99: Let Me Show You!

"Alright, I'll just say it," Ronald began hesitantly. "Honestly, I don't really get what you mean by 'making the wizarding world better.' I think it's already fine as it is."

Ronald's view reflected the thoughts of many young wizards and even a good number of adult wizards—they saw no reason to change the current wizarding world.

"Of course," Hermione replied, visibly frustrated. "I told you this was a waste of time. He doesn't understand any of it."

"Doesn't understand?!" Ronald retorted, annoyance flaring. He was only ever bold like this with Hermione. "I don't know what you Muggles are thinking, but this is our world!"

"Muggle life seems just as strange to me!"

It was a clash of perspectives—different values, different worlds.

Just as Muggles are certain that a fall from a great height is fatal, wizards view it as merely a minor accident.

With magic, many injuries that are fatal to Muggles are just a slight inconvenience to wizards. The real dangers wizards fear are curses, not mere physical harm.

Physical injuries are manageable with potions and spells. With timely treatment, there's hardly any risk to life.

In their second year, Harry's entire arm turned to rubber, completely boneless. Yet, with a single dose of potion, Madam Pomfrey restored him back to normal. This kind of magical ability would be unimaginable to Muggles.

"Alright, alright, let's not argue."

Ivan held back Hermione and then addressed Ronald, "You too, Ronald."

"Sorry," Ronald mumbled. Despite his irritation with Hermione, he had no quarrel with Ivan.

"It's fine," Ivan replied. "But if you had spoken your mind from the start instead of holding back, I'd have respected you more."

"Huh?" Ronald couldn't believe it.

"Everyone is unique, Ronald."

Ivan patted Ronald on the shoulder, then walked to the edge of the Black Lake, turning his back to them all.

"Hermione is incredibly smart, Parvati is observant and cautious, Neville is steadfast, Harry is brave and clever. And you, Ronald..."

Hearing this, Ronald felt his nerves build up again.

Ronald felt both nervous and hopeful, eagerly awaiting Ivan's opinion.

"You're vain and enjoy attention," Ivan began.

Ronald's eyes widened.

He hadn't expected Ivan to say that about him. But before he could feel hurt or frustrated, Ivan continued, "Do you think those are flaws?"

"No, Ronald. In my eyes, these are exactly your greatest strengths!"

"Strengths?" Ronald was confused.

He had thought Ivan was insulting him, but Ivan's serious expression made him pause. Ronald swallowed and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Look at Harry. Isn't he famous enough?"

"Yeah," Ronald replied, thinking of all the admiration Harry received. Harry was the boy who defeated Voldemort, a legend in the wizarding world.

"Alright, Harry," Ivan turned to him. "If a group of wizards praised you and lifted you up in admiration, how would you feel?"

"That would make me terribly uncomfortable," Harry admitted honestly. He wasn't one to seek attention.

"If it's deserved, Harry will accept it without hesitation. But being praised as a 'savior'—which he doesn't see as true—just makes him uncomfortable."

Neville, Ivan noted, was even worse; he had a complete fear of social situations. Hermione, Parvati, and even Penelope—none of them truly liked standing in the spotlight.

Ivan himself certainly didn't enjoy it.

The thought of spending time dealing with politicians, pure-blood nobles, and wasting energy on their petty arguments was exhausting to him. He'd rather forgo the organization altogether than waste his time like that.

"Understand now, Ronald?" Ivan continued. "We can't handle that kind of life... but you can!"

Ronald thought about it as Ivan explained, comparing him to someone in the Muggle world who might borrow a flashy car to show off or impress others, even if the car wasn't theirs.

In Ivan's eyes, people who could embrace a bit of vanity but still play it cool had a unique talent.

Of course, Ivan was clear to point out, this was different from Lockhart's delusional self-promotion—Lockhart was just a fraud. But Ronald, he is jealous but is a good person in the end, he could genuinely win people over.

Ronald scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward. "So... Ivan, are you complimenting me or insulting me? I honestly can't tell."

"We need someone who's willing to stand at the front, draw attention, and carry that role for us."

Ivan saw Ronald's character and believed he was perfect for the job. Loyalty and courage ran in the Weasley family bloodline. Redheads from that family might be impulsive, even bumbling at times, but they wouldn't back down in the face of danger.

"The Weasleys are all loyal and brave, Ronald. When it counts, each of them would stand up and even give their life if needed."

"But… but..." Ronald stammered, surprised at Ivan's confidence in him. "What can I do? I'm not good at anything."

"It doesn't matter," Ivan reassured him, smiling. "You just need to know how to use that bit of vanity you have."

"What does that mean?" Ronald asked, puzzled.

Ivan gave an example: if he delivered a powerful speech that gathered admiration and followers, he'd need someone to handle the daily interactions.

A leader needs to keep some mystery—he can't negotiate with every wizard as if he were in a marketplace.

That's where a spokesperson, someone deeply familiar with the wizarding world, would come in handy.

"Someone like you, Ronald—someone who understands the world we're trying to change and can speak to its people."

"You do realize this is no small act of bravery, right?" Ivan wanted to make sure Ronald understood the risks involved.

But Ronald's response was immediate and firm: "I do!"

Ronald genuinely thought it sounded amazing—no need to spend all his time practicing magic if he could help by drawing attention away from the others.

"It might also be dangerous," Ivan cautioned. "If others come after us, you'll be the one they come looking for first."

This would make Ronald a prime target—kidnapping, interrogation, even potential torture. But Ronald just shrugged.

"So what?" he replied. He may have felt ordinary, but he knew he'd never back down in a real situation.

"Dark wizards will also target you."

"Oh!" Ronald's eyes lit up, and he looked at Ivan with an excitement bordering on awe. "Isn't that even cooler?"

Harry, Hermione, Parvati: The fuck..?

Ronald Weasley—once deemed average and outshone—now had his dream role, relishing the idea of standing out, even if it meant facing danger head-on.

"Perfect!" Ivan said with a grin, then turned to Harry. "So from today, Ronald, you're the goalkeeper of our group."

"Goalkeeper?" Ronald's face lit up. "Like in Quidditch, blocking goals?"

"Exactly," Ivan nodded, amused by Ronald's enthusiasm. "Think of it like that—you'll keep anything out that tries to score against us."

"Ivan, you're the best!"

Ronald beamed. His mind was running on its own track; the thrill of a risky role was more than enough for him.

Harry just shook his head. "Ronald's in charge now, got it." He knew his friend had no idea what he was getting into, but he would try to help Ronald avoid the worst of it.

As for Penelope, her evaluation wasn't even necessary.

A fifth-year, a respected class leader, and one of the most admired students at Hogwarts—she was more than qualified.

Since Ivan had personally vouched for her, everyone welcomed her addition without hesitation.

"Let's go, let's head to the secret base."

Ivan gathered everyone, and they all made their way to the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor.

For Ronald and Penelope, it was their first time entering the Room of Requirement. They were astonished at the hidden training area, a place Ivan and his friends had been using for some time.

"Wicked!" Ronald exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder. He felt a pang of regret for not building a stronger relationship with Ivan earlier.

"How did you find it?" Penelope asked calmly. She stepped closer to Ivan and whispered, "Was it through that prophecy magic of yours?"

"Something like that," Ivan replied vaguely, sidestepping the question.

He then turned to face the group, signaling he had something important to say.

"Earlier, we talked about making the magical world better," he began. "Ronald thinks the wizarding world is already perfect and doesn't need any so-called changes."

Ivan folded his hands behind his back, scanning each of them before he continued. "I don't know if that's true, but I can give you a glimpse into what I've seen—the future of the Muggle world."

The group listened intently, each with a unique reaction.

Hermione's face lit up with interest, Neville looked slightly puzzled, and both Penelope and Parvati leaned in with curiosity.

"Look closely," Ivan instructed as a thick, white mist began to emanate from his body.

"This is what the Muggles who supposedly need our protection might look like in thirty years."

The group was captivated by the sight unfolding before them, as Ivan exhaled a dense fog toward the center of the training room.

It swirled, and soon images began to form. The scene was reminiscent of Grindelwald's eerie prophecy at Pere Lachaise Cemetery during World War II.

Ivan's intent and will infused the mist, crafting a vision of the future, his memory and foresight creating a tangible image for the others to witness.

With a soft "Beep," a bullet-shaped high-speed train emerged from the mist, shooting forward and phasing through Ronald and Neville, making them jump back in alarm.

Towering skyscrapers seemed to spring from the ground like mushrooms after a rain, surrounding everyone in their immense shadow.

The scope of the scene expanded, and as they gazed up at these monumental structures, they felt like tiny figures in a field of colossal growth, overwhelmed by the power of Muggle innovation.

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