### Chapter 93 + Chapter 94: This Woman Is Extraordinary; She Is Destined for Great Things
"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Mrs Weasley!"
Audrey and Rick headed towards the Weasleys' fireplace. With a flash of green flames, they disappeared.
Ginny excitedly rushed over to her mother, wrapped her arms around her, and whispered, "Mum!"
"Do you know Audrey? She's amazing!"
"She can fly and summon lightning! Neither the troll nor the goblins stood a chance against her!"
Molly paused.
Trolls? Goblins?
"Arthur, you've been out for quite a while. How on earth did you end up running into trolls and goblins?"
Arthur shook his head. "Someone is trying to harm Audrey." He hurriedly put on his jacket. "I need to inform some of our acquaintances that they've been invited to attend the inaugural meeting of the new Wizarding Bank!"
Molly stepped forward and straightened his collar. "Go early and come home early. Be careful."
...
...
Lucius Malfoy leaned comfortably against the sofa and took a sip of red wine. It was a Christmas gift from Hydra, supposedly brewed by a house-elf in the Lower Range and of excellent quality.
He listened with considerable relief as his son enthusiastically recounted the astonishing exploits of his older female cousin.
Fortunately, he hadn't tried to seize the Lestranges' business back then. Otherwise, the Malfoy family might now be in the same predicament as Gringotts.
Not only had they avoided being dragged into the financial disaster, but thanks to the family connection between Narcissa and Hydra, the Malfoys had survived the financial crisis that had nearly devastated the entire British wizarding world.
He had even managed to acquire several properties at bargain prices when the Ministry of Magic auctioned off Gringotts' real estate. Few could compete with him in terms of property ownership now!
Ever since becoming the head of the Malfoy family, when had he ever enjoyed such a peaceful and comfortable life?
Sizzle!
Audrey suddenly Apparated into the living room.
She glanced around. "Oh, Uncle Lucius is here!"
Lucius paused, but Draco immediately exclaimed, "Older Cousin!"
Audrey transformed back into Hydra and laughed at him. "Uncle, you really are getting forgetful!"
Only then did Lucius recognize Hydra. He hurriedly stood up.
"It's Hydra! Long time no see!"
His attitude towards her was nothing like that of an uncle greeting his young niece. Instead, he felt as though he were standing face-to-face with the Dark Lord himself.
That really is her child!
"Draco, go and call your mother downstairs. Tell her Hydra is here, and we're going to prepare a grand feast for her tonight!"
Draco nodded enthusiastically and hurried upstairs. The little boy was already looking forward to the moment his classmates discovered that Audrey Astley was his older cousin!
Lucius shook his head slightly.
"Draco is still too immature. I'll have to trouble you to give him some guidance at school."
Hydra sat down on the sofa opposite him without hesitation.
"Draco has been overprotected and lacks experience," she said, beckoning a glass towards herself and pouring some wine. "When I was his age, the Grey family was hunting me down, and the Ministry of Magic had even put a price on my head with a wanted poster!"
Lucius felt rather embarrassed. After all, he hadn't offered Hydra any help when she'd been in trouble.
He quickly changed the subject.
"You came to see me today because you need something, didn't you?"
Hydra nodded. "Yes. I need you to notify all the families you know. Tomorrow afternoon, there'll be a meeting at the former Gringotts headquarters in Diagon Alley to discuss establishing a new bank."
Lucius frowned. "They've all been swindled out of their money and are practically penniless now. They might not be willing to attend."
Hydra smiled. "What if I told you that the new bank would compensate them for some of the money Gringotts swindled from them? Do you think they'd come then?"
Lucius Malfoy was stunned.
Had Hydra Lestrange really become that wealthy?
No! This young woman had much greater ambitions than that!
She...
"By the way," Hydra continued, setting down her glass. The crystal clinked pleasantly against the obsidian coffee table. "I won't be attending tomorrow's meeting. It will be chaired by Gellert Grindelwald's grand-nephew."
Lucius was astonished. "Shouldn't you attend in person to win everyone over?"
Hydra waved a hand dismissively. "My identity is too sensitive. I can't show my face before everything is settled. And you'd better not reveal my real identity to anyone, either."
Lucius was deeply impressed.
She was only sixteen years old, yet she was already so composed and calculating!
This woman is extraordinary. She is destined for great things!
The Malfoy family must choose its side in advance!
...
Unfortunately, Hydra's simple desire to avoid unnecessary trouble had been interpreted by Lucius as evidence of extraordinary strategic brilliance.
Clearly, people could read far too much into things.
...
...
Diagon Alley.
The former Gringotts headquarters.
The bustling crowds that had once filled the area were gone. The entrance to the strange white building now stood deserted.
But on this particular day, the shopkeepers across from Gringotts were astonished to see people arriving at the abandoned headquarters!
They knew these people all too well. During Gringotts' final days, they had been among those who showed up every day to demand repayment of their debts.
But Gringotts had gone bankrupt. Why were they still coming here?
Goblins were stationed at the entrance, greeting the visitors. They respectfully ushered the heads or representatives of the major wizarding families inside.
This inevitably made people wonder: was Gringotts about to make a comeback?
"Is Gringotts really going to reopen, Miss?" a saleswoman from Twilfitt and Tattings asked the saleswoman from the apothecary next door.
"If they're reopening, then they'd better hurry up!" the other woman replied. "I'm exhausted! Ever since Gringotts went bankrupt, we've had to keep all our cash in the shop. It's practically an invitation to thieves! Our boss has even made me live here permanently!"
"You're absolutely right!" the saleswoman from Twilfitt and Tattings agreed. "It's been a nightmare. Those petty thieves from Knockturn Alley are absolutely despicable!"
"They only dare to steal from our shops because Gringotts is gone. If the bank were still operating, would they dare rob us?"
"Exactly!"
The saleswoman watched as one important figure after another entered Gringotts.
"Have you heard? Old Ollivander's shop was burgled last night! Fortunately, that old fellow is incredibly capable and had set up plenty of traps. He caught six thieves in one go!"
The other saleswoman shuddered.
"Six? My goodness! If those thieves came to our shop, I'd be finished!"
The saleswoman from Twilfitt and Tattings scoffed. "Have you even looked at how badly your shop is doing? Your business can barely afford to pay your wages. What kind of clueless thief would bother robbing you?"
Ouch. That was harsh!
Judging by what was happening today, it really did seem that Gringotts was going to reopen.
They had better hurry up. Diagon Alley simply couldn't do without a bank!
Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley met outside Gringotts.
Lucius instinctively prepared to make a sarcastic remark. But then he remembered that this meeting was the first task Hydra had entrusted to him, and he couldn't afford to ruin it.
So he swallowed his cutting words.
Arthur gave him a strange look.
Could this Lucius Malfoy be an impostor who drank Polyjuice Potion?
Wasn't the first thing he usually did whenever we met to belittle and mock me?
Arthur had been prepared to let Malfoy have his say today. After all, this was an important day for Audrey's plans to establish a bank. If Malfoy made a few snide remarks, Arthur had intended to ignore him and let it pass.
But now, with Malfoy suddenly keeping his mouth shut, Arthur was completely bewildered.
"Oh, good afternoon, Arthur Weasley."
"Hello, Lucius Malfoy."
The success of the bank's preparatory committee was already practically assured. And now, the heads of two families that could almost be considered enemies were actually greeting each other politely.
Audrey Astley—or rather, Hydra Lestrange...
This woman truly is extraordinary!