothly laughed it off.

"Ah, ah, you guys keep playing, keep playing. I drank too much Butterbeer. Going to the toilet."

"Hey, seriously?"

"Going to the toilet after winning money?"

"A man's got needs, brother."

With that, Yinduo dragged an invisible bundle through the crowd. Then, amid his gambling buddies' crude calls urging him on, he walked toward the toilet with a smile. As he passed the stairs, he suddenly turned and dragged the invisible Hoffa upstairs like the wind.

"You came so quickly. My luck was rare good tonight."

Hoffa did not answer. His head was growing more and more uncomfortable, and he had no idea why. He could only let Yinduo drag him along.

The moment Yinduo pushed open the door, the pain in his head reached its peak.

Hoffa's face suddenly went pale, and he collapsed to the floor, forcibly dropping out of his stealth state.

Yinduo had not expected this either. When he turned and saw Hoffa on the ground, he panicked.

"Hey, kid, are you okay?"

At that moment, everything before Hoffa's eyes was black. His limbs felt icy cold, and his head hurt as if it were being torn apart.

"...It hurts."

Yinduo reached out and touched Hoffa's forehead, then snapped in exasperation, "You idiot, did you keep the Disillusionment Charm on the whole way here?"

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"You've overdrawn your magic power, damn it! Didn't anyone teach you that?"

Only then did Hoffa realize that the Disillusionment Charm was not some foolproof ability, much less an Invisibility Cloak. Like other spells, it consumed a wizard's physical strength and mental energy. He had been so caught up in the excitement of being invisible that he had forgotten he did not have much magic power to begin with.

This was very dangerous.

"Help me... up."

Hoffa closed his eyes and spoke softly.

Yinduo hurriedly helped Hoffa onto a recliner, then thumped downstairs. After a while, he returned carrying two large mugs. He brought one to Hoffa's lips and fed him some steaming Butterbeer.

The beer's slight bitterness mixed with the rich sweetness of butter as it slid from his mouth into his stomach.

Only then did Hoffa feel some of his strength returning.

It took quite a while longer before the world before his eyes reluctantly regained its color.

Hoffa lay limply in the recliner, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Yinduo muttered quietly, "You're something else. You learned the Disillusionment Charm so quickly. You know, some people can't learn it even in a lifetime."

"Shut up, gambler," Hoffa said weakly. "I want some quiet."

After falling silent for a moment, Yinduo said anxiously, "I thought you wouldn't come until at least tonight. Who knew you'd get here so fast?"

"I don't want sneaking out of school to come with another charge of wandering around late at night," Hoffa cursed impatiently. "Spit it out. Don't tell me you want me to help you scam money again."

"No, I don't need money right now."

"Then why the hell did you call me here?"

The goblin did not speak. He walked to the window, cautiously glanced outside, then shut the blinds.

"What exactly happened?" Hoffa asked, rubbing his temples. The magical exhaustion had left him utterly drained.

After drawing the curtains by the window, the goblin snapped his fingers and used magic to cut off all sounds from outside. The surroundings instantly fell silent.

"Hoffa, you have to help me. My homeland is about to fall."

"What?" Hoffa's eyes widened. "Isn't your homeland that German Black... something..."

"Heligoland, Germany." The goblin tipped back a large gulp of beer. "A very beautiful island. Unfortunately, we can barely hold on now."

His ears drooped.

"Hold on against what?" Hoffa frowned tightly. "Take your time."

"How much do you know about wars between wizards?" The goblin did not answer directly, instead asking a question in return.

"Not much," Hoffa said gravely. "Tell me."

Yinduo said, "Wizards are born from Muggles, but they are human in essence. Whenever Muggles wage large-scale wars, wizards are involved as well, and wizards are even more prone to conflict than Muggles. Different schools, different ideals, different beliefs. Sometimes, a tiny spark is enough to ignite conflict among wizards.

Many wars that break out among Muggles are merely the outward appearance of wizarding wars.

Heligoland originally belonged to Germany. It was occupied by the British wizarding world in 1807 and ceded to Britain in 1814. At that time, British wizards held a ruling position on the island, and my family immigrated to Heligoland during that era.

In essence, I am actually a British goblin.

But in 1890, Britain returned the island to the German Muggles, but not to the German wizarding world. The British Ministry of Magic still refused to allow German wizards to set foot on Heligoland.

Then, in 1914, the First World War broke out. Wars between wizards erupted there. Even after the First World War ended, Heligoland never knew peace again. Wizards constantly clashed, fought, and died there."

"But what does that have to do with why you came to find me now?" Hoffa asked quietly after listening patiently.

"Don't you understand? War is about to begin again. Large numbers of German wizards are secretly gathering. All of Europe is like a powder keg on the verge of exploding. These disputed lands will be the first to bear the brunt of it. We need a great many wizards to withstand this surging offensive."

"Then shouldn't you go to the Ministry of Magic?" Hoffa asked.

"The Ministry of Magic?" Yinduo laughed mockingly. "Those people living in drunken dreams don't believe another world war could break out. Like those people at Gringotts, all they think about every day are Galleons."

"Are you fucking kidding me? I just saw wanted posters from the Ministry of Magic outside," Hoffa said.

Yinduo waved his hand irritably. "Those were put up by the Dark Magic Defense Office. The International Affairs Office doesn't see it that way. Minister Hector Foley has already dismissed one department head over this. What do you expect me to do?"

Hoffa fell silent. History was always astonishingly similar.

In his previous life, it was not until Chamberlain stepped down and Churchill took office that British politicians saw clearly that war was inevitable. Later, when Voldemort returned, the Ministry of Magic likewise refused to believe another war could break out. They had even carved 'I must not tell lies' into Harry's arm.

Yinduo stepped forward and grabbed Hoffa's shoulders.

"My only hope is to find Headmaster Dippet at Hogwarts. He has always been very supportive of us, and most of the wizards stationed on Heligoland are his students."

Hoffa was startled. "Wait, are you saying Hogwarts has always supported you?"

"That's right. We goblins are responsible for raising funds, while Hogwarts helps recruit wizards for us. This custom has continued for more than twenty years."

Hoffa did not speak. He rose to his feet and paced around the room.

What Headmaster Armando had said at the start of term now seemed to carry a deeper meaning.

(Students above the sixth year may, after obtaining approval, travel to designated areas for special Auror training.)

Sending students to those designated areas was probably not as simple as Auror training. They were training wizards as soldiers.

How interesting. When it came to war, Hogwarts seemed to have always been hawkish. This time, and in the future war against Voldemort as well.

Then why had Yinduo come to find him this time?

Hoffa had already guessed the answer. He recalled what he had seen on the grounds after that last flying lesson—the Hogwarts teleportation array had been destroyed.

Hoffa stopped pacing and looked at Yinduo with blazing eyes.

"Has the school stopped sending people over for some time?"

"That's right."

Yinduo quickly stood up. "Do you know something?"

Hoffa said gravely, "The teleportation array connecting the school to the outside world has been destroyed. I have some suspicions. Someone may be interfering with the cooperation between you and Hogwarts. But that is only a guess. Besides, you shouldn't be coming to me over something like this. I'm only a first-year student. Why don't you go find—"

"I did!"

Yinduo said irritably, "I did, but suddenly no one at Hogwarts can be contacted. And I can't Apparate into Hogwarts. There are too many protective spells there. I could only come here to find you."

"What about Dumbledore? Have you tried Dumbledore?" The first person Hoffa thought of was Dumbledore.

But unexpectedly, the moment Yinduo heard Dumbledore's name, he shook his head like a rattle.

"Albus Dumbledore?"

"I haven't gone to him. I know him, but I don't trust him very much. His relationship with the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald is far too ambiguous. Grindelwald is in Germany now. I won't go looking for him."

Hoffa frowned and slowly sat down, tapping his fingers against the table. This was a crucial factor he had overlooked.

Grindelwald, Dumbledore's lifelong best friend and lover.

Before the Dark Lord Tom Riddle rose to power, he was one of the most terrifying dark wizards of this era—the first generation's Dark Lord, one could say.

Moreover, he possessed the Elder Wand, one of the three Deathly Hallows. His strength could not be underestimated. Yinduo had reason not to trust Dumbledore.

After thinking for a moment, Hoffa asked, "Then why did you bring me here?"

Yinduo immediately said, "Take me to Hogwarts Castle. I have to see Headmaster Armando Dippet."

Hoffa was stunned and could not help asking again.

"What did you say?"

"Take me to the school to find Headmaster Dippet."

"Me? Take you to school to find the headmaster!?"

Hoffa pointed at his own nose, his eyes wide as he asked each word distinctly.

Yinduo said, "That's right."

"I'll be going, then."

Hoffa turned and headed for the door.

He had never expected the goblin to make such a request. Sneak someone into the castle? And when he was only a first-year? It was impossible even to think about! Hogwarts was a completely closed school. Students even needed their guardians' signatures to enter and leave Hogsmeade. Dumbledore could not manage it fifty years later when he was headmaster, much less during Dippet's time.

Yinduo hurriedly grabbed Hoffa. "Hey, don't go!"

Hoffa was furious.

"Do you know how strict our school rules are? Do you know how much risk I took coming out to see you?

And now you want me to take you to find Dippet? Are you crazy? I'm only a first-year. I'm nobody.

If they ask where I met you, how am I supposed to explain it? Maybe if I take you into Hogwarts to find Dippet today, I'll be expelled tomorrow. They'll snap my wand, and then I'll be wandering the streets of London."

"That's all in your head, just your speculation!" Yinduo said anxiously.

"Is it really just my speculation?" Hoffa stared at Yinduo without blinking.