Clearly, the clever little snakes wouldn't let their parents know about their mischievous schemes.
They unanimously chose to remain silent, masking their actions and playing the role of obedient children in front of others.
But in front of Jane Yu, Daphne had long since let go of any pretense, believing there was nothing she needed to hide.
"To be honest, I really don't understand Muggles," she said, propping her chin on her hand as she lay casually on the bed, flipping through Jane's Muggle Studies textbook with a mix of curiosity and disdain. "They don't have magic, no owls, two-way mirrors, or Floo Powder... but the book says they can communicate just like us? And Professor Burbage writes in this book that their communication speed is as fast as ours?"
"Because they have telephones," Jane replied. "And Muggle technology is advancing rapidly. In the future, everyone will have handheld phones. As long as you know someone's number, you can talk to them instantly, just like using a two-way mirror."
Daphne suddenly fell silent, her brows furrowing into a conflicted expression.
It was as if something within her had shattered—perhaps her pride and self-esteem as a wizard.
"Is that true?" she asked softly after a long pause.
"In the future, when the information age arrives, everyone will have a smartphone. Not only will you be able to communicate anytime, anywhere, but you can also watch TV shows and movies on a tiny screen, send messages to people without leaving your home, access knowledge, read the news, shop, pay bills... even play games..."
Just talking about it brought tears of nostalgia to Jane's eyes.
Heaven knows how much she had yearned for a smartphone since arriving here!
Daphne's expression grew complex. She couldn't understand all the terms Jane used, but she could sense it was a groundbreaking invention.
She felt her worldview crumbling inside her.
In the education she had received since childhood, Muggles were lowly, dirty, stupid creatures, akin to animals.
But the events of this past year had made her secretly question—
Were her parents truly right about everything?
How could Muggles, without magic, invent calculators that worked faster than her own thoughts?
How could Muggles write profound theories that even wizards couldn't comprehend?
Faced with information completely contrary to what her parents had taught her, her first reaction was, "That can't be true!"
But she knew Jane wouldn't lie to her.
The scenes Jane described were a glimpse into the Muggle future.
The immense impact on her worldview left Daphne feeling both anxious and secretly excited—
She knew she wasn't a rational thinker capable of comprehensive analysis... but her intuition was sharp.
—At least, it was sharp when it came to choosing allies.
Her instincts told her Jane Yu was planning something that would shake the foundations of the wizarding world...
Perhaps her gaming console... was the prototype of something called a "smartphone"!
If such a device were to emerge, the owls, two-way mirrors, and those paper newspapers wizards relied on for communication would be completely overshadowed!
This must be Jane Yu's first step toward world domination!
If that were the case, she had to join this grand plan!
Her name would go down in wizarding history; together, they would change the world!
"How many O.W.L.s do I need to join your plan... your company?" Daphne grabbed Jane's hand, taking her first step toward change, feeling as though the path ahead had suddenly become much smoother. "If you need me to attend Muggle Studies, I can even bring a chair and sit outside to eavesdrop!"
"Alchemy is required for sixth and seventh years, and you'll need at least an Outstanding in Charms."
Jane answered mechanically, momentarily baffled by why Daphne, who came from a wealthy family, suddenly wanted to work for her.
Could it be that the rich wanted to experience life?
She stared in shock as Daphne, as if injected with adrenaline, leapt off the bed and raised her fist in the air, shouting:
"I'm ready—let's change the world together!"
Ah, it was just a case of adolescent delusions.
Jane sighed, lying back on the bed and pulling out her two-way mirror.
The mention of smartphones had reminded her of the missing researchers, the Flamel couple.
Christmas was approaching, yet there was still no sign of the couple.
As always, she called out their names into the mirror.
She expected nothing but silence... but this time, there was movement on the other side of the mirror!
"Nicholas? Perenelle?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion. "Where are you? Are you alright?"
But instead of the familiar, kind voices of the elderly couple or their faces, the mirror reflected a flickering image of a brick wall, accompanied by an unknown sound—like something tapping against the mirror!
The background noise was indistinct, but she could faintly hear a few words... a female voice resisting...
"Grindelwald... arms and legs... burning houses..."
The voice was intermittent, as if there was poor contact, but the information it conveyed sent a chill down Jane's spine!
Then came a scream, followed by Nicholas's labored breathing and pained cries:
"...my skeleton... little finger... deaf... can't hear..."
"Albus... go to Azkaban..."
Jane's face turned grim as she pressed her ear to the mirror, trying to catch more of the conversation—
But the mirror flickered and went dark, showing nothing.
She slapped the mirror twice, but it remained unresponsive!
Jane jumped off the bed and sprinted toward the headmaster's office!
She now understood what the tapping sound on the mirror was!
It was the sound of blood dripping onto the mirror!
Grindelwald... had finally made a move against the Flamel couple!
They must have been imprisoned, tortured, and interrogated...
And now, they had found an opportunity to send her a plea for help!
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