A certain Hogwarts professor of runes.

François stood at the edge of the building, taking a few deep breaths and mentally planning how to introduce himself. How about starting with "I know a friend who can use magic"? Once he felt ready, he rushed into the shadows.

François looked around blankly; all the people had vanished, and all that remained were a dozen or so bicycles lying haphazardly. He walked back and forth twice, refusing to believe it, but nothing happened, and he returned to Broadway.

The streets were bustling with people, but the person he was looking for wasn't there. He was, of course, unaware of Apparition, and even less aware that a wizarding battle was about to take place in Times Square, at the intersection of West 42nd Street and Broadway in Manhattan, not far from there. Meanwhile, atop the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island in Hudson Yards, a saint deftly twirled his wand, and the torch held aloft by the Statue of Liberty suddenly burst into flames.

London, England.

Mr. Granger was working at his dental clinic as usual, with Mrs. Granger helping out. They had just seen off a customer, and Mrs. Granger was talking to her husband as she turned on the clinic's television.

“Hermione’s coming back today, we’d better close early,” Mrs. Granger said.

“I remember, I booked your favorite restaurant,” Mr. Granger said, washing his hands. Suddenly Mrs. Granger let out a scream.

He rushed out in a panic, water dripping from his hands.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

Mrs. Granger stared intently at the television, speechless. Mr. Granger looked at the screen; the camera swayed, only capturing half the head of the female reporter with her exaggerated blonde curls, but Mr. Granger's attention was completely drawn to the tornado behind her.

If it weren't for the Houses of Parliament being so conspicuous in the background, he wouldn't have realized the disaster was happening in London. He glanced uncertainly out the window; the weather was unusually fine, and he didn't feel a breath of wind. An urgent voice came from the television—

"Rita! Look, there's someone in the tornado—did you see them? And those two guys who flew by on broomsticks earlier?"

"I don't need you to remind me!" the female reporter shouted angrily. She then took deep breaths to calm herself before addressing the camera: "Ladies and gentlemen—although it may seem unbelievable, a tornado has suddenly appeared in central London. Uh—the cause is still unclear; perhaps it's due to the large temperature difference these past few days? We believe meteorologists will provide a reasonable explanation. Please don't believe rumors—oh, Merlin's beard!"

"The reporter cried out in alarm," the reporter exclaimed. But Mr. Granger couldn't blame her for her recklessness; anyone who saw it would be horrified—a young man suddenly appeared out of thin air, the camera went black for a moment, and the Grangers could only hear his voice.

"Hey, watch out, need any help?"

A few seconds later, the picture returned to normal, and the young man who had suddenly appeared reached out to help straighten the camera, a bright smile on his face: "Are you reporters? You must be, right? I can give an interview—please allow me to introduce myself, I am a wizard, a graduate of Ivermony School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the tornado behind me was created by me—my companions also helped, we learned combination magic at school." Rita Skeeter was completely dumbfounded, as were the Granger couple in front of the television, and the viewers who happened to be watching were equally stunned.

Rita Skeeter swallowed hard, racking her brains as she said:

"Clearly, this is a occult enthusiast, or he's mentally unstable. The interview ends here. The tornado is coming soon, and we must evacuate as quickly as possible—" She suddenly couldn't speak, her body stiffening, motionless like a stone.

Just as everyone was wondering what was going on, the camera was suddenly turned to the other side, and the young man's face took up most of the frame.

"My mind is perfectly normal," said the wizard who claimed to have graduated from 'Iphamoni'. "Let me repeat, I am a wizard. We can talk—don't worry about the tornado behind us, it won't get any bigger, and don't worry about this female reporter, a simple petrification spell. Huh?"

She looked furious…

The next ten minutes became his personal performance. Thanks to him, many British people learned for the first time what wizards were, what the Act of Secrecy was, and a series of magical terms such as Grindelwald, Dumbledore, the Petrification Charm, Combination Magic, and magic schools.

“Personally, I think Ilfamori is the best magic school in the world, but the group of Englishmen I just met today don't think so. Oh, sorry, I forgot I'm in England now—” A violent cough followed. “Objectively speaking, Hogwarts is pretty good too.”

Finally, he even took the initiative to break the spell on Rita Skeeter, allowing her to ask a few questions despite her stiff expression. He seemed to have a strong desire to perform, and if the police car hadn't arrived and his companion hadn't told him to leave, he probably could have talked on and on for hours.

"Is today April Fool's Day, darling?" Redhead Rebecca asked, staring blankly at the television.

“I’d rather I check the calendar!” Jim said uncertainly.

Winnie Valentine rushed out of the law firm and hailed a taxi.

"Go to that famous gold and silver jewelry and crafts shop on the corner," she said hastily before the driver could even ask.

"The one called 'Future World'?" the driver asked.

“Yes, wait a minute,” Winnie grabbed her hair, forcing herself to calm down. She changed her mind. “Let’s go to Charing Cross instead.”

"I'll listen to you."

The driver starts the car.

"We might have to take a detour because there's traffic congestion ahead, supposedly due to a rare tornado that's causing very low visibility."

“Dragon, tornado?” Winnie stammered.

"I guess the traffic reporter had too much to drink this morning. How could there be a tornado in the city center?" the driver said casually. "But the traffic jam is probably real."

Growing Company, Surrey.

Vernon Dursley was the sales manager at the company, responsible for selling more drilling rigs. He was unusually irritable this morning, yelling at nine subordinates in succession in his office, his shouts echoing from the ninth floor to the floors above and below. This caused him to ignore some inappropriate noise in the office. After thoroughly berating the last subordinate and further straining already strained relationships with his colleagues, he closed his office door with a satisfied expression.

“Don’t let anyone bother me, I have a few important calls to make,” he yelled at his assistant.

Around noon, his mood improved. He stretched his overweight body in the office and decided to cross the street to buy two donuts. As he walked out of the company gate, Vernon bumped into his assistant, who cautiously told him that his wife had called him not long ago.

Fernon felt a vague unease. Penny usually didn't call during work hours, but he quickly dismissed it; she was probably reminding him to pick up his eccentric nephew from the city after get off work. The thought of it instantly soured his mood, especially since Dudley's first act upon returning from vacation wasn't to give his father a hug, but to rush into the bedroom to check if his comic books were still there. He was furious.

Vernon stubbornly believed it was a conspiracy by his freakish nephew, revenge against them. He threw a bag of donuts and a bottle of water on the counter.

"Two pounds and fifty pence," the salesperson said.

"Two pounds and fifty pence? Why don't you just rob me?" Vernon roared.

The sales clerk shrugged.

Finon paid, grumbling, then stuffed a donut into his mouth while watching the television hanging from the ceiling, muttering under his breath:

“Prices are rising… What are those parasites sitting in Whitehall doing… Today it’s five pence, tomorrow it’s ten pence, what’s wrong with this world?” Gradually, he stopped talking, seemingly captivated by the news on television.

He rubbed his eyes incredulously, his mouth agape, making his double chin bulge even more, and his small eyes staring blankly. Then he roared, rushed out of the store, and panted as he ran back to the company, grabbed his car, and sped home.

He drove cautiously, his eyes fixed on both sides of the road, lest some strangely dressed figure in a cloak suddenly appear. There seemed to be a traffic jam ahead; he slammed the steering wheel and began honking the horn frantically. "Damn it!"

He absolutely exceeded expectations; just fifteen minutes later, he had driven the car into lane four.

“Penny, Penny!” Finnon entered the house. “I saw on TV who you are!?” He looked at the uninvited guest with a wary expression.

In the living room, Penny and Dudley sat on the sofa. Penny seemed to want to pull Dudley into her arms, but Dudley resisted fiercely. Both of them stared intently at the tall, thin man standing opposite them—unfortunately, this man was wearing the robes and cloak that Vernon hated most.

"This must be the master of the house. Hello, I'm a staff member of the Ministry of Magic, working in the Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters. You can call me Dudley," the man said.

Finon stared wide-eyed, looking at the man and then at his son.

“Oh, I’ve noticed that interesting coincidence too,” the man said happily. “Your child also has that name, doesn’t he? But there’s a difference; ‘Dali’ is my surname.” The man continued, pulling a piece of parchment from his pocket. “Alas, as you may already know, the magical world has been completely exposed to the world, plunging the entire country into chaos. To prevent potential dangers, I have been sent by the Ministry of Magic to seek your advice—”

"Danger? What danger? My family wouldn't... wouldn't do that damned thing!" Finon's face flushed red with anger, and he gritted his teeth as he uttered the word he hated most.

"magic!"

“Don’t talk nonsense,” the wizard said, looking at him with pity. “To the other Muggles, you’re one of us.”

Chapter 685 Student List

After Ms. Burns left, Felix and Professor McGonagall discussed things for a while longer before coming out of the faculty lounge.

All students were ordered to come down with their luggage.

“This is the current arrangement,” Professor McGonagall said. “Young wizards from Muggle families will have to wait a while; a professor will escort you back. The Ministry of Magic will also send specialists to provide safety guidance to wizarding families living in Muggle communities.”

The students sat listlessly on benches, clutching their luggage. Justin Finley, sitting at the Hufflepuff school table, stood up and called out:

"Professor, has the wizard really been exposed?"

Professor McGonagall glanced at him, pursed her lips, and said, "That's right, Mr. Finley."

A somber mood settled over the hall. The students were still unable to grasp the impact of the wizarding world's exposure; they only knew it was a terrible thing, or perhaps they were actually aware that Grindelwald had spent a year explaining how to guard against Muggles and hide themselves.

Felix cleared his throat.

"The Ministry of Magic already has a plan to deal with this, so you don't need to worry too much. But in the coming period, you will probably hear all sorts of rumors,"

I request that you refrain from participating in any activities during the holidays that could potentially reveal your wizarding identities, pay close attention to announcements from the Ministry of Magic, and listen to the radio broadcasts…

He went on to explain a series of specific measures, and the students gradually came to their senses.

Just then, Sirius and Percy approached. Sirius said to Harry, "Molly and I have arranged for you to stay at the Burrow for a while; she'll welcome you. The fireplace in Felix's office is usable; you can get there from there—"

"And what about you?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

“I’ll stay,” Sirius said without hesitation. He glanced at Lupin, Moody, and the others. “We need to talk to Felix.”

"I'll see if I can help, or maybe even reorganize the Order of the Phoenix. In any case, I'll probably join the Ministry of Magic temporarily."

“Then I’ll stay too,” Harry said. Sirius’s eyes widened. Harry quickly added, “I’ll be an adult in a month. Besides, this concerns the entire wizarding world. If war breaks out, it won’t matter where I hide, right? The flames of war will eventually reach me. I don’t want to be dragged out like a goblin.”

Sirius looked at him hesitantly.

Harry's tone became more urgent. "I think even if Dumbledore were still alive, he wouldn't refuse my contribution; he would want me to do it! I attended his classes during the last part of his life, and I know Grindelwald very well," he said, somewhat incoherently.

“Alright, I agree,” Sirius said suddenly, a smile spreading across his face as he saw Harry’s astonished expression. “I knew you wouldn’t hide behind me. I just talked to Remus, and he told me to ask for your opinion. But you have to come back to class after the new term starts.” He concluded seriously.

“We’ll see,” Harry said vaguely. “We’re not even sure if school will even be open after this has happened.” He was just making an excuse, but Sirius sighed worriedly. “You’re right. If the situation doesn’t stabilize before school starts, Hogwarts really risks closing.”

In turbulent times, people naturally prefer to stay with their families.

“I’ll stay too,” Hermione said after listening for a while. “I don’t want to go home and do nothing but sit in front of the TV listening to news about whether wizards and Muggles are at war! But I need to go home first; my parents are probably waiting for me, they must be so worried.”

“Me too,” Ron said.

“Including the two of us,” Fred and George said in unison.

“I also want to do something,” Neville said earnestly, glancing back at his parents, who had retired but had stayed without hesitation.

Before Ginny could speak, Mrs. Weasley strode over, glaring at them suspiciously. "What are you discussing?"

“No!” Ron, Fred, and George said reflexively. Ron quickly added, “Mom, Ginny is terrified and wants to go back to the Burrow as soon as possible.”

Ginny let out an angry meow and was reluctantly dragged away by Mrs. Weasley.

Soon, Ministry of Magic staff appeared. Because the young wizard and his parents needed to be transported back and forth at once, the Ministry of Magic specially sent two Floo management teams to modify and maintain the fireplace in Professor McGonagall's office to prevent any accidents.

The students lined up and were led through the fireplace by Professor Sprout, while Filch stood guard at the school gate to greet the wizarding parents who had heard the news and rushed to the school. Other teachers were responsible for maintaining order, and everything proceeded smoothly.

Felix sat in a corner of the auditorium, unfolding the Marauder's Map and examining it carefully.

Because of the wizarding world's unexpected exposure, a series of chain reactions caused a large influx of people into Hogsmeade, the only village in Britain composed entirely of wizards. Some were foreigners who had attended funerals and were stranded in Britain, some came to seek refuge after hearing the news, or to inquire about the inside story, and some were snipers sent by the Ministry of Magic to patrol and maintain order. As a result, the map was covered with tiny dots, and Felix couldn't find any useful information.

Sirius Black led a large group of people over, and upon hearing their idea, Felix agreed almost immediately.

"I have a feeling that the next few months will be crucial, and the Ministry of Magic will be severely understaffed. Since you have this idea, it shouldn't be a problem for the Ministry to provide some temporary credentials. A few students can do some mundane tasks like organizing documents and relaying messages—in fact, most people do this kind of work. If a battle really breaks out, the situation will probably be extremely bad."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief; he had thought the professor wouldn't agree.

"The Order of the Phoenix—" Sirius said.

“I suggest you temporarily merge with the Ministry of Magic,” Felix said. “The situation is different now compared to dealing with Voldemort. Don’t worry about the Ministry of Magic being a sieve that leaks everywhere. You can form several small teams to suppress the dark wizards in the country and prevent them from causing trouble. Also, you can form a pan-magical alliance—”

"The Pan-Magic Alliance?" Hermione and Sirius asked in unison.

“That’s right,” Felix explained the concept simply. “Miss Granger should be familiar with this term. The earliest similar concept appeared in one of her papers, which I later passed on to Amelia.”

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance.

"Spew?"