A Child of Two Worlds, Part 1
I do not own Harry Potter. Or J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World for that matter.
Chapter 12: Terra Australis
The Daily Prophet
"...Minister for Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt has met with the new German Federal Minister for Magic Aylin Yıldırım. Both have stressed their support for the US initiated international Project Phoenix, as the plans to expose ourselves to the Muggle Community have been designated. The project, which was made public a few months ago, has numerous supporters as well as opponents in the British and Irish Wizarding Community. Among the supporters were mainly young Muggle-borns while amongst the opponents many old Wizarding families can be found who were traditionally against a mixture of Wizards and Muggles..."
Lübecker Magie
"...Nele Jansen has been appointed as the new Wizarding Consul of Lübeck succeeding Aylin Yıldırım. As with other magical administrative divisions of Germany, there had been reforms in Lübeck as well. Several raids were made and five suspects have been arrested apparently belonging to the magical Terror network GHW. Furthermore, preparations are being made to organise a meeting with the mayor of Lübeck as well as the town council to make arrangements for an integration of magical administration into the Muggle one. Yıldırım had met on these issues with the German Federal Chancellor, the Austrian Federal Chancellor as well as the Czech Prime Minister whose territory lies within the German magical administration of Bohemia..."
Der Bayrische Riese
"...the reforms policies of the Federal Ministry of Magic have also hit the Bavarian Ministry in Munich. After the deposition of Bavarian Minister for Magic Franz Liebl as well as Federal Minister for Magic Thomas Reischer, originating from Bavaria, several other officers have been deposed. They are being charged with corruption. Karl Oberhauser will succeed Liebl as Bavarian Minister for Magic..."
Le Sorcier de Paris
"...French Minister for Magic Rémi Auclair has reaffirmed his support of Project Phoenix after a meeting with the New German Federal Minister for Magic Aylin Yıldırım as well as the British Minister for Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt. A speaker of the International Confederation of Wizards whose headquarters lies in Paris has said that the delegates couldn't come to a mutual agreement on the Project. In the matter of David Reed, the Confederation is similarly divided. At the end of November, a meeting of all magical leaders as well as their Heads of Security and advisors has been scheduled in the Confederacy's headquarters where the final vote regarding Project Phoenix will be made to either expose the wizarding world to all Muggles or to remain in hiding. Several Magical leaders have assured David Reed safe conduct and protection while others have threatened to arrest him on sight..."
Dziennik Czarownik
"...While the Muggle conflict in the territory which they call "Ukraine" rages on, the Ministry of Magic of Poland-Lithuania in Warsaw has declared that the Pro-Muggle propaganda of Great Britain, Germany and the US will be countered by all means. As Minister for Magic Gaweł Krawczyk has added, Russia has joined that decision..."
Moskovskij Volšebnik
"...The Ministry of Magic in Moscow has decreed that every support of the Mudblood and traitor David Reed as well as the distribution of his propaganda is met with maximum penalty. Minister for Magic Jurij Olegovič Vasilʹjevskij has personally placed the order with Head of the Auror Office Nikolaj Dmitrijevič Čurkin to execute the order once Reed will be arrested..."
The New York Ghost
"...According to a recent survey, a majority of the American Wizarding population favors the idea of exposing ourselves to the No-Majes. MACUSA President Samuel G. Quahog has explained that the first preparations have already been made. In early November, he will meet with No-Maj President Joan Epps to coordinate the project. To what extent Director for Magical Security Julia Kennedy is involved in the meeting is controversial. Neither Quahog nor Kennedy would to comment on the issue..."
Brasil em Magia
"...Minister for Magic João Santos Almeida, along with the majority of South American magical leaders, has shown his support for Project Phoenix. The majority of the leaders of magical Maroon communities and well as the chiefs of indigenous peoples have shown their support. Several magical reservations and nature reserves will however remain hidden in order to prevent illegal deforestation. The Brazilian Ministry of Magic even considers the idea of expand the range of magical protected areas as the Muggle government seems unable or unwilling of preventing actions against these crimes..."
The Cape Spell
"...Not only the magical population of South Africa has welcomed the intentions of Project Phoenix. The magical governments of Oyo, Kano, Katsina, Zaria, Benin, Borgu, Nri and Bornu which together control the region the Muggles know as Nigeria have united under the leadership of the Oyo government as preparation for Project Phoenix. The Akan-States as well as Ethiopia, Zanzibar, Merina, Morocco, Egypt, Sennar, Darfur as well as smaller states have also begun preparations to reshape their administration into the Muggle one. Experts agree that it will only be a question of time before Dahomey and Wadai will join the effort..."
As-Siḥr
"... representatives of the magical administrative regions of Syria, Aleppo, Jerusalem, Mosul, Baghdad, Beirut, Habesh, Hejaz and Yemen as well as Arabia have met in Damascus in order to debate their positions to current Muggle conflicts in light of the advent of Project Phoenix. The Ministries of Magic of Persia and India are also taking steps to help in conflicts in their regions, especially as magical borders often don't conform to their Muggle counterparts..."
Thai Wetmon
"...in the city of Ayutthaya, seat of the Thai Ministry of Magic, the Ministers for Magic from Thailand, Toungoo, Lan Na, Lan Xang, Cambodia, the Philippines, Sulawesi, the Moluccas, Malacca as well as Aceh will meet to work on a declaration against Project Phoenix. Furthermore, they have requested an international warrant of arrest against David Reed at the International Confederation. Reed's writings were the initiative of the project, the ministers argued, and would be a danger to the International Statute of Secrecy. As the delegates of the Confederation have come to no agreement on the warrant, it as of now hasn't been issued. The Minister for Magic of Vietnam, Đỗ Thị Khiêm, has declared that she will not join the meeting at Ayutthaya as Vietnam will go "the Chinese way". Several smaller states like Banten, Mataram, Sulu, Johor and Kedah have said to join Project Phoenix. Thai Minister for Magic Pràsìt Cheewítàmádtà has announced that the centuries old order would not be abolished..."
Zhōngguó Móshù
"...Chinese Minister for Magic Wū Lóngxuè and the Tibetan Minister for Magic Tshering Gyatso have met in Beijing to discuss and prepare for the Operation "Deliverance" which is being activated along Project Phoenix in Tibet and China. Details on said operation are strictly classified..."
Jeoson Mudang
"...the majority of the Korean Wizarding Community was pleased with the news that they could put an end to Secrecy and help their non-magical brothers and sisters. Concerning North Korea, steps have been made which could lead to reunification of the two Muggle Countries..."
Yamatai Fujutsu
"...among the Japanese Wizarding Community there are different opinions regarding Project Phoenix. While some welcomed the idea, others refused it..."
"Morning" Emilia murmured as she shuffled into the kitchen of the tent still rubbing her shower wet hair.
"Oh, hi." David answered standing next to the cooker with his arms folded keeping one eye to the pan and the spatula which were making an omelette for three.
Emilia looked curiously at the two objects working on their own. Despite being with the witch and the wizard for nearly a month now, it was still interesting and wonderful to see. She sat down. Yes, there still were some areas of the tent she didn't know, she didn't even know how big it actually was inside. There were many books on the shelf she hadn't read yet, there were so many unknown magical instruments not to mention the Potions Lab which she still hadn't visited.
The pan was now floating towards the table and the spatula put one third of the omelette on Emilia's plate. Meanwhile, Alex was joining her at the table and David followed.
Half an hour later, the three of them sat in the sitting room. David was writing an entry for his diary at his desk, Alex was reading a book on New Zealand's magical history. Emilia was distracted. She had noticed the large glass globe on David's desk earlier already standing right next to the Pensieve. Something seemed to float in it. Emilia approached the globe and stretched out her hand. Her fingertips touched the globe and she felt a slight vibration. The bright dots inside it seemed to move a bit. Emilia moved her fingertips across the globe and the dots moved in the same direction highlighting others to the forefront. Then it dawned on her. She moved her fingers similarly to a smartphone screen and zoomed out. The dots became smaller forming clusters and finally Emilia stared incredulously into the globe. The core in the centre as well as the arms. She saw a moving model of the galaxy, the milky way, with all its stars and worlds!
"How...? How is this possible?" she whispered.
David had watched her. He smiled.
"Fascinating, isn't it?"
She gazed at him astonished.
"How did you get this?"
"Alex gave it to me." David said.
"On my 16th birthday. I wasn't really good in Astronomy. Concerning that I was a bit...arrogant. I thought how could wizards possibly have more knowledge than Muggles with their technology. But here it was, just perfect!"
He moved his own fingers over the globe zooming in to their solar system with its eight planets, the two asteroid belts and their dwarf planets.
"Apparently I was wrong."
"But how can it be possible that you know so much about it? I mean..."
Emilia once again moved her fingers, focusing on the Alpha Centauri System with its binary stars. Then to the galactic core with its massive black hole.
"I don't know." David replied. "Alex and I went back to Diagon Alley to Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment because we wanted to know for ourselves. The shop's owner couldn't or didn't want to tell us where he got this model which cost a fortune. But there are some rumours about magical knowledge."
David looked into Emilia's eyes knowingly.
"Rumours which came up back during the 90s when the Second British Wizarding War started. About classified studies at the Ministry of Magic. A group of dark wizards calling themselves the Death Eaters made their way to the Department of Mysteries. They had been luring Harry Potter there with a false vision in order to get hold of a prophecy concerning him and Voldemort. A fight broke out when the Order of the Phoenix arrived. This set the rumours in motion. The members of that department are bound to absolute silence. Only rarely do they make public statements."
David went over to the filing cabinet and pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet from one of the drawers.
"This article is about the topic of time travel. Professor Saul Croaker seems to be in charge of that. So we know that at least time is one of the mysteries studied there. But there are certainly others. Space might be one of them."
Emilia skimmed through the article and looked up to David:
"But what extraordinary instruments they must have that they can map the galaxy with such precision! Or...or that knowledge might come from...somewhere else!"
David watched her determined expression.
"You're thinking of aliens, aren't you?" he said with a light smile.
"Either that...or it's an ancient civilisation, perhaps with magical powers."
She looked at him with a kind of triumph in her eyes as though if she had just discovered the answers to this problem.
David turned back to the globe.
"Well...won't be Silurians, that's for sure." he replied with another smile.
"Anyway, there are signs that magic is far older than some of us believe, perhaps...as old as the universe itself..."
Opaleye Fort, New Zealand
It was the first spot where Europeans first stepped onto New Zealand. Not at Poverty Bay or at Mercury Bay but here at Opaleye Bay, later called Opaleye Fort. In 1709, the fort was built by British, French, German, American and Chinese Aurors. Sealed off magically from the beginning, it later became a magical protection area as well as the place where the first Wizarding School was built in New Zealand by Western and Chinese Witches and Wizards as well as by Māori Wizards and their knowledge was combined. The Fort itself was rebuilt into the Ministry of Magic.
The tent of Rolf and Luna was right next to theirs. New Zealand Minister for Magic Awhina Hetaraka was awaiting them.
"This is the country's largest magical nature reserve" she explained while guiding the visitors through the part of Opaleye Fort that formed the natural reserve. It was near the Wizarding School and reminded David a bit of the Forbidden Forest.
"Most of our magical species can be found here. Since your last visit, Mr. Scamander, we've been able to categorise several new species and give them a safe livelihood."
They came to a clearing and David's eyes widened at the sight of a few Antipodean Opaleyes hatchlings with their iridescent, pearly scales and glittering, multi-coloured seemingly pupil-less eyes. They were saved from Muggle scientists who mistook their eggs for fossils.
"Have you made all the arrangements in case Project Phoenix will be realised?" Rolf asked the minister, "We must make it clear to the Muggles that these creatures, as dangerous as some might be, are still under species conservation and protection."
He looked at her with a serious expression.
"I can assure you, Mr. Scamander, that we have the situation under control. I've already talked to the Muggle Prime Minister. We won't repeal the protection charms. No Muggle will get in here except if we bring them."
Her gaze fell onto Emilia.
She led them further through the area. While the Minister along with Rolf led the way, Luna and Emilia formed the middle of the group while David and Alex followed.
David watched as Luna showed Emilia a small part that housed a Hakawai, a small brown bird that could make itself invisible.
"I've noticed that you get along with Emilia better." he whispered to Alex looking at her. She looked back, puzzled.
"Why? I always got along with her."
"I had the impression that you couldn't like her."
"I do!" she whispered back energetically. Alex looked Emilia up and down.
"I even find her a bit sexy."
Alex grinned cheekily.
David smiled. "I'm not sure if the feeling is mutual there."
Gazing at Luna and Emilia walking ahead of them, he continued:
"But when I introduced you to her back in Tibet you seemed...annoyed."
"I merely thought that you should have told me you were bringing someone along for the ride, that's all." she replied, "especially someone so clever, curious and gorgeous."
She too was gazing at Emilia musingly.
"In the end, she seemed to want to come with us so much..."
"What Muggle wouldn't?" David chuckled.
"You know what I mean, David! That's why you brought her with us in the first place, isn't it?"
David sighed and nodded.
"Something is driving her," he answered, "she has this...drive to travel, to see the world. I think she's following her parent's traces. And she thinks she's getting closer. When she stepped into the tent for the first time, there was something inside her...and she's intelligent. Had she gone to Hogwarts, she would have been sorted into Ravenclaw for sure. She could be of great help to us. And bring a fresh perspective on things."
Billywig Bay, Western Australia
Similar to Opaleye Fort in New Zealand, Billywig Bay had at first also been a base for foreign Aurors and the fort here had also been converted to a Ministry of Magic.
The Apparation Centre was located outside as opposed to those of many other countries.
"Welcome to Australia!" the Minister for Magic greeted them, "my name is Peter Rudd, Minister for Magic. This is Wintjiya Napurrula, Head of the Indigenous Magic Department."
Rudd and Napurrula led David, Alex, Emilia, Rolf and Luna across the square to the Fort which reminded David of forts from the colonial period in the Americas.
"First thing foreigners should know," Rudd explained, "and what always amazes them is that neither New Zealand nor Australia originally signed the Statute of Secrecy."
Alex raised her eyebrows.
"But I thought all Ministries of Magic had signed the statute in 1692."
"That's how it's often quoted," Napurrula said, "'Wizards of all nations'. As if in 1692, nations hadn't been any different than today. Come with us, we'll show you something."
She and Rudd led the group through the fort's entrance and into the first building on the right which was much bigger on the inside.
"Here we have a little historical exhibition." Rudd explained.
They approached a glass case inside of which an old parchment document could be found on one side and a large map on the other which showed the political landscape of 1692. The Minister for Magic pointed to the document.
"In 1692, witches and wizards of the realms, kingdoms and empires of the time as well as those in the colonies had come together in Paris to debate what action they should take against the Muggles. Finally, they decided to go underground instead of declaring war against the Muggles which, in retrospect, they should have done. Because unlike them, we wizards included indigenous peoples and had their representatives come to the Paris meeting as well. But not all of the world had been "discovered" at this point, at least not from the perspective of the leading realms. And so the following Wizarding Communities have signed the statute."
He began to list them:
"From Europe we have Great Britain with England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. France. Liechtenstein. The Italian republics and city states like Genoa, Venice, Florence, Naples or Milan. The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation with its principalities, duchies, counties, Free Imperial Cities, and other domains like Brandenburg, Trier, Cologne, Prussia, Bohemia, Moravia, Bavaria, Austria, Carinthia or the Spanish Netherlands. The United Netherlands with Belgium, Flanders and Luxemburg. Switzerland. Spain. Portugal. Denmark. Sweden with Finland. Iceland. Poland-Lithuania on the modern Muggle territories of Poland, Romania, Ukraine and the Baltic states. Russia. The Ottoman Empire with territories in Europe, Asia and Africa.
From Africa we have the African realms and kingdoms like Oyo, Kano, Katsina, Zaria, Benin, Borgu, Nri and Bornu, the Akan States, the Somali States, Ethiopia, Zanzibar, Merina, Morocco, Sennar, Darfur, Wadai, representatives of Berber communities, small states and the Cape Colony in southern Africa.
From Asia we have representatives of Arabic Bedouins. Persia. India. Tibet. Ayutthaya or Thailand. Toungoo, known to modern Muggles as Myanmar. Lan Na and Lan Xang in Muggle Laos. China. Korea. Japan. The Philippines. Sulawesi. Batavia. The Moluccas. Malacca. Smaller states like Aceh, Banten, Mantaram, Sulu, Johor or Kedah.
From the Americas we have New France also known as Canada. The Thirteen Colonies of New England. Representatives of First Nations like the Sioux, Cheyenne, Choktaw, Apache, Cherokee or the Iroquois Nations of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga and Seneca. Cuba. Hispaniola. The Viceroyalties of New Spain (also known as Mexico), the Indies, New Granada, Peru and Río de la Planta. Brazil."
Rudd pointed to other regions of the map.
"These regions here weren't included at first: Greenland, a majority of northern, central and southern Africa, large parts of Sumatra and Borneo, New Guinea, the Southern peak of South America, Australia, New Zealand and Polynesia. And that had consequences."
The minister led the group further through the building.
"After the signing of the Statute of Secrecy, Wizarding Criminals hadn't had any more possibilities to flee to the Americas. Groups like the Scourers were persecuted rigorously and executed. So they relocated. In the uninhabited regions of Africa and Asia. On Borneo, many found shelter. It is assumed that Acromantulas were bred by Wizarding Criminals. But then they enlarged their hideouts and bases to Australia."
He went to another glass case where several old documents lay.
"The first Europeans who verifiably set foot on Australian soil were a few Herbologists who had studied magical plants in Southeast Asia. Around 1620, they first explored New Guinea to finally reach Australia and after that New Zealand. At that time the land hadn't been discovered by European Muggles, they were still searching for the infamous Terra Australis Incognita. Perhaps also a reason as to why nobody had come to the idea to travel to this continent and search for Wizarding representatives for the Paris meeting. Back in Europe, the Herbologists reported of this new region but it wouldn't include it in the treaty to the Statute of Secrecy as there wasn't a Wizarding government and, so the leading Wizarding nations thought, no wizards either."
"The truth is," Napurrula continued, "that the relationship between Wizards and Muggles was one that you can only find very rarely in the world."
"The old order..." David whispered barely audible thinking of the ghosts of the Wū family as well as of the pre-historical grave in France.
"You can find such relationship mainly at peoples undiscovered by Muggles who intentionally want to stay undiscovered so as to not disturb their lives and cultures." Napurrula said.
"Our magic, our Australian magic is subtle, so subtle that European witches and wizards couldn't even identify it as magic. Fully wandless, simply through emotions and concentration." Napurrula closed her eyes.
"It's everywhere. In the earth. In the water. It is around us. To use it without a wand...that is true magic! Old magic. Powerful magic. But said power doesn't play any role to us. This was a timeless land."
She led the others out of the building and they ascended stairs to reach the fort's walls.
"Anyway, rumours soon reached Asia, Europe and America of suspect magical activities on this unknown continent. In 1709, an international program was activated to send specially trained Aurors into this new region to prevent the spreading of magical activities in Australia and New Zealand. Apart from British Aurors, French, German, American and Chinese Aurors were sent. They established two centres at the Northwest and the Southeast coast and one in New Zealand. On the magical side, these lands were initially military ruled."
They stepped onto the walls of the fort and David unconsciously touched his neck when something stung him.
"Soon, first contact was made to indigenous wizards. First there was incomprehension on the parts of Australian and Māori Wizards over the question of secrecy and smaller conflicts arose. Especially under the influence of American Auror Conrad Muhlenberg an agreement could be made. In telling about the persecution of Native Americans he warned of non-magical settlers from Europe who most certainly would come. In the end, magical protection zones were erected in which indigenous Wizards could live in with their non-magical brothers and sisters if they wanted to. The same year, Wizarding Schools were erected."
Suddenly, David felt dizzy and he hung on to the battlements.
"The attention increased when Captain James Cook arrived in Australia in 1770. As the European Muggles seemed to discover even the last regions of the earth, ministries were established in Australia and New Zealand..."
"David!" Emilia exclaimed. David hold his stomach and gazed up to her. Nausea rose up inside him.
She rushed towards him and held him.
"Billywig..." he gasped feeling as if he would vomit any moment.
"Sorry?" she asked.
"You're gonna love this!" He looked at her with an agonised smile.
Emilia stepped away from David frightened as he threw up and then...
As if he had virtually fetched up his entire weight, David floated up like a balloon. Emilia could just about grab his hand and hold him. And David dangled there as he floated one metre above the ground upside down.
Alex held her hands to her mouth to hide her giggle. With a cheeky smile she stepped beside Emilia looking at him.
"Hey there! Hasn't it always been your dream, flying unsupported?"
"Very funny, Alex!" David retorted. "How long will this take?"
"Oh, just about 20 minutes with one sting." Napurrula replied.
"Great!" David groaned.
The fire crackled in the fireplace and ever-burning candles created a vespertine and warm atmosphere which Emilia liked so much about this tent sitting room. This time however she wasn't calm and relaxed but impatient. Bustling, she opened and closed drawers of the filing cabinet looking for answers. Somewhere, David must have collected something, he collected historical documents and articles all over the world, magical and non-magical alike.
"Still up at this hour?"
Startled, Emilia looked up. David stood at the food of the stairs, hands behind his back and smiling. She smiled back.
"What are you looking for?" asked David stepping towards her and looking at the filing cabinet.
"Oh, nothing, nothing..."
David raised an eyebrow, Emilia looked down. David stepped in front her putting his hands on her shoulder.
"Hey. You don't need to be ashamed. Curiosity isn't a sin, you know?"
She looked up into his eyes. He seemed to penetrate her seeing more then there was.
Emilia turned away from him and bit herself on her lower lip rubbing her hands a bit. She didn't know how to tell him.
She sat into an armchair by the fire and stared onto the chess board between the two armchairs. David sat opposite her.
"I was just about a year old when..when m-my parents were killed in an assassination attempt. They had gone to the cinema. The police found the doors to the auditorium being locked. And inside...everyone was dead! But nobody seemed to have any signs of injury. They all were just as healthy as they had been in their lifetime. As if suddenly every organs had simply been switched off."
Emilia looked up to David.
"Because of that the police thought of multiple homicide. How else should so many people in one room die so suddenly and all with the same signs or rather lack thereof. The only explanation that the police could came up with was some new kind of bioweapon. And that didn't seem to be the first case. There seemed to have happened something similar in Little Hangleton."
David leant back into his armchair with a sigh.
"I know what you're getting at."
"One of your kind killed them. A Witch or a Wizard."
Her voice sounded somewhat hollow, and there was something in her eyes.
David looked at her, serious and sad.
"The Killing Curse." he explained. "Avada Kedavra. Leaves no traces behind and is instant. Part of the so-called Unforgivable Curses. They are strictly forbidden and punished with a life sentence in most countries including Britain. Voldemort and his followers have used them in both Wizarding Wars. He was..."
"A dark Wizard who wanted to eradicate Muggles and Muggle-borns and strived for immortality."
David raised his eyebrows.
"I've read it in Modern Magical History." she explained.
David nodded.
"I will try to find some information. When did the assassination take place?"
"August 9, 1996."
Scamander Research Base, Antarctica
In the Antarctic summer temperatures were around freezing point. The snow had melted in many places revealing grey-black rock.
Scamander Base, named after Newton Scamander, the first Magizoologist, had been founded in 1959 when Muggles began to increasingly exploring the continent. As magical creatures also belonged to this extraordinary ecosystem. Plants, fungi and animals which had been kept secret to Muggles.
David, Alex, Emilia, Rolf and Luna had arrived – how else – by Portkey. Emilia seemed to have gotten used to this method of travel but David knew that she didn't like it nonetheless. He reflected on whether he could try to take her on a broom ride one day.
The leader of the Base, María Péres Navarro, greeted the newcomers especially Rolf as he was a Magizoologist and the descendent to the eponym on this very base.
Navarro led them through the large base. Magizoologists and Herbologists entered and exited the building often with glass cases containing magical life forms: blue algae, apparating fish or a Lobalug.
Emilia looked at the people from different countries working here similar to Shishapangma Base in Tibet where she had met David and Alex. Suddenly she noticed something as she recognised some crates which were set up in several spots minted with the initials KE.
"What are materials of a non-magical company doing here?"
"That's no Muggle company," David replied having also spotted the crates. "At least, not anymore."
"What do you mean by that?" Emilia wanted to know.
At that moment, a man around 40 approached them, accompanied by a man and a woman with a symbol on their left arms showing a two-faced head surrounded by a wand and a lightning bolt like on the signs warning of high voltage. The man himself wore a dark red robe.
"Ah, David! Alex! Hadn't thought I would see you so soon again...oh, and who have we here?"
The man looked at Emilia, approached her and stretched out his hand.
"Andrew Abbott, nice to meet you."
Emilia took it and smiled. So this was Andrew Abbott, the Wizard of maroon origins she had already heard of.
"What are you doing here, Andrew?" David asked with a sceptical look. "What does Julia think you will find here?"
"Well, we've already found it, David. That's why we're even here. We have to investigate it. Ah, Mr. Scamander, Mrs. Lovegood!"
Rolf nodded.
"I do hope the specimen has been brought there unhurt." Rolf inquired with an unusual serious expression.
"I have personally assured myself of that." Andrew replied.
"What specimen are they talking about?" Alex whispered to David.
"Well, it certainly is top secret." he whispered back.
As Rolf and Luna went to another area to work with their colleagues on new arctic magical creatures, Andrew turned to David, Alex and Emilia.
"Follow me."
Although had been dressed in clothes specifically for this environment, the cold seemed to pierce through, especially with this strong wind. The vehicle, a mixture of carriage and sleigh, carried themselves through the Antarctic landscape. Together with some of Andrew's people, Andrew himself, David, Alex and Emilia sat in one of the sleigh-carriages.
"One hardly believes it but even in the most remote locations of the earth magic can be found, as here in Antarctica. The number of magical species which we haven't discovered yet could be thousands, especially in the seas."
"You wouldn't be here only for magical creatures, Andrew." David surmised.
"Why not?" Andrew answered, "they could have abilities that could be useful to us."
"Useful for what?" Alex asked appalled.
"We're here." Andrew merely said.
Through the snow, they could make out a glow as if billions of green fireflies were floating around. Andrew led the group as they marched through the snow until they could clearly see the strange object.
Like a thin column it rose out of the ice coated by green light particles that, always in motion, floated around the column.
"What is that?" Alex wondered.
"Something old." Andrew shouted back.
They slowly approached the object.
The snow and wind ceased. All of a sudden as if they had crossed some sort of barrier.
Andrew went near the object squatting down to study it.
David and his companions likewise came closer.
Suddenly the particles moved quickly changing course forming a line that separated coming close to David and Alex. David looked down at his pocket where his wand was which the line of particles seemed to inspect as if they were curious somehow. Alex stepped back as the particles approached her.
"What could it be?" David wondered. "Who could have built it?"
"Perhaps they came from somewhere else..." Emilia guessed. "perhaps from another world."
"Good thinking!" Andrew praised her, a little impressed, "But what kind of world? An earlier civilization, another planet...or..."
"Or another reality, a parallel universe!" Emilia added.
Andrew smiled.
"I like you, Emilia. You're clever."
She blushed a little.
"Look, there!" Alex pointed to a small elevation next to the column. Its form was weird.
Andrew stepped towards it and moved his hand over it. The snow blew away on its own revealing a skeleton. Not human. Its skull had a strange form resembling nothing they had seen before. Andrew summoned something at the left arm of the body. A bracelet! Pulling it from the body, he lay it into a conjured crate without touching it.
"Yes! This is it! This is the answer."
"Could you be more precise, Andrew?" David asked.
"We like to think of ourselves as the best magical being, being so arrogant. But there are way more potent creatures out there: goblins, elves, vampires, unicorns, sphinxes or phoenixes. And we haven't found them all. There are beings who we wouldn't guess to have magical powers."
He looked at the three of them.
"Haven't you ever wondered why house-elves were made slaves and goblins were made second class citizens? It was their power! Two primate species both incredibly powerful and both, as recently found out, far older than humanity itself. Humans have always feared that which is different, that which is more powerful."
Andrew gazed at the column.
"Imagine what knowledge such an old civilization could give us. Perhaps they've managed to live in peace with their No-Majes or to successfully defended themselves."
He ordered his people to erect magical protective charms around the object and put the skeleton in a crate as well putting it besides the first in the carriage.
"One thing is certain." Andrew said as they all went back into the carriage. "Our exploration of magic has just begun!"
Here are the different writing systems for the various newspapers:
Moskovskij Volšebnik (Московский волшебник),
As-Siḥr (السِّحْر),
Thai Wetmon (ไทยเวทมนตร์),
Zhōngguó Móshù (中國魔術),
Joseon Mudang (조선무당),
Yamatai Fujutsu (邪馬台巫術).
And the names of mentioned personalities within the papers:
Jurij Olegovič Vasílʹjevskij (Юрий Олегович Васильевский),
Nikolaj Dmitrijevič Čurkin (Николай Дмитриевич Чуркин),
Đỗ Thị Khiêm (杜氏謙),
Pràsìt Cheewítàmádtà (ประสิทธิ์ ชีวิตอมตะ).
The glass globe showing the galaxy was mentioned in the "Prisoner of Azkaban" novel when Harry wanders through Diagon Alley.