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Many of the wizards nodded in agreement and showed their approval.

"I have known and remembered my origins since childhood..." Max put his hand to his heart. "I was looking forward to coming back here. And here I am. For the fifth year, I have been learning all the secrets and nuances of life in the world of magic. But the longer I live here, the more I see..."

The wizards froze in anticipation of the end of the line, and Max's hand, which he held at his heart, clenched into a fist.

"My heart bleeds," the guy said with feeling. "What's the difference, my friends?! The fact that we tie our shoelaces with magic and Muggles - with their hands?!"

"We, wizards, in whose hands are the keys to the universe. We, who are able to provide ourselves with all the conceivable benefits of the world with a wave of our hand. We, who are able to light..." Max stretched out his hand in front of him, palm up, and a real miniature sun was created above it, repeating its color, texture, and spots, enveloping the hall with a wave of heat, and the next moment the guy clenched his fist, making the ball disappear. "And extinguish the stars. Why do I see exactly the same thing here in the wizarding world as I see among the Muggles?"

Max looked around at the wizards but found no answer.

"Why are we ready to tear each other's throats, kill our sisters and brothers, deprive them of everything, destroy their families? For what? For the sake of what we can achieve ourselves? For the sake of influence? Or maybe..." A handful of galleons appeared in the guy's hand. "For the goblin gold?"

"We, representatives of the families in whose veins flows the blood of dozens of generations of wizards. Those who are supposed to be the guiding star for young families, the standard and role model. We destroy each other, reducing our families to ashes in the wind. Is this the goal of pure-blood wizards? Is this what you will pass on to your children? The rubble and ruins of the world? Our ancestors, without sparing themselves, discovered the secrets of magic, delving into the secrets of the universe, laying their heads on the altar of knowledge of magic. They discovered the unknown and the new, so that children would pick up their banners and carry them on, through the ages. To live in a world where there will be no need and no place for cruelty and violence. So that honor, pride, and dignity never become an empty sound, loyalty to the word and deed was as before, at the basis of actions, and each new generation brought something new and incredible. Toujours Pur - these words are engraved on my family's coat of arms. What do you carry? What did your ancestors bequeath to you?"

The brief pause in Max's speech was interrupted by another hum of whispering, and some wizards seemed to feel the hands of their ancestors on their shoulders, which stood in a huge line behind them. They straightened up, and in the eyes of many, Delphine saw not an eternal mask of contempt but pride, and with a smile, she noticed how a herd of goosebumps ran through her own body.

Max squeezed the galleons in his hand, and they crumbled into gold dust, disappearing. Delphine realized with some inner instinct that the ending of this speech might not be so significant and, even more so - harmful. She moved confidently toward Max, and placing her hand gently on his elbow, she whispered almost inaudibly.

"Don't go on. That's enough."

The boy looked at her intently with blue eyes and nodded.

"Time to go," she whispered again, and Max shifted his gaze to the wizards.

"Urgent matters require attention, and therefore we are leaving. I hope that no troubles will befall the House of Malfoy under the leadership of the young Head."

Max and Delphine headed through the parting crowd to the exit of the hall, and Daphne and Astoria quickly caught up with them, stepping behind them. When they disappeared into the fireplace room, the crowd of wizards became animated again, starting to discuss a new topic. Still, only a few noticed Voldemort sitting at one of the tables in the shadows in the company of two wizards. But even so, their faces were impossible to make out and remember, and as soon as you took your eyes off them, you immediately forgot what you had seen so interesting a second ago. Did you see anything there at all?