Inside Gringotts, the number of goblins grew by the second.
Even Bilair and Belinda were beginning to buckle under the pressure. Yet neither showed the slightest intention of backing down.
They clung to Karmit's order with absolute obedience—hold them off. So long as their master had not returned, they would not take a single step back.
Just then, the goblins who had chased Quirrell outside returned.
When they spotted Bilair and Belinda cutting down goblins in the lobby, rage erupted across their faces. They attacked at once—every spell intended to kill.
Bilair and Belinda exchanged a glance.
"It seems we're not getting out of this alive," Belinda muttered.
Bilair exhaled. "A shame… we failed to fully carry out the master's orders."
Belinda's eyes hardened. "Even if we die, we buy him time. Come then, you filthy goblins!"
Her words were followed by two Killing Curses streaking out. Two goblins collapsed instantly.
"Enemies! Kill them!"
Spells rained down from all sides. Even with their strength, the barrage was overwhelming. Their shields flickered, and their footing wavered.
Just as death loomed—
A figure stepped between them and the storm of spells.
Every curse slammed into an invisible barrier and vanished.
Karmit had returned.
Both followers' faces lit with fierce relief. "Master, forgive us… we brought shame to you!"
Karmit shook his head. "You did well. Leave. I'll handle the rest."
That was all he needed to say. They obeyed instantly.
They sprinted toward the exit—but the goblins wouldn't allow them to leave without punishment. Spells shot toward their backs.
Karmit flicked his wrist; every beam smashed harmlessly against his shield.
Once the two were clear of Gringotts' barrier, they Apparated away.
A goblin snarled at Karmit. "Who are you to dare attack Gringotts?!"
Karmit smiled coldly. "Goblins. Such a pathetic species."
The insult ignited the entire hall.
"...How dare you—!"
"Kill him!"
They charged.
Karmit raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
A spark appeared—then a fireball.
He blew lightly at the flame.
It twisted, expanded, then erupted upward. In an instant, the fire took the shape of a massive dragon and lunged at the goblins.
"Fiendfyre—!"
"Scatter!"
Panic spread as goblins fled in every direction.
Karmit stepped out of Gringotts, flinging several Killing Curses behind him to prevent pursuit. Once outside the anti-Apparition boundary, he vanished.
The goblins sprinting after him paused.
"Stop. First extinguish the Fiendfyre!"
They joined together, pouring magic into the flame. Slowly, the blazing dragon dissolved.
Moments later, the Aurors finally arrived—late, as always.
[AN: the inner and outer areas of Gringotts prohibit Apparition.
To Apparate elsewhere, one must step beyond that boundary. Also, Apparition can be cast in two ways: by sight, or by visualizing a destination in detail.
Quirrell couldn't use long-distance Apparition because he couldn't concentrate while being chased.]
Back at the Black manor, Karmit emptied the magically extended bag onto a table.
A golden cup. A vault key. And a sword.
He pocketed the key. Then he examined the other two items.
The sword? Worthless. A fake.
But the cup—Helga Hufflepuff's Cup—was real. And a Horcrux.
According to legend, each founder's relic possessed a unique enchantment: Ravenclaw's diadem sharpened the mind; Gryffindor's sword destroyed anything it struck.
Hufflepuff's cup and Slytherin's locket were less clearly described, leaving Karmit curious.
But with a Horcrux inside it, experimentation was impossible. Destroying the Horcrux meant damaging the artifact.
He thought for a while, seeking a way to extract the soul fragment without harming the cup.
Nothing came to mind.
So he simply put it away. The fragment was dormant—it posed no threat for now.
Karmit then moved to the iron door deep in the study. He inserted the three keys.
The door trembled. Runes shifted and aligned. Gears clicked.
The door slowly swung open.
A single oil lamp lit the room.
Two dusty bookshelves stood inside. Oddly, despite years of neglect, the room was spotless—no dirt, no cobwebs, not even dust.
And on the walls…
Lines of glowing sigils traced the stone.
Karmit froze.
"These are… magical runes?"
His heart thumped hard.
In the wizarding world, the study of ancient magical runes—true runework, not simple school lecture symbols—was almost mythical.
Legends spoke of an age so ancient it faded beyond history, when wizards carved complex runic arrays capable of channeling free-floating magic from the environment.
These rune networks were said to last for eternity, maintaining their effects indefinitely.
It was rumored that certain sections of Hogwarts Castle were built atop such runes—explaining why Muggle technology failed there, and why Apparition was impossible within the grounds.
But in the modern era, rune-crafting was a lost art.
And yet here it was—alive, glowing softly in the hidden chamber of the Black family.
Karmit stepped inside, eyes burning with the hunger of discovery.
What secrets had his ancestors sealed away?
__________
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/Xorath