Chapter 218: Ancestral Political Tactics Are Unusable. Sad!
"What reason? Let's hear it."
Only because it was Ryan speaking did Snape deign to reply. Anyone else would have been snubbed, left staring awkwardly at Snape's hollow, expressionless eyes.
"To establish authority," Ryan said.
Snape's hollow eyes clearly asked: Say what now?
"Truly, to establish authority." Ryan recounted the night's events. "The cause of this matter was someone behind the scenes using magic to manipulate the emotions of the Magi-Metal Wizards. Perhaps Hawke and the others already harbored dissatisfaction toward me, toward wizards, and toward Muggles. Under the influence of magic, these emotions caused them to lose their heads."
Snape said, "Don't tell me you did this just to scare those Magi-Metal Wizards you created with your own hands."
"How could I? Under the guidance of my teachers, I believe in treating others with sincerity and leniency. Even though those Magi-Metal Wizards are adults, in my eyes, they are just children who don't understand society well and went astray. I did this for the benefit of those pulling the strings."
Ryan continued, "After all, the people orchestrating this from the shadows will surely be curious about what happened tonight. They will read memories. Naturally, they will see that scene in their minds. That's why, before leaving, I told them that having memories read isn't a big deal, and that they should grow well and live well."
Snape nodded rarely. "Aren't you worried those people will use the memories they retrieve to claim you violated the Statute of Secrecy?"
At this, both Dumbledore and Gellert smiled. Ryan also smiled and shook his head. "Professor, you mock my youth. If those people see Martin's memories and still have the guts to do that, they wouldn't be plotting secretly in the shadows. Their declaration of war would already be on my desk."
Moreover, the grand gesture tonight was not just to establish authority, but also to make a name for himself.
Originally, these people were plotting in the dark because they feared Dumbledore's attitude and Nicolas Flamel's attitude. They worried about these legendary figures intervening, while knowing very little about what level these wizards actually operated at.
So, they wanted to use the Statute of Secrecy—and the collective will of all wizards—to suppress Dumbledore and Flamel. They believed that as long as they held evidence of Magi-Metal Wizards threatening the Statute, the two wizards behind Ryan wouldn't be able to force their way into the matter.
Ryan wanted to make a name for himself precisely for this reason.
First, to glorify the true pinnacle of wizardry—to tell the world, and those villains with their petty tricks, what it means to stand at the apex of all wizards.
Second, to make a name for himself personally. To tell the world that he wasn't just a promising junior protected by others, but one of the strongest wizards in the magical world!
He realized that no matter how he built his image previously, it was all seen as child's play. Everyone evaluated him as a "genius"—whether a genius Seer or a magical genius. But a genius is not a powerhouse.
A genius is merely a weakling with great expectations.
But the current Ryan, unless facing very specific exceptions like Dumbledore, Gellert, Nicolas Flamel, or Voldemort in his prime, could no longer be classified as a weakling.
Carrying the title of "genius" meant those self-important power-holders would subconsciously consider themselves his seniors. Take Fudge, who stepped down without ever understanding what happened: in their few brief contacts, even if he was superficially polite, deep down he always held a condescending attitude as an adult and elder.
It is difficult to change a person's viewpoint. Ryan had always known this. But he didn't need to change their viewpoints. He only needed them, when facing him, to remember the fireball they saw, and then internally compare the importance of their little lives versus the urge to pull rank on him.
This is the correct usage of magic: Magic cannot solve problems, but magic can solve the people creating the problems.
"Now you seem more like a Slytherin." Snape gave high praise, then asked, "How do you plan to handle that Hawke character?"
Dumbledore, Gellert, and even Madam Pomfrey, who was busy nearby, all looked over with interest.
Ryan leaned back on the hospital bed. His face looked as if it had been plastered with powder, ghastly pale, and his lips were bloodless when he smiled.
But his words were far more forceful than his tone. "Teach if possible; do my best."
"No punishment? Just ignore him? Aren't you worried he'll get worse? He was provoked by magic now, but if you let him be, he might make the same choice later without magical provocation."
"What Hawke does or chooses isn't important. I want the entire collective of Magi-Metal Wizards, and even the whole wizarding world, to see my approach: when facing those who have lost their way, I offer guidance, not punishment."
Snape looked thoughtful. "It seems the definition of 'those who have lost their way' covers a wide range."
"I can't help it. A few years ago, I thought a purge was necessary. Only now do I realize the wizarding world is too small, the population too scarce. Not a single drop of wizard blood should be spilled. Trash is just a misplaced resource, and I need that trash to come to me and become useful resources."
A few years ago, Ryan's plans for reforming the wizarding world were left in the Room of Requirement. Back then, the plans were too bloody and terrifying for the peaceful magical world, based on five thousand years of accumulated "ancestral" political experience.
Now, he realized he couldn't blindly apply those methods. Forcing them would only lead to bitterness.
The wizarding world was the size of a sesame seed. If he used efficient political infighting tactics passed down for millennia, the wizarding world would be wiped out before he even finished the first round of struggles. His only option now wasn't even to "unite all forces that can be united," but to literally unite all forces.
Ryan didn't think there was anything wrong with what he said. But those born and raised in the wizarding world certainly felt there was something wrong.
Even Gellert felt a knot in his heart hearing Ryan say "the wizarding world is too small... can't kill." He hadn't considered the population issue back in his day—not because he lacked foresight, but because he never planned to kill that many people...
Both Dumbledore and Snape felt a chill rise from the bottom of their hearts. At the same time, they rejoiced that Hogwarts' education had succeeded, preventing this person from becoming a second Voldemort.
Madam Pomfrey knew Ryan never followed the rules, but she didn't expect him to disregard them to this extent.
This wasn't just breaking the rules!
He was clearly a homicidal maniac the likes of which the wizarding world had never seen!
"Heavens! You must never say such things outside! Not everyone can stomach that kind of talk."
She repeatedly warned Ryan not to be foolish.
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