Chapter 495 The upside-down underground world

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

This is a dark, damp residential area that seems to have been completely forgotten by time and the world. A black river meandered not far away, exuding a disgusting rancid smell.

A thin layer of mist filled the river, and the stench spread quickly when the breeze blew, making it unbearable.

Through the dirty window, Roger saw the chimney not far away reaching into the night sky, as if stubbornly showing off the former industrial glory of this area.

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

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

Rogge looked around curiously and saw that the walls on the first floor were covered with books, and many were tied with old black or brown leather belts.

He stepped forward to check and quickly scanned the bookshelf: "Encyclopedia of Magical Potions", "Love and Confusion: The Making of Love Potions", "Poisons and Antidotes", "History of Potions: Evolution from Merlin to Contemporary Times"... …

From the introduction to potions to the burial of wizards, these books cover almost all areas of potions. Among them, Roger discovered several out-of-print potion books that he had never heard of, and their publication dates were too far away to be believed.

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

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

On its title page, there is also a line of beautiful cursive characters: Half-Blood Prince.

Just as he was about to read it carefully and explore its contents, a shining light suddenly came in from the window. At the same time, there was a Muggle woman's voice: "Hello, is there anyone?...I am 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 caught a glimpse of red hair passing through the window through the dancing floo pink flames.

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

"Is there a burglar?" The woman returned to the bedroom and stared at herself in the mirror with red hair and green eyes.

It seemed like she had seen this look before somewhere, but she couldn't recall it. The sense of disharmony rising in her heart was like a lingering shadow, making her feel inexplicably uneasy.

She decided not to worry anymore and took a sleeping pill. Then go back to bed, hoping to find the answer in your dreams.

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

Roger walked out of the fireplace and was greeted by the bustle of the Leaky Cauldron. The bar was crowded with wizards, their chatter, laughter, and clinking of glasses mingling together to form a vivid picture.

"Henry of Knockturn Alley became a Death Eater..."

"real or fake?"

The chatter of the wizards nearby attracted Roger's attention. He walked to Old Tom's counter, bought a glass of beer, and then leaned closer.

He pretended to be concentrating on drinking, but in fact he pricked up his ears and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"We are good brothers, can I still lie to you?" the first wizard assured, patting his chest.

"But the Department of Transportation didn't block the overseas floo network. How did he get out?"

"He passed from France. This time, he got rich."

"What?" the bald wizard quickly covered his mouth. Fortunately, the noise in the tavern covered up his exclamation, "You are not lying to me, are you? Death Eaters, aren't they just a group of lunatics?"

"Haha, you didn't know this. Now the Dark Lord rules an area larger than the entire UK, and the Muggles in the city have also been converted into snake-men by him."

"Just think about how much property there is in those high-rise buildings. Even if Muggle money is of no use to us, what about gold bars and silver coins? There are also those antiques, manors and the like." His eyes were shining with greed.

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

Roger put down his glass, not interested in Henry using the Bubble Curse to enslave Muggles. But seeing how they were ready to move, Rogge had a better understanding of the magical world and the situation on the other side of the Atlantic.

Voldemort took everything he had to take, and used his name as the Dark Lord to fully amplify the greed and evil thoughts in the hearts of the Death Eaters. As long as they are willing to devote themselves to him, they can get the power and wealth they dream of.

Rogge thought that it might not be long before many wizards in Europe would be attracted to the other side to "dig for gold". This also proves from the side that American wizards are simply unable to resist Voldemort.

Maybe it won't be long before the Magical Congress of the United States of America will surrender to Voldemort and become his slave.

However, the chaos in America brought prosperity to Europe. A large number of wealthy Muggles and American wizards have come to England to seek refuge. Even in Diagon Alley, you can hear English with an American accent.

"You're such a lazy guy, can't you pronounce it more clearly?" Erwin, the owner of the junk shop, complained, "Even the Irish's English 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. Blushing, he hurriedly swept the money into his purse and left in a hurry.

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

"It's nothing!" 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 endlessly about complex concepts such as supply and demand, inventory pressure, etc., causing passers-by to laugh even louder.

Rogge smiled and walked around Knockturn Alley. Compared to the lively and bustling scene of Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley seems particularly deserted.

There were not many people to be seen on the entire street, and the signboard of Bojinbok's magic shop was still burnt black, making it look even more desolate.

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

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

With so many wizards trying to leave the country, the Ministry of Magic has had to tighten restrictions on the Floo Network. Nowadays, all wizards who want to leave the country must undergo strict vetting to ensure that they will not join the ranks of Death Eaters.

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

"You can be a bad guy in the wizarding world." Rogge whispered to himself, walking into the bronze door of Gringotts, thinking about this business.

The goblins in Gringotts are still busy, and their lives are not affected by the turmoil of the outside world at all. The mine cart is filled with sparkling Galleons, and under the magnifying glass are gems of different sizes. As for helping the Death Eaters, it seems like it never happened.

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

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

"I want to see your king." Rogge tapped his fingertips on the table and said in fluent elf language, "You need to compensate me for my losses."

"This is impossible!" The goblin immediately rejected Rogge's proposal, without even asking for the specific reason. "We will never cause you any loss. If something 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 our protection, they will be under the strongest protective spell and there will never be any loss..."

However, before it finished speaking, Geldlock eagerly tapped the high stool under his companion's butt. It walked quickly towards Rogge with enthusiasm on its face.

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

"It seems that I am a walking giant Galleon, and I am very popular among you." Rogge stared at Gerdlock with his deep black eyes, and a playful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Then, he changed the topic and said seriously: "I want to meet your king to discuss the issue of snakemen attacking me and my manor, and causing damage to my property."

"This..." Gerdlock smiled slyly, tapping his slender fingers lightly on the table, as if weighing something. "Roger, you know, this was all the work of the Death Eaters..." he tried to argue.

"But they used your goblin underground passage, and I have conclusive evidence in my hands." He interrupted the other party calmly, and took out a small projector from his robe, "Granger Magic Projection Yi, perfectly restore what you see and hear.”

With the appearance of the projector, Geldlock could only apologize in embarrassment and felt even more sweaty.

"As my goblin friend just said, Gringotts has perfectly fulfilled the tasks assigned by the wizarding world and wizards since 1474. But..." Rogge paused deliberately, his eyes blazing, and his tone revealed something that cannot be ignored. Threat: "I guess you don't want to see everyone lose their jobs, right?"

He raised his voice slightly, and the goblin language echoed in the hall, alerting the busy goblins. They stopped what they were doing and looked over in confusion.

"Okay, please come with me." Geldlock hurriedly grabbed Rogge's arm, fearing that Rogge would make this matter public.

If the wizarding 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-men, then neither Dumbledore nor other wizards would let them go easily.

The greedy Financial Secretary of the Ministry of Magic will take this opportunity to interfere in Gringotts' affairs, which will be disastrous for the goblins and is even more unacceptable.

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

"Actually, you don't have to be so nervous." Rogge leaned back in his chair and said to Geldlock, who was controlling the situation. "Since I didn't disclose this matter directly, I naturally intend to discuss a solution with you. You know, I am the most talkative wizard, bar none."

Gerdlock smiled helplessly and drove the rail car through the Thief-proof Falls and towards the deeper underground world.

After a period of silence, it finally asked: "Roger, which side do you think we goblins should be on? The Dark Lord or Dumbledore?"

Gerdlock revealed the goblin's dilemma. Once the bet fails, he will be punished by the wrath of the winner.

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

Geldlock's eyes were stunned, and the hand holding the operating lever unconsciously yanked, causing the rail car to suddenly accelerate and rush towards the bottom of the vault. It reacted quickly and stretched out its fingers to draw a series of complex runes on the rail car.

Immediately afterwards, the rail car emitted a blue light and instantly passed through the rock wall and entered a hidden ancient tunnel. There are two stone trough rails at the top and bottom of this tunnel. They wind forward and lead to unknown places.

"This is the goblin's upside-down magic," Geldlock explained. "Although we appear to be traveling upwards, we are actually traveling rapidly underground."

The railcar traveled at breakneck speed for about five minutes when a faint light appeared in the distance. Then, as if suddenly plunged into deep water, it stopped smoothly and quickly at the end of the tunnel.

"The underground world welcomes you, Mr. Rogge." Geldlock bowed and invited Rogge to get out of the car.

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

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.

Roger climbed up the ancient stone steps...or maybe climbed down. His eyes occasionally scanned the forest above his head. In this upside-down world, it was difficult for him to distinguish up from down.

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

When they came to the end of the stone forest, what appeared in front of them was a molten lake made of magma. It was like a burning mirror, reflecting 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 giant dragon. They securely hold a furnace engraved with ancient runes, hovering in the middle of the lake.

Gerdlock enjoyed the look of amazement on the wizard's face. He quietly waited for Rogge to recover from the magnificent spectacle in front of him, and then whispered: "The palace is located under the magma 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 magma lake.

There are invisible ripples on the surface of the arch, as if it is a portal to the bottom of the lake, making the magma below look more dangerous and terrifying.

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

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

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

However, Rogge showed no hesitation at all. His steps were brisk and firm, stepping directly into the arch.

In fact, he didn't believe Geldlock's statement at all: the goblin palace was under the magma. His determination came from the symbols on the arch that he had seen on the Curtain of Time.

Geldlock watched Rogge disappear into the arch, with a hint of admiration on his face. It quickly followed, introducing Rogge to the ancient carvings on both sides of the passage as it 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 lift the hammer, and the third one was holding tightly Holding the money bag.

"They represent Celtic elves, Nordic snow gnomes, and European fairies (goblins) respectively," Geldlock explained.

Rogge asked curiously: "So, you goblins have three groups in total?"

"No, there is only one." Geldlock shook his head, and then 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 the forging, and we are also cunning. and greedy traits.”

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

The carvings at the back are almost all about the war between goblins and wizards. Every time they fail, one of their rights is taken away by the wizard.

In 1631, wizards used the Code of Wand Use to 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 wizard failed in the first battle and had two ministers in a row. It wasn't until the third minister suppressed the goblins with harsh methods that peace was restored to the magical world.

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

Gerdlock remained silent and did not answer. The silence at this time contained deep helplessness and sadness. It continued to walk forward with its head lowered, taking Rogge to the goblin palace.