Diagon Alley, Gringotts, underground vaults, Vault 687.
The Potter family's bank vault.
The little rail cart stopped there.
Everyone got off, and Griphook used the golden key to open the vault door.
A dazzling brilliance met their eyes. Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts were piled up like mountains inside the vault, leaving Harry rooted to the spot in awe.
The Potter Lineage had made its fortune through potions and medical techniques. The manufacturing methods for commonly used modern potions such as Skele-Gro and Pepperup Potion were said to have originated from the Potter Lineage.
Harry's grandfather had even created an extraordinarily magical shampoo potion. His company and patent royalties had earned him a fortune, and after selling the shampoo company he had founded, the Potter family's wealth had reached its peak.
Their knack for making money, combined with their sparse family line, had created the spectacular sight Harry Potter was seeing now.
"Fill up, Harry!" Hagrid dry-heaved twice after getting off the cart, then reminded him, "The Potter family's assets are enough to let you live a rich and comfortable life in the Wizarding World."
Harry did not immediately reach for the money. Instead, he turned to Dudley. "Cousin, you..."
"What do you mean, 'you'? Did you think I'd stand on ceremony with you, Harry?! No matter how much money you have, you're still my cousin!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Dudley reached into the vault and picked out only Galleons, casually stuffing two bulging pockets full.
When he was done, he reminded him, "Hurry up and take more too, Harry! Coming to Gringotts is quite a hassle!"
"Huh? Oh! Okay, Cousin!"
Harry answered. He did not feel the slightest dissatisfaction at his cousin taking money from his family vault. Instead, he followed his cousin's instructions and quickly grabbed several handfuls of gold coins, stuffing them into every pocket of his clothes.
"What wonderful brotherly affection!" Hagrid's eyes even grew moist with emotion. "I wish I had a brother too."
"Hagrid, stop making such a fuss. You'll have one someday. Get in the cart—we still need to finish your errand, and Harry and I have shopping to do!"
Dudley had utterly reversed their roles, his face putting on an impatient expression. Anyone unaware of the situation would have thought he did not care at all about what Hagrid had come to retrieve.
"Oh! Right, right, right!"
Hagrid ignored Dudley's mention of a "brother." He thought Dudley was joking to comfort him, so he simply climbed back into the cart obediently and clumsily.
After Griphook locked Vault 687, he handed the golden key to Harry.
Then the group resumed their previous positions, and the little rail cart started up again, heading toward the deeper vaults.
Vault 687 was not particularly far from Vault 713.
Before long, they arrived at their destination.
The lock on Vault 713 was far more secure than that of Vault 687.
Because the key to this vault door was a Goblin's finger.
"No one can steal anything from Gringotts' underground vaults!"
An unusual confidence appeared on Griphook's wrinkled Goblin face. "If this door is touched by anyone other than a Goblin, they'll be sucked inside and sealed away tight!
And generally, if no one comes to collect anything, we only inspect it once every ten years. Heh heh heh..."
As Griphook's sharp right index finger entered the vault door's keyhole, the door slowly dissolved into black smoke, revealing the small space inside.
Because this vault stored a small item, the space within had not been expanded very much.
Hagrid became serious for once. After getting off the cart, he strode quickly to the vault and reached his large hand inside.
Standing to one side, Dudley caught sight of what was stored in the vault: a small parcel wrapped in kraft paper and tied with twine, identical at first glance to the prop he had prepared in advance!
[Philosopher's Stone Wrapped in Kraft Paper (S-Rank)]
The system promptly provided its appraisal. Watching Hagrid carefully pick up the small parcel and tuck it into the inner pocket over his chest, even Dudley could not help feeling delighted.
Thank heaven, everything was going smoothly!
"Hiss—"
At that most crucial moment, Harry, beside Dudley, suddenly clutched his forehead and cried out softly in pain.
"Cousin, the scar on my forehead suddenly hurts..."
Seeing the questioning look his cousin gave him, Harry truthfully described what he felt.
Dudley's expression changed slightly. He hurriedly grabbed Harry's hand and wrote a letter in his palm with his finger.
Harry immediately became alert. No matter how long Hagrid and the Goblin had bragged about Gringotts' security, it was far less trustworthy than his cousin's warning.
"Let's go! What's wrong with you, Ha—"
Having retrieved the Philosopher's Stone, Hagrid turned around. Under the dim torchlight, he vaguely saw Harry's serious little frown.
But Hagrid had barely uttered the syllable "Ha" when Dudley deliberately interrupted him with loud laughter.
"Ha ha ha... Hagrid! You've still got sandwich crumbs stuck in your beard!"
Teasing him, Dudley pulled Harry over to Hagrid's side.
"Oh, do I? Ha ha ha..." Hagrid was utterly unguarded and failed to notice the deeper meaning in Dudley's expression. He stretched out a large hand and began feeling through his beard.
Dudley had expected this. Once he was close to Hagrid, he hurriedly whispered, "Hagrid, there's a Black Wizard nearby. Be careful!"
"Wha—" Hagrid immediately shut his mouth. Astonished, he hurriedly swept his round eyes over the surroundings.
Dudley also seized the chance while Hagrid's attention was diverted. Using his strongest technique, he gripped the fake ruby parcel he had just pulled from his coat in his right hand, gave a slight hop, and shot out his hand in one smooth motion. Like a hunting snake striking prey, it was so fast it nearly left an afterimage.
"Stupefy!"
Suddenly, a red flash shot out from the darkness. Already on guard, Hagrid hurriedly scooped Harry and Dudley up in front of him, spun around sharply, and used his broad back to block the spell.
The powerful Stunning Spell struck Hagrid's back, making him briefly drowsy. He yawned, shook his head, and regained consciousness. Then he hurriedly pulled out his Umbrella Wand, turned toward where the Stunning Spell had come from, and fired a white beam.
Hagrid had not spoken an incantation. It was Silent Transfiguration.
"Idiot! That big fool has Giant blood and resistance to spells! Use spells that work on other objects against him!"
In the darkness, Quirinus Quirrell—wrapped in a turban, wearing robes, a hood, and a black cloth mask, reeking of garlic—meekly accepted the rebuke from Voldemort at the back of his head. At the same time, he used Silent Shield Charm to block the white beam Hagrid had fired.
"Bombarda! Bombarda Maxima!"
Having received the guidance, Quirrell immediately cast powerful Exploding Curses in Hagrid's direction.
A dim yellow light flew from the tip of the Alder Wand, and deafening explosions and thunderous booms immediately erupted in the distance.
Countless stalactites fell from above. The explosions echoed continuously through the vast underground vault space, the ground trembled, and the chain reaction made it seem as though a small earthquake had struck.
"Idiot!"
Voldemort's Main Soul, dwelling in the back of Quirrell's head, was nearly exploding with rage!
"Go check it now! If you destroyed the Philosopher's Stone, I'll have your life!"
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