Chapter 716: Dangerous Assumptions
Chapter 716: Dangerous Assumptions
She wasn’t here to find food. Hermione thought indignantly to herself—though her principles had been worn smooth and flexible by a series of adventures, it was strange how she always ended up around people who treated breaking school rules (and sometimes the law!) as casually as eating or drinking.
Unless there was a good reason, she tried to behave properly.
So she hesitated to mention that she had accidentally created a Sniffer Spyglass, inspired by Grindelwald, who had once given a Scrying Mirror to Neville. But the words stuck in her throat; it did sound suspicious...
“I’m not hungry—” Hermione started, but her stomach growled the next second. Her face turned as red as if it were on fire.
The Incendio spell burned in the fireplace. Hermione didn’t know how she had ended up sitting down, but it seemed Professor had invited her. When she came to, she found herself sitting properly on a stool (provided by a house-elf), staring at the sizzling fish roasting in the fireplace, her face flushed from the heat.
Hermione lowered her head, and Valen looked up at her, its bright black eyes blinking.
“I’ve been quite busy lately and not often at school,” Felix said. “I heard the students quite enjoy the lessons in Classroom Seven?”
“Oh, yes. Professor, what have you been up to these past few days?”
“Just running around. I dealt with a magical incident yesterday,” noticing Hermione’s surprised expression, Felix explained, “It was a coincidence. A farmer found a discarded self-stirring cauldron left by a wizard. The magic on it had worn off, but the cauldron still contained a failed Elixir of Life and Death. The farmer used the cauldron to make a pesticide, and the next morning, thirty cows were found unconscious... It even made the news.”
“Was the abandoned cauldron an accident, or did someone leave it intentionally?” Hermione asked, frowning. “I know some wizards like to play tricks on Muggles. Ron’s father has handled similar cases.”
“Hard to say,” Felix thought for a moment. “I suspect it was an accident. Lately, many wizards living in Muggle communities have returned to the magical world. Hogsmeade alone has expanded by half, so it’s possible it was left behind during a move.”
“Mr. Heap, Miss Granger.” At that moment, a house-elf wearing a large white hood appeared, carrying a silver tray with a plate of small cookies and three glasses of pumpkin juice. “Thank you, Yunbo.” Felix took a cookie, and Hermione thanked him as well. Then Felix noticed the difference in the way they were addressed.
“You know Yunbo?” he asked. But it was clear the emphasis was not on the surname.
“Yes,” Yunbo, the house-elf, said respectfully, “Miss Granger often came here for a while. At first, we were puzzled, and some elves were even upset. Later, we understood—she was fighting for our rights.”
Hermione waved her hands, stopping the house-elf from saying more, and Yunbo bowed deeply before leaving. Actually, Felix was quite curious about the house-elves' views on the pan-magical alliance, but he didn’t know what the Ministry of Magic staff had said. Perhaps it was a few extra days off and some funds for buying gifts.
The kitchen was quiet for a moment. Then Hermione heard the sound of metal clinking. She turned her head and saw Valen take out a miniature knife and fork from its pocket, followed by a small green handkerchief, which it tied around its neck. When Valen noticed Hermione staring, it hesitated and then handed her a red handkerchief.
“Chirp?”
“Oh, I don’t need it, and it’s too small, it wouldn’t fit—” Hermione whispered, but Felix said, “Give me one too.” Valen grumbled and slowly took out a bright yellow handkerchief, pushing it into his hand. Felix waved it in the air, and the handkerchief magically grew larger, adorned with a border of runic script.
He placed the enlarged handkerchief on his knees and turned to look at Hermione.
So Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at her handkerchief, which immediately transformed into a large tablecloth. The fireplace then brightened, and a dozen fragrant, sizzling fish hung before them, looking incredibly appetizing.
Felix, Hermione, and Valen each got a fish, and the rest were given to the house-elves, who didn’t refuse but diligently brought over three small tables and placed them in front of them. Then they retreated to one side to enjoy their meal.
This behavior, which went against the nature of house-elves, left Hermione utterly amazed. But it had clearly happened many times before; the house-elves knew that persuasion was futile and no longer wasted their efforts.
Hermione took a bite of the fish and didn’t feel any bones, marveling at the effectiveness of the Boneless Charm.
This midnight feast was rather peculiar.
There were many of them, making it feel like a gathering, but the house-elves were mostly silent. From their contented swaying and subtle movements, it was clear they were very happy, giving Hermione the impression of being in a mysterious tribe during a celebration.
And she discovered a secret from the way the house-elves swallowed their food—thanks to her sitting on a stool less than a foot high, she could see clearly—while it was hard for wizards to distinguish the gender of house-elves by appearance, today Hermione learned that male house-elves had slightly protruding Adam’s apples, while female house-elves had smoother necks, making them less noticeable. Just like humans.
Hermione suspected that the reason the secret had not been discovered was because the house-elf always spoke with its head bowed. As the plates emptied and she had her fill, Hermione finally remembered why she had come.
"Um, Professor?" she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "The children you rescued from the American government..." Felix turned to her, his plate long since cleared. "...the newspapers are abuzz with discussion, but overall, the opinions are mixed."
"Pretty normal", Felix muttered. "When you put yourself in the public eye, unless you're absolutely rotten, you'll get both praise and criticism. But I think few would question the necessity of rescuing those children, right?"
"You're right. With the publication of Assisting the Publicization of Magic, many anthropologists and historians have acknowledged ancient wizards as one of the early human groups. The director of the British Museum claims to have found evidence in prehistoric cave paintings, suggesting that wizards first emerged from two groups: brave warriors and shamans. The former gained magical powers through battles with magical creatures, while the latter used the blood and bones of magical creatures in rituals..."
Felix remained neutral about this theory. He had similar suspicions, but they were just that—suspicions. The exact origin of wizards was lost to time, and no one knew the definitive truth. Moreover, the criteria for defining the emergence of wizards were inconsistent. Was it the use of magical creatures' body parts to create 'magical tools,' or the first appearance of mystical powers in ancient humans? Or perhaps only when magical knowledge was codified and passed on to other talented individuals did it truly count?
Each of these scenarios was significant. The first example represented humans attempting to harness magic; the second marked the emergence of magic in wizards; the third indicated that magic could be taught, meaning that those who mastered magic shifted from individuals to a community.
It was also possible that none of these were correct. Why couldn't magical creatures and wizards have appeared simultaneously?
Felix didn't place too much importance on the answer to this question. He had included this "unverified history" in negotiations primarily from a moral standpoint, to avoid many potential issues.
After summarizing the content she had compiled from clippings, Hermione concluded:
"The controversy lies in the methods you used, Professor—many believe the issue should be resolved through legal means, not direct confrontation. There's also ongoing debate about whether wizards have the authority to investigate and enforce laws."
Felix said softly but firmly, "They can discuss, but I won't compromise on this issue."
Hermione bit her lip. However, her purpose for tonight was not to argue this point, especially since Grindelwald's stance was far more radical—his message was one of complete retribution, believing that wizards could take any means necessary to punish those who stole their power, as exemplified by the witch who burned her laboratory with a fiery blaze after losing her daughter.
"How are the children doing?" she asked softly.
"They're doing okay, just a bit shaken up", Felix glanced at her, avoiding details. "The healers at Ilvermorny will take good care of them and conduct necessary examinations. Magic isn't the only way to alter memories, but other methods are cumbersome and require a long-term, isolated environment."
"So, you just checked for any tracking devices?"
"Tracking devices?" Hermione was surprised. "Wouldn't those magical substitutes fail eventually? I read in Hogwarts, A History—"
"In a deliberate search, hoping they fail on their own is too passive", Felix said, pausing as if hesitant to reveal more. But he continued, "I suspect the local government has a general idea of the locations of wizarding communities. The relationship between the American Magical Congress and the Muggle government is strained, so they naturally try to gather useful information. Complete secrecy is hard to maintain."
"But—" Hermione was astonished.
"You're worried they might follow the trail and provoke a conflict?"
Hermione nodded.
"The likelihood of that is minimal", Felix smiled. "All wizarding communities, especially schools, are protected by powerful magic. At the very least, they have Muggle-Repelling Charms and Warding Charms, which cover vast areas. Attempting to breach these protections with purely technological means—whether it's feasible or not, it would take time, and wizards inside could evacuate quickly. As for using heavy weaponry... that possibility has nearly vanished."
Hermione looked at Felix, puzzled. Felix waved his hand, ensuring their conversation remained private.
"Granger... since your career path is Minister of Magic, and you've shown real potential in this area, we can delve deeper into this. I don't want this conversation to become public, not even to Harry, Ron, or your parents. Not a word... do you agree?"
Hermione agreed with a slight nervousness.
"Very well, let's take the United States as an example. Due to historical reasons, the number of wizards there is much lower, around forty or fifty thousand. We're discussing the most extreme scenario—these wizards suddenly suffer a devastating blow, with heavy casualties. However, it's quite possible that half of them would survive, even if the American Magical Congress is foolish enough to miss all the signs."
Hermione imagined the scene. She had seen war documentaries and had a clear understanding of the terrifying intensity of artillery fire. Her body shook, and her face turned pale.
"But then what?"
Felix spoke in a calm tone: "This is just the beginning of the war, not the end. Once this happens, many wizards will flee, but a significant number will stay to fight to the death. They will have lost their loved ones and everything they hold dear... A person with nothing left, consumed by thoughts of revenge, becomes a mindless beast and the most tenacious warrior. From history, we know that weapons evolve rapidly during wartime, but I am certain that wizards will evolve even faster, especially when they let hatred fill their hearts. War makes people cold and numb, and by then, the Fiery Blaze will be the most merciful method..."
"No, that's too terrible. We must never let this happen", Hermione whispered.
Felix looked at her quietly for a moment before saying, "This is what we are working to prevent. Forget about it. All of the above is just academic discussion, a hypothesis that is highly unlikely to occur. Otherwise, why have we been working so hard these past few months? You should head back; it's almost curfew."
Hermione silently walked out of the kitchen, with Valen yawning and curling up in Felix's arms. They reached the hallway, and Hermione suddenly said, "Wait, Professor, I have something very important to tell you. That's why I came to see you—I went to your office, but you weren't there."
She had just been so shaken by what she had heard that she almost forgot her real purpose.
"What is it?"
"Earlier, while organizing the clippings, Harry, Ron, and I discussed a possibility..." Hermione quickly recounted the events of the day. Felix shook his head slightly, "The American Magical Congress is already on guard against this. They've had some conflicts with the Muggle government over it. As for young wizards who haven't yet enrolled, they could be a weak point, but Ilvermorny—"
"Professor, you mean Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has their names, right?" Hermione interjected.
Felix's expression grew serious. Hermione clearly wanted to point out a loophole that could be exploited... A memory flashed through his mind, something Professor Mcgonagall had told him: "Three students refused to enroll."
Refusing to enroll wasn't a big deal; he hadn't taken it too seriously before.
The process was standard. When this happened, Hogwarts would send several professors to speak with the parents. If that failed, they would report it to the Ministry of Magic, which would then dispatch specialists (using the Obliviate charm if necessary) and monitor the situation for years. This process typically continued until the person turned 17, meaning those who had given up magic were unlikely to accidentally cast spells due to emotional outbursts. Their magic would become dormant due to lack of practice.
This was different from Obscurials. Obscurials usually suffered physical or mental abuse during childhood, leading them to hate and suppress their magical abilities, refusing to cast spells. They had little to no overlap with those who had given up magic, as Obscurials rarely lived past ten years old.
Felix only learned from Dumbledore's sister's story that some rare Obscurials might survive beyond ten years, which is why he mentioned it to Professor Mcgonagall.
"Hagrid's hut has always been lit, making us think he was always inside, but he actually went out. Harry's Marauder's Map has a limited search range, and once Hagrid ventured deep into the Forbidden Forest, he couldn't be found", Hermione continued, her lips trembling. "But the question is, was he really in the Forbidden Forest? What happened to him? We have no idea..."
There was no need to say more.
Felix fully understood her concerns, but that made his expression even more serious.
Harry's Marauder's Map covered the area the American Magical Congress could monitor. Hagrid represented the young wizards who had not yet enrolled. If these young wizards stayed in their local communities, they would naturally be safe, and any danger would be quickly detected. However, what if one day their families decided to immigrate, or for some other reason? The vast, boundless sea is a place where wizards' magic cannot reach.
At this very moment, while they were speaking, could there be one or two ships, or submarines, carrying these wandering young wizards? Before they reached land, no one would know what had happened to them. They might never even reach shore.
(End of Chapter)
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