บท 14: Obtaining the Philosopher's Stone - a Timeline Artifact!
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Chapter Begins:
31 July 1991,
Diagon Alley
Hagrid turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"
"One speed only," said Griphook.
They had already collected Harry's money from the vault which he carried in a little bag.
They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners.
They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled him back by the scruff of his neck.
Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.
"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.
"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.
"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.
"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.
Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Harry was sure, and he leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least…
It happened then.
…
The vault was almost empty, but a dark, evil figure hovered in the middle of it, seeming to fill all of it.
Whoosh!
The moment the vault's door melted, and Harry leaned forward to see what was in it, the black-robed figure flew toward them, knocked into the Griphook, and sent the goblin flying off his feet.
With a bang, the goblin hit Hagrid's chest, making the giant step back in surprise.
"Harry! Move away!!" Hagrid shouted, his face going purple in rage.
"Intruder!" Griphook shouted, rising to his feet, gasping. Then he took out a whistle and blew into it.
INTRUDERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!
Both Harry, Hagrid, and even the dark figure, had to put hands to their ears as the word whistled its way up to the Gringotts, alerting each and every security guard.
"Hagrid!" Griphook shouted, putting the whistle away. "Stop him! He can't use his wand so close to the Vault!! Don't let him get away!!!"
The goblin tried his best to shout and scream, but his voice only came out as many squeaks.
Meanwhile, Harry was observing the dark figure even when his ears were about to rupture. "Hagrid!" he shouted over the whistling noise and Griphook's squeaks, making the giant notice him. "Look! He's carrying something…"
Hagrid's red-faced head spun and saw the little pouch in the figure's hand.
"Hahaha!" a raspy, hiss-like laugh came out from under the hood, sending a chill down all spines.
Suddenly, blue and red bolts of magic hurled themselves like missiles from afar, landing around the intruder.
Boom!
The blasts sent Harry stumbling backward, making him fall on his back with a thud.
"Harry!" Hagrid thundered with worry. "Stay away!"
Dressed in uniform, the Gringotts guards began appearing one by one, firing one spell after another at the intruder, pinning him down.
Booms and bangs rang out as the dark figure tried to inch away from the wand restriction zone near the high-security vault.
Suddenly, the dark figure found itself pressed toward a cliff's edge as dozens of security guards surrounded it from all sides, cutting off all possible escape routes. Not only that, but even more security guards with meaner looks on their faces were appearing, their wands out, being excluded from the restriction zone.
Moreover, it was apparent that the intruder couldn't use true flight here, and was merely gliding off the surface, imitating flight.
"Stay right there!" the Head Security Guard shouted from afar, marching toward them with more guards rushing behind him.
"Ha… haha… hahaha!"
There was no way for the intruder to run now, they knew. Yet, the eerie laugh rooted all feet to the ground as if it had some power within it.
Hagrid, however, realized what that laugh meant. "Oh, na, yeh don'!!!" he shouted, knowing well how much Dumbledore had trusted him when the headmaster gave him the task.
Under the stunned gazes of all, the dark figure took a step back beyond the cliff's edge.
Simultaneously, with his giant strides, Hagrid almost lunged toward the intruder and grabbed his black robe's end.
"Stunners!" the Head Security Guard shouted, shaking the strange spell off the guards.
It was already too late, though.
The intruder fell into the dark hell of the Gringotts with Hagrid still tightly holding onto his robes, his face going green as acid rose to his throat.
"Hagrid!" Harry screamed, running toward the cliff's edge. Only yesterday he had met the first person who seemed to truly care about him. And now he too…
A security guard rushed and held the boy from edging toward the darkness.
"Let me go!" Harry shouted, flailing his hands.
"Lock down everything!" the Head Security Guard ordered, eying Harry, noticing the lightning mark on his forehead. "Gather all guards. Make sure no one comes in and goes out." He stepped toward the boy and sighed. "My condolences, Mr. Potter."
The boy didn't even scream this time.
Harry's eyes blurred as his gaze kept going into the darkness beyond the cliff, hoping dearly that Hagrid had said the truth about him flying to the Hut yesterday.
*
*
Bang!
Thud!!
The dark figure and Hagrid landed on the ground, both rolling off opposite each other.
There were vaults here, too. Powerful forces rippled here like banners, keeping the magic off, and weakening the minds.
"Ugh!" As he could fly, Professor Quirrell had lessened the impact at the very last moment. Nonetheless, his right leg was now broken, a splinter of bone jutting out with an odd angle under the knee. "Should… I… k-kill… him…"
"Shut up!" Lord Voldemort hissed on the back of his head. "Where is he?!"
The Yellow Warlock had told him to attempt stealing the Philosopher's Stone before the time he had set for it. Even he failed to think that Dumbledore would send a fool to bring such a precious object out of the Gringotts.
According to the plan, Professor Quirrell would deliberately let himself get trapped within the vault. And when the vault would open later, he would make a run for it, stealing the stone.
But how did he know that the giant fool would definitely follow me into the crevice? Voldemort thought, unable to shake this precise detail off his mind.
None could apparate or disapparate under the Gringotts, everyone knew it. Not even the House-elves could do it, regardless of their abnormal magical prowess.
When designing the Gringotts' security measures, the goblins had specially taken care of all kinds of Apparation-like magic.
But… they couldn't have taken into account a magic they didn't even know existed, could they?
Just as Lord Voldemort was contemplating if the Yellow Warlock had already betrayed him, a crack resounded between him and the fallen giant, making Professor Quirrell gasp.
Lilith, the Lethifold, now yellow, stretched itself like a humongous piece of cloth, making it impossible for Professor Quirrell and Voldemort to see what was going on behind it.
On the other side, a naked Hagrid rolled out of Lilith.
The fallen Hagrid… was already nowhere to be seen. In his place now stood Black, wearing a black jacket, black jeans, and black shoes.
Black waved his hand, putting clothes on the naked Hagrid.
Kai had already collected Hagrid from Ekrizdis and modified his memory, matching it to the Faceless.
With both Kai and Black's mind in synchronization, there was no chance of error anyway.
Lilith rippled and surrounded Black, hiding his face under a yellow hood.
-You are here…- Lord Voldemort hissed, eying the yellow cloak. -Is that a…-
-Well done,- Black hissed, cutting off the Dark Lord making the obvious guess. He stretched his hand. -Give it to me.-
Lord Voldemort tasted the magical power hidden within the Philosopher's Stone through Professor Quirrell. For the briefest moment, he thought of killing the other party and making a run for it.
But the things this Yellow Warlock had shown him… promised a far better opportunity and future. "Give it to him."
Professor Quirrell gulped, his lips twisting as his leg kept throbbing with unbearable pain. "Master, I…"
"Give it!" Voldemort hissed.
Professor Quirrell threw the stone.
Black snatched it off midair, his breathing calm. As if time had suddenly paused, he took the stone out of the pouch and held it in his palm.
-You are wasting time!- Voldemort hissed.
Black ignored him.
10 seconds…
15 seconds…
20 seconds…
-Have you gone mad?!- the Dark Lord hissed, now sensing the Security Guards approaching from afar.
30 seconds…
45 seconds…
57 seconds…
…
60 seconds…
"Haha!" the Yellow Warlock laughed, his black eyes shining dull gray on the most joyous occasions.
…
[
Congratulations Contestant Kai Stormborn
You have achieved a new Title…
…
Title: Master Curator
…
]
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