"Hahaha... No way!" Michael let out a dry laugh: "Muggles can't even find where we are. They don't even know there are wizards in the world."
Leian quietly watched him.
Michael's smile disappeared.
"My grandmother, your mother, Vid's parents, Harry's uncle and aunt, and Hermione's parents are all non-magic people." Leian said calmly and pointedly, "Do Muggles really not know about wizards?"
After a while, Hermione murmured, "Now I understand why there's a 'Confidentiality Law'..."
"And Dumbledore," Harry said softly.
No one responded this time.
They couldn't help but wonder, if it were Dumbledore, could he withstand those terrifying weapons?
Or, even if it were Dumbledore, would he have to choose to flee and hide when Muggles attacked?
"Vid, what do you think... if Hogwarts were discovered, would we have a way to resist the Muggle attacks?"
For some reason, Theo had more confidence in Vid, even more than in many of the school's professors, perhaps only second to Dumbledore.
A few seconds later, Vid slowly said:
"There indeed is a way... but... it's difficult."
For example, using Imperio and Legilimency, along with Transfiguration or Polyjuice Potion, to control Muggle leaders, even replacing them, inciting war between Muggle countries while shielding the Wizarding World from being discovered.
But interacting with Muggles isn't as simple as just asking "Good morning, hello." Among familiar people, even a raised eyebrow can let someone recognize whether it's the person.
Moreover, senior officials are watched by numerous eyes every day, appearing in front of cameras almost daily. Any anomaly would be magnified infinitely.
Therefore, wizards who execute such tasks must have an unwavering will and faith, undergo long periods of lurking and observation, and possess extreme resilience and patience to possibly succeed in replacement.
Somehow, Vid suddenly thought of the "lizard people" legend that was popular on the internet in his previous life.
If someone else had the same thought, if someone actually spent ten, even decades, practicing...
Could there be replacements among the Muggle hierarchy?
Or... was he just overthinking?
Remembering the original story, after everything was over, nineteen years later, Harry's children went to school.
At least, until then, the world was still peaceful.
...
"Knock, knock, knock!"
The knocking on the door was urgent; Dumbledore put on his glasses, and with a lift of his finger, the oak door was opened.
"Albus!"
Professor McGonagall hurriedly entered, slowing her pace slightly upon seeing Dumbledore.
"Did you... do you know what Professor Abigail talked about with the children today?"
"Of course," Dumbledore said calmly. "Before preparing the class, Professor Abigail communicated with me."
"So, the Muggle... Muggle weapons have really reached such a level?" Professor McGonagall asked incredulously.
"I'm afraid they have," Dumbledore said. "You know, I have several Muggle friends. Like dear Jacob, he participated in World War I with the American Expeditionary Force..."
"Albus!"
Professor McGonagall had also met that Muggle named Jacob, but that wasn't what she wanted to hear now.
"Alright," Dumbledore said tolerantly, "I understand your concern, Minerva. But don't worry, for now, the 'Confidentiality Law' is still working."
"So you're saying..."
"Hm, don't worry about Muggle shells appearing above our heads someday. Even if someone launched missiles at what they thought was 'Hogwarts,' they would only explode elsewhere."
Professor McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief.
"You had already considered this? Oh—of course—you've surely thought about these issues long before! You always see the crisis earlier than us."
"I'm no prophet, Minerva. I've just... seen the power of those things with my own eyes."
Dumbledore said.
After sending off the deputy headmistress who was embarrassed by her 'fuss,' Dumbledore's relaxed expression also disappeared, and he stirred the Pensieve, making the silver mist swirl.
A surreal scene appeared in the air—
Explosions, death, war.
The corpses of people exceeded the crows in the sky, and the terrain had changed after the bombing.
A figure slowly rotated, calling loudly to an unseen person: "Who does the Confidentiality Law protect? Is it us, or them?"
"Who forces us to hide? Who is the executioner in the war?"
"Face the facts, Dumbledore! Escaping solves nothing!"
"What we long for is freedom, truth—above all, love!"
The silver figure disappeared.
Dumbledore sat in his chair, wearily pinching the bridge of his nose.
...
For most teenagers, worries and anxieties about the future don't linger long in their minds.
The idea of Muggles attacking wizards exists only in the imagination, perhaps in a distant future, but there's less than a month until the final exams.
What's more, the eagerly anticipated Maze challenge is just around the corner.
Or even closer—the class is late, the essay isn't written, Peeves plays tricks on the way, or the confession gets rejected...
These are much more pressing than the development of Muggle weapons.
Thus, discussion about this class quickly disappears from hot topics, and the most direct impact is that many Muggle-born students slightly raise their chins.
They are eager to discuss the weapons Professor Abigail showed, along with some ambiguous stories heard from their parents.
Students from other grades also soon attended this science class.
During Professor Abigail's second lesson, almost all professors came to attend, even Professor Morry canceled a banquet.
Vid, who helped guide, accompanied him, standing behind the first-year students attending the class, watching those young, inexperienced kids experiencing a few simple weapons under Professor Abigail's guidance.
"Looks like Dumbledore found a good professor for you this time."
Among the intermittent gunfire, Professor Morry said, "I've always thought modern children should learn more about Muggle development; many still perceive them as medieval."
"Professor Abigail indeed taught us a lot," Vid said. "Her knowledge in this area likely exceeds most Muggles."
Professor Morry glanced at him, "I heard you took Muggle Studies?"
"Yes," Vid replied. "In fact, I took all the courses."
"Professor Charity Burbage is a good person, but her Muggle Studies class—just take it as a listen," Professor Morry characterized bluntly. "She knows less about Muggles than my radio does!"
"I just think... researching Muggles from a wizard's perspective is quite interesting," Vid said.
"Really?" Professor Morry mumbled skeptically, "I always feel you heard some news... that's why you specifically took all courses, even if you don't need them at all."
"What?"
Vid tilted his head towards him, his eyes innocent as a bird grooming its feathers on a tree.
Professor Morry: "..."
He was taken aback for a moment and cautioned: "...Don't misuse, nor attempt to delve into hidden secrets. Time is the most terrifying and dangerous force in the world."
Vid was silent for a while, no longer pretending, and said softly, "...I understand, Professor."