C571 Spider-Man (Patreon)
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When morning dawned, what remained of the failed goblin intruders lay sprawled outside every Gringotts bank across the globe. Their lifeless forms, a grim testament to their ill-fated greed, sent shockwaves through the wizarding world. Discovering the goblin corpses, the unsuspecting passersby’s let out terrified screams before hastily summoning the aurors for investigation.
Aurors arrived promptly at the scenes, their expressions a mixture of concern and confusion. The sight of the dead goblins raised more questions than answers, and the absence of any Gringotts employees added another layer of mystery. They attempted to contact someone within the banks for questioning, only to find them eerily empty. Peter's automation had rendered the once-bustling institutions devoid of any presence other than customers.
In the end, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement launched an official investigation into the mysterious deaths of the goblins. Aurors, equipped with their wands and investigative skills, collected the many bodies and brought them back to their Headquarters for further investigation.
Before lunchtime, the news of goblin bodies outside Gringotts branches became common knowledge. The wizarding media, ever eager for a sensational story, fueled the speculation with dramatic headlines and sensationalized tales. Every paper and magazine was ablaze with speculation, the wizarding world hungry for information about the peculiar events unfolding.
As headlines spread, the Wizarding populace was caught in a frenzy of theories and rumors. Though most people believed that the goblins had underestimated the defenses of the revamped Gringotts Banks, which led them straight to their untimely deaths.
Either way, Conspiracy theories flourished, each more elaborate than the last, as the Wizarding world tried to make sense of the shocking occurrences.
…
Meanwhile, Peter and MJ, observing the aftermath from their vantage point at the central ward stone, relaxed as could be. Although all eyes in the wizarding world are currently on them, they didn’t care one bit.
After seeing his new defenses in action, Peter spent about an hour tweaking the ward stone, just to make sure everything was working perfectly, before spending the rest of the night with his lovely wife. They had watched everything, even the goblin in the London Bank getting eaten, which wasn’t a pretty sight.
Watching the bodies getting found through the images projected from the ward stone, MJ couldn’t help but turn to Peter and ask, “Did we have to leave them out there? I mean, they did try to break in, but won’t this bring us more trouble with the government?”
Peter simply shrugged. “We already have a problem with the government. We own the entire Wizarding world’s economy. They won’t sit still, but who knows how long they’ll take to make their move, so…”
MJ’s eyes widened in realization as she finished Peter’s sentence. “…so you put the bodies out there to draw them out? But will Dumbledore fall for that? I don’t think he would, he doesn’t strike me as being that dumb…”
Peter smirked. “First of all, at this point Dumbledore probably thinks that I’m some crazed murderer, so he might just fall for it and speed things up as we hope. And second, even if he doesn’t fall for it, Albus doesn’t control every magical government, let alone the British one. If they decide to come, then he can’t stop them…”
————
Just as Peter hoped, the news of what happened at Gringotts prompted the British Ministry, alongside other magical ministries worldwide, to unite in a collaborative effort. By dinner time, a diverse committee, representing each magical government, marched purposefully into the London Gringotts, with Dumbledore leading the charge.
Outside the imposing bank, a formidable army comprised of wizards and witches from every ministry stood in silent anticipation. Witnessing the fate of the ill-fated goblin intruders, they opted for a cautious approach, waiting to see if diplomacy would prevail before resorting to more forceful measures.
As Dumbledore entered the open bank, the committee following closely behind him, an air of newfound confidence surrounded the venerable wizard. He called out into the grand hall, his voice echoing through the vast space, “Peter! You have guests! Come welcome us!”
The anticipation reached a peak as the crowd of ministry representatives braced for the confrontation.
From their vantage point at the central ward stone, Peter and MJ, who were relaxing in bed together, observed the scene unfolding. “Huh… they actually came.” MJ muttered.
Peter smirked, “Of course they came. They’re all greedy little rats, and we’re sitting on all of their cheese.”
Dumbledore's uncharacteristic confidence did not go unnoticed. Confused but curious, MJ turned to Peter, voicing her suspicion, “That old schemer is up to something. I’ve never seen him this confident before. At least not in front of us…”
Peter, sharing her uncertainty, nodded in agreement, deciding it was time to confront the approaching committee.
Stepping out of a shimmering portal and into the lobby, Peter and MJ were met with a chorus of shouts from the committee members, all except Dumbledore, who maintained a measured silence. The room fell into a tense hush as Dumbledore finally spoke, raising a hand to quell the voices that clamored for action.
In measured tones, Dumbledore addressed Peter, his words carrying a weight of authority. "Why, Peter, my dear boy, did you believe such a bold move could go unnoticed and unchallenged?" He inquired, his piercing blue eyes fixing on Peter. "The wizarding world is not accustomed to sudden and radical changes, especially when they concern such important things as the economy..."
He reminded Peter that he had forewarned him about the potential consequences of his bold actions in taking control of the banks. With an air of calm determination, Dumbledore outlined the committee's purpose, “Im afraid that we can no longer work together, as I offered you in our last meeting, now relinquish control of Gringotts to us. I’d rather avoid violence and unnecessary deaths if possible…”
Peter, maintaining a composed demeanor, responded, "If you want what’s mine, then you’ll have to come and take it from me.” His words caused the committee to begin shouting again, but after a stern glare, they turned silent rather quickly. ”But know that all of you will die if that happens, even you Albus. I’ve spared your life twice already, and I wont do so a third time."
Dumbledore sighed, a mix of disappointment and understanding in his gaze. "Will you not consider the greater good?"
Hearing him act so sanctimoniously, MJ couldn’t help but shout, “What greater good?! You’re all just greedy little fleabags who want what isn’t yours. At least have some decency and say it like it is instead of acting all high and mighty!”
“Quiet girl! The men are trying to speak!” A particularly snobbish looking committee member spoke.
Instantly, MJ turned to face him, her eyes burning in rage. “What the f*ck did you just say?” She asked, her voice so calm that it even scared Peter a little.
“It seems that we won’t be able to come to an agreement…” Dumbledore, his confidence undiminished, raised his wand and cast a spell towards Peter, bringing this to where it was inevitably heading.
Swift as the wind, Peter effortlessly slapped the spell aside, his spider-sense alerting him to the nefarious intentions. The moment the spell veered off course, the amassed army waiting outside surged into the bank, taking the spell as their cue to attack.
Yet, the ancient wards that Peter had reinforced with additional defenses proved to be an insurmountable obstacle. As the wizards and witches entered the wide open entrance, the magical defenses sensed their hostile intent and retaliated with ruthless efficiency.
In mere moments, the once formidable army found itself being decimated, the lethal enchantments showing no mercy to those who dared intrude. It was like a huge meat grinder, turning the army to paste as soon as they reached the doorway.
While chaos unfolded outside, Peter faced Dumbledore. "You know you’re going to die now, right?" Peter asked, his demeanor unworried and downright casual. “I mean, this might be the biggest mistake of your life, because you even dragged these idiots to their deaths alongside you…”
Albus, however, remained resolute, his wand dancing in the air as he continued to launch spells at Peter. The eerie confidence never wavered from his countenance, making Peter wonder what he was up to.
“…” Ignoring Peter's words, Albus pressed on with relentless determination, casting spell after spell in a display of magical prowess.
Prompted by a nod from Peter, MJ leaped forward into the midst of the committee members, who have begun to draw their wands as well, her agility matched only by her deadly precision. With a swift, lethal dance, she dispatched them one by one, making sure to fulfill her husband’s promise by killing each and every one of them.
Peter, facing Albus head-on, couldn't help but let out a disappointed sigh. "You know, with all of this newfound confidence of yours, I was really expecting more... Whatever, let’s just end this quickly. I want to get back to bed."
As Peter disappeared in a burst of pure speed, heading straight toward Albus, a sudden bolt of deathly green magic soared towards him from an unexpected direction. Peter's instincts kicked in, and with a swift movement, he dodged the lethal projectile.
Turning to identify the assailant, Peter was met with the chilling sight of an old man in a. Fancy black suit, around Dumbledores age with a wand pointed menacingly at him.
[Insert picture of Gellert Grindelwald here]
The air around the newcomer exuded malevolence, and Peter instantly guessed who it was. It was none other than Gellert Grindelwald, the Dark Lord Dumbledore was believed to have vanquished.
A/N: 1615 words :) sorry I’m very late today. I had a stomach ache and let’s just say that I spent a lot of time in the bathroom. It wasn’t a fun night for me… anyway, I think that we’re leaving the Wizarding world in the next chapter! It’ll be out soon.