Thetis was suddenly pulled sideways by a tremendous force, rolling awkwardly on the ground several times before her head hit a giant rock thrown down by the troll, and she fainted.
It was precisely because of this sudden turn of events that she avoided Audrey's Cutting Curse.
"Useless," an old voice, sounding like iron brushes rubbing against each other, rang out. "Can't even handle such a small matter!"
A short and stout old goblin walked forward, gradually becoming solid from an illusionary state.
He only had a small part of his body.
Except for three-quarters of his head, half of his neck, and a complete right arm, the rest were metal constructs. On that body gleaming with metallic luster, he also wore a layer of thick armor, giving a very strange impression, like an alligator snapping turtle walking upright.
The reason for saying he looked like an alligator snapping turtle was mainly because of his hooked nose that almost drooped to the ground.
Not to mention the fierce white eyebrows and a mouth full of sharp teeth—these features allowed Audrey to recognize him at a glance.
"Ranrok!"
Yes, this was exactly the ringleader who planned the goblin rebellion one hundred years ago and conspired to seize the ancient magic power stored by the Keepers—the goblin Ranrok!
Ranrok glanced at Audrey with great surprise. "Since that woman erased all traces of herself from this world, there is actually someone who still recognizes me?"
Audrey spread her hands. "You still remember that woman, so why can't there be others who remember you?"
Regarding Ranrok, she actually didn't know anything, but she guessed that the woman Ranrok mentioned was most likely the protagonist of Hogwarts Legacy.
Audrey said this only to bluff Ranrok, to see if she could extract more information—because starting just now, she discovered she couldn't read Ranrok's thoughts.
"Hmph, brat, you dare speak to me like that!"
Audrey gripped her wand, fully alert, but said, "Didn't you, old man, get killed by that woman?"
Ranrok's face darkened. That was the past event he least wanted to recall; his entire being resisted it.
But in reality, even if he wanted to recall, he couldn't remember most of the content, as if someone had forcibly dug that period of time out of his brain.
If not for the deep hatred and obsession, he might not even remember "that woman."
Seeing the murderous intent appear in Ranrok's eyes, Arthur Weasley hurriedly stood beside Audrey.
To be honest, although Arthur and Lucius fought to a draw in hand-to-hand combat, like two novices pecking at each other, in terms of magical attainment, the Weasley patriarch had at least a combat power of 1.5 Ludo!
Ranrok snorted coldly. With a clench and wave of his right hand, Arthur felt himself being ruthlessly thrown aside by a pair of large hands, flying outwards.
Audrey, on the other hand, felt her neck being strangled by something and was dragged into mid-air—it was a chain constructed of magic power.
Ranrok glanced at Thetis, this junior who had already passed out.
The meaning was clear: just crush them with power, why engage in schemes and intrigues?
However, the next moment, Audrey grabbed the magic chain with her left hand and, with a slight exertion of force, crushed the chain into pieces.
In terms of strength, I am above you!!
Before even landing, Audrey shot towards Ranrok in mid-air like a cannonball.
Didn't you only have a small half of your body left?
Watch me use the power of a dragon to completely shatter the rest of your body!
Audrey, with her face covered by the mask, completely liberated her combat power. The face under the mask reverted to Hydrus, dragon form + Dementor, her combat power approaching twenty Ludo!
She broke the sound barrier, and a massive airwave spread to both sides, plowing a deep furrow in the muddy ground.
Ranrok was shocked. He extended both hands forward, and a massive repulsive force rushed straight at Hydrus.
If this were a hundred years ago, perhaps he could have stopped Hydrus. After all, Ranrok's strength was no less than a dragon's. But now, his body was less than a quarter intact, and his magic power was far less than before!
Thus, Hydrus was only delayed for 0.5 seconds before breaking through the obstruction, continuing to advance, pressing straight towards Ranrok!
"Hmph!"
Ranrok was an established powerhouse after all. Unflustered in the face of danger, he dared to use Apparition even in this life-or-death moment. With a soft swish, he shifted three or four meters away, dodging Audrey's assault.
Arthur had already climbed up from the ground by now. Although grimacing in pain, he couldn't care less about checking his injuries. He raised his hand and fired a Stunning Spell at Ranrok.
"Stupefy!"
Ranrok raised his left hand—that left hand made of goblin metal.
Only a soft hiss was heard, and Arthur Weasley's spell was actually absorbed!
Arthur was stunned for a moment.
But it was this moment of hesitation that Ranrok seized upon.
The old goblin raised his right hand and lifted Mr. Weasley high into the air from a distance, fully five or six meters off the ground.
"Ranrok"
He pressed his palm downwards, and with a whoosh, Arthur plummeted headfirst towards the ground at high speed.
"Dad!"
The redhead cubs inside the tank screamed. If he hit the ground solidly like this, his neck would definitely break! Looking at that falling speed, being smashed into meat paste was possible!
However, Hydrus had already stopped her body. With a point of her wand, the ground beneath Arthur instantly transformed into a pool of water.
Thanks to Professor McGall's attentive teaching this school year. A year ago, Hydrus wouldn't have had this ability!
With a splash, Arthur fell into the water.
Although he looked bedraggled, luckily his life was not in danger.
But the fact that Ranrok almost killed Arthur enraged Hydrus.
"Glacius!"
This was magic learned from the introductory Ancient Magic written by the Keeper boss Percival Rackham, a gift from the Gray family.
As ice flowers spread rapidly with Ranrok as the center, the old goblin immediately felt that his entire being was about to be frozen.
Bode Gray had used this magic on Hydrus several times. Hydrus could avoid it by relying on her own extremely high magic resistance and durable body.
Ranrok, however, did not have such a powerful body. On the contrary, his metal body was more susceptible to low temperatures. In just one second, he had already become stiff.
Swish!
Ranrok Apparated to Thetis's side. This time he couldn't retreat unscathed; one of his legs was left behind, instantly covered by blue-white ice flowers.
But he couldn't catch his breath for even a moment, because Hydrus's wand was already raised high, seemingly gathering power.
As Hydrus's wand swung down violently, a bolt of lightning as thick as a thousand-year-old tree crashed down from the void!
The lightning struck the ground with a booming sound, and a large crater comparable to one blasted by a 125mm cannon appeared there.
Hydrus ran to the crater and looked inside.
However, there was nothing in the crater.
She sighed; they had escaped in the end.
The goblin metal on Ranrok's body wouldn't be blasted into flying ash by ancient magic, so the lack of residue in the pit meant only one possibility: they had Apparated away at the last moment.
Arthur climbed out of the water pit, first cleaning the dirty water off his body with a Scourgify, then ran to Audrey's side.
Audrey took off her mask and put it back into the sachet, pointing at the goblins lying on the ground.
"Arthur, there are still three survivors there. Take them back to the Ministry for interrogation. The goblins might be rebelling again."
Arthur nodded.
"Also," Audrey thought for a moment and asked, "How is your relationship with other pure-blood families?"
Arthur Weasley shook his head awkwardly. "There aren't many families on good terms with us. Most pure-blood families view us as, view us as..."
Blood traitors.
"I understand."
Audrey interrupted Arthur. Although the Weasley family didn't care about the title "blood traitors," saying it out loud in public was still a loss of face.
"Then please say hello to the families your family is on good terms with. I will hold a wizarding bank preparatory meeting at the ruins of the Gringotts headquarters in Diagon Alley at two o'clock the day after tomorrow. Invite them to attend."
"Okay, I will notify them."
Audrey added, "Of course, that includes your Weasley family."
"Uh..." Arthur scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. "Our family's financial situation isn't very good. We probably can't help with the bank preparation."
"No, Arthur, trust me, it will be worth your while."
"Alright, alright..."
Getting back into the tank, the group was in no mood to go show off at the Lovegoods', so they set foot on the road home.
George and Fred volunteered to be drivers. Audrey was happy to be idle and sat aside.
Although physically idle, she was extremely irritable inside.
The roar of the engine was very loud, disturbing Audrey so she couldn't think calmly.
The clank clank clunk sound of the suspension created ripples of disturbance on the lake of her heart.
Cornelius Fudge!
This was the fourth time!
Fudge told the goblins her whereabouts, causing her group to be ambushed, and Arthur Weasley almost lost his life!
From the moment Molly knitted her a sweater and scarf, she had identified the Weasley family as close friends... Harming her close friends—the consequences would not be lighter than touching her Galleons!
She had originally planned to pull Fudge down from the Minister's position only in early August, but now it seemed, Fudge—
You are seeking your own death!
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]