Chapter 726: Floating
Chapter 726: Floating
At the port, Felix fished a silver pocket watch from his coat pocket and glanced at the time.
"Horace, get your people to start the relocation as soon as possible. To be honest, I'm not sure if something big will appear above us soon. It's hard to predict what those people are thinking... Frankly, I don't like politics", he paused. "If there's real danger, I can give you about a minute's warning."
Horace Grinstinch nodded in understanding; a minute was enough to do a lot.
A suitcase appeared in the air, and Felix handed it to Grinstinch. The latter looked surprised and tentatively asked, "I heard that Mr. Scamander had a suitcase that could hold a lot of things when he was young?"
"Ah, the principle is the same. I consulted Mr. Scamander about it."
A nostalgic look appeared on Horace Grinstinch's face—since Seraphina Picquery, every new president of the American Magical Congress was warned to be wary of a Magical Creatures expert carrying a suitcase and traveling around.
With a complex mood, he walked out of the port and fired a safety signal with his wand. The Aurors and staff of the American Magical Congress arrived first, their faces still showing signs of disbelief, as if they hadn't fully woken up yet. They looked around in astonishment, and a young Auror extended his hand, his fingers passing through the black and white lines of varying depths without any resistance. That spot should have been a red, old-fashioned fire hydrant with a rat standing on it.
"I've only seen scenes like this in comic books", the young Auror said, dazed.
Another wizard, dressed in lantern pants, cautiously glanced in Felix's direction and whispered with a reverent look, "What do you think Mr. Heap's world looks like?"
A brief silence.
"Maybe a book?" the young Auror chirped, "And it's a comic book. Ugh—scary, it's hard to imagine how he does it."
"Mr. Heap should be able to beat Grindelwald, right?"
"I think so! Grindelwald definitely couldn't do something like this." The young Auror said excitedly, his eyes filled with fervent admiration as he looked around.
"But both of them are acknowledged Grand Wizards", another person hesitated.
"There must be a difference in strength, though..."
At that moment, Horace Grinstinch walked over with the suitcase, glancing at the speaker. "Grand Wizards aren't ranked by strength. They are all outstanding figures who have far surpassed their contemporaries in some aspect. Now, get to work."
Wizards began to arrive from the sky, bringing their families and luggage. Horace Grinstinch's mood, like that of the Aurors present, grew heavy, but he couldn't find the words to persuade them to stay—they mostly had children with them.
After today, the situation for American wizards might not worsen further, but there were no signs of improvement either. The bloody scars wouldn't heal quickly, and the gap between them and the Muggles was like a chasm. They would continue to hide their identities for a long time.
"President Grinstinch, all members of the Reform Society support your decision", Uriah said softly but firmly, "We are the chosen generation."
Horace Grinstinch opened the suitcase, and several Aurors leaned in to look. A long staircase extended downward, and wizards from all over the country quietly formed a queue. They would be relocated to new homes under the arrangements of the International Confederation of Wizards and the Pan-Magical Alliance, with the first choice being countries that had signed contracts with wizards.
Horace Grinstinch repeatedly reassured the passing wizard families, "There's plenty of food and water inside, and different landscapes to see... It's like taking a train ride, nothing to worry about." As the sky grew brighter, the long queue thinned, and only the staff remained. Felix stood at a distance, pretending to gaze at the abstract city, because when he looked at others, they immediately put on a smile, which made him feel strange. The seawater was clear to the bottom, the seaweed and algae floated naturally in the water, and the fish, sketched with simple lines, seemed to soar in the sky—frozen in place by magic.
Finally, Horace Grinstinch walked over and handed the suitcase to Felix.
"This contains a thousand wizard families", he said solemnly.
"They won't be harmed", Felix assured him, "There will be a chance to return." He added a comforting word.
"I know", Horace Grinstinch murmured. Wizard identity information wasn't in the hands of Muggle governments, but that didn't mean wizards would move around freely. If they had a choice, they preferred to stay in familiar environments. The last time a large number of wizards migrated in the British wizarding world was during Voldemort's most reckless days.
After handing over the suitcase, Horace Grinstinch sighed in relief, as if a long-standing pressure had suddenly lifted. For him, the next task was to hide the remaining wizards as much as possible. He even had the mood to joke:
"I thought you would create a giant flying carpet, but it turns out to be a suitcase."
"Close enough", Felix said seriously, "I told the reporters I would let them leave with dignity. Now, only half of that promise is fulfilled."
"What's the other half?" Horace Grinstinch asked curiously, suddenly glancing behind Felix, suspecting there might be something else hidden there, like the flying carpet he mentioned—capable of holding thousands of people?
...
Dozens of kilometers away from the port and coastline, Felix, Grinstinch, Uriah, and a few curious Aurors stood in the air, marveling internally. Beneath them was a space the size of a Quidditch pitch, and it seemed to be an actual pitch. They looked up and were certain they saw poles with rings at fifty feet high, somewhat resembling the small plastic sticks used to blow soap bubbles.
"Quidditch pitch at Hogwarts", Uriah whispered, and the others suddenly understood. This might be the other side of the magic that had enveloped New York Harbor: while that magic turned physical objects into vague, ethereal forms, this one was doing the opposite—materializing things from memories.
Horace Grinstinch was still in shock.
An island, a floating island—aside from the enormous amount of magic required (which, after witnessing what had happened earlier, he thought might not be an issue for Hep), the challenge of maintaining the magic's effect over time was a monumental one. In his mind, if the entire American Magical Congress worked around the clock, casting thousands of Levitation Charms, it might be possible to lift a man-made island several kilometers in diameter. But such a grand spectacle would likely last only a week or two, which he found somewhat impractical...
Perhaps this was Hep's goal?
Horace Grinstinch pondered. Crossing a vast sea before the magic failed would indeed be a significant demonstration of a wizard's power. Felix's body flickered, and he appeared in the distance. His eyes glinted with a silver light, Runic Symbols twinkling, reflecting the deep colors of the Book of Runic Script.
He opened his mouth and began to chant the spell slowly and deeply.
In an instant, the light behind him seemed to be swallowed, revealing a large, dark green hole, as if someone had torn away the bright blue backdrop of a film set to expose the dirty green curtain behind it. Felix exuded a mysterious and unfathomable aura. Lightning-like lines streaked across the background, and both the dark green backdrop and the lightning traces began to sink and twist, their shape becoming clearer—a Basilisk. The dark green was its body color, and the lightning was the folds of its scales. After staying by the Black Lake for half a month, Felix's new Patronus was revealed to the world for the first time. It was several thousand feet long, and this was far from its limit.
Felix realized he had never felt as powerful or as close to the essence of magic as he did at this moment, almost achieving whatever he desired.
He was still a Grand Wizard, and he didn't think his understanding of magic surpassed Dumbledore's, but every cell in his body was telling him that even if all the Grand Wizards in history were bound together, they wouldn't stand a chance against him. He had harnessed the magic accumulated by the eleven most prestigious magical schools in the world, and this magic was stored in the Book of Runic Script and released through his new Patronus.
Patronus...
Felix felt it was a bit unfair to still call it a Patronus. This spell had been completely transformed through his continuous improvements. If studied in detail, it would reveal a wealth of knowledge: Rowena Ravenclaw's Memory Nodes, Memory Magic, the branch of Emotion Magic, Ancient Magic, and the technique he had recently mastered for constructing stable Magic Channels...
The Basilisk merged into the sea like a fish, causing no ripples. But Felix knew it was 'absorbing' nutrients from the sea—incorporating the rocky seabed beneath the coral and soft sediment into its body, growing larger.
After a few minutes, the entire sea began to tremble and boil, with waves splashing and vortices overlapping like nested dolls. The people on the scene stared intently at the shadow beneath the water, a massive dark shape moving closer. Finally, the shadow emerged, and they were speechless at the sight of the enormous snake head, which had grown several times larger. Unlike its previous elegant form, its head was now covered in thick coral and hard seabed rocks, the rough surface making it look fearsome, with Runic Symbols glowing from the cracks between the stones!
The Basilisk leaped out of the water, rising like a small piece of land. The hundred-meter-high waves were insignificant compared to its vast body, resembling nothing more than a rough scale.
The impact of the Basilisk was unimaginable. Not only were Grinstinch and the surrounding Aurors stunned, but when they came to their senses, the Basilisk had already coiled itself into a rough cone, its massive head hanging down and its tail curving upward, head and tail connecting.
"An ice cream cone", a female Auror said, wide-eyed. "One that's been bitten." The person next to her couldn't help but gasp, and a bearded Auror angrily shouted, "Nonsense, it's clearly an ouroboros, though it looks a bit strange, like it's been deflated..."
Others murmured in agreement. They had learned from the news that this Grand Wizard had once chosen an ouroboros as his emblem, a unique symbol that wasn't uncommon in wizard history. If the wizard became famous enough, his chosen emblem might become a family crest.
And one thing they didn't say was that "ouroboros" sounded much better than "ice cream cone", even if the latter was a better fit in shape... Felix didn't hear this enlightening discussion. He wasn't trying to eavesdrop; to ensure the Magic Channels conducted without resistance, this was the most efficient method.
As they approached, they quickly realized something was amiss. When they used broomsticks and Apparition to board the seemingly floating island, they noticed the ground was permeated with the salty smell of seawater, the terrain was uneven, and it was visibly beginning to crumble. A deep crack extended from under Felix Hepworth's feet, and the sound of cracking filled the air.
Everyone could see that something was wrong with the magic. Indeed, the Basilisk had 'eaten' too much seabed rock and was now having some digestive issues...
Felix stood on a raised platform, probably the flattest part of a large, diamond-shaped scale on the snake's head, with edges about ten feet long. His outstretched hand remained motionless.
“Mr. Heap!” Horace Grinstinch called out urgently. The next second, a deep voice whispered in his ear, “Don’t disturb him.” Horace Grinstinch jumped, he would never forget the owner of that voice—the one who had triggered the Wizard exposure crisis, signed an Unbreakable Vow with Akinbade, and played everyone for fools—
“Grindelwald!” he gasped.
He instinctively raised his wand, his mind in turmoil. The first coherent thought that formed was: It’s over, Grindelwald has found his chance to strike at Mr. Heap!
“Don’t worry,” 'Grindelwald' grinned, “I’m here to help.”
The dozen or so Wizards present gathered around, puzzled by the situation. They heard Horace Grinstinch ask warily, “How do I know I can trust you?” Grindelwald said nothing, just raised his empty hands, and everyone understood.
If Grindelwald had hostile intentions, he wouldn’t have stopped to explain himself. Horace Grinstinch hesitated for a moment before stepping aside. 'Grindelwald' walked calmly toward Felix, and Grinstinch called out behind him, “Mr. Grindelwald, don’t forget, we are Wizards.”
'Grindelwald' paused slightly and repeated, “You’re right, we are Wizards.”
The group watched in silence as Grindelwald stood beside Felix, slightly tilting his head as if engaged in a quiet conversation. Though they couldn’t hear what was being said, the crack beneath Mr. Heap’s feet stopped spreading. Their emotions were mixed.
“Grindelwald…” they murmured the name under their breath.
Of course, this was all Felix’s doing. He had indeed been in trouble—though not due to a lack of Magic. His Magic was now abundant to a terrifying degree. The issue was how to multitask, maintaining the massive size of the floating island while simultaneously constructing stable Magic Channels. Both tasks were equally intricate and crucial. But the solution was simple: splitting himself to divide the workload, significantly reducing the difficulty.
However, just as Felix was about to do this, he had a sudden idea. He could use this opportunity to address the long-standing issue of integrating the African Wizarding community.
Now, Felix stood face-to-face with another version of himself.
“What do we talk about?”
“Who knows, just act friendly.”
“True, we’re just showing everyone that we’ve made amends and clearing Grindelwald’s name. The old man has done a lot of bad things, but this recent chaos isn’t his doing…”
They fell silent for a moment.
“Are you sure? This face won’t appear again…” 'Grindelwald' asked seriously.
“I’m sure, I can handle it.”
The sun hung high, its golden rays reflecting off the sea. Grindelwald’s figure had vanished, leaving only Felix. He gazed out at the ocean with determination. The distant mist from the waves, illuminated by the sunlight, created a beautiful rainbow, a stunning sight.
After the initial struggle, the land beneath his feet shrank slightly, but the coral and underwater rocks were now more tightly connected, no longer a loose collection. The island now had a distinct shape. With the basic Magic Channels in place, the Magic he had invested would keep the island floating for several years.
And in the future, many Wizards would live on the island. The Magic they emitted would be collected—similar to Hogwarts’ ancient defense system—to sustain the floating island, creating a positive feedback loop.
The Sorting Hat had been a great help… Felix thought. But would the Wizards living on the island be his subjects? Probably not, he would merely own the island. Felix reluctantly imagined himself driving the floating island over the next few years, like a janitor, collecting appropriately sized rocks to expand the island’s territory from the ocean.
But he didn’t have to do it alone. This place would be a true window for the integration of two societies… Felix thought as he saw Horace Grinstinch approaching him, a smile playing on his lips. “A place where magic and technology converge.”
“What did you say, Felix?” Horace Grinstinch asked, having caught the end of Felix’s statement.
“I was thinking about the future of this island beneath our feet,” Felix said seriously, his mind wandering. Wizards—well, he himself had the ability to create an underwater city deep in the ocean, but he quickly dismissed the idea. The reasons were similar to building a Wizard stronghold on the moon: both would isolate Wizards from ordinary people, contrary to his original intentions.
But secretly building a vacation spot in the Mariana Trench sounded quite appealing…
Felix suddenly frowned, pulling out his communication mirror. Akinbade’s image was frantically tapping the frame.
“Babajide?”
“Felix? Thank God, I finally got through to you!”
“What’s happened?” Felix asked calmly, then he recalled their plan, “Didn’t we agree on the entire strategy? You, as the Federation’s representative, were to participate in a live TV broadcast, objectively explaining the Wizards’ position—”
“The problem is, everyone is spreading rumors that you plan to create a huge meteor to destroy the entire American continent!” Akinbade’s face contorted in the mirror.
Felix was speechless.
“Who’s spreading these rumors?” He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. With hundreds of satellites watching him, he quickly improvised, “Say—uh, the International Confederation of Wizards and the Pan-Magical Alliance are planning a Christmas bonfire to celebrate the liberation of American Wizards.”
(End of Chapter)
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