"Everyone has two sides, Professor."
Wade said, "I met Mr. Fontana a few times as well. Though the time was brief, I could tell that to the students and colleagues he recognized, he truly was a dedicated, beloved Headmaster. That was the side of him you knew."
"But to those Muggle-borns who, in his eyes, did not deserve magic and even tainted its purity, he regarded them all as enemies, regardless of their age, character, or ability."
"And toward enemies, he showed an extreme coldness and rejection, as though any means used against them was justified."
Wade paused, seeming to consider how to put it more precisely.
"This divided way of thinking was not entirely Fontana's personal failing."
"The American Wizarding World went through the terrible trauma of the Salem Witch Trials. They used harsh laws to separate the two societies, and American Wizards had distrust—even hostility—toward Muggles carved into their institutions and culture."
"Fontana grew up and came to power in such an environment. His beliefs were the product of that historical shadow. Even after Rapaport Law was repealed, people's views could not change overnight."
As he spoke, Wade's voice grew softer and softer until it finally faded into silence.
There was a question no one had mentioned, yet none could ignore—Rapaport Law had been repealed in 1965. So what had happened to Muggle-born Young Wizards in the United States before then?
In a country where even forming a close friendship with ordinary people could bring severe punishment, Muggle-born Young Wizards naturally would not have been accepted by Magic Schools. How would they have understood their own powers? When their Magic Power suddenly erupted, would they have been "dealt with" by the Magical Congress of the United States of America?
Given the environment of the American Wizarding World, it