A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts-Chapter 722: Declaration

Chapter 722: Declaration

The speech was long. It began by revealing a series of actions by the American authorities, including the secret and illegal imprisonment and control of talented young wizards, the theft of secrets, and the covert killing of solitary wizards. It then reviewed the increasingly intense anti-witch sentiment and violent incidents stirred up among various social strata recently, and finally—

"...This seriously violates the 'Confederation and Alliance Charter.' If we do not stand up and resist, the rights of wizards will not be safeguarded, and our children will face a fate even more cruel than in the Middle Ages."

"This country is no longer suitable for ordinary wizards to live openly."

"For the reasons mentioned above, the International Wizards' Confederation and the International Pan-Magical Alliance jointly issued an announcement, suspending all exchanges with the Americas, including but not limited to travel, visiting friends, graduation trips, participation in international magical competitions, hosting collective activities; stopping the issuance of cross-border keys; cutting off flight routes; suspending negotiations, halting all bilateral cooperation, American wizards to go underground, conceal their identities as per the previous 'Secrecy Act'; the Confederation and the Alliance reserve the right to speak further and take necessary measures..."

The TV news broadcaster dutifully reported, outside the window raged a storm of wind, rain, and snow, while inside, the electromagnetic stove buzzed. Vernon slumped on the sofa, his excess flesh fixed into long strips, mindlessly flipping through channels with the remote control—he could not recall how many times this week he had heard similar news on TV, not to mention what he glimpsed in the newspapers or heard from colleagues, possibly over two hundred times.

"...The White House spokesman claims that wizards brainwashed by the authorities do not exist, further confirming that the American Wizarding Congress has infiltrated the government. According to decrypted documents, a very serious malicious incident occurred in the 1920s, it is reported..." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Changing the channel. "The United States has submitted a 'Wizards Management and Control Draft' to the United Nations, to which the American Wizarding Congress has responded positively, 'will not compromise.' and demands the perpetrator be handed over..."

Changing the channel again. "The International Court speaks out—"

"Wizards, wizards, always wizards."

Vernon muttered incessantly, switching the channel in frustration.

"The Confederation International Courtroom detailed explanation of Chapter Seven of the 'Confederation and Alliance Charter'..."

The door made a noise, followed by the sound of it opening and footsteps. Petunia, shivering, came in carrying a bag full of vegetables and food, her lips purple from the cold, high cheekbones, hair sprinkled with snowflakes, her long neck tucked into her collar, shoulders hunched, like a giraffe forced to winter in the snow.

She entered, glanced at the TV, pressed her lips together without commenting, and quickly walked into the kitchen. Half an hour later, Petunia called from the dining room, "Dinner's ready." "Coming," Vernon grumbled, about to turn off the TV—"We interrupt for a breaking news alert!"

His hand paused mid-air.

The news broadcaster scrambled, taking a dozen seconds to regain composure.

"...At 2:40 PM local time, a dozen wizards appeared out of nowhere at the Port of New York. Their purpose is unclear, and the scene has attracted a large number of reporters and onlookers. From the high-resolution camera footage, these wizards were wearing symbols of the American Wizarding Congress and the International Wizards' Confederation. Are they planning something at America's largest port? But they all stood with their backs to the port, their expressions solemn... Something's under the water, switch the camera over!"

Vernon watched intently, not even noticing Petunia coming out of the kitchen.

In the afternoon, the sparkling water surface at the port suddenly stirred up huge splashes, and a massive dark shape gradually emerged, like a silent, profound black fish, its head lifting, becoming clearer. It was a submarine.

A black submarine appeared at the Port of New York. "It's somewhat unbelievable, as if it appeared out of nowhere, the Coast Guard and shore personnel gave no warning—the submarine is now partially exposed, my colleagues are urgently checking its number... From its bare shape and pattern, it might be used for oceanographic research purposes—oh, my God!"

Vernon's eyes widened, not bothering to complain about the host's exaggeration, he flopped back onto the sofa, the springs groaning. His mind went blank—

The front of the black submarine abnormally lifted, like a lifeless dead fish, but its size was so large, it exerted a strong oppressive feeling. The camera swept across the port, people's eyes glued to the surface, the submarine's curvature as large as a rocket ready to launch, its height rising, the black shell breaking the surface, stirring up a huge vortex, it completely left the water, hanging mid-air.

With a loud crash, the submarine landed. The port's ground was smashed into a large crater.

Everyone who witnessed this scene felt as if their hearts were like the cement ground, cracked with web-like fractures, involuntarily gasping for air. The distant roar of helicopter propellers grew louder as local law enforcement finally reacted.

At that moment, the dozen wizards standing by the shore suddenly moved. Their wands acted like precise surgical tools, accompanied by unpleasant "screeching" sounds, stripping away the submarine's shell to reveal its interior.

Submarines are known for their relatively cramped interior spaces, but the area near the middle appeared unusually spacious, underscoring its importance. This modified area was divided into three spaces, separated by steel and thick glass doors, allowing a glimpse inside. Only a narrow corridor was left on the outside. The wizards continued to dismantle the submarine efficiently, with spells flashing, causing pipes and valves to fall off. They tore open the walls made of special materials like unwrapping a bag of chips, exposing the interior arrangement for all to see. The first two spaces were fixed with various sizes of equipment, recognizable even to the uninitiated from television programs—as resembling a small-scale laboratory.

The wizards kept waving their wands, their wrist movements becoming larger, seemingly rushing against time, their actions growing rougher. Metal sheets and pipes were moved aside, including those people who seemed to be encased in amber—six or seven in white lab coats. After half a minute, the last thick iron door was opened.

Out walked a young man with black hair and blue eyes. It was Felix, and many recognized him—not least because of the North American media's blanket coverage, with some viewing him as a cult leader. Remarkably, he also garnered quite a few supporters, mostly among young people.

Felix trailed his hand behind, apparently dragging someone, and soon those near the port could see clearly—it was a child in a hospital gown. Through the high-definition footage, the boy's pale face was captured, an unnatural pallor as if he had never been exposed to sunlight.

The second to come out was a little girl in a sleeveless dress, her eyes darting around, seemingly unaccustomed to so many people, desperately hiding behind an adult. Her arms were covered in dense needle marks, half of her hair bald, her eyes squinting, showing obvious signs of photophobia.

The port fell silent. Then, six or seven helicopters flew over, hovering overhead, their machine guns pointed downward. "Warning! Warning! Drop your weapons, drop your weapons, surrender immediately—"

The voice stopped abruptly. They were unaware of how far the range of a mind-protection spell could reach, nor did they understand what entering its range meant. Those on the shore looked up to see thin sheets of images fluttering and drifting in the sky, pushed by the wind, like movie posters descending from the heavens.

...

Four children emerged from the submarine. Then, Felix Harp held a brief press conference in the face of the arriving journalists.

"Magic and science are two excellent systems, with the potential to complement each other. I've noticed some scientists have called magic the engine of the next technological revolution... or perhaps the key. They are eager to overhaul the existing fundamental scientific theories... If true, it's regrettable, as some countries may miss out."

"The International Wizards' Confederation and the International Pan-Magical Alliance uphold the overall interests of wizards. We respect the laws of any country, just as we respect the laws we set ourselves. The 'Confederation and Alliance Charter' emphasizes this point, only negotiating when there's an intersection of interests. However, in the past few months, we've been mocked and given empty promises... Conflict? We've done as much as possible to avoid it, but that doesn't mean we allow our children to be put on a lab table for blood tests; Calm? The fact that I can still speak calmly rather than unleash fury proves that wizards still possess enough rationality. But as long as such acts continue, and the culprits remain at large, negotiations cannot proceed... Perhaps your understanding differs from ours?"

"What happened today only proves the correctness of our previous warnings. This land is fraught with great danger, unsuitable for ordinary wizards to live in... The Wizards' Confederation and the Pan-Magical Alliance will do our utmost to help those wizards in need to stay away from this land that harbors evil. They should not have been exposed to safety threats in the first place, especially since a legitimate wizarding authority was established here a century before any non-magical government."

"Run away with tails between our legs? No, they will leave openly... The withdrawal is scheduled for about half a month from now, and the location... I think right here is good, spacious enough to easily accommodate hundreds of thousands of people... Heh, even suitable as a battlefield."

This was undoubtedly a declaration of war.

The journalists present picked up on the subtext. Conflicts had occurred between the two sides before, but they were incidental. However, this time was completely different. The time and place were predetermined, giving the government enough time to mobilize troops. It signaled a readiness for a head-on confrontation.

Absolute blockbuster news! Half an hour later, a group of fully armed police officers took over the port, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't move the equipment inside the submarine, as if it was glued to the ground. Eventually, they had to leave with the twisted white lab coats and a few lifelike helicopter decals on the ground.

American Wizarding Hospital.

Felix handed the children over to the therapists. Seraphina Picquery, who accompanied him on the rescue mission, whispered, "Based on the memory of that congressman, we followed the trail and rescued twelve batches of young wizards. If there are any left, they'll have gone completely underground."

Felix nodded slowly.

Seraphina Picquery hesitated, then said with a hesitant expression, "Mr. Harp, I'm not opposed to American wizards going underground, as it's not much different from before. But a direct conflict... wizards may not have the advantage."

"What are you thinking? It won't come to you. We're just borrowing a name."

"The Confederation's forces?"

"Don't worry about it. The American Wizarding Congress will maintain order. I know you'll stay, and even a majority of wizards will choose to stay, but there will definitely be those who want to leave. Let them prepare in advance."

As days passed, the world seemed to quiet down, watching the land of America with silent gazes. For the first time in half a century, they felt the shadow of war so close. The bustling cities seemed to have entered the Great Depression ahead of time, with countless people driving away, and the ships at the port vanished, leaving only a few patrol boats listlessly floating.

The doors of the Capitol were tightly closed, and no one knew the intense debates happening inside. Even the British magical community thousands of miles away was affected, with the construction of the new Diagon Alley being forced to a halt—of course, the official excuse was the impact of a blizzard.

Perhaps it was the calm before the storm, Felix suddenly found himself with nothing to do. All negotiations were temporarily shelacked, as everyone seemed to be waiting for the outcome of this conflict. He returned to the school, had a good sleep, and woke up to the surprised gazes of students and professors. Professor McGonagall was the first to appear and lead him away.

In the headmaster's office—

"Are we really going to war?" Professor McGonagall asked with a serious expression.

"We do not wish for war, but we have no choice," Felix said. "If we concede on such a fundamental issue, not just the wizards of America— the entire wizarding world's living

environment will be severely affected, causing divisions... Don't oversimplify matters. The other side won't start a full-scale war, at least not against all American wizards. But persuading, spying, and sowing discord... they excel at that. If they succeed, the magical world of America will face its greatest split ever. This could trigger a series of chain reactions."

"Is there no way to stop it? Once war starts, it won't be easy to stop."

"Don't ask me, I don't know," Felix shook his head slightly. "This matter involves too many factors. Both Bagshot and I don't want to escalate things, preferring to keep it confined to North America, specifically to the United States. Globally, both the magical and non-magical worlds seem to be expecting a conflict, as if human life were cheap... After Grindelwald, many might still have hopes—what I mean is, in their view, maybe I would fight him and one of us would end up dead. But with the 'Confederation and Alliance Charter' in place and being enforced, that possibility is now very low—"

"The establishment of a new order will inevitably be accompanied by bloodshed and conflict, facing various challenges. If we get through this, the whole world will enter a period of peaceful development. But if we fail, it's not just the living environment of American wizards at stake— even previously signed agreements could face turmoil. Fortunately, we've laid enough groundwork over the past few months..."

"We must take this opportunity for a fight, face to face, a direct confrontation, to dispel all malicious intentions once and for all."

Professor McGonagall was silent for a moment, then said, "Felix, I called you here for another matter."

"What is it?"

"Didn't you always dream of chatting with the Sorting Hat? It has agreed."

"I never dreamt of such a thing—what did you say, Minerva?" Felix shifted his gaze from the ceiling above the sofa, looking at her in surprise. Professor McGonagall stood up from her seat, her gaze moving away from the portraits of headmasters on the wall.

"Even Dumbledore couldn't uncover all the secrets of this castle, let alone me. But I think, if the founders truly left a key to unlocking the secrets, the Sorting Hat is the most likely candidate... I hope it helps you."

She left after speaking, leaving Felix alone in the headmaster's office.

Felix paused for a moment, then looked straight at the Sorting Hat on the shelf. He got up briskly, walked over to examine the dirty, dusty hat closely. The hat remained motionless; he picked it up, shook it, and returned to the sofa, looking unexpectedly nervous.

Sitting quietly for a few seconds, he then placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

You can access more chapters from HERE by joining my Patreon community. You'll gain exclusive early access to the COMPLETE NOVEL.

As a member of my Patreon community, here is what you'll get: