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Like everything in the real world, it had its own defaults. The Aura Reader read your magical potential; it did not calculate if the subject was using it. A lazy wizard who lacked the motivation and the will to use his magic could very well register on the Aura Reader having the magical power of a God, but Lockhart himself would defeat him handily if his motivation was to pass from the bed to the table half of the day. Having potential was one thing, knowing how to use it was an altogether different matter.
But Magical Britain had not appreciated at all the initial press releases of the magical invention. If Lockhart had to guess, the possibility of detecting Squibs (who had been definitely proved to release extremely small amount of magic the Aura Reader could detect) and those being extremely weak magically had been extremely unpleasant for the pure-blood elites of Britain. Anyway, a law had been voted by the Wizengamot at the near-unanimity to forbid the use of the Aura Reader in the British Isles. Any offender would be punished by ten years at the dark prison of Azkaban. For each use.
"You want to know if there are Lord-Level witches and wizards studying at Hogwarts." Said Gilderoy.
Jones did a simple nod. "Indeed. Albus Dumbledore is one, but he has never hidden it. Voldemort was another." Lockhart shivered at the mention of that name, though his superior did not speak against his reaction. "But Dumbledore is old and no one has yet risen alongside him to emerge as his successor. I want to know if the rest of the world has reason to fear something coming from Hogwarts in the next years. In good or in bad."
Said like that, it sounded almost reasonable. In 1991, four hundred and thirty-two witches and wizards all over the world were considered as Lord-Levels, but Albus Dumbledore was widely considered as one of the top ten. If one had any doubt of it, the defeat of Grindelwald which had destroyed half of Berlin in 1945 was evidence enough. There were plenty in the ICW today who feared the Headmaster of Hogwarts because of it. The possibility of another wizard, more powerful than him, coming out in the Light to replace him had to be worrying.
"Okay." Said Lockhart. "I will play the idiot for the time being and bring your detector with me. Speaking of which, do you think Dumbledore has used one inside the walls of Hogwarts?"
"I can't exclude it." Replied Jones in a contemplative mood. "The man likes to have an advantage over everyone in his strategies so it would not be out of character. Take care of yourself, Gilderoy. I will contact you for a meeting on December 23rd."
Hendryk Jones walked away in long, hard strides and then disappeared once he had passed the outer boundaries of the wards around Lockhart's home.
Finishing his glass of wine, Gilderoy Lockhart began to construct his new strategy. First, a triumphant parade in Diagon Alley was in order. After that...
17 July 1992, Ministère de la Magie, Paris, France
"What are we going to do, Armand?" Said René de Ségur, Minister of Magical France.
The Minister of Magical France was usually a good-natured man, reflected Armand Delacour. He was as well a dear friend. Seeing him broken like this in his own office was unbearable. But saying this would not improve the situation. Words were cheap, after all. Well that and it was probable nothing short of Joan of Arc and Napoléon Bonaparte both resurrecting plus half a dozen miracles could avoid the storm of problems coming for him.
Throwing a glance at the window, Armand watched the multicoloured lights signalling the enchanted shops and the residences of Magical Paris. It was an explosion of colours and sense, a marvel that usually never failed to raise his spirits. It was the proof France had recovered from the disastrous Grindelwald War to become once again the first European economy. Forgotten the dark masses of Inferius and abominable creatures dirtying the earth of their presence. France had taken the reins of its own destiny once again, and overcome all its challengers in prestige, culture and beauty.
Until today.
"We could do nothing, I suppose." Armand said finally. "Alas, I don't think it would go very well with our own citizens."
"An understatement if there ever was one." Sighed the Minister.
"Exactly. Having said this, my department is finalising the new security plan we have discussed yesterday. We are going to double our force of chasseurs, put formations of curse-breakers and ward-masters the utmost priority, as well as reinforcing the security of every high-valued location in our territories. We have already planned to raise the level of every minor school and Beauxbatons Academy in the classes of Defensive Tactics and Battle Formation."
"That will help." Answered René de Ségur. "But will it be enough?"
"No." Answered Armand. "But if my fears about what happened to the goblins are confirmed, nothing will be enough. The beings who organised this massive slaughter knew what they were doing, René. Brise-Roc and every goblin inside it are gone. Destroyed to the ashes. If these people wanted to overthrow the Ministry tomorrow, the best thing my chasseurs and the rest of the elite forces could to stop them would be activate the self-destruct command of the Ministry ourselves. At least they wouldn't raid the Ministry vaults like they undoubtedly did with the goblins."
"How did they make the mountain explode? By pure curiosity you understand."
"We have two plausible theories at the moment. Both suppose the attackers had someone inside to help them. The first explanation is they used an alchemical process named the Magma's Crystal." Seeing the lost look of the Minister, Delacour laughed without joy. "I have not understood half of what the Arithmancers experts of my department explained, but the basics are fairly simple: accumulate the pure energy of a volcano inside a crystal, connect it to the wards and then place a detonator to make it unstable at will."