Pansy Parkinson had stayed up late, partying with her excited friends in the Slytherin common room.
Of course, her main goal was to satisfy Draco's desire for a clever sidekick. Goyle and Crabbe were just too dim to deliver even a proper compliment.
Draco spent the entire evening gushing over Audrey Astley, seemingly having completely forgotten the disdain he'd shown her at the start of the semester.
Pansy couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. A mere Mudblood—was she really worth such admiration?
Back in the dormitory, Pansy grew increasingly frustrated. She pulled Daphne Greengrass into a late-night chat.
"Daphne, tell me—what's so special about that Astley girl? Why are all the boys completely obsessed with her?"
Daphne, already sleepy, forced herself to respond. "Pansy, don't think so much. She just… sings."
Pansy sat up on the bed, animated. "Exactly! She's just a singer. Draco and the others are completely charmed! Astley is a little temptress! That damn Mudblood!"
She berated Audrey furiously, forgetting that she herself had been one of the most enthusiastic cheerers at today's concert.
"Yeah, yeah, Malfoy doesn't like Mudbloods…"
Daphne didn't want to continue this conversation. Sleep was taking over her brain—it felt like it was crawling out of her ears. She needed to end this topic quickly.
"And besides, in three years, she'll graduate. But Draco will be your classmate for seven years!"
"Hmm, you're right," Pansy nodded, but suddenly grew anxious. "Daphne, you'll be in class with Draco for seven years too… you won't try to steal him from me, right?"
Daphne rolled her eyes in the darkness. "Relax. Greengrass isn't interested in Malfoy."
Pansy relaxed and lay back down.
"Bang!"
The door suddenly burst open. A group of masked figures stormed in.
"Ah—" Pansy barely screamed before a wand was pressed against her neck.
"Quiet, miss, or don't blame us for being ruthless," the leader said in a low voice.
Slytherin's room had been targeted because it was the only one with noise. Pansy, Daphne, and two other roommates were dragged up.
The other two girls had been unlucky too. They had pretended to sleep all night to avoid Pansy's silly complaints, only for their dorm to be ambushed just as Pansy was ready to sleep.
Tomorrow was Transfiguration class. Professor McGonagall had recently started targeting Slytherin students, frustrated with Snape's reckless grading. Even though McGonagall had limits, anyone caught misbehaving would not be spared. If they were late or distracted in class, trouble was guaranteed.
"You better be quiet, or I can't guarantee your safety," the leader wearing a silver mask said.
The four girls nodded repeatedly. Slytherins rarely act rashly in extreme danger—basically, they were scared stiff.
"Tell me… where is Audrey Astley's dormitory?"
Pansy's eyes lit up. Salazar bless her—this was the perfect chance to get rid of a rival! Those people were obviously not good! That bitch—she wouldn't get away this time!
"I'll tell you!" Pansy blurted. "Astley's room is at the end of the corridor, third door from the right!"
The leader nodded, signaling his subordinates.
"Stun them!"
Spells shot out, and the four girls collapsed to the floor.
Golden Tiger hid near the entrance on a bookshelf, his one good eye fixed on the door.
Click.
The door lock was undone. In Hogwarts, student dorm locks were mostly for show—anything important was kept in enchanted, trap-protected storage.
The Serpent's Fang intruders and a few Gray clan members crept inside. Bode Gray followed behind.
They cast a low-power Lumos, illuminating the room—and froze.
Audrey lay on a dark green bed… completely covered in Galleons! The coins were so densely piled that the bed itself was nearly invisible. They had to peek through gaps to see the sheets.
Not just the Gray clan and Serpent's Fang—Bode Gray had never seen anything like this. Was this girl a greedy dragon in human form? Sleeping on gold—didn't it hurt?
Seeing his subordinates hesitate, Bode whispered, "Grab her and the gold!"
The Gray family was broke, and his Serpent's Fang had no income. They survived on his heists alone. Seeing a bed piled with Galleons made his eyes turn red with greed.
"Meow!"
A loud, piercing cat cry woke Audrey. She immediately heard someone shouting, "Grab her! Take the gold too!"
What? Someone was trying to steal her Galleons?
Audrey shot upright, swatting away a Stupefy.
Damn it! A 0.5-power Stunning Spell, and they dared?
She blocked the spell bare-handed, leapt from the bed, wand in hand.
A room full of masked men. Serpent's Fang. Five killers shot spells at Audrey, while others scrambled for the gold, thinking it more efficient to grab coins while she was distracted.
They had angered the wrong girl. Night raid? Fine—they would fail. Kidnap her? Sure, try it! But steal her gold?
Blue flames erupted around her—her Fire Shield!
The Stupefy spells hit the fire and fizzled. The unlucky gold-grabbers standing too close instantly turned to ash.
Dumbledore had said not to kill, but Audrey couldn't resist. Her coins were her life. Steal them, and it was war.
The blue flames raged, killing only those who touched them. Everything else, even the alarm-cat, was untouched.
Bode Gray's face turned dark. Damn the cat! If it hadn't warned her, they would've already taken Audrey!
"Avada Kedavra!"
A green light shot at Golden Tiger, but the cat reacted seven times faster than a human, leaping from the shelf.
Bode swore, shifting his target to Audrey.
"Infinite Ice!"
Blue ice petals spread across the dorm. Bode knew Audrey was talented, but still young—her magical power wasn't yet a match for him.
"Everyone, get out! I'll handle this alone! Go secure the common room door!"
Once his minions left, it was just Audrey and Bode. A one-on-one battle. He was confident.
But Audrey exceeded his expectations. In a flash, she became a bolt of lightning, charging at him.
Bode's wand flicked—a thunderbolt blocked her.
"What magic is this?" he shouted.
Audrey had just used a moving spell from Bode Gray's ancestral ancient magic notes—one he had never mastered in his lifetime. He only knew three: Ice, Thunder, and Tracking.
Audrey reappeared in a corner.
"Is this impressive? Just an entry-level ancient spell," she said casually.
Bode Gray was silent. The notes were indeed Introduction to Ancient Magic…
"You broke into my room, trying to take both me and my gold? Not today! I'm angry!"
A few days ago, she might have had to outsmart Bode Gray, but now she fully understood all the magic in Introduction to Ancient Magic.
She knew his power… and he was no longer a threat.