Fudge was also confused. Cole asked whether the Ministry of Magic recognized the international decree on Gringotts issued by the Ministry of Magic.
It pertained to whether the British Ministry of Magic should take responsibility for this incident.
There was even discussion about whether wizards should trust goblins in the future.
This is related to the economic lifeline of the wizarding world.
No matter how thick-headed Fudge was, he still understood the seriousness of the matter.
The goblins had lost their credibility. Where should the Ministry of Magic go from here? No matter how oblivious wizards were to the economy, they all knew they couldn't entrust their gold Galleons to the goblins.
If not handled properly, it would affect tens of thousands of wizards. Even those who had finally settled down might turn to a life of crime.
It must be noted that the Aurors of the Ministry of Magic didn't have the capacity to manage adult wizards.
"Mr. Black, please don't escalate the matter. I will send a letter to the International Ministry of Magic. I believe the matter will be resolved fairly," Fudge said, appearing unusually astute as he shifted the responsibility to the International Ministry of Magic.
However, this was originally a matter for the British wizarding community.
"Mr. Minister, your possessions haven't been stolen, hence your rather casual response," Cole remarked.
The British magical world comprised aristocratic and mixed-race wizards. Over the years, mixed-race wizards had gradually risen in the ranks of the Ministry of Magic.
After all, during the Hogwarts admissions every year, a significant number of young wizards came from the Muggle world.
But upon experiencing the magic of the wizarding world upon entering school, they no longer desired to return to the Muggle world.
Perhaps fate's gears prevented them from leading an ordinary life in the Muggle world from the moment they entered school.
If they wanted to remain in the magical world, joining the Ministry of Magic became the primary goal for mixed-race wizards.
All positions in the Ministry of Magic were contested.
The appointment of mixed-blood wizards naturally encroached on the living space of noble wizards.
The noble wizards had remained silent over the years. After all, centuries of tradition couldn't be overturned overnight.
The big slice of the wizarding world's pie still belonged to the noble wizards.
And today, the achievements of the noble wizards were stolen. Regardless of their usual scheming against each other, they couldn't tolerate such a loss.
"Yes, the Ministry of Magic and the goblins must provide an explanation. Such behavior will not be tolerated," Lucius said grimly. Even in turbulent times, the Malfoy family wouldn't be passive.
As the tension rose, noble wizards began to pressure both the goblins and Fudge, even hinting at the possibility of war.
The atmosphere became charged, and many wizards had their wands at the ready, wary of the goblins attempting to flee.
Fudge's face trembled with fear, and the goblins grew wary of the wizards. Adult goblins were adept at magic themselves.
Gringotts boasted many goblins who were masters of cursing, and countering such curses required a deep understanding of them.
The goblins weren't defenseless.
Observing the scene, Cole lamented the wizard who had initially handled the goblin rebellion. They were clearly capable of resolving it but chose to procrastinate instead.
In the magical world, the wizard population wasn't large, but the goblin population was even smaller.
Cole thought to himself: Starting a fight now would legitimize dealing with the goblins. And as for the guilt of provoking a war, hadn't the goblins of Gringotts initiated it first?
Just as both sides were about to act, footsteps approached from outside.
The white-bearded wizard, Principal Dumbledore, appeared before them.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, you've arrived just in time," Fudge said, hastening to Dumbledore's side, seeking refuge behind the legendary wizard.
Only beside this legendary figure did Fudge dispel the specter of imminent danger.
"It seems I've arrived at an inopportune moment. What's happening? Let's not be so tense. Spells should not be cast lightly. Please, remain calm," Dumbledore's soothing voice resonated. No one dared to underestimate this principal.
Maintaining respect for the powerful was the law of survival for pure-blood wizards.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, as you're aware, our assets have been stolen at Gringotts," Lucius stood up, serving as the spokesman for the pure-blood nobles.
"Lucius, I am aware of the situation. It's dire, but since it's occurred, we must find a resolution, mustn't we?" Even in such circumstances, Dumbledore remained composed, as if he had everything under control.
Cole thought to himself: What a confident principal; I admire him greatly.
Looking past Lucius, Cole addressed Dumbledore, "Headmaster Dumbledore, as you've heard, nearly all of the family treasuries have been looted."
"The despicable thief even dared to steal from your family, Principal. Such audacity," Cole's indignation made Dumbledore's mouth twitch slightly, his beard quiver a few times, and his eyes grow restless.
Cole was pleased to see it. Hahahaha, the Principal is not as calm as he seems when it comes to his own home being burglarized.
Cole couldn't read Dumbledore's thoughts, but he could discern them from his expression.
The Principal's demeanor resembled that of a tacit understanding between adversaries, with neither side revealing their full hand.
The Principal hadn't expected that the old senior Tom wouldn't play by the rules. They obviously had an understanding with each other, all planning for the Philosopher's Stone.
This was the current situation.
Dumbledore truly wasn't as composed as Cole believed.
Using the Philosopher's Stone as bait to lure Voldemort out was a gamble.
Initially, everything seemed under control, with Hagrid's appearance at the Leaky Cauldron. Dumbledore knew Hagrid well and anticipated he would reveal something.
But now, to hear the real Philosopher's Stone cart was stolen?
Dumbledore felt the situation slipping from his grasp.
He couldn't help but inwardly lament: Tom, wasn't your primary goal resurrection? What use are stolen Galleons?
Tom, you've strayed far from being a model Hogwarts student. Newt is far more obedient than you.
A few seconds passed, and many thoughts raced through Dumbledore's mind.
But simultaneously, he sensed something was amiss. The current Voldemort lacked the time and resources to pull off such a heist.
Who was behind this? They were plotting against him.
Dumbledore's gaze swept over the assembly, but he detected nothing amiss.
He thought to himself: Things are becoming quite interesting. Merlin's beard, this is truly troublesome.