"No, there's no need for you to mess things up." Lupin didn't care at all about exposing his good brother's shortcomings. "Back then, it was because you always messed things up that Lily didn't allow you into the kitchen..."
Little Sirius's face turned red, and he kept explaining, saying things like 'Spilling the pot is not messing things up', and 'Mistaking sugar for salt is quite normal', filling the air with a joyful atmosphere.
"It's obvious the godfather's dog nose isn't very sharp," Cassandra whispered into Pabi's ear.
"So you admit he's the godfather?" Pabi quietly retorted.
Cassandra's face suddenly flushed. She snorted heavily but didn't rebut further.
Pabi giggled and didn't tease her anymore.
Harry laughed for a while, then turned around to see Vivi still deep in thought, and asked with concern, "What's wrong with you?"
"I always feel something's off." Vivi said, frowning, "It feels like I've forgotten something... Wait, I'm almost there..."
Seeing Vivi like this, Harry, worried about interrupting her thoughts, said nothing more.
Suddenly, Pabi leapt behind Harry and hugged him from the back.
"Hey, Harry!" She said, "Shall we invite Lady Death later? I mean... after all, she gave you this gem, otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to see your parents, right?"
Hearing Pabi's words, Vivi's eyes suddenly sharpened.
"You're right, Pabi." Harry nodded and said, "We do owe her our thanks; if you hadn't reminded me, I almost forgot about that..."
"Then I'll call her~" Pabi cheerfully hopped to the Alchemy Room, bouncing every few steps.
As she hopped, the waves of excitement nearly made Harry dizzy.
What is it that blinds my eyes?!
Soon, Pabi came out, followed by Lady Death.
However, to everyone's shock, the moment Lady Death stepped out of the room, Vivi raised her hand and cast a dark green spell.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A flash of green light passed and hit the unprepared Lady Death.
Unexpectedly, Lady Death, hit by the Death Curse, seemed unaffected, as if she had just been hit by some everyday Small Spell instead of the Killing Curse.
"You're not Death, who on earth are you?" Vivi warily pointed her Wand at 'Death', as if facing a great enemy.
Harry also stood up, pulling out the Wand from his chest.
Instinctively, he chose to trust Vivi, since the fact she started with a Death Curse indicated she had made an initial judgment.
Upon hearing Vivi's words, Death smiled brightly at her.
Immediately, to everyone's stunned gaze, a black vortex appeared centered on her.
Space twisted for a moment, accompanied by crackling, and the white-haired Lady Death disappeared, replaced by a striking young woman.
"Vivi!? No! You're that Magic Empress!"
Harry shouted incredulously.
Yes, this woman was none other than the Magic Empress in the photograph, who was slightly older than in the current timeline, Vilatia Grindelwald.
Hearing Harry's words, the wizards in the room instantly stood up, simultaneously drawing the Wands from their chests.
No other choice, as described in the newspaper, Lady Grindelwald...
A bit...
"You seem surprised, Potter." Lady Grindelwald slightly lowered her head, squinting with a smile.
She lifted her head again, turning her gaze to Vivi.
"Is this the boyfriend you've chosen? It truly saddens me, the me from another timeline..."
Vivi did not answer her, instead asking coldly, "What is your purpose in disguising as Death?"
"Purpose?" Lady Grindelwald laughed, "You've misunderstood me, the other me. It's just that the fruit I've planted has matured and it's time to harvest..."
"Fruit?" Vivi looked coldly at Lady Grindelwald, already having a bit of a guess in her heart.
A guess about the 'fruit' Lady Grindelwald mentioned.
"Of course, it's you, my dear." Lady Grindelwald took out her Wand from her robe, "However... there's still some time, my fruit is not fully ripe yet... You should know, in order to merge two timelines, I finally found the right opportunity—you must have heard the saying, 'Every gift of fate has its price secretly marked,' and this is the price you pay for using this gem."
Her proud gaze swept over the crowd, accurately finding Dumbledore among them.
"Albus." She softly said, "Oh—maybe it's this timeline's Albus, didn't expect your old appearance to be like this."
"Does it sadden you, esteemed lady?" Dumbledore asked with humor, without losing composure.
"Of course not." Lady Grindelwald's eye twitched slightly, "Even if it does sadden, it should be Gael... However, in this timeline, I've heard a bit about your story too."
"Is that so?" Dumbledore smiled indifferently, "But that was just an old man's boring past, I hope you can return to your world, and not choose to stay here."
"Is it? Do you really wish..." Lady Grindelwald squinted her eyes, "really wish for this world to return to its original timeline? Albus?"
"Yes, I desire nothing else, Lady Grindelwald." Dumbledore tightly grasped the Elder Wand in his hand.
He was prepared for battle.
Even sixteen-year-old Vivi was tricky for him, he dared not imagine how terrifyingly experienced in dueling a hundred and sixteen-year-old Lady Grindelwald could be.
"If I were you, I wouldn't think like that, Albus."
Lady Grindelwald suddenly laughed, although she smiled so elegantly, that smile made one shiver.
"Alright, perhaps I should tell Little Anna, her brother doesn't want to see her."
"Anna?!" Dumbledore's face changed: "You mean... Ariana?!"
Lady Grindelwald revealed a satisfied smile and softly said, "Yes, Albus—in my timeline, Ariana didn't die, her Mormon problem was also resolved by me. Now, she is my capable assistant, and we prefer to call her... Raphael..."
Before the words finished, another flash of green light hit Lady Grindelwald.
Immediately, she slightly curled her finger, and a trace of light, like a snake, wrapped around Vivi, binding her up.
"Do you think... you can kill yourself?" She showed a mocking expression: "Or has love clouded your mind, making you weak?"
"I may be weak, Grindelwald." Vivi bit her lip, defiantly looking at her, "But I'm never alone..."
As soon as the words fell, a dark cloud rose above Lady Grindelwald's head.
It was Harry's Ancient Magic Spell.
However, Lady Grindelwald didn't panic. Without visible actions, she just waved her hand at the dark cloud, and it dispersed without a trace.
Harry wanted to use Ancient Magic again, but to his shock, he realized he had lost control over it at some point.
"You dared to use my magic against me? Potter?"
Lady Grindelwald's lips curled into a mocking smile.
Then, amid everyone's shock in the room, she slowly said:
"Yes, I am the one you call—Merlin..."
"However, I prefer the other name the world calls me."
"God!"
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