Stepping out of the airport, Vid briefly paused as New York's unique hustle and bustle and the summer heat hit him in the face. He glanced over everything before him.
This was New York in 1995.
Although London was now also a world-class city, the United States' New York was different—it was the absolute center of global finance and economy, the focal stage of world diplomacy and politics.
The city was charged with a raw and fierce, boiling vitality at this moment, a massive victory in politics and pinnacle status defined each ordinary person, making them exude a nearly overflowing confidence and enthusiasm.
Fragments of various accented languages clashed on his eardrums, the impatient honking of vehicles rose and fell. Spaghetti strap dresses, brightly colored high heels, denim jackets, work pants, high-top basketball shoes... even as Vid viewed them with a "future perspective," they didn't seem outdated.
While they paused briefly, a figure, like a shark scenting blood, swiftly darted out from the sidelines, moving so fast that even the trained American Aurors were slightly taken aback.
The person was a tall, skinny wizard with sandy brown hair, wearing a crumpled dark yellow coat paired with a clashing plaid shirt inside, a crooked tie hanging around his neck, resembling an unserious operator.
"Mr. Vid Gray! Wait, you are Mr. Vid Gray, aren't you?"
Shouting as he moved, the wizard slipped through the Aurors' encircling formation like a nimble sardine, several people reaching out to grab him but failing to touch even the hem of his clothes.
Selena and Rex's faces turned dark as they reached into their suits and discreetly pulled out their magic wands halfway, striding forward.
Meanwhile, the wizard, having seemingly apparated in front of Vid, didn't resist as Moody seized his shoulder; instead, he quickly raised the camera on his chest to snap two photos before grabbing a quill and a notebook like magic.
At the same time, his mouth didn't pause; the prepared questions fired off like rapid machine gun fire:
"Mr. Vid Gray, I'm Tom Hake, a reporter from the New York Ghost! Can I take up just a minute of your time?"
—Tom?
Vid looked up at the seemingly ordinary name.
Without waiting for a response, the wizard spoke rapidly:
"As the youngest judge in the history of the international alchemy competition, how do you feel at this moment? Do you think you deserve such an honor?"
"At just fifteen, you allegedly possess alchemy knowledge surpassing most scholars in this field who have been immersed for decades—is there perhaps exaggeration in these claims?"
"Hey, you fellow." Moody tugged his collar and pulled him close, shouting angrily, "Do you know what happened to the last nitwit who irritated me like this?"
Suddenly alert, Moody shoved the self-described reporter away, warning, "Get out of my sight! Or I'll consider you to have malicious intent—"
His clenched teeth indicated an unmistakable threat.
Bellowed at by Moody, Tom Hake's ears buzzed, and facing Moody's scarred visage, he was too shocked to speak.
Yet, having been pushed away, he quickly regained his vibrancy, wiping off the spit flecks from his face, surprisingly not bothering with Moody, and continued craning his neck to ask Vid, protected in the center of the crowd:
"Please answer the question, Mr. Gray! Rumor has it you have a close relationship with Albus Dumbledore, and some say the true inventor of poppets is Triss Moray, is this true? Are you Dumbledore's hidden grandson, or Triss Moray's illegitimate child?"
Despite his speech speed seeming like several hundred syllables per minute, Vid didn't intend to deal with him, but hearing this, he instinctively asked in shock: "What?"
This simple response immediately excited Tom Hake, who continued quickly asking:
"During the magic league, was your opponent really the legendary Voldemort? Are you sure it wasn't some cleverly disguised imposters? Would you mind sharing the details?"
His questions grew increasingly direct, increasingly touching sensitive cores, with his pale green eyes fixed on Vid, trying to capture the subtlest emotional changes on his face.
And while he ceaselessly threw out questions, although his eyes stayed on Vid, the quill in his hand never stopped shaking—
Clearly, the reporter held the quill only for show; in fact, it needed no owner's control, it was a shorthand quill similar to Rita Skeeter's, capable of autonomously generating lengthy articles.
However, the mention of Voldemort seemed to finally shake those previously stunned by the journalist's revelations; they immediately surged forward to seize Tom Hake, physically separating him from Vid.
"Back off! Mr. Hake!" Selena coldly said, "This isn't the time or place for an interview!"
Tom Hake, being dragged away with his arms restrained, seemed quite accustomed to it, relaxing his body and letting his weight press on the Aurors' arms, still loudly asking:
"Mr. Gray, why are your actions dictated by these Aurors? Did you violate any law? Or are you being persecuted by Congress? Are they restricting your freedom?"
"Shut up, Hake!" The Auror snapped: "I warn you to retreat immediately, or I will arrest you for obstruction of official duties!"
"Please say something, Mr. Gray! Whatever it is, I'll speak up for you! I'll defend your freedom of speech with my life!"
Tom Hake audaciously shouted, even as Selena approached him with a cold sneer, he still stuck his neck out babbling:
"You can't stop Mr. Gray from granting my interview! The public has a right to know!"
Selena's eyes gleamed coldly as she deftly snatched the quill and notebook still rapidly writing in his hand, scanning the verbose text and repeatedly inspecting the quill.
"Mr. Hake!"
Selena icily stated: "You've blatantly used items clearly defined as secondary magic tools in a public place filled with muggles! This act severely violates the Confidentiality Law!"
Before the words finished, she forcefully gripped the quill—
"No—"
Tom Hake screamed in agony.
With a loud "crack," the delicate quill broke in half, its previously bright red color suddenly turning dull.
Almost simultaneously, Rex's massive hand clamped down on Tom Hake's shoulder like a vise, his immense strength leaving him completely immobilized.
"Blatantly violating the Confidentiality Law... you're under arrest, Mr. Hake."
Rex calmly announced: "Take him away!"
Using wandless magic, Tom Hake, who had been incessantly chattering moments ago, was now voiceless, unable to resist as two Aurors carried him off the scene.
The chaotic scene here naturally drew some muggle attention, but Rex's group appeared to ordinary people akin to tax officials or law enforcement, so no one rushed out to "rise up in righteous indignation."
Everything happening here, on this ground in New York, even lacked the value to become a topic of conversation, and naturally wouldn't leave a significant impression on ordinary people.
By tonight, those shallow memories would vanish like birds swiftly flying across the sky, leaving no traces.