0807 PROS & CONS

"Become the Headmaster of Durmstrang?"

Vipor repeated Bryan's request, his expression somewhat strange.

"You want me to give up my position at the International Confederation of Wizards to become Headmaster of Durmstrang? What are you thinking, Watson?"

"Oh, please, don't let your imagination to conjure up such dramatic misunderstandings," Bryan interjected smoothly, raising one hand.

Bryan knew that Vipor might think he was trying to eliminate a competitor in order to smoothly succeed Dumbledore. He shook his head with a smile.

"The Confederation's affairs and the role of serving as Durmstrang's Headmaster don't necessarily conflict with one another, do they?"

Bryan continued, pointing toward Hogwarts on the cliff.

"There exists a living, breathing example of such dual service right there, Vipor. Look, Dumbledore serves as both Hogwarts Headmaster and Chairman of the Confederation, and he does both jobs well, doesn't he?"

The mention of Dumbledore's dual responsibilities seemed to have the desired effect.

Vipor's rigid posture relaxed slightly as he absorbed the information that Watson wasn't demanding he abandon his hard-won position within the Confederation.

However, Bryan's subsequent praise of Dumbledore's administrative capabilities struck a particularly different chord. Vipor's left eyebrow arched up, while the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Does them both well, you say?"

"Cough, cough—"

Bryan was holding his wine glass, gently sipping the crimson liquid when he heard Vipor's questioning tone which caught him completely off guard. He choked and coughed several times, but quickly regained his composure and calmly met Vipor's gaze.

"Isn't that precisely the case?" Bryan resumed, his voice perhaps slightly hoarse but steady. "Under Dumbledore's leadership, the International Confederation of Wizards has indeed operated with remarkable efficiency and diplomatic success throughout all these tumultuous years. And as for Hogwarts, it's the same, isn't it? The teaching quality has been steadily—"

Bryan caught himself mid-sentence, recognizing the potential trap in his own words. "That is to say, the educational standards have been continuously evolving and improving under him. The school maintains its position as one of the best magical institutions in the world."

Bryan leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on the table surface as he gave Vipor an earnest gaze.

"Surely it cannot be considered such an extremely difficult task. Since Dumbledore has this ability, there's no reason you can't do it, is there?"

Vipor said nothing. His lips were pressed tight, eyebrows raised as he stared intently at Bryan for a long while. Finally, he shook his head.

"You know, Watson, you really should abandon this academic charade of yours and pursue a career in professional politics instead of wasting your talents as a mere professor at a school."

Without waiting for Bryan to respond, Vipor straightened his expression again.

"You want to take over as Durmstrang's Headmaster? Why, Watson? I want a reason—a real reason, not lies and excuses, if you truly hope I'll agree."

"The reason is simple—"

Bryan said calmly.

"You know that because of Voldemort and Cliodna, the Triwizard Tournament went awry. The results of the second task were voided, and Karkaroff, who led Durmstrang in the competition, even lost his life. But I don't want the first Tournament in centuries, hosted by Hogwarts, to be suspended because of this. I need someone who can lead Durmstrang to continue competing."

There was a moment of silence.

Vipor gripped his wine glass, slowly running his fingers along the rim, looking somewhat surprised.

He wasn't surprised by Bryan's explanation, but by his honesty. He had expected Bryan to come up with some nonsense, trying to tie this matter to his own interests to persuade him to agree.

After thinking for a moment, Vipor asked with a frown.

"That sounds decent, but are you confident you can make me Durmstrang's Headmaster?"

"Maybe yes, maybe no. But I won't trouble myself with that, Vipor."

Bryan's tone was calm, as if he wasn't worried at all that Vipor would refuse.

"Or rather, as long as you agree, this matter won't require any effort from me. You've served the Confederation for many years and have considerable prestige in the European wizarding world, maintaining good relationships with officials from many magical governments.

Moreover, both you and your wife are Durmstrang alumni. I believe that with just a letter of self-recommendation, no one would prevent you from becoming Durmstrang's Headmaster at this time. People would only be grateful for your help in their hour of need."

After a pause, Bryan continued.

"Furthermore," Bryan continued, building upon his foundation of reasoning, "as soon as news of your appointment as Headmaster spreads throughout the European magical community and such news travels remarkably quickly in our interconnected world, the morale and stability at Durmstrang Institute will be immediately restored."

Bryan's gaze shifted once again toward the window and the majestic view of Hogwarts.

"As for Hogwarts, you don't need to be stationed there permanently. You only need to reassure your students, be present during the third task, and replace Karkaroff as a judge.

Of course, you'll need to spend some time understanding Durmstrang's daily affairs. After that, you can follow Dumbledore's example—delegate school matters to trusted staff while focusing your energy on Confederation business."

Vipor continued to stroke his wine glass, his expression appearing somewhat indifferent. What Watson was saying wasn't complicated, and with his intelligence, if he were willing to accept this suggestion, he would figure out how to proceed himself. However... a glimmer flickered in Vipor's eyes.

"Have you finished your presentation?" Vipor asked, his voice carrying a tone of professional curiosity.

Bryan blinked once, slowly, his expression maintaining its characteristic mild smile.

The question was reasonable, and he could sense that this was a crucial moment in their negotiation. He had presented his case, outlined the practical considerations, and addressed the most obvious concerns. Now it was time to see how his arguments would be received.

However, Bryan's subsequent silence at this crucial juncture caused a subtle shift in Vipor's demeanor. Vipor's expression darkened slightly, and disappointment began to creep into his face.

What was happening here? Had Watson, this clever and usually shrewd young man, somehow been affected by the psychological pressure of the Dark Lord's return?

Where had his customary shrewdness and political competence disappeared?

The Bryan Watson that Vipor had come to know and respect was sharper than this, more aware of the subtle forces of political negotiation.

This wasn't the proper attitude for requesting favors, and it certainly wasn't the approach that would yield the desired results in a delicate diplomatic situation.

"We're not rivals, are we, Vipor?"

The words emerged from Bryan seemingly out of nowhere, completely unrelated to anything that had been discussed previously.

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

Vipor's eyebrow twitched upward in a gesture of confusion, but the disappointment that had been building in his expression suddenly gave way to a surge of anticipation.

Perhaps Watson hadn't lost his political instincts after all.

"I find myself still several years away from reaching my thirtieth birthday, Vipor."

Bryan continued with a smile, his tone casual as if making small talk.

"Hmph, yes indeed, the famous boy genius of our generation."

Vipor said with some envy, but his expression softened accordingly. He understood Watson's hint or perhaps it could be considered a promise.

The logic was simple: if Bryan Watson was still years away from thirty, then he was also years away from being considered a serious candidate for the most senior positions in the wizarding world.

Age and experience still mattered in their society, and regardless of his remarkable talents and achievements, Watson would need to demonstrate sustained excellence over time before he could realistically aspire to the highest offices.

This meant that the two men were not, in fact, immediate competitors for the same position of Supreme Mugwump. More importantly, it showed that Watson might be willing to support his aspirations.

Now that Bryan Watson had offered his price or at least hinted at the terms of a potential arrangement, it was upon Vipor to carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the proposal being laid in front of him.

Vipor lowered his head and picked up his knife and fork to deal with a grilled sausage on his plate.

Taking on the role of Durmstrang's Headmaster was completely outside the bounds of anything Vipor had planned for the remaining years of his career.

His trajectory had been carefully mapped out through the orders of the International Confederation of Wizards, with each step calculated to build upon the previous achievements and to position him for the ultimate goal of Chairmanship within that organization.

However, as he considered the matter more thoroughly, turning it over in his mind, he began to recognize that it could, in fact, represent a wonderfully clever strategic move.

The more he thought about it, the more brilliant the proposal became.

He had indeed served within the Confederation for many years, accumulating experience, building relationships, and establishing his reputation.

Yet despite all of these achievements, he still found himself continuously overshadowed by the towering reputation and effortless charisma of Albus Dumbledore.

How could any wizard compete with such a legacy?

Vipor couldn't hope to match Dumbledore on longevity. Traditional career advancement within the Confederation would likely never be sufficient to overcome such an established reputation.

What he needed was something different, something that would allow him to break free from the conventional mold and produce achievements that would be impossible to ignore or overshadow.

He required accomplishments that would be uniquely his own, successes that would capture the imagination of the wizarding public and establish him as a leader worthy of the highest offices in future.

That was the key: when the International Confederation of Wizards eventually faced leadership elections, and when Dumbledore inevitably showed no interest in continuing his chairmanship whether due to age, other commitments, or simply a desire to focus on Hogwarts, the field would be wide open for a new generation of leaders.

Combined with Watson's promised future support, a track record of exceptional achievement in multiple spheres could truly bring him into serious consideration by the voting members.

Durmstrang Institute represented exactly the kind of platform he needed to achieve such recognition.

Serving as headmaster of one of Europe's most prestigious magical schools would immediately grant him extensive personal networks and communication channels that were far beyond the formal diplomatic circles in which he currently moved.

Educational institutions were, by their nature, connected to families, communities, and societies in ways that government organizations could never match.

Moreover, Durmstrang's reputation throughout the European wizarding world had indeed been declining significantly in recent years. The school's teaching quality had stagnated, its methods had grown outdated, and its overall standing had suffered in comparison to institutions like Hogwarts and Beauxbatons.

These problems were serious, but they also represented tremendous opportunities for someone with the vision and competence to implement meaningful reforms.

If he could truly make a substantive difference at Durmstrang, if he could restore the school's reputation, modernize its curriculum, and return it to its former position of excellence, such achievements would be impossible to ignore.

The wizarding world would take notice of the administrator who had successfully revitalized one of their most important educational institutions.

But there was another consideration that made his pulse quicken with excitement and ambition.

The Triwizard Tournament itself represented an unprecedented opportunity for international recognition. With the second task's results now voided due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the Dark Lord's return, the ultimate winner of the first Tournament to be held in centuries remained completely undetermined.

If he could successfully step into the leadership role at Durmstrang and guide the school's champions through the remaining challenges, if he could lead them to victory in this historic competition, then the political and social capital generated by such a triumph would be enormous.

Victory in the Triwizard Tournament would represent the kind of outstanding "political achievement" that could define his career and establish a reputation that would last for generations.

It would be a success story that would be told and retold throughout the wizarding world, forever associating his name with excellence, leadership, and triumph over adversity.

The breathing pattern of Vipor Dreghorn had begun to accelerate slightly as the full scope of this opportunity crystallized in his mind.

While Vipor sat in silence, working his way through his meal as he processed these weighty considerations, Bryan had turned his attention to the view beyond their room's windows. His gaze wandered across the village of Hogsmeade, where the residents were engaged in their cycle of seasonal agricultural work.

"Look at these villagers—"

Bryan said suddenly, his voice cutting through Vipor's internal ponderings.

"What?"

Following Bryan's directing gaze, Vipor instinctively looked through the window toward the working figures in the fields.

To his eyes, the scene appeared entirely ordinary and unremarkable—simply a group of agricultural workers going about their daily tasks as they had for countless generations. He could see nothing that would get particular attention or comment.

"I remember from my last visit to your country estate," Bryan continued, "that I observed the Muggle farmlands adjacent to your property. Those non-magical farmers were using machinery for almost all aspects of their agricultural work."

He paused, allowing this observation to settle before continuing with what was clearly his main point.

"Those mechanical devices enable Muggle farmers to achieve levels of productivity and efficiency that far exceed what we magical folk accomplish with our traditional methods. A single Muggle farmer with the proper equipment can cultivate and harvest fields that would require dozens of wizarding workers using conventional spells and techniques."

Bryan's expression grew more serious as he developed his theme.

"The gap is becoming increasingly apparent with each passing year. We are falling behind, Vipor, and the gap continues to widen. Our magical society needs progress, innovation, and adaptation. We cannot continue to rely on methods that were developed centuries ago while the world around us transforms at an ever-accelerating pace."

His gaze shifted from the window back to his companion.

"The various Ministries of Magic throughout Europe and beyond are all preoccupied with their own concerns and bureaucratic responsibilities. They lack the vision, the authority, and perhaps even the inclination to address these larger questions of societal development and adaptation.

Perhaps it is time for the International Confederation of Wizards to expand its mission and take on greater responsibility for guiding our world through the changes that are clearly necessary."

The phrase "guiding through change" resonated in Vipor's mind like a bell struck in a cathedral, but he recognized that this wasn't precisely what Bryan was saying. He was saying the Confederation should take on more responsibility. This aligned with his own thinking!

Thud—

Vipor slowly set down his knife and fork, solemnly wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin, then looked at the mild-mannered Bryan with burning eyes.

"When can I meet those young fellows from Durmstrang?"

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