The Weight of Gold and Truth
Chapter 9: The Weight of Gold and Truth
The moment Harry stepped through the great bronze doors of Gringotts, the world outside seemed to vanish.
The air inside the wizarding bank was cold—not physically, but in a way that sent a shiver down his spine. The towering marble pillars stretched high above, and the chandeliers overhead cast a pale, flickering glow across the polished stone floor.
It was nothing like the loud, bustling Diagon Alley.
Here, everything was quiet. Controlled. Watched.
Long desks ran the length of the vast hall, where goblins sat perched on high stools, their sharp eyes flicking between stacks of parchment and gleaming golden scales. Some were scribbling in thick ledgers, others counting coins with unnerving precision.
No one spoke above a murmur. The only sounds were the scratch of quills, the clink of gold, and the occasional rustle of parchment.
Harry’s throat went dry.
He felt small.
Cassia, however, walked forward with a calm confidence, her boots clicking softly against the stone.
"Come on," she murmured to him. "Don’t stop moving. Goblins don’t like hesitation."
Harry swallowed and followed her.
He could feel their eyes on him.
Not curious eyes. Not welcoming eyes.
But calculating. Assessing.
It reminded him—painfully—of how the Dursleys looked at him when he had done something they didn’t like.
Like I’m a problem.
The goblins weren’t rude, but they weren’t friendly either. They simply watched.
Cassia led him straight to one of the tellers at the nearest desk. The goblin sitting there had long, thin fingers and narrowed black eyes that flickered briefly over Harry before locking onto Cassia.
"State your business," the goblin said, voice clipped.
Cassia didn’t hesitate. "We need to speak with someone about Lord Potter’s accounts."
Harry blinked. Lord Potter?
The goblin’s sharp gaze flickered between them. He studied Harry for a long moment before nodding.
"Follow me."
Harry and Cassia exchanged a glance before stepping forward.
This was it.
The truth was waiting for them.