At this point, I hadn't had the chance to attend any of the high society events, but I hadn't even met any of the British elite. Fudge's acquaintance with him was very... — blurry, so I won't count him for now.
So, I have not had time to assess the British "color of the nation," but something strongly doubts that everything is the same there as here. I've never seen it mentioned that it's common for the upper classes to carry a bunch of hidden cutting weapons. On the contrary, in the old days they even invented a handshake to check for unarmedness, and here — Ehhhh.
I've done a little reading about what Paul said. There is no specific literature on this subject, all current customs and rules of behavior are based solely on the unspoken rules of the nobility. The common people have always been and always will be a herd driven by — shepherds.
The Revolution in France was primarily against the aristocracy, which was immersed in the licentiousness, extravagance, and pampering of absolute power. The plebeians, or citizens, well thinned out the pampered "masters of life" who were unable to defend themselves.
The magical part managed to escape only because wizards are born, grow up and live in an environment where various potions and charms that can subdue a person in moments are quite legitimate.
Therefore, a part of the aristocracy, the most resilient and viable, managed not only to save itself, but also to learn a lesson: weakness leads to decline. On this basis, the then head of magical power brutally destroyed such Muggle-like attempts in the magical part of the country and then introduced stricter laws.
Even for themselves. The aristocrats decided to deliberately ignite in their "world" a gambling, cruel "game" of new norms of behavior and life. Yes, they have everything very nice, civilized, legal ....., as long as you live the life of an ordinary bourgeois magician. But business already imposes certain responsibilities and certain dangers. What about the aristocratic milieu?
Here it's quite normal to be challenged to a duel and killed. This has nothing to do with the magical laws of the world, you should not hang everything on that mechanism. It's etiquette, it's the norms of the local high society. The constant threat keeps wizards on their toes. I'm not going to talk about nuances — it's long and boring, just as a fact: dueling is normal, adjusted for etiquette, morality, and so on.
Why am I talking about it? Because France is a pretty strong magical country in the world society, it has political and economic weight, it has strong gifted people, its own closed reserved forest of druids, the magical aristocracy is alive and strong with ancestral estates, altars, sources and knowledge.
Such a point of power is a force to be reckoned with. I am brought into this society, interesting and profitable, they want to do business with me, and I have no intention of throwing away such a generous gift of fate.
At the moment I am going, without a date, to the summer reception of Count Savigny, as my teacher and I have received an invitation. The Boisseliers themselves do not go to such events, but I must appear here, according to the status of a personal pupil of an important master, and also as an already famous artist.
For both "positions" it is necessary to appear in high society, otherwise society quickly loses interest in you. If I get papers on education, or at least pass emancipation, then such things will not be so important. But it is still impossible to ignore society completely, because if you always turn your back on people, they will do the same. But the situation has already changed dramatically. Britain.