Having said all he needed to say and done all he could in that moment, Harry Potter coolly picked up his suitcase and stepped away from the podium.
He still had to rush off to calm the regions where elemental spirits were as restless as those at Hogwarts. As for how to handle the specifics, that was for Dumbledore and the various Ministers of Magic to figure out—not something a mere professor like him needed to worry about.
Harry came quietly, and after the meeting ended, he left just as quietly, leaving behind a conference hall in disarray.
By now, whether the International Statute of Secrecy could still hold was an undeniable issue laid bare for all to see—and an urgent one at that. Negotiations with Muggle governments and specific countermeasures were enough to give anyone a headache.
Harry had bluntly forced the Ministers of Magic, who'd been dragging their feet, to confront this serious issue head-on. Truth be told, many of them had been hoping to delay things. After all, the elements hadn't yet awakened to the point where they were impossible to hide from Muggles. Their plan was simple: stall until their terms ended, and let the next Minister deal with the mess.
Unfortunately, that approach was no longer viable.
Perhaps to shatter the illusions of those still clinging to hope, Dumbledore, as President of the International Confederation of Wizards, invited the Ministers to visit Hogwarts after the meeting.
There was no doubt about it—Hogwarts, where Harry had been actively awakening elemental spirits, was a sight to behold. Even on a global scale, the resurgence of elements here was among the most intense. The Ministers, speaking a cacophony of languages, stood under the curious gazes of Hogwarts students and staff. They'd barely lingered at the edge of the Black Lake when the water near the shore began to churn. A water elemental coalesced from the lake, its form shimmering as it regarded the uninvited guests before sinking back into the depths.
And that wasn't even the half of it. When the German Minister's aide's briefcase—stuffed with documents—suddenly bulged, a paper elemental, its body formed from scribbled parchments, leapt out in plain view. It bolted without a backward glance, leaving the Ministers, who should've been accustomed to grand spectacles, gasping in shock.
"Do they have to make such a fuss?" Ron Weasley muttered, watching the adults' exaggerated reactions from a distance. "I thought these… Ministers would be a bit more composed. What's the word for it?"
"More dignified?" Fred Weasley chimed in, slinging an arm around Ron's shoulders with a teasing grin. "Didn't expect our little Ronnie to start throwing shade like this."
"Exactly," George Weasley added, popping up beside them with a wide smile. "These Ministers are embarrassing themselves, getting looked down on by Ronnie of all people."
"Hey, you two, I can tell you're taking the mick!" Ron said, furrowing his brow. "Weren't you supposed to be helping Professor McGonagall calm those elemental spirits? Why are you even here—oh! You're slacking off!"
"We're not slacking, Ron, you prat," Fred shot back, rolling his eyes. "We're just students. McGonagall's not going to order us around like she does the other professors."
"Yeah," George said with a shrug. "Though I wouldn't mind dealing with those weird elements. Did you know we found a mana elemental in an empty classroom? McGonagall says it's probably formed from the castle's excess magic. Honestly, it's way more interesting than lessons."
"Enough!" Hermione Granger snapped, slamming the book she'd been using as a shield onto the table. "Don't you lot have anything better to do? The wizarding world's undergoing massive changes, and I thought you'd feel at least some urgency, not stand around chatting—or mocking Ministers!"
"I'll have you know, your reactions to the elements the first time weren't much better than those Ministers'," Hermione said pointedly. "You're only acting smug because you got a head start on the rest of us."
"…What's gotten into her?" Fred whispered, nudging Ron in the ribs.
"Don't mind her," Ron said calmly. "She was like this when Harry left Hogwarts, and it's just gotten worse. You get used to it."
"This isn't something you just get used to, Ron!" Hermione's voice rose, her anger flaring. "While we're here enjoying ourselves at school, Harry's out there running himself ragged! He doesn't even have time to rest!"
"If we knew more, if we were stronger, we could be out there fighting alongside him!" she said, her expression deadly serious. "Instead, we're stuck here, just watching."
"Honestly, Hermione," George interjected, "no matter how hard we try, we're not going to be like Harry. He's… well, he's a genius, you know? The next Dumbledore. How many Dumbledores can there be in the world?"
"At least Dumbledore had Grindelwald to match him!" Hermione's voice wavered for a moment before hardening again. "But who does Harry have? He must be so lonely!"
George fell silent, glancing at Ron, who merely shrugged. He'd long since developed a thick skin for these outbursts.
"Lonely," Fred repeated, giving Hermione an odd look. Two seconds later, her face flushed crimson, and she propped her book back up to hide behind it. "From what I hear, Harry hasn't exactly been lonely lately."
Smack!
In an instant, Hermione slapped the book back onto the table, glaring daggers.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You don't know?" Fred grinned mischievously, sensing he'd stumbled onto something juicy—though, on second thought, maybe it wasn't such a secret after all. His enthusiasm dimmed slightly.
"Know what?" Hermione demanded, utterly bewildered.
"Haven't you chatted with the elements lately?" George asked, chuckling. "According to them, Harry's been busy calming down their overly energetic kin who've just woken from their slumber."
"Huh?" Hermione's eyes widened. "The elements—wait, how do they know? Aren't they just Hogwarts' elements?"
"Elements have their own way of communicating," Fred explained. "They're curious, you know. Waking up from a long sleep, they're bound to gossip with their neighbors."
"Exactly," George said. "We heard it from an earth elemental on the other side of the hill. Those guys, always buried in the ground, spread news faster than you'd think. Apparently, Harry's in some country in Asia right now, dealing with a volcanic eruption. Oh, and some fire elements causing trouble."
"And then?" Hermione leaned forward, fists clenched. "Is Harry okay?"
"Of course he's okay. Have some faith in him, Hermione," Fred said. "The earth elemental said Harry took down a bunch of rogue fire elements. Though, uh, his reputation's taken a bit of a hit among some of the newly awakened ones. Not my words, don't glare at me like that."
"Most elements still think well of him," George added thoughtfully. "He's been helping them adjust to the world after waking up confused. So, no need to worry so much."
"…I understand," Hermione said, exhaling deeply as she sank back into her seat, looking a bit lost. "I still need to learn more… Damn it, I've been focusing too much on charms lately, and I haven't had time to improve my shamanic spells. There's never enough time."
"Merlin's socks, Hermione, you're already the best apprentice I've got!" Ron said, eyes wide with disbelief. "Even Luna, who Harry says has real talent, can't keep up with you. What more do you want?"
"Two years ago, you were a Muggle who didn't even know the wizarding world existed!" Ron continued, not meaning any offense. "You've only been at this for two years—how much better do you expect to get?"
"Harry's only been in the wizarding world for less than two years too," Hermione countered.
"But he's admitted he went on some adventure in a magical world none of us could access!" Ron said, grabbing a newspaper from the sofa armrest and pointing at the headline. "Why can't you accept that we're not on the same level as him? Look at the kind of people he's dealing with!"
"Professor Potter's Warning: Is the Statute of Secrecy Doomed?"
The bolded, enlarged headline was accompanied by a moving wizarding photograph of Harry speaking at the International Confederation of Wizards' emergency meeting, capturing his demeanor and the stunned expressions of the Ministers below. Even the most oblivious wizard could sense the gravity of the situation.
The Statute of Secrecy failing?
For every wizard, the International Statute of Secrecy was the law that shaped their lives most profoundly. Since its enactment in 1689, the Muggle-Repelling Charm had become a spell every wizard mastered, hiding their world from Muggle eyes. From homes to workplaces, every action adhered to this rule.
Young witches and wizards were raised to conceal their magic, a habit ingrained from childhood. But now, this instinctual rule was suddenly at risk of collapsing?
It was as unthinkable as no longer needing to breathe—disorienting and deeply unsettling.
Penned by Rita Skeeter, the Daily Prophet's star reporter, the article detailed the origins of the Statute of Secrecy, why it was now faltering, and what might happen if the elements continued to awaken and the law failed entirely. Wizards worldwide—save for those hermits tucked away in remote mountains—were abuzz with debate.
Hermione, naturally, had read the article the moment it was published.
"The professors have been swamped too," Neville Longbottom piped up, having stayed quiet until now. "Some students overheard Professor McGonagall complaining about not having enough staff. You know, with all the elemental spirits running around, anything could spring to life at any moment. The patrolling professors can't cover the whole school."
"I know a bit about that," Fred said. "McGonagall gave up on hiring more staff. Apparently, it's too expensive."
"Hah! Your info's outdated," Ron said, grinning smugly. "McGonagall asked us about hiring elements to help patrol. Using elements to manage elements, you know, to stop the new ones from causing chaos."
"Er, actually, her first idea was to have us shaman apprentices handle it," Neville added sheepishly. "But you know Harry wouldn't let us half-baked shamans go stirring up trouble."
"…You're right," Hermione said suddenly, her voice hollow, ignoring the others. "We really aren't in the same world as Harry anymore… Look at what we're doing all day."
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