Shadow of the Beautiful World

At midnight, in Merlin's mansion, the children had already fallen asleep. In the dark perception, Merlin could feel the children's peaceful breathing. Only he, the two American Aurors in front of him, and the orange cat Gu Gu Gu were awake in the whole room.

Oh no, there is one more.

The little tabby cat picked up by Gu Gu was lying on the edge of the cat's nest, looking towards the direction of the balcony.

I don't know why it's still so energetic.

Merlin, we know your behavior style very well, and we also believe that you are not a person who kills innocent people indiscriminately.

The chubby Auror put his finger on the table, he bent down, and said in a persuasive tone:

Let Umbridge out, I know she's a pain in the ass, and I wish she'd crashed, but she can't die here.

He said to Merlin with a serious face:

The colleagues of the British Ministry of Magic are adhering to the usual arrogance, and they obviously have some internal problems. If you kill her, it means that you will be in trouble, your relatives, friends, and even your organization will also be in trouble. implicated.

It may even spark hostility and war between Muggles and wizards again. Many people will be involved, and there will even be bloodshed and death. You don't want to see the consequences, do you?

oh?

Merlin blinked. He looked at the gentle Auror Aethinus in front of him. After a few seconds, he said:

It sounds like you guys know me well.

I understand very well.

Aethinus glanced at the crow, who nodded slightly, so the fat Auror lowered his voice and said to Merlin:

We have been observing you for a long time. This observation time is beyond your imagination.

In the secret files of the Magic Congress, you were placed on the watch list not long after you encountered the devil's contract incident six years ago. As far as I know, your file was issued by the current speaker of the Magic Congress, Mr. Samuel. The wizard manages it himself.

The news revealed by the Auror made Merlin frown.

He thought for a moment, and then said to the two wizards in front of him:

If the facts are as you said, you knew about my existence a long time ago, why didn't you come forward? In the eyes of orthodox wizards, I should be regarded as an unstable factor and should be monitored. But I did not feel that you There is not even the slightest trace of the existence of yours. This makes me doubt the authenticity of what you said.

Don't bother with this.

Aesinus made a pause gesture, and he explained:

We are different from the British Ministry of Magic's style of controlling everything. We are more inclined to maintain the order of peaceful coexistence between the North American wizarding world and the Muggle world. Compared with our compatriots who live in seclusion in Europe, American wizards are more free. They live in the Muggle world, and we don't insist on the ancient and stupid blood theory of inheritance.

The Auror said frankly:

Actually, I live in Brooklyn and run a bookstore. Crow lives a little further away. Don't look at his indifferent face, he is actually an avid rock lover.

Aethinus paused, he looked at Merlin again, and said:

What I want to say is, Merlin, our style is different from that of the British side. We didn't sit back and watch you fend for yourself, but after the organizations of the Muggle world started looking for you, the Magic Council was hidden behind the scenes. You should know we exist.

More importantly, you have powers in you that we don't understand.

The taller, thinner, more silent Auror Crow also said in a curt tone:

As for how you escaped from the hunt of the great demon, the great wizards have not yet reached a conclusion. Contacting you rashly is also risky for us.

That's why no matter whether you use magic in front of Muggle agents or make Portkeys privately, you won't be troubled by the Magic Council.

The fat Auror shrugged:

Believe me, Merlin, we are kind enough to you.

But just handing over that old witch to you, I can't do anything.

Merlin's tone also softened, and he put on a look of willingness to cooperate. He said to the Aurors in front of him:

The Muggle world has its own order, and I am in a strict system. If you want to take away a lunatic wizard who is dismissive of ordinary people's lives, you have to give the organization behind me a reasonable reason.

He held out his finger, waved it before the eyes of the Aurors, and said:

Send a representative, contact S.H.I.E.L.D., and this matter can be easily resolved.

The two Aurors didn't answer, they communicated with their eyes, or in some way that Merlin couldn't detect.

A minute later, the crow stood up, and the tall, thin Auror stepped aside with an odd contraption, seemingly making contact with the rear.

And Aesinus picked up the wine glass, poured himself some wine, and said to Merlin:

Your boss asked you to do this, right? As far as I know now, that Mr. Nick Fury has been trying to get in touch with the wizarding world in recent months. You are not his first time Try, that loathsome second-rate wizard Constantine has tried many times.

The Auror reached out and took off his hat, revealing his slightly sparse head, and whispered:

I really don't understand why he is so persistent in pursuing secrets he shouldn't know.

Because he feels threatened and he needs help, my friend.

Merlin explained:

In the past few months, the sudden threat of war by the Cree has frightened many people. The civilians let go of their worries after learning of the victory, but the high-level people have to think more. I believe, and you are also well aware, that What a fluke the war was won.

Whenever there is a disaster, there are always people who think, I should stand up and Fury is that kind of person.

Merlin sighed, and he also picked up the wine glass. After taking a sip of the wine, he said:

He will learn lessons from the war, and then make all the preparations in advance for the coming of the next war. The wizarding world, you, including me, are a very important part of all the preparations he has made.

He needs help, I can understand that.

The fat wizard Aethinus shrugged and said:

But he wants to be a bridge between Muggles and wizards. I'm not very optimistic about the idea. It's very difficult to do.

You are also a wizard, you know, we are essentially a group of people who protect secrets, very similar to you Muggle agents. You will not easily trust a stranger who comes with a purpose, how can you ask, How about the wizards who are already at odds with Muggles happily accept the invitation of S.H.I.E.L.D.?

It's none of our business.

Merlin waved his hand, and he said helplessly:

Fury is a very stubborn person, and I can't refuse his request. I believe she will find a way to deal with this. This is a matter between my boss and your boss. We can't get involved, nor can we It's time to intervene.

Speaking of which, I'm more curious about another thing.

Merlin put the wine glass in his hand. He hugged Gu Gu Gu at his feet and put it in his arms. While smoothing Gu Gu Gu Gu's hair, he looked at Aisinus and said:

Do you know that the British Ministry of Magic sent people to New York to do something?

certainly.

Aesinus nodded, and the chubby Auror said angrily:

They entered North America through normal diplomatic channels, using the Floo network of the headquarters of the Magic Congress. But they concealed their mission. They just said that they wanted to capture a dark wizard who escaped from Europe in New York. It's a common thing on this continent.

Aethinus explained:

Muggles have developed this country very prosperously, but the stronger the light, the more worrying the shadow it reflects. The situation of the wizarding world in North America is almost the most complicated in the entire world, and it has disappeared on other continents The evil still has its inheritance in the shadow of this continent.

Voodoo in the Mediterranean, Voodoo in North Africa and South America, Indian beliefs in North America, all kinds of evil god groups, and those demons who always want to sneak out of hell, some dirty black wizards you Almost all magical cancers in the world can be found here.

The fat Auror said in an almost desperate tone:

We deal with these horrible things every day. You may not know that the Auror sacrifice rate in North America is the highest in the entire wizarding world.

Sacrifice has almost become our tradition, but what's worse is that the warriors who stick to justice are passed on together with the forces of evil. From the establishment of the Magic Congress to the present, we have almost no hope of really ending our struggle with those darkness .”

Merlin, in fact, we all see what the S.H.I.E.L.D. does in New York.

Aethinus picked up the wine glass, and he said meaningfully:

You and your group, as well as that disgusting Constantine's activities in recent months, to be honest, have made me and the crow feel relieved for a long time. Your boss is trying to be a bridge between Muggles and wizards, But he seems to have overlooked that you are actually the best neutral bridge between the two sides.

Okay, it's a bit far away.

The fat wizard looked back at his colleagues who were contacting the headquarters. He turned his head, threw a cigarette to Merlin, and turned the topic back to the British Ministry of Magic:

In short, the procedure for Umbridge to bring four Aurors into North America was normal, and no one doubted her at the time. After all, she is a big shot, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Magic, and she is three levels higher than me and the crow.

Wizard Samuel doesn't speak, and we don't even have the right to check what they're carrying. There's a Muggle word for this kind of thing, what's it called? Oh, yes, diplomatic immunity, you know?

Um.

Merlin nodded, and Aethinus lit a cigarette, and while he was puffing, he continued:

No one could have imagined at the time that this woman was crazy enough to bring 5 dementors with her. Actually, we didn't realize until this afternoon when some of your children were attacked at St. Matthew's Church, umm Richie might really be crazy.

We had mobilized a team of 12 senior Aurors to arrest them, but the action was stopped by Grand Wizard Samuel, the speaker of our Magic Congress.

Aethinus winked at Merlin, and said:

Your Excellency the Speaker is sure that you and your organization have the ability to solve the problem, so we did not join the battle, but were sent to finish it.

Um.

Merlin nodded. He was sure that the fat, gentle-looking, but shrewd Auror in front of him was hiding something.

But this explanation, in general, should be true.

In other words, Umbridge, an old witch, would rather risk offending the Magic Congress than bring Harry and the little wizards back to England. This also caused Merlin to have new doubts.

She can be the deputy minister of the Ministry of Magic, which means that this woman is definitely not a pure lunatic. So I am very curious, what is the reason that made her do such a crazy thing?

Merlin asked in a low voice:

As you said just now, there is a problem within the British Ministry of Magic. So what is the problem?

There's no need to hide this from you.

Aesinus stubbed out the cigarette butt, his expression became serious, and he said to Merlin:

We now suspect that the British Ministry of Magic has been infiltrated by Death Eaters, and it is a large-scale infiltration. But we have no evidence, which is why we must bring back Umbridge. Speaker Samuel needs to check Her memory is to determine how dangerous the situation in Europe is.

Merlin glanced at Cuckoo in his arms, and said:

You mean, Umbridge might be a follower of Voldemort? One of the Death Eaters?

No, I didn't say that.

Aethinus denies:

Based on Umbridge's resume, it is unlikely that she is a Death Eater.

But she is not, and it doesn't mean that neither are the others. The news of the mysterious person's resurrection spread to North America last year. Although we don't intervene in the bad things in the UK, we also need to be prepared in advance. Once the British wizarding world falls , the North American side will inevitably be threatened.

Having said that, Aethinus said with some concern:

You haven't experienced the dark days 14 years ago, Merlin. When Voldemort was at its most rampant, we had to accept asylum applications from hundreds of wizards every month. The Dark Lord is very dangerous. Once he takes power, the UK It will be a hell on earth, Muggles and wizards are indistinguishable in front of him, and he will kill anyone who opposes him without hesitation.

And the dangerous black magic he has mastered can also help him complete a clean massacre, maybe the city of London, maybe other cities. But the Muggles of today will not wait to die like their ignorant ancestors in the Middle Ages, They have the ability to fight back, just like you said!

The fat wizard gritted his teeth and said:

Only 10,000 fully armed Muggle soldiers are enough to break any magic set by any wizard. And once the Muggles and wizards start fighting, one side is bound to fall.

Wizards will die.

Merlin said softly:

In this era, once the Muggles are in a hurry, there are only 3 million wizards, at most it is a matter of a few nuclear bombs. Voldemort is seeking his own death, and he will drag the entire wizarding world to be buried with him.

So you also understand the seriousness of the problem, right?

Aethinus patted his stomach, and he said to Merlin:

Hand over Umbridge, and I can assure you that she won't have a chance to trouble you again until Voldemort's business is over.

Merlin looked at the fat wizard, and after 10 seconds, he nodded:

I'd hand her over to you guys, but look, my house was almost destroyed and the kids were terrified.

Merlin shrugged:

I need a little compensation, just as the ticket money for you to sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight.

what would you like?

Aethinus asked, Merlin smiled, and he said softly:

Not much, one spell is enough