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HP: From Failed Art Student to Dark Artist of Hogwarts - 180
🕑 Added 2025-09-19 18:18:21 +0000 UTCChapter 180: Ancient Relic - Pure White Sacred Bones!
"Do you have time now?"
Griphook felt like he'd have time for the rest of his miserable life.
Just then, the bank guards finally reacted. Raising their clubs, they roared at Ethan: "Hey! What d'you think you're doing?! Get down from there—"
"Shut—shut up!" Griphook shrieked, cutting off the guards mid-threat.
He stared fixedly at the bronze key swaying in his vision like a hypnotist's pendulum. The tiny gleam reflecting from that sacred number "12" pierced straight through his eyes, causing irrepressible greed to surge through his heart.
His beady eyes rolled as a plan formed in his scheming mind.
Griphook slithered down from his chair, raising both arms and bowing so deeply his nose nearly touched the marble floor. "My sincerest apologies, most honored guest. This lowly creature was blind and failed to recognize your... noble status."
"Please follow me. I'll personally escort you to vault 12."
Behind his back, he discreetly gestured to the guards with quick, urgent movements.
The guards exchanged meaningful glances. One immediately walked toward the depths of the hall with purposeful strides.
Oh, going to call for backup?
Ethan watched their little performance with obvious amusement, his lips curving with genuine interest. The more audience, the better. This'll be fun.
However...
Ethan withdrew his gaze, looking down at the goblin waiting obsequiously below like a kicked dog. He opened and closed his mouth leisurely: "Too high."
Too high? Griphook blinked in confusion. The counter's too high to get down? But didn't you just leap up there like some kind of magical rocket?
Still, a valued customer's requests were always reasonable. No matter how bizarre.
"I'll get you a step stool right away—"
"Get?" Ethan tilted his head, smiling with perfect sincerity. "Why get one when there's already one right here?"
Griphook froze like he'd been struck by lightning.
Two seconds later, when he suddenly understood Ethan's meaning, his entire face flushed purple with rage! This damn brat wants me to be his personal footstool!
Griphook trembled with barely contained fury. He, a noble goblin descendant, would rather die, would rather jump from the top of Gringotts, than—
"Oh dear." Ethan's voice turned disappointingly casual. "I don't think today's really suitable for opening vaults after all."
Thud.
Griphook dropped straight to his knees like a puppet with cut strings. His mouth twitched twice as he slowly prostrated himself in a full bow.
Performing the standard etiquette of those whose pride had been thoroughly crushed.
In the stunned silence of the entire bank, Ethan smiled with obvious satisfaction: "Now that's more like it~"
Honestly, I suggest Gringotts develop this kind of premium customer service across all branches.
Ethan stepped forward casually, off the counter. His boot landed firmly on the goblin's trembling back, making him cry out in pain and humiliation.
With a light tap, Ethan landed gracefully on the marble floor.
He smoothed down the wrinkles in his clothes with meticulous care, then turned and looked down at the shaking goblin still pressed against the ground.
"You're very welcome," he said cheerfully.
For snobbish goblins like this one, serving such a distinguished VVIP customer must represent the greatest honour of their pathetic lives.
Damn, that felt incredibly good.
As his words fell, Ethan noticed the goblin tremble even more violently. Mm, must be from being so deeply moved by the honour.
Lupin stared in complete shock: "???"
His mouth hung open as he watched the continuously shaking goblin on the polished floor. He felt something fundamental shatter in his heart!
His entire mental image of Ethan as a good, innocent student scattered like broken glass!
In thirty-plus years of life, this was the first time he'd seen prejudiced goblins reduced to this pathetic state!
What exactly IS that vault key? And why does Ethan have it if it's not actually his own?
Lupin belatedly realised this Diagon Alley trip definitely wouldn't end as simply as he'd hoped.
Just then, chaotic footsteps echoed through the marble halls. Gringotts senior management and additional goblin guards came swarming over like angry bees.
"Most honoured guest!" The manager's voice cracked slightly. "What exactly is—"
Before Ethan could respond, Griphook struggled up from the floor and managed to gasp: "Manager, sir... this wizard possesses the Vault 12 key."
At those words, every goblin in hearing distance held their breath simultaneously. They stared at Ethan in amazed shock, undisguised greed rising in their bulging eyes.
The Vault 12 key?
Lupin was equally surprised. How ancient must a vault with that low number be? And it obviously holds tremendous significance for these goblins too.
Why would Ethan have something like that?
Suddenly, Lupin felt Ethan's entire figure become mysterious and unknowable. That handsome, gentle smile suddenly seemed like nothing more than an elaborate mask, making his spine chill with unease.
No wonder both Minister Fudge and Headmaster Dumbledore take him so seriously. There really are deep secrets here.
The goblins exchanged rapid glances, their attitude immediately shifting to extreme, almost servile respect.
Bowing repeatedly, they requested in unison: "Please follow us, most honoured guest."
Ethan nodded graciously, pretending not to notice the calculating, predatory looks flickering in the goblins' eyes.
Together with Luna and the increasingly silent Professor Lupin, he boarded the rickety mining cart that would take them into Gringotts' depths.
They left behind a hall full of absolutely petrified onlookers.
Well, that was eye-opening.
The cart whooshed down into the underground depths at breakneck speed.
"Whoosh!" Ethan calmly raised a large black umbrella, creating shelter for himself and Luna.
Professor Lupin squinted against the rushing air. "Ethan, why are you holding an umbrella in an underground— blub blub blub!"
He quickly learnt why. A massive waterfall poured down from overhead, filling his mouth with icy water.
Ethan poked his head out from under the umbrella with helpful timing. "Because there's a waterfall up ahead."
Lupin spat out water and glared. "Thank you, child. That warning came just a bit too 'early'."
Suddenly, Lupin frowned and clutched his chest, groaning in unexpected pain.
The driving goblin glanced back at him and shouted over the rushing water: "That's the Thief's Downfall, sir! It reveals true forms and strips away magical disguises!"
Feeling uncomfortable changes beginning in his body, Lupin's pupils contracted with alarm. He'd never been this deep in Gringotts before and naturally hadn't known about the "Thief's Downfall" security measure!
An ominous premonition slowly grew in his anxious heart.
After what felt like an eternity of rushing through underground tunnels, just as Luna cheerfully commented, "We must've reached the Earth's core by now," the cart finally screeched to a halt.
The driving goblin Griphook took the precious key with reverent hands and inserted it into the ancient vault door's complex lock mechanism.
"Click clack." Accompanied by intricate mechanical sounds that hadn't been heard in centuries, ancient dust began falling like snow.
Then... "Rumble—"
Vault 12, completely unvisited for hundreds of years, finally opened slowly before Ethan's eager eyes!
A river of pure magical power flowed out like liquid starlight, emanating cold, ghostly blue radiance that made the air itself shimmer.
"So beautiful..." Ethan heard Luna whisper beside him in wonder.
He watched her raise pale, delicate fingers and gently pluck at the air like harp strings, causing the magical river to ripple in response. Starlike brilliance condensed around Luna's form, making her look ethereal.
Indeed beautiful.
Ethan turned to the goblin hovering nervously by the door. Extending his hand with that same pleasant smile: "The key, please."
Griphook extremely reluctantly returned the precious vault 12 key to Ethan's possession, as if he was losing an actual piece of his flesh and soul.
Watching Ethan enter the vault with confident steps, he thought darkly: No matter. Soon enough, this key and all the vault's treasures will return to proper goblin hands where they belong.
After all, the history books clearly state these items originally belonged to us anyway. This brat's nothing more than a despicable key thief!
Griphook turned toward the dark cavern entrance, eagerly awaiting his reinforcements' arrival.
Inside the vault, Ethan found it surprisingly empty. Only a single stone pillar stood in the centre like a monument. From its base flowed endless streams of ghostly blue magical power.
Thump Thump! Thump Thump! Ethan's heart pounded like war drums, his eyes reflecting the supernatural blue light.
Wand raised defensively, he stepped forward to examine what lay on the pillar.
A rolled map and a forearm-thick, dried, wood-like, snow-white object that looked ancient beyond measure.
【Congratulations!】
【You obtained relics from the Unknown One!】
【Hidden Underground Chamber Treasure Map】
【Extraordinary Material – Pure White Sacred Bones】
Seeing the floating text, Ethan raised his eyebrows in surprise.
You're telling me this dried stick-like thing is actually some ancient creature's bones?
Using a literal "corpse" as treasure for future generations to discover.
"Very tasteful indeed," Ethan nodded with genuine appreciation.
