Actor

The wide variety of magic displayed onstage left Albert dumbfounded. The Barnaby Finley Excellent Spellcasting Technique Competition somehow had the feel of a circus.

Still, it could not be denied that most wizards who dared enter the competition had some real skill. At the very least, none of the contestants who took the stage were particularly lacking in magical attainment.

Some conjured a flock of birds and put on a "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" display; others directed puppets with their wands in an elegant dance; some even performed the trick of breathing fire.

For the moment, though, the most eye-catching contestant was probably a middle-aged male wizard in his forties. He used Animagus transformation to turn directly into an owl, flew a lap above the stage, then transformed back into human form, drawing gasps and applause from the audience.

However, once there were enough contestants, there was naturally no shortage of dreadful performances.

That was especially true of the younger lads. The magic they showed was fairly ordinary. One man in his early twenties made mistake after mistake because he was too nervous, becoming the focus of the competition instead.

The man finally walked off the stage with his head lowered and left the bar outright. He probably had no face left to stay, afraid of becoming everyone's joke.

The line moved quickly. Each person only had a brief moment onstage, and it was almost Albert's turn.

The young man ahead of him stumbled onto the stage and performed a spell that turned a paper bird into a real one. The bird flew around above his head for a while before plunging headfirst onto the stage, drawing scattered laughter.

Albert saw several judges nearby shake their heads almost imperceptibly, seemingly writing something down on their papers.

"Let