Chapter 492: Sand in the School

Perhaps, Harry didn't completely fail to hear the flaws hidden in Tang Nade's tone, but facing a system project as extremely complex and resource-consuming as the floating city, he was psychologically more willing to believe Tang Nade, because they had to rely on the support of the Magical Congress; the Ministry of Magic alone could not build Dalaran.

After this day, the floating city project entered the stage of argumentation and resource acquisition, and Harry was also able to return to campus life. He wandered through the classrooms of various professors with interest. Moreover, based on the consideration of building a university in the future, he put forward many suggestions to McGonagall.

For example, the Care of Magical Creatures class currently has three professors. In order to balance the two extremes of Hagrid and Grylls, McGonagall hired a magical creature expert with a more neutral stance named Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank, who is mainly responsible for the fifth and seventh-year magical creature courses—obviously, the teaching content of the other two professors could not help students pass the exams.

Also based on the consideration of the enrollment rate, in the Muggle Studies course, Professor Charity Burbage, who is more in line with mainstream values, is responsible for establishing the basic theory of goodwill and respect for Muggles for third and fourth-year students, while in the fifth year, someone who truly understands Muggles is needed to introduce everything about the Muggle world—because Jim Hake modified the assessment standards for this course and added many laws of the Muggle world. For this reason, Professor McGonagall held an interview, and finally, a lady named Yasmin Khan stood out. She had served as a Muggle police officer and was willing to join the teaching in the second half of the term to conduct exam cramming for the students.

And just the opposite, there is no need to worry about the excellence rate of the Alchemy course, but seeing the Celestial Empire display breathtaking alchemy skills, they more hoped to find some ways to strengthen it. Finally, Mr. Kessens, who enjoys a great reputation in the Magical Congress, was hired as a professor for the advanced class.

This is another aspect of the floating city project, because this plan made the British and American Wizarding Worlds enter a honeymoon period. In subsequent recruitment, more foreign professors willing to come here appeared, and Hogwarts was also very happy to hire them. Of course, from another perspective, this is also a manifestation of them mixing sand into the British Wizarding World. However, locals have to admit that those wizards who have attended magical universities are just much more excellent than simple Hogwarts graduates.

Several recruitment sessions in October once again verified the importance of a university to the development of the Wizarding World. Thus, on the day before Wan Shengjie, Harry once again sat at the ministerial conference table of the Ministry of Magic, discussing matters of the academy with officials of the Ministry of Magic and royal representatives.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality. I have witnessed many magical things in the Wizarding World," the royal representative was still that Sir Charles. "It has also deepened our determination to sponsor the construction of a magical university in the Wizarding World. At present, we have already docked with the Jianqiao school authorities and negotiated the student status management plan, and are discussing the site selection of the academy. The preliminary plan is to expand the old library into a magic tower, but this may require some magical assistance and requires joint construction."

"No, I think the form of a tower is not good," Arthur said first. "First of all, who is above and who is below is a problem that easily causes contradictions, quarrels, and discrimination; secondly, if there are any new needs in the future, the tower is hard to expand."

Obviously, the series of problems he raised were based on empathy with the current situation of the Ministry of Magic.

"Another plan is the abandoned warehouse near the Newton tree, but in that case, we need to move our academy to the surface." Sir Charles said. "We will announce to the outside world that we are preparing to transform that place into a new quantum physics laboratory. However, in this way, it is easy to cause Muggles to enter by mistake. I need to remind everyone in advance that for university students who are full of curiosity and energy, the Muggle-Repelling Charm might not be so effective."

"Then is there any place where students wouldn't go in the first place?" Arthur asked.

"No, sir. For university students, if they notice that there is a place where 【other students won't go】, that just happens to be the reason for them to go there." Sir Charles said helplessly.

"Then why don't you set up the school in another place?" Snape said with a cold face. Among these people looking forward to building a university, only he really wanted to spread knowledge.

After a brief silence, Sir Charles sat up straight and said earnestly: "Unless we can't think of a way, I still hope to set up the academy at the Jianqiao headquarters. This is not only to highlight our importance to the wizard university, but also to provide wizards with a good environment to understand and integrate into Muggle society."

"Why must we understand and integrate into Muggle society?" Lu Xiusi said the heart of many old conservatives.

"It's a choice. Some wizards are more willing to focus on the Wizarding World. They can stay more in dormitories, libraries, laboratories, etc., or return to the Wizarding World during holidays; but for some wizards who are willing to understand and integrate into Muggle society, a Muggle university is undoubtedly the best platform."

"I can't understand why anyone would be keen on this." Lu Xiusi looked at Arthur sharply.

"But the fact is just so. We need wizards to lead Muggles, and if this leader doesn't understand Muggle affairs, he won't do well." Charles explained. "In the future, our high-level officials in the Muggle world may all come from this academy."

This sentence made Lu Xiusi's face a bit stiff. At this time, Harry suddenly thought of a point about why the Ministry of Magic was willing to accept Lu Xiusi's surrender at the last moment, and even boldly gave him a position in the Department of Mysteries.

Because after Hake was elected Prime Minister, the pinnacle of wizards was no longer limited to the Minister of Magic. In the future, as more and more wizards willing to be friendly to Muggles gained the power to govern both worlds, as a representative of the old pure-blood nobles, Lu Xiusi would forever only be limited to the one-acre-three-cent plot of the Department of Mysteries. Even when scientific research projects were moved to the university one after another, the Department of Mysteries would inevitably become a desolate and decaying department.

But if Lu Xiusi, in order to obtain more power, did not hesitate to change his allegiance, he would lose the support of the pure-blood nobles, fall into being abandoned by everyone, and even the Department of Mysteries would not be able to be kept. Therefore, he was locked in his current position, only able to watch the era roll forward and abandon him.

When Harry's thoughts began to diverge, the next sentence of the royal representative immediately attracted his attention.

"... So, from another perspective, we are also committed to promoting further exchanges and communication between the royal family and the Wizarding World. If possible, I hope to arrange for Prince Kate to visit Hogwarts."

Harry quickly searched for this name in his mind, and he soon reached a conclusion: this is the true first heir, the Queen's eldest grandson.

"He doesn't possess magical talent, right?" Arthur asked with a smile. "Will there be some risks in doing this?"

"He is very interested in the Wizarding World, and we can use Wan Shengjie to downplay the seriousness of this matter."

"You mean, His Royal Highness wants to take advantage of Wan Shengjie to put on messy clothes and mix into Hogwarts to play, and he is still a Muggle." Snape's tone carried undisguised sarcasm. "Then who is responsible if something happens?"

"Professor." Harry said anxiously. "The Prince shouldn't..."

"I understand, Mr. Potter." Snape said coldly. "We are indeed very happy to see the royal family willing to pay for the construction of the university, but our middle school is equally important, even more important than the so-called university—you must know that it's not us begging you for money, but rather you wanting to squeeze into the wizard circle, and even as Muggles."

Sir Charles's face was a bit unable to hang on, but he still managed to hang on, not immediately speaking out to refute, but instead weighing his words.

"You might not care, Professor Snape, maybe because you mainly live in the Wizarding World. But for those Muggle-born children, perhaps they would welcome the Prince's arrival?"

"I don't want to see anyone use Hogwarts as a place for political exchange or showing off again. The bad influence caused by that so-called education reform two years ago on the school is immeasurable." Snape's attitude was very tough. He even started to criticize the current Prime Minister directly at this kind of meeting. "Students should put more energy into knowledge and skills, rather than accidentally discovering the wonders of money or power, and then being intoxicated by it and having wild thoughts."

"You are right, Sev." Arthur agreed very earnestly. "Most students don't have such a good background. What they need to do is study magic earnestly and strive to create a beautiful life for themselves. We cannot encourage students to welcome the Prince's arrival and then fawn over the powerful and cling to the rich. This is wrong."

"However, you cannot deny that magical talent is also a manifestation of a good background, even much better than many nobles. We don't need to stop mutual willingness to interact, right?" Sir Charles was still maneuvering.

"Tell me, who is it that voluntarily wants to interact with the Prince? I am prepared to take time to check the studies of these people." Snape's eyes were very oppressive. "But if you can't name anyone, then I can only take this way of welcoming the Prince as your wishful thinking."

Seeing the atmosphere begin to gradually become tense, Harry couldn't help but want to smooth things over.

"Actually, Professor, I think we can each take a step back." He said. "Of course it's good for the Prince to want to know some wizard friends, but you also said that the Prince's identity is easy to cause bad influence."

"I suggest letting the Prince come to participate in our festival activities anonymously. We can disguise him as a Muggle brother of some student or something. Everyone puts aside their identity and interacts sincerely. I feel that such friendship is also more precious." ===== CHAPTER 493 =====