บท 1038: Et tu, Brute? Ⅴ

By the time the second team of Auror's arrived with the healers and the A.P.D. the Death Eaters had either been killed or captured. The stench of blood fills the air as the dead are counted. Two Auror's perished in the close-quarters battle at the hands of the same Death Eater, (Seth). There were several moderately to lightly injured Aurors, but thankfully no Auror was severely injured.

The bodies of the two deceased Aurors are carefully wrapped in a crimson cloth signaling the death of an Auror. The two Aurors are gently placed on a stretcher and taken out first from the hall. The Aurors all bowed their heads and pay tributes to the once-living comrades who stood at their side and now lay dead.

Grok Gringotts in silence watches the bodies of the two deceased Aurors depart, before turning to address Auror Scrimgeour. He bowed his elderly head and rasped, "I express my sincere gratitude for the aid the Aurors have offered in our time of need. It shall not lightly be forgotten. Please inform the families of the deceased that Gringotts will pay for any funeral costs."

"I shall," Auror Rufus Scrimgeour respectfully acknowledged, before glancing over at the dead goblins. "Your guards-."

"They shall be honored and buried in the mountains of our forefathers," Grok Gringotts solemnly interrupted. "They will be remembered," he vowed.

"Then we shall take our leave once we transport the remaining bodies of the Death Eaters and leave Gringotts to take of their own," Auror Rufus Scrimgeour bowed to the Goblin King.

Grok Gringotts accepted the bow and returned the bow. "You honor me, Auror Scrimgeour."

Auror Rufus Scrimgeour respectfully excused himself before moving away to aid in the transport of the Death Eaters. He had much to report to Urquhart and the Minister of Magic. There would be sure to be an emergency press release.

In silence, Grok Gringotts watches the hall be cleared of the dead. His dark eyes naturally drift to the blood stains that would easily magically vanish, yet the scent would haunt these halls for years to come. One mishappen stain caused him to pause. In the end, only a single guard survived, the healers arrived too late to aid the wounded guards who all succumbed to internal bleeding.

A weary sigh escapes from Grok Gringotts, who feels the weight of his age to the depths of his soul. Many of the guards, he had personally known and watched grow. They were the sons and grandchildren proud to serve the Goblin King as their forefathers before them.

The corpses of the traitors tickled at Grok Gringotts, but he ignored the sentiment. He had slain every single last treacherous attendant with his hand. He was lucky none of his attendants had been well-trained fighters. In that aspect, he alone had been sufficient to defeat them. He understood that the Spirit of Luck had been with him.

Otherwise, if the traitors had not been so confident in their victory, they would have planted a trained attendant. And perchance the outcome would have been vastly different. By the end of the battle, he was weary and out of breath barely able to finish off the last of the traitors. His age had finally caught him; it was time for him to pass on the mantel.

The sound of footsteps startles Grok Gringotts out of his musing. His grandson appears with a carefully wrapped bandage around his head. "Ragnok," he said in panic hurrying across the red-stained floor.

The younger goblin hurries towards his grandfather, Grok Gringotts. "I am fine grandfather," Ragnok promised. "It was merely a light wound."

"Tell me, what happened!" Grok Gringotts urgently asked carefully studying his grandson for further injuries.

"When the Death Eaters arrived, we were lucky to be alerted by Filkrus, who had yet to depart-."

"Who is we?!"

"Curse Breaker Tressa Tertius had newly returned from the depths of the Brazilian jungle."

"Was it a large haul?" Grok Gringotts asked with an interested gleam.

"Grandfather," Ragnok sternly scowled at his grandfather as now was not the time to discuss money. (Although a goblin might argue otherwise. There is always time to discuss money!)

"Ignore me, do carry on."

Dubiously Ragnok resumes his tale. "I sent Filkrus to gather all the guards from the vaults including the wizard guards and any curse breaker still in residence. I alerted the Elders, the Council, and the Clan Heads of the attack. I had to take the long route to open the doors of Gringotts for the Aurors, who I knew would have been alerted by Nurnaff our liaison officer at the Ministry of Magic. Meanwhile, Curse Breaker Tertius gained us time by confronting the Death Eaters on her own."

"The first wave of Death Eaters that arrived were wounded," Grok Gringotts pensively acknowledged. "I presume that must have been our Curse Breaker's doing."

"Yes," Ragnok proudly answered, before his face became grim. "However, she was severely wounded and has hence been transported to St. Mungo's with Bankar, (a senior accountant) who was severely cursed when he was preparing to leave."

"We naturally will pay for all expenses," Grok Gringotts gestured with his hand, before signaling at his grandson to continue with his tale.

"As I was previously saying after opening the main doors, I led the Aurors through one of the tunnels to emerge right behind the Death Eaters," Ragnok said with a vicious gleam in his eye. "While the Aurors plunged into battle I hurried into the vaults only to find an unexpected battlefront. There was a second group of traitors attempting to pillage and loot various vaults."

"Thankfully, Filkrus arrived in time to gather the wizard and witches and overthrow the nefarious plot by the second batch of traitors," Ragnok grimly said.

Grok Gringotts dark eyes become cold. "Are there any survivors among the traitors?"

"More than half," Ragnok icily answered. "I will personally overlook the extraction of information."

"No need, I will send Kostilb."

"But he's so old!"

"Kostilb may be old, but he can even make the toughest of stones open their mouths and speak."

Ragnok grimaces at the horrific image before changing the subject. "The Aurors and their forces have all but departed. We ought to seal the doors again, grandfather."

"Lead the way," Grok answered as the two of them traversed the battle-filled halls. The walls and carpets are scorched from missed spells. The scattered patches of blood show fierce signs of struggle. The further they go the less damage there is until they emerge into the main lobby.

The Main Lobby of Gringotts bank is intact as no skirmishes took place there. The only signs are the muddy footprints of the Aurors and other staff leading in and out of the Bank. With the power that only the Goblin King holds over Gringotts. He extends his hands which are filled with goblin magic and slams his hands together. With a resounding thud, the outer burnished bronzed doors seal shut and lock.

Feeling the brunt of the night's events, Grok Gringotts stumbles only to be caught by his grandson. He grimly straightens with the aid of Ragnok and once again extends his power. He claps his hands together and the inner set of silver doors seal shut and lock. Feeling weak, he leans heavily against his grandson.

Ragnok worriedly gazes at his grandfather and takes the full brunt of his grandfather's weight. "I requested that Filkrus remain with the remaining guards to keep watch over the vaults just until the next change of the guards (in the morning)."

"We best head to the inner sanctum," Grok croaked. "If there were two attacks, then surely there must have been an ambush there."

The blood drains from Ragnok as he helps his grandfather move forward. The two of them hurry as best as they can to the nearest floo hearth to floo to the great Goblin King halls. Ragnok could only desperately pray to the Spirits of Wealth and Luck that no harm had fallen upon the Elders, Clan Heads, and Council Members.