"Audrey!"
Lucas Bagshott rushed back to the common room, looking as if he were on fire.
"The audience thinks the match was too short! They feel cheated and are demanding refunds!"
Audrey gave a small smile.
"Let them fuss. I'm going back to rest. Is the next group stage match the day after tomorrow?"
"Audrey, well..."
Bagshott looked so uncomfortable, hesitating to speak, that Audrey kindly gave him an opening.
"What is it? Is there something else?"
"The official in charge of this match from the World Cup Organizing Committee asked me if you could go out and sing a song to calm the crowd."
Audrey glanced at Bagshott. It was a look as cold and biting as a gale in the dead of winter, making the head coach shudder involuntarily.
"What do they take me for? They can't manage a crowd themselves, so they try to use me?"
Audrey pulled out her two-way mirror.
"Who is responsible for this match?"
"Bona Spencer."
"From the British Ministry of Magic?"
"Yes."
Audrey nodded and sent a call request to the other mirror.
A few seconds later, an image appeared in the glass. It was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement—Old Barty Crouch.
"Hello, Mr. Crouch."
"Hello, Miss Astley. Is there something you need?"
"Nothing major. I played in a Quidditch World Cup qualifier today, didn't I? We won too quickly, and the crowd feels they didn't get their money's worth. They're making a scene."
"Your employee, Bona Spencer, isn't thinking of ways to pacify them. Instead, he had the bright idea of asking me to perform for free! Mr. Crouch, what do you think of this?"
"I see..." Old Barty thought for a few seconds before replying, "I understand. Bona Spencer is clearly incompetent and is abusing his position to the detriment of the taxpayers. He is dismissed from the Ministry effective immediately!"
Bagshott swallowed hard.
As expected of the big boss of the Heaven and Earth Bank. With a single casual sentence, she had sent Bona Spencer into the abyss. Audrey Astley was a terrifying woman!
Even the high-and-mighty Ministry official acted like an old butler in her presence!
Recalling his own arrogant attitude when he first went to Hogwarts to demand Audrey join the Quidditch team, Lucas Bagshott averted his eyes. He no longer dared to look Audrey in the face.
He could only hope this billionaire heiress was magnanimous enough not to hold his past behavior against him...
...
...
December 24th, night.
Harry Potter sat comfortably by the fire in the Gryffindor common room.
Ron sat beside him, animatedly recounting Audrey's brilliance during the World Cup group stages!
"Harry, Audrey is just incredible! She ended the first match in two seconds—that's the fastest finish in the history of Quidditch!"
Harry shook his head. "I think her second match was even better. The team was trailing 20 to 160, but she turned the tide. She caught the Golden Snitch right before the other team could score the final goal! It was brilliant!"
"Fair point," Ron said, nodding and swaying. "You're right, that second match was legendary! It's a shame we couldn't be there to see it in person."
Hermione walked over from the girls' dormitory, sighing as she moved. "Audrey's world tour starts tomorrow. I really want to go."
Ron twitched his mouth, wanting to argue, but realized he wanted to see her concert too. He shut his mouth.
"It's my fault you're missing out," Harry said. "If you weren't staying here for me, you'd be on your way home by now."
Hermione shook her head. "Don't think like that, Harry."
She forced a smile, though it was obvious the young girl was quite disappointed about missing the concert.
"Your life is under threat. As your friend, how could I leave you alone at school?"
Ron finally found an opening and shouted, "Hey! Granger! Am I not a person?"
Hermione gave a light huff. "You? If you ran into Barty Crouch Jr., what could you do? Use one of those charms that only works half the time?"
Chapter 178: Showing One's Hand
"Don't underestimate me! I've mastered the Disarming Charm and the Knockback Jinx Audrey taught us last term!"
Hermione shrugged. "Fine, I suppose you count as a person. But the more people protecting Harry, the better!"
"Exactly, the more the merrier!" Fred leapt out from nowhere, throwing an arm enthusiastically around Harry's shoulder.
"Mum wanted us all to stay at school so we could look out for Harry!"
George jumped out as well. "It's a shame Ginny had to go home. She was miserable for hours after she got Mum's letter!"
Ron tilted his chin up at Hermione, looking smug. "See! In my mum's eyes, I'm much more capable than Ginny! At least she thinks I can be of help!"
Hermione stared at Ron in disbelief. She couldn't believe someone could be so shameless!
Harry covered his face and tugged at Ron's sleeve. Ron, confused, turned back and asked:
"What is it, Harry? Why are you pulling me?"
"I can't believe this guy is actually my brother," George said with an exaggerated expression.
Fred followed up with an even more dramatic face.
"Mercy, did Mum and Dad get something wrong all these years? Is Ron actually a girl?"
"Exactly. Why else would he compare his strength to a sister a year younger than him?"
"Wrong pronoun, George. Use 'she,' not 'he'!"
"Spot on! We should change her name. Let's call her Ronnie!"
The twins bombarded Ron with a flurry of insults. Only older brothers could mock their sibling so ruthlessly; had it been anyone else, Ron would have been throwing punches by now!
Ron realized he had misspoken earlier. He wanted to retort but couldn't find the words, puffing his chest out in frustration.
The common room door opened, and Sirius Black and Remus Lupin walked in, their faces beaming with joy.
As soon as Sirius saw Harry, he bellowed, "Harry! I've got great news! Barty Crouch Jr. has been caught!"
"What?"
All the young wizards jumped to their feet.
Harry asked, "How was he caught?"
Sirius laughed loudly. "The idiot probably thought the castle would be empty during the Christmas holidays. He snuck in, but he marched straight toward the Gryffindor common room, completely oblivious to the fact that every portrait in the castle acts as Dumbledore's eyes and ears!"
"So Dumbledore caught him?" Harry's eyes shone.
"All of us did!" Sirius was immensely proud. "The professors cornered him, and I finally took him down with a Leg-Locker Curse!"
"That's amazing!"
Harry clapped his hands as if he had been part of the arrest himself.
Hermione was genuinely happy too. Although she felt catching Barty Jr. seemed a bit too easy and that there might be more to it, her excitement for Audrey's concert pushed the thought to the back of her mind!
Lupin asked with a smile, "Harry, do you want to go see him? Showing up in front of him safe and sound would be the ultimate irony."
Sirius immediately agreed. "Exactly! Remus has the right idea! Harry, you really should see the look of despair on his face!"
"Yes, Harry," Lupin continued to persuade him. "Barty Jr. is definitely going to Azkaban. He might even face a Dementor's Kiss. If you don't see him now, you probably won't get another chance to see the madman who tried to take your life!"
Harry nodded. He felt a bit uneasy—after all, the impression Barty Jr. had left on him was quite crazed.
But as a Gryffindor, how could he hide?
If he didn't dare face a captured Death Eater, how would he ever face Voldemort?
"Alright, I'll go!"
He looked at his friends.
"Why don't we all go together?"
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