Chapter 150: Settling In
Ryan summarized the current international political shifts in his mind. He felt that revealing the "overnight, silent destruction of the Eiffel Tower Plaza" to the Muggles at this particular moment would be a powerful shock to their system. It might even accelerate political change—at the very least, France would likely see major upheaval, possibly leading to the resignation of many high-ranking officials. The next French government, seeking to boost public confidence, would have two main options: focus inward on domestic stability and improving citizens' well-being, or focus outward, initiating reforms to enhance France's international standing and national pride. War was unlikely; hoping France would launch a war to gain public support would require resurrecting Napoleon himself.
Strengthening domestic well-being was possible but costly. It would mean increased spending, potentially leading to hedonism, extravagance, and bureaucratic corruption. No government in this era could maintain integrity while engaging in massive spending sprees—even the Red Bear in the north couldn't manage it.
Therefore, the most likely path for the next French government would be to deepen ties with its brother nations. They would pursue extensive cooperation across economic, political, and scientific fields to produce tangible results and bolster national confidence.
After running through the scenarios, Ryan concluded that this incident could potentially accelerate the transformation of the European Community (EC) into the later Union (EU), which wasn't slated to happen until '93, and might foster even deeper cooperation among member states than occurred historically. United by this perceived threat, these nations would exert much greater pressure on the wizarding world than they would under normal circumstances.
"I think revealing the concept of magic at this time... might not be the best idea," he said, choosing his words carefully to caution Dumbledore and the others. He couldn't go into too much detail. If he did, Nava Morgan—the woman he had mentally selected as his ambassador between the wizarding and Muggle worlds—was certainly sharp enough to deduce the wizarding world's true situation.
Nava's current awe of the magical world stemmed from her exposure to its highest concepts and most powerful wizards—literal walking natural disasters. This was precisely why Ryan wanted Nava and Julia to stay in Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade's wizarding population was among the most skilled in Britain, which would reinforce Nava's impression of wizards as powerful and mysterious. It would also allow her to interact with Hogwarts students, whose innocent minds, shaped by a happy education, would show her the simple purity of the magical world.
On one side: mysterious, powerful wizards embodying truth, goodness, and beauty.
On the other side: ordinary humans, skilled in mass slaughter and backstabbing intrigue.
Nava's emotional inclinations would naturally lean toward the former. Especially with the Morgan family's influence waning, they would inevitably seek change and new allies. As the mouthpiece and propaganda platform Ryan envisioned, the Morgan family, even if no longer the world's creditors as they were in the early 20th century, still held enough sway to influence the opinions of perhaps half the American population.
But merchants chase profit. They could only be driven by incentives and threatened by force. Ultimately, strength had to come from within the wizarding world itself.
A silver light flickered in Dumbledore's eyes, as if he were reading the overflow of thoughts from Ryan's rapidly processing mind. The next moment, a voice echoed in Ryan's head.
"A sound judgment. Gellert was thinking too simply. He felt that since we share a common enemy, we should reveal ourselves first."
Gellert's voice joined in. "I've been locked up for decades! It's perfectly normal for me not to be up-to-date on current international affairs!"
Nicolas Flamel chimed in, turning Ryan's mind into their private tea party venue. "Consolidate the wizarding world first, then slowly reach out."
"How can you all do that?!" Ryan thought helplessly. It was proof that in a magical world, your mind wasn't necessarily just your own; it could also be someone else's chat room.
The group agreed: Ralvin and the others, who weren't planning on going to the Ministry for the next couple of days anyway, would take the lead in escorting everyone back, settling the two ladies in Hogsmeade village. Dumbledore, Gellert, and Flamel would stay behind to personally handle the cleanup.
"This is a wizarding settlement?"
Nava had just recovered from the dizzying, navel-tugging sensation of Apparition when she saw the bustling street filled with wizards in wide robes and pointed hats, surging like a tide. A tall witch passed by, her robes embroidered with golden runes that seemed to flow like living things. A live white ferret perched on her shoulder, its bright black eyes curiously observing the passersby, its pink nose twitching occasionally.
"Want some candy, little one?" someone asked the ferret.
The ferret chittered excitedly, its tiny pink paws kneading up and down on its owner's shoulder.
"Alright, let's go check out Honeydukes then," the tall witch said, heading toward a shop with a sign bearing the name.
Nava followed the witch's departing figure with her eyes. In the window of Honeydukes Sweetshop, giant chocolate frogs, which continuously split apart and reformed, danced merrily. Violet-colored sugar bubbles fizzed up from slabs of fudge, floated into the air, and popped, showering down a fine mist of sweetness. As the witch pushed open the door, the bell didn't just jingle; it let out a long, satisfied sigh. It was already evening, and the shop's interior was dimly lit, the air thick with particles of powdered sugar that shimmered like enchanted micro-stars.
"How marvelous!" Nava breathed.
"This is Honeydukes, the most famous sweet shop in the wizarding world," Ralvin explained, taking on the role of tour guide.
"If you're looking for lodging, the Hog's Head is an option, but the environment isn't the best," he said, leading Nava and Julia to the entrance of a dilapidated-looking pub. Even from the doorway, the sour smell of stale ale, the musty odor of rotting wood, and other unidentifiable scents stubbornly assaulted their nostrils, clinging to the back of their tongues.
Ralvin offered another suggestion. "Considering you two might not find this acceptable... that fellow Ryan owns property here. I just contacted him on the Communicator, and he agreed to let you stay."
"However, his place is a bit remote... next to the Shrieking Shack."
Nava understood Ralvin's implication: there must be something undesirable about the Shrieking Shack, either geographically or culturally. "Is there a problem with the Shrieking Shack?"
"No problem at all! But it's widely rumored to be one of the most haunted places in Britain. We've all checked it out, and there really aren't any ghosts. It's just... the rumors aren't great. Really!" Ralvin insisted, his expression earnest.
"Ah?" Nava was dumbfounded. She was faced with a dilemma: hauntings in the Muggle world might be fake, but what about hauntings in the wizarding world? Were there real ghosts?
~~~
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