December 29th, Birmingham.
Gresty Road Stadium.
The Astley siblings' Christmas tour concert was packed to the rafters.
Only this time, among the audience, there were many people dressed strangely. Some looked like antiques from the last century, and some looked like clever folks from a special needs school.
However, people only gave them a few extra glances and didn't delve deeper.
Because Audrey Astley had been away from the stage for a full five months. Tickets for this concert were incredibly hard to come by; getting in was good enough, so who cared what other audience members were wearing?
During the time Audrey was away, Rick fully displayed his talents. When the two partnered up again, it immediately produced an effect where one plus one was greater than two.
Just look at the uproarious scene at the venue, and you'll understand.
Even fans who couldn't buy tickets surrounded the stadium tightly, layer upon layer, just to hear the singing leaking from inside.
The concert officially started at seven in the evening. Because preparations were hasty, stage materials weren't fully prepared at all, and the stage design was simply unbearable to look at.
However, none of that could stop the audience's enthusiasm.
Because they came to listen to songs, not to look at the scenery!
Audrey opened with a solo of "A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love," a song well-known in the wizarding world, making the wizards below jubilant—Audrey was a wizard after all, she really kept us well in her heart!
And the Muggles were even more excited, thinking it was a new song created by Audrey!
The selection of this opening song was very clever; it pleased both sides, so the venue heated up instantly.
It could be said that under Audrey's influence, for the first time in hundreds of years, the Muggle world and the wizarding world were this close!
Tonight's climax was when Audrey and Rick sang "The Magician" together. Audrey walked into a large cabinet, and then actually appeared from behind the audience seats!
The moment Audrey ran through the audience back to the stage, the entire venue exploded!
The wizards felt that Audrey had violated the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery just to perform for them. So, they made up their minds one by one: if the Ministry of Magic made trouble for Audrey, they would claim they cast that spell themselves. They absolutely couldn't let anything happen to Audrey.
Meanwhile, the Muggles were amazed that Audrey could perform magic tricks! And they couldn't see any flaws! Because from walking into the cabinet to reappearing, it took no more than a second! This was too magical! Wasn't this higher level than those international magic masters?
Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was sitting below the stage. Watching Audrey openly break the law, she just shook her head slightly—she just performed a Muggle magic trick, what was there to make a fuss about?
Audrey knew her limits. She only used some minor tricks and covered them with magic props, so Director Bones turned a blind eye. So they say, fan filters really distort a person's thoughts, more terrifying than the Imperius Curse!
The concert was very successful. When Audrey and Rick returned backstage, the audience's calls for an encore resounded through the skies. Even the fans freeloading songs outside the stadium shouted "Encore" together.
Audrey returned to her dressing room. According to custom, she would rest for ten minutes and then return to sing two more songs.
As soon as she pushed open the dressing room door, Audrey saw a not-tall but graceful middle-aged woman smiling at her.
"Hello, Miss Astley," the person extended her hand. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Tyra Cara, a Curse-Breaker from Gringotts."
Audrey shook hands with Tyra Cara, and the expression on her face immediately became strange.
As everyone knows, once Audrey's expression becomes strange, something is bound to happen.
"Ms. Cara, do you have business with me?"
"It's like this, Miss Astley. We recently discovered an ancient ruin on the outskirts of Gothenburg, Sweden. According to our judgment, it is the tomb of a certain lady-in-waiting of the Norse goddess Frigg."
Tyra Cara said very helplessly, "But we encountered huge difficulties. The magic in that ruin is extremely powerful; we are helpless against it..."
Audrey interrupted Tyra and pointed to the sofa in the dressing room. "Ms. Cara, please sit."
After the two sat down, Audrey smiled. "I'm just a singer. How would your Curse-Breaker business come to me?"
Tyra Cara explained, "Because the Age of Mythology is simply too far removed from now, our existing curse-breaking methods are useless against ancient magic." She revealed a charming smile at Audrey and complimented, "But Miss Astley has a profound understanding of ancient magic..."
"Wait a moment, Ms. Cara. Where did you hear that I have researched ancient magic?"
"Miss Astley, you used powerful ancient magic outside Hogsmeade village; there were many witnesses. Moreover, historically, every wizard who only entered school at sixteen was guided by fate and had an inextricable entanglement with ancient magic..."
Tyra Cara concluded, "So we feel that if we can get your help, we can definitely unravel the protective magic of that ruin."
Audrey looked at Tyra Cara quietly, saying nothing.
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
Tyra Cara lowered her head to hide her awkwardness. When she looked up again, she spoke, "As everyone knows, Frigg loved beautiful clothes and sparkling jewelry immensely. Her lady-in-waiting, after a thousand years of accumulation, must also have been extremely wealthy."
She was confident, seeming certain Audrey would agree. "Once the ruin is opened, we will only take items of historical and research value. All those gold, silver, and jewelry will belong to Miss Astley. What do you think?"
However, Audrey's reaction exceeded Tyra Cara's expectations. "Sorry, Ms. Cara, I refuse."
Cara frowned tightly, asking in confusion, "Why? Is there an objection to the remuneration? Indeed, no one knows what's in the ruin; using the ruin's yield as payment is indeed unstable."
She thought for a moment. "I promise you on behalf of Gringotts, as long as the ruin is unlocked, we can pay you five thousand Galleons as a fee! The conditions mentioned before remain effective!"
Audrey smiled and stood up. "No, it's not about the remuneration, but that I don't trust you."
Tyra Cara's expression was grave. She didn't think she had given herself away; her performance was clearly impeccable.
Although she couldn't read Audrey's mind, she had learned from many people that Audrey was indeed a person greedy for money. But this result now?
"This goblin lady, when you chose not to meet me with your true face, it became impossible for me to generate any trust in you, especially since I just suffered a kidnapping attack by Bode Gray."
Audrey pointed to the door, her intention to see the guest out revealed undoubtedly. "I have to return for an encore later. I need to rest now, so I won't keep you."
Tyra Cara's face began to change drastically, instantly returning to her original goblin appearance. It was Thetis, who had bewitched Alan Ash!
"Miss Astley, I am very sorry for not meeting you with my true face," Thetis showed no anger from shame after being exposed, remaining calm. "It's just that wizards have always discriminated against goblins, so I felt meeting you with a human appearance would make it easier to reach a consensus."
She walked elegantly to the door and turned around. "My name is Thetis. I am indeed a Curse-Breaker for Gringotts. If Miss Astley thinks it through, you can come find me at Gringotts in Diagon Alley. The conditions I offered you are always valid."
Thetis left.
Audrey patted her chest. Close call, almost fell for it!
Gold, silver, and jewelry from the ruin plus five thousand Galleons! This was an offer she almost couldn't refuse!
But fortunately, when shaking hands just now, Audrey acquired Thetis's magical constitution—a natural Legilimens!
And in that instant, Audrey understood the person before her was a goblin.
A natural Legilimens was much more powerful than learned Legilimency, almost to the point where the person being read couldn't detect it.
Audrey switched constitutions immediately and thus learned of Thetis's plan—that wasn't some ruin of Norse gods at all, but the tomb of an ancient Norse wizard!
Inside was the power of ancient magic left behind by that ancient wizard!
...
In the room, Audrey was still complacent about not falling for the goblin's scheme, completely unaware that outside the dressing room, a figure revealed itself from the void.
Glenda Chittock.
A smile appeared on her face as she murmured to herself, "Little thing is quite vigilant, much better than I was back then."
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