Hogwarts: I Am an Exemplary Wizard-Chapter 528 - 526: Lestrange Vault

Although the ball was over, the students’ enthusiasm did not diminish in the slightest. Even after returning to the common room, they were still discussing it instead of choosing to go to sleep.

This led to everyone waking up late on the second day after Christmas. When Kael went for breakfast, there were barely a few people in the vast auditorium.

"Kael, you’re here." Sirius walked in from outside the door, smiling, "I was just thinking about whether to go to the Hufflepuff common room to find you."

"Looking for me?" Kael asked, "Is something the matter?"

"Did you forget..." Sirius glanced around and spoke in a voice only Kael could hear, "The Vault key during the holiday..."

Upon hearing this, Kael couldn’t help but stand up from his seat.

"So, you can go to Gringotts now?"

"I’ve long been able to," Sirius said. "Otherwise, where do you think I got the money to buy the Firebolt?

"But previously you had school, and I had other matters to attend to. Now, it’s just the right time...

Of course, we could also do it at the end of the school year if you have other plans for Christmas break."

"No, now it’s fine," Kael immediately said, "But there’s a problem, can I leave the castle?"

"Technically, no," Sirius said, "Unless we can get the headmaster’s consent."

"Then what are we waiting for..." Kael stuffed the remaining bread on his plate into his mouth in a few bites and headed to the headmaster’s office on the eighth floor with Sirius.

...

"You want to leave the school?" Dumbledore was slightly surprised at their arrival,

"Yes, Headmaster Dumbledore." Sirius glanced at Maxime and Karkaroff in the office and spoke in a very casual tone, "I have prepared a special Christmas gift that cannot be delivered to the school, so I want to take him to see it."

Dumbledore hesitated, "But now is a special time; Kael is involved in the Triwizard Tournament, there are many eyes watching him..."

"The place we are going to is Diagon Alley," Sirius said, "It’s very safe there."

"That’s right," Kael added.

"If it’s just to Diagon Alley..." After a moment of hesitation, Dumbledore nodded, "Alright, I agree...

"But how will you get there? The train left yesterday and will not return until the holidays are over."

"Train?" Sirius showed obvious disdain on his face, "That thing is too slow; I had enough of it when I was in school. We plan to go to Hogsmeade and use the fireplace at the Three Broomsticks."

"If that’s the case, there’s no need for another trip." Dumbledore pointed a finger towards the office fireplace.

In the blink of an eye, the flames inside turned green.

"Hogwarts is connected to the Floo Network as well?" Sirius said in surprise.

"Though normally closed, opening it temporarily for a few hours isn’t a problem," Dumbledore said, "How about five hours, or do you need more time?"

"Totally enough, we should be back before lunch." Sirius said and led Kael over.

As the two vanished from the office, Maxime and Karkaroff’s expressions changed slightly.

Before the second event starts, the Champion Kael suddenly leaves Hogwarts... This abnormal action seemed very unusual to them.

Plus, claiming the gift couldn’t be delivered to the castle... That reason seems too fake; do you take others for fools?

"Olympe..." Karkaroff couldn’t help but ask, "At Beauxbatons, can students staying over break leave school this easily?"

"Of course not," Ms. Maxime said, "Unless you didn’t sign the stay-over list from the start, otherwise even during the holidays, students are not allowed to leave school."

"It’s the same at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said with a smile, "But this time is special; Kael helped Professor Black a lot during the holidays, and he probably wants to express his gratitude.

"Alright, don’t mind them. Where were we before, oh right, regarding the scoring criteria for the champions in the second event, I believe..."

With Dumbledore deliberately changing the topic, Maxime and Karkaroff were even more sure that Kael’s outing was related to the Triwizard Tournament.

Thinking this, the two looked at Dumbledore with a slight change in their gaze.

Unexpectedly, Hogwarts being the home turf, would still resort to tricks... tsk, shameless.

Dumbledore, not paying any attention, continued to calmly discuss his views.

Elsewhere.

After emerging from the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron, Kael and Sirius headed straight to the backyard.

Since Christmas had just passed, and it was early morning, there was no one in the bar, only Tom Senior behind the counter polishing a row of empty glasses.

"Little Kael, and Blake?" He greeted them with a smile, "Want something to drink?"

"No, Tom, maybe next time." Sirius shook his head.

Then the two went through the entrance to Diagon Alley and made their way to Gringotts.

Looking at the shiny bronze doors from the previous year, Sirius asked, "Do you have the key?"

"Of course, I’ve kept it with me." Kael reached into his leather bag and took out a golden key, handing it over.

After taking the key, Sirius went straight into Gringotts.

In the spacious marble hall, about a hundred goblins sat behind long counters, some weighing coins with scales, some examining gems with monocles.

They arrived at the forefront, where a goblin was sitting, recording something roughly in the big books.

"Ahem..." Sirius cleared his throat and said, "We need to go to Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault."

Upon hearing this, the goblin across the desk looked up and said in a sharp voice:

"You don’t seem to be Miss Lestrange."

"I’m her... cousin." Sirius pursed his lips as if he had tasted a disgusting Multi-Flavor Bean.

"She asked me to fetch something for her."

The goblin glanced at Sirius, then seemed to think of something, "Ah, yes, you could certainly meet.

"Well then... Mr. Black, did you bring the key?"

"Oh, here it is." Sirius tossed the key onto the table. "She gave it to me, it should be this one."

The goblin picked up the key and examined it closely.

"That’s correct..." he said, "Mr. Black, I must remind you that you can only take one item from the vault."

"I know better than you," Sirius said impatiently, "I don’t even want to look at that trash."

"Very well." He said, "I’ll find someone to take you to the underground vault, Griphook."

Griphook was another goblin who led Sirius and Kael through a door behind the counter, leaving the hall and entering a narrow stone corridor.

A small cart was parked nearby; they got in and set off.

The location of Gringotts’ vaults was practically a maze. They sped through winding passages for almost twenty minutes in the cart.

Sirius’s face grew paler and paler, and he covered his mouth with his hand as if he might vomit at any moment.

But Kael didn’t feel much about it; he just thought the wind was a bit chilly.

Compared to the Phoenix’s Disillusionment, this was like a child’s rocking horse, a total letdown.

It grew darker around them, and the cart picked up speed.

They passed through a waterfall, drenching their clothes, and shivered with the wind’s chill.

But there was no choice; without passing the thief’s waterfall, Griphook wouldn’t take them any further.

After about another ten minutes, Kael heard a weak dragon’s roar.

The sound was feeble, lacking the dignity a Fire Dragon should have.

"This is Gringotts’ highest defense," Griphook said proudly. "The Fire Dragon ensures any thief eyeing the gold will pay the price."

Kael looked at him calmly, his expression unreadable.

Finally, the cart stopped at a mountain cleft.

A creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human blocked their way.

The Sphinx, a guardian among Fantastic Beasts, known for riddles and word puzzles, hence often used by wizards to protect precious items and secret places.

Newt had one in his suitcase, but since there wasn’t much treasure in there, it only targeted the Moonstruck Beast... Every time Newt went to collect fertilizer from the Moonstruck Beast, he had to spend a long time dealing with it.

Griphook was the first to step out and said a few things, making the Sphinx return begrudgingly to its invisible state.

"Come quickly." Griphook waved his hand. Kael and Sirius immediately followed.

There was only one vault at the mountain cleft. Griphook took the key, pressed it against his palm, and placed his hand on the door.

Kael watched the goblin’s actions with curiosity.

"Anyone besides us goblins who does that will be absorbed into the door, trapped inside," Griphook looked over and gave a mischievous grin.

"Can you hurry up?" Sirius said irritably. "Stop with this nonsense."

"As you wish."

As soon as Griphook finished speaking, the tightly closed vault door began to disappear.

For a moment, Kael thought someone had turned on a light, so dazzling was the golden light in the vault that it hurt his eyes.

He saw a ten-foot high mountain of gold, various exotic animal pelts, Magic Potions in treasure bottles, and even a skull with a Diadem...

"Hurry up," Sirius said. "Grab what we need and let’s leave."

"Okay," Kael said, looking at Griphook, "Can I go in? Are there any special protective Charms inside?"

"There’s an Incendio and a Doubling Charm." Griphook said, "But since you have the key, these Charms are temporarily lifted, until the door closes again. If you are concerned, I can do it for you."

"No need," Kael said as he walked in, deliberately kicking a Galleon at his feet.

The Gold Coin flew quite far and finally landed with a ’ding’ on the other Galleons, without doubling during the process.

Kael felt reassured and walked in, with Griphook sticking close behind him, seemingly watching to ensure he didn’t take any extra items.

Kael didn’t mind. The gold here was tempting, but he had more important things...

The vault was quite large, with many items stored inside. Kael wandered back and forth for five minutes and finally, by chance, looked up and found what he was looking for.

At the very top of the vault, on a protruding stone platform, there was a very small golden cup engraved with a lifelike badger, with two ear-like handles on the sides.