Chapter 690: 690: Centralization of Power, Control

This was a historic event that would be recorded in the history of magic.

Facing magical representatives from across the world, that King amended the Statute of Secrecy.

From this moment onward, the Statute of Secrecy was renamed.

The International Confederation of Wizards would no longer serve the Statute of Secrecy. It would serve wizards.

The separation between wizarding society and Muggle society had to change.

For centuries, wizarding pride had focused only on preserving mystery, while neglecting the need to understand and observe Muggles.

The proposal passed.

The Statute of Secrecy was incorporated into it.

At the same time, the International Confederation of Wizards established new institutions.

In addition to the existing Department of Education and Quidditch Committee, two new institutions would be placed directly under the Confederation.

The International Institute of Magical Science and Technology, dedicated to innovation and progress, and the Supreme Wizarding Arbitration Court, dedicated to fairness and impartiality.

One department, one committee, and two institutes would form the new International Confederation of Wizards.

The International Institute of Magical Science and Technology would be responsible for improving and developing Potions and alchemy.

Its first director would be John Wick.

Its deputy director would be Damocles Belby.

The Supreme Wizarding Arbitration Court would be responsible for hearing and ruling on major cases involving wizards.

It would consist of the Supreme Arbitration Court established in the Kingdom of Bhutan and travelling wizarding courts established throughout different countries.

There would be one Chief Justice and nine Chief Arbitrators.

Its first head would be John Wick.

The Chief Arbitrators would later be elected by representatives of the International Confederation of Wizards.

This would greatly change the way wizarding cases were tried.

Wizengamot panels would form travelling courts and be established throughout the world.

As for the Werewolf Equality Bill, France and Germany had followed Britain in adopting it.

An east had also agreed to a trial implementation of the Werewolf Equality Bill.

What had persuaded them was the very reason John had asked Damocles to stay behind after the meeting.

“Is this really possible? No, I mean…”

Damocles was almost incoherent.

Whether it was suddenly becoming deputy director of the International Institute of Magical Science and Technology or what John had just told him, either one was enough to drive him mad with excitement.

A werewolf vaccine.

The moment the idea was raised, the shock it caused was no less than the reform itself, leaving even a Potions master like Damocles unable to remain calm.

“It can’t cure werewolves, but it can prevent werewolves from infecting wizards.”

Damocles’s heart pounded violently.

He could practically see a second Order of Merlin, First Class dancing in front of him.

What was the greatest danger posed by werewolves?

It was the ferocity that came with the full moon and the curse’s ability to spread.

Wolfsbane Potion suppressed the ferocity. If they could also stop the curse from spreading…

Damocles was about to lose his mind.

The little hair he had left was being thoroughly abused by his fingers.

“I truly never imagined this. When I first met you, I absolutely never imagined it.”

The student who had once come seeking guidance had now become a great figure capable of changing the world.

No.

He was a King.

The undisputed King of today’s wizarding world.

The establishment of the two new institutions represented innovation and justice.

The King’s prestige now covered the entire world.

“Calm down, Damocles. Sit down and have some coffee.”

Seeing that he looked ready to faint, John gestured for him to sit.

“This is still immature technology. It will need further research from you before it can be officially released.”

A cup hopped over in front of Damocles, while a spoon stirred the drink by itself.

John said in a deep voice, “What you need to do will be difficult, and there is an even more important task.”

“Recruit Potions masters and alchemists from around the world into the International Institute of Magical Science and Technology. That is the most important thing.”

Compared with the Muggle world, the wizarding world was not without advantages.

On the contrary, in one particular field, its advantage was enormous.

That field was Potions.

The effects achievable through Potions were something Muggles had yet to reach.

Take Skele-Gro, for example. It could even regrow bones.

When Lockhart had accidentally removed all the bones from Harry’s arm, all Harry had needed was a dose of Skele-Gro.

For Muggles, aside from using machinery to support and stabilise the injury, there was basically no other solution.

The International Institute of Magical Science and Technology had two major departments.

One was the Potions Department.

The other was the Alchemy Department.

The Potions Department would recruit Potions masters and continue advancing the field of Potions.

As for the Alchemy Department, John intended to use energy as its foundation, combining it with Muggle technology to create new magical technology.

And that source of energy would be magic crystals.

They were a form of pure energy that basically any wizard could use.

Even non-wizards could trigger magic through alchemical devices.

For example, the magical version of a bomb that John had yet to reveal.

Most alchemists pursued the Philosopher’s Stone as the highest achievement.

What they sought was immortality, wasting countless opportunities to surpass Muggles in other fields.

John intended to correct that direction and develop an entirely new branch of magical technology within the wizarding world.

The Potions Department would be managed by Damocles, while John himself would oversee the Alchemy Department.

John took out a stack of parchment as thick as a finger and handed it to Damocles.

“Research concerning the werewolf vaccine.”

Damocles suppressed the excitement in his heart and looked slightly surprised.

“This is less than I expected.”

“Oh, that’s only the table of contents. The actual material is over there.”

John pointed toward a room.

Damocles walked over and fell silent when he saw that the place looked like an entire library.

“Can I get some help?”

“Of course.”

John sighed with emotion.

“I’m entrusting this important task to you.”

With that, John left.

Damocles stared at the books and swallowed with difficulty.

He borrowed an owl and sent a letter to Hogwarts.

Slughorn, who had been leisurely enjoying a glass of mead, soon received it.

“Teacher, there’s something I would feel guilty not telling you.

“John gave me an enormous research project. I wouldn’t tell just anyone about this. The materials are complete, the paper is practically prepared, and honestly, anyone with hands could do it.”

Slughorn became excited as he read the letter from his student.

He had not doted on this student for nothing after all.

In Slughorn’s mind, John equalled free medals.

The last time he had coasted to victory had taught him that whenever John offered a project, the smartest choice was to join without thinking.

So without the slightest hesitation, he let himself be lured in by his own student.

As for how the Headmaster of Hogwarts ended up barely leaving his room for three straight months afterward, there was no need to say much.

In any case, that library’s worth of material led Damocles to drag in almost the entire Potions Masters Association.

Whenever Slughorn remembered the incident afterward, he would curse Damocles while pouring Invigoration Draught down his throat.

For a long time, he needed Cheering Potion just to help himself forget the suffering.

…

This meeting became known as the “1998 International Confederation of Wizards Supreme Summit.”

Through this summit, John completed the centralisation of power.

He now controlled:

Power, the International Confederation of Wizards.

Wealth, the First Wizarding Savings Bank.

Education, the Department of Education.

Sports, the Quidditch Committee.

Innovation, the International Institute of Magical Science and Technology.

Justice, the Supreme Wizarding Arbitration Court.

The wizarding world was now firmly within his grasp.