The Black Family Vault

Chapter 383 The Black Family Vault (4K) (1/2)

But he himself made no attempt to disguise himself, which made the feeling all the more unpleasant—an unnecessary and unwarranted intrusion.

The velvet covering the surface was soaked, its color darkened, and its outline became clearer and more solid—it was indeed the shape of a bird.

When he emerged from the other side of the waterfall, he was soaking wet, his black hair plastered to his face, and his expression was gloomy.

Sirius shook his head, splashing water droplets.

Before them was a similar platform, but with different tracks, and a smaller, sturdier-looking cart, held by another grim-faced fairy.

The pull ring guided him to sit down.

"The Black family's vault is on one of the lowest levels of the old area," Rapunzel said. "We need to change trains here."

The car started again, plunging deeper into the Earth's core along the steep track.

The tunnel became increasingly rough and primitive, yet the temperature was rising strangely.

Suddenly, a deep, guttural roar came from the depths of the tunnel, accompanied by the heavy scraping of chains and a strong smell of sulfur and burnt metal.

Ahead, the view suddenly opened up to reveal a vast and terrifying underground cavern.

On a giant rock in the center of the cave, a massive Ukrainian iron-bellied fire dragon is chained with black chains thicker than a human leg.

Large patches of its scales had peeled off, revealing rough, inflamed skin beneath, making it appear exceptionally haggard. As the beam of the miner's lamp swept into the dim cave, the behemoth raised its heavy head, its nostrils flaring. Its yellow eye, weakened and clouded by long periods of darkness, stared futilely toward the direction from which the light and the sound of the cart were coming. Threatening, low growls continued to emanate from its throat, its hot breath forming white mist in the cold air.

The cart slid along the track toward a narrow passage on one side of the cave, which was just the dangerous edge of the dragon's chain.

The fairy who was holding the cart was used to this. He picked up a bronze bell about the size of a washbasin that was fixed to the cart with a chain, and with the iron bar hanging next to it, he put all his strength into it.

"When a deafening, extremely penetrating, huge metallic roar exploded in the cave, it reverberated back and forth!"

That sound clearly meant pain or an absolute command to the fire dragon.

It let out a short, timid wail, its enormous head jerking to the side as if trying to dodge an invisible blow, its entire massive body also trying to curl away from the source of the sound and its path, causing the chains to rattle loudly.

It no longer made any threatening gestures, but simply lowered its head and neck to its rough forepaws, its cloudy eyes tightly closed, and only its nostrils were still trembling uneasily, spitting out sporadic sparks.

Without stopping, the cart slid rapidly across the dangerous edge of the passage, taking advantage of the moment when the fire dragon flinched, and plunged into the final section of the tunnel that seemed to lead to the depths of hell.

Sirius's pupils contracted slightly in the dim light. He pursed his lips, offering no comment on the dragon, but simply moved the bundle beside him further in.

The cart slid rapidly past this unsettling behemoth, deeper into the final section of the tunnel.

This tunnel was narrower than the previous one, and the chisel marks on the rock walls were even older and rougher. The cart stopped at a slightly more open recessed platform at the end of the tunnel.

"From here, it's a walk, Mr. Black." Pull-up got out of the car first, and the lantern illuminated a slightly steep stone staircase leading down in front of him. The staircase and the walls on both sides were clearly well-maintained, but they were filled with a heavier smell, a mixture of ancient rock, metal and dust, as if centuries of closure and silence had settled here.

Sirius, clutching the bundle, silently followed the goblin down the steps. Their footsteps echoed hollowly in the silent passage. After about twenty steps, the passage turned a corner, and a massive metal door appeared prominently at the edge of the lantern's light, like a colossal beast lurking in the darkness.

The heavy doors, cast from some obscure alloy, though aged and oxidized over time, still reveal their exceptional craftsmanship and deliberate grandeur. The edges of the door frame are carved with intricate, intertwined vines and serpentine patterns—a classic style favored by many ancient, pure-blooded families.

In the very center, most prominently displayed, is the Black family crest: a simple yet powerful shield-shaped emblem, flanked by two horizontal stripes...

Agile and lifelike hounds guard the shield, with the outline of a star crown faintly visible above it. Although the silver or some light-colored metal inlay has almost blended into the background due to oxidation, the fine relief lines remain clear. In the dim light of the fairy lantern, a faint glimmer occasionally flashes as the angle changes, silently telling of the family's past glory and perseverance.

The overall style is not frivolous ostentation, but rather a weighty, deep-rooted antiquity and authority.

Pull ring turned to Sirius, extending his slender fingers: "The key, Mr. Black."

Sirius handed over the slender gold key.

He took the ring, but didn't immediately insert it into the keyhole. He stepped forward, placing his withered palm flat on a smooth, almost seamless metal area on the side of the door, and whispered a phrase in a guttural, elven language. A faint, dark golden light flickered across the area, quickly sweeping across the entire surface before disappearing, as if some dormant mechanism had been awakened. Only then did the ring insert the unique golden key into the keyhole and turn it forcefully.

A heavy, slow sound, as if from ancient times, of metal grinding and meshing rang out. The door slid open silently, revealing a dense darkness behind it, and the musty smell of metal, parchment, and old wood rushed out.

"Your vault." Pulling the handle aside, "You have plenty of time. If you need any help, I'm in my car outside; please call me."

Sirius nodded, bent down to pick up his heavy bundle, and stepped into the darkness belonging to the Black family.

As he disappeared into the darkness, the metal door behind him slowly and silently closed again, separating the inside from the outside.

As the door closed, several pale magic stones embedded in the wall automatically emitted a cold, faint but enough light to illuminate the interior.

The vault was deeper and wider than he remembered. The first thing that caught his eye was a few small hills of gold galleons, each a few square meters high, reaching towards the low dome near the entrance. Gold coins flowed casually onto the ground, forming a shimmering, alluring yet coldly lustrous lake. Beyond the gold hills, neatly stacked piles of silver ingots could be seen, their surfaces oxidized and blackened, yet appearing all the more heavy.

Deeper inside, on shelves and in corners, are stacks of countless jeweled caskets, crowns, and goblets, their brilliance obscured by thick dust; bundles of ancient tapestry scrolls lean against the wall; some sealed, illegible dragon-skin bags are scattered about; and one can even glimpse sets of ancient-style armor adorned with family crests, standing like silent guardians in the shadows.

The air was still, and time seemed to have lost its meaning here; only wealth and history were quietly decaying.

Sirius was oblivious to all of this.

He carried the velvet-wrapped object a few steps deeper into the vault, until he was completely away from the entrance, enveloped in heavy shadows and silence. He gently placed the package on a dusty but unusually heavy stone platform.

He did not immediately untie the velvet cloth completely, but first loosened the tightly tied ropes, allowing the wrapped fabric to relax.

Then, he took a deep breath of the icy, stagnant air in the vault and whispered, almost in a whisper, to the bird-shaped silhouette, "We've arrived."

With those words, he unveiled the last layer of damp, dark green velvet covering.

A wooden carving of a raven is fully revealed.

The black wood, dark as night under the cold magical light, revealed the finely carved feather patterns. It stood silently on the stone platform, its black gem eyes appearing like two dying embers in the pale light.

Then, something happened.

A faint, almost imperceptible click, seemingly emanating from deep within the wood, emanated from the carving, like some internal lock being released. Then, the raven carving began to flow—not as flesh and blood grew, but as if every line and curve it had carved was undergoing a delicate reorganization and unfolding. A faint, oily sheen appeared on the dark wood surface, quickly spreading across its entirety. The black gemstone eyes gleamed slightly.

The next second, it was no longer a static sculpture.

It gracefully tilted its head, flapped its wings gently, and silently leaped down from the stone platform, landing on the cool floor of the vault, its claws making a soft "tap" as they touched the ground.

The changes accelerated the moment it landed.

The wooden form twists and reshapes, its lines elongated and its contours transformed. Dark materials spread and coalesce upwards, becoming crisp gray suit fabric; they flow downwards, forming gleaming leather shoes. The entire process is silent and swift, imbued with a precise and strange beauty.

In almost the blink of an eye, the raven wood carvings in front of the stone platform were gone.

Instead, a tall, young male wizard took his place.

He wore a well-tailored gray suit, his black hair was perfectly styled, his skin was slightly pale, and his eyes, like the deepest night, were calmly—even with a hint of assessment—gazing at Sirius.

Lin Qi stopped, slightly moved his fingers as if getting used to something, and then a very faint smile appeared on his lips.

An elusive curve.

"As expected of Gringotts," his voice echoed in the empty vault, deep and clear, with a hint of barely perceptible stagnation, "the defenses are truly impressive—very tight. Even the constant connection between me and the Raven's Eye was disrupted and suppressed, as if forcibly severed for a moment when passing through the waterfall. The ancient magic of the fairies certainly has its unique aspects."

Sirius Black stared intently at him, his grey eyes flashing with suspicion and a direct question: "You went to all this trouble, sneaking in like this, what exactly are you going to do?"

Lin Qi shifted his gaze from his fingers, which had just returned to normal, to Sirius Black, his dark eyes devoid of any emotion.

"It's for Harry." He stated bluntly, but with a clear ending. "Don't ask for more specifics. Some things are better left unsaid, Black, especially you—your position is too prominent, and you attract too much attention."

Before Sirius could object, he turned his gaze and began to truly examine the enormous cave filled with wealth for the first time.

His gaze slowly swept over the mountains of gold, the piles of silver bricks, the dusty gems and ancient relics, and a complex expression of appreciation mixed with slight mockery appeared on his face.

"I see—this is the wealth accumulated over centuries by one of the oldest pure-blood families," he said softly, his voice echoing slightly in the vault. "Truly—breathtaking. Cold, heavy, filled with the suffocating smell of history." He paused, as if asking casually, "Are the vaults of other pure-blood families mostly like this?"

Sirius followed his gaze, glancing at the dazzling wealth around them, his face showing only annoyance. "Probably," he said with a forced smile, his tone indifferent. "I have no interest in visiting other people's vaults, nor have I compared them. This stuff," he gestured with his chin toward the mountain of gold, "is just boring to look at."

"But they're not entirely useless," Lynch interjected, his tone as flat as stating a fact. "At least, the 32,000 Galleons paid to the Dursleys came from here, didn't they?"

Upon hearing Lynch mention this, Sirius's mask of annoyance softened, revealing a complex but not displeased expression. He snorted, his voice muffled in the vault.

"That money is the only thing that makes me feel that all this gold is worthwhile." His tone softened, with a frank agreement. "I'd be happy to take it all if it's good for Harry."

Lynch nodded almost imperceptibly, seemingly unsurprised by the answer and unwilling to delve into the emotions behind this generosity.

Sirius reached into the still slightly damp inner pocket of his cloak and pulled out a long, narrow, undecorated...

Dark wooden box. The surface of the box is smooth and cool to the touch.

He placed the wooden box on Lynch's outstretched palm.

Lin Qi took it, and gently pressed the hidden mechanism on the edge of the lid with his finger. With a soft "click," the lid popped open.

Inside the box, nestled on a dark velvet lining, lay a pristine white wand. Bathed in the light of the pale Philosopher's Stone, the wand seemed to absorb some of the surrounding dim light, making it appear even more serene and mysterious.

The moment he grasped the wand in his hand, his aura seemed to become even more profound and unpredictable.

Lynch casually placed the empty wooden box aside, then gestured a simple "please" towards the vault door. "You go first, Blake. Let's leave as normal."