She thought for a long time but couldn't remember when she had ever known an Austrian. Even when she was in school, she almost exclusively interacted with English people.
"We don't know each other, Penny," Vivi said softly, "but I know your sister, Lily Evans."
Upon hearing this name, the cloth in Penny's hand dropped to the floor.
She looked at the blonde girl in front of her in astonishment, her lips trembling, unsure of what to say.
Vivi didn't speak; she just sat on the sofa, waiting for the woman in front of her to process the information.
She didn't know about what had happened to Harry at the Dursley's. In fact, he had only talked a bit about it with Cassandra—Vivi simply knew that Dudley had used him like a punching bag.
But Penny... Vivi had heard a lot about her from Lily. If Lily felt she owed anyone the most, it would undoubtedly be her sister Penny.
"Are you Lily's friend?" Penny finally regained her composure, her hands, rough from years of housework, tightly gripping the fabric on the sofa.
"Yes, I often heard her talk about you," Vivi said with a smile in her eyes. "And that greasy-haired little bat, do you remember his name?"
Greasy-haired little bat?
Just those four words instantly brought up an image in Penny's mind.
Who else could it be but Snape?
"Severus Snape?" Penny asked through gritted teeth.
"Yes, that's him," Vivi said softly. "Lily told me a lot back then, like how she shouldn't have encouraged Snape to join her in writing a letter to Dumbledore, and many other things she did not quite right..."
"That's all in the past now, Miss Grindelwald," Penny suddenly said, "it's all in the past—I have already forgiven her."
As she spoke, Penny hung her head, hiding her expression.
"I'm sorry," Vivi said to Penny, "I'm speaking on behalf of Lily—she told me before she died that she wanted to apologize to you and Vernon Dursley, right? Your husband, she mentioned that your first meeting wasn't very friendly. Lily told me about it, and I think I have to convey her sincere apology."
Penny wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, shaking her head, "I long since stopped blaming her—but even if I held a grudge, would it bring her back? My God..."
She cried for a while, wiped her tears, and asked, "And what about you, Miss Grindelwald? You didn't come to my house just to say this, right? I suppose you have other things you want to discuss."
"Oh, yes," Vivi said, "Harry—yes, I'm looking for him, but I think using a wizard's way wouldn't be acceptable to your family, so I came the regular way."
"Thank you," Penny said softly. It was the first time she'd seen a wizard so respectful of Muggles.
And since she was Lily's friend, Penny didn't have a bad impression of her.
Penny had complex feelings about Lily—on one hand, she was very jealous of her sister for having magical talent, and she didn't like them due to her brother-in-law's arrogance... But now her sister was already gone, the person was gone, what else was there to hold on to?
"But my husband—"
Penny whispered, "Vernon, yes, he can't quite accept magic, so you..."
"Don't worry," Vivi reassured with comfort.
Just after the words were spoken, Vernon came down from upstairs.
Upon seeing Vivi, he noticeably paused for a moment.
"Penny, your friend?" he asked.
"I'm here to find Harry Potter."
Vivi said to Vernon. Hearing this, Penny's heart skipped a beat.
But what she did not expect was Vivi's next words: "I'm a student at the University of Oxford, and also a neighbor of the Old Evanses... Here is my ID."
She took out the ID she used for class earlier and let Vernon and Penny have a look.
"I see," Vernon nodding with understanding, the University of Oxford, of course...
Soon after, a sense of awe welled up inside him.
Even someone as rough as he was knew the students from Oxford University were impressive.
Penny was astonished; she never expected that a wizard... would be a student at a 'Muggle' university?
"Harry's up there," Vernon pointed upwards and said to Vivi, "yes, that room... the one far inside."
"Thank you." Vivi said as she stepped up the stairs.
"Never thought that boy Harry would know such a brilliant student." Vernon chuckled, "But she said she was the Evans' neighbor?"
"Hmm." Penny didn't say much; as the saying goes, the more you say, the more mistakes you make, so it was better to say less.
Vivi tiptoed up the stairs, quietly opened the door, and saw Harry hugging a pillow on the bed, seemingly deep in thought.
She approached and hugged Harry from behind.
"Harry~"
Vivi whispered into Harry's ear, her breath as fresh as orchids.
Harry, who was deep in thought, was startled by the unexpected voice beside him.
He quickly realized it was Vivi.
"You scared me," he said, "I thought it was someone else..."
As he spoke, he was about to stand up.
"Don't move." Vivi kept him on the bed and whispered in his ear, "Let me measure your waist."
A question mark seemed to hover over Harry's head.
Measure waist?
I bet you're the legendary succubus, after my magic power!