A certain Hogwarts professor of runes.

The giant serpent merged into the sea like a swimming fish, without causing a ripple.

A few minutes later, the entire sea began to tremble and boil, the water surging and whirlpools overlapping like nesting dolls. Everyone present stared intently at the shadow beneath the surface; a massive black shape was approaching them. Finally, the shadow emerged, and they stared in horror at the enormous snake head, speechless. It had grown several times larger than before, and unlike its previous elegant form, its head was now covered by thick layers of reef, appearing utterly ferocious. From the gaps between the reefs, demonic symbols could be seen glowing!

Finally, the giant serpent leaped out of the water, as if a piece of land had suddenly risen. Hundreds of meters of waves were insignificant before it, comparable only to a rough scale on its massive body.

The sheer awe this giant serpent caused was unimaginable. At least, it wasn't just Greenstinch and the surrounding Aurors who were stunned. By the time they recovered, the serpent had coiled itself into a rough cone shape, its massive head drooping and its tail curving upwards, head and tail intertwined.

“A cone ice cream.” A female Auror’s eyes widened. “A cone ice cream with a bite taken out of it.” Those around her gasped. A bearded Auror yelled at her, “Nonsense, it’s clearly an ouroboros, although it looks a bit strange…”

The others echoed in hushed tones. They had learned from the news that this archmage had once chosen the ouroboros as a symbol of his identity. Such a unique symbol was not uncommon in wizarding history, and if the wizard became famous enough in the future, the symbol he chose in his youth might very well become his family crest.

And there's something they didn't mention: the name Ouroboros sounds much better than a cone ice cream, even though the latter is a better fit in shape... Felix didn't do this intentionally; it was the easiest way to open up the magic channel.

These people quickly approached, and only when they used flying brooms and Apparition to reach the floating island that had appeared out of thin air did they realize something was wrong—the ground was filled with the salty smell of seawater, the terrain was undulating, and it was visibly beginning to collapse and disintegrate. A deep crack extended outward from Felix Heap's feet, stretching for hundreds of feet.

Everyone could see that something was wrong.

Felix stood on a raised platform, roughly on the flattest diamond-shaped scale when the snake's head was raised, about ten feet long. He remained motionless.

“Mr. Hyp—” Horace Greenstinch called urgently, but a deep voice suddenly rang in his ear, “Don’t disturb him.” Horace Greenstinch was startled; he would never forget the owner of that voice—the one who had triggered the wizarding crisis, made an unbreakable vow with Arkinbad, and tricked everyone—

“Grindelwald!” he cried out.

He instinctively raised his wand, his mind in turmoil. The first thought that formed in his mind was: It's over, Grindelwald has seized the opportunity and is preparing to make a move on Mr. Hyp!

“Don’t worry,” ’Grindelwald’ said with a grin, “I’m here to help.”

The remaining dozen or so wizards gathered around, and they heard Horace Grindelwald ask warily, "How can I trust you?" They were momentarily confused. Grindelwald said nothing, but simply waved his empty hand, and everyone understood.

If Grindelwald were hostile, he wouldn't have stopped to explain to them. Horace Grinstitch hesitated slightly before stepping aside. 'Grindelwald' walked unhurriedly toward Felix, and Grinstitch called after him, "Grindelwald... sir, don't forget, we are wizards."

Grindelwald paused slightly and repeated, "You're right, we are wizards."

The group watched as Grindelwald and Felix stood side by side, his head slightly tilted as if they were whispering to each other. Though they couldn't hear what they were saying, the crack beneath Mr. Hyp's feet stopped widening. Their feelings were complex.

"Grindelwald..." the crowd murmured the name.

This whole scene was, of course, Felix's doing. He had indeed run into trouble before—not because of a lack of magic power, as he now possessed an abundance—but because of how to multitask, maintaining the floating island while constructing a stable magic channel, both tasks equally tedious and important. But the solution was simple: splitting the original task in two by creating a separate entity would drastically reduce the difficulty.

However, just as Felix was about to do so, a sudden idea struck him: he could take this opportunity to resolve the issue of the merging of the African magical world, a problem he had been unable to address for some time.

At this moment, Felix and his other self looked at each other in bewilderment.

"What do you think we should talk about?"

"God knows, just act a little more intimate."

"That's true. Anyway, it's to show the outside world that the two sides have reached a settlement, and incidentally, to clear Grindelwald's name. The old man has done bad things all his life, but these recent events have nothing to do with him..."

There was a few seconds of silence.

"Have you thought this through? This face will never appear again..." 'Grindelwald' said solemnly.

"Yes, I can afford it."

As the sun rose, golden rays shone on the sea. Grindelwald had vanished, leaving only Felix. He gazed confidently at the horizon, where distant sprays of water refracted the sunlight into rainbows, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

After enduring the painful process of childbirth, the land beneath his feet shrank slightly, but the connections between the landmasses became more cohesive, truly resembling an island. The most basic magical energy channels are now complete, and based on the amount of magic he invested, they can power the island for several years.

Moreover, there will definitely be many wizards living on the island in the future, enough to maintain the magic cycle and stability.

But were those wizards his subjects? Probably not; at most, he owned the floating islands. Felix reluctantly imagined himself piloting those floating islands for the next few years, busily dredging appropriately sized reefs from the ocean like a scavenger to expand the land.

There was no need for him to do it alone… Felix looked at Horace Greenstinch walking towards him with a smile, but he had already silently prepared his slogan in his mind, “A place where magic and technology merge.” He muttered to himself.

“What did you say, Felix?” Horace Greenstinch asked in astonishment.

“The purpose of this island beneath our feet,” Felix said seriously, his thoughts continuing to wander. Wizards—cough, he himself actually had the ability to build an underwater city deep in the ocean, but this idea lingered in his mind for a moment before he shelved it—for reasons similar to building a wizarding stronghold on the moon. Both approaches would lead wizards and ordinary people further apart, going against Felix’s original intentions.

However, secretly building a resort in the Mariana Trench wouldn't be a bad idea...

As he pondered this, Felix suddenly frowned, took out a communication mirror from his ring, and frantically banged on the frame of Akinbad's photo.

"Babajid?"

"Felix? Thank goodness, I finally got in touch with you!"

“What happened?” Felix asked, then, as if struck by a sudden thought, “Didn’t we discuss the whole plan? As the representative of the Federation, you were to participate in the live television broadcast, providing an objective explanation from a wizard’s perspective—”

"The problem is that I can hardly explain it now. There are rumors that you plan to create a giant meteorite and destroy the entire Americas!"

Felix was stunned.

"Who is this?" he said irritably. "Tell those who spread rumors that the International Wizarding Federation and the Pan-Magic Alliance are planning a Christmas party to celebrate the escape of American wizards from the clutches of evil."

Chapter 725 Celebration

Putting down the microphone, Felix couldn't help but laugh and cry. Rumors always attract more attention than facts, especially when paired with a short, catchy, and easily spread sensational headline.

This rumor would be even more perfect if it could creatively "explain" a major historical event with complex causes using just a few short phrases. Not only would it be highly likely to become popular at the time, but it would also possess a long-lasting and unwavering vitality thereafter.

To avoid being influenced by the unique charm of these endearing rumors, besides promptly revealing the truth, it's best to thoughtfully offer another topic worth discussing. Therefore—

“I’m planning to organize a Christmas bonfire party,” Felix said.

"Here?" Horace Greenstinch was a little confused by the answer. He stamped his foot and spun around in a circle. "Oh, uh, good idea..." he said reluctantly, but soon changed his mind and became deeply fascinated by the idea.

"Christmas at sea! Bonfire night! Guys—"

Greenstinch bent over the suitcase, shouting excitedly into it, which made the usually serious and stern man seem somewhat manic. He turned his head and explained, "People need happiness," still lying on the ground as he spoke, looking rather comical.

Before anyone outside could comment, about seven or eight hands reached out from the box and pulled him inside without warning. After a moment, a hollow echo came from the box, like an old, malfunctioning speaker working, but screams and cheers could still be clearly distinguished from the deafening noise.

Yuria walked over to Felix.

"Are we really going to have a bonfire party?" he asked in a low voice.

“Yes, but we’ll have to wait a bit,” Felix said. The others stood at a distance. A young Auror tried to come over, but his companion stopped him. The companion shook his head slowly but firmly, looking over with a serious expression, as if the two were discussing some profound and mysterious topic.

"What if we get attacked?" Yuria blurted out, voicing her deepest fear.

“That’s why we have to wait patiently,” Felix explained. “We can take control of the island and leave after the ‘exercise’ is over—we can’t do that now—so theoretically, yes,” he said casually, “we could indeed be attacked by lethal weapons.”

He walked to the side, chose a dry rock to sit on, and let the icy sea breeze blow on him, looking up at the azure sky. The area within dozens of kilometers was within his sight, but he wasn't actually looking at anything; he just sat quietly. The immense magic surging through the island seemed like an extension of his limbs, countless tiny magical runes flashing incessantly between the rocks. He began to recall, bit by bit, his experiences over the past six months, from initial astonishment to calm acceptance and active mediation. His role had become increasingly significant, and now he had finally placed himself on one side of the scale, tilting the other side, inscribed with love and peace, high above.

He stood at the very front of all the wizards, and any gaze cast upon this group would inevitably meet his gaze and acknowledge his presence.

As the sun reached its highest point of the day, Akinbad appeared, travel-worn, bringing exciting news. "It's done! Twenty minutes ago... the spokesperson came out of the White House..." he stammered excitedly, finally breaking into a smile, "I used the key to tell you this news in person."

Even though he appeared completely calm, Felix secretly breathed a sigh of relief when the dust settled and everything came to an end. He didn't care about the intense power struggles that had taken place in Washington, hundreds of kilometers across the coast, over the past few hours. He wasn't even surprised when Akinbad told him that the other side had extended an invitation to restart negotiations. That was a matter for later; what he needed to do now was welcome Christmas tomorrow, followed by the New Year!

Half an hour later, the floating island headed away into the deep sea.

Seeing this through satellite transmissions, the White House president breathed a sigh of relief, slumped into his chair, and was drenched in cold sweat. His high-ranking officials and staff around him also breathed a sigh of relief; countless people felt a weight lifted from their shoulders. Now, no one in the world knew the other side's strength better than them. Other countries could only observe and assess from afar via satellite; they were the ones experiencing it firsthand, and could do much more. Various detection devices based on different principles had been deployed along with the military to the port and surrounding areas a week prior.

Of course, now all the equipment has failed, resulting in a state that cannot be explained by existing science.

Just an hour ago, they were still fiercely debating whether to use their ultimate trump card—a decision not easily made. Other countries had also conveyed their intentions through explicit and implicit means: if nuclear weapons were used, the situation could easily spiral out of control. This was something no country wanted to see. Of course, it was also something the White House didn't want to see. They had used every means at home and abroad to force the wizards into a direct confrontation, not to drag themselves into the abyss of war.

The purpose of this was to anticipate that wizards would seriously harm their interests in the future, or in other words, the greater the presence of wizards, the greater the threat they posed to their global influence.

Given this, it is essential to suppress the most influential international wizarding organizations as much as possible.

Their ideal outcome was to unleash a global anti-wizard movement, while they themselves adopted a strategy of both appeasement and suppression towards their own wizards, using various political means to win over and divide the entire wizarding community, under the pretext of racial differences or bloodline distinctions... But all these plans were based on one premise—the International Wizarding Federation had to be dismantled (the International Pan-Magic Alliance was, in their view, just an empty shell).

They practically watched as the International Confederation of Wizards, which had been declining, was revitalized.

All of this is because of one person, Felix Heap.

His writings on the non-magical world became authoritative textbooks for reverse research on wizards; the spellbook system he created was studied by countless wizards; and the negotiation strategies he formulated gradually became a reality. Without the image foundation that wizards laid in front of the world in the previous months, there would never have been a situation where everyone was watching and standing by, let alone reaching a tacit consensus of 'cooperation as the main approach and confrontation as a secondary approach'.

Needless to say, he himself displayed abilities comparable to those of a god.

This is of paramount importance. In the eyes of the White House president and his staff, building a floating island is not the most terrifying thing—on the contrary, it is quite in line with their imagination of magic—what is truly terrifying is the seemingly harmless and fairytale-like magic that envelops the entire city, with an effect somewhat similar to a black-and-white sketchbook for children to practice doodling.

The hidden meaning behind this magic made them abandon any thought of escalating the conflict, and it was almost a final decision.

An hour earlier, a small contingent of troops closest to New York quietly entered the city and detonated hundreds of small explosives, but caused no damage to the city, as if the two were from different worlds.

what does this mean?

The nuclear bomb is highly likely to be ineffective, and even if it were detonated in front of that person, the possibility of it posing a threat would be virtually zero. As for the possibility of it being detonated in the worst-case scenario... no one dares to gamble on the consequences. If it happens to kill someone he values, the entire country will be plunged into darkness.

In the silence, the White House president softly recited the name he had read in the newspaper for another wizard, a name that seemed to perfectly encapsulate the conflict:

"An archmage? The swordsman?"

……

The floating island presented a completely different scene. Wizards emerged one after another from the suitcases, looking around with curiosity and trepidation like newborn babies. Adults chatted in twos and threes, while children played and frolicked on the uneven reefs and seabed rocks, prying small fish, shrimp, and seaweed out of the crevices.

Felix and Akinbad avoided the crowds and strolled along relatively flat ground.

"You plan to make this place a place where wizards and Muggles can coexist peacefully? A place where magic and technology can blend together?"

Felix nodded slightly.

"And we also need to invite wizards, Muggle scientists, and companies from various countries?"

He nodded again.

“That’s a huge undertaking,” Akinbad remarked. After a moment, he stamped his foot and suddenly asked, “Felix, what do you think about me moving the Federation headquarters here?”

Felix looked at him in surprise.

Akinbad smiled, his wrinkles smoothing out. "Actually, I've had this idea for a while... During the time when we successfully signed contracts with several countries, the situation was excellent. I thought the Federation headquarters definitely couldn't continue to hide, but we hadn't decided on a new location, and it wasn't the right time. But this idea kept popping into my head. The most convenient place would naturally be Strasbourg, where there are some international Muggle organizations... But what place could compare to an island built by wizards themselves?"

“I have no objection,” Felix replied after a moment’s thought.

At that moment, a young Auror approached, his eyes filled with awe as he looked at Felix. He said to the two of them, "Some people have suggested modifying the surrounding environment to serve as a venue for a bonfire party. Chairman Greenstinch sent me to inquire with you..."

Felix and Akinbad exchanged a glance; they naturally had no objections.

The situation spiraled out of control. More wizards poured out of the suitcase, spontaneously helping to repair the site and cast protective spells with great enthusiasm, but they soon faced a shortage of materials.

This problem was partially resolved when Felix dispelled the magic inside the briefcase.

The island's central area, spanning two kilometers, was replaced by a campsite. He then contacted the Future World Corporation headquarters, intending to have Lupin prepare tents and supplies for the bonfire party so he could personally retrieve them. However, their conversation was overheard by Ms. Burns and Sirius, who were present at the scene. Sirius came up with a whimsical and terrible idea, which Felix thought was feasible. Ms. Burns agreed to provide manpower, and thus, the momentous event that has been celebrated and vividly described by countless historians in later generations was finalized.

Temporary fireplaces sprang up, and hundreds of wizards emerged from the flames, bringing various building materials. With a wave of their wands, hundreds and thousands of houses of different shapes and sizes rose from the ground. More and more wizards arrived upon hearing the news, and it quickly turned into a wizarding celebration comparable to the Quidditch World Cup final.

Even Sirius, who came up with the idea, was taken aback by the sheer scale. He clicked his tongue and said, "Won't there be enough space?"

“You could squeeze two or three hundred thousand people in there,” Felix said uncertainly, but when he saw vendors pushing carts and hawking their wares, he wondered if he was speaking too soon. In the afternoon, he spotted Fred and George acting suspiciously, peddling Weasley fireworks around.

Upon noticing Felix staring intently at them, the two immediately gave an embarrassed smile and then fled in panic.