Chapter 61: Ch61. Christmas 1
Hadrian came home for the holidays and enjoyed his time, just chilling on the couch with Narcissa as they watched TV.
His smart wife apparently found a rune that coated electrical appliances in a protective invisible barrier so the magic won't harm them. It was actually derived from the master ward around Diagon Alley and Ministry that Narcissa promptly and carefully researched when she noted it prevents the Ministry, which was in the underground UNDER the government buildings in London, to fry the electronics in said government buildings.
Wizards had the wards to make them able to use technology and they didn't even know it. All it took Narcissa was a bit of tweaking and here we go...
Her response when Hadrian asked how and when she found this out was to give him an exaggerated eye-roll and utter mockingly.
"I found out years ago, really. It's just... stupid, you know? Diagon is in the middle of London, literally bathing in magic. If there was nothing preventing the magic from spilling to the outer world, half of London would be a mysterious technology dead-zone. And I am not even going to mention the Ministry and their Department of Mysteries that have their own skeletons in the closet, hence abundant magic all around."
But no matter they had TV, most of their time was spent watching each other and snogging, feeling each other up. While in Hogwarts they did meet up to have sex almost every other night and the nights in between they spent snuggled to each other on the bed as they slept, they missed casual spending of time with each other with 'occasional' touch and 'innocent' kiss.
For Hadrian, this blissful peace with Narcissa was much needed for him as his mind completely relaxed and he cherished every second of her presence near him. Even if he was quite curious where she disappeared to on hours to end every day, only to turn up later exhausted with dried tears on her cheeks.
Every time he asked, he only got a dejected answer.
"Nothing to worry about."
He just shrugged it off as he saw a worried and concerned expression on Narcissa's face, peering at him with conflicted feelings only to lovingly caress him with her eyes a moment later. Hadrian found it weird and hoped it would stop sometime around Christmas. He decided to trust her to take care of whatever is hounding her until then.
...
The Christmas morning started and both Hadrian and Narcissa woke up at five in the morning. The day to 'liberate' Slytherin vaults finally came.
Hadrian and Narcissa stood in front of Kreacher and Narcissa's three house-elves, patiently waiting in a row with straightened backs and impassive faces. On their bodies was a chibi Death-eaters attire with white masks and hoods.
Even the elves working at Hogwarts were relieved from their duties at school for this day when Narcissa sent a notice she would need them for Christmas to Dumbledore.
"Butler Kreacher!" Hadrian shouted, trying to sound stern. Behind him, Narcissa was trying to hold snickers as she was mentally rolling her eyes at him.
Kreacher as the good obedient house-elf he was, saluted and stood at attention.
"Sir, yes, sir!"
"What is your mission for this fine day!" Hadrian asked with a severe expression.
"Elfe-hop to Gringotts! Avoid Wards! Avoid Dragons! Avoid patrols! Avoid Idiots! Avoid Wizards! In that order!
Elfe-hop to Slytherin Vault! Register Blood of Master! Elfe-hop inside! Clean it out! Bring everything to the basement here! Leave one Knut for Goblins! OVER!"
The little elf enthusiastically recited his orders and Hadrian nodded his head in pride. He will make a valiant soldie-, ahem, butler out of him yet!
"Get to it, butler Kreacher!" Hadrian ordered and the little guys popped out.
"Well... that was entertaining." Narcissa quipped with snickers.
"What! They are like puppies. You have to train them!" Hadrian turned to her mirthfully.
"Sure they are." She told him in a mock-innocent tone. "Anyway, I am going to prepare myself for the dinner Andromeda invited us for." She turned around and exited the room.
Hadrian shrugged at her leaving form and hoped the operation Fuck-Goblins would go well.
Hadrian wanted to empty the Slytherin Vault the second he heard about it!
He waited because if it opened and he refused to pay the fees that were being piled up for centuries, as the little shits were inept enough to be unable to access the gold inside, he would lose a chunk of that vault for these fees alone. His account manager, the little goblin shit, even attempted to persuade him to register himself and open the Vault. WITHOUT telling Hadrian he would lose it in less than a few hours after it was opened.
The fees were not a problem. Hadrian was sure he could pay them... centuries or not. The problem was that goblins are too greedy for their own good. You don't pay fees? You get interests on top of interests on top of fees. Since the Vault was closed off and they could not do anything about it, no matter how they tried, for centuries...
Uh, yeah, the interest...
Hadrian doubted he would be able to pay it even with all three of his accounts. After all, after such a long time goblins can just scribe the number, forge papers, and be done with it. The final sum would be at their 'discretion' and nobody can say two-shits about it since even the records would not 'remember'. It would literally take years only to go through financial statements and get the final number. And even then that number would be idiotic because goblins know how to play the long game and surely added more interests than they should since no one watched over their shoulder.
Fortunately for Hadrian, he had read the services Gringotts' introductory book and didn't open the vault. His account manager could only gnash his teeth and be polite as both knew what he tried to do. Funny or not, Hadrian was irked at the guy.
The next ray of sunshine in the situation was that even though he could not pay the fees and interests, goblins were unable to touch his other accounts to collect these fees as they belonged to different families. No matter that the owner was the same.
This rule was enforced after one of the goblin's rebellions that started when they did EXACTLY that. A Hufflepuff family descendant returned and was a Lord of Noble House at that time. They took the Vault of said Noble House alongside the Hufflepuff vault... Hadrian thought the family was Smiths or something...
Bumbadabum, wizards started suppressing them. What the heck did the little shits think would happen, Hadrian had no idea. What they did to the poor guy with tons of influence was a daylight robbery as they emptied his Vaults for taking the inheritance test and being dumb enough for opening the vault.
Long story short, goblins lost. Badly at that and had to return most of the Vaults.
It was the ONLY rebellion that ended in such bloodshed that goblins themselves surrendered before wizards offered a peace treaty. They would not DARE to do a stunt like that EVER again. And it was not only due to the clause in the treaty forbidding it. But... if he opened the Slytherin Vault, said vault would be free game. Only his other Family Vaults were outta their reach, legally speaking.
Hence, this mission.
It was Christmas time. Goblins may not celebrate Christmas but today was their most important celebration! Gringotts was open but today the fees were quintupled! No goblin in the bank was there voluntarily. They were those that lost bets, fights, or were punished. While other goblins feasted, dueled, mated, these suckers had to guard the bank.
Well, let's just say the security was all-time low and the bank was severely understaffed. A chance for a heist, right?
No.
The wards were in war-time settings and quite frankly, Hadrian pitied any idiot who would try something today.
His method though was legal. His house-elves are his property, not people. The magical wards would not even notify the goblins they entered the vaults as that is how the wizards get things from their vaults most of the year. Especially during days like this!
So the house-elves can enter and wouldn't even need to be sneaky about it! But, why would Hadrian pass an opportunity to make it a little more interesting, right!?
The house-elves were clad in Death Eater attire and had orders to make sure they are seen by wizards a moment before popping away AFTER they finish their job.
The thing is, opening the Slytherin Vault needed Hadrian blood. But ONLY his blood. Not his presence. Therefore the little guys could open the Vault which would turn off the locks and the more dangerous wards that goblins had problems to breach. This would make it possible for goblins to start the procedure of withdrawing the 'fees' from the Vault, as they would like to call it.
Of course, it was Christmas so the paperwork would have to wait until tomorrow since today there was no high enough goblin to approve it. Oh, Hadrian had no delusions that the first thing tomorrow goblins would barge into Slytherin Vault, all paperwork filed and properly approved. He would be only able to weep and lament as Gringotts owl would notify him of the seizure of his Vault, at that time.
But the house-elves, due to the bond, can get inside the Slytherin Vault after it is opened and empty it out before the goblins. They have an entire day for it before the goblins can even try getting in legally.
Let's just say, Hadrian would just play dumb when asked and pretend that to his knowledge the honorary one knut was all the Vault held. He would not even have to be sincere about it!
Oh, he would certainly say it with a gleeful mile-wide shitty smirk straight into his account manager's face!
Happy times!
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