Chapter 707 Father and Son (10,000-Word Chapter!)

"Hey, before you know it, it's already so late?"

Outside Piskarev Cemetery, Newt raised his head and looked at the darkening sky.

Moscow is still a long way from St. Petersburg. In order to avoid exposing his identity in front of Ivanov, Newt finally chose to come here by train with the old man instead of taking a more "wizard" approach.

In fact, now it seems that this is actually a very lucky and extremely correct choice.

After all, strictly speaking, Ivanovich was convicted of "violating the Statute of Secrecy" by the wizard's court. As a well-known top wizard in the wizarding world today, Newt would inevitably arouse some suspicion if he was too high-profile.

"Sorry, Mr. Ivanov, I still have some things to deal with. How about we stop here today... We will meet here again at nine o'clock tomorrow morning? Of course, I will help you with the accommodation expenses. of……"

Newt took out his pocket watch, took a look at it, and pointed to the "Motherland-Mother" sculpture at the entrance to the cemetery.

As he spoke, Newt took out a small pile of banknotes from his wallet and prepared to hand it to Ivanov.

Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the ensuing Great Depression has severely impacted the entire Russia, and even every field in the entire European country. The Piskarev Cemetery, which was once crowded with people, has become the most deserted. place.

Few foreign tourists come here to pay their respects. There are so many more interesting and historic attractions in St. Petersburg than here.

As for the residents living in this city, they almost never come here. The heavy pressure of life has long left them no time to miss the past. Just maintaining the most basic food and clothing is already a very difficult thing.

Therefore, Piskalev Cemetery has become the most secluded and safe corner in St. Petersburg.

"Mr. Scamander, you... okay, thank you."

Ivanov was about to subconsciously refuse, but then suddenly stopped in the middle of his words. After hesitating for a few seconds, he gritted his teeth and took the pile of banknotes from Newt Scamander, smiling awkwardly. laughed.

"I don't have any medals for sale anymore, but I will definitely find another batch for you tomorrow, and the guide fee for the next week is also included in it. As long as it's in Russia, even if I'm not that familiar with it, city, I will definitely help you find a reliable local guide——"

All the medals Ivanov had on him had been given to Newt when he was in the cemetery.

Although theoretically, if Ivanov could be split and sold individually, Ivanov might be able to sell it at a higher price to other tourists, but in the eyes of the old man, these medals can only become medals in the hands of specific people rather than decorate.

You know, a few dozen pounds is already considered a considerable income for Ivanov now.

"By the way, Mr. Scamander, if you don't mind, I would like to ask one more question..."

After hesitating for a few seconds, the old man lowered his eyes slightly. He missed Newt's eyes and looked at the collar of his windbreaker. He pursed his lips and asked in a cautious voice, like a mosquito.

"Your friend, how many medals does he plan to acquire?"

"How many medals?" Scamander frowned and looked at Ivanov with some confusion.

"Well...that's it..."

Ivanov's originally straight waist seemed to be bending a little more, and he hesitated to explain with his eyes wandering.

"I still have many comrades-in-arms, and they also have many various medals. I mean, if your friend has sufficient funds, I can actually help him ask more questions and collect more - of course, also It doesn’t take too much. I know that collecting one medal of the same kind is enough. Just in case, just in case... you have more friends..."

"Funds? That friend of mine..."

Newt was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously imagined a scene in his mind of a certain white-haired little loli being surrounded by a group of Gringotts goblins slightly shorter than her, surrounded by golden Galleons. After thinking about it, he spoke firmly. replied.

"Don't worry! Mr. Ivanov, besides, all my money is with her. If it is her, it will be fine."

"she?"

Ivanov glanced at Newt, then shook his head with a dumb smile.

Hey, these lucky but poor old English gentlemen.

In comparison, although he was a little embarrassed, at least he didn't have to face the terrifying female bear when he went home.

Of course, if Natasha hadn't...

Ivanov's eyes were in a daze for a moment, and then he quickly shook his head and came back to his senses.

Now is not the time to be sad and reminisce about the past. He has more important things to do later.

Ivanov carefully folded the pile of pounds in his hand and put it in the lining pocket of his clothes. He patted it several times with a serious face, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Scamander. I will wait for you here on time at half past eight tomorrow."

After a slight pause, Ivanov looked around at the gradually brightening yellowish street lights, then turned to look at Newt Scamander, who was thinking about something, with an embarrassed smile on his face.

"I'm really sorry, sir. Next I will probably have to visit some old friends' homes. If you don't need me for anything else, then I'll go first."

"Huh? It doesn't matter, I am the same...I also...have something I want to ask about."

Newt Scamander took a deep breath and subconsciously tightened the piece of parchment in his hand that recorded the current address of Ivanovich's home - this was something he asked his friends in the Ministry of Magic to do. Information that is easy to find.

The two old men, who had their own thoughts, nodded to each other absently and separated under the street lamp.

"Well, Mr. Scamander, see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Ivanov."

…………

At night in St. Petersburg, the air is fresh and cold.

"Hey, old man, I brought back good news today! Didn't you expect it?"

Ivanov raised his head, looking past the dilapidated wall and landing on the upper floors of a building in the distance.

It was an apartment building for soldiers who were on duty at a nearby military base.

The five-story building was once home to soldiers and their families. But since the Soviet Union collapsed and was officially disbanded, they have been hastily moved to other parts of the vast country. In just a few months, this building was empty, with only a few people who could not find a home still living here.

At this moment, the entire apartment building was immersed in a kind of aging darkness, with only a few dim lights coming from the windows, as if stubbornly telling the people around that there were still people living here.

Ivanov skillfully found the location where the wall collapsed and stepped over. Although he only crossed a hurdle that was less than knee high, he found it very strenuous - just like getting through the enemy's barbed wire on the battlefield forty years ago.

He walked in from the front door of the apartment and came to a door on the third floor under the faint moonlight. Just as he was about to knock on the door, a hoarse female voice came out of the room: "Ivanov, is that you? ?”

Ivanov opened the door and walked in.

The only light in the room came from an old kerosene lamp. In the dim light, Ivanov saw the old photo frame hanging on the wall, the dinner plate with cracked edges, the rusty heating rack, and the man standing in front of the dining table, groping for a glass of water for Ivanov. hostess.

Her name is Sonia. She is the wife of Ivanov's old comrade-in-arms Yuri Zhirkov.

Ivanov's old comrade-in-arms Yuri participated in the Patriotic War and several subsequent wars.

The cold winter in Stalingrad decades ago failed to kill him, the great disarmament during the Khrushchev period did not knock him down, and even poverty, disability, and illness failed to make him succumb.

But just last year, when news of the collapse of the Soviet Union spread across the country on the radio.

Yuri Zhirkov, who was shocked to hear the bad news, fell into a ditch on the roadside and never woke up.

In 1991, this was a hurdle that many people could not overcome.

The history of this country is like being cut in half by someone, like a red sausage.

After the death of Yuri Zhirkov, the life of his wife and children became a problem. Fortunately, Ivanov and several other comrades often helped them. But then life became increasingly difficult, and several other comrades also lost their source of livelihood one by one.

In the end, Ivanov, who could barely be regarded as a low-level non-commissioned officer, was actually one of the better-off groups - his Natasha could not stay with him until the end of the war. In that era, love was too extravagant. .

Because of this, Ivanov, who has no family and nothing to worry about, naturally has much less pressure to survive.

"By the way, where is little Zhirkov? Why didn't you see him?"

Ivanov asked while taking the cup from Sonia.

"He's gone to work." Sonia struggled to hold the table and sat down opposite Ivanov. Her face was haggard, but her voice rose unconsciously. When talking about children, parents are always proud:

"He works as a loader at a train station, fifteen kilometers away from here, and needs to be on duty at night... It's not easy to find a stable job now, but luckily Valkyrie is very strong... just like his father."

Yes, what a great young man, strong and tough, Ivanov saw in him the shadow of his comrades in their youth.

Unfortunately, times have changed, and the difficult times have made personal efforts futile.

In this country where the economy, politics, and people's livelihood are in complete chaos, even a good boy like Zhirkov, who goes out early and comes home late, and works hard, can only maintain the minimum living expenses for him and his mother in today's world. food and clothing line.

Ivanov took a sip of the water in the cup with emotion and frowned subconsciously.

It was cold and had a slightly sour taste... It reminded him of the bad days when he was hiding in trenches and ruins decades ago.

Then, he instantly realized that this glass of water was saved by Sonia with great difficulty using a rain collector.

Since this apartment was abandoned, the water and electricity have been cut off. If people living here want light, they can only buy the cheapest and most smoky kerosene to make lamps; if they want drinking water, they can only collect rainwater; as for It would be impossible to turn on the heating in winter. If you stay in such an environment for a long time, your body will suffer.

In fact, Ivanov has discovered that Sonia's physical condition is worse than when he last came. The sight of Sonia groping for the cup in the dim light reminded Ivanov of a disease - night blindness.

Ivanov did not know the specific cause of night blindness, but remembered that it seemed to be related to malnutrition.

Thinking of this, the figure of the British veteran appeared in front of Ivanov's eyes.

The appearance of Newt even gave Ivanov the idea that maybe the brothers who died in the Great Patriotic War and even the subsequent wars were the lucky ones. They died with their ideals in mind, and at least in the eyes of people they are real heroes, while other veterans who are still alive will only be regarded as burdens.

Ah, yes, the British veteran named Newt Scamander.

Ivanov finally remembered the purpose of his trip. He took his hand out of his pocket and placed several flattened pounds in front of Sonia. Then a Patriotic War Medal Second Class issued by the Soviet Union was placed next to the pound.

Sonia did not lower her head to look at the things on the table, but touched two things on the table in turn. When her hand touched the sharp-edged surface of the Patriotic War Medal II, there was a look of confusion on her face.

The last time they met, Sonia personally handed the medal to Ivanov and asked him to sell it for a good price.

But now Ivanov has returned the medal to himself. Where did the money come from?

Soon, she figured out the whole story: "Ivanov, you sold your medal, right?"

"Haha, you have to know that my medals are much more valuable than the ones you have. Mine is the First Class Patriotic War Medal, while your husband's is the Second Class."

"That's not the problem. No, I can't accept the money. You'd better help me sell my husband's badge."

Sonia pushed back the badge along with a few pounds.

"No, Sonia, you have to keep it. This is proof of Yuri's bravery in destroying a Tiger tank alone. You should leave him with Valkyrie, or give it to him when Valkyrie's child is born. , instead of trying to sell it.”

The moment Ivanov said this, he felt a little regretful——

Yes, the Soviet Union has collapsed, and in this new world of market economy, everything is clearly priced. A combat hero's lifetime of glory and sacrifice can be packaged away - often in U.S. dollars, for a fraction of the price.

Buyers only care about whether there is a legend behind the medal, because it will make a great conversation piece at their tea party. The sacrifices and prices paid for this medal were considered unimportant.

How could the wife of a recipient of the Patriotic War Medal 2nd Class think of selling it if she wasn't really desperate?

But on the other hand, Ivanov did not do this temporarily.

It is difficult for the youngest generation in Russia to understand the generation of Ivanov and Ivanovich. This is not because of whether they were raised under capitalism or communism, nor is it because of the age gap between them.

Even if ordinary people of the younger generation reach Ivanov's age, they will pursue very ordinary things.

Gumbo, vodka, a warm home, a kind wife and healthy children.

——But what Ivanov and the others want is a strong motherland.

Did the Soviet Union collapse?

This seems to be an unquestionable question. But in Ivanov's opinion, it was not the case. He always believed that the motherland did not fall, she was just... too tired. She just needs to rest.

One day she will stand up again, yes she will!

When that day comes, what will we use to tell the younger generation what kind of people their parents are like?

Are we going to hand over the right to speak to those capitalists?

At that time, they will say that we were forced to go to Chernobyl because the political commissar held a gun to it; they will say that it was the Americans who replaced the flag on the Reichstag in Berlin; they will even say that the Soviet Union Started World War II.

People grow old easily, and even great countries cannot survive forever.

But the medal is not easy to change. Every corner of it contains courage and glory. In the hands of capitalists, its value is only a small amount of US dollars, but in the Soviet Union...or in the hearts of the people of the former Soviet Union, it is priceless. At least it can tell the younger generation, their parents, and even their ancestors further away. What kind of person was he?

They were once eagles spreading their wings over Ukraine;

They were ghosts dormant among the ruins of Leningrad;

They were the grim reapers who emerged from the flames of Stalingrad;

They had been giant bears charging on the Kursk hills;

They were Pripyat’s unyielding back;

them……

——Definitely not a burden to this country!

"Sonia, keep it. There is still some money, and you need it more than I do."

"But, your medal..."

"Ha, I have no use for keeping those things, and I don't have children."

When saying this, Ivanov tried to look relaxed.

Sonia thought for a while before nodding guiltily: "Thank you, Ivanov, thank you."

Only then did Ivanov really feel at ease.

He knows that there are many diseases that seem very serious, but in fact only require a few nutritious meals or a period of normal routine to make the body recover quickly. The money Ivanov gave Sonia was not a huge sum of money, but it could help her get through the next period of time, such as buying some meat or finding a doctor...

In short, at least Ivanov won't have to worry about her for some time in the future.

After sitting for a while, Ivanov stood up and left.

Newt Scamander gave him a total of eighty-five pounds, which was no small sum.

Ivanov divided the money into many parts and prepared to help a few more old friends.

These people live not close to each other. If Ivanov still wants to go to the old place to meet Scamander on time tomorrow morning, then he may have to hurry up. Besides... he also needs to help Newt. Go collect some more medals.

When leaving the apartment, Ivanov saw what seemed to be some colorful graffiti on the wall of the corridor in the dim light. Those graffiti were not in Russian letters, but in English. They were colorful and made Ivanov very irritable.

These graffiti look like the handiwork of young people. After 1991, the history of this country seems to have been cut in two.

The first half seems to be full of dictatorship and tyranny, while the second half is filled with light and hope. In this context, some young people act as if they are declaring their determination to commit acts of destruction, as if this will erase the reality of the country in which they were born.

Ivanov raised his chin contemptuously, as if he didn't want to lose his momentum in front of these graffiti from the Western world and walked forward with pride - compared to those pampered British, French and Americans, the Soviet Army will always be the first. one.

Slowly, Ivanov, holding a large sum of pounds in his arms, felt as if he had returned to forty years ago.

They tensed up and fired in all directions.

Tanks, reinforcements, flares, and artillery were defeated by them. Then they pressed forward with the next charge.

He strode forward, and his stiff spine seemed to slowly relax. Time seemed to have given back the youth that had been taken away from him. At the same time, returning to his body was also the belief that had long been worn away by time.

Ivanov walked forward step by step, imagining that he was once again wearing a Soviet military uniform and walking on the Red Square. In fact, we are walking in a world flooded with colorful graffiti.

He took one step firmly, one step, and another...

Until the lonely figure disappeared at the end of the mottled corridor.

…………

And at the same time, on the other side.

As a wizarding family, Novat Ivanovich's family was not easy to find.

With Ivanov's help, Newt tried looking up Ivanovich's address with non-magical government agencies.

But at this point in time, Russia is rebuilding its government, and the efficiency of various departments is appallingly low - this is true for both the non-magical and magical worlds. Everyone's energy is devoted to sharing the little bear meat left. During the feast.

Fortunately, Newt still had several reliable acquaintances in the former Soviet Ministry of Magical Internal Affairs.

Moreover, for some reasons, Novat Ivanovich himself is considered a "celebrity" in this land.

In addition to being told to be cautious, news about the Ivanovich family came quickly.

What's even more fortunate is that Novat Ivanovich's children and their family also happen to live in St. Petersburg, which saves Newt Scamander the trouble of traveling back and forth to find his way.

After being separated from the former Soviet veteran, Newt followed the road signs and headed to Ivanovich's former residence alone.

When Newt knocked on the door of the majestic-looking single-family building, the sky had completely darkened.

The moment the door was opened, Newt saw the person who opened the door and was sure that he had found the right place.

He confirmed the identity of the person who opened the door from his profound facial features, tall figure, and overly sharp eyes - yes, that was Novat's son. He is almost identical to the young Novat.

"Who are you looking for?" The person who opened the door had a smile on his face.

Newt nodded slightly and asked with a smile: "Is this the home of Novarte Ivanovich?"

The smile on the face of the person who opened the door disappeared.

He looked at Newt Scamander carefully, frowned slightly, and shouted something behind him.

Immediately afterwards, Newt saw a woman coming upstairs with a little girl less than ten years old behind him. After confirming that the little girl had left, the other party opened the door and welcomed Newt in.

In the living room of Ivanovich's mansion, Newt formally met the son of his old friend.

His name was Yermak Ivanovich, and he was a Soviet wizard, now, of course, a Russian wizard.

What's worse is that Newt doesn't feel any of the relaxation that visiting an old friend's home can bring.

Although Yermak asked his wife to make tea for Newt, since the two of them sat down opposite each other on the chairs in the reception room, except for a few simple greetings and introductions, they drank tea without saying a word.

The atmosphere in the entire living room was very subtle, and the other party's vague caution made Newt feel uncomfortable.

There was no doubt that Newt's visit seemed unwelcome.

Even when the other party didn't take the initiative to speak, Newt also wanted to avoid provoking topics related to Novat first.

Newt Scamander moved his eyes away from "Little Ivanovich" and began to observe the furnishings in the room quietly. Soon, his attention was attracted by a picture frame hanging above the stove. .

There is an exquisite medal hanging in the photo frame. There is a red drop-shaped thing on it, like a drop of blood. On this drop of blood, there are three dotted lines staggered from each other, marked α, β, and γ respectively.

Suddenly, Newt felt "Little Ivanovich" pull out his wand, but it didn't seem to be directed at him.

Snapped!

With a crisp snapping sound, the photo frame with the medal turned over, revealing the gray bottom.

Newt frowned, looked away from the picture frame, and moved his eyes back to "Little Ivanovich" who was putting away his wand.

Yermak didn't seem to care about the extremely rude behavior just now. He lightly dusted his clothes and spoke in a neutral tone: "Newt Scamander, the famous magical animal expert in the wizarding world. You What are you doing here?"

Newt put the tea cup on the table and showed a kind smile:

"Your father Novat Ivanovich and I are old friends. I don't know if Novat has mentioned it to you... although we haven't seen each other for many years. In fact, I originally wanted to come and meet my old friend today... …”

"Since you can check here, I assume you have already been to Spicamyuf Cemetery, right?"

"Yes."

"Then your goal has been achieved." Yermak raised his eyebrows and said calmly.

"But I still don't know what happened. Everyone is keeping secret about Novat's affairs. I can only come here to find out the truth myself. What happened six years ago and why..."

Yermak Ivanovich waved his hand somewhat roughly and interrupted Newt impatiently.

"There's really nothing to say. The story is very simple - there was a nuclear leakage in Chernobyl. The wizards believed that this was the fault of the Muggles themselves and wanted them to solve it themselves, so they ordered all wizards in the Soviet Union to evacuate. , not allowed to interfere in this matter. But my father violated the ban, and blatantly. The end result was that he got 'radiation sickness', and his wand was taken away for violating the Wizarding Secrecy Act."

"Radiation sickness?"

"Yes! Or let's change it to a name that you can definitely understand - Sorcerer's Sorrow."

"..." Newt didn't answer.

He knows about the Sorcerer's Sorrow, which is an unsolvable curse - he doesn't know how to prevent it, and he doesn't know how to cure the cursed person. The wizards use healing and revitalizing methods on the cursed person, but the result is that the latter becomes even worse. pain.

Although it has long been known that the Soviets paid a huge price in that catastrophe, but that was all seen in the newspapers. It wasn't until today that Newt had a real sense of the word "huge price" through the news of the death of his old friend.

Newt picked up the tea cup and took a sip. The slightly bitter tea did not calm him down.

He thought for a while before speaking: "Your father... the last time we fought side by side was against Grindelwald. He was very brave. He was a very remarkable person."

"A great man?" Yermak sneered.

"He did all this just because a bunch of imbecile Muggles couldn't clean their own asses. Do you know what he gained as a result?"

Yermak pointed at the medal that Newt saw just now and snorted coldly:

"A thousand rubles in compensation and a broken medal. To be honest, I really don't know if the broken metal is a trick used by the Muggle government to play on us. Oh, by the way, there is also the Wizengamot Judgment."

"And do you know what the price he paid? He ignored the rules of the wizarding world! He resigned from his stable job at the Kodos Doriz Magic School without permission! He even abandoned his own family without saying a word. !

"And all this...just for a bunch of stupid Muggles!"

"You call him a great person?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I really didn't know that in your British dictionary, the definition of great is to abandon responsibility!"

Yermak's sudden excitement made Newt wonder what to do. Newt Scamander's hand lingered on the ear of the tea cup awkwardly, but he didn't know whether to put it on the table or pretend to be nonchalant. Pick it up and take a sip.

At this moment, the door of the living room was suddenly pushed open.

Newt saw the little girl who had just gone upstairs standing at the door.

The little girl looked less than ten years old. Her voice was milky, but she was extremely determined:

"Grandpa is not a bad person! Grandpa is an amazing hero!"

Irina Ivanovich's appearance caught him off guard. He opened his mouth in shock at first, and then his voice suddenly became stern: "Irina, we have discussed this topic many times. Your grandfather is not considered What a hero. Now, be obedient and go back upstairs."

"No dad!"

The little girl shouted with a louder voice: "Grandpa, he is a hero. He saved many innocent people. I saw it said in the book that without their efforts, more people would have died! Even the whole of Europe would have died." Reduced to death!"

"If I had known better, I shouldn't have let you read those Muggle books."

Yermak said: "Your grandfather is a wizard, his world is the magical world, and the people he saved are just Muggles."

A very old-school speech - Newt thought in his mind, the person in front of him is the person who Alina said needs to change. But what little Irina said next made Newt raise his eyebrows.

"But, grandpa saves all people!"

"...You will understand after you go to magic school. Anna, take her back to the room."

Yermak Ivanovich hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand angrily, raised his voice and gave instructions to the woman standing behind Irina. However, before he could finish his words, someone suddenly appeared in the living room. There was a deafening bang.

Then he immediately exclaimed: "Damn it! Irina!"

The woman was knocked aside.

The furniture in the reception room began to shake violently, and the flame in the stove made a crackling and explosive sound, and then suddenly exploded, and the fire began to spread toward the surroundings, like an angry giant beast.

Yermak immediately pulled out his wand, and the tip of his wand emitted a blue light, limiting the surging fire.

He turned to Irina and shouted: "Irina, calm down!"

Loss of control is a phenomenon caused by children with magical talents who are emotionally excited when they have not been trained. To solve this kind of loss of control, the simplest way is to divert the child's attention so that the child no longer thinks about things that want to make them emotional.

Luckily Newt has several "friends" who are very good at solving this problem.

Newt raised his cuffs slightly, and a little guy that looked like a dragonfly, but was red in color, had three pairs of legs, two small horns on its head, and structures similar to airplane tail fins on both sides of its tail flew out.

The "red dragonfly" flew around Irina Ivanovich several times.

Along with an inexplicable fluctuation of magic, Irina, who was full of anger just now, suddenly couldn't help but yawned, and a look of sleepiness quickly appeared on her face. The flames on the edge of the fireplace and the strange noises in the living room also appeared. Gradually dissipated.

The woman who was knocked away just now stood up again.

Seeing that she was fine, Yermak Ivanovich breathed a sigh of relief and ordered her to take Irina upstairs again.

Soon, the door to the living room was closed again, and only Newt and Yermak were left in the room.

There was another long silence.

Newt could feel the mixed emotions in Yermak's heart from the way he looked at him.

"Sir, I must thank you."

Yermak spoke, his tone much softer than before: "I heard about your reputation in the field of magical animal research, but I didn't expect that magical animals can do such things... How did you tame them? ?”

"He's my friend," Newt smiled.

While talking, Newt took a little water from his tea cup and put it on the cup and saucer. The "red dragonfly" circled nimbly in the living room, and finally landed on the cup and saucer, taking small sips with his mouthpart. Tea.

Yermak sighed and put his tea cup aside. He took out a bottle of wine from the cabinet and shook it at Newt. Newt waved his hand, so Yermak took out another cup and poured himself a cup.

Yermak took a sip, then stared at the clear and transparent liquid in the cup, and said slowly:

"That day, the news from the Ministry of Magic arrived first, and the Muggle government's broadcast was delayed by about half an hour. When the order from the Ministry of Magic came, my father immediately started to pack his luggage and prepare to evacuate, but... when the Muggle government's telegram When the news came, he still left - went directly to Chernobyl through the Floo Network, and became one of the first people to rush to the nuclear contaminated area."

"People say that people who went to Chernobyl used shovels to fight atoms. There is also a joke that the machine came to work on the roof of Chernobyl for five minutes and then broke down. But the Soviets drank I put some vodka on it and did it for two hours - I couldn't laugh, I really couldn't."

Yermak drained his glass and poured himself another.

His voice was cold, but there was a hint of loneliness:

"My father's last days... were very painful. Acute radiation sickness, his whole body was necrotic. This kind of disease cannot be cured with spells, it will only make him more and more painful... Finally, people from the Ministry of Magic came , announced at his bedside that he had violated the Statute of Secrecy, and took away his wand as he lay dying."

"The Muggle government awarded him a medal - the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident Participant Badge. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a large number of the same medals came to the market, making this medal suddenly worthless."

Yermak laughed, shook the bottle, and his voice was full of sarcasm:

"This is what he paid for with his life. Is it really worth it?"

Newt didn't know what to say, so he could only say: "Your father is a great man."

"Yes, of course he is amazing. He is my father, and I was so proud of him. But in the end he abandoned the magic world, abandoned me, abandoned Irina...so I will never forgive him, forever."

Yermak's voice no longer contained resentment, but was replaced by a deep pain and helplessness.

"……I'm very sorry."

Newt suddenly felt a little confused and opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.

After another long silence, Newt Scamander looked around the messy living room and the living room door leading to the upstairs room. After thinking for a while, he took the initiative to break the silence and changed the topic.

"Speaking of which, your daughter's magic talent is quite good. She will definitely become the most popular student in the school!"

"School? Huh..."

Yermak Ivanovich grinned, with a hint of sarcasm on his face.

"Kodos Doriz Magic School will never forget her father's betrayal. Irina is now eleven years old, but now that August is almost over, she has not received the school's admission notice - you should know What does this mean?"

"Mr. Scamander, don't forget, 'Wizard's Sorrow' is contagious! Irina and the children of the 'traitors of the magic world' are a plague in the eyes of most people. You Do you think the noble and decent Kodosdorez Magic School would allow such a cursed child to enter their school?”

"How could this happen! Ridiculous! It's been six years!"

Newt frowned tightly and looked at the white marks burned by the high temperature on the edge of the fireplace.

"This child has such a good magical talent. If he can't go to school, it would be too..."

"Haha... There is no old guy like Albus Dumbledore here. Is it possible that I can still let Irina go to Hogwarts to study? Is there any other way? I can only teach one by myself. Teach Irina, as for the future..."

Yermak Ivanovich smiled bitterly, put down the bottle in his hand, and sighed.

"Wait, what did you just say?"

At this moment, Newt Scamander was suddenly stunned.

"I can only teach Irina by myself..."

"No, no, it's the previous sentence - yes! Of course! Hogwarts, Hogwarts... if, well, let me think about it... if it's Hogwarts this year... maybe... …”

Newt's mind flashed to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry re-employment contract lying on his desk.

If he agrees to the little witch's request, then as a formal professor and the former principal and current vice principal of Hogwarts, he will naturally have the right to add a few names to the list of students at Hogwarts this year.

only……

"Really? Do you have any idea? Mr. Scamander!"

Yermak Ivanovich stood up abruptly, looked at Newt with an excited expression, and spoke incoherently.

"Irina is very obedient! She is really a good child! By the way, her English is also very good, and she is also very familiar with the awkward spells. When her father was still alive, she would often take test questions from the school. Teasing Irina with the teaching materials.”

"I...I'm not sure either..."

Newt clenched his fists in confusion, and subconsciously avoided Ivanovich's expectant gaze. He also stood up and picked up the gray hat on the table. As if someone had cast a tongue-stopping spell, he hesitated. said.

"I'll try my best...I'll give you a reply in a few days..."

If Irina was the only one, maybe... maybe she could rely on her friendship to ask Dumbledore to make an exception and do him a small favor, but - in this case -

Newt recalled the file shown to him by the Ministry of Magic official who helped him track down the Ivanovich family.

[1986, ‘Large-scale leak case in Pripyat’]

[Storage time: permanent]

[Crime: Violating the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, ignoring the evacuation orders of the Wizengamot Tribunal and the International Confederation of Wizards and Magic, seriously affecting the restoration of teaching at the Kodos Doriz Magic School, and causing the deaths of many wizards...]

[Number of wizards involved: 231]

This is...

More than two hundred families...

After walking out of the door of the Ivanovich family, Newt raised his head and looked at the completely darkened sky. He stamped his feet distractedly on the sparsely populated bluestone streets of St. Petersburg, feeling confused and irritable in his heart.

The magical world, or this world...

And what happened to the laws they once believed in and protected...

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return! For the next three days, a chapter of 10,000 words will be written every day! Update!

I’m back, I won’t be cooing anymore~

I hope this plot can satisfy everyone...