“When in the Course of Magical Events, it becomes necessary for one Magical Community to dissolve the Political Bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of Magic, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Magic's Creator entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of Wizard-kind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Witches and Wizards are created equal, that they are endowed by Our Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Magical Knowledge. That to secure these rights, Magical Governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of their fellow Wizards. That whenever any Form of Magical Governance becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the Magical People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Magical Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
The history of the present Ministry of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations against the American Magical Community, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these Colonial Provinces. To prove this, let these Facts be submitted to a candid Wizarding World…(the complaints go on for several more pages. Franklin was not as laconic as his No-Maj counterpart Thomas Jefferson - PR)”
Done this FOURTH Day of JULY in the Year of Our Lord Seventeen Hundred and Seventy-Six, at the Chambers beneath Independence Hall, Philadelphia, by the Assembled Representatives of the Thirteen Magical Colonies of America.
Signed, Benjamin Franklin (et al.)
Master of Natural and Supernatural Philosophy, Chief Scribe of the Continental Congress of Magic, Founder, American Philosophical Society of Thaumaturgy, Ambassador to the Court of Louis XVI and the Académie Royale de Magie
The MACUSA Declaration of Independence, as preserved in the Library of Magical Congress
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The bell couldn't ring soon enough. As students began packing up their things, Binns assigned six inches on the major provisions of the 1865 Congress by next class. Jack rubbed his eyes and put his things into his schoolbag. Henry stretched luxuriously.
“I’ve never had such a terrible history teacher,” Jack complained, as he watched Cassandra pack up and depart.
“You did your best to liven it up a bit,” Henry grinned, “But that’s like trying to hold back the tide with your bare hands.”
"Not bad there Semmes," Montfort said as he passed them. "Perhaps you're not as stupid as you look."
"Keep walking, Montfort," Henry replied.
Caeso waved dismissively over his shoulder.
As they left History of Magic, a thin figure with red hair detached himself from the corridor wall.
"Semmes!" Eustace Grymes fell into step beside them with a friendly smile. "Wanted to properly introduce myself, seeing as we’re housemates and all. Eustace Grymes.”
“Jack Semmes-” Jack smiled politely, always happy to make a new friend.
Grymes was already starting to talk before he had finished, “That was brilliant in there, about the parallel founding of MACUSA and the No-Maj Congress. Most of us don't realize how deeply intertwined American magical and non-magical independence is."
Jack started in mild surprise, "Thanks," he said. “Don’t think that won me any points with Venge though.”
"Don’t worry about Venge, he’s an odd duck," Grymes continued, "Listen, Jack. I was out of line at the sorting feast. All that rubbish about Americans and Muggles... been listening too much to Montfort's crowd, I suppose. Hope we can start fresh?"
Jack didn’t hesitate shaking it. Grymes had a surprisingly firm grip for such a skinny frame. "Sure, no offense taken."
"Excellent!" Grymes brightened. "Henry, you'll have to tell me sometime how your father's handling the Ministry's new agricultural policies. Must be affecting the farm, eh?" Without waiting for an answer, he gave them both a cheerful nod and loped off down the corridor with his hands in his pockets.
“What’s with him?” Jack asked Henry as they added down the stairs. “He seems… off.”
“He’s very, very sharp, Grymes.” Henry said, “Smartest boy in our year. He would have been sorted into Ravenclaw but he asked the hat to be in Gryffindor like his father...”
"What happened to him?” Jack asked, with a feeling of trepidation. "His dad, I mean."
"Killed by Grindelwalders, Siege of Diagon Alley in ‘44. His Muggle mother's in St. Mungo's…curse damage. She doesn't recognize him anymore." He shook his head. "All happened during the autumn of our third year. He missed a whole term. Made up the coursework in two months over the summer."
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Cripes…” Jack breathed, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
“Not like he was going around wearing a sandwich board, old sport,” Henry responded with a strained smile. "Anyway, you'd better hurry. Wrack and Runes waits for no man."
Ancient Runes proved similar to Ilvermorny, though Jack's expertise in Native American pictographs and Spanish Saragossan script proved useless against Proto-Germanic.
Professor Babbling filled the blackboard with endless declension tables. Jack's eyes glazed as she explained the differences between the Elder and Younger Futhark.
The novelty of Hogwarts' quirks was already starting to wear thin by dinner. The Great Hall's enchanted ceiling showed a deepening twilight, promising a long night of detention ahead.
The library was almost empty when he arrived, most students still lingering over their dessert in the Great Hall. Ms. Quillworth looked up from her desk and gave him a sympathetic smile as he signed in for study prep. Jack avoided eye contact, found a quiet table in the Reference section and pulled out his History of Magic homework, trying to knock out his short paper on 19th century wizarding geopolitics while the sky darkened outside the tall windows.
Time management was critical if he was going to survive here. He checked his watch, allowing exactly 30 minutes for History of Magic, then closing the book and moving over to Transfiguration. He still needed to review tomorrow’s classwork as well.
The librarian moved quietly among the shelves nearby, shelving books and humming softly to herself, the only sound besides the occasional rustle of other arriving students and scratch of his quill.
The rest of the week stretched ahead of him like a race track. At least he'd managed to get through his first day of classes without losing points or earning additional detention. Small victories, he supposed, opening his notebook to review Professor Winterborn's lecture before moving on to prep for Defense class. 9:30pm arrived sooner than he thought. He stayed an extra few minutes to finish reading the Charms syllabus before heading back across campus to Gryffindor Tower.
The Fat Lady stifled a yawn as she swung open to admit Jack. The common room was still busy despite the late hour, filled with the murmur of conversation and scratch of quills. The fire crackled in the massive hearth, casting dancing shadows on the crimson draped walls.
Henry, Teddy, and Oliver had claimed a spot by the window, surrounded by open books and crumpled pieces of parchment. They'd pushed three armchairs together to form a study circle. The wireless was softly playing classical music.
"There's our brave Ilvermorny boy, back from the goblin mines!" Teddy called out softly, as not to bother anyone already asleep. "Heard you gave old Binns what for today."
"Did you really tell him that Bagshot was British propaganda?" Oliver asked, not looking up from his Arithmancy problem set.
Jack pulled up an empty armchair to join the circle. "Not in those exact words." He dropped his bag and plopped down. “Could we put some actually good music on?”
"Mr. Semmes! Mr. Semmes!" The first-years Pal, Mel, and Wiggy ran up to his chair in a storm of pattering feet. "Is it true you brought some Quopro balls with you?" Pal asked breathlessly. "Can we watch? We found this brilliant book about American wizarding sports-"
"Boys." Mina Mulholland's voice broke through their chatter. She stood with her hands on her hips, trying to look stern despite the smile tugging at her lips. "Mr. Semmes has had a very long first day, and he has classes tomorrow. This can wait until tomorrow."
"But Miss Mul-" Wiggy started to protest.
"No buts. Off to bed, all of you. You can pester him about American sports tomorrow."
The first-years trudged away, though not before Mel managed to slip the book onto Jack's armrest. "Just in case you want to look at it," he whispered conspiratorially before scampering after his friends.
"Thanks," Jack told Mina gratefully. She favored him with a pretty smile before passing by.
"Those three are turning into your personal army," Henry observed, amused.
"They're annoying," Jack yawned.
"That's one word for it," Teddy snorted. "They asked me before you got back if Americans duel with two wands at once."
"Where did they even get that idea?"
"Probably the same place they got the notion that MACUSA rides flying motorcycles," Oliver said.
Jack chuckled and picked up the book that Mel had left him. He opened it idly. A slip of parchment fell out. He picked it up and held it up to the light. The ink was watery and hard to read:
> “Agent J,
>
> Pride sends: Dead drop, glasshouse. Intel under largest pot. Destroy message after reading. Careful, Snakes everywhere!
>
> Signed,
>
> The Gryffindor Irregulars aka the Sorcerous Operations Wizards (SOW) aka the Ministry of Ungentlewizardly Warfare"
The signature block was scrawled hastily in three different handwritings, as if the authors couldn’t agree on what to call themselves.
Jack stared at the note for a moment before bursting into laughter. He passed it to Henry, who read it with increasingly raised eyebrows.
"'Agent J'?" Henry started chuckling.
"'Snakes everywhere!'" Teddy read over Henry's shoulder, his eyes wide with mirth. "Those little berks have been reading too many comics about Jedburghs!"
Oliver peered at the note. "Should we be concerned that they're mucking about in the greenhouse?"
"I’m quite sure it’s MacGregor's prize Chinese Chomping Cabbage in that 'largest pot,'" Henry snorted. "Probably spent hours trying to write this in invisible ink."
"The Ministry of Ungentlewizardly Warfare," Jack shook his head, “What a mouthful.”
"S.O.W.," Teddy corrected with mock seriousness, tapping the side of his nose. "Very hush-hush."
"Well, Agent J," Henry affected the exaggerated accent of an overworked Ministry bureaucrat, "You've got your team together. Better not lose your hands collecting that intel."
"Yes commander, I’ll check that pot," Jack gave a sloppy salute, then yawned again. "Tomorrow. After I've slept.”