Severus arrived at the square in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
During the Middle Ages, if church bells rang at an unusual hour, it often meant a warning or important news that required people to gather. But by the twenty-first century, people who heard bells in the middle of the night only found it strange.
People trusted authority blindly. Once someone possessed authority, he could persuade others with little effort. There were many self-proclaimed "professors" in the wizarding world as well, such as Lockhart. When he served as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, the children called him Professor.
Generally speaking, what authorities said seemed very reasonable. When we lacked the knowledge and information to make our own judgments, we relied on their judgment instead, avoiding overestimating ourselves and making unwise choices.
But sometimes, authority was not so trustworthy.
This magnificent cathedral had cost its believers a great deal of money, and Saint Louis had nearly emptied France's treasury to purchase the Crown of Thorns.
That might have been true, or it might have been like Mary's milk or the Shroud of Turin. All the shrouds in Europe combined could probably make a tent.
The new authorities were people like nutrition analysts and doctors. After collecting consultation fees, they told the public about the difference in calories between whole milk and skim milk. As a result, people trying to lose weight drank skim milk without restraint, then ate food loaded with cheese. Cheese contained more protein; butter and cream were what truly carried high calories.
The sin of gluttony was often confused with greed, and the public's obese bodies happened to reflect the greed of the authorities. It was difficult to distinguish these authorities. Normally, obtaining a real title required years of effort, yet some people acquired titles effortlessly and