[Note: Read up to Chapter - 38 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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"Are you Mr Shafiq?"
The old goblin eyed Aris carefully, speaking in a slow, deliberate tone.
"Yes," Aris replied calmly.
"Aris Shafiq."
The goblin narrowed his eyes.
"To my knowledge, no member of the Shafiq family has been seen in the wizarding world for quite some time."
He leaned slightly over the counter, gaze sharp and unblinking.
"So then—can you prove your identity?"
Before Aris could answer, Xeno smoothly stepped in.
"As far as I know, Gringotts does have a method of verification. A blood contract, for instance?"
The old goblin turned his attention to Xeno, arching a brow.
"Indeed," he said slowly.
"Certain old wizarding families—those of noble blood—have made special inheritance agreements with Gringotts. I was simply hoping there might be a… simpler method."
His gaze returned to Aris, and the glint in his eye grew colder.
"Because if we proceed with a blood test and it turns out this child has no Shafiq lineage, well… let's just say the consequences will be rather serious."
There was an unmistakable threat in his voice now.
"I'm well aware of that," Xeno replied, his tone noticeably firmer.
"But I'm confident this boy is a Shafiq. In fact, I believe he's the last living heir."
He stepped forward slightly.
"Since we don't have any doubt about that, let's not waste time. Arrange the test."
The old goblin studied him for a moment longer, then shifted his gaze back to Aris.
"And you, Mr Shafiq?"
His tone was cool, formal.
"Do you consent to the blood test?"
Perhaps the goblin assumed that Aris, being just a child, would be easier to handle—easier to intimidate.
But he was in for a disappointment.
From start to finish, Aris remained perfectly composed, showing none of the nervousness or uncertainty one might expect from an eleven-year-old facing serious accusations.
"What Mr Lovegood said goes for me as well," Aris replied with a calm smile, locking eyes with the old goblin.
The goblin's expression flickered—just for a moment—with disappointment.
But he recovered quickly, adjusting his tone.
"Very well. We'll proceed with the test."
He paused, voice growing sharper.
"But I must remind you—if the results show that your blood does not match the Shafiq lineage, the Ministry of Magic could send you straight to Azkaban."
"Attempting to lay claim to the wealth of one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight is no minor offence. I do hope you understand the seriousness of that."
When he said 'Mr Shafiq', he heavily emphasised the name—as if mocking it, as though he still doubted Aris's claim.
By the end of his warning, his tone had turned downright severe.
Xeno, however, had had enough.
"That's quite enough. Stop wasting time," he said firmly, his voice edged with irritation.
He gave the goblin a look full of meaning, his eyes narrowing slightly.
From the very start, he'd noticed how the goblins had gone out of their way to make things difficult.
It was clear—they didn't believe Aris was truly of the Shafiq bloodline.
And Xeno didn't appreciate the condescension one bit.
Even a clay figure can lose its temper—and Xeno Lovegood was no exception, especially with all this happening in front of children.
He felt thoroughly embarrassed, and a slow burn of anger was starting to rise in his chest.
The old goblin closed the thick ledger on his desk with a dull thud and gave Xeno a long, unreadable look.
Then, without another word, he stepped down from behind the counter.
"In that case, follow me," he said coolly, his voice barely above a murmur.
With short, tight steps, he made his way towards the back of the hall.
Xeno gave Aris a slight nod.
The three of them—Aris, Luna, and Xeno—fell in step behind the goblin, heading deeper into the bank.
Behind them, several goblins who had witnessed the entire exchange began to whisper amongst themselves.
As soon as Aris and the others disappeared from sight, a low buzz spread across the marble hall.
"Did you hear that? That boy's claiming to be from the Shafiq family!"
"Rubbish! That line died out nearly fifty years ago. There's no way a descendant's just popped up out of thin air!"
"Wouldn't be surprised if the Magical Law Enforcement Squad shows up to cart them off!"
The muttering grew louder, echoing off the stone walls of the bank like a storm brewing in the distance.
Soon enough, the rumour that a young boy was pretending to be a descendant of the Shafiq family—trying to swindle his way into claiming the Shafiq vault—spread like wildfire from within Gringotts to the streets outside.
Though the matter had yet to be confirmed, it was already drawing plenty of attention.
All because the name Shafiq was tied to a fortune many would kill for.
…
Up on the second floor of Gringotts, in a private reception room, the air was thick with tension.
A lavish chandelier floated above the centre of the room, its delicate crystal pendants glinting under the soft glow of enchanted candles.
Gringotts, after all, wasn't just the most secure place in the wizarding world—it was also the most extravagant.
It stood as the crown jewel of Diagon Alley, and the goblins made sure the inside looked just as magnificent as the outside.
Fitting, really. Goblins had a known fondness for shiny trinkets and ornate craftsmanship—some said they rivalled dragons in their obsession with treasure.
"Apologies for the wait. The test results will be ready shortly," came a voice.
Aris, Luna, and Xeno looked up as the old goblin re-entered the room.
In his hands, he held an oddly shaped object—a golden totem of some kind.
It resembled an ancient tome cradled between two stone-like pillars, the surface of the pillars etched with pulsing crimson veins.
The whole thing rested atop a raised base, making it look almost like a ceremonial trophy.
"This is the Blood Contract Totem," the old goblin explained, his voice slow and deliberate.
"It holds the records of every family that has signed a bloodline inheritance contract with Gringotts."
"If this boy's blood matches any of those families, and he's the last surviving member of that line, the totem will react. That will grant him access to the family's vault and inheritance rights."
He looked at Aris with eyes sharp and serious, delivering one final warning.
"But if you fail to trigger a reaction… I can assure you, the consequences won't be something you're prepared to face."
With that, he carefully extended the golden totem towards Aris.
"Go on—just one drop of blood."
Even now, the goblin's face was full of scepticism. It was clear—he still didn't believe a word of Aris's claim.
Aris glanced over at Xeno, who gave him a slight nod—though the tension in his expression was hard to miss.
He believed in Aris, no doubt.
But this was the moment of truth—and if anything went wrong now, it would be more than just awkward.
It could turn dangerous.
Even if they weren't dragged off to Azkaban, Aris and Xeno would almost certainly be detained by the Magical Law Enforcement Squad—interrogated for Merlin knows how long, maybe even rough-handled a bit.
After all, trying to claim the fortune of a Sacred Twenty-Eight family wasn't a minor offence.
And those old pure-blood families with seats of power in the Ministry wouldn't think twice about making an example of them.
"Go on, boy."
Xeno gave Aris a firm pat on the shoulder and exhaled heavily.
There was no turning back now. If they backed out at this point, they'd be arrested on the spot.
Still, while Xeno was clearly on edge, Aris remained completely composed.
He had absolute faith in the system.
As Aris let a single drop of blood fall onto the golden totem, something extraordinary happened.
The totem glowed brilliant gold, and shimmering light began to swirl around it, gradually forming the ancient lettering of a wizarding surname.
More symbols followed, cascading across the surface in golden runes—until finally, a glowing ancestral contract appeared, outlined in light and hovering just above the totem.
"Th-this… this is—!"
The old goblin staggered back a step, eyes wide in disbelief.
For a moment, he looked utterly stunned—completely speechless.
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[Note: Read up to Chapter - 38 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]