Isle of England, East London.
Diagonal Avenue in the East District bustled with activity, filled with dense crowds of shoppers. A large number of fashionably dressed men and women carried various shopping bags as they moved through the thoroughfare.
The original name of Diagonal Avenue had long been forgotten. But the name derived from Diagon Alley, once the most famous place in the wizarding world. Of course, such a name had been chosen by relevant officials with the intention of pleasing wizards. In the Federation, becoming a wizard—even a squib—allowed one to reach the sky in a single step. Anything associated with wizards was a cult favorite. Even if it was just a name—that's how Diagonal Avenue was born.
As a well-known shopping street, the high-rise buildings and various shops lining both sides of the street were almost dazzling to behold. Nearly all the world's mainstream brands could be found here. After all, London itself was the center of the world at this moment, and all kinds of resources gathered in London. And who would miss out on establishing a presence in a prosperous place like Diagonal Avenue?
Here, wizards would come and go regularly.
At this moment, Kaecilius, dressed in designer clothing, walked leisurely down the street. He took in the wizarding world of 2033—the flying cars soaring high in the sky, the towering high-rise buildings, and the various exquisite shops. Feeling the prosperity around him, Kaecilius couldn't help but sigh.
Perhaps, in his world, the New York of the future should be like this.
It had been two or three days since he arrived in the wizarding world. He had gained a fairly good understanding of the general situation. Among the many things he'd learned, what puzzled him most was that there were numerous discrepancies in the information provided by Lockhart.
The most significant one was the timeline. Lockhart had once mentioned that the wizarding world was only at the year 1996 when he departed. The entire world situation had been very different from that in their history. It could be regarded as a parallel world, but with the presence of wizards.
However, Kaecilius had arrived 37 years after the time Lockhart had mentioned. The world situation had changed drastically. Britain had unified the world—no, it should be said that wizards ruled the world. All this made Kaecilius, who had just arrived, feel a sense of wonder.
In their own world, the extraordinary still hid in the dark corners of society. It wasn't like here, where magical ability was enthusiastically pursued, where practitioners walked in the light, standing at the top of society. The entire world's resources were tilted toward wizards.
To be honest, Kaecilius felt a twinge of envy. After all, most people with extraordinary abilities were accustomed to hiding in the shadows, working silently. If you could step out openly, show your strength, demonstrate your achievements, and gain the respect of everyone—why not do it?
Walking leisurely down the street, Kaecilius glanced briefly at his surroundings before heading toward a café. He would take a break, have a cup of coffee, and perhaps hear about anything interesting. In short, he was in no hurry.
With his understanding of Lockhart's strength, coupled with the power of the Eye of Agamotto, he couldn't imagine how Lockhart could possibly lose in this world. After all, it was impossible for a dimensional god-level entity to appear in this world, right? Therefore, he wanted to take his time and explore this world—Lockhart's homeland.
"Welcome to Star Coffee Shop!"
As he entered the café, a soft female voice greeted him. After glancing at the delicate-faced waitstaff and nodding slightly, Kaecilius paid them little mind and directly found a seat by the window, sitting down quietly. He took the menu and ordered some coffee and dessert.
Then he leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and appeared to be resting. But in fact, he extended his mental powers, sensing the information around him. Although he wasn't a professional at gathering intelligence, he understood the general principles.
The most efficient method was to directly approach a senior executive and inquire. Alternatively, one could piece together massive amounts of scattered information to uncover unknown truths. These were two distinct approaches.
At this moment, Kaecilius chose the second option. This way, he could quickly become familiar with present-day London. To be honest, if he were to play the role of a London native now, he would be more convincing than the real thing.
One minute and one second passed. Kaecilius kept his eyes closed, took a long breath, and seemed to fall into a deep sleep.
Suddenly...
"Sir, your coffee is ready. Please enjoy it at your leisure!"
A soft female voice broke his concentration. Kaecilius opened his eyes, nodded, then picked up the coffee and took a sip. He was curious to taste how coffee might have changed by 2033.
Well, no change at all.
Kaecilius commented silently to himself.
Then...
Tread! Tread! Tread!
Listening to the subtle footsteps, he watched as a young man holding a cup of coffee and wearing a black wizard robe slowly walked to the seat opposite him and sat down quietly.
Kaecilius frowned.
"Sir, you might want to try the new product in our store—'Hogwarts Tragedy!'"
The young man opposite pushed the coffee in front of Kaecilius and said softly.
"This cup is complimentary. I hope I can hear your thoughts on it."
The Tragedy of Hogwarts?
Kaecilius' right thumb caressed the ring hanging on his index finger, and his heart skipped a beat. Coming to the wizarding world, Luhan's natural guide had introduced him to some basic information. Although the current Wizarding Federation Empire had long since erased the history of Hogwarts, he still knew about the school's existence.
Looking at the black coffee being pushed toward him, Kaecilius smiled lightly, holding a spoon in his hand and spinning it slightly in the coffee cup. A small whirlpool formed, spinning constantly. Even when he pulled the spoon away, the whirlpool didn't stop, like an endless perpetual motion machine.
"The Tragedy of Hogwarts—that's an interesting name," Kaecilius said softly, lounging casually on the sofa. "If you want to hear my review, then first tell me the story behind the name."
Across from him, Voldemort—no, it should be said that Tom Riddle—looked deeply at the 'Grindelwald' sitting opposite him, with a trace of doubt in his eyes.
Strange... the other party doesn't seem to recognize me.
Moreover, why does Grindelwald have such a strong aura of another world, so much more potent than Ian and Vera before? There seems to be an essential difference.
These thoughts flashed through Tom Riddle's mind as he tapped his index finger on the table, as if contemplating the other's request.
Then...
"Better to be respectful than to disobey," Tom said. "The story behind The Tragedy of Hogwarts is naturally a piece of history from the past. This period of history marks the time when the once world-famous Hogwarts met its end. This cup of coffee is a tribute to that forgotten past!"
As Tom Riddle began recounting that period of history from long ago...
Suddenly...
BOOM!
A deafening explosion sounded in the distance, and powerful magical waves swept through the entire city at lightning speed.