Chapter Six. Holidays
"Lunatic! Crazy!" I heard and, as usual, paid no attention — children's teasing, and most likely intended for someone else, didn't bother me... An apple core flying into my chest made me change my mind...
I snapped out of my reverie and looked at the rowdy group of five Gryffindors. Typically, not a single one of them was pure-blooded; they lacked the intelligence, if not the upbringing, to understand that picking a fight with a representative of the pure-blooded House would lead to nothing good. Especially in the magical world, where feuds last for generations and the nuances of human relationships are much more subtle and complex than in the Muggle world.
So, who are these people in front of me? Ah, three half-bloods, two of whom have Muggle-born parents, and one is the bastard of an unknown family, a bastard by accident, whom his "happy" father learned about to his great surprise. Two Muggle-borns — one seems like a smart guy, but he accepted the "Law of the Pack" without understanding that in this case it's the "wrong" Pack and the consequences will be unpleasant.
"What, you lunatic," continued the red-haired Muggle-born Fred, who aspired to be the leader of this group and believed that fists, a loud voice and arrogance were enough to achieve this, "you're walking around daydreaming, you halfwit. Or maybe you're just crazy and need to be castrated?"
Now that was an insult even among Muggles, the kind that would have gotten you your arms and legs broken in late 1930s England, and, typically, those around you would have understood. But among wizards...
I approach with a confused and distracted look and... the toe of my boot hits Fred in the groin with all my strength. He doubles over, his face completely white, and begins to fall. I grab him by the cheek and tear his mouth open — hard, right up to the cheekbone. The offender finally falls — without a sound, unconscious from the pain.
With the same friendly smile, I take a step towards the others...
"Ah! Don't come near me!
"You'll be punished!
"Don't...
"I'm not with him!
And the four boys run away from me as fast as they can. The spectators and listeners are still there, so... I approach Fred and punch him several times in the groin, breaking the hands he is still holding between his legs and rupturing his bladder.
The consequences were... well, none — I was within my rights. Magical Albion, despite the cursed Statute and the diligent work to muggle the population, is still governed by ancient laws — for the most part. And they interpret the incident as "mortal insult," so even if a Muggle-born were in my place, he would not have been punished. Considering the difference in status... it's like two privates in an infantry regiment during the Elizabethan era, except that one of them was a serf yesterday, and the other is a nobleman. Can you imagine the consequences? Well... Dippet tried to hush up the situation, but I brought in the "heavy artillery" in the form of my noble friends, and Fred was cured, then his magic was sealed, he was given an Obliviate and sent back to the Muggle world.
Cruel? No... tell Fred those words to any Muggle with enough influence, and the consequences would be about the same — except without Obliviate and proper treatment. The wizarding world is much harsher — and fairer, so this punishment for the offender was minimal. Forgive him? No, thank you — that would be like agreeing with my "inferiority," even if only partially. The consequences for me... No, it wouldn't be as bad as being branded a "Blood Traitor," but I would forever remain at the bottom of the wizard hierarchy.
Do I feel sorry for the fool? A little, but not too much — he grew up in a rough neighbourhood and knew perfectly well the consequences of his words — and that you have to answer for your words. True, he expected me to "back down" — there were five of them...
Isn't it shameful for an adult to beat a child? No, not really — the boy was twelve years old, he could have been hanged! And even though I retained my adult intelligence after the transfer, my consciousness was childish — even overly so at times. So, being a mage with considerable combat experience, I again began to feel very nervous about the usual fist-waving of children!
And finally, I wasn't a strong hand-to-hand fighter. Yes, I practised savate***** along with fencing, but only on the side, and I did fencing more for my health. So the situation with the beating was not so clear-cut — if those four had really been a close-knit gang or felt even slightly justified, they could have beaten me to death. There had been precedents at Hogwarts.
I decided a long time ago to spend my holidays in pre-war Europe. It was an incredibly interesting and "atmospheric" time. Well, if you didn't know about the concentration camps with their monstrous experiments on people******, everything looked very good on the surface – a decline in crime, an increase in the birth rate, social policy... But the initially moderate nationalism, which, combined with patriotism, had a powerful effect, quickly veered off course...
It is clear that the trip to Europe was not so much for the "atmosphere" and the like, but for the opportunities. It was an interesting period when people's destinies were being shattered, so there was a real opportunity to help them — for one's own benefit.
I remember very well how Grindelwald, with his "Greater Good," destroyed hundreds of magical European families who did not want to serve him. Some were hostile towards him, others simply wanted to remain neutral... But the Great Light quoted, "Whoever is not with us is against us," and the machinery of repression began to grind.
Why? How else could he pay off his supporters? Here he had estates, artefacts, gold, girls for marriage, knowledge. Plus, Grindelwald's followers gained some combat experience storming the estates of the Clans.
And... this was revealed after Dumbledore's death, but Grindelwald's mysterious allies (only the goblins and the Vatican are known for sure, but there were others) needed a lot of pure-blood wizards. It's hard to guess why, but it was clear that nothing good awaited the pure-bloods — experiments or sacrifices.
Help them? How? Even if I ignore the fact that my knowledge of this period is limited to what I learned in school, both magical and Muggle... Thank you for reminding me of the main events. And besides... I can't get involved in this, I just can't — both Rod and I have already "played" with Realities, so the consequences could be very unpleasant... I can still do something small — invest money in some American companies or save individual mages, but on a global scale — alas.
My seventy thousand pounds (for now, there will be much more later — I have plans) is a very nice sum for the end of the thirties, but if you spread it across two dozen companies, as I did, it won't make much of a difference. The same goes for saving the magicians — if they are somehow "removed" from European affairs, then that's fine. But the key characters — no way.
You may ask me, what about Tom and other important characters from the magical world? Well, the Force-Magic-Gods sent me here specifically to fix specific problems, and I have a very clear feeling in my subconscious about what I can and cannot do. I won't say that I'm happy with this... semi-slavery (it's hard to describe my situation otherwise — there are a number of things that I MUST do... although you could consider yourself the Chosen One... but as far as I'm concerned, there's very little difference), but there is a "carrot" ahead of me is a grand carrot — a new Branch of Seeds, my own World, potential immortality...
And it's so cleverly twisted that the Task and my well-being are inextricably linked in a completely natural way. I could just "sit on my ass," but if Dumbledore and his supporters win, it will be difficult for me to survive.
Vienna is charming at any time of year, especially in early summer. I'm sitting in one of Leopoldstadt's many coffee shops, enjoying delicious coffee and pastries and watching the everyday scenes of the neighbourhood.
"Dirty pig," says a breathless man in the uniform of an official from a department unknown to me, "when were you told to leave here? Go to Palestine, the United States or South America — we Germans are not interested in you. You Jews poison the air of the capital with your very presence.
Listening to him was a pale, elderly Jew, whose Jewish origin was betrayed only by the yellow Star of David on his jacket, which contrasted sharply with the Iron Cross on his chest. However, only I found this combination strange; in general, Austrian Jews were well-meaning subjects, and many of them fought bravely in the First World War. Actually, Jewish veterans like this are not bothered in the Reich, but apparently this one had somehow annoyed the authorities – or a particular official.
I listened to him distantly, as if watching an old film, and a kind of haze appeared before my eyes...
"Ahem," I turn my head and see an official from the Austrian Ministry of Magic. Unlike the officials of the English Ministry, he looks quite authentic for a Muggle neighbourhood — a three-piece suit, a cane, the appearance of a respectable elderly gentleman.
"Robert John Tally, Albion," I introduce myself, activating a small illusion of a coat of arms, invisible to Muggles. Has my disguise slipped?
"Franz Klapka, Department of Supervision. Exactly, young man, a disguise. Not quite, but close. Unusual to see such scenes?
"You're right.
"May I?" The venerable official points to a nearby chair.
"Of course, take a seat!
"Thank you," and the wizard, with a feigned groan (playing up his disguise!), sits down on the chair, " Austrian Muggles are getting very nationalistic.
There was a short silence while the waiter brought us coffee and a new plate of pastries.
"You see, sir... I'm not going to say whether nationalism is good or bad — that's for everyone to decide for themselves. But this little scene says more about the corrupt nature of this official than it does about nationalism. There are so many Jews living in this area that it has even been nicknamed "Matzah Island," and now some... figures are squeezing them out, buying up their property as cheaply as possible. Most Viennese in general, and Austrians in particular, are quite indifferent to nationality — a peculiarity of living in the former "Patchwork Monarchy." Such bitterness, intolerance and desire to profit from the misfortune of others are largely the result of long and skilful propaganda, as well as magic. Our Ministry has become too involved with the Muggles, and I cannot say what this will mean for us in the future.
A strange official sharing secrets with a young foreigner made me very wary. Without using my wand, I cast a Disruption spell and...
"Who sent you?
The question is accompanied by a slight mental message combined with Confundus.
"No one," he replies, and his wand is pointing at me. Not that it will help him if anything happens...
"Young man," Franz says sternly, "don't think that just because you're pure-blooded, you can fight adult magicians on equal terms.
I bow my head, as if to say, "I understand..." And I prod him a little in my mind, pressing him to be more candid.
"No one sent me," the official grumbles, "I just finished my last day at the ministry. In a few minutes, my shift will end, and I'll activate the portal to Argentina, where my family moved a month ago. There's a big mess ahead, both in the Muggle and magical worlds, and I have no desire to get involved in it. I came to you because Annenerbe is interested in you, and it's better to find out what you've done to interest them at home, on your own turf. Is that clear, young man?
I nod in agreement, somewhat frightened, trying not to lose my Pureblood dignity. I pay for the cake and coffee, then activate the portal home in the nearest alley.
"Pop!" And here I am, back home in the Manor.
"Hmm... The game has begun," I mutter to myself, "so Austria, Germany, Switzerland... in fact, the whole of Europe is a risk zone for me.
The "kind official" was a mentalist, albeit a very weak one. He took me for someone just as weak — the peculiarities of the Sids' thinking may have only just begun to manifest themselves, but they had already paid dividends — useful ones, at least for now. I extracted information from his mind — he really was an official, but he was acting under Imperius, not on his own.
The Anenerbe did indeed take an interest in me, but so far only half-heartedly — one of their employees had spotted my Manifestation in this Reality several years ago and taken an aura print. When they spotted someone similar in the controlled territory, they sent someone to check it out. On the way, someone intercepted the official, put him under Imperius and ordered him to be intimidated.
With the onset of puberty, the aura problem will disappear, but for the next year or two, it's better for me not to go there. However, this will still be relevant later on.
I was more interested in something else — who was this mysterious benefactor? And was he really a benefactor?
Redhead*" No allegories with Weasley, there are just a lot of redheads in England.
You need to be castrated**" At that time, there were many eugenics programmes in England, Europe and America. While in Nazi Germany, the mentally ill, mentally retarded and disabled with hereditary diseases were isolated or killed, in other countries the idea of castration or chemical sterilisation was popular. Officially, this doctrine persisted in the United States until the 1960s (not everywhere, only in certain states), and it also existed in Scandinavia (until the 1950s or 1960s, depending on the country) and other countries. Unofficially, it is still in effect today. In the United States, scandals regularly arise – the government conducts mass medical experiments on black people – in the 1990s, if I am not mistaken, and something else always comes up. By the way, this is one of the reasons why black people are rebelling; racial tolerance there is very conditional – only when it suits the authorities. They "play around" with this in Israel too – the doctors there "genocided" Jewish immigrants, but the "wrong" ones, the Africans. Anyone who wants to can search the Internet, where there is plenty of such "goodness", and even documented.
One of them was a serf yesterday, and the other was a nobleman***" In those days, the Russian nobility, especially the lesser nobility, began their service as privates.
Hang them!****" Until the early 1950s, the laws in England were incredibly cruel. The number of crimes punishable by death was in the hundreds. Even a seven-year-old (according to other sources, eight-year-old) child could be sentenced to death — there were precedents. At the time described, a twelve-year-old child in England could easily end up on the gallows, and hard labour was commonplace. Incidentally, in some states in the United States, children of this age are still executed today. So, by my Mc's standards, his enemy is already at an age when he can be killed without remorse. The fact that Fred is left alive is simply a blatant act of humanism.
Savat***** Savat is a rather interesting school of hand-to-hand combat originating in France. Nowadays, it is not very well known compared to sambo, karate and boxing, but experts treat it with respect. Savate is very good for street fighting, where kicks are not higher than the waist (mainly to the feet, shins and knees), and there are sharp strikes with the fingers to the eyes and throat, etc. In other words, it is a fairly tough and effective system that does not require any physical fitness or constant training from the practitioner — just basic mobility. In addition, it goes well with cold weapons, so in the past it was studied not only by street fighters, but also by fencers.
Concentration camps with horrific experiments on people******" Experiments on people were widespread in Nazi Germany (and in the United States, including today), but mainly on our compatriots. There were also "relatively safe" concentration camps where the British, Americans and Scandinavians were placed – "their own people" – who were not particularly harmed and whose conditions were quite decent, even including football teams among the camp inmates.
There were also "safe" concentration camps run by Jews, strange as it may sound. For example, the Zionists initially cooperated openly with the Nazis and kept future citizens of Israel (i.e. those who wanted to move to Palestine, young, rich or with useful professions) in isolation, but in relatively normal conditions – until a certain point, when they fell out. The "unnecessary" Jews, i.e. the Soviet (communists!), the old, the poor, those with useless professions, those without influential relatives, etc., were quite openly handed over to the Nazis by the Zionist leaders.
P.S. All information about the friendship between Zionists and Nazis is taken from open sources; there are no "conspiracy theories" or "terrible secrets" here, nor is there any anti-Semitism. For those who are not aware, Zionism was once classified by the UN as a form of Nazism, so don't be surprised.
P.S. We could have done without these inserts, but I think they will help you better understand the pre-war atmosphere in Europe and the world, against which some of the events will unfold. I would like to remind you once again (and warn you) that Mc's worldview as a pure-blooded wizard is very... harsh, and ideas such as "let's kill all the 'wrong' people and live happily ever after" find complete understanding in his mind. Such a "dark" worldview is primarily due to the "backlash" after prolonged propaganda by Dumbledore — it is quite common to see followers of a religion or worldview who are offended by their former gurus (religion, state, people, party) attacking their former friends with particular ferocity.
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