In the end, what seemed like an outrageous proposal was somehow signed into law, thanks to the persistent efforts of Minister Eisenberg. On top of that, the German Ministry of Magic passed two additional bills that further deepened the divide between East and West Germany.
The first bill officially split the Floo Network between the two regions, meaning that East German wizards could no longer travel directly to the West through magical fireplaces, they now had to go through the Ministry of Magic. The second bill aimed at dividing a major commercial hub known as the "Duden House."
This place functions similarly to Diagon Alley in Britain or Kara Bazaar in Egypt, acting as the heart of the wizarding trade in Germany. However, unlike those sprawling marketplaces, the German version is concentrated within a single building, much like a Muggle department store. Since the current Duden House is located in East Germany, West German wizards had to go through official channels just to shop there.
To solve this "problem," the Ministry decided to split the building in half, quite literally, with a wall, resembling the infamous Berlin Wall. This way, part of the Duden House would fall under West Germany's jurisdiction, and West German wizards could access it directly via the Floo Network.
After years of pushing these changes, Minister Eisenberg had effectively divided Germany's magical transportation and business centers. According to Anne, Eisenberg even had plans to raise funds for a new commercial building, tentatively named the "Siduden Building", on the West German side.
The idea was to eventually have a commercial hub in both East and West Germany, avoiding the need to physically divide the current Duden House. But that wasn't the end of it.
Now that transport and commerce were split, Minister Eisenberg seemed to be considering the next step: dividing the German Ministry of Magic itself. If that plan went through, it would essentially turn magical Germany into two completely separate entities.
As Alex listened to Anne's story, the only word that came to mind was "outrageous." He had never encountered a Minister of Magic so enthusiastic about splitting his own country. Eisenberg's actions didn't just puzzle him, they made him uneasy. Something about the man's behavior felt deeply off.
And it wasn't just Eisenberg; the entire Wizengamot of Germany appeared to be operating on a completely different wavelength. The fact that they actually passed laws to support such extreme separation was beyond belief. Unsurprisingly, these developments eventually stirred unrest among ordinary wizards.
At first, most people didn't react strongly to the separatist movements because their day-to-day lives weren't affected. Some even found the movements entertaining or saw them as harmless protests. But now that the changes were real and starting to impact their lives, the general public could no longer stay silent.
The whole premise behind the so-called "split bill" wasn't truly about dividing the country, it just looked like it on paper. Most everyday wizards didn't see it coming and weren't even slightly prepared.
The bill passed without much explanation or warning, leaving ordinary witches and wizards frustrated and confused. For example, imagine someone living in East Germany and working in West Germany.
Suddenly, they'd have to get approval from the Ministry of Magic just to travel between the two, even for something as routine as commuting. That means using the Floo Network more often, which costs two Sickles per trip. A quarter of that fee goes straight to the Ministry as a transportation tax, which has become a significant source of revenue for them.
Naturally, this made many regular wizards feel cheated. To them, it seemed like the Ministry was using the split bill as a sneaky way to make more money.
Ever since the bill passed, the Ministry's income from the Floo Network has noticeably increased. As a result, complaints have become a daily occurrence at the Department of Magical Transportation, especially at the Road Network Administration, where frustrated citizens often show up to voice their anger.
Over time, opposition from the general wizarding public grew stronger. Letters to the editor, opinion pieces in magical newspapers, and discussions on wizarding radio shows all began to push back against the idea of separation. This growing resistance is one of the main reasons the split bill hasn't progressed any further in the past few years. After all, it's been five years since the Floo Network was divided, and if the bill had solid support, it would've advanced by now.
The current situation within Germany's magical community is nothing short of chaotic. On one side, politicians like Eisenberg and various separatist organizations are working hard to push the secession bill forward, aiming to officially divide Germany into two magical governments.
On the other side, a small group of high-ranking Ministry officials, along with a large portion of the general public, are firmly against the idea. They argue that the split has already disrupted their daily lives and fear the consequences if it continues.
The tension between these two groups has been building rapidly, and if things don't settle down soon, it could escalate into violent clashes, or worse, a full-blown magical civil war.
What puzzled Alex the most was why most of the Ministry's top officials seemed to be supporting the split. Only a handful of senior leaders and members of the Wizengamot were standing against it.
It made him wonder, what exactly were these officials gaining from the division? Was there a deeper agenda at play, something hidden from the public eye?
Meanwhile, among the non-governmental groups, the separatists appeared far more organized. They submitted official petitions, coordinated their efforts under group names, and actively promoted their message through magical newspapers and radio stations.
In contrast, the opposition was scattered and lacked coordination, making it harder for them to make their voices heard as effectively.
Most ordinary wizards live their entire lives without ever getting the chance to speak up publicly.
At most, they might grumble or curse under their breath, but they rarely have a real platform to voice their opinions. They're the kind of people who, no matter where they go, just can't seem to catch a break.
"It's not surprising," Alex muttered to himself, "these separatist movements are probably being backed by the Silver Wands. I still can't figure out what their ultimate goal is. If they're holding onto the old beliefs of the Saint Party, then maybe they're trying to dismantle the Secrecy Act."
He paused, confused. "But what does that have to do with splitting Germany apart?"
It was becoming clear to Alex that the situation in the German wizarding world was far more complicated than he'd expected. The deeper he looked, the more tangled everything seemed.
Still, after learning about the local conditions, he finally understood why Dumbledore, Minister Bagnold, and even Newt Scamander were all so worried, and why they were in such a hurry to shut down the Silver Wands for good.