After discovering the Golden Cup, Kael suppressed his excitement, calmly turned his head, and spoke to the Goblin behind him in a very composed tone.
"You must be Griphook, right? Could you please help us by taking down that Golden Cup?"
Griphook didn't move. He replied in a sharp voice, "Sir, only Mr. Black has the authority to remove items from this Vault."
"Are you sure that's the thing...the one Bellatrix wanted?" Sirius reminded, "Don't grab the wrong one—we're not getting a second shot at this."
"Absolutely, that's it," Kael said. "A small item that's not really worth much, but has a lot of sentimental value to Ms. Bella."
"You heard that?" Sirius looked to the Goblin Griphook. "Get it down and let's get out of here. This place is really uncomfortable."
"As you wish, Mr. Black." Griphook bowed slightly.
He snapped his fingers, and the Golden Cup that had been perched high on a stone pedestal floated steadily right to Sirius.
Sirius grabbed the Cup and handed it to Kael.
The two then retreated to the open space outside, watching Griphook close the Vault doors again.
"I need to remind you once more, Mr. Black."
After confirming the Vault doors were completely shut, Griphook turned and said, "You will no longer be able to remove anything from this Vault in future."
"You don't need to tell me, I know." Sirius muttered, "If I could help it, I'd never come to this place again."
"Glad to hear it," said Griphook.
Maybe because they'd only taken an inconspicuous Golden Cup, he looked quite pleased now.
Then, the three of them climbed back onto the cart, speeding through the tunnel.
They finally stood outside Gringotts in the dazzling sunlight, just moments before Sirius was about to throw up.
"I don't get it—why'd you only grab that one little thing that's not worth much?"
Sirius looked back. After making sure there were no Goblins following them, he couldn't help asking, "There were loads of really valuable things in that Vault. That Diadem, for example, is a piece from a medieval Alchemy Master, quite famous, kept as a treasure by the Lestrange family, worth tens of thousands of Galleons."
"Tens of thousands of Galleons? That's definitely valuable, but..." Kael patted the pouch holding the Golden Cup. "Compared to this, it doesn't even come close."
"Huh?" Sirius dismissed it. "Isn't it just a Golden Cup? How is that worth so much?"
"Hufflepuff's Golden Cup," Kael said. "Same tier as Slytherin's Pendant Box—you get what I mean?"
Sirius suddenly stopped in his tracks, staring at Kael in disbelief.
"Hufflepuff's..." He started to call out, but quickly reacted, clamping his mouth shut.
"You mean, Helga Hufflepuff?" He walked up to Kael, asking quietly.
"Who else could it be," Kael said matter-of-factly.
"But..."
Sirius lowered his voice again. "Why would Hufflepuff's Golden Cup be in the Lestrange Vault? Also, how did you know about it—not like you could've been here before."
"Of course not, I was only one year old when Bella was arrested. Obviously couldn't have come here," Kael said. "It was...hmm, Helga herself who told me. You should've heard from other professors—I've met the Four Founders."
"This..."
Sirius's face showed confusion.
He had heard about it, from Lupin no less.
But the thing is...the Four Founders? People from over a thousand years ago, and Kael actually talked to them face to face?
This was way too far-fetched—he always thought it was just gossip and had been quick to mock Lupin about it.
"You really met Helga Hufflepuff?" Sirius asked again.
"Absolutely," Kael said. "Professor Dumbledore can vouch for me."
Sirius looked even more bewildered, mumbling to himself, "Unbelievable..."
Seeing Sirius like this, Kael didn't try to explain further.
After all, he was the only person in the Magic Realm to have met all Four Founders—whatever he said just had to be accepted.
Anyway, the hiding place of the Golden Cup was exactly where Helga Hufflepuff said it was. Don't believe me? Well, go confront her then.
Kael kept walking forward, ready to return to Hogwarts through the Leaky Cauldron fireplace.
But just as he was about to reach the entrance, someone called out to him.
"Hold on a second."
Sirius caught up from behind.
After seeing Slytherin's Pendant Box before, he'd quickly accepted the fact Kael had gotten the Golden Cup too.
And with so many things lately defying his expectations, what's one more?
"No rush to head back—we've got five hours. Come with me."
He led Kael back the way they'd come.
Kael just figured Sirius wanted to buy more stuff for Harry, so didn't object.
It was the holidays—no classes at school, so hanging out a bit longer didn't matter.
Soon, the two were back at the entrance to Gringotts, but stopped across from it, at the entry to Knockturn Alley.
"You're trying to buy something from in there?" Kael asked, puzzled.
Knockturn Alley was filled with Dark Arts Items and all sorts of mysterious things. Was Sirius seriously planning to give these to Harry?
If so, he's got a pretty big heart.
"Oh, what are you thinking?" Sirius shook his head. "Even if I wanted to shop there, I certainly wouldn't bring you. That place isn't for students... What I want you to look at is over there—check out that shop!"
Sirius pointed ahead.
Kael looked and saw a shop with no sign, doors tightly closed, glass windows coated in dust, clearly unused for a long time.
"What's up with that shop?" Kael whispered. "Though it's weird, facing Gringotts—such a prime spot always sitting empty."
"That's because I was locked up." Sirius said, "It was my uncle's shop. He left it to me, and recently when I was getting money from the Gringotts Vault, I found the Magic Title Deed for it."
"Makes sense." Kael nodded.
That explained it. With the owner, Sirius, locked in Azkaban for twelve years, of course the place was empty.
"What do you think about opening a shop here?"
Sirius said dreamily, "I've wanted it for ages... When Harry graduates, we'll run a shop together. Doesn't need to make much money, just want to be together every day."
"Nice idea," Kael nodded. "So what will you sell—Magic Potion, Herbs, or Magic Tools…"
"Uh…haven't decided yet," Sirius faltered. "Maybe a sweets shop, sell ice cream, pudding—I found out yesterday Harry really likes pudding."
"You sure?" Kael glanced instinctively at Florian Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour just two shops away.
That was the most famous ice cream shop in Diagon Alley, open for over a hundred years, with countless old customers—basically a legendary establishment.
Wow, selling ice cream here wouldn't just mean slow business—honestly, you'd save more money sitting bored at home.
"It's just an idea—what to sell can be Harry's choice." Sirius had also seen Florian's Ice Cream and scratched his head awkwardly.
"Or you could package and sell some of the fun things you made before… I remember your maps, badges, those things are really popular at Hogwarts."
"So you mean, you want to resell the things we made at Hogwarts?"
Kael thought for a moment. "That's doable. Once we leave school, sales might not be as good, but at least we won't lose money."
And I can always make more to send over—try it first, expand if it works."
"No, no, just some, not all," Sirius said. "You need to keep some for your own shop, right? We're just looking for fun, something to display, earn a few Galleons a week."
"What am I supposed to do with that stuff?" Kael said. "I don't have a shop, giving you everything is way easier."
"No, you do." Sirius shook his head, then pointed to the neighbouring shop, also unused. "That's yours from now on…yeah, it's my Christmas gift to you."