A certain Hogwarts professor of runes.

"The announcement won't be made until tomorrow. The Prime Minister sent the message via portrait, saying they will issue invitations in the Queen's name, similar to a private gathering or afternoon tea... What are your thoughts?"

Felix thought for a moment, then tentatively asked, "They don't want it to be too formal?"

“Yes, the Prime Minister said that a considerable number of people in Parliament still have reservations,” Ms. Burns said. “He subtly suggested that the selected negotiating teams should not be too serious, and that the two sides would not immediately engage in substantive negotiations. This event is essentially the wizard’s first public appearance—well, actually the second, although Grindelwald’s saints have generally not made a good impression on the world.”

“It needs to create a stark contrast with the saints,” Felix pondered, his gaze sweeping over the people in the Great Hall, landing on Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and other students, where his eyes lit up.

“What do you think about selecting a few students to form a delegation?” Before Bones could retort, Felix continued, “I will lead the team myself.”

Borns paused, then lowered his head and quickly began to think. The conclusion was... it seemed feasible?

With Felix around, there was absolutely no need to worry about her safety. She also trusted his wisdom in making on-the-spot decisions. Besides, Felix was nominally a professor at the school, so it was perfectly reasonable for a teacher to bring students along, and it didn't have any obvious political implications. As for her earlier fleeting concerns, such as being harassed by Muggle government officials, all of that was easily resolved; the Prime Minister would issue a warning.

It would be best to demonstrate one's strength appropriately...

“That’s it!” Ms. Burns said, then hesitated slightly: “Student candidate one.”

“We’ll select from these hundred-plus students, with volunteers, and we’ll also consult their parents,” Felix said immediately. “We’ll explain the pros and cons to them; after all, not everyone is willing to appear in public.”

A new day begins.

Chapter 690 Inheritance

In the morning, the Prime Minister delivered a speech in front of 10 Downing Street.

“The wizarding community was real. They were once guests of honor at the court and their legends still circulate in some places today. But between the 15th and 17th centuries, England and the world were undergoing tremendous changes. The millennia-old Middle Ages came to an end. The old order was destroyed and the new order had not yet been established. Our society was undergoing major changes in all aspects. At the same time, the conflict between wizards and ordinary people was intensifying, and some extremely bad things happened. These are the scars left by our journey from thorns to civilization.”

"The wizards then chose to conceal their identities, sever ties with the public, and established laws to ensure this was implemented; they called these laws of secrecy."

"A week ago, the hidden wizarding society was unexpectedly exposed, and everyone faced a tremendous choice—perhaps the most important one in recent years. Because the two societies had been separated for so long, they felt deeply unfamiliar with each other. The ministers held multiple meetings, all members of parliament attended, and even Her Majesty the Queen made a rare appearance, ultimately reaching a consensus: to cautiously engage in dialogue."

"I am extending a public invitation here, hoping that wizards will send a delegation. I believe that communication is the first step in resolving disputes..."

After speaking, the Prime Minister looked around and waited for reporters to ask questions.

"Mr. Prime Minister, are you implying that last week's terrorist attacks were accidental?" a reporter asked sharply. "According to various statistics, although there were no casualties, the nationwide traffic congestion, city shutdowns, and damage to some municipal public facilities caused huge property losses to the country, not to mention that many people were hospitalized due to shock."

"Ahem... We must admit that wizards, too, can be good or bad. The difference is that they possess magic, resulting in vastly different individual combat abilities. The panic we've experienced was caused by an extremely evil and powerful dark wizard and his followers. You should know that name, Grindelwald... He was ambitious and had longed to rule the world for sixty or seventy years."

"But he was eventually imprisoned, held for half a century, until recently when he escaped the wizarding prison and orchestrated this operation," the Prime Minister said solemnly. "He wants our society to split so he can seize the opportunity to rise again and spread war across every inch of the land, where Britain will not be spared, and the world will not be spared. Given that terrible future, we must remain clear-headed and not fall into the trap."

Another reporter asked, "Has the government been hiding the existence of witch doctors from the public? What prompted you to keep this a secret? Don't you think this is a violation of the public's right to know?"

The Prime Minister did not answer directly, but instead changed his approach.

"I think the reason why successive prime ministers have unanimously kept this a secret, besides involving national security secrets, is more to avoid causing public panic. Wizards have hidden their identities for hundreds of years, and their image is very different from what we imagine... They have established regimes similar to ours, forming diverse organizations such as schools, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies. They even have organizations similar to the United Nations."

—Wizards are also progressing and evolving.

After the press conference ended, the Prime Minister turned and walked back to 10 Downing Street.

“Thank you for everything, Mr. Prime Minister,” Kingsley, acting as his assistant, said politely.

The Prime Minister stopped in his tracks.

"You don't understand, get ready to face the overwhelming public opinion."

Kingsley was somewhat taken aback, but the Prime Minister returned to his office without saying a word, standing by the window and gazing at the reporters and citizens who had not left. He had a premonition that everyone would be forced into a larger vortex of public opinion, and his speech today was the fuse.

But he had no choice.

Whether for the sake of national interest or his personal political future, promoting negotiations is the best approach. Even the opposition party did not press too hard in this matter; when he presented the documents on wizards, members of parliament with different political views and from different parties generally voted in favor.

Not all of these people are sincere, but there is no doubt that none of them want to clean up the mess at this time.

If the current prime minister is ousted on the grounds of opposing witchcraft, then there is only one path left: take an extremely tough stance, bring witchcraft under complete government control, and even risk war.

But this approach is actually far more dangerous than engaging in peace talks. If peace talks go against the will of some people, it's like walking a tightrope, then being hostile to wizards and forcing them to fight back is like setting off fireworks on a powder keg.

Opposition parties can gain public support by inciting and creating extreme slogans, but when war actually breaks out, loved ones, property, and stable lives will be destroyed in an instant. The more support those people once had for these lawmakers, the more they will hate them in the end.

The Prime Minister's assessment was similar to his own: first talk, then test the waters during negotiations, and then gradually extract benefits.

But the world is never short of speculators.

Not long after, Felix received the message.

"Just an invitation? The details haven't been finalized yet?" he asked, somewhat surprised.

“It’s been decided, but the Prime Minister doesn’t want to appear too familiar in public,” Ms. Burns said. “The time is one week from now, at 3 p.m., at the Parliament House.”

Felix blinked.

"The Parliament House? Not Buckingham Palace?"

"The Prime Minister initially wanted to hold the meeting at Buckingham Palace, but the Queen declined after careful consideration."

Felix chuckled. "Hmm? Maybe they don't want to show any obvious personal bias, to avoid offending some extremists. The parliament building is nice, it has a lot of rooms..." He suddenly stopped talking.

"What's wrong?"

“I’ve been thinking about something,” Felix said seriously, his smile fading. He recalled the prophecy Dumbledore had shown him—a massive anti-wizarding march, in which, besides Rita Skeeter, there was another prominent landmark: the Houses of Parliament in the background.

Things seem to be progressing as Grindelwald saw.

Over the past week, anti-wizarding protests have broken out in various places, but none have been very large. This is partly because the issue has only been discussed in newspapers, and the government has not yet made a public statement; and partly because the Ministry of Magic has adopted a withdrawn approach, making it difficult for ordinary people to find a legitimate entity to lead a demonstration.

Most importantly, wizardry is a new phenomenon, and opponents need time to band together.

But it was clear that they now finally had a golden opportunity—the time, a week from now; the place, the Parliament House; the people, the wizarding delegation.

Everything seemed so natural.

Not long after Ms. Burns left, Hermione arrived with a list.

“There are over thirty people who have signed up so far.” She handed the parchment to Felix, then said seriously, “The fact that we’re here means we’re willing to contribute to peace. But many are worried they won’t do a good enough job, and they have some suitable candidates in mind…”

"I suspect you're one of their nominees, isn't that right, Miss Granger?"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Felix stared at the list, lost in thought. "I really need to think this over carefully." Since the appearance a week from now might be related to the prophecy, he'd better be cautious. The people he chooses should at least have the mental fortitude to pass muster.

The students finished sorting newspapers for the day, and as noon approached, some went home through the school fireplace, while others stayed at school.

They discussed today's news. They were mostly sixth or seventh graders, already adults or nearing adulthood, and their speech and clothing reflected this.

Because it was summer vacation, these students weren't wearing school uniforms. Their days of fighting together and sharing a common hatred for the enemy had brought them together, making them inseparable.

These phenomena were observed by the professors who remained at the university, and they were delighted by the change; if the timing weren't so bad, they might have happily hosted several banquets. Slughorn definitely had that thought.

As Felix passed through the foyer, he saw Snape. He was standing guard at the bottom of the stairs, seemingly having waited for some time.

"Is something the matter, Severus?"

Snape looked up at Felix and asked in a completely emotionless tone, "The time has been set?"

“Next week,” Felix joked, “isn’t that something to look forward to?”

Snape wouldn't answer that kind of question. He continued, "Are you planning to lead a group of students to negotiate with the Muggle government?"

“It’s not a negotiation, um, it’s more like a group of players from both sides circling the field before a big Quidditch match,” Felix said after a moment’s thought. “The younger faces help distinguish them from Grindelwald’s Saints, and…” He spoke as he pondered, trying to organize his thoughts.

"I'm thinking about how to subtly project some strength. Isn't that what negotiations are all about? Showing sincerity, flexing your muscles... but the method is crucial; it can't appear too aggressive. Do you have any good ideas?"

“That’s your problem,” Snape said coldly, turning around as his robes billowed behind him. “Come with me.”

Felix was somewhat confused, but he followed Snape toward his office anyway. The door opened, Snape slipped into the room, and Felix pushed open the door, wondering what Snape's intentions were. Had some kind of potion made a crucial breakthrough?

Since he showed the potions and apothecaries at Sword Keep several disease patterns, including werewolf and dragonpox, many wizards have chosen to stay near Sword Keep to conduct research and share their insights from time to time. Snape has also been there a few times.

The Potions professor's office was as dimly lit as ever. Felix's gaze swept over the glass specimen jars lining the wall, finally settling on Snape, who had his back to him and was completely enveloped in darkness.

Snape's body trembled slightly, one hand gripping the table, as if he were desperately suppressing his emotions, like a slithering snake. Felix sensed this strange atmosphere, but didn't urge him on, standing quietly and waiting.

Finally, Snape turned to face him, his gaze calm.

“Use the disarming spell on me, Felix.”

Chapter 691 A Monumental Lie

Finally, Felix realized that Dumbledore had come up with another backup plan.

Of the three Deathly Hallows, besides Harry's Invisibility Cloak, Dumbledore possessed the other two in the last years of his life. Felix originally thought...

With the loss of the Resurrection Stone, the Deathly Hallows could never be reassembled, and the Elder Wand lost its meaning with Dumbledore's undefeated death.

"Dumbledore asked you to give it to me?" Felix asked softly, more interested in probing Dumbledore's true thoughts.

“He told me to decide for myself.” Snape’s eyes showed some struggle. “He said he would prefer to see the ownership of the Elder Wand remain a permanent mystery, but he was also worried about major changes in the wizarding world in the future… This is probably it now.”

Felix scrutinized Snape's face. "I don't think it's the right time," he said. Snape's expression froze.

"The situation isn't that bad—the window for dialogue has been opened, and we can remain optimistic to a limited extent. Compared to the sporadic riots that have occurred in some places abroad, things are relatively stable here. Oh, by the way, Future World Company has opened two new branches."

Snape looked stunned.

“Dumbledore couldn’t foresee what would happen after him, so he needed a pair of eyes—I think he must trust you a lot,” Felix said with a sigh. “You could have observed for a few more years; surely you have more than one candidate in mind?”

Snape stared at him for a long while, then slowly said, "You're the one ahead of me, then... Potter," he paused, "I've also considered Minerva and Amelia Burns."

Felix offered his analysis with great interest. “Dumbledore knows I don’t lack sand wands. Remember that ebony wand? I’ve discovered I can incorporate runes into wands, and I recently acquired a decent one. As for Harry—well, he still has a lot of potential, and the Elder Wand could take him even further, but you two don’t get along, so you certainly wouldn’t want to give it to him. Minerva… well, she’s not young anymore. Amelia may have been very strong, but now as Minister for Magic, she has neither the time nor the inclination to study magic. She’s probably the unluckiest Minister for Magic ever.”

"So don't make decisions lightly. There should be good candidates for the next generation, or the generation after that, the key is that they perfectly match your preferences."

He concluded.

Snape took a deep breath, anger flashing across his gaunt face.

"What do you think this is? This is the greatest crisis in the history of the wizarding world, and Grindelwald is stirring up trouble everywhere—"

"Do you know what Grindelwald did?"

“I saw the news, Felix Heap!” Snape gasped. “It’s reported he’s in the Chaos Lands. He’s put forward the Ten Laws of Wizardry. One is reciprocal retaliation—wizards are not weak creatures; another calls for wizards to unite and not tolerate any theft of wizarding power; and so on—magic belongs to magic… These theories are quite popular.”

"So what do you think of these laws?" Felix asked calmly.

Snape's eyebrows furrowed.

"That's too radical."

“But it sounds like something Grindelwald would say, doesn’t it? Anyway, it can be changed, and the relevant laws are currently a blank slate—” Felix said calmly, and Snape looked over with a start.

“Oh, I mean, Grindelwald can only talk the talk; we're the ones truly qualified to negotiate,” Felix said. “By the way, I actually have something more important to say.”