"Shocking! Renowned Magizoologist Newt Scamander Arrested in Paris!"
"Call for a Wizard Blacklist: Total Ban on Scamander!"
"He's Here, He's Here, and He's Brought His Infamous Case!"
Early morning, just outside Place Fürstenberg, the streets were bustling with people.
Many wizards were walking around with copies of Le Parisien Wizard, the headlines screaming with sensationalism, attracting a lot of attention.
Among the crowd, two young witches and wizards stood out. Their youthful demeanor made them seem out of place amidst the working professionals.
As the headquarters of the French Ministry of Magic, its entrance was hidden in Place Fürstenberg, in the sixth arrondissement of Paris.
William led Hermione to a stop by a tree near the fountain. The roots suddenly sprang up, forming a cage-like elevator around them.
Hermione looked nervous; it was her first time visiting the Ministry of Magic, and it was in France, no less.
Her palms were slightly sweaty.
William tapped the back of her hand gently, signaling her to relax.
The elevator descended slowly into the ground, and soon, they stepped into the grand hall of the Ministry of Magic along with the crowd.
The hall was a masterpiece of artistic design, with an arched ceiling painted with intricate constellations.
It was a busy morning, and the fireplaces kept flaring as wizards arrived through Floo Powder.
William and Hermione approached the reception desk.
The receptionist was a young witch with a cascade of thick, wine-red hair that fell naturally over her shoulders. She looked like she'd only recently graduated from school, not surprising for someone working at the front desk.
When she saw William approaching, her eyes lit up, and she greeted them warmly in French:
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic! I'm Costa, the receptionist. How can I assist you today?"
"I'd like to request a visit to the detention area," William replied fluently in French. "I need to see Mr. Newt Scamander."
Costa raised an eyebrow. She had read the papers and was well aware of Scamander's arrest, this old troublemaker who had repeatedly caused city-wide catastrophes.
Her tone remained polite but firm:
"I'm sorry, but he's a high-profile prisoner. If you need assistance, you'll need your parents to…"
She paused, suddenly frowning in surprise.
"Wait, you're not French, are you?"
"No, I'm not," William admitted, caught off guard. "You can tell I'm not French just from my accent?"
That didn't make sense. Fleur Delacour had assured him that his French was impeccable, with pure Parisian accent no less!
"Not really," Costa replied with a laugh, covering her mouth. "I just graduated from Beauxbatons. If you were a student there, I'd definitely remember you.
"You have the kind of appearance that's impossible to forget after seeing it once."
William was momentarily speechless. So, it wasn't his accent that gave him away, it was his looks.
Being handsome wasn't always a blessing. Occasionally, it came with some mildly annoying but harmless problems. What a dilemma…
"I'm not a Beauxbatons student," he explained. "I study at Hogwarts."
"Hogwarts?" Costa looked surprised. "Your French is incredible! I've rarely met a British wizard who speaks such fluent French… How old are you?"
The young witch seemed bored after spending too much time at the front desk and started chatting incessantly, rivaling Bertha Jorkins in her talkativeness.
After tolerating it for two minutes, William finally interrupted and repeated his request:
"Miss Costa, I need to visit Mr. Newt Scamander in the detention area."
"But… that's impossible," Costa insisted. "Scamander is a prisoner, and no one is allowed to visit him. Especially not minors like you two…"
"Actually, he can!" Hermione cut in, her French halting but clear.
Having picked up some French from William, Hermione could manage basic conversations.
Many well-educated British children knew at least a little French, given the language's influence on Britain after the Norman Conquest.
"William is the British Youth Representative for the Wizengamot," Hermione declared seriously.
Her French in this instance was exceptionally fluent, it was clear she had practiced this speech in private.
"He has the right to visit Newt Scamander!"
Costa was visibly shocked. As a low-ranking Ministry employee, she was at least familiar with the Wizengamot.
But how could this boy, so young, already hold such a title?
Each country appoints a youth representative to its Wizengamot. Candidates must generally be at least sixteen years old and gain approval from one-third of the senior members of the Wizengamot, wizards and witches renowned for their wisdom and stringent standards.
This position was often vacant because it was so difficult to obtain.
Albus Dumbledore had once been a youth representative himself. William, as a recipient of the Order of Merlin, had managed to overcome the age barrier, thanks to Dumbledore's assistance.
During his first summer at Hogwarts, Cornelius Fudge had made polite noises about helping him apply for the role, but nothing came of it. Only recently, with Dumbledore's intervention, had his candidacy been approved.
"I am indeed the British Youth Representative for the Wizengamot," William said calmly, noticing Costa's skepticism. He gestured for Hermione to assist him.
Hermione promptly pulled a badge bearing the letter "W" from her pocket, along with other documents affirming his credentials.
"According to Article 73 of the International Statute of Secrecy, every nation's magical governing body is responsible for concealing its local magical community..." William began, though he stumbled slightly, having only skimmed the relevant materials.
Hermione, standing behind him, whispered a quick prompt.
William continued smoothly, "Violators are subject to legal penalties by the governing body.
"Whatever Scamander may have done in Paris, legally speaking, we have the right to extradite him to Britain."
"And then have him undergo a fair trial by the British Wizengamot," Hermione chimed in, "and send him to Azkaban if found guilty."
Her French here was polished and clearly memorized.
The duo's synchronized presentation left Costa completely stunned. She was just a receptionist, did they really need to make things this formal and intense?
"You're not wrong, children," a stern voice interrupted from behind.
A wizard in a deep purple robe entered the scene. He appeared to be in his sixties, with a neatly trimmed goatee.
"Mr. Crigan," Costa greeted respectfully, her tone deferential.
Crigan nodded slightly in acknowledgment before fixing his gaze on William. He extended his hand.
"Mr. Stark… the youngest recipient of the Order of Merlin. I've heard of you.
"I am Crigan, the Head of Magical Law Enforcement. I'm also the one who ordered Scamander's arrest."
William shook his hand firmly.
"When did you become the British Youth Representative for the Wizengamot?" Crigan inquired.
"Yesterday," William replied softly. "It's a minor matter, I only just received the notification."
"Tch, tch…Dumbledore moves quite fast for his age… We've only had Scamander in custody for a day," Crigan remarked with a dry chuckle.
"But you're just a youth representative, which is not the same as being a full member of the Wizengamot.
"According to the Wizengamot Charter of Rights, you have the right to observe hearings… but only that. You lack voting rights, let alone the authority to extradite prisoners."
Youth representatives in the Wizengamot were largely symbolic, their role more about learning and observing than exercising actual power.
In other words, while William could attend trials and offer opinions, he had no real influence beyond that.
"But I have Dumbledore's authorization," William countered, "and he is not only the Chief Warlock of the British Wizengamot but also the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards."
At that, Hermione pulled out a parchment inscribed with elegant golden script. She handed it to Crigan.
The International Confederation of Wizards served as the magical equivalent of the United Nations.
Unlike its Muggle counterpart, however, it wielded real power and could, under certain circumstances, intervene in the sovereignty of individual nations.
Ordinarily, William wouldn't have the authority to act. But with Dumbledore's authorization and his title as a youth representative, his position carried considerably more weight.
"This is Dumbledore's handwriting," Crigan acknowledged after inspecting the parchment.
"However, the International Magical Law Office hasn't notified us yet. Even if Dumbledore is the Supreme Mugwump, this letter doesn't give him the authority to overrule me directly.
Legally speaking, I'm not subject to the jurisdiction of a British wizard."
'"I understand," William said with a calm smile. "Which brings us back to my original request.
"I'm here to request permission to visit Mr. Scamander. I simply wish to hear his testimony.
"Under the mandate of the International Confederation of Wizards and in my capacity as the British Youth Representative of the Wizengamot in France, I believe you won't have any objections?"
Crigan took a step back, squinting slightly as he scrutinized the young wizard standing before him.