Chapter 152: An Aggressive International Delegation
Vaughn rolled his eyes, “So, one of the Vice Presidents makes you feel that the attack is very strong, and you ask me to be gentle and make concessions? As the President, how can you have the face to say such a thing?”
Dumbledore said righteously, “I haven’t even been to the International Confederation of Wizards a few times. The specific work is presided over by the Vice Presidents. My position is high, but my real power is insufficient. Isn’t this very normal?”
“Useless!”
“Hey—children speak so nastily. I just don’t like politics and government affairs. Actually, I’ll tell you quietly, I don’t want to be President at all. It was some people from the Ministry of Magic who pushed me up…”
“Cough cough—” Amelia coughed forcefully.
Obviously, she was one of “some people” Dumbledore mentioned.
Vaughn was utterly contemptuous of Old Dumbledore.
However, he did take Dumbledore’s evaluation of Babajide Ajinbad to heart. Soon, he met the “very aggressive” and “ambitious” African wizard Dumbledore mentioned.
After waiting for more than 20 minutes, the air in the thick fog began to churn.
Whoosh—
A wind blew from the depths of the thick fog, lifting the robes of Vaughn, Dumbledore, and Amelia, rustling them.
“They’re here.”
Dumbledore said, his sapphire eyes narrowing slightly.
Vaughn nodded, drew his wand, and like Moses parting the sea, the thick fog in front of him split into a hazy crack. The mist that had merged instantly separated, forming two curtain walls that resembled waterfalls.
As the tip of Vaughn’s wand lit up faintly, the two curtain walls receded, and a clear passageway continuously extended.
It connected all the way to where the wind was blowing from.
That was the center of the street, 50 meters away from the building. Magic was accumulating there, and space was almost twisted into a vortex, emitting a whistling sound of air being torn.
The moment the view became clear.
Poof!
A group of people “squeezed” out of the distorted vortex.
There were more than a dozen people wearing Muggle clothes, looking like Muggles, but only the young man at the forefront was wearing robes.
It was Phil Travers, who was responsible for welcoming the delegation.
This poor gentleman seemed to be having a very unsuccessful welcoming reception, his forehead covered in sweat. He was completely ignored by the more than a dozen people around him even after he materialized.
They walked past him, led by a tall black man with a turban, and walked directly towards the building. Only one wizard, also with gray hair, grabbed his arm as he passed Phil.
Vaughn was not in the mood to pay attention to what Phil had encountered for the moment.
All his attention was focused on the more than a dozen people walking towards them.
To be precise, it was the tall black man leading them with the turban!
“They’re not here with good intentions, Albus,” Vaughn grunted.
“As expected, nothing ever goes smoothly.”
Dumbledore replied in a low voice, then his old face broke into a smile as radiant as chrysanthemums. He opened his arms and welcomed the black man.
“Dear Babajide, my friend, welcome to England. Was your journey smooth…”
Due to his racial traits, Vaughn couldn’t see Babajide’s expression clearly in the dark. He could only see him lean down and embrace Dumbledore.
“Long time no see, Albus.”
Babajide’s voice was deep and resonant, his chest vibrating like an engine roaring, immediately creating a sense of pressure.
And it was not an illusion.
After the two finished their pleasantries, Dumbledore, holding his hand, introduced Amelia, and then introduced Vaughn. The tall black wizard looked down at Vaughn.
On his dark face, two rows of snow-white teeth moved up and down: “Vaughn Wesley… Since the beginning of this year, this name has been ringing in my ears. Today, I finally get to meet you.”
Vaughn, who had just entered puberty this year, was at a disadvantage in height. He had to look up to greet the other person face-to-face: “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Babajide Ajinbad.”
However, such friendliness did not win Mr. Ajinbad’s favor.
He chuckled in a low voice, then looked around at the thick fog: “Mr. Wesley, I heard from Mr. Travers that this mist, which covers almost all of London, was caused by your Mist Charm?”
Vaughn glanced at Phil Travers behind the crowd.
The young subordinate’s face was pale and his expression was dejected.
Vaughn’s expression remained unchanged, and he smiled, “I apologize for any inconvenience caused to the delegation. I cast the Mist Charm only to cooperate with a WAC operation and avoid any magical leakage incidents.”
Normally, as a guest, even if they came from the world’s top-tier enforcement agency, the conversation should have stopped here.
But Mr. Babajide Ajinbad seemed to have no concept of restraint.
He squeezed out a dull hum from his throat: “Hmm… From my personal perspective, your actions were inappropriate. Although your excuse seems reasonable, it is undeniable that a Mist Charm capable of covering a city inevitably affects Muggles, and to some extent, increases the risk of magical leakage.”
“…”
Looking at the towering black man in front of him, Vaughn frowned slightly.
Babajide, seemingly unfazed by his reaction, continued, “Furthermore, what kind of operation is this ‘WAC operation’ you mentioned? As far as I know, WAC does not seem to have law enforcement powers…”
Amelia, who had been silent all this time, couldn’t take it anymore.
The witch put on a stern face: “Esteemed Vice President Ajinbad, I can answer your question. WAC’s operation is to apprehend unregistered werewolves led by Fenrir Greyback. This operation has been approved by the Wizengamot. If you require it, I can arrange for someone to deliver the relevant documents. Are you satisfied with this?”
Babajide finally shifted his gaze from Vaughn.
Looking at Amelia, whose expression was serious, he “sincerely” apologized: “My apologies, Madam. I did not mean to question your intentions. The question I just raised was solely due to my professional habit, as I have always been responsible for the supervision of the enforcement of the International Statute of Secrecy at the International Confederation of Wizards!”
“I’m sorry, I don’t like that habit at all!”
Amelia’s expression was very displeased: “England is not a subordinate unit of the International Confederation of Wizards. We have our own policies and guidelines. We treat you as a guest and welcome you warmly. We also ask that you abide by the etiquette of a guest and maintain at least a minimum of respect, rather than being aggressive!”
As these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the open space in front of the building suddenly became sharp.
Babajide straightened up silently, gazing at Amelia. The wizards behind him, dressed in Muggle attire and remaining silent, instinctively took a few steps forward, closing in on Amelia.
Just then, a loud reprimand shattered the night sky.
“Enough!”
Dumbledore intervened in time. The old wizard’s normally smooth robes swelled as if filled with wind, and his sapphire eyes emitted a faint magical glow.
His sharp gaze swept over the restless wizards, and he scolded, “What do you think you’re doing?”
Those wizards exchanged glances.
Although he hadn’t been active in the outside world or internationally for many years, Dumbledore was, after all, a world-renowned legendary wizard.
He was also the current President of the International Confederation of Wizards. Even if it was only in name, he still carried some authority.
Under his intimidating gaze, some who had reached for their wands involuntarily lowered their hands.
In the center of the crowd, Babajide, with a meaningful look, took in the state of his subordinates. Then, he suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha, alright Albus, they’re just tired from the journey and a bit tense and fatigued… Have the young Travers arrange for them to rest. As for you, my old friend, we have a lot to talk about after so long.”
The tense situation in front of the building, due to Babajide’s sudden relaxation, did not escalate to an uncontrollable point.
One could only say that they were all seasoned politicians.
As Babajide’s attitude softened, Dumbledore, who had been furious a moment before, returned to being a kindly old man.
The two “good friends” walked into the building shoulder-to-shoulder to catch up.
Phil Travers, his face pale, continued his duties, leading the delegation into the WAC headquarters building for accommodation arrangements.
Vaughn and Amelia lagged behind.
After watching the delegation leave, Vaughn pondered for a moment and asked Amelia, “What do you think Babajide’s intentions are?”
Amelia knew that Vaughn wasn’t asking why Babajide showed malice upon their first meeting.
After all, Dumbledore had already introduced him as a “political rising star” in the international wizarding world, who was “only 80 years old,” in his prime, and at his most aggressive stage.
Aggression naturally stemmed from ambition.
Undoubtedly, WAC was a very tempting political commodity. Due to the lack of effective treatment methods for nearly a thousand years, lycanthropy had become a global problem. Now, there were werewolves all over the world, even in the East.
The appearance of the Wolfsbane Potion and the WAC framework was a breeding ground for an ideal international organization and brand-new power.
However, what made the “politicians” uncomfortable was that Vaughn, who developed the Wolfsbane Potion, donated all ownership and operational rights to WAC, thus gaining absolute prestige within WAC.
He had even defined the power structure of WAC from the outset, leaving no room for the “politicians” to interfere.
Therefore, it was not incomprehensible that Babajide, a “politician” with ambition, would be hostile towards Vaughn.
What Vaughn was concerned about was whether there were other possibilities hidden behind this facade—for example, was the selection of Babajide as the leader of this international delegation influenced by pure-blood families?
Such suspicion was highly necessary.
Although there was no indication of collusion between the International Confederation of Wizards and the pure-blood families of various countries, it had to be stated that their interests had always been highly overlapping!
That’s right, it was the International Statute of Secrecy!
The foundation of the International Confederation of Wizards’ power was the Statute of Secrecy. It was their only legitimate means to interfere in the politics of other countries and expand their influence.
And the staunchest supporters of the Statute of Secrecy were the pure-blood families.
Let Muggles be Muggles, and let magic belong to pure-bloods!
This had been the creed of European pure-blood families for hundreds of years.
With the Statute of Secrecy as a link, pure-blood families and the International Confederation of Wizards had a natural basis for cooperation. In fact, in the notes of some past wizards and alchemists that Vaughn had seen, the pure-blood families had undoubtedly played a significant role in the International Confederation of Wizards’ ability to break free from the control of England, France, and Germany to become the top enforcement agency in the world today.
And in today’s England, or even the entire international wizarding world, the biggest threat to the Statute of Secrecy was WAC.
Its threat was not due to the vast number of werewolves involved, but because this powerful force was not in the hands of those who coveted it.
Amelia thought for a moment and shook her head, “I’m not sure either. It’s possible that Babajide’s arrival is part of a pure-blood conspiracy to subvert WAC. Your idea has merit.”
“Heh, it’s so hard to get anything done.”
Amelia said helplessly, “This is reality, my dear.”
……
The operation last night and the arrival of the international delegation were reported on the Daily Prophet the next day.
Unlike Dumbledore, Amelia, and others who were upright and unwilling to waste words, Vaughn attached great importance to public opinion.
In Vaughn’s opinion, if you don’t occupy the high ground of public opinion and grasp the right to speak, you essentially hand it over to the enemy. Although public opinion seems to have no tangible power, it is the easiest to influence one’s own confidence and affect external perception.
Influenced by him, WAC also attached great importance to public opinion propaganda.
As early as the committee preparation phase, when new wizards like Phil Travers joined, Vaughn transferred his media contacts (here, contacts refer to Rita Skeeter) to them.
Up to now, WAC has established cooperative relationships with mainstream or secondary media platforms such as the Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly, and The Quibbler.
WAC used its limited funds to win over a group of reporters and social activists to increase its exposure and positive publicity.
Important events like the first plenary session were naturally the focus of follow-up reports. Every small detail would be published in newspapers by the diligent pens of “friendly individuals,” ensuring that the wizarding public of England was informed of every move of WAC.
“…WAC raided five locations in London last night, successfully thwarting Fenrir Greyback’s plot of destruction. According to WAC’s temporary spokesperson, Remus Lupin, Greyback planned to orchestrate a series of werewolf attacks during the WAC conference to smear WAC… Fortunately, this evil plan has been completely destroyed, and several unregistered werewolves have been arrested. Remus Lupin stated that WAC will also issue a bounty for Greyback, with related funds sponsored by Vaughn Wesley and Albus Dumbledore…”
This was the report on the front page of the Daily Prophet’s current affairs section.
Compared to this official report, Rita Skeeter’s report on the second page was more “entertaining.” She was always good at capturing controversial content:
“…According to sources, the channel used by unregistered werewolves to infiltrate London was very peculiar. Before WAC intervened, the magical monitoring system covering the entire British Isles, managed by the ‘Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes,’ failed to detect those werewolf dark wizards hiding in Muggle communities.”
“This makes us have to wonder if our magical monitoring system is not as reliable as it appears, or if… there is a behind-the-scenes manipulator protecting that beast Greyback and his brutal lackeys?”
“As of the publication of this report, I have contacted the Ministry of Magic and the ‘Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes’ multiple times, but have received no positive response. Some officials, when questioned, appeared flustered and emotionally agitated.”
The accompanying “some officials” in the picture was a stout, short witch wearing a sickeningly sweet pink outfit, with a flushed face, pushing and waving her wand at the camera.
“Ha!”
At the Crouch residence, Vaughn, enjoying Sparky’s signature tea and snacks, chuckled. He recognized the witch: Dolores Umbridge.
Fudge’s confidante.
A disgusting individual.
To avoid affecting his appetite, Vaughn quickly turned the newspaper to another page. This page was also contracted by WAC—there was no other way. Under the system of the Statute of Secrecy, which had been in operation for hundreds of years, there were hardly any exciting big news stories in the English wizarding world.
Before the WAC preparatory conference, the news usually featured some XX wizard in some place, how they played a prank on their Muggle neighbor, and then were fined by the Ministry of Magic and sentenced to house arrest, and so on.
This page reported on the arrival of the international delegation in England to attend the WAC conference.
Seeing the photo on the page, Vaughn’s expression was not very pleasant.
In the photo was a tall black wizard with a serious expression facing the flashbulbs, Babajide Ajinbad!
“The International Confederation of Wizards attaches great importance to the establishment of WAC.”
The newspaper’s subtitle emphasized this in bold black font.
This statement was made by Babajide Ajinbad.
“The Vice President of the Confederation stated to this newspaper’s reporter: ‘The emergence of WAC is a groundbreaking innovation in the order of the world wizarding society. It is not only of great significance to England but also of equal conceptual pioneering importance to the International Confederation of Wizards.'”
“Ajinbad stated that the werewolf problem has always been a persistent ailment that has troubled the entire wizarding society. The terrifying lycanthropy not only threatens the lives and safety of wizards and Muggles but also poses a real threat to the International Statute of Secrecy.”
“Therefore, when this newspaper reporter asked Mr. Ajinbad how he viewed werewolves, who accept unified jurisdiction, having to work and live in Muggle society for various reasons, and potentially increasing the risk of the International Statute of Secrecy being leaked, the wizard from Wagadu made quite… interesting remarks.”
Vaughn read on, and bold text reproduced Ajinbad’s words:
“…The International Statute of Secrecy is not an ostrich behavior of lifting one’s backside and burying one’s head in the sand. The possibility of werewolves exposing the magical society has always existed. They did not violate the International Statute of Secrecy before because we were lucky, because the Ministry of Magic and the Aurors handled it in a timely manner.”
“But cleaning up afterward is not always effective. Before deciding to accept the delegation’s position and come to England, I also paid attention to the discussions related to WAC in the English wizarding world.”
“Yes, the concentration of a large number of werewolves does indeed make management difficult and greatly increases the possibility of violating the International Statute of Secrecy, but is letting them fend for themselves the right thing to do?”
“I heard that the current number of werewolves and native werewolves in England has reached over 2,000. Before the emergence of WAC, they lived in seclusion in remote forests, mountains, and other places far from Muggles. But who can guarantee that this situation can be maintained indefinitely?”
“What if, one day, Muggles want to build a resort in the forest or mountains, what will those werewolves do? What if, one day, the resources of the mountains and forests are no longer sufficient to support the werewolf tribes, what then?”
“These possibilities exist, but we had no way to manage them before. Now, the appearance of the Wolfsbane Potion and the establishment of WAC are all attempts to face and solve problems. I believe the wizarding world should give them support, rather than criticism!”
As Vaughn was watching, there was a crackling sound from the fireplace, and a burst of green flames lit up for a moment.
Then, Old Bardi, patting the dust off himself, emerged from the fireplace.
Seeing Vaughn sitting comfortably in the sunlight streaming through the window, drinking tea and eating snacks, Old Bardi sighed powerlessly, “How did you manage to sit here in my house with a clear conscience and have me run errands for you?”
As he spoke, Sparky squeezed out of the air and bowed, “Master, would you like some black tea and snacks? There are some left from what Sparky made for Young Master Wesley.”
“…”
Old Bardi, who had intended to agree, suddenly fell silent.
Vaughn smiled and said nothing.
After dismissing Sparky, Old Bardi glanced at the newspaper propped up by Vaughn, facing him, with a photo of Babajide Ajinbad. He said, “You’ve read what he said in the interview, haven’t you? I didn’t expect him to be more supportive of WAC than the wizards in England.”
“It’s normal.”
Vaughn said dismissively, “Albus said he is very ambitious. For ambitious people, a stagnant political environment is not conducive to them. Only by stirring up waves can they fish in troubled waters!”
“You mean he might not support WAC’s ideology himself, but merely sees it as a bargaining chip?”
“I’m not him, how would I know what he’s thinking?” Vaughn took a sip of black tea, turned a page of the newspaper, and said lightly while reading, “It’s meaningless to talk about these things with a political animal. At least, from his statement, he has thought about it carefully and realized that if werewolves are left unchecked, they will eventually get out of control.”
Old Bardi sighed.
In his opinion, Babajide Ajinbad’s remarks in the newspaper were not particularly profound. The werewolf problem should have been obvious, and any wizard with a normal brain could understand it with a little thought.
But in England, supporters and opponents had been arguing for months without end.
The depravity of human nature, perhaps as Vaughn said, it was meaningless to discuss these things in the face of politics.
Old Bardi gave a self-deprecating laugh, perhaps mocking the English wizarding world, or perhaps mocking himself that he, an old wizard, needed to be taught by a child.
Shaking his head, he stopped thinking about it. Old Bardi said, “You asked me to keep an eye on his movements, and I have the results. An hour ago, the Malfoy family sent an invitation to the delegation, inviting them to a banquet at Malfoy Manor.”
“Ajinbad, as the leader, accepted the invitation.”
“Tsk!”
This news made Vaughn’s mood not very good. He put away the newspaper, stood up, paced a few steps in the warm sunlight, and was speechless for a moment.
Old Bardi said, “As soon as he arrived in England, he’s preparing to get involved with the pure-blood families… It seems Ajinbad really thinks highly of WAC and is also very unhappy with your existence.”
As a former political star and the most competitive candidate for Minister of Magic, Old Bardi saw many things very clearly.
From the current public opinion, the pure-blood faction was undoubtedly resisting WAC.
But in reality, what they were resisting was WAC in the hands of Vaughn Wesley and Albus Dumbledore.
Suppose Vaughn announced now that werewolves would cede half their seats to pure-blood families, and those people would immediately drop their hostility and scramble to join the committee.
“He sees more than just high potential.”
Vaughn’s lips curved into a cold sneer, “He also sees WAC’s potential.”
“Potential?”
Old Bardi was puzzled for a moment, then quickly realized, “Because the number of werewolves is large and widely distributed?”
Vaughn nodded, “Yes, and my creation of WAC has given him a good start… If the English WAC is successfully established, do you think this model can be promoted internationally?”
“…Of course, it can. However, for you and Dumbledore, it should be difficult…”
“Exactly, it’s difficult for us.” Vaughn heard the unspoken meaning behind Old Bardi’s hesitation and smiled, “But for the International Confederation of Wizards, it’s very easy. The distribution of werewolves is usually more prevalent in smaller countries, where wizards’ power is backward and it’s difficult to control raging werewolves.”
“And small countries are highly dependent on the International Confederation of Wizards. For large countries, the Confederation’s permanent task force is a threat, but for small countries, it is their guarantee of survival.”
“Since a long time ago, those small countries have been almost controlled by the Confederation. On this premise, if I and Dumbledore want to establish a WAC branch in a certain country, they might not agree, as it could be seen as dividing power. But if the Confederation were to step in…”
Without Vaughn needing to continue, Old Bardi could imagine that the resistance would not be so great.
After all, those small countries had no ability to refuse the Confederation.
He also understood Vaughn’s meaning—Babajide Ajinbad was not interested in England’s WAC, but in WAC worldwide!
Imagine, England alone has over 2,000 werewolves. Then how many are there worldwide?
If all werewolves could be united under his command, what a terrifying organization WAC would become.
Such great profit… How could it not drive someone mad?
The weather in London at the end of July was still pleasant, neither too cold nor too hot, but Old Bardi at this moment felt a layer of sweat on his back and a chill emanating from his bones.
He scratched his head and was silent for a moment before comforting, “Perhaps the situation is not that bad. WAC cannot operate without you; at least the formula is still in your hands.”
From the beginning, Vaughn had not completely relinquished ownership of the formula, but had only authorized WAC to use it, which meant he could revoke it at any time.
Vaughn smiled, “Without the formula, I fear that this time the international delegation comes to England, I won’t be facing Ajinbad’s scowl, but the permanent task force!”
“Perhaps there’s a possibility of cooperation?”
“Playing with a tiger, what good end can there be!”
“Then how do you plan to deal with it?”
Vaughn did not answer Old Bardi, but changed the subject, asking, “The dragons I requested, do those wizarding families have any news yet?”
“Not yet.” Old Bardi shook his head. “They said that the smuggling of fire dragons is very sensitive, and your relationship with Fudge is so bad right now. He has been trying hard to catch you and Dumbledore, so we can’t rush.”
Vaughn thought for a moment: “Since it’s difficult to import, would it be easier if it were abroad?”
“Of course it would… You mean you plan to receive those fire dragons during your visit to North America?”
Old Bardi looked up in surprise.
He naturally knew long ago that Vaughn was going to Ilvermorny to visit, and he had even been hosting Joshua Potter, the representative from Ilvermorny, recently.
Vaughn smiled, “Not only that, but you can also consider what the current main conflict in North America is?”
This didn’t require much thought at all.
Anyone who paid attention to the international wizarding society could answer immediately—the conflict arising around the International Statute of Secrecy and the Rappaport Law!
The pure-blood class, represented by the Magical Congress, had been trying to deepen the enforcement of the International Statute of Secrecy and the Rappaport Law.
And half-bloods and wizards of Muggle origin were staunch opponents of these two policies.
Thinking more deeply, in the face of threats represented by Babajide Ajinbad from the Confederation, these opponents might become allies of Vaughn in another sense!
Old Bardi suddenly felt that the problem he was facing had become clear. He looked at Vaughn and said, “No wonder you never refused Joshua Potter and insisted on going to Ilvermorny for academic visits. Before, I thought you hadn’t realized the complexity of the North American situation, but now…”
From the moment he created WAC and decided to involve the International Confederation of Wizards, Vaughn had prepared for the worst.
As the founder of WAC, Vaughn knew better than anyone how terrifying the scale of WAC could be if it became international.
No one could refuse such a political lure.
In his original plan, he hoped that Dumbledore’s influence could temporarily protect the nascent WAC. As long as he was given time, he would invent the second version of the Wolfsbane Potion and establish genuine cooperation with other European countries.
At that time, he could unite with the Ministries of Magic of Germany, France, and other countries to counter the Confederation.
Of course, it sounded simple, but its actual operation was very complex. Cooperation required common interests. The only valuable thing WAC currently had was the operating rights to the Wolfsbane Potion.
In Vaughn’s original plan, he intended to unite with the European powers such as Germany and France to jointly operate the international trade of the Wolfsbane Potion. For example, to exploit small countries in the Balkans and Northern Europe with exclusive operating rights.
Unfortunately, Dumbledore’s name was not as effective as it seemed…
Babajide Ajinbad, who was aggressive from their first meeting, made Vaughn realize that time was not on his side… and that the other party might not give him time!
Therefore, he had to choose the backup plan.
North America!
Since receiving Isabella Rosier’s letter last year, Vaughn’s attention to North America had quietly increased. The current situation in North America was indeed the conflict triggered by the Magical Congress’s deepened enforcement of the International Statute of Secrecy and the Rappaport Law.
However, often, politics does not look at motives, only at results.
