Chapter 495 The Upside-Down Underworld

After dinner, Roger used the fireplace in Snape's office to go to the end of Spider Alley through the Floo network.

This is a dark and damp residential area, as if it has been completely forgotten by time and the world. A black river meanders not far away, emitting a disgusting stench.

A thin layer of mist permeates the river, and the stench quickly spreads when the breeze blows, making it unbearable.

Roger looked through the dirty window and saw the chimney not far away piercing the night sky, as if stubbornly showing the former industrial glory of this area.

"Fluorescent flickering." He raised his wand and lit the candle hanging from the ceiling.

The damp candle wick made a puffing sound, and the candlelight swayed in the air, reflecting Snape's dilapidated home.

Roger looked around curiously, and saw that the walls of the first floor were full of books, and many of them were tied with old black or brown belts.

He went forward to check, and his eyes quickly swept across the bookshelf: "The Complete Collection of Magical Potion", "Love and Confusion: Making Love Potion", "Poison and Antidote", "The History of Alchemy: Evolution from Merlin to the Present"...

From the introduction to potions to the death of wizards, these books cover almost all areas of potion science. Roger found several out-of-print potion books that he had never heard of, and their publication dates were so far away that it was unbelievable.

He even saw Snape's school textbooks in an inconspicuous corner. They were carefully piled in the shadows, hidden in a pile of heavier books.

Roger looked at the fireplace with a guilty conscience, and then quickly pulled out one of them, "Advanced Guide to Dark Magic". The pages were densely filled with notes, which were Snape's exploration and thinking about dark magic during his student days.

On its title page, there was a line of beautiful cursive words: Half-Blood Prince.

Just as he was about to flip through it carefully and explore the contents, a bright light suddenly shone in from the window. At the same time, there was a Muggle woman's voice: "Hello, is anyone there?... I'm the new neighbor..."

Rogge immediately waved his wand, extinguished the weak candlelight, and disappeared into the air under the invisibility spell. He stood in the fireplace and glimpsed the red hair flashing outside the window through the dancing flame of the floo powder.

The woman knocked on the door a few times, and after getting no response, she muttered a few words and went back. She heard from the residents of the neighborhood that there was a strange man living at the end of the alley, who only came back to live for a few days during the summer vacation.

"Did a thief break in?" The woman returned to the bedroom and stared at herself in the mirror with red hair and green eyes quietly.

This look seemed to have been seen somewhere, but she couldn't remember it. The sense of disharmony in her heart was like an indelible shadow, making her feel inexplicably uneasy.

She decided not to entangle and took a sleeping pill. Then she went back to bed, hoping to find the answer in her dream.

The woman fell asleep quickly, and someone seemed to be whispering in her ears. The voice penetrated into her soul and guided her into a new self.

Roger walked out of the fireplace and was greeted by the hustle and bustle of the Leaky Cauldron. The bar was packed with wizards, and their conversations, laughter, and clinking of glasses intertwined to form a vivid picture.

"Henry from Knockturn Alley has become a Death Eater..."

"Really?"

The discussion of the wizards next to him attracted Roger's attention. He walked to Old Tom's counter, bought a beer, and then leaned in.

He pretended to drink attentively, but actually pricked up his ears and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"We are good brothers, how can I lie to you?" The first wizard patted his chest and promised.

"But the Department of Transportation has blocked the Floo Network outside the country, how did he get out?"

"From France. This time, he made a fortune."

"What?" The bald wizard quickly covered his mouth, fortunately the noise in the pub covered his exclamation, "You are not lying to me, are you? Death Eaters, aren't they just a bunch of lunatics?"

"Hehe, you don't know this. Now the Dark Lord rules a larger area than the entire UK, and the Muggles in the city have also been converted into snakemen by him."

"Just think about how much property there is in those high-rise buildings. Even if the Muggle money is useless to us, what about the gold bars and silver coins? And those antiques, manors and the like." His eyes flashed with greed.

"Henry wrote to me last week that he now owns a small town and enjoys a life like a king..."

Rogge put down his glass, not interested in Henry's use of the Bubblehead Curse to enslave Muggles. But seeing how they were ready to move, Rogge had a better understanding of the situation in the magic world and across the Atlantic.

Voldemort took everything he could, and with his title of Dark Lord, he fully magnified the greed and evil thoughts in the hearts of the Death Eaters. As long as they were willing to be loyal to him, they could get the power and wealth they dreamed of.

Roger thought that it would not be long before many wizards in Europe would be attracted to the other side to "pan for gold". This also proved from the side that American wizards could not resist Voldemort at all.

Perhaps it would not be long before the American Magical Congress would surrender to Voldemort and be his slaves.

However, the chaos in America brought prosperity to Europe. A large number of Muggle rich people and American wizards came to Britain to seek refuge. Even in Diagon Alley, you can hear English with an American accent.

"What a lazy guy, can't you pronounce it more clearly?" Erwin, the owner of the rotten goods store, complained, "Even the English of the Irish is better than that of an American like you."

The wizards passing by couldn't help laughing, which made the American wizard who came to sell furniture even more embarrassed. He blushed and hurriedly swept the money into his pocket, and then left in a hurry.

"Old Erwin, you must have lowered the price again." Someone joked.

"No!" Erwin immediately retorted, "There are too many wizards selling second-hand goods. Look at Diagon Alley, who else is collecting second-hand goods..."

Then, Erwin began to talk about complex concepts such as supply and demand, inventory pressure, etc., which made passers-by laugh even louder.

Rogge smiled and went to Knockturn Alley for a walk. Compared to the lively and bustling Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley seemed particularly deserted.

There were few people on the whole street, and the sign of Borgin and Burke's magic shop was still burnt black, which looked even more desolate.

After all, for those marginal wizards, it is better to go to America to commit crimes openly than to break the law secretly in the British wizarding world.

There, even goblins and werewolves can be domineering. As wizards, why can't they enjoy the same freedom?

As a large number of wizards tried to leave the country, the Ministry of Magic had to tighten restrictions on the Floo Network. Now, all wizards who want to leave the country must undergo strict review to ensure that they will not join the ranks of Death Eaters.

Even in the eyes of Minister Amelia, pure blood who betrayed Voldemort is more credible than ordinary wizards.

"It can be a dealer in the magic world." Roger whispered to himself, walked into the bronze door of Gringotts, and thought about this business in his mind.

The goblins in Gringotts are still busy, and their lives are not affected by the turmoil in the outside world. The mine cart was full of glittering Galleons, and under the magnifying glass were gems of various sizes. As for helping the Death Eaters, it seemed as if it had never happened.

When the goblin in a suit behind the counter saw Rogge, his face suddenly became a little unnatural. It hurriedly whispered a few words to its companions, and then walked quickly to find Gelderlock.

A goblin asked formally through the glasses on his nose: "Sir, are you here to withdraw money or deposit money?"

"I want to see your king." Rogge's fingertips tapped the table lightly, and said in fluent goblin language, "You need to compensate for my losses."

"That's impossible!" The goblin immediately rejected Rogge's proposal, without even asking for the specific reason, "We will never cause you any loss. If something unexpected happens to your property, it must be your own fault."

"Since its establishment in 1474, the absolutely safe Gringotts has never had a record of compensating any Nat."

"I solemnly promise you that if you entrust your wealth to us for protection, they will be cast with the strongest protective spell, and there will be no loss at all..."

However, before it finished speaking, Goldlock eagerly knocked on the high stool under his companion's buttocks. It walked towards Rogge quickly with a face full of enthusiasm.

"Rogge, your arrival really makes our Gringotts shine."

"It seems that I am a walking big Galleon, and I am very welcome by you." Rogge's deep black eyes stared at Goldlock, and a playful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Then, he changed the subject and said seriously: "I want to meet your king to talk about the snake people attacking me and the manor, and the damage to my property."

"This..." Goldlock smiled cunningly, and his slender fingers tapped the table lightly, as if weighing something. "Rogge, you know, all this is the work of the Death Eaters..." He tried to defend himself.

"But they used the underground passage of your goblins, and I have solid evidence in my hands." He interrupted the other party calmly and took out a small projector from his robe, "Granger brand magic projector, perfectly restore what you see and hear."

With the appearance of the projector, Goldlock had to smile awkwardly, and felt sweaty.

"As my goblin friend just said, Gringotts has perfectly fulfilled the tasks assigned by the magic world and wizards since 1474. But..." Roger paused deliberately, his eyes were like torches, and his tone revealed a threat that could not be ignored: "I think you don't want to see everyone lose their jobs, right?"

He raised his voice slightly, and the goblin language echoed in the hall, startling the busy goblins. They stopped their work and looked over here with doubts.

"Okay, please follow me." Goldlock hurriedly grabbed Roger's arm, fearing that Roger would make this matter public.

If the magic world knew that the goblins had cooperated with the Dark Lord's actions not long ago and colluded with the Death Eaters to transport snake people, then neither Dumbledore nor other wizards would let them go easily.

The greedy Ministry of Magic's Finance Department will take this opportunity to interfere in Gringotts' affairs, which will be disastrous and unacceptable for the goblins.

It signaled other goblins to continue working, and then took Mr. Roger to the rail car to the center of the earth.

"Actually, you don't have to be so nervous." Roger leaned back and relaxed, and said to Goldlock who was operating, "Since I didn't make this matter public directly, I naturally intend to discuss a solution with you. You know, I am the most talkative wizard, no one else."

Goldlock smiled helplessly, driving the rail car through the anti-thief waterfall and heading to the deeper underground world.

After a period of silence, it finally asked: "Rog, which side do you think we goblins should stand on? Is it the Dark Lord or Dumbledore?"

Goldlock revealed the goblin's dilemma. Once the bet fails, it will be punished by the anger of the winner.

"Why not me?" Roger smiled and gave an unexpected answer.

Gelderlock's eyes froze, and his hand holding the lever unconsciously pulled hard, causing the railcar to suddenly accelerate and rush to the bottom of the vault. It quickly reacted, stretched out its fingers and drew a series of complex runes on the railcar.

Then, the railcar emitted a blue light, instantly passed through the rock wall, and entered a hidden ancient tunnel. There are two stone trough tracks above and below this tunnel, which meander forward and lead to an unknown place.

"This is the goblin's inverted magic," Gelderlock explained, "Although we seem to be driving upward, we are actually going deep underground quickly."

The railcar drove at an astonishing speed for about five minutes, and a faint light appeared in the distance. Then, as if it suddenly fell into deep water, it stopped steadily and quickly at the end of the tunnel.

"The underworld welcomes you, Mr. Roger." Gelderlock bowed and invited Roger to get off the car.

A huge cave appeared in front of him, with a towering top that seemed to reach the sky. What's even more surprising is that there is a dense forest growing on the stone cave above his head.

Many plants and vines emit a soft blue-green light, like twinkling stars in the night sky, adding a sense of mystery to this underground world.

Rogge climbed up along the ancient stone steps... or perhaps down. His eyes swept across the forest above his head from time to time. In this upside-down world, he could no longer distinguish up from down.

Gelderlock walked slowly not far away, leading him through the stone forest composed of crystal clusters and stalactites. These naturally formed geological wonders shimmered in the dim light, like natural sculptures.

When they came to the end of the stone forest, a molten lake composed of magma appeared in front of them. It was like a burning mirror, reflecting the fiery red light.

Six thick iron chains spanned the lake, and the diameter of each iron ring was as thick as the hind legs of a dragon. They firmly fixed a furnace engraved with ancient runes, making it hover in the center of the lake.

Gelderlock enjoyed the amazed expression on the wizard's face. He quietly waited for Rogge to come back to his senses from the magnificent spectacle before whispering, "The palace is located under the lava lake."

It bent down and scratched the stones by the lake with its sharp and curved nails. Then, an arch parallel to the lake surface emerged from the lava lake.

The surface of the arch was covered with invisible ripples, as if it was a portal to the bottom of the lake, making the lava below look more dangerous and terrifying.

As if testing Rogge's courage, Gelderlock stepped aside and stared at him with interest. The goblins were able to remain independent in several wars with wizards, largely relying on the secretive and complex underground world.

Rogge was not the first wizard to set foot here. Historically, many victors had hesitated when facing this arch.

Afterwards, they had to make concessions in the negotiations and pay the price for their cowardice.

However, Rogge did not show any hesitation at all. His steps were brisk and firm, and he stepped directly into the arch.

In fact, he didn't believe what Geldlock said at all: the palace of the goblins was under the magma. His determination came from the symbol on the arch, which he had seen on the veil of time.

Geldlock watched Rog disappear into the arch, and a trace of admiration appeared on his face. He quickly followed, introducing Rog to the ancient carvings on both sides of the passage as he walked.

"This is our ancestor." Geldlock pointed to the first carving, which had three dwarfs on it: the first one was guarding the treasure chest in the cave, the second one was struggling to raise the hammer, and the third one was holding the purse tightly.

"They represent the Celtic elves, the dwarves of the Nordic snowfield, and the European goblins (goblins)." Geldlock explained.

Rog asked curiously: "So, there are three tribes of you goblins?"

"No, there is only one." Geldlock shook his head and pointed to the second carving, "Their bloodlines merged together and shared each other's talents. Therefore, we not only guard the treasure, but also master forging, and we also have the characteristics of cunning and greed."

"However, this fusion also has side effects. Sometimes we may become more violent." Gelderlock walked to the third carving with some displeasure. "In addition, we still cannot defeat wizards, so we have to choose to live underground."

The carvings behind are almost all wars between goblins and wizards. Every time they fail, they are deprived of a right by wizards.

In 1631, wizards used the "Wand Use Code" to specifically deprive goblins of their right to use wands. This move directly triggered two goblin rebellions in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Rogge recalled the history of magic. The wizards were unlucky in the first battle and changed two ministers in a row. It was not until the third minister suppressed the goblins with harsh means that the magic world returned to stability.

"I think you must envy the goblins in the American magic world." Rogge teased softly, "The freedom to use and carry wands, isn't it?"

Gelderlock remained silent and did not answer. The silence at this time contained deep helplessness and sadness. It continued to walk forward with its head down, bringing Rogge to the goblin's palace.