Chapter 225 - Claret Ⅲ (2/2)
”Vinovich,” Ogden swore under his breath.
Gornuk's eye's glitter with interest as he had not been aware just who had been killed. However, that was a very juicy bit of information that he could resell to the council members. They'd pay a pretty galleon for information like that.
Stifling the urge to rub his hands together in glee, Gornuk instead extends his hand and says, ”Payment, please.”
Ogden instead smirks right back at the goblin. ”And pray do tell me, Gornuk, why exactly should I pay for something that we would be informed within the day?”
Gornuk stiffens in anger, but before he can yell, Elphinstone quickly interjects, ”Instead tell us exactly why Grok Gringott's is so drastically increasing security at Gringotts.”
Gornuk lips twitch mildly in approval at the question as he leans back and says, ”I don't know the details. But we do know is that during the Goblin Auction, an incident occurred. Two goblin guards in the deeper vaults were found dead. But nothing was stolen as not even the king would be able to keep that quiet.”
Ogden and Elphinstone's eyes meet as they put pieces of the puzzle together in an unspoken conversation. What could be so priceless that someone would be willing to break into Gringotts's at the height of security? The Philosopher's Stone. And if that was indeed the case, then the death of Nicholas Flamel and his wife was no accident, but murder.
Reaching into his desk, Ogden pulls out a heavy hand pouch and tosses it over to the goblin. Gornuk easily catches the pouch and weighs it in his hand. Satisfied at the amount, Gornuk mutters, ”As always pleasure doing business with you, Auror's.” Pulling up the cowl of his hood, Gornuk slips away and closes the door firmly behind him.
Ogden points his wand at the door and firmly locks it shut as Elphinstone lets out a low whistle. ”Now that I was not expecting,” Elphinstone confessed.
”Mm, rather troubling is more like,” Ogden snapped as he slumped down into his seat tiredly. ”Just what is going on?!”
”Whoever they are, they wanted to steal the Philosopher's stone,” Elphinstone mused out loud. ”Either they were caught stealing it or they purposefully destroyed the stone. Either way, it was premeditated.”
Ogden furrows his brows in deep concern. ”It is rather worrying, how fearless and organized this group is,” Ogden concluded. ”And I fear that as time passes things will only escalate. We must get on top of this, Elphinstone. But I fear that it is already much too late and all we can do is defend for the moment.”
”That may very well be the case,” Elphinstone admitted. ”However, trust in our Auror's, Ogden. They're the best, we've got. And they'll catch them.”
”I know,” Ogden snorted. ”But rather I fear when and what the price will be for doing so.”
The office falls silent for a moment before Ogden grabs the pile of documents, he had been reading prior to being so rudely interrupted. ”We best get back to it, Elphinstone,” Ogden sternly ordered, before bending back down to read the document. Elphinstone merely sighed as the reprieve was over and done with. Without further ado, the wizard returned to reading and trying to make sense of the report. Either way, both wizards wouldn't be leaving any time soon to Elphinstone's distress.