"Bobby Graham?" Dumbledore was slightly surprised. "That's an unusual name."
He smiled and nodded. "If you were to enter Hogwarts, you'd probably be sorted into Slytherin," he waved a hand. "Now go home—don't keep your brother waiting."
Hydrus felt a sense of relief as if pardoned from some great sentence. She waved back hurriedly and ran toward the Leaky Cauldron.
She ran so frantically that she forgot she still had to go to the bookstore to buy her books. She ran so fast that even Golden Tiger couldn't keep up. She ran so messily that Dumbledore laughed heartily.
After a while, the old man smiled, then apparated back to Hogwarts.
Power allows one to do as they please.
He teased Fawkes a little. The phoenix had been napping on its perch and looked mildly annoyed, but Dumbledore was in such a good mood that he spoke to Fawkes:
"Fawkes, today I met a very interesting little girl," Dumbledore said gleefully, "she's different—she understands love."
Hydrus, understanding love, hurried into the Leaky Cauldron, grabbed a small barrel of Butterbeer from Old Tom, and left.
With Golden Tiger in tow, she Apparated back to Rick's house and quickly reverted to Audrey.
Hearing noise downstairs, Rick came out of his room.
"Is Audrey back?"
"Yes, brother! I bought something delicious, come try it!"
"All right, Audrey," Rick's voice sounded calmer now, less anxious. That was because he had just finished editing Picture to Burn.
"I'm coming down!"
Florin Fosco's ice cream was perfectly harmonious, just like the rapport between the Astrey siblings. The Butterbeer was silky smooth, like the siblings' effortless rise in the British music scene.
With each new song released, Peter Waterman was ecstatic; the siblings' talent was astonishing.
Audrey, meanwhile, enjoyed being a lyricist without needing to arrange or edit music—she just sang. She loved singing and didn't consider it hard work.
At this very moment, at a concert in London's Regent's Park, Audrey was thoroughly enjoying herself.
She stood on stage, radiant—a born star. Her magical aura allowed the audience to resonate with the music effortlessly, and her magically enhanced voice captivated them.
The audience included men, women, and children, even entire families.
"Mom!" Hermione Granger, perched on Mr. Granger's shoulders, exclaimed, "I can't believe Audrey Astrey is the lady we saw in the department store!"
"I said she looked like Audrey Hepburn—turns out her name really is Audrey!"
Hermione closed her eyes as Audrey hit a high note; the crowd held its breath, as if breaking the note might shatter the performance.
"I can't believe I'm so lucky to meet my favorite singer!"
Hermione shouted, indistinguishable from the other fanatics. "I've decided—Audrey Astrey is my idol!"
Mrs. Granger laughed. "Your idols are too many—Einstein? Newton? Shakespeare? Aristotle?"
"That's different, Mom!" Hermione's big eyes shone as she gazed at the glowing Audrey. "She's different!"
Seeing Golden Tiger quietly sitting beside Audrey, tapping rhythmically with her tail, Hermione felt she had discovered a new world.
"Look! Even her cat is extraordinary!"
"Mom, can we get a cat too?"
Six-year-old Harry Potter hid in the cupboard, listening to a music channel on an old radio he'd salvaged from the trash—one of Dudley's discards.
He had painstakingly found two barely charged batteries and kept the volume nearly muted.
He listened earnestly to Sweeter Than Fiction. The singer was obviously young, with a sweet, enchanting voice.
"I've seen you fall,I've seen you on your knees,I've seen you lost in the crowd,I've seen you fade away,I wish I could make it better,One day, you won't rememberThe pain you once thought endless."
Harry nodded along, feeling the lyrics deeply.
"You stand tall, fearless—I always knew,Your gaze stretches beyond the horizon,This love is sweeter than fiction!"
The song felt like family comforting and encouraging him: past pains would fade, and if he persevered, life would be sweeter than fiction.
Harry clutched the radio, singing along with excitement:
"You stand tall, fearless—I always knew,Your gaze stretches beyond the horizon,This love is sweeter than fiction!"
Thump thump thump!
Dudley's stomping from upstairs shook the floor. Then Harry heard his cousin yelling:
"Shut up, Harry Potter!""You sing terribly! If Audrey hears you singing her song, she'll cry!"
Harry obediently fell silent. Compared to his aunt's family, Audrey felt more like family—at least in this song.
Miss Astrey wouldn't mind me, Harry thought.
At the Burrow, Molly Weasley, the proud mother of seven, busied herself in the kitchen.
She, as usual, listened to the Wizarding Wireless Network, currently airing Magic Time, a music program hosted by the new personality, Glenda Chittock.
Yes, the wizarding world could be nonsensical: Magic Time ignored magic and talked about music.
Beautiful melodies filled the Burrow.
"The wings of the great fish, so vast,I release the ropes of time.Watching you fly far away,You were born to belong to the skies;Every teardrop flows toward you,Returning to our first meeting…"
Molly listened enchanted, waving her wand like a conductor. Small knives chopped onions swiftly, spoons stirred soup rhythmically.
But peace was quickly disrupted.
"Ron! Audrey Astrey isn't a Muggle!"
"No way! Chittock said—" Ron mimicked Glenda Chittock, flailing."Next song comes from a Muggle singer, Audrey Astrey. She's eleven, sadly not at Hogwarts, so she's not a witch."
"No, no, no, Ron," George interjected, "not all young wizards go to school."Fred added, "You can't take Chittock's words as evidence!"
Ron huffed: "Then you have no proof she's a wizard either!"
Fred and George exchanged glances. Fred spoke first:"Look at this line: 'The wings of the great fish, so vast.' Ron, as far as I know, Muggles don't have giant winged fish!"
George continued:"Then: 'I release the ropes of time' and 'returning to our first meeting.'" He spread his arms. "Clearly, this describes time magic!"
Fred marveled: "Time magic! Even Dumbledore hasn't mastered time magic!"
Little Ron was lost, wanting to argue but unsure how. Fortunately, Molly intervened:"You're too loud! You're disturbing my listening!"
The twins made faces at the kitchen, then thumped upstairs.
Ron quietly listened to Audrey's deep, ethereal singing, imagining a giant winged fish soaring in the sky.
Though losing the debate, Ron wasn't upset—he was actually a bit happy.
If only Audrey were really a witch…Maybe George and Fred are right—she is a wizard!
December 1986.
Audrey opened her eyes on the plane.
Gently stroking Golden Tiger in her lap, she smiled at Rick, asleep beside her.
Over these months, Rick had cared for her, clumsy but gentle—and even a little cute.
She had accepted this brother.
She had never imagined her musical talent would be so remarkable.
In just three months, the "Astrey siblings" had become a national sensation, even receiving invitations from America.
Now she sat on a flight from New York to London.
After finishing the U.S. tour, she immediately requested leave from Mr. Waterman. She was considered a treasure—denial was impossible.
Audrey smirked; she wasn't asking for leave to rest.
Another quarter was approaching, and the Lestrange family's wealth would be consolidated in London.
And the Galleons in her Gringotts vault would move again!