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0845 Acceptance
🕑 Added 2025-09-21 13:33:25 +0000 UTCBryan's gaze fell upon the silent Graves, observing the man's stiff posture and facial expression with scrutiny. For several seconds under the unspoken tension, Bryan observed many subtle details.
Finally, a strange and calculating glint flickered in Bryan's eyes.
This was truly a fascinating development that needed closer examination and consideration.
At this joint review meeting convened to determine whether the Learning Machine could legitimately enter the American magical market, Trask Graves, the very person whose deliberate actions and bureaucratic manipulation had needed this formal meeting that by all rights should never have been required was showing behavior that was completely beyond logical explanation.
Not only had he remained completely and conspicuously silent throughout the meeting, but Bryan's magical senses could detect that Graves was actively using sophisticated Occlumency techniques to protect his innermost thoughts from any potential mental intrusion or casual observation.
What was it that he didn't want exposed? What was the true reason behind his recent hostility toward Bryan—a hostility so intense and irrational that he had refused even to meet privately before this review meeting to discuss potential compromises or alternative arrangements?
The questions multiplied in Bryan's mind like branching pathways through a complex maze.
Frankly, even after all his observation and thinking, Bryan still couldn't determine with certainty why this man sitting across from him whose graying hair was perfectly groomed despite the stress he must be experiencing, whose sharp facial features seemed carved from stone and perfectly embodied the concepts of authority and unwavering power had such deep and apparently personal animosity toward someone he had never met.
However, from analysis of the specific restrictions and monitoring measures Graves had imposed upon him since his arrival, Bryan had begun to form several working theories about the man's possible motivations.
The most psychologically plausible possibility was that Trask Graves was desperately determined not to follow in his grandfather's historically disastrous footsteps, even if that meant becoming irrationally overprotective of American magical security.
More than half a century ago, during one of the darkest periods in American magical history, Percival Graves had served as Director of Magical Law Enforcement and Head of Security for the Magical Congress of the United States of America. His reputation had been quite good, and he was protecting the American magical community acceptably.
Then he encountered the legendary dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald at the height of his power. Grindelwald had imprisoned the real Percival Graves, taken his identity and infiltrated the heart of MACUSA for a long period of time.
Through a series of dangerous events that had spiraled completely beyond anyone's control, this infiltration had nearly led to the catastrophic complete exposure of the entire wizarding world to Muggles.
The scandal had rocked the magical world, and although the real Percival Graves was eventually rescued and his innocence was proven, the damage to the family's reputation and political standing had been severe and long-lasting.
This remained the Graves family's greatest shame. Based on this traumatic family history, it was entirely reasonable for Trask Graves to feel instinctive disgust and hostility toward any extraordinarily powerful wizard who appeared on American soil with unclear motives—especially someone like Bryan whose reputation and abilities might match with Grindelwald.
Though Bryan's reputation in the international wizarding community had grown and was generally positively in recent years, shrewd and experienced observers could easily discern his actual operating style from analysis of how he handled various magical crises and international incidents.
Those who observed his methods understood that conventional rules, legal restrictions, and bureaucratic procedures couldn't completely constrain him when he decided decisive action was necessary. Like all truly powerful wizards, Bryan operated according to his own moral code rather than blind obedience to governmental regulations.
Therefore, Graves's concern that Bryan might eventually abuse his magical power to ensure his personal agenda after establishing himself within American wizarding society, even potentially subduing and controlling key officials as Grindelwald had done was a logical and professionally reasonable assumption for someone unfamiliar with Bryan's actual character and ethical principles.
It was the kind of vigilant suspicion that an experienced Auror with that type of family history would maintain when dealing with potentially dangerous foreign wizards.
Furthermore, it remained an undeniable fact that in the Berlin suburbs just months ago, without providing prior notification to the German Ministry of Magic or coordinating with local magical law enforcement, Bryan had directly and decisively uprooted an entire Dark Wizard Organization and eliminated its participants with such overwhelming magical force that the resulting disturbance had been witnessed by half of Berlin's Muggle population.
The international incident that followed had required long memory modification operations, diplomatic negotiations, and cover-up efforts that had strained relationships between multiple magical governments.
As someone who bore ultimate responsibility for the security and stability of American wizarding society, whose job required him to prevent exactly such breaches of magical secrecy, Trask Graves would absolutely and understandably abhor such reckless actions, regardless of their ultimate moral justification.
Therefore, Bryan had never shown particular anger or resentment about the Security Department's decision to confiscate his wand upon arrival or their insistence that Amelia accompany him as both liaison and subtle observer throughout his stay in New York.
In Graves's position, with his family history and professional responsibilities, Bryan accepted that he might very well have implemented similar precautionary measures.
Of course, Bryan hadn't forgotten the intriguing clues that Gnarlak had provided either.
In the brief instant when their eyes had met during the formal introductions, Bryan's magical perceptions had detected something far more complex than simple political opposition or family-based paranoia lurking in the dark red depths of Graves's gaze.
There had been a deeply hidden sense of unnaturalness and barely suppressed panic that went beyond normal anxiety about powerful foreign wizards.
Was he afraid of retaliation, or was he... afraid that Bryan might discern his body's true condition?
Speaking of which, this Security Department head was clearly facing far more serious troubles than simple political pressure or family reputation. His body had become something like an alchemical crucible, containing multiple conflicting magical forces that were slowly tearing him apart from inside.
Bryan's magical senses could detect the chaotic energy patterns:
Graves's own natural magical power, weakened and struggling to maintain basic life functions; a magically cold and invasive energy that felt like the lingering effects of dark magic injuries, likely sustained during that fight with Vampires; the unnaturally warm energy signature of unicorn blood magic flowing through his veins; and beneath it all, the presence of the curse which resulted from drinking that most sacred creature's blood.
These different magical forces were deeply rooted throughout his entire body like competing parasites, sometimes merging in behaviors that created temporary stability, sometimes violently conflicting in behaviors that cause excruciating internal pain.
One could easily imagine that he was enduring unimaginable physical and magical agony on a constant basis, maintaining his professional composure through sheer determination and probably large amounts of pain-relieving potions.
For such a complex and advanced magical condition, involving multiple types of incompatible energy and at least one incurable curse, the only potential solution Bryan could consider would require using an even more powerful magical force to completely seal all the conflicting energies within his body.
Such a drastic treatment might preserve what little natural life force he had remaining and potentially extend his lifespan by several years, but the price would be that Graves would become a complete Squib, never again being able to use magic.
As someone born into a prestigious magical family, someone who was himself an exceptionally talented wizard with decades of experience, Bryan seriously doubted that Trask Graves could ever accept such a "shameful" remaining part of his life.
For a man whose entire identity, career, and family legacy was built upon magical ability and governmental authority, becoming a Squib would be a fate worse than death.
"The thing is, Mr. Graves—"
After a moment of contemplation, Bryan interlaced his fingers and looked at Graves calmly.
"The Security Department has consistently maintained a cautious and thoroughly professional attitude regarding the Learning Machine's use of illusion and mind magic to influence users' minds and learning processes. This careful scrutiny demonstrates a genuine sense of responsibility to the safety and wellbeing of the American wizarding public."
Today's review meeting had unfolded exactly as Bryan had hoped, with him taking an innovative alternative approach that deflected the conflict between himself and Graves regarding the Learning Machine's entry into American wizarding society.
From a purely political standpoint, this was an undeniable victory for Bryan and a crushing defeat for Graves's opposing efforts.
Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been surprising if this powerful man became something of a political laughingstock as a result of being so thoroughly outmaneuvered by a foreign ‘businessman’ half his age.
But as Bryan had said before, he was here mainly for business opportunities and long-term commercial relationships, not to create permanent enemies or destroy political careers unnecessarily.
Even though Bryan's senses had revealed that Graves's physical condition was genuinely dire and he quite possibly might not survive much longer regardless of medical intervention, the Graves family was a politically powerful dynasty with wide connections throughout the American magical government.
Bryan had no desire to make himself constrained or sabotaged by their influence in future business ventures or other activities that might bring him back to America.
"This professional questioning and genuinely responsible attitude toward public safety earns my sincere admiration—"
The words were echoing clearly across the conference room, and Graves heard them. Marcelline heard them. So did, several of the seasoned and politically experienced officials present in the meeting room also and recognized what Bryan Watson was trying to accomplish with this unexpected gesture.
Bryan Watson was offering Trask Graves an opportunity to salvage some amount of his lost dignity and professional reputation, ensuring that the politically influential Graves family wouldn't create additional obstacles.
"To date, the audit materials that Mr. Lupin has submitted to the MACUSA through official channels don't include the detailed blueprints for the magical runes that form the heart of the Learning Machine's core components," Bryan continued.
"This omission exists because these runic designs are the device's most crucial intellectual property and trade secrets, which we obviously cannot expose to general review or risk having copied by competitors."
He paused, allowing this explanation to register with his audience before delivering his offer.
"However, to show my respect for the Security Department's legitimate concerns and Mr. Graves's professional diligence, I am prepared to take an unprecedented step. You may assemble a team of the most qualified experts available who possess advanced training in alchemical analysis and magical artifact evaluation."
The room seemed to hold its breath as Bryan continued with his astonishing proposal.
"As long as these experts are willing to sign confidentiality contracts with appropriate magical enforcement clauses, I am personally willing to share the complete magical rune blueprints of the Learning Machine's core components with them. This would enable your security specialists to produce an objective, detailed, and thorough assessment report that addresses every possible safety concern."
Bryan delivered this offer with casual ease, as if he were suggesting nothing more significant than sharing tea recipes rather than offering to reveal industrial secrets worth potentially millions of galleons.
Share the complete magical rune blueprints of the Learning Machine's core components?!
The announcement hit Remus like a stunning spell. He had been observing and learning from Bryan's methods for handling complex political troubles, hoping to understand how someone managed such high-level negotiations with apparent effortlessness.
Suddenly his entire body stiffened with shock and alarm, and he nearly launched himself from his chair in protest before remembering where he was and forcing himself to maintain composure.
Reverse-engineering the Learning Machine's basic construction and general principles wasn't particularly difficult for competent alchemists with sufficient time and resources.
Anyone with adequate funding could discover the device's supply chain through investigation, or simply purchase a completed unit for disassembly and analysis, allowing skilled magical craftsmen to eventually reconstruct functional copies.
In fact, Remus knew from experience that various businesses and organizations had been trying exactly this approach for months—he had already dealt with several serious incidents involving workshop workers who had been bribed or coerced into leaking manufacturing information while he managed the facility's day-to-day operations.
The only reason the Learning Machine remained exclusively their intellectual property and commercial advantage was that the most crucial secrets—the specific runic patterns and magical algorithms that made the device actually function remained safely protected in their hands and nowhere else.
Yet now, apparently to prove the Learning Machine's safety and security to a government department that had been obstructing their business, Bryan was casually willing to share those magical rune blueprints.
Even with the strongest possible confidentiality contracts backed by the most severe magical enforcement penalties, such agreements couldn't guarantee complete security!
Bryan's gesture of unprecedented good faith was simply astounding. Even Marcelline, sitting across the conference table, looking composed in her diplomatic role, found herself momentarily stunned by the unexpected generosity of this offer.
The same shock was clearly visible on the faces of other officials throughout the room, including the preoccupied Graves, who seemed to emerge from his internal struggles long enough to register what had just been proposed.
If Graves actually agreed to accept this offer and demanded to examine the Learning Machine's deepest secrets, would Bryan Watson ultimately become angry and withdraw his cooperation as a result of the intrusion?
Loud warning bells rang urgently in Marcelline's mind as she recognized the potential for this generous offer to backfire.
She absolutely could not allow any unexpected developments to arise and threaten what had already become a nearly certain positive outcome for all parties involved!
Narrowing her eyes and making a swift decision, Marcelline spoke before Graves could give any response to Bryan's offer, her smile was brightening as she addressed the entire room.
"The Learning Machine has been successfully available in various European wizarding communities for several months now, with an established track record of safe and beneficial use.
Based on user feedback from satisfied customers across multiple countries, as long as usage frequency and duration are properly monitored according to the manufacturer's recommendations, the device is completely safe and presents no risks to users' mental or magical health.
I have complete faith in Mr. Watson's alchemical expertise and innovative capabilities, as well as the proven wisdom and judgment of... Headmaster Dumbledore. Isn't that correct, Trask?"
'Headmaster Dumbledore?'
Bryan's eyes narrowed with interest and a trace of surprise. Throughout all his marketing efforts and business presentations, he had never once promoted or even mentioned Dumbledore's involvement in the Learning Machine's development process.
How had Marcelline learned of this connection, and was she now invoking Dumbledore's reputation tactically to provide additional credibility and overcome any lingering resistance?
"That's completely unnecessary, Mr. Watson—"
Finally, after maintaining silence throughout the entire length of this meeting, Graves addressed Bryan directly for the first time.
His cheeks were drawn stiff with the strain of whatever internal battles he had been fighting, his body was rigidly upright despite physical discomfort, and when he spoke, his voice had an imposing tone.
"Indeed...Since the Learning Machine's research and design process received support and guidance from Headmaster Dumbledore, and since Mr. Watson has shown such good faith by offering to disclose even the core component's most sensitive magical rune blueprints to our security review..."
He paused, clearly struggling with the words that would signal his complete surrender to Bryan's strategy.
"And considering that this remarkable educational invention has been officially available in European magical markets for considerable time without any documented incidents of malicious effects harming users' consciousness or magical development...
Therefore, acting on behalf of both the Security Department and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, I hereby formally certify that the 'Venus Learning Machine, Model 94' as developed and designed by your organization is a safe and harmless alchemical product that meets all applicable safety standards for distribution within the American magical community."
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