"I'm afraid it's quite out of the question," the suited goblin said diplomatically, addressing the crowd more than the woman. "The entire senior staff is unanimous in this regard. Due to the ongoing security concern, the bank doors will remain closed to all but Gringotts employees on official business and only deposits, transfers, account creation and the issuance of cheques will be processed until the issue is resolved. Anyone wishing to speak to their Account Manager may do so by appointment. I'm sure you can see how this set up is best for all involved," he ended with a smile he actually seemed to mean.
"Hem-hem. Perhaps I did not make myself clear," the squat witch said in a sugary girlish voice that focused attention on her again. "I am Delores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, and these conditions will simply not do at all. These people have the right to their vaults-"
"I am well aware who you are, Miss Umbridge, having spent quite a bit of time at the Ministry myself," the suited goblin said, his hospitality seemingly strained for the moment, though his smile never faltered. "And while we at Gringotts understand and appreciate the underlying feeling behind those words, I must remind you the vaults in question belong to Gringotts itself. The access these good people pay for is a long-term lease and carries with it terms of use which govern that access, in accordance to Ministry banking laws, guidelines, and strictures. I can provide you with a copy of them if you wish."
"This is ridiculous," the squat woman said, looking very much like an angry toad, "I demand you open those doors this instant! The Ministry has the right to know what is going on."
With that, Gutripper moved forward and Harry instinctively moved Hermione further back into the doorway behind them. Her hand tightened on his, but whether for comfort or in preparation to pull him away if things turned violent was anyone's guess; probably both. A hand on one suited shoulder stopped the other goblin from responding and had him move aside so he shared the front part of the platform with the scarred and half-blind Overseer who was clothed in armor like the others, though scuffed and without the colors.
"You are in no position to demand anything from us," Gutripper said tersely, his red eye seeming to shine as it caught the light. "Our bank, our vaults, our rules. If you continue to cause a disruption then you will be removed."
"The Ministry-," the toad started again, much less friendly this time around.
"-Has repeatedly acknowledged Gringotts as the sovereign domain of the Goblin People."
"That can be changed!" the toad croaked in frustration as she glared up at the Overseers like they were a pair of particularly plump flies hovering maddeningly out of reach.
"As can Senior Undersecretaries," Gutripper said with a malicious grin, showing a full line of pointed goblin teeth.
"A threat against me is a threat against the Ministry," the squat woman said, drawing herself up to her full, though diminutive height. "We'll see what the Minister thinks of this."
"Good," Gutripper said with a hard look. "And while you're there you can tell him our representative will see to him shortly. I'll make sure he uses small words and goes slowly since Ministry personnel obviously have difficulties understanding what they are told."
With her face an angry shade of red that'd put Uncle Vernon to shame, the toad-faced woman turned and snapped at those around her until they made way for her to get through. She seemed particularly unpleasant.
"Have a good day, Miss Umbridge!" the suited Overseer said to her retreating back and Harry thought he saw the guards and tellers both standing a bit straighter after the exchange.
With one last look around the assembled crowd, Gutripper stalked back into the bank through one slightly open door leaving the other Overseer to handle the crowd. From his reputation, Harry was surprised the woman was able to waddle away from the encounter, though she had kept herself on the far side of the rope from them and tried to keep things on an official level even when making her threats, so perhaps she hadn't been in their 'sovereign domain.'
"Now," the remaining Overseer said, addressing the crowd once again. "Anyone wishing to create an account should see the teller on the-"
"Why would they keep anyone from going to their vaults," Harry asked Hermione, pitching his voice low so as not to be heard. Something about what the Overseer said was tugging at the back of his mind but he couldn't remember what it was. He was beginning to think his brain had been stuffed with too much information and now it was starting to leak out again. This didn't bode well for school.
"It must be about yesterday," she said meaningfully, her voice pitched low as well. "Think about it, the magical world runs on hard currency: gold, silver, and bronze. If there's a question about the value of them-"
"They'd shut the doors and want to get all the money out of circulation as fast as possible so people don't go nuts and pull all their money out and cause all sorts of havoc," Harry said, catching on.
"And if they're worried about… an alternative method of procuring one specific denomination," Hermione said, trying very hard not to say 'someone making gold.' "They'd want to stockpile as much as they can to see how big the problem could be. Non-magical treasuries have a rough idea about the amount of currency in circulation. If what they have is greater than what there should be-"
"-They'd know they have a problem," Harry finished for her.