"Is this your Ministry of Magic?"
Not only Harry, but even Roger was stunned.
Just like when he visited Germany, to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, Roger had contacted the Greek Ministry of Magic in advance.
However, the situation with the Greek Ministry of Magic was completely different from that of the German Ministry.
If the German Ministry of Magic could be described as a relatively well-structured modern political institution, then the Greek Ministry of Magic could only be called a makeshift operation.
Roger had read many works by ancient Greek wizards. Before setting foot in this land, he never imagined that the wizarding world here would be like this.
The wizarding world was both familiar and strange to Roger. Familiar because he had learned a lot from books, and strange because people don't write down everything they know.
Subjectivity and prejudice were mixed within the pages, making it difficult to discern. At least, the situation in the German wizarding world was slightly different from Roger's expectations.
According to many books, Germany was a place rampant with dark wizards.
But upon arriving, Roger found that in this era, long after the Cold War had ended, people's impressions were still stuck in the World War II period.
And here in Greece, this feeling was even stronger.
"Times have changed," said a robust Greek man with tanned skin and a hearty smile beside him.
From June to September each year, Greece is in its peak tourist season. Not only do Muggles like to visit, but many wizards also come here to 'reconnect with their roots.'
It's common for visitors to feel disappointed upon arriving because Greece is vastly different from their preconceived notions.
Nicolaos, the Director of Foreign Affairs at the Greek Ministry of Magic, was accustomed to this.
"Alright, come in. Let's get you registered first." Facing the greeting from Nicolaos, the Greek Director of Foreign Affairs, Roger and Harry exchanged glances before following his lead.
They entered the Tower of the Winds, located near the ancient Roman marketplace.
The Tower of the Winds was a structure used by ancient Greeks to observe the weather. Its exterior walls were carved with numerous wind gods, each presiding over a different direction. While it sounded grand, it wasn't actually very large, not even half the height of a seven-story residential building.
It also looked quite dilapidated from the outside. It had become a tourist attraction for Muggles, and the entrance to the Greek Ministry of Magic was tucked away in a corner inside.
After passing through the Magic Gate and stepping inside, there was no scene of external simplicity hiding an inner marvel, like in Tao Yuan's "Peach Blossom Spring."
It was just... quite simple.
Someone who had never seen magic might find it novel.
But after witnessing the vast golden rune-covered sky of the British Ministry of Magic, its organized layout and elevator corridors, the clever integration of magic and modern culture, and even the dignified yet not overly ornate hall of the German Ministry of Magic, looking at the Greek Ministry of Magic...
If one had to draw a comparison, it would be a stripped-down version of Hogwarts Castle.
It possessed the mystique of magic, but as a nation's political center, it was somewhat lacking.
"Most of the original wizards of Greece have already left. The wizards living in Greece now are all newcomers... Do you know about Greece in Muggle history?" Director Nicolaos continued their previous conversation as they walked towards the registration area.
"I know a little," Roger replied humbly.
Having realized the discrepancy between his bookish knowledge and the real world, he was careful not to speak too definitively.
"Then you should know that the period commonly associated with ancient Greece is roughly from 600 to 400 BCE."
Roger nodded. That era corresponded to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty in China. Mr. Ollivander, the maker of his current wand, and his family had been crafting wands since around that time.
"Ancient Greek civilization at that time was relatively prosperous compared to other regions. The rise of Muggle philosophy stimulated the development of magic from an intellectual standpoint, and some later magical systems had already begun to take shape during that period."
"The International Statute of Secrecy is a relatively recent invention, only a few hundred years old. In that ancient era, Muggles and wizards were very closely connected. Many royal families often had intricate ties with wizards."
"Or rather, countries that did not have wizards involved in their composition were absorbed by countries that did," Nicolaos continued.
Roger had learned about this. The magic of wizards was overwhelmingly powerful compared to Muggles. As long as there was one wizard willing to act as a guide...
"There were also conflicts between wizards. In that era when magical techniques were not yet systematized or mature, 'wild wizards' had many opportunities to rely on brute force."
To put it simply, if one side had wizards and the other didn't, the side with wizards would inevitably win. If both sides had wizards, then the strength of the wizards on each side was no longer the decisive factor for victory.
The key on the battlefield was which side had stronger and more numerous Muggle armies.
"Ancient Rome, Byzantium, the Ottoman Empire – Greece was destroyed by foreign invaders time and time again. It's not even easy to find a Greek person today whose ancestors weren't of mixed blood."
"Those powerful wizards had long since fled to other parts of Europe. Who would be willing to risk death at the hands of Muggle armies and share the fate of this weak land?"
As he spoke, Nicolaos, who had maintained a hearty smile, showed a rare hint of dejection.
While individual wizards possessed power far exceeding that of Muggles, Muggles had always been the main current of the world, from ancient times to the present.
When Muggles waged war, even wizards had to avoid their锋芒 (fēngmáng - sharp edge, brilliance, prestige).
With a sigh from Nicolaos, the group arrived at the registration desk.
"Hey? That person, he looks like he's from Ravenclaw..."
There was quite a queue at the registration desk. Roger and Harry even spotted one or two familiar young wizards being led by their parents.
As mentioned earlier, June to September is Greece's peak tourist season, and many wizards visit. This was quite different from Germany.
On one hand, Germany had a less favorable reputation, with talk of many dark wizards. On the other hand, Germany had only recently unified, and in the eyes of many, it was currently a rather unstable place, not an ideal tourist destination.
"Let's go, over here," Nicolaos called out.
He didn't have Roger and Harry join the queue with the regular wizarding tourists. For special guests, they had special accommodations.
The Ministry of Magic identity that the Board of Directors arranged for Roger was very convenient in many places.
When he traveled abroad, he was not only a first-year Hogwarts student but also represented a bit of the British Ministry of Magic's prestige.
Just like the German Ministry of Magic had assigned Charlotte from the Department of International Magical Cooperation to accompany him throughout his stay.
The Greek Ministry of Magic also had to show some courtesy, otherwise, it would be too impolite diplomatically.
After all, if you rounded Roger's status up, he was almost equivalent to the highest official in charge of an industry, like a minister of railways.
And if the virtual reality industry truly became popular, the significance represented by Roger's position would be even more terrifying.
Britain's status in the world today was not low, and neither was the British Ministry of Magic. To show their importance, the Greek Ministry of Magic, being a smaller country, even sent their department head to greet him personally.
...
...
...
In reality, the so-called registration was for the Greek Ministry of Magic to educate foreign visitors about local laws and taboos, and to attach trace spells to their wands to monitor their spellcasting records. The wizarding world also had the concept of national borders; one had to abide by the laws of a place when in that place.
Unlike Germany, as a country with a thriving tourism industry, the relevant measures here were very comprehensive.
This was because many wizards came to admire the remnants of ancient wizards. To prevent careless individuals from causing damage to historical sites and residences, many measures were necessary.
During Nicolaos's reception, Roger also spoke directly to him about his "Time Phantom Shuttle Spell."
"...You're saying you can use magic to view past images at will?!"
"Not exactly at will; images from tens of millions or hundreds of millions of years ago are beyond my capabilities," Roger explained.
Roger adopted a different strategy here compared to his time at the German Ministry of Magic.
The German Ministry of Magic had quite a few dark historical secrets. If Roger had directly stated he wanted to 'check their browser history,' they might have refused him entry outright.
Greece, however, was different, and it was naturally better to be upfront from the beginning.
In Roger's estimation, the Greek side shouldn't have had an excessive reaction regarding this matter.
But to Roger's surprise, the Greek Ministry of Magic's reaction was significant.
However, it was in a different direction! "Esteemed Seer, please, I implore you, you must agree to my accompanying you. This is the request of my lifetime! I know every place with a rich history like the back of my hand; no one understands Greece better than I do!"
Nicolaos tightly gripped Roger's hand, unwilling to let go for a long time.
...What is this?
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