### Chapter 91: Tethys's Scheme
The group climbed out of the tank.
Arthur said to Audrey, "This tank really is powerful. It managed to blast a thick-skinned troll into that state!"
Bill sighed. "Indeed. Even Confringo can't kill a troll."
Arthur looked at the children. "You lot, step back. Bill and I will deal with this fellow."
But before Arthur had even finished speaking, Audrey had already raised her wand.
"Diffindo!"
The troll's legs were severed at the knees. Its massive body pitched forward, and it landed face-first in the mud.
The troll had no idea how its legs had suddenly broken. After struggling to sit up, it reached out and touched the severed ends.
"Roar! Roar!"
"It hurts! It hurts!"
Arthur had never expected Audrey to act so decisively. Her spellcasting technique, magical power, and accuracy were all exceptional.
The children had told him that Audrey was a witch, but seeing her abilities with his own eyes was something else entirely. A genius, just as they'd said. She truly lived up to her reputation.
Audrey approached the troll and switched to her Legilimency Physique.
It hurts! It hurts so much!
Mum, I want to go home!
No, I have to obey Lord Tethys's orders!
I'm going to kidnap this little girl!
But my legs are shorter now. I might not be able to catch her!
The troll's mind was simple. Its thoughts went around in circles, repeating the same few things over and over.
Nevertheless, Audrey had more or less figured out what was going on.
So it really was that goblin, Tethys!
From what Audrey remembered, the female goblin was cunning and calculating. She would never place all her hopes on two trolls, which meant she must have another trick up her sleeve.
Audrey switched Physiques again and began glimpsing the future. A moment later, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
I see!
Suddenly, a beam of red light shot out from the woods.
But how could someone who had already seen the future, like Audrey, be successfully ambushed?
With a slight flick of her wrist, she sent the incoming spell flying.
"Stupefy!"
Seven or eight goblins emerged from the forest.
Arthur's expression turned grave. Every one of them was carrying a wand.
He was confident he could take on a goblin in a one-on-one fight, but with so many of them gathered here, he had no idea how things would turn out.
Audrey took out the mask she had received for Christmas and put it on. At once, she seemed to exude a mysterious, distinctly Slytherin aura.
"Arthur, take everyone back to the tank. I'll handle things here."
"But Audrey, all these goblins have wands!"
"Even an ant with a weapon is still an ant. Don't worry."
With that, Audrey walked towards the goblins.
Arthur turned and told Rick and the children to get inside the tank, but he himself stayed where he was.
Audrey might have sounded completely confident, but how could he let a young girl face such danger alone?
Besides, Audrey was his guest. He had invited her here, yet the moment danger appeared, he was supposed to retreat while leaving her to deal with it? What kind of host would that make him?
He simply couldn't live with himself if he did that!
But in the next moment, he could hardly believe his eyes.
Audrey charged straight into the goblins at an astonishing speed.
She wasn't merely fast; her movements were so unpredictable that Arthur couldn't even find the words to describe them. If he had to make a comparison, Audrey reminded him of a Dementor moving at an accelerated speed.
He wanted to help, but in the end, all he could do was watch.
Every time Audrey moved, a flash of her wand sent out a Severing Charm. Like the Grim Reaper, she swept through the enemy ranks, mercilessly reaping lives as she went.
"Audrey really is ruthless," Bill exclaimed.
Inside the tank, the children peered through the observation slit and periscope at the enormous rocks outside.
"Ron, is this how they teach the Severing Charm at Hogwarts nowadays?"
Ron shook his head vigorously. "I haven't even learned the Severing Charm yet! How would I know?"
Fred chimed in, "No, the school would never allow us to use the Severing Charm on people!"
Ron grumbled, "It's all the Sorting Hat's fault for putting Audrey in Slytherin. She spends every day hanging around with those Dark wizards, and they've corrupted her!"
Out on the battlefield, five of the eight goblins were already dead, while another two were injured. Their numbers had dwindled, and their morale was on the verge of collapse.
How are we supposed to fight this?
We can't even touch a hair on our enemy's head, but her attacks are fast and ruthless. If she hits you, you die. If you get close enough to touch her, you end up injured!
Suddenly, three more Stupefy spells came flying out of nowhere.
Their target wasn't Audrey, however, but the three goblins who were still standing.
Caught completely off guard, all three collapsed unconscious.
Those three spells had been Stunners.
As the battle came to an end, a graceful figure emerged from the shadows.
"Amazing! Simply amazing! I never expected Miss Astray to possess such extraordinary magical talent at such a young age. It's truly an eye-opener!"
The unmistakable husky mezzo-soprano voice belonged to the goblin Tethys.
"I'm sorry, Miss Astray. I'm terribly sorry to have startled you. These goblins are all traitors—former members of Gringotts. The Elders' faction hates you for bringing down Gringotts, so they sent these people to take revenge on you!"
Tethys approached with empty hands, looking entirely harmless.
"I learned of their plan, so I rushed here as quickly as I could. Unfortunately, I was still too late!"
Audrey narrowed her eyes slightly. She didn't remove her mask, and her voice revealed neither pleasure nor anger.
"So I should thank you, Tethys?"
Tethys hurriedly waved her hands. "No, no, no! I haven't helped at all. Even if I hadn't come, Miss Astray, you could have dealt with these people yourself, couldn't you?"
"Besides, this whole affair was the goblins' fault to begin with. Even if I really had helped you, I wouldn't dare ask you to thank me!"
Audrey was now certain that Tethys had orchestrated the entire affair from beginning to end.
After all, Audrey's current Physiques were the Dementor Physique and the Legilimency Physique—and the latter had actually originated from Tethys!
Audrey suddenly smiled.
"Miss Tethys, there's something I'd like to ask you. I wonder if you could help me with it?"
"Of course. What is it?"
Audrey rested her chin on her hand.
"I know you arranged for those goblins and the two trolls to come after me."
At those words, Tethys's expression changed dramatically.
Audrey continued, unhurriedly, "You probably wanted to stage a little drama in which the heroine arrives just in time to rescue a damsel in distress. That way, I'd feel grateful to you, and you could use that gratitude to persuade me to help you excavate the Nordic ruins. Am I right?"
"Of course, that's not what I wanted to ask you. After all, I already know all of that."
Tethys's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint appearing in them.
Seeing how poorly Tethys was managing to conceal her reaction, Audrey secretly delighted in herself.
"What I really want to know is this: how exactly did you know I'd be at the Weasleys' house today?"
Tethys fell silent for a moment. Then she asked in a low voice, "I don't understand, Miss Astray. Why are you so unwilling to help us excavate the ruins?"
"Why?"
Audrey had already gleaned the whole story from Tethys's unsuspecting mind. Now, she simply wanted to tease the goblin who had tried to outsmart her and failed.
"Because I'm not interested!" Audrey laughed. "I'm far wealthier now than I ever was when my money was in Gringotts. What possible appeal could a mere ruin hold for me?"
"Besides, I have no interest in Ancient Magic. It's not as though I have a grandfather named Ranrok!"
Tethys was stunned.
She felt as though Audrey could see straight through her, as if she had no secrets at all. That feeling of being completely exposed was absolutely dreadful!
"It was Fudge who tipped you off!" Audrey suddenly declared. "The Aurors had people stationed near my house beforehand, so naturally, they knew what I was doing today."
Audrey fixed Tethys with an unwavering stare.
"Within the Ministry of Magic, the only person with the authority to know my whereabouts—and who would accept bribes from you goblins without the slightest scruple—is Minister Fudge. I can't think of anyone else!"
Audrey's twisted sense of humour lay in pretending that she had deduced everything herself, when in reality, she had simply read it straight from the other person's mind.
Tethys nodded. "Impressive reasoning, Miss Astray. I can't say I was defeated unfairly. But…"
"Stupefy!"
Tethys's attack was swift and sudden, but she had never really expected it to work. She was merely trying to create an opportunity to escape.
After all, Audrey had just slaughtered her subordinates as easily as cutting melons and chopping vegetables. Tethys herself might not even be much stronger than they were.
Yet Audrey appeared completely oblivious to the sneak attack. The spell struck her directly.
Tethys was overjoyed!
What an unexpected stroke of luck! She had never imagined her sneak attack would actually succeed.
"Ah! Ah! I've been hit by Stupefy!" Audrey clutched her stomach, trembling all over. "Ah! Ah! I'm going to faint! Someone's going to carry me away!"
Tethys: "…"
Audrey looked up and finally stopped holding back her laughter.
"Hahahaha! Miss Tethys, are you surprised? Didn't see that coming, did you?"
The Dementor Physique was practically immune to all magic except Expecto Patronum!
However, what had blocked Tethys's sneak attack this time wasn't Audrey's Physique, but the Shield Charm built into the green mask!
This Master-level Shield Charm was incredibly sturdy. How could someone like Tethys, who possessed only had so little amount of magical power, possibly break through it?
Audrey raised her wand. The joke was over. She needed to deal with Tethys quickly.
Leaving this female goblin alive would only lead to trouble in the future.
If you didn't pull out weeds by the roots, they would simply grow back when spring came.
Audrey wasn't Dumbledore. She wasn't about to give someone as dangerous as Tethys another chance.
"Diffindo!"