Alex gave a quiet chuckle. "Well, that depends on just how ruthless the people behind the 'Berlin United Front' are willing to be," he said.
"If it were me, I'd use the Imperius Curse to take control of someone inside the West Reich Initiative. Then I'd have them murder one or two people right in the middle of a public clash, preferably West Germans from the Berlin United Front."
Fang's eyes widened in disbelief. "Hold on, you'd make someone kill their own side? Why would you do that?"
"Because that turns the West Reich Initiative from just another civil group into a violent extremist one. Once that happens, public opinion shifts fast. People will turn against them, and the same would apply on the East German side," Alex explained patiently.
If it worked, the whole thing could trigger a massive public backlash against secession movements altogether. Alex had seen his country use similar tactics play out in his previous life.
Honestly, these so-called color revolutions often felt like stage plays, carefully scripted and performed by the public. But once someone off-script barged in, the entire act could collapse in chaos.
"Are they really willing to go that far?" Fang muttered, stunned. "If what you're saying is true… these people are monsters."
Alex shrugged. "It all comes down to how heartless the ones behind the curtain really are. The Silver Wand better be careful, things could spiral fast depending on how this plays out."
Even so, Alex had no plans to get directly involved. He was content to watch from the sidelines for now, quietly observing how the pieces moved across the board.
Meanwhile, Claremont had kept himself busy over the past few days, not once returning to breeding area. The black market under his control also served as the headquarters for the West Reich Initiative Association.
As one of the Silver Wand's most important partners, Claremont had his hands full. On top of managing the black market and operations at breeding area, he juggled countless other responsibilities.
That's part of the reason why the Silver Wand hesitated to bring him in as an official member. He was too capable, too independent.
Claremont wasn't just sharp, he was efficient, charismatic, and a skilled operator. To his employees, he was a fair and admirable boss. To the Silver Wand, he was a reliable force who could take charge in complicated situations without breaking a sweat.
Over the next few days, things stayed unusually quiet. No odd movements at the breeding base, no new visits to breeding area, and no disruptions at the Silver Wand headquarters. Claremont stuck to his routine, focusing on running his black market network and leading the West Reich Initiative Association from the shadows.
Meanwhile, Alex received two invitations in quick succession, one from Minister Eisenberg, and the other from Director Andre, both requesting a meeting at the German Ministry of Magic.
"Huh," Alex mused as he examined the envelopes. "Andre sent his right after Eisenberg's. That can't be a coincidence. Is he keeping tabs on the Minister?"
He turned the letters over in his hands, intrigued. The timing was too precise to ignore.
Whether it was surveillance or just clever politics, something was brewing. Deciding to follow the thread, Alex gathered his things and made his way to the Ministry.
When he arrived, he was welcomed once again by the familiar face of Anneliese, the friendly witch at the front desk.
"Mr. Wilson! I didn't expect to see you back so soon," she said with a warm smile.
"That music box you gave me last time was amazing. Everyone at the Ministry has been talking about it, jealous, really."
Alex offered a polite smile as he handed over Minister Eisenberg's invitation. "It's good to see you again, Miss Anneliese. How have things been these past few days?"
Anneliese let out a sigh, clearly exhausted. "Don't get me started. It's been nonstop lately. More and more people are showing up to protest outside the Ministry.
Alex glanced around the grand hall and raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, the usual lot from the Department of Magical Transportation?" He shook his head.
"You really ought to find a way to keep them in check. Letting people storm in like this is throwing the whole Ministry's operations off balance."
His gaze swept over the scene. The hall was crowded with clusters of wizards, some handing out pamphlets, others waving banners and shouting slogans.
There were protestors from both East and West Germany, along with mixed groups calling for unity and denouncing the political division. To his surprise, even a few goblins were scattered among the demonstrators.
While no one was causing actual chaos, the atmosphere was undeniably tense. The crowd nearly filled the entire lobby, their chants echoing off the marble walls.
"Someone really should step in and clear this place out," Alex muttered.
Anneliese nodded as she accepted his documents. "Things have definitely gotten messier," she agreed.
"Just a couple of days ago, under Minister Eisenberg's orders, the Department of International Magical Cooperation started reorganizing its offices. So far, it's only affected the International Magic Trade Standards Association."
"That department oversees nearly all magical commerce in Germany," she continued. "Now it's not just regular citizens protesting, tons of merchants are upset too.
If this policy goes through, they'll have to officially register whether they operate in East or West Germany and apply for the proper business licenses. That means most won't be allowed to trade across the border anymore.
The tension inside the Ministry was starting to feel more than political, it was beginning to disrupt everyday life. The impact of Germany's magical divide was no longer theoretical.
For years, merchants had operated across East and West under a quiet, mutual understanding, what people called the 'well water not mixing with river water' approach. Everyone knew the divide existed, but no one pushed the boundaries.
Now, with the Ministry trying to codify that division into law, resistance was bubbling up fast. Many business owners were refusing to comply, and the backlash was growing stronger by the day.
Even Gringotts was being affected. The goblins had always treated Germany as a single, unified market.
Their main bank branch was located near East Dudden House, but they'd continued to serve clients from both sides without discrimination. The idea of building a second branch in West Germany, just to satisfy some new bureaucratic policy, was something they clearly weren't eager to do."
Anneliese seemed to realize something as she glanced back at Alex. "Oh, right, Mr. Wilson, since you're here in Germany for business, you should be careful.
The International Magic Trade Standards Association is in complete disarray right now. Things are unpredictable."