Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world

Chapter 152 The Aggressive International Delegation
Vaughn rolled his eyes: "So, just because I'm one of the vice presidents makes you think I'm aggressive, and then you expect me to be gentle and give in? As the president, how dare you say such a thing?"

Dumbledore said matter-of-factly, "I've hardly ever been to the International Confederation of Wizards. The actual work is handled by the vice presidents. I have a high position, but not enough real power. Isn't that normal?"

"waste!"

"Ugh—kids really say the nasty things. I just don't like politics and government affairs. Actually, to tell you quietly, I never wanted to be president. It was some people in the Ministry of Magic who forced me into this position..."

"Cough cough—" Amelia coughed forcefully.

Clearly, she was one of the "some people" that Dumbledore was referring to.

Vaughn utterly despised Deng.

However, he took Dumbledore's assessment of Babajid Akinbad to heart, and soon he met the "aggressive" and "ambitious" African wizard that Dumbledore had described.

After waiting for about 20 more minutes, the air in the thick fog began to churn.

call--

A breeze blew in from the depths of the thick fog, causing Vaughn, Dumbledore, and Amelia's robes to flutter.

"They're coming."

"Dumbledore said, his azure eyes narrowing slightly."

Vaughn nodded, drew his wand, and like Moses parting the sea, a hazy crack appeared in the thick fog ahead, instantly separating the previously intertwined mists and forming two curtain walls that resembled waterfalls.

As the tip of Vaughn's wand glowed faintly, the two curtain walls receded, revealing a clear passageway that stretched out before them.

It is always connected to the place where the wind blows.

That was right in the middle of the street, 50 meters away from the building. The power of magic was accumulating there, and the space was almost distorted into a vortex, emitting a howling sound as if the air was being torn apart.

In the instant when the view became clear.

puff!
The group squeezed out of the distorted vortex.

It was a group of more than ten people dressed in Muggle clothes and looking like Muggles, except for a gray-haired young man in the lead wearing a robe.

It was Phil Travers, who was in charge of welcoming the delegation.

The poor man seemed to be having a very difficult time getting ready; he was covered in sweat and was completely ignored by the dozen or so people around him after he appeared.

They walked past him, led by a tall, turbaned black man, heading straight for the building. Only one wizard, also with gray hair, pulled Phil along as he passed.

Vaughn wasn't in the mood to care about what exactly happened to Phil.

All his attention was focused on the dozen or so people walking towards him.

To be precise, it was the tall, black man with the turban who was leading the group!

“They’re up to no good, Albus,” Vaughn snorted.

"As expected, nothing ever goes smoothly."

Dumbledore replied in a low voice as well, then his old face broke into a wide smile as he opened his arms to greet the black man.

"Dear Babajid, my friend, welcome to England, did you have a safe journey..."

Due to his racial talent, Babajid's expression was not visible in the darkness; Vaughn could only see him bend down and hug Dumbledore.

"Long time no see, Albus."

Babajid's voice was deep and resonant, the sound of his chest resonating as if one could hear an engine roaring, giving people a sense of pressure from the outset.

And that wasn't an illusion.

After the two finished exchanging pleasantries, Dumbledore took his hand and introduced Amelia. When he introduced Vaughn, the tall black wizard looked down at Vaughn.

Two rows of snow-white teeth dangled across his dark face: "Vaughn Weasley... This name has been on my mind since the beginning of the year, and I've finally met him today."

Vaughn, who has just entered puberty this year, is at a slight disadvantage in terms of height. He has to raise his head to greet the other person face to face: "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Babajid Akinbad."

However, such friendliness did not win Mr. Akimbad's favor.

He chuckled softly, then looked around at the thick fog: "Mr. Weasley, I heard from Mr. Travers that this fog, which has covered almost all of London, was caused by your Fog Charm?"

Vaughn glanced at Phil Travers at the back of the crowd.

The young subordinate was pale and looked frustrated.

Vaughn remained unfazed and smiled, "I apologize for the inconvenience caused to the delegation. I cast the Fog Spell simply to cooperate with a WAC operation and prevent any magical leaks."

Normally, as a guest, even if you come from one of the world's top violent organizations, you should know when to stop talking about this topic.

But Mr. Babajid Akinbad doesn't seem to know what convergence is.

He forced a deep groan from his throat: "Hmm... From my personal perspective, your behavior is inappropriate. Although your excuse seems reasonable, it is undeniable that a fog spell capable of enveloping a city inevitably affects Muggles and, to some extent, increases the risk of magic leakage."

"..."

Looking at the towering black man before him, Vaughn frowned slightly.

Babajid, seemingly unconcerned by his reaction, continued, "Furthermore, what kind of operation is this WAC you're referring to? As far as I know, the WAC doesn't seem to have law enforcement authority..."

Amelia, who had remained silent until now, could no longer hold back.

The witch straightened her face: "Your Excellency Akinbad, I can answer your question. The WAC's operation is to capture unregistered werewolves led by Fenrir Greyback. This operation has been approved by Wizengamo. If you need, I can arrange for someone to send over the relevant documents. Are you satisfied with this?"

Babajid finally looked away from Vaughn.

Looking at Amelia's serious expression, he "sincerely" apologized: "I'm sorry, ma'am, I didn't mean to question you. The question I just raised was simply because I've been responsible for supervising the enforcement of the International Secrecy Law in the International Wizarding Federation, and it's just a professional habit!"

"I'm sorry, I really don't like this habit!"

Amelia's expression was grim: "England is not a subordinate unit of the International Wizarding Federation. We have our own policies and codes of conduct. We treat you as a guest and have given you a warm welcome. Please observe proper etiquette as a guest and maintain basic respect, instead of being aggressive!"

These words immediately created a tense atmosphere in the open space in front of the building.

Babajid straightened up silently and stared at Amelia. The group of wizards following behind him, dressed in Muggle clothes and not saying a word, subconsciously took a few steps and moved closer to Amelia.

Just then, a loud shout pierced the night sky.

"enough!"

Dumbledore intervened just in time. The old wizard's once-smooth robes billowed as if filled with wind, and his azure eyes radiated a faint magical light.

His sharp gaze swept over the restless wizards, and he snapped, "What do you want to do?"

The wizards looked at each other in bewilderment.

Although he has been inactive in the outside world and even internationally for many years, Dumbledore is, after all, a legendary wizard renowned throughout the world.

He is now the president of the International Wizarding Federation, and even if it is only in name, he still has some prestige.

Under his intense gaze, some people unconsciously lowered their hands that were already touching their wands.

In the center of the crowd, Babajid took a meaningful look at his men's condition, then suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, alright Albus, they're just tired from their journey and a bit stressed and exhausted... Let the Travers kid arrange for them to rest. As for you, my old friend, it's been so long, we need to have a good chat."

The tense situation in front of the building was saved from spiraling out of control thanks to Babajid's sudden relaxation of control.

All I can say is that they are all seasoned politicians.

As Babajid's attitude softened, Dumbledore, who had been furious just a moment ago, transformed back into a kind and benevolent old man.

The two "good friends" walked side by side into the building to catch up.

A pale-faced Phil Travers continued to perform his duties, leading the delegation into the WAC headquarters building to make arrangements such as accommodation.

Vaughn and Amelia were at the very back.

After watching the delegation leave, Vaughn pondered for a moment and asked Amelia, "What do you think Babajid's intentions were?"

Amelia knew that Vaughn wasn't asking why Babajid had shown hostility upon their first meeting.

After all, Dumbledore had already described this rising political star in the international magical world as "only 80 years old," in his prime, at the most aggressive stage of his life.

Aggression, of course, stems from ambition.

Undoubtedly, the WAC is a very attractive political product. Due to the lack of effective treatments for nearly a thousand years, werewolfism has long been a global problem, and werewolves exist all over the world, including the East.

The emergence of the Wolfsbane Agent and the WAC framework was simply the perfect breeding ground for international organizations and new powers.

But what upset the "politicians" was that Vaughn, who developed the wolfsbane drug, gave the ownership and operation rights of the formula to WAC, and thus he gained absolute prestige within WAC.

The power structure of WAC was even defined from the beginning, leaving no room for "politicians" to intervene.

Therefore, it is not incomprehensible that Babajid, as a "politician" with ambition, would be hostile to Vaughn.

What Vaughn is worried about is whether there are other possibilities hidden behind this appearance—for example, whether the selection of Babajid as the leader of this international delegation was influenced by a pure-blooded family.
This kind of skepticism is very necessary.

Although there is no indication that the International Wizarding Federation is colluding with pure-blood families in various countries, it must be pointed out that their interests have always been highly overlapping!
That's right, it's the International Secrecy Law!
The International Confederation of Wizards' power is based on the Law of Secrecy, which is the only legal way for them to get involved in the politics of other countries and expand their influence.

The most steadfast supporters of the Secret Service Law are pure-blood families.

Let Muggles be Muggles, and let magic belong to pure-bloods!

This is a belief that pure-blooded European families have held for hundreds of years.

With the Secrecy Act as a link, pure-blood families and the International Wizarding Federation have a natural basis for cooperation. In fact, according to some notes of previous wizards and alchemists that Vaughn has seen, the pure-blood families have played an indispensable role in the International Wizarding Federation's ability to break free from the control of Britain, France, and Germany and become the world's top violent organization.

In contemporary England, and perhaps more broadly in the international magical community, the greatest threat to the Statute of Secrets is the WAC.

Its threat doesn't stem from the sheer number of werewolves involved, but rather from the fact that this immense power is not in the hands of those who covet it.

Amelia thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I don't know either. I can only say that it's possible that Babajid's arrival is part of the purebloods' plot to overthrow the WAC. Your idea is plausible."

"Ha, it's so hard to get anything done."

Amelia sighed, "That's reality, darling."

……

Last night's actions, along with the arrival of an international delegation, made headlines in the Daily Prophet the following day.

Unlike Dumbledore, Amelia, and others who were upright and unwilling to waste words, Vaughn valued public opinion highly.

In Vaughn's view, if you don't occupy the high ground of public opinion and control the discourse, it's tantamount to handing it over to the enemy. Public opinion may seem to have no real power, but it is the easiest thing to influence your own confidence and affect how others perceive you.

Influenced by him, WAC also attaches great importance to public opinion and propaganda.

Early in the committee's preparations, when new wizards like Phil Travers joined the committee, Vaughn transferred his media connections (referring to Rita Skeeter) to them.

To date, WAC has established partnerships with mainstream and second-tier media platforms such as The Daily Prophet, The Wizarding Weekly, and The Quibbler.

WAC used its limited funds to attract a group of journalists and social activists to increase its exposure and positive publicity.

Such an important event as the first general assembly naturally became a focus of coverage. Every little thing was diligently reported in the newspapers by "friendly people" to ensure that the wizarding community in England knew every little thing about the WAC.

"...The WAC raided five locations in London last night, successfully thwarting Fenrir Greyback's sabotage plot. According to WAC interim spokesperson Remus Lupin, Greyback planned to stage a series of werewolf attacks during the WAC convention to smear the WAC... Fortunately, this evil plan has been completely destroyed, and several unregistered werewolves have been arrested. Remus Lupin stated that the WAC will also issue a bounty on Greyback, funded by Vaughn Weasley and Albus Dumbledore..." This is a report from the front-page newsletter of The Daily Prophet.

Compared to this more formal report, Rita Skeeter's report on page two is more "entertaining," as she is always adept at capturing controversial content:
"...According to insiders, the unregistered werewolves infiltrated London through very suspicious channels. Before the WAC intervened, the magic monitoring system, which was managed by the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters and covered the entire British Isles, failed to detect those werewolf dark wizards hiding in the Muggle community."

"This makes us wonder whether our magical monitoring system isn't as reliable as it seems, or... whether there's a mastermind protecting that beast Greyback and his brutal lackeys?"

"Up to the time this report was published, I contacted the Ministry of Magic and the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters multiple times, but did not receive a positive response. When questioned, some officials appeared flustered and very agitated."

The "some officials" in the accompanying picture is a short, plump witch in a saccharine pink dress, her face flushed, pushing and waving a wand at the camera.

"what!"

At the Crouch's house, Vaughn, who was enjoying Glitter's signature tea and snacks, chuckled as he recognized the witch, Dolores Umbridge.

Fudge's confidant.

A disgusting guy.

To avoid affecting his appetite, Vaughn quickly turned the newspaper to the other side, which was also occupied by WAC—there was no way around it, under the centuries-old Secrets Act, there was hardly any exciting big news in the English wizarding world.

Before the WAC preparatory conference, what usually appears in the news is how some wizard from some place tricked his Muggle neighbor and was then fined by the Ministry of Magic, sentenced to house arrest, and so on.

This report covers the arrival of an international delegation in England to attend the WAC Congress.

Upon seeing the photo accompanying the article, Vaughn did not appear too pleased.

The photo shows a tall, serious-looking Black wizard, Babajid Akinbad, facing the spotlight!
"The International Federation of Wizards attaches great importance to the establishment of the WAC."

The newspaper's subheading was emphasized in bold, black font.

This statement was made by Babajid Akinbad.

"When interviewed by our reporter, the Vice President of the Federation stated frankly: 'The emergence of WAC is a groundbreaking innovation in the world's magical social order. It is not only of great significance to England, but also of equal pioneering significance to the International Wizarding Federation.'"

"Akimbard stated that the werewolf problem has always been a chronic headache for the entire magical society. The terrifying werewolf disease not only threatens the lives of wizards and Muggles, but also poses a real threat to the Statute of Secrets."

"Therefore, when this reporter asked Mr. Arkinbad how he viewed the werewolves under unified jurisdiction who, for various reasons, had to work and live in Muggle society, which could potentially increase the risk of the Secrets Act being leaked, this wizard from Vagad made some rather... interesting remarks."

Vaughn looked down and saw a bolded version of Akinbad's words:
"...The Secret Code is not an ostrich-like behavior of burying one's head in the sand. The possibility of werewolves exposing magical society has always existed. The reason they didn't violate the Secret Code before was simply because we were lucky, because of the timely handling by the Ministry of Magic and the Aurors."

"But cleaning up the mess afterward isn't always effective. Before deciding to take on the delegation's duties and come to England, I also paid attention to the discussions within the English wizarding community regarding the WAC."

"Yes, the large number of werewolves living together inevitably leads to management difficulties and greatly increases the possibility of violating the Secrecy Law, but is it right to let them fend for themselves?"

“I’ve heard that there are now more than 2000 werewolves and native werewolves in England. Before the WAC appeared, they lived in seclusion in remote forests, mountains and other places rarely visited by Muggles. But who can guarantee that this situation can continue indefinitely?”

"What if one day, Muggles want to build a resort in the forest or mountains? What if one day, the resources of the forest are no longer enough to support the werewolf tribe?"

"These possibilities exist, but we couldn't address them before. Now, the emergence of the Wolfsbane Potion and the establishment of the WAC are attempts to confront and solve these problems. I believe the magical community should support them, not criticize them!"

As Vaughn was watching, a crackling sound came from the fireplace, and a burst of green light flashed for a moment.

Then, Old Barty dusted himself off and crawled out of the fireplace.

Seeing Vaughn sitting comfortably in the sunlight streaming in through the window, drinking tea and eating snacks, Old Barty sighed helplessly: "How can you stay in my house with such a clear conscience and make me run errands for you?"

As they spoke, Flashy popped out of thin air and bowed, saying, "Master, would you like some black tea and snacks? I still have some left over from what I made for Master Weasley."

"..."

Old Barty, who had initially intended to agree, suddenly became unwilling to speak.

Vaughan smiled but said nothing.

After seeing Shiny off, Old Barty glanced at the newspaper Vaughn was holding up, specifically the side facing him, which featured a photo of Babajid Akinbad, and said, "You saw what he said in the interview, didn't you? I didn't expect him to be even more supportive of the WAC than the wizards of England."

"It's normal."

Vaughn dismissed it, saying, "Albus said he's very ambitious. For ambitious people, a stagnant political environment is not conducive to them. Only by stirring up trouble can they fish in troubled waters!"

"You mean he might not actually support WAC's ideals, but just sees it as a bargaining chip?"

“I’m not a mind reader, how would I know what he’s thinking?” Vaughn took a sip of his black tea, turned a page of the newspaper, and said casually as he looked at it, “There’s no point in talking about these things with a political animal. At least from his remarks, he has thought about it carefully and realized that if the werewolves are left unchecked, they will eventually get out of control.”

Old Barty sighed.

In his opinion, Babajid Akinbad's remarks in the newspaper were not particularly profound. The werewolf problem should be obvious, and any wizard with a sound mind could understand it with a little thought.

But in England, supporters and opponents have been arguing for months without stopping.

Human nature is inherently flawed, and perhaps, as Vaughn said, it's pointless to discuss these things in the context of politics.

Old Barty chuckled self-deprecatingly, perhaps mocking the English wizarding world, or perhaps mocking himself for being an old wizard who still needed a child to teach him.

Shaking his head, Old Barty said, "You told me to keep an eye on his movements, and it's already been done. Just an hour ago, the Malfoy family sent an invitation to the delegation, inviting them to a dinner at Malfoy Manor."

“Akinbad, as the team leader, accepted the invitation.”

"Tsk!"

The news left Vaughn in a bad mood. He put away the newspaper, stood up, and paced a few steps in the warm sunlight, remaining silent for a moment.

Old Barty said, "You've just arrived in England and you're already getting involved with the pure-blood families... It seems Akinbad really thinks highly of WAC and is quite unhappy with your presence."

As a former political star and the most competitive candidate for Minister of Magic, Barty Sr. has a very clear understanding of many things.

Judging from current public opinion, the pureblood faction is undoubtedly resisting WAC.

But in reality, the WAC that those people were resisting was the WAC controlled by Vaughn Weasley and Albus Dumbledore.

If Vaughn were to announce now that the werewolves would give up half of their seats to the pure-blood families, those guys would immediately put aside their hostility and desperately try to squeeze into the committee.

"His opinion is not just that good."

A cold smile played on Vaughn's lips. "He also saw WAC's potential."

"potential?"

Old Barty was puzzled for a moment, but quickly realized: "Because there are enough werewolves and they are widely distributed?"

Vaughn nodded: "Yes, and I set a good precedent by creating WAC... Assuming the WAC in England is successful, do you think this model could be promoted internationally?"

"...Of course, but it would be very difficult for you and Dumbledore..."

“That’s right, it’s difficult for us.” Vaughn understood the underlying meaning behind Old Barty’s hesitation and laughed, “But it’s easy for the International Wizarding Federation. Werewolves are usually more prevalent in smaller countries, and the wizarding power in small countries is weak, making it difficult to control a raging werewolf.”

"Small countries are heavily reliant on the International Federation of Wizards. For large countries, the Federation's permanent special operations force is a threat, but for small countries, it is a guarantee of their survival."

“For a long time, those small countries have been almost entirely controlled by the Federation. Given this premise, if Dumbledore and I wanted to establish a WAC branch in a certain country, they might not agree, since it would be seen as a division of power. But if the Federation intervenes…”

Even without Vaughn saying anything more, Barty could imagine that the resistance wouldn't be that great.

After all, those small countries have no power to refuse the Federation.

He also understood what Vaughn meant—Babajid Akinbad wasn't interested in England's WAC, but in the WAC of the whole world!

Just imagine, if there are more than 2000 werewolves in England, how many are there worldwide?

If all werewolves could be brought under their command, what a terrifying organization the WAC would become.

Such enormous profits...how crazy would that drive someone?

The weather in London at the end of July was quite pleasant, neither too hot nor too cold, but Old Barty felt a layer of sweat on his back and a chill running down his spine.

He scratched his head, remained silent for a moment, and then comforted her, "Maybe the situation isn't so bad. WAC can't function without you. At least the formula is still in your hands."

From the beginning, Vaughn never completely relinquished ownership of the formula, but only authorized WAC to use it, which also meant that he could take it back at any time.

Vaughn chuckled: "Without the formula, I'm afraid that when the international delegation came to England this time, I wouldn't be facing Akinbad's sour face, but the permanent special forces!"

"Is there still a possibility of cooperation?"

"What good can come of trying to get something out of a deal with a tiger!"

"So how do you plan to deal with this?"

Instead of answering Old Barty, Vaughn changed the subject, asking, "Have the wizarding families heard anything about the dragon I requested?"

"Not yet." Old Barty shook his head. "They said that dragon smuggling is a sensitive issue, and your relationship with Fudge is so bad right now. He's been trying to find something to hold against you and Dumbledore. We can't rush things."

Vaughn thought for a moment: "Since it's difficult to enter the country, wouldn't it be easier if we were abroad?"

"Of course... You mean, you're planning to receive those fire dragons during your visit to North America?"

Old Barty looked up in surprise.

He naturally knew that Vaughn was going to visit Ifamoni, and he had even been hosting Ifamoni's representative, Joshua Porter, recently.

Vaughn smiled: "Not only that, you can also think about what the main contradiction in North America is right now."

There's absolutely no need to think about it.

Anyone who pays attention to the international magical community can immediately answer the question—the conflict surrounding the Secrets Act and the Rappaport Act!

The pure-blood class, represented by the Magical Congress, has been trying to deepen the implementation of the Secrets Act and the Rappaport Act.

Mixed-race and Muggle-born wizards are staunch opponents of both policies.

Thinking more deeply, these opponents might become allies of Vaughn in another sense when faced with the threat of the coalition represented by Babajid Akinbad!
Old Barty suddenly felt a sense of clarity about the problem he was facing. He looked at Vaughn and said, "No wonder you never refused Joshua Porter and insisted on going to Ifamoni for an academic visit. I always thought you didn't realize the complexity of the situation in North America, but it turns out..."

From the day he created the WAC and decided to bring in the International Confederation of Wizards, Vaughn had prepared for the worst.

As the founder of WAC, Vaughn knew better than anyone how terrifying the scale would be if WAC were to become internationally widespread one day.

No one can resist such a political lure.

His original plan was to use Dumbledore's influence to temporarily protect the newly formed WAC, and to give him time to invent a second version of the Wolfsbane Potion and establish genuine cooperative relationships with other European countries.

At that time, he could unite with the Ministries of Magic of Germany, France, and other countries to fight against the Federation.

Of course, it sounds simple, but it is actually quite complicated to operate. Cooperation requires common interests, and WAC's only valuable asset at present is the operating rights of the wolfsbane medicine.

Vaughn's original plan was to unite with European powers such as Germany and France to jointly operate the international trade of wolfsbane, for example, by acquiring exclusive operating rights to exploit smaller countries in the Balkans and Northern Europe.

Unfortunately, Dumbledore's reputation wasn't as useful as it seemed...

The aggressive attitude of Babajid Akinbad from their first meeting made Vaughn realize that time was not on his side... and the other party might not give him any time either!

Therefore, he could only choose the backup plan he had previously used.

North America!

Since receiving Isabella Rozier's letter last year, Vaughn's attention to North America has quietly increased. The current situation in North America is, of course, a result of the contradictions caused by the Magical Congress's intensified enforcement of the Secrets Act and the Rappaport Act.

But often, politics doesn't look at motives, only at results.

(End of this chapter)