Cornelius was silent for a moment, looking at the strange cloak that could speak, and guessed softly, "Magic?"
Cloak: "..."
It spun around twice in place and retorted, "Look at me! Open your eyes and look at me! Do I have steel wires? Do I have a sound device? Do I have propellers?"
"I really didn't see any... But with technology developed to this extent, for an old man like me who has been left behind by the era, it looks no different from magic."
Cornelius sighed and said, "Stop trying all means to tease me, what's your purpose? Just say it directly."
Cloak: "... So, even if I were to disappear now and fly around with you, or play a game of chess with you, you'd still think these are human technological achievements, right?"
Cornelius stared in shock, asking, "Can you do all that?"
The cloak ignored his last words and flew over to Vid, saying pitifully, "Master, he doesn't believe it."
Cornelius's gaze also turned towards Vid.
Earlier in the car, the Greys had already introduced their son to him, said to be a young wizard, talented and hard-working, who achieved in a few short years what others could not in a lifetime, inventing many impressive alchemy works.
In the Greys' eyes, their child was so perfect in both ability and character that it seemed like he didn't really exist. It was this child who decided to heal Cornelius and hire him for certain research.
Honestly, as a staunch materialist, Cornelius did not believe a word of it.
He thought this poor couple might have been brainwashed by some cult or were suffering from some kind of delusional disorder.
He followed this couple back, also to thank them for curing his illness, to figure out the situation clearly, and then help them return to reason and reality.
But upon setting foot into this house, Cornelius felt his worldview really begin to crumble——
The incredibly realistic and vivid little demonic puppets, the moving photos on the walls, and the lively cloak that was like a person, yet had nothing inside its thin layer.
Most importantly, Cornelius had noticed the time on the newspapers and TV during his journey, he knew he hadn't "slept for twenty years", and street passersby mostly had cats or dogs as pets, not carrying such flexible "intelligent robots" with them.
Cornelius struggled to use the scientific theories he knew to explain everything before him, trying to steady his near-crumbling cognitive system.
He looked up at the young man walking down from upstairs, his gaze subtly quivering, both fearful and expectant.
Vid came up to him, smiled silently, pulled out a magic wand, and tapped on the button of Cornelius's clothing.
The gilded button twisted as if itching and suddenly transformed into a golden butterfly right under Cornelius's nose, fluttering its delicate wings and soaring up.
Since both his parents were duds, Vid rarely performed such "little tricks" at home.
At this moment, even the Greys couldn't help but watch the butterfly, seeing it gracefully dance in the air, its wings like golden gauze.
A moment later, the butterfly flew back, and Cornelius couldn't help but reach out a hand.
Then the golden butterfly landed in his palm, its black antennae subtly trembling, seemingly sensing the surrounding air.
Its tiny feet gently moved in Cornelius's palm, the touch delicate and subtle, somewhat ticklish, like a feather softly brushing by.
Cornelius dared not breathe loudly, afraid of startling this fragile little life.
He held the butterfly that still bore some button pattern on its wings, feeling like his heart had gone through a tumultuous hurricane, the towering construct collapsing, while he stood amidst chaotic rubble yet seeing a broader world, clarity and peace returned within.
"Is this magic?" Cornelius whispered.
"Yes," Vid said.
"Can magic create life?" Cornelius asked.
"Yes, magic can create life, transform species, and prevent death."
Vid said, "But this butterfly is just an effect of the Transfiguration Technique. I can turn non-living objects into ordinary creatures, or turn creatures into various objects."
"Transfiguration Technique?" the elder asked in a trembling voice.
"Transfiguration, magic potion, magic spell, herbs, prophecy, alchemy, astronomy... these are the main aspects of magic," Vid said. "If you are willing, we can use scientific methods to study them together."
Cornelius looked up, the confusion, perplexity, and lifelessness in his eyes had completely disappeared, replaced by a flaming fire, a yearning and awe for a new world.
"Of course, I'm willing," he said eagerly, "Where do we start?"
...
Vid entrusted the laboratory and various instruments to his father, which Ferdinand took almost a year to prepare.
The Grey Family was originally just an ordinary family with some assets, not wealthy.
But since Vid entered Magic School, he used Alchemy to accumulate considerable assets in the Magic World while Ferdinand made some investments on Vid's advice, their wealth unknowingly swelling.
The way to persuade his father was simple too; Vid just had to say "I have some talent in prophecy," which was enough to make his parents trust his judgment.
Though Harry Potter's world wasn't completely the same as Vid's past world, some developments are historical trends, and seizing a few just-right opportunities can board the era's giant wheel and reap huge benefits.
Despite this, the Grey Family didn't become the world's richest because Ferdinand was cautious and rarely took risks, preferring to let opportunities slip by rather than risk bankruptcy.
Moreover, Vid didn't have a high pursuit for money, as wealth, after a certain accumulation, was just a useful tool for him, merely sufficient.
Nonetheless, supported by wealth, the Grey Family's laboratory resembles a castle glowing with the light of technology, suffused everywhere with the scent of money, leaving Cornelius dazzled.
"Is this Heaven? Am I actually dead?"
The old man fondly stroked the advanced laboratory instrument, reluctantly moving his eyes away after a long while, looking at Vid.
"If I am to study magic, are you my subject?"
"Thanks, but I'm not planning to be a guinea pig right now."
Vid took out a blood sample, saying, "Let's start with this vial of werewolf blood."