A certain Hogwarts professor of runes

Chapter 701 On the Right Track

The last Saturday of July.

Inside the Parliament building, in a spacious courtyard, the Prime Minister and several ministers stood at a distance in the corridor, silently watching a short, thin man suspended in mid-air. The man held a small, long-handled hammer, and all eyes were fixed on the dark hammerhead as it slowly approached the crystal bottle.

For several days, scientists used various methods to try to study the internal structure of the bottle without damaging it. In the end, they found that visual observation was the most reliable method, because the more precise the measuring instrument, the more likely it is to produce obvious deviations.

Today was the deadline for releasing the bottled landscape, and the staff responsible for the daily maintenance of the building bravely took on the task of breaking the bottle.

A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek and into his neck. The short man stared intently at the ground, mentally estimating the distance. "Stop!" he suddenly shouted, and the ropes binding him abruptly stopped. His body swayed slightly, but the man's eyes were fixed only on the crystal bottle.

The man swallowed hard, silently encouraging himself. The crystal bottle had a specially designed metal base at its bottom for stability, preventing it from being blown over by the wind or causing any accidents. His only task was to break the outer wall of the crystal bottle as rehearsed.

The metal hammer fell, producing a crisp shattering sound, and the courtyard fell silent.

"Pull me away!" the man shouted. He was the closest and had the clearest view at that moment—if not counting the numerous cameras of all sizes around him—in his vision, the crystal bottle was first covered with spiderweb-like fine lines, and then each fine line began to emit white light.

The workers at the edge of the courtyard reacted quickly and tightened the ropes. The short man was pulled backward by the ropes, but his eyes were fixed on the center of the field. The crystal shards scattered into light, and his pupils reflected a palm-sized garden that seemed to have a life of its own. The garden began to stretch out, first with soft, tender green grass, which expanded outward like a rising tide, faster than he was moving backward. That green seemed to have passed over his levitating ankles in the blink of an eye, and when he landed, his feet were already on the soft lawn.

One by one, saplings rose from the ground, growing from afar until they were close by. Time seemed to lose its meaning, and in just a dozen seconds they were lush and green. A branch drooped down, and the man absentmindedly plucked a leaf and stuffed it haphazardly into his mouth. The fresh sap and bitterness assaulted his taste buds, and his eyes widened.

Half a minute later, everything fell silent.

The prime minister and ministers approached, and several workers, mustering their courage, followed. No one stopped them; everyone stared in rapt attention at the golden fountain before them, the gentle murmur of the water seemingly filling their ears. In the center of the fountain stood several ice sculptures, or perhaps crystal sculptures? They weren't sure, but as they drew near, they could feel a faint coolness, as if even their breath had become moist. A few birds flew into the azure sky.

Everyone remained silent, staring at the courtyard for a moment, before the Prime Minister finally said, "Let's hold a press conference."

The next morning, Ms. Burns led a dozen or so representatives from various factions of the wizarding world into the Parliament Building. As expected, the group included several humanoid magical races. The guards at the door struggled to conceal their surprise, as if goblins and four-legged centaurs were perfectly normal occurrences, nothing to be alarmed about (thankfully, there were no trolls in the group). Felix watched them enter as the doors slowly closed. Meanwhile, a dozen or so Muggles hiding nearby suddenly remembered something urgent. They hurriedly grabbed banners, hunting rifles, and other such items and drove home without causing a ripple.

Fifteen minutes later, Felix passed through the iron gate, paused briefly at the magic fountain, and then walked along the corridor to the left. A flag fluttered high atop the Victoria Tower. He ascended the stone steps, where important documents of the council were stored, and heard voices all around him as he walked.

"Welcome to the meeting, Ms. Amelia Bornes, Joint Representative of the Pan-Magical Alliance UK Chapter and the Ministry of Magic..."

Felix smiled slightly. The Pan-Magical Alliance was listed first, and the "British Branch" was even more significant. Although there was only one "branch" at present, and the headquarters was nowhere to be seen, that was not important. What was important was that wizards had a reason to maintain relative independence and not be subject to the control of non-magical regimes.

There's more than one species, so why should they take orders from the Muggle government? The arrogance and stubbornness of the fairies came in handy again a few days ago, only this time they were on the wizards' side.

Why is it so complicated? Why do we need to promote the integration of wizards and non-wizards while also allowing wizards to maintain relative independence?

There are too many reasons to list. The sheer fact that wizards wouldn't tolerate a powerful government above them is enough to warrant considerable effort. Doing thorough preparation outside the formalities is always better than spending months haggling during negotiations. For wizards, even the most loosely organized Muggle regimes have a higher degree of control over their citizens than wizarding society. Felix had seen some of Umbridge's ideas at the Ministry of Magic, and perhaps inspired by the non-magical world, her desired outcome was remarkably similar to that of the outside world.

In other words, for the wizarding community with its simple social structure, every Muggle government outside is comparable to Umbridge.

The difference in understanding and requirements for rulers between wizards and non-wizards is unimaginable; forcing them together would inevitably lead to problems. The current situation, achieved in less than a month, is already remarkably smooth. But this apparent success is actually due to Felix actively avoiding most of the potentially problematic options.

Most hidden dangers begin in the smallest things. Felix discovered them early and made arrangements in time. When he found the right person willing to solve the problem, he gave them a push. The rest was just observation. As long as things didn't go astray, who did the work was a minor detail. This wasn't just Felix's problem; it was a crisis for the entire magical world.

Did Dumbledore do anything publicly during the First Wizarding War? No, he stayed at the school. But outside the public eye, he secretly formed the Order of the Phoenix to secretly resist Voldemort and prevent him from storming the Ministry of Magic and wreaking havoc. That's enough. Did we really expect him to stand guard like an ordinary Auror?

Just as Felix had just stopped a disruption to peace talks, he wouldn't publicize it; he had more important things to do.

Time passed slowly, and Felix emerged from a stone chamber with a thoughtful expression on his face.

Yesterday afternoon, the Prime Minister held a press conference, where he mentioned two important pieces of information. One was, of course, announcing the negotiation schedule to the public, and the other was responding to the rumors that a wizard had discovered ancient ruins on the moon, confirming that the news was true.

The latter also became a hot topic during this period.

To those who don't understand magic, the wizard's moon landing is incredibly magical, like stepping into a myth or legend; it's equally unbelievable to ordinary wizards. When the news was announced, representatives from various countries stationed at the Ministry of Magic inquired about its veracity, but Ms. Burns deflected their questions until Felix successfully returned from the moon, at which point the news was relayed back to the national ministries of magic through observers.

The first to be affected were the British magical newspapers, whose reporters discussed the matter with awe. Even Rita Skeeter took half a day off to publish a passionate article in the Daily Prophet, which Felix found strange, but Ms. Burns was delighted. "Public confidence has greatly increased, and they firmly believe they can overcome this difficulty."

Felix clicked his tongue, saying nothing, but then, true to his nature as a distinguished Slytherin graduate, he summoned the pure-blood family members who had nominally pledged allegiance to him. Felix had almost forgotten about them.

In the early days after the war, these men were filled with anxiety, unsure of how far the purge would go. Amelia Burns seemed intent on uprooting some of the most stubborn pure-blood families (though she never intended to). At this time, Lucius, unwilling to be relegated to the margins, and Selwyn, who escaped punishment by betraying his Death Eater comrades (rumored to now be known as "Despicable Selwyn"), rallied a group of disgraced pure-blood families, offering their loyalty to Felix. Felix promised not to implicate the innocent or harm their families, thus stabilizing the turbulent situation.

Now is the time to use them.

At Malfoy Manor, Felix received these people. The scene was rather awkward, as Snape had also been brought along. In the drawing room where the Death Eaters' meeting had once been held, Felix sat in the chair Voldemort had once occupied. The surrounding light was dim, and the fireplace roared, making it seem as if Voldemort had returned. Some of those who arrived later were caught off guard and nearly blurted out greetings to the Dark Lord.

Snape sat right next to Felix on the right, making it easy to communicate through the Mind Chamber, which resulted in another round of furtive glances. Felix then learned of Snape's status as a Death Eater, and couldn't help but think that Voldemort must have deeply regretted misjudging him before his death.

In short, the meeting did not go very well. Snape kept glancing at him, seemingly worried that his next words would be to order the attack on the Ministry of Magic. Fortunately, the result was pleasing. These pure-blood families all showed their family strength and, after a little hesitation, produced contracts signed with other magical races.

These contracts, dating back centuries, remain in effect and have played a significant role in persuading non-wizarding magical races within Britain to join the Pan-Magical Alliance.

An unexpected incident occurred during the meeting. A pure-blood wizard, trembling, addressed him as "Your Excellency" and inquired about the moon landing. Upon receiving an affirmative answer, the wizard's face lit up, and he suggested that Felix establish a wizarding base on the moon.

"Our business will be unbreakable then!" he said excitedly, and many others echoed his sentiments.

Career? What career? Felix was baffled, but he still seriously considered the proposal. Although the relationship between wizards and Muggles hadn't deteriorated to the point where they had to retreat to the moon, firstly, the idea of ​​a lunar base suited his tastes perfectly, such as the secret chambers several kilometers underground beneath the school castle, which would be excellent cover; secondly, the magic used didn't seem too difficult.

It really isn't difficult. Felix has thought about it seriously. Creating dozens of extended spaces similar to the basement of Mr. Scamander's house, combined with the planting magic researched by Professor Bubbaji, would be enough to support 20,000 to 30,000 wizards wandering in the cosmos for several years without any problem.

All that's needed is regular maintenance.

But for the same reason—unless the situation gets that bad, Felix would rather never have to use it.

……

Regarding this feat of landing on the moon, in Britain, Ms. Burns promoted it through the radio, and close friends could even ask Felix in person, but wizards far away abroad were left speechless when faced with this news.

Even though Felix had already demonstrated many incredible abilities, the various national ministries of magic remained skeptical. Felix's approach was actually similar to that of a young Dumbledore: using letters, academic articles, and hosting wizards from all over the world to exchange ideas to turn all doubts into unwavering belief. It's just that Felix didn't have that much time.

Predictably, Felix's focus will shift overseas, where he will face even more intractable problems: prime ministers, government officials, the public, media, military deterrence, and tempting offers… He hasn't resolved any of these issues in the ministries of magic of many countries. The International Wizarding Federation is on the verge of collapse.

The only redeeming quality was that the Ministry of Magic, long bound by the Act of Secrecy, instinctively kept the entire wizarding community in hiding. From Vita Rozier, Felix was able to learn more valuable information—information not disclosed by the Ministry. Some things were more serious than they appeared.

Although the wizard chose to hide, minor conflicts occurred every day.

Different strategies are needed for different environments. Once the negotiations here are concluded, if everything goes smoothly, the ministers of magic from various countries will arrive immediately to inquire about the details, and that will be the time to begin the second step.

As Felix browsed through the sea of ​​documents and archives in Victoria Tower, he mentally identified the key issues for both sides in the negotiations: wizarding autonomy, joint law enforcement by wizards and Muggles, areas of cooperation between magic and science, trade, and exchanges and visits between civil society organizations...

A file caught his attention.

The surface was covered with clippings and analytical reports of all sizes, including letters previously sent by Hogwarts students, the latest magical events emerging from around the world, such as Grindelwald's movements. Felix blinked, and unexpectedly spotted two somewhat unfamiliar faces among them—

The girl who showed him the way at Paris Saint-Germain; the pianist with the injured finger. Based on the above analysis, they seem to have recognized him and mentioned it to those around them, thus attracting the attention of government agents.

Felix noted down the addresses of the group—they were all in England at the moment, perhaps to get up close to magic? Or were they just tourists? It had certainly been quite lively lately… but it also reminded Felix that he had some non-wizard friends, such as Jim and Rebecca, and he'd better ask for their opinions. If he didn't want his identity to be traced, he could use magic to hide his secret.

(End of this chapter)