Accompanied by Moody and Lupin, Vid arrived at a mansion located in the Upper East Side of New York.
——Of course, ordinary people cannot see this place. In their eyes, it's merely an abandoned construction site, overgrown with weeds and shrubs, so much so that even homeless people instinctively avoid living here.
After Vid presented his invitation, the tall iron gates silently opened for them, revealing a neatly trimmed garden and an elegant three-story stone building.
Ms. Picquery's residence didn't seem ostentatious; if it weren't for the various defensive magic around it, its appearance wouldn't be any different from the surrounding Muggle architecture.
A wizard in a black robe, with a meticulous expression, stood by the steps, bowing slightly, with two young, beautiful girls standing silently behind him with hands clasped together.
"Welcome, Mr. Gray, I am the Picquery family's butler—Wyatt Harper."
The wizard said, then turned to Moody and Lupin: "Gentlemen, please rest in the living room, where refreshments suitable for the British palate are prepared for you."
Moody frowned, staring hard at the butler, and questioned with a grim expression: "What? You plan to take Vid away alone?"
The butler smiled politely: "Only Mr. Vid Gray received an invitation, correct?"
Lupin gently pressed Moody's arm, then nodded to the butler: "Alright, thank you."
Then he looked at Vid, who nodded slightly.
Relieved, Lupin smiled and asked: "Excuse me, where's the living room?"
"Please follow me."
The maid standing behind the butler softly said, leading the two to the living room.
Vid watched his two protectors leave, then nodded to the butler. The butler gestured with his hand, leading Vid through a thickly carpeted corridor, passing portraits and landscapes, moving towards the mansion's depths.
Finally, they stopped before a door inlaid with glass, exuding warm light. The butler knocked on the door, and Ms. Picquery's voice came from inside: "Please come in."
The butler opened the door for Vid, making a "please" gesture before quietly stepping aside.
Vid adjusted his collar, took a deep breath, and entered the sunlit, elegantly furnished room.
Ms. Seraphina Picquery was seated on an armchair, wearing a dark green robe, with minimal jewelry and her hair let down, appearing somewhat frail compared to how she looked at the tournament.
They weren't the only ones in the room; after Vid stepped inside, the butler followed in, conjuring a tray like magic, with two steaming cups of coffee on it.
He walked into the room like a shadow, placed the coffee down, then stood silently to the side, not intending to leave.
Ms. Picquery held a hardcover book in her hands, seemingly engrossed in reading.
As Vid's gaze swept over the book's cover, his steps involuntarily paused.
On the smooth cover, his own photograph was printed!
He instinctively associated it with Gilderoy Lockhart— the flashy professor who loved plastering his "perfect smile" face on every publication and signed every passing parchment.
However, the Vid on this book cover wasn't silly-smiling; instead, he looked serious and solemn, like a warrior standing amidst the smoke of war.
——Naturally, because this photo was clearly taken from a live broadcast of Vid's participation in the tournament.
The Vid on the cover wasn't silly-smiling, which gave him some comfort. Seeing his photo on a book in someone else's hands still made him feel a bit annoyed.
You could say, although Lockhart didn't teach for long, the shadow he left was long-lasting.
Take Vid, for instance, or Harry, both aren't particularly keen on fame, because being pursued by admirers triggers certain memories, making them envision Lockhart's image replaced with their own, resulting in physical and psychological discomfort.
Seeing that photograph, Vid even forgot the greeting he had planned and his facial expression instantly cracked.
Ms. Picquery couldn't help laughing: "I thought this was a book you wrote! Why does your expression look like you're seeing it for the first time?"
Vid sighed, then went over to sit beside her, reaching out asking, "May I see it, madam?"
"Of course." Ms. Picquery marked her place with a bookmark and handed the well-crafted book to Vid.
On the cover, a line of golden embossed letters——
[Making the Difficult Easy: Vid Gray's Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering Advanced Spells]
Vid: "..."
His mouth twitched slightly; after opening the cover, he saw a line on a separate page——
[All the content of this book comes from the selfless teachings of Mr. Vid Gray.]
Opening a page at random, he saw it written in an extremely grateful and respectful tone:
[...he often says: "A spell isn't about commanding, but rather reaching an agreement with the magic power."
Imagination, focus, confidence, these elements are even more important than your spellcasting gestures...]
Vid turned a few more pages and found:
[Mr. Gray often encourages us to think, experiment, and even make mistakes safely, to truly internalize knowledge...he also cast various interesting small spells, motivating us to actively explore the possibilities of magic...]
After flipping through nearly half the book, he finally saw something other than his own name, encountering a shimmering silver eagle Patronus.
[Among all spells, the Patronus Charm is perhaps the most unique and personal one, it doesn't rely purely on the strength of magic power or gesture precision, but aims directly at the heart, needing focus on the purest, happiest memories, turning intangible emotions into tangible protective power.]
[When many students (including the editor) once thought the spell was unattainable and wanted to give up learning, it was Mr. Gray who provided a revolutionary, highly inspirational method, helping many of us initially grasp the Patronus Charm.]
[He first helped us analyze that the so-called happiest memory doesn't have to be an earth-shattering ecstasy; rather, it could be those subtle, warm moments that make us feel the value of our existence...]
[Mr. Gray introduced the concept of emotional anchoring, below are his original words shared during his teachings...]
Under Ms. Picquery's amused gaze, Vid felt his face getting hot. He closed the book with a "bang," almost tossing it aside!
This book… Antoine mentioned it to Vid, and Vid had seen most of its content, but he reviewed primarily the technical parts, ensuring there were no errors in the spell-teaching sections.
Who knew in this printed version, Antoine and the others added so much… such overly flattering words…
Merely from reading those memory-filled words, a person unaware might think Vid is some… ALREADY deceased old professor! Heaven knows he's just fifteen!
Ms. Picquery caught every subtle reaction of his, a knowing smile curling on her lips.
She warmly said, "There's no need to feel embarrassed, Mr. Gray. This proves your value far exceeds the operation bench of Alchemy."
Her gaze carried genuine admiration: "Selflessly sharing your knowledge and methods with others, truly igniting their minds, and not developing arrogance or disdain over others not being your equal—this is a far more precious ability than creating powerful magic items."
Her gaze fell on the book, smiling as she said: "And your classmates—those calling themselves editors, yet leaving not even a name—willing to share this treasure solely theirs, spreading the sparks of knowledge, is equally rare."
"Having a group of students like you… No wonder during the Magic League, three champions from Hogwarts managed to enter the finals. Though it's partly due to the help you provided others, this spirit of mutual assistance perhaps is what Ilvermorny is lacking."
Ms. Picquery sighed, saying: "Dumbledore must be so proud of you… If I had the chance, I'd really like to discuss with him in person, and ask how he teaches his students."