Peter Pettigrew frantically flattered Slytherin, not doubting the authenticity of his words in the slightest.
Nor could he possibly question Slytherin's power.
In the hearts of all Hogwarts graduates, the original founders were legendary figures, elevated to extraordinary heights by centuries of mythmaking.
Especially since Pettigrew knew exactly where Slytherin had gone and how he'd returned.
Having accomplished such a feat, what was a mere Lawrence worth?
"Shall we go to Hogwarts now?" Pettigrew asked eagerly, but as the words left his mouth, his entire body convulsed violently before collapsing to the ground with a piercing wail.
Slytherin hadn't moved at all, merely casting a cold glance at the trembling Pettigrew. "You presume to dictate my actions?"
"My lord, I meant no such thing."
Thanks to Snape, Pettigrew's pain tolerance was astonishingly strong. Even Slytherin's Dark Magic couldn't break him completely - he still had strength left to beg for mercy.
This forced Slytherin to reassess the rat.
Perhaps this vermin wasn't entirely useless. At the very least, his terrifying endurance made him excellent material for Dark Magic experiments.
With this thought, he dispelled the magic, ceasing Pettigrew's torment.
"Lawrence can be dealt with anytime. Hogwarts will eventually return to my hands." Slytherin spoke with complete confidence. "Little rat, if you wish to serve me, you must learn to think long-term. This world is no longer what it once was."
"Your will be done," Pettigrew said humbly.
As a triple-turncoat who'd served three masters, Pettigrew knew his place. Stupidity didn't matter - obedience and compliance were what counted.
"Go gather information." Where the Dark Mark once resided, Slytherin left his own sigil. "Learn how many divine realms have returned and what powerful beings remain. Report only significant findings."
"Don't bother me with trifles." Slytherin rose, producing a snakewood cane, and shuffled unsteadily into the distance. "You know the consequences."
Only when the hunched figure had completely vanished did Pettigrew dare transform into a rat and scurry into the sewers, after waiting what felt like an eternity.
What Pettigrew didn't know was that Slytherin felt even greater pressure.
During his long exile, Slytherin had learned many ancient secrets from Morgana.
Among the divine realms that departed earlier, descendants of true deities might still lurk. No one knew how many powerful beings had returned to Earth.
If he wanted to become supreme, his priority wasn't flaunting his return, but finding a place to quietly cultivate his power, using the complete world rules to advance further.
As for Lawrence and Hogwarts - once he regained sufficient strength, they could be dealt with anytime.
...
10 Downing Street.
To the astonishment of Humphrey and Bernard, Wayne and Jim Hacker emerged from the fireplace.
Hacker shakily returned to his seat, glancing at the now-extinguished flames, his hands fidgeting nervously.
"You've been monitoring Downing Street?"
"No, this is Floo Powder. As long as the Floo Network has permission, wizards can travel to any house with a fireplace."
This was the ultimate game-changer.
In the Western world, having a fireplace was completely normal. Detached or terraced houses would inevitably have one, and many flats still kept them out of habit.
"Is Floo Powder very precious?" Hacker asked again.
Bang!
Wayne tossed out a large barrel of Floo Powder: "I didn't bring any gifts this time, so please accept this Floo Powder, Prime Minister. Use it freely. When it runs out, I'll have my uncle send more."
Hacker completely gave up hope. Something that could be stored in barrels and casually given away - how precious could it really be?
The moment he realised wizards could pop in and out of fireplaces worldwide, Hacker knew this battle couldn't be fought.
He put on a warm smile. "Wayne, may I call you that?"
"Of course, Uncle Hacker." Wayne smilingly changed his form of address, too.
"I'm a man who deeply values peace." Hacker declared solemnly. "No matter what others think, in my eyes, wizards are equally British citizens with rights to freedom. Every one of them represents a vote..."
"Ahem, Prime Minister." Humphrey interrupted. "Constituents, constituents."
Hacker's face reddened. "Thank you, Humphrey. Since they're constituents, I'll naturally treat them equally. But... there are too few progressive politicians like me in this country."
"I'll fully cooperate with your efforts." Wayne timely offered his bargaining chip. "The wizarding world equally wishes to avoid conflict. They're all peace-loving citizens, and... technically speaking, the Ministry of Magic is part of Downing Street anyway."
Hacker's eyes lit up.
"Can you make that decision?"
"Before coming, I spoke with the current Minister for Magic. He's a Muggle-friendly advocate - you two would get along splendidly."
Hacker didn't actually want to meddle in Ministry affairs; he just wanted nominal authority.
A single territory couldn't sustain two governments - not even for wizards. That would severely undermine governmental credibility.
With Wayne's assurance, his room for manoeuvre expanded considerably.
"I'll also need full media cooperation." Hacker said. "Public opinion must be controlled, otherwise I can't secure sufficient support in the Commons."
"Agreed, but let me be perfectly clear." Wayne slowly straightened up, his imposing presence making all three men tense.
"Please proceed, Earl Lawrence." Hacker reverted to the formal address.
"I know that once wizards' existence is fully exposed, certain interested parties will come sniffing around. For instance... Grosvenor. If I recall correctly, the old man's over seventy now?"
Hacker's hand trembled.
Grosvenor - or perhaps better known by another, more illustrious name: the House of Westminster.
Once Britain's wealthiest aristocratic family, they would still hold that title if not for Lawrence's sudden rise, far surpassing even the Windsors. And in this country, money often equated to power.
With wealth and influence secured, the only thing left for Grosvenor to pursue was life itself.
Hacker could already imagine how excited the old man would be upon learning about wizards' existence.
"Anyone who dares to use wizards for human experimentation, I will eliminate them completely - including their relatives, friends, and all descendants. Not a single one will remain."
"..."
"Lord Hacker, I'm merely asking you to deliver the message, not to make decisions on their behalf."
Wayne noticed Hacker's discomfort and spoke considerately.
It would be miraculous if Hacker could actually control those conglomerates and old money families. Making empty promises would only be irresponsible.
"I understand," Hacker said with relief. "I'll convey your words."
"I hope we can cooperate pleasantly. There are still many matters requiring my attention at the school and the Ministry, so I'll take my leave now."
Wayne nodded to Humphrey, placed his hat on his head, and vanished without a trace.
Globally speaking, the relationship between the British Ministry of Magic and the Muggle government should be considered among the better ones.
Most national leaders previously had no idea such communities existed within their countries, with North American nations being prime examples.
They maintain the world's strictest secrecy laws and marriage regulations. Cases like Jacob and Queenie only occurred through loopholes and represent extremely rare exceptions.
One can imagine the situation there must be the most severe.
After leaving Downing Street, Wayne didn't return to Hogwarts but instead headed for North America.
First, he persuaded Jacob and Queenie to come to Britain, then located Cassandra and instructed her to cease expanding Celia Store.
Plans couldn't keep up with changes. Wayne hadn't anticipated the situation would shift so abruptly. With the outside world becoming too dangerous, he naturally couldn't allow Cassandra to roam around freely.
Initially, the proud Miss Cassandra was unwilling to stop - she had just established connections with Uagadou. But after Wayne disciplined the young lady and communicated with the Worley family elders, she had no choice but to follow him back.
Before departing, however, the two visited Ilvermorny to meet Worley and Fontaine.
"Mr Lawrence, is the situation truly this severe?" Lafferty asked gravely.
Wayne didn't elaborate, merely patting his shoulder: "If you encounter unsolvable problems, come to Britain. Be cautious around strangers, and incidentally, gather more materials about ancient magic."
He had indeed invited the Worley family to accompany him, but after centuries of establishment here, they couldn't easily abandon everything. Sending Cassandra to Wayne's side also served to distribute risks.
After a full day's efforts, Wayne finally returned to Hogwarts, travel-worn, during London's evening hours.
Although classes hadn't been suspended today, everyone had spent the day in tense unease.
The Great Hall was filled with gloomy apprehension. Students had learned that the wizarding world had been completely exposed. While they didn't understand the full consequences, they instinctively sensed the seriousness of the situation.
Fortunately, Wayne's return provided some reassurance.
Wayne cleared his throat. "External changes won't affect you. The Ministry and Muggle government have reached preliminary cooperation agreements and will handle everything appropriately."
"Your task is to learn more spells to better protect yourselves during holidays. Oh, and I recommend spending this year's Christmas break at school."
"This isn't just for your benefit, but for your families' protection as well."
"Will they be in danger?" Toby asked loudly.
"Currently, Britain is very safe," Wayne reassured everyone. "Please advise them not to travel abroad - I cannot guarantee the situation on other continents."
The Muggle-born and half-blood wizards quietly noted this down, planning to write home immediately afterwards.
After Wayne explained further measures, the students gradually calmed down.
Ending with the announcement that next week's Hogsmeade weekend wouldn't be cancelled, the now-composed students returned to their dormitories under the Prefects' guidance.
Professor McGonagall kept Wayne behind.
"Keynes and the Ministers for Magic have arrived. They're at the Ministry of Magic now - would you like to meet them?"
"I'll go tomorrow. I need a proper night's sleep." Wayne stretched, feeling this day had been particularly long, especially with the system's notification sounds still echoing in his mind.
"Is the external situation dreadful?" Professor McGonagall asked anxiously.
"It hasn't reached the worst yet." Wayne delivered this statement, which weighed even more heavily on her heart, before leaving.
'This isn't the poorest situation yet. What more could happen? Could the world itself face destruction?'
Returning to the suitcase world, Wayne opened the system interface to review the series of notifications and tally his point gains.