Dudley was slightly startled. The Gypsy girl in front of him was dressed very strangely. She wore a long black dress with numerous bulging pockets, a tall purple pointed hat, and had deep blue eyes. Her body was adorned with decorations bearing strong Gypsy characteristics.
"Fortune-telling?" Dudley replied subconsciously.
"Yes, are you interested?" the Gypsy girl asked in her hoarse voice.
Dudley felt a bit dazed, almost as if he'd returned to that world rampant with oddities.
"Since you're my first customer today, I can give you a free reading," the Gypsy girl said, blinking her deep blue eyes. She seemed particularly interested in the chubby boy before her.
"Free?" Dudley smiled faintly and asked, "What do you use for your fortune-telling?"
"Tarot," the Gypsy girl replied.
"Alright then," Dudley nodded, his interest piqued.
"Please follow me." The Gypsy girl led Dudley toward a tent nearby—a makeshift fortune-telling booth.
Dudley followed without hesitation. He wasn't afraid of her pulling any tricks.
The tent's interior was dimly lit, with only a burning candle illuminating a small area. Dudley glanced around; the space was filled with various fortune-telling items: crystal balls, Tarot cards, fortune-telling books, and more.
"Is there anything you'd like to ask?" the Gypsy girl inquired.
Dudley thought for a moment and said, "Past, present, future."
Hearing this, the Gypsy girl's deep blue eyes narrowed slightly. In her low, hoarse voice, she said, "Oh, I thought you'd ask something else, like what job you'll have in the future or how to get a beloved game console."
Dudley shrugged, noncommittal. If he were an ordinary boy, he might have asked such things.
"Then… let's begin." The Gypsy girl took a deck of Tarot cards from a pocket in her black dress and began shuffling and cutting them.
Watching her skillful movements, Dudley took a slight breath, recalling the first time he drew cards at that mysterious gathering.
"Now, you can start drawing cards. The first card represents the past, the second the present, and the third the future," the Gypsy girl instructed.
Dudley raised his hand, drawing a card from the cut deck and placing it on the left. He drew another, placing it in the middle, and finally a third on the right.
"Oh, so, which one would you like to see first?" The Gypsy girl's deep blue eyes fixed on Dudley, shimmering with a mysterious allure.
"Let's look at the past first," Dudley said.
"As you wish." She turned over the first Tarot card on the left.
"The Emperor," Dudley nearly blurted out.
"That's right. It seems you know a bit about Tarot. This is a Major Arcana card, The Emperor."
Dudley stared at the familiar card, his mind drifting. It was as if he saw the bronze long table from that other world. Back then, the card he'd drawn was also The Emperor, earning him the codename.
"Oh, but this Emperor card is reversed. Interesting…" The Gypsy girl began to explain its meaning.
Dudley reached out, flipping over the card on the far right—the one representing the future.
"Judgment!" he said softly.
"Oh, another Major Arcana card," the Gypsy girl noted.
"The Emperor, Judgment… interesting…" Dudley murmured to himself. Weren't these the Tarot cards corresponding to the paths he was currently on?
Bang! A loud noise interrupted as someone burst into the fortune-telling tent.
"Oh, Dada, darling, are you alright?" Petunia's panicked voice followed.
"What are you doing? Stay away from my son!" Vernon yelled, pulling Dudley away and knocking over the fortune-telling table.
Tarot cards scattered across the floor. Dudley glanced at them, unable to discern which card represented the present.
"I'm fine, Dad. She was just doing a fortune-telling for me. It was quite interesting," Dudley said, his words laced with spiritual energy.
Vernon's furious expression softened considerably. Meanwhile, Dudley blinked, activating his Spirit Vision. The Gypsy girl became clearer, her body surrounded by various colors, no different from an ordinary person. But deep within her soul, a peculiar energy surged.
He'd seen this energy in Harry before.
"What is that…" Dudley wondered, filled with doubt.
"Oh, you're fine… It's good that you're fine. I thought…" Vernon said quickly.
"Sir, I just felt a connection with this child and offered a free reading. I had no other intentions," the Gypsy girl said, frowning at the overturned table.
"Sorry, we were rash," Dudley said, retracting his Spirit Vision.
"It's fine. You can go," the Gypsy girl replied, waving her hand to shoo them away.
Dudley nodded and led his parents out of the tent.
"Dudley, are you alright? I saw that strange woman take you to that booth and thought you'd been kidnapped," Piers said immediately upon seeing him.
"I'm fine. It was just a fortune-telling," Dudley replied casually.
Not far away, Harry saw Dudley return safely, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.
The fortune-telling incident was a brief interlude in their zoo trip, quickly forgotten by the others. Soon, everyone entered the zoo to admire the various exotic animals.
Dudley followed his family with interest, moving among the exhibits. Though he tried to appear excited, the two Tarot cards—The Emperor and Judgment—kept flashing in his mind. He also pondered the surging energy deep within the Gypsy girl's soul.
This energy wasn't universal; he hadn't seen it in his parents or others. Thinking of this, he glanced at Harry. Deep within Harry's soul, a similar energy seemed to stir, though much fainter compared to the Gypsy girl's.
Dudley's gaze quickly found Harry, who stood before a large glass wall. Behind it, a giant python slithered slowly. And Harry appeared to be speaking to the snake.
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