Chapter 691: 691: Education Conference

John’s ambition was obvious to anyone.

The International Confederation of Wizards would have to bear the Wick name.

Roger Spottiswoode had been pushed to the brink by John the last time.

He had to prove his abilities, or the position that belonged to him would be taken by someone else.

“Mente,” Roger called out. “Can we talk?”

Talk?

Of course they could.

But talking with Roger…

Mente hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

After all, they had been colleagues for many years.

The two stopped outside the Ministry of Magic.

“How much do you know about him?” Roger asked impatiently.

Roger knew that Mente had also been summoned for a private conversation last time.

He desperately needed an answer.

Seeing Roger, who had always been steady and composed, acting this way, Mente shook his head.

“I know nothing about him.”

“Or rather, what exactly do you want me to say, Roger?” Mente asked.

Indeed.

Who would dare claim they truly understood the Second King?

Mente understood Roger’s situation.

Roger’s mistake was that even after Dumbledore stepped down, he had continued clinging to unrealistic hopes.

Hearing Mente’s question, Roger fell into thought.

What did he want to hear?

Naturally, he wanted to know what kind of person the Second King was and how he might deal with him.

But Mente’s question made him think of something more.

“If I… expressed my loyalty?” Roger said hesitantly. “What do you think?”

Mente looked at him with pity.

“You should have done that long ago, Roger.”

“The current leader of the International Confederation of Wizards is Lord Wick. I think someone as perceptive as you should already be able to see it.”

Mente said,

“The Second King’s desire to conquer.”

Submit, or face conquest.

Roger believed he had a choice.

In reality, he had none.

Just like Yelufan, they had both hoped Dumbledore would rise to power.

But Dumbledore had been destined never to become the leader of the International Confederation of Wizards.

Whether because of personal motives or the resistance he would face, the outcome had always been inevitable.

Yelufan had accepted reality.

Roger was still hesitating.

“As a friend, there’s only one thing I can tell you,” Mente said seriously.

“Submit to him. Follow the Second King, and you can obtain glory.”

“As head of the Department of Education, that’s your only choice.”

After saying that, Mente turned and left.

His friendship with Roger only allowed him to go that far.

Roger watched his departing figure, his mind filled with confusion.

“Submit to the Second King.”

…

John had previously assigned the Department of Education a task.

They were to contact ten wizarding schools.

Roger had been put in charge of the matter, and some time had already passed.

John received the Department of Education’s report.

“The day before the holiday break? That’s actually a good time.”

The Department of Education had sent notices to the headmasters of the various schools, informing them that they would be required to attend a meeting at the British Ministry of Magic on the day before the Christmas holidays began.

The headmasters who received the notice were all surprised.

Some even used their wands to test whether it was fake or some kind of prank.

After all, they had barely had any dealings with the Department of Education before.

For the Department of Education to suddenly summon the headmasters for a meeting was unprecedented.

When Madame Maxime received the notice, Hagrid had originally been looking forward to the holiday.

He had planned to go out with Madame Maxime that day.

But now that plan was ruined, and Hagrid would have to spend Christmas with his brother Grawp instead.

“John Wick…”

Madame Maxime sent the letter on to Hagrid as the image of the boy who had visited Beauxbatons that summer appeared in her mind.

Who could have imagined that in only seven years, that child would rise to the very peak of wizarding power?

“He is Nicolas Flamel’s apprentice. By that logic, he should count as a Beauxbatons student too.”

Madame Maxime was beginning to feel somewhat displeased.

Why should Hogwarts get all the prestige?

When it came to connections, Nicolas Flamel was a member of Beauxbatons’ board of governors.

She had even heard that the old man Slughorn planned to include John Wick’s name in next year’s opening speech.

That was simply too much.

Aside from Beauxbatons, the other schools also received notices.

For some of them, the owls needed quite a long time to arrive.

For example, Uagadou School of Magic, located in the Mountains of the Moon in Africa.

There were also other schools that required several days of owl travel before the letters could be delivered.

As a result, they all received the notices at different times.

By the time the Christmas holidays arrived, these people came from all over the world.

One after another, flames lit up in the atrium of the British Ministry of Magic.

Because of recent circumstances, Slughorn was the first to arrive.

“From my school days until now, this is the first time I’ve ever attended a magical education conference held by the Department of Education. How exciting, Minerva, Severus.”

Professor McGonagall asked, “Horace, is this a meeting about magical education?”

Slughorn had brought Professor McGonagall and Snape with him.

The meeting might last for quite some time, and since it concerned magical education, bringing more people was hardly a bad thing.

“Yes. That’s what the notice from the Department of Education said,” Slughorn replied. “It seems to be a discussion about the current education system and possible opinions on it.”

Professor McGonagall nodded.

Snape’s gaze shifted toward another fireplace.

Green flames flared, and Madame Maxime emerged while bending down.

“I really need to suggest that the Ministry raise the height of these fireplaces.”

Madame Maxime walked over and greeted the three who had already arrived.

After that, more people emerged one after another.

Some of the headmasters were even meeting for the first time, which showed just how weak communication between the various schools had been in the past.

The only ones who could really be called familiar with one another were the three European wizarding schools.

As for the rest, they were practically strangers.

With the headmasters of the various schools gathered together, even the employee responsible for checking wands was stunned.

They headed toward the Department of Education.

…

The three European schools: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and Durmstrang Institute.

Uagadou School of Magic.

Castelobruxo.

Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Koldovstoretz.

Taro School of Magical Vocational and Technical Studies.

Mesmer School of Magic.

Banard School of Magic.

Aside from Mahoutokoro, which John had destroyed by triggering a volcanic eruption, nearly every major wizarding school was represented.

The headmasters of ten wizarding schools had gathered together.

All of them stood at roughly the same level in terms of magical ability. After a brief period of awkwardness, the atmosphere gradually became more lively.

Slughorn was the one keeping the conversation flowing.

His former students were scattered across the world and often shared their experiences with him, so he could talk about matters concerning many countries and schools.

Once the atmosphere had warmed up, John entered.

He was not deliberately trying to make a grand entrance. He had simply been organising some materials.

He walked in holding a book, with Roger at his side.

“I imagine everyone has already met.”

John smiled as he took his seat.

“Oh, John, you’re the one hosting this education conference?” Slughorn said happily.

Then, turning to Babajide Akingbade, the representative from Uagadou, he proudly boasted, “John graduated from Hogwarts. In less than a year, he’s already reached this position.”

He sounded extremely proud.

And really, who would not be proud of John Wick?

“Thank you for the praise, Professor Slughorn.”

John accepted the compliment modestly.

Then he turned to Madame Maxime.

“My apologies for ruining your date, Madame Maxime.”

“I knew Rubeus wouldn’t be able to keep it to himself,” Madame Maxime said. “Was he very upset?”

“He decided to spend the holiday with Grawp in the cave.”

John smiled as well.

Then he looked toward Ludwig and said with a faint smile,

“I hope I didn’t ruin your father-son time.”

Ludwig smiled and shook his head.

“Not at all. We don’t talk much at home anyway.”

John chatted with the three headmasters, leaving everyone else unable to join the conversation.

The other headmasters felt both frustrated and annoyed.

If you’re just going to chat among yourselves, why did you call us here?

“Do you feel it?” John suddenly asked.

Only after a moment did everyone realise the question was directed at them.

Babajide asked curiously, “Feel what?”

“Communication.”

John shifted his gaze away from the three European wizarding schools.

The aura around him changed.

If he had seemed like a young man who had only recently graduated from school a moment ago, he now appeared every bit the powerful authority who held immense power in his hands.

His gaze swept across the ten headmasters as he said calmly, “I know Professor Slughorn because I was a student at Hogwarts.”

“Ludwig is the father of a friend of mine, and I once studied at Beauxbatons.”

He placed the book down, its heavy weight producing a dull thud.

“I can talk freely with them, yet with the rest of you, I don’t even know where to begin.”

John sighed.

“There is too little communication between the schools. I believe some of you are meeting one another for the first time in many years.”

Without communication, there was no way to integrate.

John had identified the problem directly.

Everyone fell into thought.

He tapped a finger against the book.

The pages began to turn, and numerous sheets of paper flew out, circling around the meeting room.

Finally, they arranged themselves into a single line of words.

“Inter-School League Plan to Promote Magical Exchange.”