Gellert
He received an owl-delivered letter from those who had judged him: "Germany is in peril; you are granted amnesty. Return home." This decision weighed heavily on him. Participating as a mere soldier in someone else's war felt pointless; it would be wiser to emulate his father, travel to Sweden, and trade ore with the Germans. Only his grandfather, in a fit of madness during his twilight years, had chosen to fight, ultimately perishing in the spring of 1915. The outcome was all too predictable: Germany would lose, and his involvement would change nothing. Yet, the war would drag on, claiming the lives of countless wizards and Muggles alike, clearing a path for his ambitions. The old world would serve as the foundation for a new one, generating the chaos he needed to pursue his vision of the common good, which would initially be dismissed as the chaotic dance of molecules.
With a grim satisfaction, knowing that none of the letter's recipients would survive the conflict, he began composing his response. He had a diligent spelling instructor and knew the intricacies of the language; he understood that "похи" should be written as one word, while "не ебедот" should be separated. It appeared that Germany might swiftly vanquish France, but the situation was more complex: while the Germans would occupy Paris and all of France, the Russians would invade Berlin, taking hold of Germany itself. In an attempt to avert this, the Germans began moving troops against Russia. They inflicted heavy casualties on the Russians, but their offensive against France faltered. Thus, the war's fate was decided, with everything that followed becoming a prolonged agony for Germany.
The original German strategy was straightforward: quickly capture France, dismantle it as a nation, then turn their attention to Russia, seizing vast resources. Following this, they would either negotiate peace with England or engage in actions that could blockade England or target its colonies. The Entente's plan diverged: they aimed to prevent Germany from incapacitating France, subsequently blockading them and waiting for the Germans to succumb to hunger. Yet, the Muggles were woefully naive; they underestimated their new capabilities, believing they could endure in trenches for years while supplying their armies with ammunition. Both strategies faltered. The Germans could not swiftly eliminate France, and their resources dwindled more slowly than anticipated, while the Entente's reserves began to wane as well.
He observed Muggles and wizards engaged in battle... Wizards had not fought in such a manner for ages. Initial skirmishes between small groups swiftly escalated into the widespread use of forbidden magic across entire nations. This wizarding war was not a spectacle of colorful spells and apparitions; it resembled a deadly staring contest where the loser simply fell. To the untrained eye, nothing seemed to occur, but a glance at the sky with magical vision revealed an everlasting aurora borealis. One nation enveloped its territory in potent spells, relying heavily on sizable magical resources, while another struggled to penetrate this defense, failing to do so as it was far easier to defend than to attack, and energy expenditure increased with distance—hence the war became entrenched.
If either side managed to breach the other's defenses, the designated territory would swiftly turn into a slaughterhouse. How could one break through defenses on enemy soil? Blood Magic and the deployment of expendable "extras" became critical. While the Muggles recklessly sent their soldiers as cannon fodder against barbed wire and machine guns, the wizards employed a more merciful approach—first sending the undead into battle, while Dark Magicians and Blood Magicians provided remote support. Naturally, attempts to eliminate them were made immediately. Given that many battles occurred underground, the Muggles remained oblivious to the unfolding events. Without necromancy, Europe would have lost its magical population entirely. However, necromancers soon found themselves despised—ungrateful wretches! It was amusing to witness the magical world awaken. An arms race commenced. Wizards began mixing potions into Muggle alcohol, rendering it impossible to resurrect the dead. Meanwhile, magicians from other nations endeavored to overcome this obstacle. Sometimes they succeeded. No, the corpses did not rise on the battlefield; it was significantly easier to raise them in laboratories, especially since necromancers often lacked the necessary skills for the front lines. Furthermore, the deceased were cheaper than golems!
The war spread relentlessly, and soon Germany found itself encircled by enemies. Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey stood against the world—and they persisted! They were betrayed by their ally Italy, while even the Japanese turned against them... Magical Germany was doomed, and Muggle Germany would fall alongside it. In desperation, the Germans resorted to employing banned weapons. Dark Magic and necromancy were merely "not recommended," but on April 22, 1915, the magical world would remember the day vividly. The Muggles were informed that chlorine gas was deployed on the Western Front, which was true, but concurrently, the magicians of the Central Powers unleashed their own attack. Demonology, long forbidden, became a focus of Gellert's interest; even he knew little about it. However, he soon glimpsed it in his visions, dedicating most of 1915 to gathering fragmented information from both visions and reality.
Ironically, the only way to become a demonologist was to study its application during the First Wizarding War. A breakthrough occurred—on that fateful day, Germany's enemies in the West suffered substantial losses among their magicians, including many from esteemed old families. Some families were entirely obliterated. Gellert watched as colossal entities, visible only through magical vision and reminiscent of bacteria or protozoa, wreaked havoc on the magical world. They barely survived the assault; the Statute of Secrecy held—somewhat—except for a singular failure near Ypres, where a creature visible only to magical sight, akin to a massive jellyfish, claimed the sight of thousands of Muggles before vanishing. A second such strike would likely obliterate the enemies. Yet, there was no second blow! "We lack the resources for further endeavors." Indeed, it was a complex task requiring vast resources, but half or even three-quarters could simply be replaced! Millions of prisoners languished in hellish conditions! Compared to Azkaban, their suffering was a mere vacation—ordinary Muggle prisons compelled labor, and conditions were quite tolerable. Yet, the idiocy persisted; he had foreseen it in his visions and would soon witness it in reality.
Russia had once again engaged in something bizarre. The Muggle faction was on par with the magical one. Russia possessed ample manpower and resources. However, mobilization proved elusive! There were not enough boots for the Muggles, nor enough cartridges and shells. Russia began the war with more planes than any other nation, yet in terms of military production, everyone else had already surpassed it! Moreover, Germany's mobilization potential exceeded that of Russia—its populace was unwilling to fight, preferring to buy their way out of conscription. The German army swelled larger than that of Russia! He glimpsed visions of two writers buying their way out of the army to pen poems filled with obscenities or tales of voluptuous beauties, only to commit suicide post-war. Ironically, they would become mandatory authors in the Muggle school curriculum, leaving future generations to wonder who had influenced the youth. They ought to remember the names of the heroes: Mayakovsky and Yesenin.
A similar phenomenon unfolded in the magical realm. Some mages concealed themselves within their ancestral homes, others fled the country, and some diligently evaded military service. Others still inflated the prices of ingredients and transit. Due to the conflict, vast territories were sealed off by anti-apparation spells—often, magical cargo was transported in pockets with space-expanding charms, or via Muggle ships and trains. Turkey unexpectedly shut down transit through the Black Sea to Russia, and in the North, the only ice-free port was Romanov-on-Murmane, lacking a railway... Russia had become a colossus with feet of clay, incapable of mobilizing its populace for war, and burdened with separatists... In the West, they managed to maintain the front after the demons breached it. However, in the East, all loyal units of mages suffered immense losses. The front... No, it did not disintegrate. It merely retreated rapidly inland. Germany captured vast territories, including several significant magical resource sites—had it not been for Russia's vastness, they would have faced defeat. Thus, the year 1915 passed. Germany, believing they could conquer Russia over the span of forty years, even capturing territory equivalent to several Frances annually, decided to concentrate on France.
The Muggle leadership, guided by German wizards, coordinated their attack on France's most potent magical source—Verdun. Its loss would shatter France's protective spells, leading to the downfall of the local wizards. The battle commenced, and Muggle casualties swiftly surpassed a million. Wizards from the United States profited immensely by supplying cadavers to England and France. No, not a million corpses were raised. Just ten thousand new ones daily. A colossal bloodbath transpired in the depths beneath Verdun, and even though most participants lay dead, its significance remained undiminished. Gellert found himself at a crossroads. It was evident without prophetic insight that Germany would triumph at Verdun. Following that, France would surely fall. Yet, he distinctly envisioned Germany's defeat! How could this be? Visions returned to him. Should he warn the Germans? Absurd! What difference would it make? But he grasped the crucial truth: one must never leave their enemies incomplete.
Russia decided to mirror Germany's actions. Gathering resources, ancient artifacts, and rare ingredients, it orchestrated its own demon breakthrough, coordinating this assault with its Muggles. They wisely evaluated their strength, opting not to strike at Germany but rather at Austria-Hungary. The outcome was unmistakable: half a million Muggles and wizards were lost, and that was only among the prisoners—a breach in the defense ensued, and Austria-Hungary could no longer sustain its fight without Germany's assistance. This was dubbed the "Brusilov Breakthrough." Most importantly, a portion of the troops were recalled from Verdun, and the Germans were defeated there.
Thus, the year 1916 unfolded. It seemed Germany was doomed; he merely needed to wait. Yet, the Russians surprised him once more. He had foreseen it: Germany would falter, but Russia would falter too! It would lose to the losing side! He had mistakenly believed Russia resembled Europe, albeit riddled with more theft and folly. It was a vertical system of corruption—bribes to superiors and horizontal bribes to equals, creating a web of corruption that society must endure. No, Russia was pure anarchy, somehow glued together by the facade of imperial grandeur and external threats. The Russians demanded more money, territory extending to the Vistula River, most of Turkey, resources, and privileges for their involvement in the magical war. Yet they were told they had not earned enough. In fact, they, the demonologists, should be grateful they were not prosecuted. What they were offered fell short of covering Russia's costs. Most loyal magicians perished, while the disloyal turned their gaze away from Germany, seeking a fair redistribution of the property and land of clans that had perished in the war or those that had weakened... Muggles... They divided land every twelve years, and that time had arrived. Half of it lay barren, awaiting proper allocation—after all, distribution was contingent upon personal presence at the division site!
Russia had become so spoiled that it was the only nation at war where Muggles had not instituted a rationing system. The locals could not even dream of the German "bread," half of which was made from refuse, yet they could not seize bread from peasants even for money! Supply shortages sparked unrest. Later, many would explain the unfolding events. The Russian Tsar abdicated, unwilling to ignite a civil war. Hence, it began without him. The locally elected "constituent assembly" was disbanded, and the most combative and unscrupulous faction—the "Bolsheviks"—seized power. The same was true for the wizards, where the extreme anarchists "Freedom for All" prevailed, advocating freedom for everyone in the sense of "no barriers," while the Muggles were defeated by those demanding justice, expressed through "equalization." It was an ordinary coup d'état. Yet, the reality was simpler. The Russians realized they would acquire more wealth not from war, but through the strategic redistribution of Russia. They set about doing just that. However, an army was necessary for this undertaking, and for the army to be liberated—peace was imperative. They signed a peace treaty with Germany to focus on internal strife.
The Russians reminded him of a vast termite mound: after the demise of the royal couple, many other "royal couples" emerged from former "workers," each vying for prominence. Consequently, the termite mound collapsed. Both Muggle and magical Russia entered into a separate truce. Subsequently, the Entente attempted to compel them to continue the war against Germany as stipulated in the alliance treaty, but the Russians declared that they had changed the country's name and thus owed nothing to anyone. Moreover, they also denied any financial obligations incurred by the previous regime. To ensure the Entente would leave them undisturbed, Gellert realized that the Russians were imitators—they sought a common good (their version was flawed!) and a grand war.
The Russians did not merely advocate for their country's defeat and self-plundering through civil war. Everything aligned with Marx and Engels' teachings—they envisioned a shared future for the entire world. Previously, he had mistakenly categorized Russians into castes. No, it was simply a society of free initiative taken to its extreme. Marx and Engels did not live to witness the world war, yet they found successors who promoted their own nation's defeat. Allow the enemy to destroy and ravage the country, let them overthrow the government, let them trample upon national treasures: they lacked a homeland. In a devastated, vanquished nation, it was far simpler to "transform an imperialist war into a civil war." So, let the storm rage on!
The Russians hoped that in other nations, genuine Marxists would rise, transcending "narrow national interests" to combat their own governments, converting the world war into a global civil war. Yet, none emerged in other countries, pushing the prospect of a world revolution into an elusive future. No matter. If a world revolution was unattainable, at least they would take the first step toward it. As early as autumn 1914, a sort of minimum program was adopted within certain circles: if a world revolution did not arise from the First World War, then they would at least seize a piece. If not on a global scale, then at least in one country. The specifics mattered little. First, conquer one nation, and then utilize it as a base for preparing a new global war and fostering revolution in other lands. "Whoever succeeds in this nation will stand against the world," inciting unrest and rebellion in other countries "or directly opposing them with armed force." By advocating a minimum program to seize power in one nation, they envisioned a future. A world revolution remained their guiding star. However, in accordance with the minimum program, as a result of World War I, a revolution could only occur in one nation. How would a world revolution come to pass? What would trigger it? In 1916, the Russians provided a clear answer: as a consequence of World War II. Some, like him, longed for World War II, eagerly awaiting its arrival. They did not merely wish for it; they theorized its inevitability. Gellert desired it to establish control over the entire world and initiate the construction of a proper society; yet, they... Yes, fundamentally for the same reason, albeit with a differing vision of what constituted a proper society.
The maneuvers of those who seized power in Russia were simple yet insidious. At the moment their state was formed, they proclaimed "peace." This was excellent for propaganda. However, they sought peace not for the sake of tranquility but to consolidate their power. Following the decree, millions of armed soldiers and thousands of disillusioned mages with shattered psyches returned home from the front. With the decree of "peace," they transformed the First World War into their civil war, plunging the nation into chaos, solidifying their authority while gradually reclaiming territories. The soldiers returning from the front functioned as a battering ram, fracturing Russia. The civil war's outcome was the "general exhaustion" desired by Marx, allowing the "new Russians" to retain and fortify their power.
The foreign policy maneuvers of the "new Russians" were equally cunning. They employed the same principle: you fight, and I shall observe from the sidelines for now, and when both sides weaken... Gellert peered into the future, seeing everything with remarkable clarity... In March 1918, a peace treaty would be concluded with Germany. At this juncture, Germany's position was already dire. Did the "new Russians" comprehend this? Certainly. That was why they signed the peace, which liberated their hands to engage in the struggle for consolidating dictatorship within their nation; diverting Western countries from intervention and the establishment of order while simultaneously granting Germany considerable resources and reserves to continue the war in the West, which had exhausted both Germany and its Western allies. By concluding a separate deal with the enemy, the "new Russians" betrayed Russia's allies. Yet, they also betrayed Russia itself. By early 1918, the victory of France, Great Britain, Russia, the USA, and other nations over Germany and its allies was imminent and inevitable. Russia had sacrificed millions of soldiers and thousands of magicians in the war, rightfully deserving to stand among the victors alongside its Western allies. However, the "new Russians" desired no such victory; they yearned for a world revolution. Their leaders openly acknowledged in private conversations that the Brest "peace" was not concluded for the benefit of Russia but for the sake of the world revolution, for establishing a dictatorship in Russia and beyond. They candidly confessed to themselves that they placed "world dictatorship and world revolution above any national sacrifices."
Germany's defeat was already on the horizon, yet Russia entered into a "peace" that renounced its rights as a victor, relinquishing millions of square kilometers of fertile lands and rich industrial regions along with their populations without a fight, even paying a tribute in money and resources. This included seven significant sources of magic and the entirety of the gold reserves. Why?! Gellert delved into visions of the future. And here lies the reason: The Brest "peace" rendered millions of Russian soldiers redundant, and these countless individuals, now ungovernable, returned home, dismantling the foundations of statehood and the nascent democracy in their wake. The Brest "peace" marked the onset of a brutal civil war, far bloodier and more ruthless than the First World War. While everyone fought against one another, the "new Russian" magicians and Muggles solidified and expanded their authority, eventually subjugating the entire country.
The Brest "peace" was directed not only against Russia's national interests but also against Germany. Essentially, the strategy was as follows: let Germany engage in conflict in the West, exhausting itself and its Western allies until the very last possible moment. We will aid Germany in exhausting itself at any cost, and then... When the "peace" with Germany is finalized in Brest, intensive efforts are underway in Petrograd to orchestrate the overthrow of the German government. At this time, a propaganda newspaper in German, "Die Fackel," boasts a circulation of half a million. Even prior to the signing of the Brest "peace" in January 1918, the German faction "Spartak" is formed in Petrograd. Notably, the newspapers "Die Weltrevolution" and "Die Rote Fahne" did not emerge from Germany but were birthed in communist Russia, commissioned by those who signed the "peace" with Germany. In the 1920s, communism in Germany would take root deeply. Russia played a role in this development, occurring precisely when Germany was embroiled in a grueling, futile war in the West, while the Russians had a "peace" treaty with the German government. The Russians' calculations proved accurate: the German Empire, wearied by the war, could not endure the strain of conflict. The war concluded with the empire's collapse and a revolution, both in the magical and Muggle realms.
Immediately, the Russians annulled the treaty. In a war-torn Europe, communist Muggle states and anarchic wizard communities, strikingly reminiscent of the "new Russian" regime, arose from the debris of the fallen empires. The Russians rejoiced: "We are on the cusp of a world revolution!" At that moment, the Russians discarded their minimum program; no longer did they speak of the necessity for a Second World War, believing that a world revolution could already be achieved as a consequence of the First World War. They established an international organization of wizards to promote anarchism in parallel with the Muggle Comintern, which defined itself as the World Communist Party, aiming to create a "World Soviet Socialist Republic." Yet, they failed. Their army attempted to reunite with the German dictatorship but suffered defeat in Poland. Soon, Germany reverted to its previous trajectory.
Gellert returned to reality. The First World War raged on. It seemed as if someone acted similarly to him, yet constructed a perverse version of the common good. Someone in Russia... The Russian wizards championed complete anarchism. The Russian Muggles espoused ideas of "let's divide everything equally," effectively advocating communism. A local doctrine of the common good. But flawed, of course. In the Russian iteration, it manifested as follows: someone has a wife, someone does not. Let's share her. Even if you and your wife disagree. Or let's eliminate your wife so that neither of us has one. How can this be articulated more simply? At school, they assign a test. Then they grade it. Everyone receives the same score, including those who were absent. Now that's Russian equality. Not entirely accurate. There are also enforcers—they execute those who perform too well or too poorly on the test. Because equality. A dreadful equality of all in abject poverty. Well, except for the overseers, who reap the surplus and spend it as they see fit. And it functioned and triumphed! A new Muggle state emerged, devoted to regular redistributions, all in the name of equality! What he witnessed... how does an American conceive freedom? "No one can harm me." The Russian perspective: "I can strike anyone I choose!" Freedom in the Russian context, meaning "no barriers," triumphed. Yet, most individuals lacked the luxury of time for politics—"you kill, I plunder!"
Both wizards and Muggles united in a common goal—to seize from other nations. In other words, to acquire more for themselves while distancing from Russia. First, Poland and Finland broke away, followed by the Baltics and Central Asia. The Russian Empire ceased to exist, descending into the chaos of civil war, signing a subjugating peace treaty with the Germans. To claim that the Entente was displeased with this turn of events would be a significant understatement. The attempt to restore order in Russia through intervention and persuading it to continue fighting failed—negotiations proved elusive, as control only extended to what one could physically hold. Russia transitioned from a formidable ally into a mere resource reservoir for Germany. As a result, Germany began concentrating all its efforts against France to turn the tide of the war... Gellert anticipated success, but his visions indicated otherwise: the USA. The USA supplied the Entente with a tremendous amount of resources. Wizards—ingredients, storage stones, and bodies; Muggles—arms and materials. It was thanks to their supplies that the "demon breakthrough" could not be replicated. The Entente completely exhausted its gold and foreign exchange reserves and had been purchasing on credit, accumulating debt since 1916. However, if the Entente were to lose, the USA would never reclaim the funds owed to them. It was preferable to have a former debtor metropolis as an ally, speaking the same language, rather than politically and culturally alien Germans, embittered for supporting the enemy—fortunately, there was a justification: the disruption of US trade by the Germans. The Germans sank the cargo that Americans were transporting for the Entente engaged in conflict against them!
The final battle commenced. US wizards and Muggles flooded into Europe, while the Germans possessed nothing to offset their losses. One by one, Germany's allies withdrew from the war. The United States entered last but emerged victorious. Although the wizards and Muggles of Germany held the front, of the twenty-four most ancient and noble families, only three had adult representatives, including the Grindelwald family. Germany's fate was sealed; one needed only to look at the sky above the nation with magical vision: streams of magic from sources in neighboring countries intertwined into a singular pattern, poised to leave all of Germany devoid of magical protection. Germany's adversaries claimed they opposed prohibited weapons. With a ten-to-one disparity in forces, this appeared laughable. How could one confront an entire world alone? Without waiting for the hammer to fall, Germany surrendered. Those responsible for war crimes—specifically those who authorized the use of demonology, namely the Minister of Magic, the Head of the Wizengamot, and the Head of the Department of Mysteries—suffered the Dementor's Kiss.
Magical Germany received a moratorium on Dark Magic, a looted Department of Mysteries, lost one-third of its medium-sized Sources of Magic, and two of its four large ones—one went to Poland and the other to Austria. Muggle Germany lost all its colonies, portions of its territories in Europe, and was prohibited from maintaining an army or navy. They were also saddled with exorbitant reparations. A rift emerged among the victorious nations. Japan and Italy received little to nothing, and Japan was also forbidden from engaging in conflict with China. Who, then, could they fight? Russia demanded compensation for its participation in the war, only to be offered the chance to repay the debts of the former state and to express remorse for utilizing forbidden magic. In response, Russia suggested that the West compensate for the damages incurred during the intervention... and then diplomatic relations were severed. Dark Wizards were marginalized—they were primarily regarded as victims. Additionally, considering that some had descended into madness during the war... Some retired, some were placed under house arrest, while the most violent were either incarcerated or executed. Moreover, the wizards managed to not only uphold the Statute of Secrecy—concealing magic from Muggles—but also to hide from ordinary wizards the extensive utilization of Dark Magic and the undead. Some Mudbloods were convinced that representatives of the old families merely drank wine at headquarters throughout the war, only to succumb to gout or dragon pox.
Gellert scrutinized the history of magic textbooks in the future and found nothing of worth. If magic were taught in such a manner, no one would progress beyond "Wingardium Leviosa." Yet even within this tableau of universal animosity, Russia was an anomaly. The wizards sought compensation for their participation in the war. They were met with rejection—what reward could they expect? You surrendered at the critical juncture! Moreover, we returned all the lands you forfeited under the "Brest Peace"! That is, 56 million of your citizens and territories responsible for 89% of coal production! Seven major Sources of Magic! Yet the Russian magicians felt slighted. Deeply. And they returned home. Thus concluded the First World War. The principal outcome was that, in the Muggle world, there were both aggrieved and satisfied nations. In the magical realm... The power of strong sorcerers waned, as they had suffered losses, and raising and training a robust wizard proved challenging. Furthermore, several areas of magic faced discredit. Demonology suffered, and to a lesser extent, necromancy and Dark Magic in general were affected. Even ritualistics faced scrutiny. And those who felt aggrieved... they would prove useful to him! Gellert foresaw the trajectory of this world—today's Russia was merely a fragment of the Russian Empire. The same steamship, just with a lower chimney and thinner smoke. And now it would seek revenge. The concept was remarkably simple: unite disparate elements into a single force and gather wealth.
Russian Muggles and Russian magicians began to function as a cohesive whole, though not through collusion or control. They resembled birds migrating south—each one flying southward, forming a large flock that appeared to move in unison. Gellert contemplated how to exploit this, and in the meantime, he studied magic across different nations. No, it was too premature to seize power in Germany—they had not yet experienced genuine despair, and a new generation capable of fighting had not yet emerged. He would find recruits—he would attract disgruntled Dark magicians from neighboring countries. He discovered an Obscurus in India. The girl was completely unstable, launching herself at him. He was forced to kill her. His demonology project progressed, but his transformation into an Obscurus stalled. He observed with horror the developments in Russia. Europe seemed poised, awaiting his arrival to deliver them the common good—an organized plan. They resembled atheists anticipating the arrival of God. But Russia... they had embarked on a path of flawed planning, devolving into... heretics! The wrong material for his designs. The Russians had undergone profound changes in a decade. It was not solely about the mass slaughter of one another, the repressions, or the losses in the civil war that exceeded those of the First World War. They had evolved into an entirely different people. Somehow, the Russians managed to forge a new identity—"Soviet man." Albus would assert that they had no regard for human rights—neither their own nor those of others. Taking a life was akin to squashing an insect, love was merely animalistic mating, purity was absurd nonsense, and truth was transient utilitarianism.
Gellert had no objections to such a societal structure within a potential adversary. But did the local leaders not recognize that once the wave of revolutionary collectivism receded, this "morality" would give way to personal egoism and ultimately dismantle the state? To prevent this—regular weeding, or rather, the eradication of their citizens. Although, no, not citizens. There existed a power holder and citizens who executed his will, receiving certain rights in return. Meanwhile, there were residents who somehow survived independently but possessed nothing. Gellert revisited his models concerning Russia. Previously, he mistakenly categorized them into castes. Yes, it was a society of unfettered initiative, taken to the extreme. Yet now, your success, your very survival, hinged not on your capabilities! All was dictated solely by luck, audacity, and geography—proverbs like "the place shapes the man," "without a document, you are worthless." This aligned seamlessly with the governing system of magical Russia, which he defined as "democracy under a pirate flag."
What troubled him most was that Russia now resembled a baby basilisk—an egg upon which a toad sat inside a runic circle. The naive toad believed that the hatchling would love it and not devour it. He glimpsed into the future. Among the current revolution's architects, both in the magical and Muggle realms, only one would remain. They would eliminate each other like spiders in a jar... And then the newly hatched basilisk would rid itself of him as well. But he faced other challenges. Years passed until he discerned an opportunity. Perhaps he should abandon Germany? Build the common good in the USA? Become an obscurantist, and then infiltrate the government... In 1925, he assassinated the head of the US Aurors, Percival Graves, and assumed his position. He gained access to critical knowledge, including that acquired from Germany. Percival Graves was the ideal guise—a formidable wizard capable of wandless magic who did not need to conceal his abilities. However, he soon realized he had struck gold. In New York, he discovered traces of an Obscurus. A remarkably potent Obscurus, even stronger than Ariana... This was his opportunity. He needed to obtain a sample and subsequently negotiate with it—keeping an Obscurus caged was unfeasible. It would either perish from excessive confinement or break free from inadequate restraint.
In 1926, Newt Scamander arrived in America. Gellert recognized this man—because of him, he had been unable to reach the Obscurus in Sudan. Furthermore, this young man was also acquainted with Dumbledore. The mention of "Albus" ignited an indescribable desire within him... to cast the Cruciatus! The search he initiated yielded no results—only pastries in Newt's suitcase. But then... this fool mistakenly swapped his suitcase with a Muggle one! An Obscurus was rampaging through New York! The Statute was hanging by a thread. Ultimately, Newt was apprehended, and an Obscurus was discovered within his suitcase. An Obscurus detached from a person! How did this fool accomplish such a feat? Even if he had uncovered the Philosopher's Stone, he would not have been this astonished. Unthinkable! To separate a portion of a wizard's magic from the wizard himself! Gellert personally executed the subdued Obscurus, acquiring invaluable data. Now he envisioned the future—he would resolve his issues with such a fragile human form. American wizards were amusing; they had devised an execution method for wizards that was almost as barbaric as the Dementors—feeding them alive to a massive slime that thrived on memories, preferably positive ones. In Gellert's opinion, keeping a hybrid of a lesser demon and a superior spirit of sorrow within the Ministry was not the wisest choice. Yet, Salamander broke free during the execution! Alongside Salamander's Dementors, a potent living Obscurus resided in the city, a classic one, fused with a human wizard... And it would be more prudent to experiment on it than to risk himself.
Gellert erred in confusing the Obscurus with its counterpart. The enraged creature began wreaking havoc throughout New York. Gellert recognized yet another opportunity. The USA, in his visions, had consistently opposed him, but if they encountered numerous problems of their own... He would facilitate the downfall of the Statute in the USA, igniting a war between the wizards and their Muggles, leaving them no time for him! The world would construe it as an alien invasion. He subtly assisted the Obscurus; however, at the critical moment, they were cornered by the Aurors. The Obscurus—this foolish entity—ceased its indiscriminate attacks, leading to its swift demise. The Obscurus did not even resist! Gellert found himself alone, surrounded by a throng of Aurors. He had the opportunity to fight his way out, but he had never committed such mass slaughters of wizards, and his hand trembled—he resorted to using non-lethal spells. Even so, he had a chance to break through, but he became distracted by Newt Scamander's Diving Evil, waking up in a cell. Damn it, just damn it! Humanity thwarted his escape! And his brilliant plan to incite panic in the US also failed—the wizards merely sprayed the saliva of the Diving Evil with the aid of a thunderbird and erased the memories of everyone in New York! He awaited trial, shackled in a cell. Yet, they did not confiscate his most prized possession—the Gift of the Prophet. He discovered a flaw in the cell's security. No, blood magic was obstructed, but he inscribed the necessary symbols upon himself using his own urine. Then, in the ritual, he sacrificed his kidney. A minor local disruption of magic occurred, summoning a medium demon. Having escaped from the cell and confiscated the wand of one of the guards, he found himself free.