Chapter 708: Akinbad's Concerns
Chapter 708: Akinbad's Concerns
"Nice to see you again, Mr. Heap", Akinbad said wearily, extending his hand to Felix for a shake. "Can we find a place to talk? I had a brief chat with Amelia before coming here. I told her you've been doing a great job."
Felix was about to nod when a steady voice interjected, "Excuse me, can I join you?"
"Sure, Horace", Akinbad said, seeing that Felix had no objections. "Horace is the chair of the American Congress of Magic, and he's been in office for less than a year", he added. Felix could detect a hint of shared hardship in his words.
Both had taken office shortly before an unprecedented historical crisis, each facing the most challenging situation of their tenure. Akinbad suddenly realized that the rules that had governed for centuries were no longer effective, like a box of Wizard Crunchies that had fallen and shattered, each piece unique and nearly impossible to reassemble.
Horace, on the other hand, represented the most thoroughly shattered piece, perhaps even trampled and ground into the ground.
"Hello, Mr. Heap", the chair of the American Congress of Magic introduced himself, "I'm Horace Grinstinch."
"Hello, Mr. Grinstinch", Felix replied, recalling a name renowned in the American magical community. As expected, this man was also a descendant of the twelve Aurors. "Gentlemen, follow me."
As he turned, Felix glanced at Amelia Bones, who was congratulating Mr. Weasley. Standing nearby were two familiar yet unfamiliar faces that Felix couldn't immediately place—definitely not Tonks, who was with Lupin. As they led the way through the gaps between the golden chairs, he suddenly remembered who they were: the Ministers of Magic from France and Bulgaria.
Behind a massive pillar, the three stood at the front of the tent.
Felix quietly observed the two men, as they did him.
Akinbad, of course, was unmistakable. His dark skin couldn't hide the deep wrinkles on his face, and his unkempt beard suggested he hadn't slept well in a while. According to Mrs. Bones, he requested a negotiation summary every day, likely spending most of his time studying the feasibility of various strategies. In contrast, Horace Grinstinch wore a purple Wizard robe with golden trim, perfectly suited for the wedding. He seemed well-prepared. The chair of the American Congress of Magic looked to be in his fifties or sixties, though his actual age might be greater. His small eyes were surrounded by fine lines, and his gaze was stern and rigid, giving him a serious and stern appearance.
With just a quick look, Felix sketched a simple character profile in his mind. When facing Horace Grinstinch, the image of old Barty Crouch came to mind.
Felix had no doubt that even with the incident involving Barty Crouch Jr., once Voldemort openly declared his return, old Crouch would immediately become Amelia Bones' strongest competitor on the path to Minister of Magic. During wartime, the public always yearned for a strong government, and Fudge's weak image was utterly useless—this was why he desperately avoided acknowledging Voldemort's return.
However, the problem they faced now couldn't be solved by mere determination.
"Let's skip the formalities, Mr. Heap. The situation is dire, and the magical world needs your wisdom. I believe you have this in mind, given that you're an expert in this field. You foresaw the inevitable exposure of the magical world and have influenced many of the recent actions taken by the British Ministry of Magic."
"I do have that in mind", Felix said, looking directly at Akinbad. "I believe you've all reviewed that report."
"More than once, to be precise. It was the only professional and seemingly predictive proposal early this month", Akinbad said. The latter half of the month, of course, saw a series of dazzling actions by the British Ministry of Magic that captured the world's attention.
Everyone was eagerly awaiting the outcome.
Akinbad, however, felt the immense pressure and sudden responsibility weighing on him, making it hard to breathe and preventing him from making hasty decisions. He had broadly ordered the Ministries of Magic in other countries to go into hiding and to cautiously engage with their respective governments, hoping to reach new agreements. He also had his assistant gather all of Felix's previous works, leading to the conclusion that Felix indeed had genuine expertise.
"…Some of the conclusions in the report have been validated. We underestimated the progress of Muggles, and hiding the existence of magic is becoming increasingly difficult, as the data from the past shows. Compared to a century ago, the world's population has tripled, occupying vast areas of land, severely limiting the range of Wizard activities."
"The changes brought about by population growth go beyond what we've discussed", Felix said. "The number of Wizards has also increased, making all the previously mentioned issues even more acute and prominent. Of course, this has its benefits—Wizards have firmly established their dominance in the magical world. From a broader perspective, this can be seen as a silent cooperation between Wizards and non-Wizards."
Horace Grindstinch, standing nearby, opened his mouth slightly. He had never thought of it this way, but after some reflection, it indeed made sense.
This was how the goblins fell from power. They hadn't done anything wrong, yet their influence steadily diminished.
A century might seem short, but if you extend the timeline to two hundred, five hundred, or even a thousand years, this trend becomes glaringly obvious. He felt it necessary to go back and review past statistics to see if the number of Wizards born to Muggles had been increasing year by year.
Akinbad had read a lot of material recently, and he intuitively agreed with this perspective. He summarized, "So, as Muggles develop and their population grows, they take up more space. At the same time, the number of Wizards is also increasing, leading to an inevitable result: contact between the two sides is unavoidable."
"It's just a matter of when", Felix nodded.
"Insightful", Akinbad praised, then asked, "Do you plan to replicate and expand the approach used at the British Ministry of Magic? The Pan-Magical Alliance, joint law enforcement, specialized wands, the Squib community, magic trade, and some plans still on paper; I've noticed from recent negotiations that you've adopted and improved upon some of your enemies' ideas, making them less abrasive—bold and impressive. However, from my position, these countries are not isolated entities. There could be a terrible chain reaction, where one action affects the whole."
This was Akinbad's greatest concern—while a mistake by Bones and Felix might only affect one country, a mistake by him could impact all Wizards.
"That's not necessary. The first step is always the hardest", Felix said.
"But the situations in other regions differ from Britain's. For example", Akinbad glanced at Horace Grindstinch, avoiding the most dire case of America, "take Africa. The issue in Africa is the lack of a strong law enforcement agency. With the Statute of Secrecy failing unexpectedly, the long-term suppression has led Wizards in that region to take a different path, with more and more magical phenomena occurring."
"Our problem is the opposite", Horace Grindstinch said solemnly.
The living conditions of Wizards in Africa, America, and Britain (or Europe) are worth comparing. The British Ministry of Magic has largely enforced the Statute of Secrecy comprehensively, while America has been even stricter, avoiding any contact with the local government, possibly due to several severe leaks in the past. This has resulted in a very tense situation, with public opinion entirely against them, and the situation worsening bit by bit. In contrast, the environment in Africa is the most lenient, with many Wizards secretly engaging in side jobs like fortune-telling and mediumship. Felix thought of Riphadin, the young girl disguised as a Gypsy witch.
But don't think Wizards in Africa are any better off.
Wizards, as a group with outstanding individual capabilities and diverse methods, leave only vague, colorful bubbles when they remain hidden. However, when they surface, they stir up the winds and waves, causing significant turmoil. They will face not just the tolerant common people but the authorities trying to control this power. The drama of alliances and divisions, attacks and collaborations, will play out repeatedly, leading to even greater chaos.
"The authority of the International Wizarding Confederation must be reestablished", Felix said.
Akinbad shook his head sadly.
"The authority of the International Wizarding Confederation was built gradually on the consensus to hide the magical world. But now, the foundation of this organization has disappeared."
"Then find a new purpose", Felix repeated what he had said to Ms. Bones.
Akinbad was somewhat moved. The International Wizarding Confederation was on the brink of collapse under his leadership, and he wanted more than anything to restore the past, no matter the cost. However, he knew everything had changed. He was still in this position because he and Grindelwald had made an unbreakable vow, which, to some extent, prevented the already chaotic magical world from falling into an unpredictable abyss.
"By the way", Akinbad seemed to remember something, "there's a huge hidden danger in Africa."
“What is it?”
“Grindelwald!” Akinbad said gravely.
Felix seemed surprised and quickly asked, "What’s going on? He’s been pretty quiet these past two weeks, right?"
"That’s the problem", Akinbad replied. "I’ve seen through his cunning facade. He won’t sit idly by and wait to fail. Initially, I was worried he might interfere with the peace talks in Britain, but that would mean opposing the majority of Wizards. After much thought, since he’s not in Britain or America, the most likely scenario is that he’s hiding in Africa."
“...Any evidence?”
“He’s made very few public appearances in America, but his presence in Africa has been surprisingly frequent. His excuse is providing shelter for Wizards in crisis, and he has indeed saved many, including a group of Wagadu students, earning him significant prestige locally—not to mention, he first proposed the Ten Laws of Wizards in Africa.”
Felix blinked and tentatively asked, "Maybe it was just because Africa was particularly chaotic at the time?"
Akinbad firmly disagreed.
“He’s a true demon, drawing strength from chaos.” He looked at Felix with a heavy expression. “Some speculate that he wants to turn Africa into a new source of saints.”
Felix looked at the two of them in confusion, mumbling, "It makes perfect sense. If anyone has a chance of unifying the magical regime there in a short time, it’s Grindelwald. Plus, with other regions preoccupied, it’s a good base—assuming he’s planning to return to his old ways."
Horace Grinstead interjected, "I’ve heard similar rumors, even in Muggle newspapers—"
The other two glared at him in unison, and he looked bewildered. "When something like this happens, we can’t just pretend we don’t hear it."
“What did they say?” Felix asked.
He was missing some information. Bones had dispatched some Aurors abroad to gather intelligence, but their findings were limited, only providing a general overview. Felix relied more on the information from Vita Rosier.
“Those Muggle politicians think,” Horace Grinstead said with a look of disgust, “that the exposure of the magical world has left Wizards scattered and vulnerable, presenting a perfect opportunity to bring them under their control. Some even used more extreme language…”
“I mean, what do they think about Grindelwald?” Felix rephrased.
“Grindelwald destroyed an underground experimental facility, causing a significant uproar. Many called for the death penalty or even his execution by burning at the stake—though we know that’s highly unlikely. The more serious media outlets have similar analyses to Mr. Akinbad’s, but they also mentioned you.”
“Me?”
“Yes,” Horace Grinstead said with a strange expression. “They believe you and Grindelwald will inevitably clash, and they suggest seeking your help if necessary.”
“Would I…?” Felix was unsure.
“You will,” Akinbad said. “If Grindelwald plans to assassinate a few politicians, no one will stop him; after all, the blame will fall on him. But if he intends to destroy a city, we must do everything to stop him. He would kill the future of Wizards. Especially since we are still in negotiations.”
Felix thought quietly. At that moment, two Wizards dressed in bright golden-yellow robes walked into the tent from a distance. It was Luna and her father, Xenophilius, with Luna wearing a large sunflower headpiece.
“Perhaps the current stability has given you a false sense of security. What if, I mean, hypothetically, one side is determined to provoke a conflict?”
Akinbad and Horace Grinstead exchanged glances. This was a question they had been trying to avoid. Their mission was to ensure that the British Ministry of Magic would create a miracle, and they hoped to continue creating miracles—this ‘miracle’ meant that out of the two hundred or so countries in the world, not one would declare war on Wizards, and no Wizard would engage in irreconcilable armed conflict with non-Wizards.
“We might have to sacrifice some countries if necessary,” Akinbad said reluctantly.
“What about the Wizards living there?”
“Arrange their evacuation,” Akinbad said.
“What about those who refuse to leave? Let them fend for themselves?”
Akinbad was speechless.
“And what about the new generation of Wizards?”
That was an equally unsolvable problem.
…
“Akinbad looks terrible. What did you say?” Lady Bones leaned in and whispered, sitting on the golden chair.
“Some hard truths.”
Bones gave Felix a stern look.
“The wedding is starting,” Sirius coughed.
(End of Chapter)
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