An examination of political realities might well lead one to say, and with justification, that there is no good or evil, but only power and those too weak to seek it. Or, to paraphrase another writer, that political power grows out of the end of a wand. It is impossible for an oppressed people to secure their liberty by presenting moral arguments to their oppressors. Indeed, one will find that their oppressors will have devised all sorts of moral arguments to justify their subjugation. Tyrants have only ever been dethroned through a process of intense, and often violent, struggle.
Tom Riddle, Magic is Might
(published by Little Red Books)
In re British partition
Clearance BRONZE TURQUOISE eyes only
File "new British government"
¶Efforts to penetrate British partition continue to meet with middling success or failure.
¶British partition composed of patrols & intricate series of wards, including anti-apparition, anti-portkey, security spells, including modified Caterwauling Charm, Intruder Charm, & tripwire curses. Goblin assistance probable. Curse- & ward-breaking attempts met with fierce resistance, casualties frequent, fatalities occasional. Foreign infiltration unsuccessful. Contact with domestic agents rarely maintainable.
¶Most recently, loss of contact with M. F. (smuggler). No signal for three months, long past original contact period & backup contact period. Likely imprisoned in Azkaban.
¶Conclusion: British partition probably unbreachable under current conditions.
¶Recommendation: Abandon active surveillance, transition to passive information gathering via other sources, principally muggle news.
≫ X. Le Strange, 11 February 1984.
In re British situation
Clearance BRONZE TURQUOISE; HONEY OPAL; MYSTIC TOPAZ eyes only
File "orders", "new British government"
¶All efforts of the Black Room in re British situation to be conducted, overseen by new task group, henceforth categorized & classified under MYSTIC TOPAZ clearance. Effective immediately.
≫ A. Sinormand, 26 February 1984.
[...] Nuclear weapons have become so terrifying that we seem compelled to keep them at the ready solely to counter their potential use by our enemies, but by keeping them we have apparently exchanged the possibility of conventional warfare for the certainty of nuclear annihilation. I would bring to your attention the series of close calls that have recently brought us to the brink of accidental genocide. Why, it was only last year that a widespread power outage in the United States caused their detectors to malfunction & conclude that the country had just suffered a debilitating nuclear attack. Contrary to what my predecessor Winston Churchill said over thirty years ago, nuclear weapons have not kept the peace. They have only kept us in a state of unremitting fear.
Far from inviting danger, then, complete and unilateral nuclear disarmament may be the only thing that spares Britain from greater danger. If the other nuclear powers of the world do not join us then a full & devastating exchange would seem inevitable, due to human error if for no other reason. If we have disarmed before then, however, then at least we will not be targeted. I would to God that we not have to walk this road alone, but I can do no more than ensure the safety of the British people.
Margaret Thatcher, "Open Letter on Nuclear Disarmament"
10 April 1986 issue of The Finchley Times
◗ Have you seen this? ≫ F.
◗◗ Muggle drama. What of it? ≫ B.
◗ The woman threatened to use the Bomb on the Argentinians four years ago, or don't you remember? And now she's backing off? ≫ F.
◗◗ You're the mugglehead, S████. Make it plain for me. ≫ B.
Black Room transcript,
dated 11 April 1986,
declassified 13 July 1993
In re Britain - nuclear disarmament
Clearance MYSTIC TOPAZ eyes only
File "new British government", "muggle Britain", "nuclear weapons"
¶Nuclear weapons remain most dire threat from muggles to muggles & wizards. Muggle British government currently in possession of ~450 nuclear weapons, down from ~500 at start of decade.
¶British Minister of Muggles, M. Thatcher, notably "hawk-ish" or belligerent in re nuclear weapons (cf. 1979, 1982, 1983 incidents in attached documents) till recent reversal. Party supporters in muggle "Parliament" likewise hawk-ish. Recent reports suggest upcoming vote to disarm will pass unanimously notwithstanding these facts.
¶Conclusion: Muggle British government fully subordinate to Wizarding Britain, likely through liberal use of Imperius Curse, cannot be considered independent power. Independence of regional, local levels of government unclear.
¶Recommendation: Assume all higher government functions have been subverted by Wizarding Britain. Immediately abandon present operation to piggyback muggle French intelligence, infiltrate Thatcher's office. In accordance with established "wait & see" procedure, refrain from alerting I.C.W., public; refrain from taking hostile measures. Threat posed by Wizarding Britain remains minimal.
≫ S. Fulcanelli, 12 April 1986.
BRITISH MUGGLES TO DISMANTLE KILLER BOMBS UNDER WIZARDING INFLUENCE
La Lune, 18 May 1986
Forty-one years ago, almost to the day, the late and great Albus Dumbledore defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald. If the muggles knew what he had done for them, there would be statues in every plaza, but, of course, they do not know—they cannot know—because they were saved in the first place. Since that time, we have strived with all our might to maintain the peace and to terminate any subsequent risk to the Statute of Secrecy or to the muggles' own safety.
Now, however, we find ourselves at an impasse of the most terrible kind. On the one hand, we keep to our ideals in the most exacting fashion, as we have always done, and curse the consequences. On the other, however, there is another path, no less dark than the first, and we tremble even to consider it, much less speak its name.
As La Lune revealed to the world, it is the opinion of the intelligencers in France's "Black Room" that Wizarding Britain has forced the muggle government of the United Kingdom to disarm, no doubt by means of the Imperius Curse, which, though literally and legally termed Unforgivable by this very body, may nevertheless be permitted under extenuating circumstances.
Now it falls on us, though we flinch to hear the call, to determine whether we will follow in Britain's footsteps. The muggles must be afforded the right to self-determination, of course, but even they despair at the thought of these terrible weapons, and their leaders claim to hold fast only because they cannot be assured of cooperation from the other side. I say to you, if the muggles have any rights at all then surely they have the right to not be slaughtered in nuclear hellfire.
Bruna Trinkschuh, Zauberkanzlerin of the W.R.R.
20 May 1986 Address to the I.C.W.
◗◗◗ When I find out which one of you shit-eaters leaked this to the press, I will force feed you till your liver bursts and serve it on gold to St. Cyprien, and when he asks for more I'm going to heal you so I can do it all over again. ≫ S.
TIANCHAO TABLES "CHINESE DE-NUCLEARIZATION" UNDER RISK OF ICW CENSURE
La Lune, 22 October 1986
In re British disappearances - muggles - children
Clearance MYSTIC TOPAZ eyes only
File "new British government", "muggle Britain"
¶1970-1982, long-term disappearances of muggle children (i.e. 1 year) from British Isles averaging ~300 cases per annum. Allowing for population density, disappearances roughly equal across constituent countries. ~25 long-term disappearances of Scottish muggle children per annum.
¶By 1984, long-term disappearances rise sharply, stabilizing at ~600 cases per annum overall by 1986. Long-disappearances in Scotland treble previous rates: ~25 → ~75 per annum. Abduction of muggle-borns can account for, at most, seven per cent of increase.
¶Muggle governments doing nothing. Reports being quashed. Internal investigations go nowhere, stop suddenly & regularly after getting attention of constabulary administration.
¶Conclusion: wizarding Britain probably responsible for disappearances, probably directly interfering with investigations at regional to national level. Nature of interference points to combination of Confundus, Imperius, &/or Obliviation. Purpose of non-muggle-born disappearances unclear.
¶Recommendation: Maintain observations, elsewise do nothing.
≫ S. Fulcanelli, 26 August 1990.
BRITISH WIZARDING GOVERNMENT REACHES OUT TO W. EUROPE, WORLD
La Lune, 17 February 1993
[...] Though I recognize that our long sequestration was cause for concern, it was necessary that we have a period of self-purification and, dare I say, privacy. Had it been otherwise, our every mistake would have been seized upon, but now Britain can present itself as a model society, where every failing and prejudice of the old world has passed away.
In a certain way this has been to our disadvantage, because our detractors have had ten years to spin lies in our absence and turn all that is gold about us into leaden dross, but we know that the greater part of the Wizarding World is made of better stuff than to be so easily deceived, and we are confident that, as we say in Britain, truth will out.
Though our actions have apparently given rise to some consternation even in our absence, the I.C.W. need not fear on our account. Britain is, first and foremost, committed to the preservation of the Statute of Secrecy, and we have done nothing with respect to that sacred law except strengthen our adherence to it. Though we would be delighted to see others follow after our way in every principle and precept, we are content to lead by example.
Tom Riddle, "To the Wizarding World"
19 February 1993 issue of The Daily Prophet
MINISTER PLAMONDON TO MEET WITH BRITISH MINISTER.
La Lune, 28 February 1993
Analysis of Tom Marvolo Riddle (revised)
Clearance HONEY OPAL; MYSTIC TOPAZ eyes only
File "new British government", "Tom Riddle"
¶Humoric profile—major sanguine, minor choleric. Elemental profile—air, unstable, rising. Color profile—yellow (bright)/yellow (dark). Astrological profile—Capricorn in the era of Cancer; cf. memorandum 35-E(1993) for complete chart. Ruling planet—Jupiter. Wandwood—yew. Wand core—phoenix feather. Form, patronus—sparrowhawk. Form, animagus—none.
¶Orphan. Claims to be half-blood, but most likely child of squib branch; cf. m.32-C(1976) for supporting evidence. Alternate "pretender heir" theory argues Riddle is fully muggle-born; cf. m.32-D(1976) for supporting evidence. Excellent academic performance at Hogwarts. Served apprenticeship with part-goblin & master duelist F. Flitwick. Professed sympathies for muggle-borns & non-humans probably rooted in these experiences.
¶Post-graduate activities not fully understood. Contact-building possible but unlikely given low foreign dependence during insurgency & later isolation. Following return to Britain: formed Death Eaters, became representative for Wales. Three unsuccessful campaigns for highest office.
¶Currently Hogwarts headmaster, teaches upper level courses, esp. Dark Arts, Mind Arts. Given current British penchant for indirect control, probably real ruler of Britain. Question—why focus attention on Hogwarts?
¶Profiles & previous activities suggest capacity for patience, long-term strategy. International coalition-building unlikely in active sense, but may support friendly relationships. Eventual belligerence possible but not certain. Question—why end isolation now & not at some other time? Was purpose for isolation achieved, or are unknown pressures responsible?
¶Recommendation: Maintain observations. Censor & forward this report to H.M.C.M. & appropriate diplomatic entities. Officially—the Black Room neither endorses nor disendorses any particular diplomatic action. Unofficially, internally—our intelligencers require intelligence, which requires access, which requires concord; discourage belligerence, determine candidates for eventual long-term work; make all necessary preparations for placement inc. feigned disaffection with said candidates & procurement of falsitaserum.
≫ S. Fulcanelli, 9 March 1993.
BEAUXBATONS, DURM., HOG., BEGIN OPENNESS TALKS
La Lune, 12 March 1993
A/N The next story, Hermione Granger and the Silent Country, is currently available on Archive of Our Own, with 21 chapters (plus cover page). It will be uploaded on FFN sometime next summer, once I've had some time to polish it up (FFN's doc management process being what it is, I'm not going to post something that I'm planning to revise).