Hearing the unexpected answer, Antoine was momentarily stunned, then his eyes lit up:
"Right, I almost forgot, you seem to be good at this... Why not use it from the beginning? Isn't it more straightforward?"
"I don't like relying on divination," Vid shook his head and said, "The information it provides is always laden with various metaphors, often vague in content, open to multiple interpretations, and easily subject to interference and misguidance."
Even in the Magic World, there are many stories related to prophecies, the most typical being those who try to use prophecies to influence their destiny but end up stepping into every trap set by fate. Their actions after learning the prophecy directly lead to disastrous outcomes.
Or the prophet themselves is cursed, paying a hefty price to obtain the prophecy, only to tragically become a sacrificial lamb in the story.
Thus, Antoine, thoughtfully nodding, said with understanding, "So in comparison, you trust your alchemy more, seeing things as they are, without hiding or deceiving you."
"Yes."
Vid changed the subject and said, "However, now that we've pinned down the specific target and even obtained their blood and personal belongings, using divination for positioning will yield more explicit results—at least far better than blindly stumbling around like a headless chicken."
"Do you need some tea?" Antoine patted a small leather bag he carried and said, "I happen to have a tin of Dallmayr tea, a German brand, with an authentic taste you should like."
As he said this, he reached half his arm into the bag, seemingly ready to pull out the tea canister right there.
Vid hurriedly stopped him, "No need. The imagery from tea leaf divination is too vague; a crystal ball is more suitable."
He glanced at the noisy street outside the bathroom window and the gradually darkening sky, saying, "Now... I just need a quiet place."
...
White sage, cedar, and lavender twined into a bundle, turning into a dazzling golden-red in the flames, and then into ashes.
Strands of greenish-white smoke rose straight up, then dispersed, with a sweet scent reminiscent of a blend of citrus and sandalwood filling the air, evoking thoughts of ancient trees and sun-kissed meadows.
The table was inscribed with vivid red Ancient Magical Runes, forming a mysterious circular pattern, with a small vial of blood, a chairman's badge, and a metal button each placed at one of the triangle's vertices within the circle.
Antoine held his breath, watching as Vid's hands hovered on either side of the crystal ball, his palms not touching the semi-transparent orb, yet the milky mist inside slowly swirled and intertwined.
Judging by his serious and intense expression, it was clear he had discovered something.
Antoine quietly craned his neck to peer at the crystal ball in Vid's hands.
The mist resembled a small cloud plucked from a mountaintop, trapped within a glass cage, rolling and rising... reminiscent of a wisp of smoke from a campfire in the wild, or the flickering candlelight under the dim lights of a tavern, or perhaps the process of milk dispersing in clear water...
Okay, in truth, he couldn't discern anything.
If it were tea leaf divination, Antoine reckoned he could conjure a few phrases to fool a Divination Class professor, but crystal ball divination?
He could only say that this ball was indeed exceedingly round.
Watching Vid's slightly furrowed brows, Antoine couldn't help but feel a little curious—what, exactly, did the world look like in Vid's eyes?
...
Vid slowly adjusted his breathing, sinking his thoughts into the void within the crystal ball.
He always felt that "divination" was less about "seeing" and more like "inviting," a dialogue with a profoundly mysterious force, and when the invitation is accepted, a torrent of information rushes in.
Initially, the ball was filled with pure white chaos, and during its gradual rotation, the mist seemed to be imbued with different colors.
Light spots leaped, various scenes layered, flashed, disappeared at a dizzying pace, with fragmented images briefly pausing in view—
Countless flashing electronic billboards formed a river of light, and the crowd moved like black silhouettes pushed by the river's flow, with a huge digital clock constantly ticking away.
The image quietly shattered and reformed; yellow taxis streaked by like lightning, immediately followed by the view plunging downwards, with the blurry tunnel walls rapidly retreating, and dim lights dragging flowing streaks of light over the car windows.
A couple of seconds later, the scene changed; a massive steel cable, like a harp, sliced through the gray sky. Bridge towers soared into the clouds, with black water flowing below, and the silhouettes of towering skyscrapers stood in the distance.
The mist rotated, the scene shifted, two unfamiliar figures hurried past on the street, their silent movements conveying their taut emotions.
In the blink of an eye, it all vanished.
Vid abruptly stepped back, closing his eyes, feeling his head buzzing, a fine layer of sweat already appearing on his forehead.
Antoine watched him, not daring to rush, as he quickly grabbed a bottle of water.
After a long while, Vid slowly opened his eyes, his face slightly pale.
He took a couple of sips of water, then said, "Times Square, subway, Brooklyn Bridge... they've returned to New York."
Antoine raised an eyebrow, sneering, "Quite bold! Having just escaped from the Congress Headquarters, they dare to run back to New York in no time. Aren't they afraid of being discovered by old acquaintances?"
Vid put away the crystal ball and said, "Precisely because everyone thinks the fugitive would definitely flee from the incident's center, possibly even abroad, that their reversal gives them a genuine chance to breathe."
"Moreover, for those cornered with nowhere to go, Muggles are the best shield. Aurors must move carefully among the crowd, but they need not have such concerns."
Antoine frowned, "But shouldn't they hide further at a time like this? Do they intend to make a comeback? With Fontana's ability, using a Portkey to Southeast Asia or Africa, who could find them?"
Then he remembered something: "Right, Delaine seemed to have said that Laira Piqueley must hold many people's secrets. Even if she's become a fugitive, by threatening with those secrets, some may have to grudgingly let her use them, no matter how unwilling."
Vid nodded, saying directly, "Escaping would mean hiding one's name and losing everything from then on... Those who once possessed everything cannot bear such a massive disparity."
"So they won't run away. Or rather, as long as there's a glimmer of hope, they'll struggle to the last moment."
"Fontana's experience and capabilities ensure they're not easily defeated, and the secrets Laira holds will be their 'hard currency', a bond for forming a new alliance."
He walked to the window, gazing at the vehicles and the gradually lighting neon lights on the street, saying:
"These two rely on and need each other, like companions treading cautiously on ice, needing to hold tight to avoid plummeting into the abyss immediately; yet there's also a worry the other might let go first or push them down as a stepping stone."
"However, given some time to develop freely, it won't be long before they can form a new network of interests, and a comeback isn't impossible."
Antoine frowned, "Even knowing Mr. Grindelwald is in the United States?"
"No one is all-powerful," Vid said. "Besides, Mr. Grindelwald has failed once in the United States. What Seraphina Picquery can accomplish, Laira Piqueley certainly won't believe she can't."
Antoine already stood upright, summoning the rest of the Witch Pure Party, a sharp anticipation on his face, decisively saying, "Then let's not let them breathe for too long; I'll take people to New York to set up right now..."
"No rush."
Vid turned, interrupting him, saying, "I need to make some arrangements first... This time, we cannot give them any chance to escape. Otherwise, divination might not even find their whereabouts next time."
His eyes passed over the window frame, looking towards the street below, soaked in the night and the light.
Storefront windows along the street hung with gold and silver intertwined streamers, red and green holly wreaths, and jovial Santa Claus dolls.
Strings of twinkling lights wound around the lampposts, with parents, occasionally pulling their children, hurrying by with exquisitely gift-wrapped bags in hand, faces carrying joyous and expectant smiles.
Hogwarts was about to go on holiday as well.
He wanted to return early.