HP: The Dropout Who Saved the World

To their surprise, Jane Yu and Dumbledore encountered Bill Weasley hurrying to work at Gringotts.

"I feel like I've been soaked in the stench of bureaucracy," Bill grumbled dejectedly to Jane while Dumbledore was engrossed in conversation with a goblin. The eldest Weasley, more a legal tomb raider than a curse breaker, looked utterly disheartened. Even the fang-shaped earring dangling from his ear seemed to have lost its usual swing.

"I miss the days of treasure hunting in Egyptian tombs—the thrill, the excitement, and the mummies that would leap out to give you a scare—"

"But now—sigh—this is the only way I can better serve the Order of the Phoenix—"

He took a little extra time to introduce Jane to a goblin named Ragnok, who appeared to specialize in serving VIP clients.

"Dumbledore and I... we have an appointment with some influential figures in the goblin community, so we won't be accompanying you to the vault," Dumbledore explained with a smile as he approached. "Tonight, we'll be meeting the Malfoys for what I imagine will be a grand dinner."

Ragnok's demeanor shifted significantly upon seeing Dumbledore and Jane's keys.

"Miss Yu, how may I assist you today?" he asked, his tone suddenly courteous.

"I need to deposit some Galleons and exchange some for pounds," Jane replied. "Is my vault truly the safest?"

"Absolutely!" Ragnok's voice grew louder as he sought to uphold goblin dignity. "Gringotts is the safest place there is! Your vault's security level is unparalleled!"

He opened a door leading to the underground vaults. Squeezing into a small cart with the goblin, Jane had to shrink her suitcase.

Feeling like an underground miner, Jane found herself hurtling through countless stalactite-lined passages.

The cart ride was akin to a stripped-down roller coaster, plunging rapidly, taking sharp turns, and even splashing through a thief's waterfall like a log ride—

She now understood why Gringotts was considered secure; the motion sickness alone would deter many thieves.

The cart screeched to a halt at the deepest level. Jane could hear the heavy breathing of a dragon nearby. The rumbling echoed through the cavern, causing the cart to vibrate.

"Surprise!"

A familiar voice called out from her right front, and Jane froze in shock!

It was the face of a woman, now glowing with excitement. Its lion-like body slowly rose from its crouched position, and its tail, which had been lazily swishing on the ground, perked up high.

It was the Sphinx she had encountered during the third task of the Triwizard Tournament!

"You'll need to answer its riddle," Ragnok said, panting. "Dumbledore brought it here, claiming it would guard your vault."

"I volunteered!" the Sphinx declared cheerfully, hopping lightly like a big cat. "You don't have to answer my riddles. Feel free to ask me anything, Master!"

Jane couldn't fathom why it seemed so eager to impose such a task upon itself.

Perhaps the Triwizard Tournament had instilled in it some peculiar tendencies unique among its kind.

"Prove that any even number greater than or equal to 6 can be expressed as the sum of two prime numbers?"

The Sphinx crouched down again, covering its head with its front paws, and began to wail in despair.

"Ah—so painful—I can't solve it! What is this mysterious thing—useless me—"

Ragnok stepped past the crying creature and placed his hand on the vault door. The door gradually disappeared, revealing the entrance.

But the inside wasn't empty; instead, it was filled with magical artifacts—testament to Dumbledore's financial prowess.

"Miss Yu, you've raised quite a few Nifflers."

The goblin's eyes widened as he watched Jane pull out Nifflers one by one, scratching their bellies while they spat out Galleons.

"Oh—excellent treasure hunters—every curse breaker has one—"

Jane stuffed the protesting Nifflers back into the suitcase and stepped out of the vault.

But the Sphinx at the door was clearly reluctant to let her go, rubbing its tail against her repeatedly. Jane had to push the mischievous tail away again and again.

"This dreadful underground," it lamented, lying down in sorrow. "It reeks of that stupid dragon, like a desert devoid of knowledge."

Jane had no choice but to shove a copy of A History of Magic under its belly.

The Sphinx sprang up joyfully, flipping through the book with its large paws.

"Why isn't my vault guarded by a dragon?" Jane couldn't help but glance disdainfully at the unremarkable Sphinx before looking at the passage on the left.

A dragon guarded that area. Its wings stretched out forcefully, stirring up waves of damp, stifling air from the underground.

It seemed eager to fight the Sphinx or perhaps swallow her and the goblin whole.

"Don't go near it," Ragnok warned, looking extremely nervous. "That's not your vault. We don't have the clanging discs—it won't be afraid—"

But his warning came too late. The adult dragon had noticed them. Turning around, it lashed its spiked tail against the wall, causing the entire deepest level to shake violently as if an earthquake had struck.

"Don't worry," Ragnok continued, "they're chained up. As long as we don't—"

But the dragon's behavior exceeded his expectations. It kept slamming its tail against the walls, creating crack after crack in the passage!

Suddenly, the cracks burst open. Large chunks of stalactites and a torrent of dirt came crashing down on them. The cart was shattered, and the tracks on the ground twisted out of shape.

"Help—the dragon's out of control—"

Ragnok screamed, trying to get up and run, but he fell hard to the ground as the world spun around him. Jane had to hold onto a nearby pillar and cast several Protego spells on herself to ensure her safety.

The passage was completely destroyed, and Jane could see the dragon in its entirety. Its ferocious pink eyes appeared half-blind, its wings fully extended, cracking the walls of the surrounding vaults. Its scales were curled and loose from neglect, its claws were long and curved, and its legs were shackled. Scars from goblin swords were everywhere on its body—it was another Ukrainian Ironbelly!

Its eyes locked onto Ragnok, filled with hatred. Seeing the goblin without the clanging discs that reminded it of the pain of sword strikes, a deep-seated grudge consumed it—

It spewed a massive jet of flames toward Ragnok, trying to kill him. The flames nearly engulfed Jane, forcing her to quickly pull Ragnok aside to dodge—

But the vault door behind her wasn't so lucky!

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