For gentlemen living in England, the United States, the last day of August was no different than usual.

But in the eyes of the people of the former Soviet Union, this day was like a dividing line, dividing the past and the future into two worlds – and in this respect, it was the same for Muggles and wizards living in this land.

At 10 o'clock in the morning of this day, the governments of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other CIS countries unanimously announced the "temporary" suspension of the old ruble.

Dozens of large food supply companies and small and medium-sized banks went bankrupt and reorganized, merged with the existing central banks of various countries to form semi-independent financial institutions, and began to issue "potato vouchers" guaranteed by their respective countries' tax credits as a transition.

Immediately afterwards, the vast majority of the stock trading market fell into a state of suspension.

Until the new currency was fully launched, the "banknotes" in this land were reduced to their most primitive function - as a general equivalent, exchanging basic goods in the physical market.

At the same time, in places that are out of sight of people in the non-magical world, the Russian Ministry of Magic, the Ukrainian Ministry of Magic, and the British Ministry of Magic...... More than a dozen authoritative magical departments, including the International Confederation of Wizards, announced at the same time:

The self-proclaimed Dark Wizard, Tom Riddle, has returned, and this time his activities have spread from England to the entire European continent, and the international wizarding community has defined him as an "international terrorist" in view of the horrors he has committed.

Judging from the information currently available, it is very likely that this "most terrible dark wizard of all time" has redeveloped a group of followers in the past ten years of silence, including but not limited to the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, and other places.

The Ministry of Magic and the International Federation of Wizards have called on all wizarding people to remain vigilant, and at the same time, the Aurors of various countries will also conduct a second investigation into those forces and personnel suspected of being "Death Eaters".

This shocking news, accompanied by newspapers and radio stations, quickly swept through every corner of the magical and non-magical worlds - except that it would take several months for the storm to spread and affect the entire human society.

However, for some people living on the edge of the world......

The long snowstorm season is finally coming to an end.

......

Novosibirsk, the capital of the Siberian region

A secluded street on the outskirts of the city.

Alexei held the documents in his arms and hurried towards the rented apartment.

As the former deputy director of the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics, every second he spends on the land increases the risk of being arrested by the Russian secret police.

He used to be in charge of security information coordination in the research institute, but he never imagined that one day he would become the most disgusted person - under the introduction of those wizards, the house where their family originally lived had been sold in advance and exchanged for stacks of pounds.

In fact, according to Alexa's status, he would have been one of the first scientists to transfer to Hogwarts, including his family, all of whom were on the A-list.

It's just that due to some special reasons, he took the initiative to choose to evacuate in the last batch.

"It's still too hasty, after the closure of the institute, even the files of the same project have been dismantled...... However, with this information, it is still possible to recover more than seventy percent of the research content, no, if there is magic, maybe ......"

Alexey's eyes flickered for a moment, and he remembered the steel-forged sky city he had seen over that castle before......—magic?

As an ordinary "Muggle", Alexey knew very well that no matter how hard he tried to understand, he might never be able to touch the truth of this world with his own hands.

But thankfully......

Alexei walked out of the alley and looked up at the somewhat old apartment not far away, where a plump and tall woman was checking her luggage, and on the steps beside her, a little blonde girl was holding a large heavy book and reading with relish.

Alexey's eyes softened instantly.

It was his wife, Natasha, and daughter, Danilova, whose only desire was to protect the two most important women in his life since the Soviet mother ceased to exist.

Unlike him and his wife, Danilova is destined to go further than any of them in the future, because she is a witch, or, more accurately, Danilova has the special talents necessary to become a wizard.

About a month ago, a barn owl visited Alexey's home.

A magical school somewhere outside Moscow called the Kordos Dorez School of Magic offered Danilova an invitation, and after consulting Mr. Frank, who was also a wizard, the Alexes quickly gave their answer.

"Dad, you're back? So...... Are we finally leaving?"

Noticing the movement across the street, Danilova looked up in surprise at Alexey, who was walking briskly, and quickly closed the large book in her arms, stood up and stretched.

Even though she had just turned eleven last month, the heart of a criminal of Russian origin had already begun to take shape, and she looked like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl in terms of height and figure.

It's just that from the girl's childish little face, and the excited look of curiosity like a child, it can still be seen that this is still a child who has not grown up.

"Well, it's time to go—but, Dany, are you ready?"

Alexei nodded, looked at his daughter quite seriously, and said.

"Tomorrow is the first day of school, and if you don't pass the basic entrance exam, then you may have to attend classes as an auditor. It's no joke, according to the young lady, you can't even have your own wand. ”

"Don't worry, Daddy—those are so much easier than your homework"

Danilova stuck out her tongue and replied proudly.

"You've seen it too, mainly some language tests, as well as simple mathematical, physical, biological knowledge, and a small part of magic knowledge tests, in a month, I have already memorized them all - now rest and leisure time......"

And on the steps beside her, there was the pastime book that she had read back and forth several times.

Hogwarts, a History of the School

After learning about some of the wizarding school curriculum and the differences between two or more schools, Danilova almost did not hesitate to turn down an invitation from the Doriz Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Kodos and instead submitted an application to Hogwarts.

Even though admission to Hogwarts required passing an additional pre-school exam and participating in a regular work-study program every weekend, Danilova did not waver in her resolve.

"So, don't you really think about staying in Russia and going to study at that magic academy called Kodos Dorez? Dany, if you just want to accompany ......"

Alexei sighed helplessly and said with some hesitation.

Even if the person in charge on the other party's face is just a little girl who is shorter and flatter than his daughter, it will not make Alexai lower any vigilance and vigilance.

You know, this is a mysterious force that has quietly grasped the lifeblood of the former Soviet Union, easily wiped out all foreign travel funds in a few words, and has at least a flying nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and hundreds of "elite agent-level" wizard operators.

Alexay would not be naïve enough to believe that this is a peace-loving, science-minded, harmless and friendly "civil society" or some kind of "international charity".

Although from his personal point of view, in the current situation, it is a good choice to go to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But if his family was all under the control of those mysterious wizards, it still made Alexai feel a little uneasy.

"I'm not a ten-year-old anymore, Dad, I know what I want......"

Danilova shook her head, a slight look of disdain flashing across her little face.

"As I told Uncle Frank before, if the curriculum of a prestigious magic school doesn't even have the most basic Fourier Transfiguration, how can one believe that the Transfiguration magic they teach in class is not a hidden danger?"

The girl pointed to the book Hogwarts, A History of the School (1992 Edition).

In the last part of the book, the curriculum of Hogwarts from Years 1 to 7 is detailed, the Faction Missions for each house, the daily activities that are distributed from time to time, the final exams, and so on.

"And in the Hogwarts curriculum, you will learn this in the second year......"

"So...... That's true......"

Alexei was slightly stunned and sighed helplessly.

Just as there is a vast technological gap between China and other countries in the non-magical world, there is obviously a very obvious intellectual monopoly and technical barriers in the magical world.

He still remembered that in that mysterious Moscow wizard's tavern, the small, majestic eldest lady, the chief consul of the Manifest Destiny who called herself Teresa Apokalis, once said with great pride:

"In Hogwarts today, I can easily name at least three or four first-year students who are proficient in advanced mathematics, who can easily break down compounds into elemental matter, and complete first-year first aid on the battlefield with their bare hands. ”

And that's just the level of first-year Hogwarts students.

It's hard for Alex to imagine how much terrifying knowledge the wizarding world holds beyond his time if he were a full professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, or one of those wizards who is said to be at the top of the wizarding world.

"So, Dad, where are we going now? Didn't you say before that we were going to England by ship today? The nearest port from here should be in St. Petersburg, right? Is it really too late now?"

Just when Alex was a little distracted, Danilova had already put the books beside her into her large bag, walked up to the man, raised her head and asked curiously.

In the girl's hand, she holds a card with an abstract yellow rabbit (roar) in her hand.

It looks about the same size as a common calling card, with a few simple lines of text written on it in English and Russian, and it looks like a gift card that can be found everywhere:

【Huberian one-way ticket】

[Boarding time - Novosibirsk - 17:00]

[Note: Please be sure to bring your belongings to avoid loss]

"Oh, the ship......"

Alexei came back to his senses, a strange look on his face.

Compared to the graffiti paper that brought him from Novosibirsk to Moscow a few months ago, this "portkey" is significantly better workmanship, although it ...... If nothing else, the experience might just as bad.

Alexei shrugged his shoulders and said in a calm tone.

"We don't go to the port, we can get on the ship with this ticket...... In my experience, just hold this ticket and when the time is up, we'll be on the boat – that's our own boat. ”

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