On that day, Felix Harp, bearing the visage of Grindelwald, delivered a victory speech that would dominate all African media for the next fortnight, even spreading beyond to the non-magical world due to the continent's unique state of chaos.
Afterward, Felix returned to the headquarters of the Confederation, where Babajide Akingbade greeted him with exhilarating news.
An International Confederation of Wizards meeting of great significance was scheduled for early October. Ms. Bones would present the achievements and significance of various initiatives over the past three months, as well as the outcomes of negotiations with Muggle governments.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a law akin to the Secrecy Act, addressing various principled issues and allowing magic ministries worldwide to implement it. Though it might take weeks, the benefit was clear - wizards would be united once again.
Akingbade was confident because Felix Harp, as one of the two remaining grand wizards active on the world stage, would ensure the law's enactment.
Felix also visited Beauxbatons Academy of Magic that afternoon to meet with Madam Maxime, the headmistress. They had met recently at Bill and Fleur's wedding, but Madam Maxime insisted on inviting him to Beauxbatons.
"Is there a problem with the scholarship fund?" Felix inquired, not having counted the treasures in Nicolas Flamel's vault but estimating it could last another couple of centuries.
"The goblins from Gringotts transfer a sum to the school's treasury annually," Madam Maxime replied with a grim look, "and they mail you the ledger."
"I might have overlooked it," Felix calmly responded, "I receive too many letters annually. So, it's not about that?"
"Of course not."
"Then what is it?"
"Felix, you are a trustee of Beauxbatons, but you've missed three board meetings and haven't been seen at the school since the crisis began," Madam Maxime said, her voice deep and her chest heaving.
"I haven't forgotten my role," Felix immediately responded, "I asked you before. Nicolas didn't meddle, so I followed suit, not intending to interfere with school affairs."
"That's different, Felix," Madam Maxime protested, "Mr. Flamel has lived for centuries; his perception of time differs from ours, and we wouldn't disturb him lightly... But you're in your twenties. How am I supposed to explain to the students that a trustee disappears after such significant events?"
...
"So, I stayed at Beauxbatons, wandered around, helped a few students with their academic problems, and dined with everyone in the cafeteria—surprisingly effective. The only awkward part was being called 'Mr. Ep'," Felix recounted to Ms. Bones in the new deputy head's office that evening, "I guess Madam Maxime wanted a mascot, a calming presence. And perhaps, in case of trouble, to have me help."
"She is a responsible headmistress," Ms. Bones remarked, "It might seem overblown to you, but maintaining a good relationship with you is crucial for her. Why else would so many magic ministries send representatives to the Confederation on your behalf?"
Felix hesitated, knowing the reason, but joked, "I thought my eloquence played a part."
Ms. Bones smiled slightly, amused by the comment.
"Yes, Grindelwald took over a third of the African magical world, probably due to his eloquence too," she said seriously after a laugh, "Felix, the Muggle Prime Minister proposed collaborating on an official document—not only to inform the public about our negotiation progress but also other matters—I hope you'll join us. It will be the first document jointly undertaken and recognized by both parties, of extraordinary significance, and you have ample experience in this area."
Felix almost forgot his title as an author, not very best-selling but definitely relevant.
"How far along are we?" he inquired.
"We've sped up considerably," Ms. Bones said, "But we're not just dealing with a relatively stable domestic situation—there are opponents, but nothing serious. We can't get involved in international opinion, plus various organizations could affect the negotiations. Our tacit agreement is to quickly produce something both sides are satisfied with, to avoid complications..."
"As for other issues, we'll jot them down in a memo, to be refined later. Just like the Secrecy Act wasn't what it is now at the beginning..."
She briefly outlined recent negotiation progress before extending the invitation again, which Felix accepted.
At night, Felix reviewed the materials left by Ms. Bones at his desk. Many of the key issues were initially drafted by them, though some had progressed while others still faced objections. He needed to be intimately familiar with the details.
The golden clock on his desk pointed to midnight, the office still lit. Felix looked up to see Valen dozing off on its small table. He smiled gently, tucking it into
a velvet blanket.
In late September, a book over two hundred pages thick was published publicly. Media and publishing houses from both societies went into full gear, placing the book on countless desks upon release, for thorough study. Some contents were summarized in newspapers, sparking discussions page after page.
In truth, this was less a negotiation treaty and more a political white paper about wizards, released by the authorities—at least that's how many journalists privately compared it to government reports. It represented both parties' stances, focusing on stating facts and achieved negotiation outcomes, with expectations for future actions.
Some significant statements could potentially serve as the basis for future actions or evolve into targeted laws.
"The book 'Aiding the Publicization of Magic' is divided into three parts. The first part consists of three chapters, detailing the importance of cooperation between both parties, a brief history of wizards, and their historical intersections," Hermione explained in one breath, her finger tracing the table of contents, flipping to a page, reading for a while, then looking up with a complex expression, "The negotiators must have put tremendous effort into this, racking their brains—"
"But it's quite dry," Ron commented, "It feels like I'm reading a 'History of Magic' textbook."
"That's the point, isn't it? To avoid personal bias as much as possible," Hermione said, "But the real opinions are cleverly veiled, no, presented plainly for you to see. Yet, you overlook them!"
Harry watched her, realizing the meaning of her words in a way he couldn't have two months ago, having gained new insights from recent letter writing.
"Wait—" he took the book from Hermione, quickly scanning the third chapter's subheadings, then looking up thoughtfully, "I think I understand what you mean. Every word here is the result of the delegation's efforts."
Hermione sighed deeply.
"What are you all talking about?" Ron asked impatiently.
"Look at this," Harry pointed at a page, "1917—during the First World War," Hermione interjected. "Right," Harry continued, "a witch named Noelle Leeda protected her town. Oh, her identity was somewhat special; originally British, she later married into a French family…"
"Bill and Fleur?" Ron drew a similar example from his mind, "only the other way around."
Hermione cautioned him not to interrupt. Harry went on, "And here, the Ministry of Magic repelled wizards from enemy nations, including taking control of a dragon army. Hey, this mentions Mr. Scamander, who played a significant role." His tone was a bit excited.
Ron slowly caught on, "Sounds like we did something? But weren't wizards supposed to stay out of Muggle wars?"
"That's correct, but the Ministry also has a duty to protect the non-magical populace from magical threats," Hermione said. "Especially when some wizards have connections with Muggles, they tend to protect their neighbors. Such instances are more common during large-scale social upheavals, and the Ministry has plenty of records—uh, I mean, criminal records."
Ron rolled his eyes.
"So, you mean some wizards took it upon themselves to protect their neighbors during the chaos, and then got punished for being discovered using magic?"
Hermione's expression also turned a bit awkward; the Ministry didn't play a very positive role in this regard.
"At that time, the Statute of Secrecy was still in effect. But when issues arose, it was mostly fines, hardly any jail time, let alone Azkaban."
"Okay," Ron said reluctantly.
"But overall," Hermione slightly raised her voice, "the image of wizards depicted here is mostly positive... There are some who misbehaved or fooled around with Muggles, but you'll find they were all punished by the Ministry, which says a lot."
"There's more," she continued. "I think the most important content in the first part is the complete presentation of two points, crucial in their implications. The first naturally affirms the role of wizards, mentioning various magical disasters that wizards have always discreetly resolved. The second—did you notice that all instances of 'wizard' are preceded by a word?"
Harry glanced down.
"British wizards? British?"
"Exactly, it discusses British wizards, blurring the fact that many pure-blood wizards don't have a nationality! By framing the discussion within national borders, there's no need to worry about external influences—"
"But the Pan-Magic Alliance...?" Harry murmured.
"They're different, Harry, different," Hermione patiently explained. "While essentially both aim to reduce restrictions on wizards, they address completely different audiences. The former—'British wizards' practically excludes intervention from other countries, at least providing an excuse to refuse bringing wizarding issues to international discussions; the latter, the Pan-Magic Alliance, aims to secure as much autonomy for wizards as possible."
"This sounds complicated," Ron was bewildered by now.
"These are serious political matters," Hermione said sternly. "Even a minor concept can lead to a chain reaction, so for a while, the Ministry kept delaying setting various regulations. Think about it, wizards don't even have professions like lawyers..."
"Hermione," Harry said. "I know you're right, but you might be overlooking one thing, the power of wizards themselves. You know what just occurred to me?" He didn't wait for Hermione to answer but continued, "Grindelwald, far away in Africa."
"In early August, the situation in Africa seemed nothing but chaotic from what we read in the newspapers—back then, the International Confederation of Wizards hadn't regained its prestige with Professor Harp's help. Everything changed with one man's appearance."
"Harry—" Hermione said nervously.
"Many predicted that within a fortnight, wizards would join the regional conflicts as an uncontrollable force. Two months have passed, and the situation hasn't worsened; in fact, it's completely stabilized. In the most critical moment, Grindelwald took down three hundred wizards in one night, single-handedly! Not a single wizard died, and I wonder if it was due to some vow... Sometimes, I get the illusion that Professor Harp and Grindelwald have an unspoken agreement, a non-interference pact for a while..."
"Some newspapers claim they're brewing an unprecedented duel, like the legendary duel half a century ago," Hermione's voice trembled slightly. "The two strongest of our time, if not for mutual deterrence, each could cause a terrifying destructive impact on the other's camp."
Ron spoke uneasily, "All wizards are eagerly waiting, it's just not the time yet."
"Not just wizards," Hermione exclaimed sharply.
Indeed, not just wizards; governments worldwide have taken note, viewing wizards with titles like 'Grand Sorcerer' with a mix of fear and curiosity. Grindelwald seemed like an ambitious man, a failed one at
that, but his threat level rose ever since he showed up in a wizarding pub in Egypt's capital.
As for the latter... apparently skilled in an ancient magical script and even having visited the moon, his combat abilities remain shrouded in mystery, but his survival skills are unmatched.
This analysis and scrutiny are instinctive, something nearly every regime does, but it doesn't mean they plan to wage war against wizards, especially their own.
What they truly can't tolerate are individuals wandering around with nuclear capabilities... if possible, the fewer, the better.
In this process, they discovered something odd.
The power disparity among wizards seemed unimaginably vast, even though these wizards generally possessed abilities that were extremely troublesome for them—like teleportation, traveling through fire, creating inextinguishable flames, folding space. Yet, these seemingly omnipotent wizards paled in comparison to 'Grand Sorcerers.'
They could only attribute it to the mysterious and elusive nature of magic. Modern weaponry is largely built on the foundation of physics, branching into many areas, everything seemingly traceable. Unfortunately, current scientific theories are hardly sufficient to unravel the principles of magic. Just look at those scientists practically pulling their hair out.
"The second and third parts respectively outline..."
Similar analyses were being conducted worldwide. Around the same time, Grindelwald's declaration, having fermented over the previous two weeks, began to spread.
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