Chapter 21: Loopholes in Hogwarts

As time passed, the Black family slowly prospered under Cole's leadership, and Knockturn Alley had almost become the backyard of the Black family.

All sorts of shady transactions took place there, and there was nothing one couldn't imagine or find in Knockturn Alley.

Cole did not prohibit dark wizards from trading in Knockturn Alley; instead, he established rules. Incidents involving criminals in Knockturn Alley hadn't occurred for many years.

There was even a wizard patrol from the Black family in Knockturn Alley, and any troublemakers would be swiftly dealt with.

Dark wizards shouldn't expect legal protection from the Ministry of Magic; instead, the Black family would swiftly send them to Azkaban or even straight to hell.

Of course, Cole banned human trafficking in Knockturn Alley.

It was then that Cole discovered a flaw in Hogwarts' admissions process. The scrolls left behind by the four founders could automatically detect young wizards in England who were of the right age and possessed the right magical abilities.

Subsequently, Hogwarts sent out admission notices. Before the start of the school year, young wizards could decide with their parents whether they wanted to attend.

Most young wizards chose to enroll, but there were also some Muggle parents who didn't want their children entering a strange world.

At such times, the Ministry of Magic would send personnel to modify their memories. The young wizard, without a wand to perform spells, would experience a magical disturbance.

Their magical abilities would stabilize, having no further impact. Naturally, these young wizards' bodies would also be affected by the magical energy.

However, at best, they would be healthier and more intelligent than Muggles, achieving remarkable feats in the Muggle world, but with no connection to the magical world.

Students entering Hogwarts would be protected by both the school and the Ministry of Magic, so they needn't worry about being targeted by dark wizards.

Yet, those unprotected young wizards still possessed magical abilities and became prime targets for some dark wizards.

Dark wizards often roamed and encountered Muggles who still retained magical abilities.

In the Muggle world, aside from large-scale weaponry, there was little that could contend with wizards.

If one were to kidnap a person casually, the Muggle police would merely report them as missing.

Cole even discovered a loophole: individuals with different talents possessed varying levels of magical ability.

Most young wizards didn't have sufficient magical ability to gain admission to Hogwarts until they turned eleven.

However, there were those with exceptional talents who could do so a year or two earlier.

Yet, even if they reached the requisite magical level, the Hogwarts scrolls would wait until they reached the age of eleven before sending out the notices.

It was during such times that some young wizards attracted the attention of dark wizards. Naturally, those with exceptional talents were often taken as apprentices by dark wizards.

After all, not all wizards in the magical world attended Hogwarts; dark wizards had their own traditions.

Thus, Cole felt that these scrolls were nearly half-intelligent and would only admit students according to the original criteria set by the founders.

The magical world surprisingly clung to tradition, evident in various aspects. Not only had there been no innovations in magical spells for many years, but textbooks had remained unchanged for centuries.

It wasn't that wizards rejected Muggle inventions; they simply couldn't conceive of incorporating Muggle ideas into their world.

The magical world was so closed off that Cole sometimes felt wizards and Muggles belonged to different species.

Perhaps a century ago, a brilliant Muggle had discovered electricity, and the subsequent changes had alarmed the wizards of the time.

Or maybe it was during certain eras when Muggles hunted down wizards.

Regardless, most wizards were very reluctant to interact with Muggles.

Even some half-blood wizards were unwilling to return to the Muggle world after graduation.

Experiencing the power of magic made them disregard the material comforts of the Muggle world.

However, as far as Cole knew, there were still many people in the Muggle world struggling to make ends meet.

In the wizarding world, food was abundantly available.

Potion cultivation could accelerate crop growth. Wizards didn't need to worry about farming; house-elves could take care of that.

No wonder Cole saw the Hogwarts dining hall in his previous life; each meal was abundant. Even when hundreds of young wizards couldn't finish all the food, the house-elves would take it away and replenish it.

Initially, Cole couldn't comprehend this extreme wastefulness. However, he later realized that in the wizarding world, starvation was unheard of.

For a mixed-blood wizard, this alone was enticing.

Not to mention the marvels of magic in the wizarding world.

Any half-blood wizard who experienced such power would develop a sense of superiority towards Muggles.

After all, no one paid heed to ants that could be easily squashed.

Yet, Cole knew that the Muggle world now possessed weapons that could threaten the wizarding world.

However, the areas where wizards lived were closely intertwined with those of Muggles. Even if Muggle authorities were aware of wizards' existence, they couldn't act upon it.

It wasn't unheard of for a wizard to influence a Muggle Prime Minister. Such power both terrified and fascinated Muggles.

In essence, wizards were exceedingly adaptable. Though large-scale weaponry could harm them, wizards weren't fools.

They could easily evade capture by changing their appearance at will, leaving the possibility of future retaliation.

This was why Muggles tolerated the existence of the wizarding world. Otherwise, human greed might lead to the destruction of an uncontrollable power.

Unless a large number of wizards defected to the Muggle side, only an insider could pose a threat to the wizarding world.

For instance, bombing Hogwarts, despite Dumbledore's presence and the school's protection measures, might still cause some damage.

However, this remained highly unlikely.

The most Muggles could offer wizards was status and wealth, but for half-blood wizards, such status was meaningless.

Gold and silver held no sway.

With a simple Imperius Curse, Muggles could easily seize their possessions, even their spouses' dowries.

For now, the wizarding world remained relatively safe. The power wizards wielded was beyond the reach of Muggle weapons.

Unless one sought mutual destruction, the wizarding world would endure.

Conversely, if a wizard sought to dominate the Muggle world, as long as the plan was well-executed, Muggle weapons would be ineffective.

Yet, thus far, the wizarding world had never produced such a talent.

Well, perhaps there had been one.

Cole immediately recalled the title of Dark Lord.

But it wasn't the current Dark Lord; it was the first generation—Gellert Grindelwald.

A legendary wizard who had threatened much of Europe.

Albus Dumbledore's former close friend and lover.