The moment Lockhart's words fell, the entire room fell into a stunned silence. Even Rita Skeeter was left speechless, her mouth agape in astonishment.
When Rita Skeeter had first received that note, the mark of the Deathly Hallows emblazoned across it had made the message perfectly clear—Lockhart's actions represented the will of the Alliance.
And Rita's role was simple: cooperate with Lockhart.
Even the questions she had asked just now were pre-written for her on that very note.
Still, even Rita hadn't expected the Alliance to go this far.
As Lockhart noticed the unexpected silence following his bold declaration—rather than the raucous applause he'd anticipated—he began to feel a flicker of unease. Whispers had begun to ripple through the crowd, not cheers.
It was at this moment that Mrs. Weasley suddenly stood up and declared in a firm voice:
"Mr. Lockhart, perhaps you're unaware of this, but during the Goblin Rebellion, after the truce between wizardkind and the goblins was signed, a second accord was established—an official authorization granting goblins the exclusive right to run the only bank in the wizarding world. That's the origin of Gringotts."
"If anyone violates that agreement, they will be cursed—by the combined magic of the most powerful wizards and goblins of the era! Mr. Lockhart, we understand your intentions, but for your own safety…"
Mrs. Weasley's warning was cut short as Lockhart raised his arms and interrupted her loudly:
"Thank you, thank you for your concern, madam. But of course—I know all about that!"
He paused, and then suddenly roared in outrage, his expression twisted with fury:
"But just moments ago, during the incident at Gringotts, that very authorization was destroyed—by the Alliance!"
Gasps spread through the hall, and Lockhart continued:
"And the reason it was destroyed was because of the goblins themselves! I saw it with my own eyes—the goblins of Gringotts handed over the document to the Alliance!"
"And the Alliance, in full view of the goblins, tore it to pieces!"
His voice dropped suddenly, his expression falling into deep sorrow as he went on with clenched fists:
"I had intended to save that document—that was the beginning of my struggle against the Alliance—but because the goblins abandoned it, my efforts were in vain."
Then, his voice rose once again in a fiery crescendo, echoing through the hall:
"If the goblins and Gringotts can't even protect something so vital to their own future, how can we trust them to protect our money?!"
"That's why I intend to found a new bank—the safest bank in the entire wizarding world! A bank by wizards, for wizards!"
At last, Lockhart's words were met with thunderous applause. Nearly everyone in the hall seemed moved, clapping with fervor and admiration.
As the applause reached its peak, Lockhart raised a hand, calling for silence. Once the room had settled, he continued:
"And more than that, I've decided that every vault in my new bank—all of them—will be free of charge! That's right—store your Galleons with us, and we won't charge you a single Knut!"
The audience froze, stunned once again. But Lockhart wasn't finished.
"Not only that," he said, "but if you deposit your Galleons in my bank, I will pay you! That's right—what Muggles call interest! For every ten Galleons you deposit for a year, you'll receive eleven in return!"
At those words, eyes across the crowd lit up, including those of Mrs. Weasley herself.
But others looked uneasy. What was Lockhart playing at?
If it weren't for his recent heroics—defending everyone's vaults during the Gringotts battle—many would have begun to suspect Lockhart of plotting to disappear with all their gold.
After all, while Lockhart had made a small fortune from bestselling books over the past few years, that was hardly enough to pay out such enormous interest rates.
But Lockhart wasn't done. Gesturing for silence once more, he pressed on:
"Do you really think interest is the only benefit I'm offering? Of course not! I'm also giving out Golden Galleons!"
"I know many witches and wizards—many families—face hard times now and again. When that happens, you'll be able to come to my bank. And we'll be happy to offer you a loan!"
At this point, even Lockhart's most ardent supporter—Mrs. Weasley—paused mid-clap, her expression shifting into something more uncertain.
Everyone knew Lockhart was promising a lot—so much, in fact, that even seasoned wizards were starting to feel uneasy.
And then, Lockhart abruptly changed his tone, suddenly bashful, as he added:
"Of course, if you borrow money from me, I'm happy to lend it—but I can't work for free, right? There will be a small fee."
The room exhaled all at once, the tension broken. Someone even called out:
"Quite right, Mr. Lockhart—you've more than earned it!"
Others began asking about the loan terms.
After a brief pause for thought, Lockhart answered clearly:
"Here's how it'll work: if you borrow ten Galleons for a year, you'll need to pay a one-Galleon service fee up front. At the end of the year, you'll repay thirteen Galleons."
"However, if you can provide collateral—say, property, a magical artifact of verified value, or even a fantastic beast—I'll waive the service fee entirely!"
Most wizards still looked slightly dazed, only catching the general idea. But some had already begun to grasp the true potential of this enterprise.
Among them was Lucius Malfoy, who had been watching quietly from the sidelines. His eyes gleamed as he stared at Lockhart, barely believing what he was hearing.
"This man," he muttered, "He actually understands business? Could it be…?"
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