The visitor's sharp and long ears twitched slightly, and those amber eyes swept across Abigail's ignorant and naive face before turning to Reck.
The elderly man appeared calm, as if merely discussing a piece of news.
However, the visitor understood his sentiment — by using the news that Sirius Black slaughtered thirteen Muggles, they could convince the girl in front of them that her parents were killed by evil wizards, leading her to harbor hatred for the Magic World.
Being a wizard, she could never fully integrate into the Muggle World, yet she inherently hated and resisted the Magic World.
Thus, her only refuge could be the teacher who understands and cares for her, and the companions who travel with her.
Loyalty or betrayal seems no longer to be a choice. Hatred becomes the firmest shackle on her, also her greatest motivation.
A moment later, the tense and sharp expression on the visitor's face dissipated, and a cold smile appeared on her lips as she sat down on the chair.
"Ah... Grimsson... indeed, his craftsmanship is noteworthy."
The visitor said softly, "The last little trouble was also handled cleanly by him. You can go find him, I'll give you his address."
"It's not just me, the activities of the Scourers might also require his support." Reck further said, "Without spells like Grimsson's, it would be difficult for them to persist during the wizards' pursuit."
"Ah... alright. I'll have him cooperate with the personnel you arrange."
The visitor responded casually, extending her knuckled fingers to pick up the newspaper on the table, carefully examining the front page's image of a man laughing silently.
At least judging from this image, he completely looks like a Dark Wizard capable of any cruelty.
"Very good." She said, "Quite impactful."
Reck nodded slightly and leaned back against the chair, asking, "Amanda, have you made any progress on that matter recently?"
"Alas, it's too difficult..."
The visitor named Amanda pulled out a silver pipe from her small bag, expertly packing it with tobacco. With a flick of her fingertips, a tiny flame kindled the tobacco.
She took a deep puff and exhaled the oddly fragrant blue smoke, then said wistfully:
"Pursuing the true powers buried beneath the dust of history is like chasing an unreachable dream. Any clues we find have been repeatedly altered by people, ultimately becoming unrecognizable..."
Reck laughed, "Recently, I did come across a clue, which crossed my path after meeting this child. Little Serra truly is my lucky star..."
He cast a smiling glance at the nearby girl, who watched her teacher with delight and shyness.
She had no idea that just moments ago, her destiny had been decided by the two people across from her with merely a few words.
A gleam flickered in Reck's eyes as he said in a deep voice, "The clue points to the Balkan Peninsula, more precisely, in the region of Kosovo."
"... Kosovo?" Amanda repeated quietly, frowning as she said, "That's the poorest place in Yugoslavia, and I've never heard of any remarkable wizards there."
"But it is indeed the crossroads of history, my friend."
Reck paused and said, "The Illyrians left ancient rock paintings about stars there, but the Roman Legion's iron hooves crushed their local rites underground, leaving only legends of 'Holy Land', 'Miracle Fountain', and 'Great Spirits'."
"I have to suspect that some secrets originally hidden may have been buried alongside them."
Upon hearing this, Amanda lightly tapped her knee with her fingers, squinting her eyes in focus.
She exhaled smoke, her face cloaked in mist, making it impossible for anyone to discern her expression.
After a long pause, she finally said, "The Balkans... land of blood and fire, civilizational fractures, clashing beliefs, countless souls' obsessions buried there... you're right, this news could indeed be credible."
She tapped the pipe, her tone cold and hard, "But it's very difficult, extremely difficult… compared to those magic departments where we already know the locations, this 'gap' can completely hide anywhere in Kosovo."
"I've heard the smallest 'gap' is no bigger than the size of a fist, with its influence not even extending beyond a single room. It might be hidden beneath the roots in a forest, buried in a mine, deep underground, or in a basement of some ruins..."
She looked at Reck and said, "Searching for such a minute and hidden spot is like trying to find a strand of blonde hair in a haystack... It's difficult, Reck."
"Indeed it is." Reck said, "But is it harder than capturing a well-established magical department?"
Amanda's expression shifted slightly.
Reck continued, "If the 'gap' were easy to find, the Departments of Mysteries within the Ministries of Magic across nations would have sealed them all within protective barriers, making it impossible for us to even glimpse."
"To be honest, most of the magic departments don't have the power to withstand our attacks, but what we want isn't a temporary invasion; it's a long-term occupation."
"Capturing a magic department would undoubtedly trigger censure and opposition from wizards worldwide, perhaps even attracting nuisances like Dumbledore..."
"But this... is ownerless."
Amanda sighed, nodding as she said, "You're right. Having a specific direction is far better than the blind searches we've conducted across the globe like headless flies in these last thirty years. Balkans, Kosovo... I've understood. I'll send personnel there to search."
"Don't look so gloomy, Amanda, be optimistic." Reck laughed, "Kosovo covers just over ten thousand square kilometers. Even if we search inch by inch, we'll eventually find the place."
The two shared a gaze filled with identical ambition and determination.
Meanwhile, Abigail was already leaning against her chair, on the verge of sleep.
She didn't understand what they were discussing. She only thought Reck was knowledgeable and that the lady, despite her peculiar appearance, must also be very formidable to be conversing with Reck.
......
"Ah!"
Abigail abruptly broke free from the flood of memories, as if someone had yanked her by the hair out of a water basin, her head pounding with pain, rendering her breathless.
She stumbled to the floor, her back hitting the shelves heavily, causing the crystal bottles to clatter.
A hand steadied her arm, and someone seemed to be speaking, but Abigail couldn't make it out.
Her mind buzzed relentlessly, with fragments of memories colliding, melting, and exploding, nearly obliterating her consciousness and the world she'd built for years!
So it was... so this is the truth...
Amidst the extreme pain, her thoughts became exceptionally clear, her brain operating with unprecedented rapidity —
Reck, the goblin named Amanda, Balkans, Kosovo... and their search for the "gap"...
Recalling the wars in recent years that occurred in that region... the time weapon that unexpectedly appeared in the Magic School tournament, recklessly used on two children... and Hughes and Perez from the Magic Congress, allegedly affected by Time Magic...
In the past decades, even in the years before the Time Turner became strictly regulated by the Ministry of Magic, victims related to Time Magic weren't as frequent as they are now.
So it's like this! She's understood everything! Everything is linked!
"Braun!"
Abigail suddenly raised her head and tightly gripped the man who was supporting her, eager to share her discovery.
But just at that moment—
"Thud!"
She heard the sound of her heart seemingly hammering against her ribcage, an enormous sound likened to a bell echoing in her ears.