Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures - H.P.S.T Chapter 1609: Choice

The allure of the Sword of Gryffindor to goblins went without saying — hardly any goblin could resist it.

With the sword as bait, no matter how outrageous Evan’s demands, they would be tempted to agree — at least on the surface.

And as a token of courage, the magic upon the sword ensured that, even if taken by goblins, it would still appear when needed, to be drawn from the Sorting Hat by a true Gryffindor. Over the centuries, the Sword of Gryffindor had been lost more than once, yet each time it returned to Hogwarts in this way, without exception.

In other words, no matter where the goblins might hide it, in the end the sword would always make its way back to Hogwarts.

Therefore, Evan saw the sword as a perfect bargain, offering it to a goblin to take him into Gringotts. It was essentially as if getting the job done for free.

The problem, however, was that he had no idea where the sword was.

Dumbledore had bequeathed it to Harry in his will, but Rufus Scrimgeour had previously said that Dumbledore had no right to do so and that the sword was to be kept in the custody of the Ministry. He had not passed it on with the other bequests. Now that the Ministry had fallen, the sword was most likely in the hands of some Death Eater.

Of course, given the sword’s value and the powerful magic on its scabbard, it was very possible that Dumbledore had hidden it away beforehand, rather than letting the Ministry have it, and intended for Snape to hand it over when Evan and Harry truly needed it.

As for when they would need it, that was for Snape to decide.

Evan didn’t have the time to go searching for the true Sword of Gryffindor; he had so much else to do. Besides the sword, he did possess several other magical items that could be used to trade with the goblins and bribe them, but these were too valuable to be revealed.

Furthermore, Evan distrusted the cunning goblins and preferred a simpler, more direct method of gaining entry to Gringotts.

He had his own plan. Thanks to extensive preparation and the help of Bill and his colleagues at Gringotts in Egypt, Evan felt fairly confident about this operation. Even though the security measures at Gringotts in England were among the strictest in the world, he was confident he could break in. His main goal now was to assess the situation in Diagon Alley and Gringotts. If possible, collecting the hair of a few prominent Death Eaters to make Polyjuice Potion would make the operation much smoother.

This was the primary purpose of Evan’s reconnaissance. After chatting a bit more with Harry, he left Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place.

Since Apparating into Diagon Alley was no longer possible, Evan chose a more familiar entry point. Seconds later, he appeared at Charing Cross Road. Muggles bustled past on the street behind him, wearing the hangdog expressions of early morning, quite unconscious of the sudden appearance of the “middle-aged man” and the little inn’s existence.

Pausing for a few seconds at the doorway, Evan stepped into the Leaky Cauldron.

A thick cloud of dust rose up. Although it was only the second day since Voldemort had taken over the Ministry of Magic, the Leaky Cauldron was nearly deserted. Business was even worse than it had been in the previous months, and the whole place felt lifeless. Tom, the stooped and toothless landlord, was polishing glasses behind the bar counter, apparently oblivious to Evan’s arrival.

In the far corner, however, a couple of warlocks having a muttered conversation seemed quite interested in him. From the moment Evan had stepped into the bar, he could feel their eyes following him from the shadows.

“Antonin Dolohov and Thorfinn Rowle,” Evan muttered under his breath. He shot a brief glance toward the corner, quickly matching the faces to the names stored in his memory. How things had really changed. Death Eaters could now appear openly in a place like the Leaky Cauldron in broad daylight. Evan gave a swift, slight shake of his head. “No, not them. Too low in rank. They’re strong enough, but their family influence is weak, and they don’t have much brains.”

Evan had no intention of choosing either of them. Their families were by no means among the old pure-blood lines.

This meant their identities wouldn’t allow them access to the deepest vaults in Gringotts.

On the other hand, numerous wizards and Death Eaters knew them well, and impersonating either of them would easily expose him. Evan didn’t want to risk unnecessary trouble.

Antonin Dolohov was one of Voldemort’s earliest Death Eaters, a longtime loyalist.

During the First Wizarding War, he, along with four other Death Eaters, had murdered Gideon and Fabian Prewett, and had tortured many Muggles and those who dissented from Voldemort’s side. His contributions were considerable, but his standing within the Death Eaters was low, and Voldemort didn’t value him. This was due to his background and the role he played: he was nothing more than a brainless thug.

He was a ruthless Dark wizard and a true desperado, but he lacked both brains and status.

As for Thorfinn Rowle, the burly, broad-shouldered wizard beside him — one look at his hulking frame told Evan everything he needed to know!

Impersonating either of them would only bring trouble. He would be better off choosing someone like Goyle or Crabbe. At least those two families were old enough.

For centuries they had been vassals of the Malfoys and had accumulated a certain degree of wealth.

The kind of target Evan was looking for was a pure-blood wizard from a family as ancient as the Malfoys. Using their identity would allow him to enter the deepest vaults of Gringotts without arousing suspicion, saving a great deal of unnecessary trouble. Failing that, someone like Nott or Yaxley would do.

If he were lucky enough to meet Bellatrix herself, that would be fantastic.

Of course, before the Ministry of Magic was stormed, they could have easily entered the inner workings of Gringotts by borrowing Sirius’s identity. The Black family was one of the few remaining old pure-blood Wizarding families. However, given the goblins’ nature and their long memories for grudges, Evan and his companions had ultimately abandoned that plan.

He certainly didn’t want the goblins to bear a lifelong grudge against him for this break-in and end up blacklisted by them.

“Good morning, sir,” Tom muttered quietly. As Evan approached, he stopped polishing the glasses.

Obviously, he didn’t recognize the Muggle whom Evan was impersonating.

“I’m Taron Bulstrode,” said Evan in a deliberately arrogant manner. He imitated the appearance of a Death Eater, raised his head high, and didn’t even look at the somewhat startled old Tom, as if he was trash. “Don’t stare at me with that expression. You should have heard of this noble surname. If not, then go ask around, ask those truly prestigious witches and wizards, they will tell you what this surname represents. I’ve come here because I heard about the Dark Lord’s cause. My family and I fully support his goals, and I’ve come from France especially to witness our new regime.”

Translating_Wizard

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