Chapter 23:

British Minister Fudge showed unexpected initiative. He told me, "Lucius, I know you would like to see muggle England in the Technology Alliance. I can arrange that, but there would be expenses."

I replied, "I was hesitant to take this step. The Maastrict Treaty just went into effect, and I think the British and Irish public want to see what it will do. While I could imagine a time two decades hence, when the UK might grow disillusioned with the newly named European Union, and narrowly decide to withdraw from it, I cannot even imagine how to turn it around quickly."

Fudge wrote a very large number on a parchment. My eyebrows raised, but it was an amount I could put together. He said, "This amount will bring in the muggle governments of UK and Ireland, and will make inroads towards some of the other members of this European Union wanting a larger treaty that will include the Technology Alliance.

I am, after all, a politician, and know how politicians think."

I said, "Very well. This is a large amount and in exchange I expect promised results or a refund."

Fudge paled at that, and said, "Very well, but in that unlikely circumstance I would give you names and amounts to get the refunds from, and those disbursed amounts would not be my personal debt."

I said, "Gringotts will be the intermediary. They will disburse as you tell them. They will judge when the success condition is met, and then they will turn over your share. I do not care if it is a large part of the total as long as you get it done. We have a deal."

MACUSA gave advanced notice that they wanted a review of the non-magical situation at the ICW meeting in October 1995.

Dumbledore was the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW. That gave him influence although not control over it. I met with him in advance of the meeting.

I said, "Before we begin, let us review my objectives. No war with non-magicals. No war between magicals. No wars of mass destruction between non-magicals. A guiding role of magicals to make these permanent.

Other important goals: When magic become known, it is thought of favorably by non-magicals. Magicals will have opportunities to earn money using their skills. Non-magicals to eventually think of them as people with skills, not as something to be feared or opposed. Finally, a combination of magic and technology to improve standards of living of both, which you might note is well underway."

Dumbledore said, "I can determine that you and your associates actions, so far have been consistent with your stated goals. While I am uneasy at the prominence with which you place unlawful organizations, it is not a major objection of mine at this time.

MACUSA is going to present a modification of the earlier approved legislation. They will acknowledge that you have achieved most of the goals of containing certain classes of non-magical weapons. They will ask for MACUSA to be responsible for those in the USA, and the ministries of Britain and France for their non-magical nations. Further they would assign MACUSA to ensure that the rest of the Americas, plus South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia do not develop such weapons."

I said, "Thank you for the advanced warning. I will put together a response. I assume that MACUSA is going to want to help the economies of US allies in a similar way to how we have in the Technology Alliance. Furthermore, since their economies are now the majority of the world, they assume that they will maintain that ratio in that manner."

Dumbledore said, "Indeed. I was going to mention that intention next."

I asked, "Tell me something Albus. Why help me and not back MACUSA?"

Dumbledore said, "Better the devil you know than the one you don't know. It is a phrase with some fascinating origins in 16th century Ireland. It means I know what to expect from you and your associates, flaws and all. From MACUSA I perceive ambition, just as I do from you. However, I do not know what end goals they have for their ambitions. I believe at least that you genuinely want a future for wizardkind and have unique knowledge to help bring about that future.

I also received a most interesting request from Minister Fudge to use my voting rights to back your counter-proposal to the MACUSA, whatever it might be. He had an interesting perspective saying that our future belongs more with the continent than with the upstart colonials. What was interesting about his speech is that I could tell that this was his own thinking, not repeating what you may have told him to say."

I replied, "Minister Fudge has more depth to him than his persona would suggest. Reflect deeply on his role in the arrest and imprisonment of Sirius Black in 1981, and you will reach that conclusion."

Lewis Hawkins of MACUSA spoke to the ICW, "Gentlewitches and gentlewizards. I humbly wish to share some grave misgivings since the organization headed by Mr. Singh was given authorization to constrain non-magical use and possession of certain weapons and tools.

In a clearly previously planned operation, Mr. Singh has reshaped a part of the non-magical world in an alliance that seems directed against MACUSA's part of the world. We also feel responsibility to our non-magical brethren and cannot stand by and see them subject to being conquered by non-magicals hostile to them.

I have been charged to lead an organization to make sure that the previously spoken of weapons in my area of operations also be contained, with the same formula. That is responsible states that already have such weapons, such as the US, have magical oversite over the use of such weapons, while other states be prevented from acquiring such weapons. Further, in reaction to the Technology Alliance using barely concealed magic to help their economies, our organization shall do the same.

Due to the reckless actions of the Technology Alliance, it might be necessary to end the Statue of Secrecy, which should be discussed at a future ICW meeting. Meanwhile, we will need to contain the knowledge that the non-magical government of the US has already discovered about use of magic by the Technology Alliance.

Our proposal is that my organization be given the charter to carry out the ICW's previous ruling for a part of the world. Once this is agreed to, the specifics of the territory can be addressed next."

Dumbledore answered, "I will use the Supreme Mugwump privilege of weighing in my view of this proposal.

Just a few years ago, the non-magical world had an enormous destructive capacity mostly held by two rival blocks. That capacity is still there, and with recent actions, again under the control of major powers. Magical control will not prevent their use, if the very magical organizations tasked with controlling them are themselves divided into rival blocks ready to go to war against each other.

I understand some of the motivation of helping the non-magical world. Control over them is not so easy, with their much larger numbers and advanced technology. A program that non-magicals find agreeable is far easier to implement. Instead of telling them no and only trying to enforce rules, they are given better ways to be.

If any modification is to be done, it should be that each magical ministry encourage their non-magical counterparts to cooperate globally to aims that put war behind them. If the incentive is needed to improve their lives to accomplish this, then that can continue. I therefore will personally vote no on Mr. Hawkin's proposal.

Let us all reflect on this and resume deliberations tomorrow."

The quick lobbying that happened during the rest of the day, made it apparent that MACUSA would be willing to openly defy the ICW if they did not get their way. Khan and I found it ironic that while we were the ones who initially considered doing the same, now our opposition felt maneuvered to be in that outlaw category.

The consensus that was building was that MACUSA had to be given something, since no-one was seriously considering a fight with them. The ICW would need other ministries to fight them, and it would wind up being the Technology Alliance against whatever alliance MACUSA managed to pull together, and it would be combined magical and non-magical forces in the worst world war that Earth had ever seen.

After considerable negotiation, the following was passed, "Each magical ministry or equivalent has the option of directing its non-magical counterpart, in furtherance of the previous resolution. If it is incapable or not choosing to exercise that option, others can step into that role. Influencing forces should carefully avoid conflict with each other."

It was vague, and didn't really solve the issues at hand, but it kept any defiance of the ICW by not requiring much.

The Technology Alliance now continued what it was doing, which was to try to gain territory. Our goals were now all of Europe, and to try to make inroads with the large economies of East Asia and the parts of South East Asia that we did not already control. We weren't going to cede South America either.

We also aimed to make use of our head start over MACUSA in trying to help the technology and economy of our part of the world, while they began that in the US.