The brown-haired man leaned forward, saying, "Actually, I recently got a piece of news..."
He lowered his voice even more, as if afraid of being overheard, his eyes blazing as he said:
"It seems the remnants of the Scourers have caught a whiff too... A hodgepodge of people during the tournament, they might create even greater chaos... And chaos... is our opportunity."
"Chaos is a tool, not a goal."
The other voice carried no unnecessary emotion, saying, "I want results, definitive ones that can bring breakthroughs. Prometheus's patience isn't infinite, and neither is mine..."
"Of course, Sir," the brown-haired man leaned forward, "I will bring back the fire, and my 'partner' will certainly provide enough persuasion."
"Hope everything goes smoothly," the other person sighed, "For us, time is the only luxury, and we're overspending it massively... Don't let me down, my friend."
"Certainly, when has our cooperation ever disappointed you?" the brown-haired man said confidently.
At this moment, the lights in the dance floor outside flashed, and one beam of light passed through the narrow one-way glass on the door, briefly illuminating another person in the booth.
That person looked at least eighty years old, with thick, white, unruly eyebrows and a pair of unforgettable eyes beneath them.
He wore a silk turtleneck shirt, had a thick, soft woolen blanket covering his lap, with hands resting on the armrest resembling ancient tree roots, skin marked with clear spots and veins.
The light flashed and vanished, and the room returned to dim silence, the flickering candlelight seemingly forming an invisible field around the old man, imparting a sense of heavy oppression.
...
In the following days, Vid and the other two didn't attempt to test the United States Aurors' patience, roaming the streets of Manhattan like real tourists, getting familiar with New York's environment, shopping, taking photos, and tasting exotic cuisines.
Although constantly accompanied by a few Aurors, which was annoying, Vid took a different perspective and regarded them as diligent bodyguards and tour guides.
The rest of the personnel changed frequently, but every time the three went out, Selena would always be by their side.
Rather than let the three foreign wizards wander the streets, Selena preferred them to stay in the wizard's territory to avoid any accidental breach of secrecy.
Therefore, within two days, Selena proactively suggested taking them to visit "the United States' Diagon Alley" —
Echo Alley.
This place was hidden behind an old building's fire escape, entering through a narrow iron door, passing through a long stone corridor, with noise and wonder confronting them.
This was a vertical canyon blending Gothic architecture, decorative arts, and modern neon lights, towering towers on both sides sparkling with dazzling lights, various Thunderbird models trailing tails of golden lights flying back and forth in the air.
The shop signs on both sides of the street weren't static either. Vid saw a large saxophone standing as tall as two people outside a store, constantly playing itself; next door, atop another shop, there was a giant hat slowly rotating; outside a Divination shop, neon lights of various colors flashed to form different Divination symbols.
The Ilvermorny School supply store sold robes and textbooks for the four houses, along with magic wands for students, both brand new and second-hand ones at a lower price.
"Most wand cores are Thunderbird Tail Feather, Antlered Rabbit horn, and Dragon Heart String, though other materials are available too."
The shop assistant immediately noticed the three were newcomers and enthusiastically introduced, "You must be from the United Kingdom? I would recommend you definitely try this wand made with Elf Hair, it's been awaiting its destined owner for five hundred years..."
"Something that hasn't sold in five hundred years, you might as well keep it for yourself."
Moody said disdainfully, his gaze landing on wands made of more common materials.
"Even second-hand wands need to be registered after purchase." Selena dutifully dampened their buying enthusiasm.
At this moment, Vid curiously picked up the "five-hundred-year-old" wand, and upon his touch, felt a peculiar current swirling around him, invigorating his entire being, and the wand's tip emitted a faint glow.
Seeing this, the shop assistant immediately leaped over, raising his voice by an octave:
"Pardon my audacity, sir, do you often feel your magical talent is different from others? Does your current wand fail to unleash your full potential! That's because you've been waiting for a wand like this!"
"Look at that glow! I can almost feel the wand breathing in your hand! This is a fateful encounter, now I finally believe... In my five years here, this wand has never resonated with anyone else!"
"Shall I wrap it up for you? If I may say so — from now on, other wands will pale in comparison in your hand!"
Vid fixed his eyes on the wand in his hand, then looked up at the others.
Lupin looked at him with a smile, showing no intention to object; Moody also just watched, and Selena stared at the shop assistant with a hostile gaze, though no one spoke.
Vid gently placed the wand back in the box, smiling, "Energizing Charm, Sourcing Charm, and Lumos Spell? The spells on it don't seem to be five hundred years old, more like they were made last week."
Lupin couldn't help but laugh, Moody snorted with pride, and Selena rubbed her temples, muttering, "I knew it..."
"So you're an expert..."
The shop assistant laughed, not feeling embarrassed but rather surprised a young man at Vid's age could see through the charade.
Upon another look, his eyes widened: "Aren't you... aren't you the one from Flow Mirror who fought with Poppet Animals?"
He tried to recall Vid's name but couldn't manage to remember.
"Wrap it up for me," Vid nodded at the wand, saying, "How much?"
Moody couldn't help but say, "It's just a toy, why buy it?"
"The use of the Lumos Spell on it is quite interesting, I thought I'd buy it and study it," Vid replied with a smile, looking at the shop assistant, "It should have a fair price?"
"Of course, of course..." The shop assistant, thick-skinned, packaged it and extended his hand: "Three Galleons, thank you for your patronage."
"That's expensive," Moody muttered.
Vid paid for it, put away the wand, and the shop assistant, once again reigniting his sales enthusiasm:
"Would you like a few commemorative badges for the four houses? They're designed by the master..."
The group no longer listened to his persuasion, leaving the store together, and Selena said, "I recommend you try Big Pot Coffee; their Cloud Donuts and Big Pot Romance Coffee are really good..."