Seeing the scene before him, Lewis couldn't help but sigh in admiration. Aside from Hogwarts, nowhere else embodied the beauty of magic in this world quite like the Ministry of Magic.
They stood at one end of a vast, magnificent hall. The floor was made of polished dark wood, gleaming like a mirror. Above them, the peacock-blue ceiling was inlaid with shimmering golden symbols that constantly shifted and rearranged, like a massive floating bulletin board.
At the center of the hall stood a fountain.
In a circular pool rose a group of golden statues, larger than life. The tallest was a noble-looking wizard, holding his wand high and pointing it toward the sky. Around him stood a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house-elf. The centaur, goblin, and house-elf all gazed up at the wizard and witch with expressions of awe and reverence.
Jets of water sprayed brilliantly from the wizard's wand, the centaur's arrow, the goblin's hat, and the house-elf's ears.
The walls were lined with glossy dark wood panels, set with numerous gilded fireplaces.
Every few seconds, with a soft pop, a wizard would emerge from one of the fireplaces on the left. On the right, people queued in front of each fireplace, waiting to depart.
As they passed through, Tonks looked delighted, greeting everyone she knew and proudly introducing Lewis and Ciri.
"Yes, I'm bringing them to receive the Order of Merlin."
Lewis could see it clearly in the eyes of the surrounding wizards—envy and jealousy.
It seemed the Order of Merlin held great importance within the Ministry.
Originally founded by Merlin himself in the Middle Ages, the Order promoted peaceful coexistence between wizards and Muggles and established rules forbidding the misuse of magic on non-magical people. After the Wizengamot was formed, the first medals were issued in the 15th century in Merlin's honor.
As a side note, Merlin had been a Slytherin graduate, which was why the First Class Order featured a green ribbon.
Among Ministry officials and high society, the Order of Merlin was especially coveted.
For the former, it was a shining mark on one's record—a symbol of future success.
For the latter, it was a badge of prestige.
Lewis himself didn't care much for it. To him, knowledge was true power.
Ciri, being from another world, cared even less. As the heir of the Elder Blood, princess of Cintra, and daughter of the Nilfgaardian emperor, she had no need to be impressed by such things.
Still, for the sake of future plans—reputation, influence, and connections—Lewis accepted it willingly.
At the security checkpoint, they passed the wand inspection without issue.
They then entered another hall, smaller but still impressive, where at least twenty elevators stood behind ornate golden grilles.
Tonks chose a shorter line, and soon they stepped inside one.
The doors slid shut, and the elevator began to rise slowly.
At each floor, it stopped briefly as people entered and exited.
"Level Five: Department of International Magical Cooperation, including the International Magical Trading Standards Body, the International Magical Law Office, and the British seat of the International Confederation of Wizards."
The same cold female voice from the telephone booth announced their arrival.
"This is our stop," Tonks said as she stepped out. "Level Five belongs to the Department of International Magical Cooperation. The Order of Merlin ceremonies are held in the same hall used for diplomatic events."
She led them down a corridor bathed in warm sunlight streaming through the windows.
But something felt off.
"…We're still underground, right?" Hermione asked. "Where is that sunlight coming from?"
"The windows are enchanted," Tonks explained. "The Magical Maintenance Department decides the weather. Last time, we had hurricanes for two months because they wanted a pay raise."
At the end of the corridor stood the grand hall for major Ministry events.
When they entered, it was already filled with over a hundred people—Wizengamot members and Order of Merlin recipients, all dressed in formal attire and chatting in small groups.
This was the scale of a First Class ceremony.
If it were only a Second or Third Class award, there would be just a handful of officials presenting it, with maybe a dozen attendees.
After all, lower-tier awards were often… questionable in merit, which diluted their prestige.
As Lewis and the others entered, many guests turned to look at them with friendly curiosity.
Among them, Lewis spotted several familiar faces.
At the raised platform sat Dumbledore, speaking with an elderly wizard of similar age. Upon noticing Lewis, he pointed him out to his companion.
Professor Flitwick, Ravenclaw's head, also watched them warmly. Both Lewis and Ciri were his students, after all.
And then there was a woman Lewis had never met before—but recognized instantly.
She wore a blue-violet cloak trimmed with gold, a white dress, and purple heels. Her golden hair and striking appearance made her stand out immediately.
Jaina Proudmoore.
Even in a different world, her style was unmistakable.
As Lewis noticed her, she also looked his way, nodding to Tonks before studying him with interest—as if she already knew who he was.
Under Tonks' guidance, they took seats in the front row.
Lewis had seen enough politicians in his previous life to recognize what was coming.
Sure enough, Cornelius Fudge, as Minister of Magic, Wizengamot member, and Order of Merlin First Class recipient, launched into a long-winded speech from the stage.
For over an hour.
The structure was predictable.
First, he spoke of the Order's history and prestige, recounting its glorious past.
Then he praised the current prosperity of the British magical world under his leadership.
Finally, he thanked various contributors and supporters.
By the time Lewis was on the verge of falling asleep, Fudge finally reached the awards.
But not before one last maneuver.
After briefly praising Lewis and Ciri, he attributed their achievements to Hogwarts' excellent education and the Ministry's support.
In other words—he shamelessly claimed part of their credit, dragging Dumbledore into it for cover.
Just as Lewis was seriously considering blasting him with a fireball, the ceremony finally began.
Dumbledore stepped forward at the right moment, holding two elegant boxes.
"I am honored to announce," Fudge declared enthusiastically, "that Mr. Lewis Green, for successfully subduing a dark wizard attempting to attack Muggles on the Cornwall coast, for slaying the Chimera released by said wizard, and for upholding the Statute of Secrecy, is hereby awarded the First Class Order of Merlin."
"Ms. Cirilla Reanlun, for assisting in subduing the dark wizard and protecting Muggles, is hereby awarded the Second Class Order of Merlin."
"Recipients, please come forward."
Fudge beamed as if he were the one receiving the honor.
Dumbledore opened the boxes.
Fudge took out a gold medal with a green ribbon and placed it around Lewis's neck.
Then he awarded Ciri a Second Class medal with a purple ribbon.
A series of camera flashes erupted.
The moment was captured forever by the media.
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