A certain Hogwarts professor of runes

Chapter 688 Secret Talks at the Prime Minister's Residence

"Hello, Prime Minister," Ms. Burns said solemnly. "This is Felix Heap, he is—"

"I am Professor of Ancient Runes at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Felix said. The Prime Minister stood up and hesitantly shook his hand, increasingly unsure of Felix's identity. Perhaps a bodyguard or an advisor?

Ms. Burns sat upright in a hard wooden chair directly opposite the Prime Minister, with Felix sitting beside her, his head slightly bowed as he fiddled with his fingers, forcing the Prime Minister to look at Burns.

"You know what?" the Prime Minister said sternly, "Although we've met twice, and Fudge before you has met several times, and there's even a portrait of someone picking his nose and yawning hanging behind my desk every day..." His eyes bulged slightly, "I still hold a sliver of hope that perhaps you're a group of sophisticated con artists, or that I'm just hallucinating from exhaustion after countless efforts to become Prime Minister..."

"Mr. Prime Minister——"

"I carefully concealed all of this, but all my illusions were shattered today! The whole country is in chaos! More than fifty county governors have been calling the Prime Minister's office non-stop, reporting to me that a bunch of strangely dressed guys are flying around overhead and performing all sorts of magical tricks—a cow in Kent flew across the Thames in full view of everyone, with more than two thousand people there! Good heavens, I've never felt this helpless, not even when my niece cried about the gerbil I gave her turning into a teacup and breaking."

"Excuse me, are you referring to gerbils?" Felix asked politely. Could the Prime Minister's niece be a potential little wizard? That would be good news, beneficial for the upcoming negotiations.

"When Fudge first met me, he turned the teacup on the table into a gerbil," the Prime Minister said through gritted teeth.

"Oh," Felix said in a drawn-out tone, tapping the armrest of his chair with his index finger.

The Prime Minister regained his composure, straightened his tie, but was now panting heavily from speaking too much.

Ms. Burns finally found an opportunity to speak, and she went straight to the point, saying, "This is why we've come. Wizards can no longer hide; the merging of the two societies is inevitable."

"The two societies are merging," the Prime Minister said slowly. "How are they merging?" He was now completely calm.

"In the past, we only revealed our identities to the current prime minister, which was the best way to keep things secret. But after what happened today, the old method is clearly no longer effective," Ms. Burns said gently. "We need to work closely together: you need to explain to the public why there is a group of wizards living on British soil, and I also need to reassure wizards who are used to secrecy laws to adapt to a completely different environment."

"I did use my powers as Prime Minister to cooperate with you," the Prime Minister said curtly. "For example... for example, the wanted posters for Black the Little Grey Wolf, Tom Riddle, and a gas leak... It's illogical. I paid the price, but what was the result? The whole country was in a mess."

"You still haven't grasped the seriousness of the matter!" Ms. Burns showed impatience for the first time. "This isn't about who cooperates with whom. When we first met, I spent an hour explaining to you the significance of wizards and the Ministry of Magic. So you should understand that over 20,000 wizards live on this land, and their ancestors even predated you. Before the Act of Secrecy was officially implemented, wizards and Muggles lived together, and these legends still circulate throughout the country today."

“But you’ve withdrawn,” the Prime Minister said nervously. “I haven’t seen any news about wizards in any of the publicly circulated newspapers—maybe they will after today—and now you want the two societies to merge. How am I supposed to convince the public that you are the ones hiding in the shadows maintaining order in Britain? Besides, I have to consider the opinions of Parliament, the Church, and the military. They knew nothing about you before. Maybe one or two families knew, but would they dare to make it public? Well, unless—” His expression changed.

"Unless what?"

"Sigh, I can't just make things up without evidence. Perhaps you don't know our attitude towards refugees—"

"Wizards are not refugees!"

"Yes, yes, I know, but to the average person, it might not make much of a difference, especially since you all seem to be able to fly to the heavens and dive into the earth. Who knows if one day you might suddenly pop out of the fireplace and say, 'Good heavens, wizards stealing things!' You might find it funny, you can conjure up coins, but that doesn't stop people from thinking that way..."

Felix didn't laugh, and neither did Ms. Burns. While there were indeed many thieves in the wizarding world, and quite a few at that, most of them weren't interested in Muggle property, and the penalties for violating the Law of Secrecy were far more severe than petty theft.

“…I think,” the Prime Minister pulled out a green striped handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead, “that if wizards could be nominally under the government’s jurisdiction and subject to legal oversight, while also swearing allegiance to the Queen—nominal, of course—I think things would be much easier.”

Ms. Burns stared intently, barely managing not to turn to look at Felix; she had anticipated the Prime Minister's reaction perfectly.

“We must win over the Muggle Prime Minister,” Felix analyzed. “I know he can’t have complete control over this matter. The Cabinet, Parliament, the military, the public, and even the Queen in Buckingham Palace—they all have the opportunity to exert influence. But the Prime Minister is the most important one. He connects everyone and has the same ability to influence them.”

"Sigh, I don't know how to convince him," Ms. Burns said wearily, rubbing her forehead.

"Persuade?" Felix looked at her seriously. "That's the outcome we hope to achieve. But in the process, you need to be firm."

Borns looked at him hesitantly, "But—what if—"

"Oh, Amelia. We are worried about war, but are the other side not afraid? But upon closer reflection, we are not actually afraid of war. We are just worried that the other side's arrogance will cause them to misjudge the situation and thus trigger a war that should not have broken out."

"This is not quite what we were discussing," Bones objected.

"That's a strategy for ordinary people. Of course, we can take a softer approach and gain broad support. But with politicians? You have to treat them like completely different creatures. If you take a step back, you have to get something out of them. It's almost ingrained in their blood."

Does making concessions equate to weakness?

"It could also be a signal of an exchange of benefits."

Bones snorted.

"You seem to know them very well."

"I only flipped through a few 'storybooks' before coming here, and all I can say is that the content was very interesting," Felix said vaguely.

……

"If you insist on this idea, Mr. Prime Minister," Ms. Burns said sternly, "then there's no way we can continue talking. We are open to negotiations and to setting forth the obligations of both sides, but we will never yield to any group or individual, not even nominally!"

The Prime Minister hadn't expected such a fierce rebuttal. A moment of silence followed.

"I remember you have an organization similar to the United Nations?" he said cautiously.

"The International Federation of Wizards," Ms. Burns said, pursing her lips.

"That's right, the International—cough, cough, the Wizarding Federation, that's it, Fudge told me about it once." The Prime Minister asked hopefully, "What do they think?"

"They're still undecided," Felix suddenly interjected. "They're worried about war."

"War?" the Prime Minister exclaimed.

“Yes,” Felix blinked, as if he had discovered something interesting, “You may not know this, but not all Ministryes of Magic maintain friendly relations with their local governments. Britain is quite good in this regard. In fact, many Ministryes of Magic have had very tense relations with their governments at times. They don’t hesitate to assume the worst about each other and assess the balance of power. For example, I’ve heard the word ‘nuclear bomb’ more than once…”

"Nuclear bombs?" The Prime Minister's eyes bulged out. He jumped up excitedly, his hands on the table, drool flying. "Do they really think a nuclear war is going to break out?"

"Oh, they do have that concern." Felix spread his hands, saying 'frankly', "Some ministries of magic cut off contact with Muggle governments early on, so their information channels are quite limited... I've never worried about being attacked by a nuclear bomb."

"Of course not!" the Prime Minister roared. "No leader of any country would agree to detonate a nuclear bomb in the place where his own people live, let alone allow another country to do so! This is utter nonsense. If anyone dared to issue such an order, his political enemies would laugh themselves silly, and the angry public would tear him to pieces."

Felix glanced at Bones without making a sound.

Ms. Burns received the signal, cleared her throat, and said, "Mr. Prime Minister, no one wants war. We sincerely hope that both sides can reach an agreement and do our utmost to facilitate negotiations. In the meantime, to avoid unnecessary conflict, we will recall the wizards who have been living in seclusion in Muggle society, and we will go into hiding."

The Prime Minister nodded; he could indeed sense the other party's sincerity.

"However... I hope you don't take too long to consider this. On the one hand, I cannot suppress the will of the wizarding people indefinitely. On the other hand, our concessions will create a vacuum in the local wizarding forces, which may not be a good thing at this critical moment."

"Power vacuum? What do you mean?" the chief asked shrewdly.

"During our strict enforcement of the closure policy, other wizarding forces may infiltrate," Ms. Burns warned solemnly. "They could be foreign wizards—for example, wizards from Africa or the Americas, whom Felix mentioned before. They have poor relations with the local governments and may flee to England for refuge; dark wizards driven out by the Aurors and forced to hide in the gutter may also take the opportunity to stir up trouble; but the most likely candidate is Grindelwald's saints."

When he heard the first point, the Prime Minister merely frowned. Compared to foreigners, he certainly trusted his own countrymen more. However, as a seasoned politician, he was well-versed in the art of negotiation and compromise and did not mind using this as an excuse to gain benefits. But when he heard that the Ministry of Magic intended to let dark wizards run rampant, he immediately became restless.

"This is a threat!" he shouted. "You've been up to no good, haven't you? Secretly raising dark wizards just so you could—"

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Ms. Burns said angrily.

"Don't lie to me, I'm not completely ignorant of you," the Prime Minister said, feigning deep thought as he recalled something. "Your former Minister of Magic revealed quite a bit of inside information in several conversations—Knockturn Alley, right? Fudge once complained that the Aurors had found another batch of cursed items in Knockturn Alley, and it just wouldn't stop... You can't deny it, can you!?"

“I don’t deny it,” Ms. Burns said calmly. “Officially, Knockturn Alley is another magical commercial district besides Diagon Alley, selling a wide variety of strange and wonderful items. Many of these items are useless, secondhand, or defective… and naturally, some are dangerous goods. Law enforcement targets the latter category of goods.”

"...Different people perceive it differently. If someone is just a student or a law-abiding citizen, they might never set foot in Knockturn Alley in their entire life; but if their interests are unique enough, such as ancient magical artifacts, cheap and novel trinkets, and rare magical materials, or if they simply want to eradicate a rare plant disease that conventional methods don't work...then they can try their luck there. Of course—you have to always be mindful of your wallet and your own safety. There are always some strange, scary people walking around there. But they haven't broken the law, and Aurors can't deal with them."

"It sounds like an unregulated, large grocery market," the Prime Minister said in a dry voice.

"Are there absolutely no stolen goods, drug abuse, or secondhand guns in your grocery market?" Ms. Burns asked.

The Prime Minister remained silent.

"The most common people in Knockturn Alley are petty thieves—either smugglers or those obsessed with dark magic, the latter also classified as dark wizards. But they are much more endearing than truly cruel and evil dark wizards. At least the Aurors don't have to worry too much about a killing curse flying from the other side when enforcing the law," Burns concluded.

"What is a real dark wizard like?" the Prime Minister asked.

"Or to put it another way—what is a dark wizard who harbors intense hostility towards Muggles like?" Ms. Burns adjusted her monocle. "You should have witnessed his abilities this morning, although he himself didn't even show his face; it was his saints who were causing trouble."

"Grindelwald? Oh, right, that's what I was just about to ask. You mean he's the mastermind behind the whole thing? An extreme subversive?" the Prime Minister asked urgently. "I've watched the interview with the guy who caused the tornado in front of the Parliament building, I've watched it several times!" He couldn't contain his anger again and slammed his fist on his desk.

"Why don't you arrest him?"

"If you knew what he had done, you wouldn't have asked that question," Ms. Burns said seriously, waving her wand and producing a bulging folder on her desk. "Inside are some materials we've compiled: his ideas, his propositions, his influence..."

The Prime Minister opened the folder and poured out a clipping that looked quite old, as it was yellowed.

"It's worth mentioning that there's a significant difference in the evaluation standards for combat between wizards and Muggles. I know that Muggle armies rely more on collective strength, while wizards—" Borns sighed, "some people only need a wand to do all sorts of incredible things."

"Like this person?" the Prime Minister asked uncomfortably, frowning at the sinister-looking man in the photo.

"And Dumbledore."

"The person in the news said he's dead."

"...Yes, alas, if only he were still here. He thwarted Grindelwald's plots to rule the world many times," Ms. Burns sighed, seeing the Prime Minister open his mouth as if speechless. She continued, "But that doesn't mean he was unrestrained. We also have archmages here who have touched upon the essence of magic in certain areas. He—oh, the researchers in the ministry borrowed Professor Hyp's classification method for magic, and this form is also attached to the document."

"Professor Hyp? Is he a scholar who studies this field?" The Prime Minister turned his gaze to Felix, who was not very noticeable.

“No, he’s currently the only one who can rival Grindelwald, even though he’s still young—” Ms. Burns paused, turning to look at Felix, seemingly equally surprised by the number she was about to say, “If I remember correctly, you’re only 26?”

Felix nodded. "If we compare magic to science, then only scientists in the magical world can wield that power, and I just happen to have some talent for it. There's no need to make a fuss."

The Prime Minister murmured, "Yes, 26 years old is nothing. Many scientists publish their most important papers at this age, like Einstein. I remember he did something earth-shattering when he was 26..."

"He proposed the special theory of relativity," Felix kindly reminded him.

……

"Grindelwald nearly destroyed a city in the 1920s?" the Prime Minister asked incredulously, flipping through the documents. He glanced quickly at the parchment. "Paris, no less? How did he manage that?"

"A spell that's out of control," Felix said softly.

"Fiendfyre." He toyed with a small flame between his fingertips. "Even in the magical world, it is considered an extremely evil curse. It is called a curse because it can sense living beings and prioritize them as its targets. It is difficult to extinguish and can only be left to burn itself out—oh, I mean it cannot be extinguished by conventional means, but it has a counter-curse."

The prime minister stared intently at the small flame in his hand, without uttering a word.

"What I have is just a regular flame, no different from the flame of a lighter," Felix said.

"Felix, are you sure he's using Fiendfire?" Borns asked doubtfully. "The magical world hasn't reached a conclusion yet."

"He tamed Fiendfire," Felix said calmly. "Grindelwald seems to be very skilled at fusion magic. For example, the one I saw in the documents, I suspect is a combination of a high-level form of armor protection and the Fiendfire spell. It's not a random patchwork, but a fusion of the characteristics of different spells, perhaps with other elements mixed in... He must have a very deep understanding of magic itself."

The Prime Minister swallowed hard, then continued reading the documents, occasionally asking a question or two.

……

As he left the Prime Minister's residence, Burns breathed a sigh of relief.

"It was worth the trip. Although the Prime Minister didn't agree to stand on our side... at least he promised to do his best to facilitate the negotiations, and he also asked us to continue to maintain the magical order in the meantime, well, that's what we were planning to do anyway."

"This is just the first step," Felix said calmly, raising an eyebrow. "The Prime Minister is someone who knows half about the existence of the wizarding world and has had past interactions with it, so he won't start by shouting for war. However, he will be facing a group that knows nothing about wizards, and this Prime Minister has never been known for his decisiveness or tenacity... Let's wait and see."

"Sigh, I'm even thinking of retiring."

"This doesn't sound like something you'd say," Felix said, turning his head in surprise.

"I'm serious," Ms. Burns said earnestly. "I'm not trying to run away. I'm just increasingly feeling my own inadequacy and inability to lead the people through this crisis. How about you become Minister for Magic, and I'll return to my position as Head of the Department of Law Enforcement to assist you..."

"No, I didn't mean that."

"Felix..."

“Alright, let’s talk this out.” Felix stared directly into Burns’ eyes. “At this point, I can no longer remain neutral. I do intend to seize power—but not as Minister of Magic, you understand?”

"That—" Borns blinked, then said in shock, "The president of the International Wizarding Federation?"

"That's right."

"But what about Akinbad and Grindelwald's vows?"

"Amelia, of course not now. Let's take a longer view: even if wizarding society and Muggle society reach a reconciliation, will the contradictions and conflicts disappear? From the moment the peace treaty is signed, it will take at least until the new generation has fully grown up before we can see any results."

Under the pitch-black night sky, Felix explained his thoughts in detail, and Ms. Burns listened quietly.

"...Whether they are young wizards or Muggle children, they may still be in their swaddling clothes, babbling and toddling. But they will eventually grow up in a new world order, which is exactly what I hope to see—neither like the current Muggles who feel unfamiliar and afraid of magic, nor like the current wizards who feel out of place living in the sunlight."

In the silence, the moonlight shone on Ms. Burns's hopeful yet resolute face.

"Then go for it, Felix, I'll support you wholeheartedly," she said.

Felix smiled.

"We took the first step tonight: kicking the International Confederation of Wizards and other countries aside, successfully shifting the conflict from the massive issue of Muggles and wizards to an internal national affair. If all goes well, we could very well be the first successful example!"

"Will you gain great fame and step onto a bigger stage through this?" Ms. Burns asked with some excitement.

"Yes, so we can't be lazy anymore. Aren't you going to give a speech to all the wizards in Britain? Count me in."

"Are you planning to back out?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Cough, I'm still adjusting." Felix looked away, his eyes gleaming, and said, "Let's go. We need to talk to the mole planted in the newspaper office, and then I have to go to Hogsmeade... There's just too much going on, and many of my research projects have been put on hold."

(End of this chapter)