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Chapter 825: Egyptian Gringotts
🕑 Added 2023-07-27 14:46:46 +0000 UTCThrough the ancient street, Evan saw a bustling crowd. This was a commercial street.
Unlike the pleasing and glittering shops in Diagon Alley, the shops here were small houses made of yellow rocks and bricks. They had protruding green tents outside, and the shopkeepers displayed many things and called out their wares along the street.
Some of the items they sold were similar to those in Diagon Alley, but there were many magical materials that were not available in Britain. Evan even saw many cursed items from African regions. He did not know the specific uses of many of them, but they emanated strong magical power.
"In Egypt, the control over magic and Dark magic items is not as strict as in Europe, and witchcraft is very popular in Africa!" Bill explained. "Of course, objects that are too evil or too powerful are not to be seen here."
"It’s really very interesting magic," said Evan, looking at a huge pharaoh statue outside a shop.
Magic from Europe, African witchcraft, special magic from the Arab world and Egypt’s ancient magical civilizations met and merged with each other in this largest African country, forming a very special and unique magical system.
Even if he were to hang around here for a month, he would not be bored.
Finally, at Bill’s recommendation, Fleur, Hermione, and Gabrielle bought supposedly very effective scarab amulets, made of talc and covered with emerald glaze, brightly colored and mysterious.
In addition, Hermione and Gabrielle bought some spices and sweets to bring back to their friends.
Evan, on the other hand, bought a bone said to be soaked in voodoo magic from a spooky shop, intending to study the magic inscribed on it.
If it weren’t because he couldn’t take it away, he really wanted to buy the terrifying mummy tightly wrapped in cloth and twine that the shop owner tried to recommend to him. The voodoo aura on it was much stronger than that on the bone in his hand.
Witchcraft and voodoo, as a special branch of magic, were very popular in Europe and Southeast Asia. They were a kind of eerie magic power that was closer to nature and required a medium to be cast. That medium was a voodoo doll. Voodoo dolls had different shapes. The bone that Evan bought was one of them, and was relatively primitive.
The raw materials for making voodoo dolls were also varied. Depending on the purpose of the spell, they could be made of animal bones, straw, metal, stone, or human skin or the bodies of other magical creatures...
With its vicious voodoo dolls and mysterious and eccentric rituals, most wizards considered witchcraft to be evil Dark magic.
But in fact, there were many detailed types of witchcraft. Many were related to revenge, harm, hatred, but there were also spells related to love, success, luck, health, protection, and dispelling evil spirits.
For example, the pendant on Evan’s wrist, which had natural shaman power on it, was also a kind of witchcraft.
"Here we are … Gringotts," said Bill, pointing to the towering snow-white building that was exactly the same as Gringotts Wizarding Bank in Diagon Alley. "Come on, just in time to register you four as explorers. It’ll be easier to show you other ruins."
Hermione was explaining to Gabrielle what an explorer was, and Evan’s attention turned to the shiny bronze gate.
A warning text was also engraved on it, but different from that of Britain and had more Egyptian characteristics:
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed;
For that who shall enter this building impure,
Death shall seize his neck like a bird...
"The business of Gringotts is all over the world, but Egypt is a key area, and the goblins have much more power here," said Bill, leading them through the vast marble hall.
Like Gringotts in Diagon Alley, about a hundred goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses.
In the side hall, there were many goblins and wizards busy around a large number of ancient cultural relics.
One of the goblins in a black suit seemed to be the leader. He was a little taller than the other goblins, with wrinkles on his face and gray temples.
He was there yelling and directed the others to do this and that, scolding them with harsh words if anyone was a little slow in their actions.
"These are all cultural relics that have just been excavated from the ruins, and they are registering and sorting them out," said Bill.
"Who’s that goblin?" Hermione asked, frowning. "The one with a bad attitude."
"He’s Zoser, one of the heads of Gringotts in Egypt. He’s the best Curse-Breaker and the most experienced adventurer. He has led many expeditions to excavate ancient ruins," Bill whispered. "Of course, his attitude is not very good. There are many rumors..."
"Excuse me, please make way!"
Evan turned his head and saw a girl running over in a hurry with a bunch of drawings in her arms.
She was about sixteen or seventeen years old, and her skin was dark and brown like milk chocolate. Her hair was black and seemed to be very long, tied in fantastic shapes with leather cords.
Her facial features were quite regular, with slightly upturned corners to her eyes, looking like the eyes of a bobcat, her nose was slender and straight, her cherry-like mouth was light pink, and the lines of her cheeks made her look still childish.
The girl was dressed in a typical Arabic style; with a brightly colored headscarf intricately woven with beautiful patterns.
She exuded a strong power, or rather, a primal vitality, full of liveliness.
Overall, this was a very beautiful girl, and Evan’s eyes fell on her accessories.
She had a necklace hanging around her neck, with white tusks or teeth on it, a bracelet on her wrist, with a miniature wooden doll attached to it, and a leather scabbard knife and a wand hanging from her waist.
He suddenly became interested in this girl. These things were not simple decorations; they must be used to cast witchcraft. The magic emanating from them was stronger than all the items he’d seen in the shops outside.
"Hello, Rawya," said Bill, letting her go sideways. "Still so full of energy."
"Hello, Mr. Weasley, aren't you on vacation today?" The girl stopped and seemed to recognize Bill.
"Yeah, I brought my friends here to visit Gringotts," said Bill, introducing Evan, Hermione, Fleur and Gabrielle to her. "This is Rawya, the Curse-Breaker who’s just come to Gringotts this year, and a student at the Egyptian Wizarding School Karnak."
"Hello, nice to meet you all, I..." said Rawya with a smile, and the goblin in the side hall gave another terrifying roar. She stuck out her tongue, "I have to go; these are the drawings Mr. Zoser asked for."
