Harry Potter: Reunion with the Enemy

Ding-ling-ling - the phone rang abruptly in the meeting room of the Ministry of Magic. The Aurors and other staff who were originally whispering turned their eyes in the direction of Draco and Harry.

After a long wait, the call was finally connected.

Draco: Hello? Are you -

Andre: Mr. Malfoy, I didn't expect you to answer. I thought this number was a fake address like the one you left on the Lakeside Club membership application form.

Draco: Andre? What an honor! I didn't expect the current Muggle Prime Minister would call me personally. I have to say the violin sound coming from the other end of the line is beautiful - I remember that Alex's violin skills had improved a lot when we last met -

Andre: You are Matthew's friend and one of the distinguished members of the Lakeside Club. The invitation letter sent to Draco Malfoy and Harry Malfoy was returned because the recipient was unknown. Therefore, as the organizer of this event, it is necessary to ask you in person about your wishes.

Draco: I thought you were done when you became Prime Minister.

Andre: Matthew and another media tycoon are the main financial supporters of my campaign, and now I have to give back to all those who have supported me. As you know, the goblin incident also caused Matthew some losses - he managed nearly 1 billion pounds of hedge funds, and the news affected the exchange rate and stock market.

Draco: So it's actually a celebration party?

Andre: Originally I didn't want to describe it so ostentatiously, but I won't stop you from understanding it. As Matthew's good friend, you are also an important friend of mine. What's more, according to our previous contact, you are also a wizard and your family is very prestigious.

Draco: Let me guess - you will lower taxes on the rich, relax controls on business and technological research and development, and promote policies that are mostly beneficial to the rich - this also makes me excited. Maybe you can consider exchanging part of the wizard currency for Muggle currency - the wizard banks controlled by goblins are not worrying now.

Andre: I will satisfy the people who provide me with financial support. In addition to bankers, media tycoons, real estate businessmen, there are also some very influential private donors, and I will be happy to introduce you to them.

Draco: Are Muggles now worried about what to do with wizards? I'm afraid I have to worry about being caught and burned by Muggles.

Andre: Hahahahahaha - my friends are imagining that using magic can save a lot of manpower and energy costs, making it easier to lay off more inefficient workers. There is also the rumored ability to predict the future. With such an ability, many things in the Muggle world are at your fingertips.

Draco: So instead of being burned to death, I should be more worried about being captured by Muggles and used as a laborer? Haha.

Andre: At least my friends don't want conflicts between Muggles and wizards. Uncontrollable turmoil means the possibility of losing money.

Draco: So I heard some good news? What was the response to the wizarding scandal that the goblins spread earlier?

Andre: In fact, the rich groups control most of the news and online channels. Now under our guidance, some fierce speeches and news have been replaced. People's attitudes are generally mild. We are diverting people's attention from this matter and hope that they will focus more on other things.

Draco: Why?

Andre: As I said to you before, we still hope that there is room for cooperation.

Draco: You mean Muggles and wizards living in peace?

ANDRE: No. That sounds too noble and idealistic.

Draco: What's the un-noble and un-idealistic part?

Andre: Only with "us". Only known by "us".

Draco: You and your rich and powerful friends?

Andre: I think so. You and your wife might consider having dinner with us, even if it's just a simple meeting. Since the news broke, no real wizard has appeared and expressed his views to us. I think you may have hidden yourself. But my friends are very eager to meet a wizard and are full of curiosity about this wonderful and great group...

Draco: I might need to ask my lady's advice.

ANDRE: If necessary I would also be happy to have a brief conversation with this charming lady.

Draco: My wife is with me now. But I'm afraid it's not convenient to talk.

Andre: I repeat the view of my friends and I. Conflict is totally unnecessary for us - I mean those of us who have achieved success and wealth beyond ordinary people. Joining forces can enable us to gain more money and power and enjoy our current life more peacefully.

Draco: My wife said - wizards have more urgent things to do now, and goblins have new movements in the wizarding world. I'm afraid I can't keep the appointment -

Andre: I can change the time of the event for you. If you believe in the power of the Muggle media and opinion leaders - everything that goblins expose in the Muggle world is controllable - public opinion can be guided - hatred can also be diverted - as long as you instill enough content into the general public for a long time.

Draco: Madam said - the wizarding world is still struggling to maintain its own stability - thank you for your kindness.

Andre: Although I don't understand your and your wife's concerns, I might as well say some more nonsense - when I was young, I also had some very idealistic ideas about the world. I used to think that the so-called differences between people were just different colors, just like chocolate - there are dark chocolate, white chocolate, brown and yellow chocolate - everyone is chocolate - no one is more noble than anyone else. But this is not the case. The gap and isolation between the rich and the poor are as different as the magical world and the Muggle world.

There was no answer on the other end of the line.

Andre: Just like in the magical world, pure-blood wizards reluctantly regard half-blood wizards as human beings, and half-blood wizards reluctantly regard Muggle-borns as human beings. There are other magical creatures below the contempt chain - the Muggle world is the same, except that our details are different, but the essence is the same. Precisely because we are not saints, we don't have to worry about the life and death of people who are not as good as us.

Draco: Chocolate is an interesting metaphor. But wizards probably wouldn't think goblins are the same as chocolate.

Andre: Are you a child of nobility or a child of merchants? Maybe both. I was a worker's son before entering Oxford University. My parents and I barely made a living during the cold wave, plague and general strike. The policy of caring for the lower classes gave me the opportunity and platform to stand out and meet the upper class.

Draco: So now you choose to abandon everything that has protected you growing up and stand on the opposite side, haha.

Andre: I am no longer a working man's son. I have a knighthood, I have been a royal counsel, I have worked my way up, and now I am the prime minister.

Andre: Who I play for is based on where I am now, not how I got here.

Harry hung up the phone expressionlessly, then pulled Draco to the conference room: "I'm sorry, I was so exhausted by you last night, I don't have the patience to listen anymore - this kind of -"

"I'll tell him that the long and boring phone calls made his wife very unhappy." Draco smiled. "But in this situation, I'm afraid they are still somewhat useful - let's solve the problems one by one first."

"Then I'm afraid the task of playing nice with these people will still be left to you." Harry sighed. "This is not the part I'm good at."