Seeing Eve's confused expression, Nolan sighed softly and began to explain in a low voice, "Although Professor Dumbledore might not tell you this, I think it's crucial for you to understand the current state of the wizarding world. Take the most powerful offensive spell, the Killing Curse—Avada Kedavra—as an example. It's strong, yes. Once it hits, it kills unconditionally, and spells like Protego can't block it. But it has its drawbacks: short range, low accuracy, and high magic consumption. A typical adult wizard would exhaust their magical energy after casting it five to eight times. Dark wizards, accustomed to using such magic, might last three to five times longer. Still, it's not a particularly efficient weapon.
"Now consider the Lee-Enfield rifle, the standard firearm once used by Muggles in Britain. It has a range of 1,000 yards, fires bullets at incredible speeds, and a headshot guarantees instant death. While it can be blocked by a Protego charm, the speed of the bullet makes it almost impossible to intercept. This rifle entered service over a century ago, with over seventeen million units produced.
"When we compare them, it's evident that Muggle weapons are not significantly inferior to wizarding magic. In some ways, they're superior—mass-producible and sufficiently lethal. But what about dark wizards? How many are there in the UK? Perhaps a thousand?
"It's a numbers game."
This was something Eve had never thought about—perhaps something she would never have considered on her own.
Nolan picked up the small silver tiara from the display and gently placed it on the silver-haired girl's head. His fingertips brushed against her forehead, sweeping away a few stray locks before tucking them neatly behind her ear. The closeness of the gesture left the young witch blushing furiously.
As he adjusted the tiara, Nolan continued in a soft, almost detached tone, "A thousand years ago, the founders of Hogwarts—those four great wizards—built the school as a fortress to protect themselves from Muggles. Back then, Hogwarts was essentially a battlefield stronghold. Picture the suits of armor in the halls today; those were enchanted soldiers who fought in wars a millennium ago. The moving staircases and confusing labyrinth-like corridors weren't designed for convenience—they were strategic defenses against Muggle invaders.
"Even a thousand years ago, wizards were weaker than Muggles; otherwise, they wouldn't have needed a fortress like Hogwarts. A thousand years later, the wizarding world has made almost no progress. Magical development has been painfully slow, and there isn't even a proper military. The wizarding world's armed force consists of about a hundred Aurors, while during World War II, Muggles deployed tanks, submarines, and bombers—entire armies larger than the total wizard population.
"I don't know when wizards will finally wake up from their stupidity and arrogance, but I'll say this: magic has never been a much valid reason for their pride."
For vampires—particularly the Von Draugr family, who had long entangled themselves with the Muggle world—wizards were not superior beings, and magic was not a weapon to be feared. The Killing Curse couldn't even end the life of a powerful vampire, but a well-placed silver bullet could obliterate one's skull.
Eve listened, her expression caught between understanding and confusion. She was, after all, a naïve girl in many ways.
"But what about that Dark Lord from a decade ago? Didn't he say he wanted to destroy the Muggles?" she asked timidly.
"That was his stupidity," Nolan replied without hesitation. "Dumbledore went to such great lengths to stop him, not to protect Muggles, but to prevent the Dark Lord from provoking them and bringing disaster upon all wizards. Dumbledore has always been protecting wizards, not Muggles. But the Dark Lord couldn't see that. His arrogance blinded him. If dark wizards truly had the power to annihilate Muggles, Dumbledore would have been the most terrifying Muggle-killer the world has ever seen."
As he spoke, Nolan led Eve by the hand, strolling through the BlazeSilver store. Occasionally, he would pluck a beautifully crafted hairpin or a pair of earrings from the displays and hand them to her, asking her to try them on.
While they walked, Nolan continued in his calm tone, "This is why our family, the Von Draugrs, prefers not to associate with wizards. They're not shrewd enough. They're too arrogant, too foolish. Our family is deeply rooted in the Muggle world—fashion, pharmaceuticals, heavy industry, even armaments. This store is just Felicia's personal hobby. You can see the jewelry here; most of it was designed by her. Her mind is full of strange and fascinating ideas, but I must admit, she has impeccable taste.
"Oh, this necklace is particularly nice. It seems eager to stay with you."
Nolan picked up a silver necklace adorned with a ruby that gleamed like a drop of blood. He gently clasped it around Eve's delicate neck, letting his fingers linger for a moment.
Eve brushed her fingertips against the ruby, her small face turning as red as the gemstone.
Nolan studied her flushed expression for a moment before adding in a quieter voice, "Your mother could work here if she'd like. If she's not good at sales, her salary might not be very high, but it should be enough to cover your Hogwarts tuition. If she does well, Felicia won't hesitate to offer bonuses or commissions. It could allow you both to live comfortably in the Muggle world."
Eve froze at his words, her petite frame trembling slightly. She lifted her head, her tearful eyes gazing at Nolan with a mixture of emotions. After a long pause, she murmured, "Why are you so kind to me?"
She showed an expression that the fragile little girl from a year ago would never have displayed.
The hardships of the past year had forced her to grow up quickly.
Growth is often a good thing, but to mature under such circumstances was anything but normal. It signified that the girl had endured a gray, desolate adolescence.
Nolan pondered for a moment before replying, "I wonder about that myself."
"You're always so special to me..."
"I suppose I am. Perhaps it's because you taught me how to interact with people. No, you didn't teach me anything directly—I learned on my own. But honestly, that doesn't matter. What matters is that I want you to stay at Hogwarts, Eve. That would make me happy."
Hearing that her mother could work at BlazeSilver, Eve's mother became visibly excited. Perhaps no woman could resist the allure of luxury items. Even if they weren't hers to own, simply being surrounded by these treasures was enough to bring her joy.
The silver-haired woman looked radiant in her fitted blazer uniform, her appearance youthful and striking. Nolan guessed she was in her early thirties, but she could easily pass for a woman of twenty-five or twenty-six.
Seeing her mother so happy, Eve was overjoyed as well. The two embraced, laughing like a pair of sisters with a slight age gap.
For Eve, this might well have been the best day of the year—a bright spot after enduring so much despair.
Leaving Eve and her mother in the store, Nolan stepped outside. Hagrid and the Boy Who Lived had been waiting out front, and they stood out like a sore thumb. This wasn't just because Hagrid resembled an overweight Mexican grizzly bear; it was also due to his loud, animated commentary on Muggle objects.
"Look at that, Harry! I don't know what it is, but it's another one of those strange contraptions Muggles have come up with, isn't it?"
Hearing this, Harry couldn't help but laugh, though he tried to hide it behind a hand.
Nolan observed them quietly, a faint smile playing on his lips. While BlazeSilver symbolized the practicality and sophistication of the Von Draugr family's ventures in the Muggle world, there was a certain charm in Hagrid's unabashed fascination with everything he didn't understand.
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