...but there's no place like London.
London seemed to many a glorious place, gorgeous and full of culture and life. Wizarding London was often seen as not much different, but Kasimir disagreed. He didn’t see a hub of culture and life, but rather a city torn apart by war and a ministry struggling to find a foundation that had never been stable. Wizarding London still smelled of the Muggleborn Registration Commission and those people who had been unjustly imprisoned. There was no way to wash all that away, and a governmental “sorry” couldn’t take away the pain and suffering that was caused. There were glimpses of rebellion everywhere, though, crude guerrilla art littered the streets near the ministry, new art appearing every few days. That told a story of someone dissatisfied with the governments’s corruption. Kasimir found it hard to speak to the new minister, or any of the ministry officials here without a little contempt, though they were trying to do better, and he understood that.
Russia wasn’t much better, really . The home of Durmstrang for far too long, the whole government had a reputation for hating muggles and muggleborn wizards, at least until Kasimir had been elected, by a wide margin. He was the face of change, of progress. He wanted to help people, he really did, and those who were disenfranchised by the former government were his first priority. What may might have referred to as “reverse-racism” by those who didn’t understand, Kasmir looked particularly for underrepresented people within the ministry. He had put out an internship opportunity for Koldovstoretz (and Durmstrang) students to join him as a part of his personal cabinet for the summer, and had found the most intelligent and interesting candidate in Valentina. She was a muggleborn, like him, and had a strong head on her shoulders. From the moment she interviewed, he knew it had to be her. She had been doing very well, too. She could certainly have a place in politics if she kept herself together and made the right steps. He would write her a recommendation for law school, if she desired.
The trip was wrapping up, though and Kasimir was ready to go home. Russia felt different than this. The tides were changing there, people with the old views were being voted out of office and those with progressive ideals were making headway. The world was coming together in Russia. In England, though, it felt fake. He had seen a public relations official, a muggleborn, vouch for a man who was clearly corrupt. The darkness was still there, just in hiding. It was poised to strike again and again. Who knew, perhaps there was a new Dark Lord brewing in England. Perhaps there was another attack on muggles, on muggleborn yet to come. No, Kasimir wasn’t impressed with England. He did dread the end, though, because it meant Valentina’s internship was coming to an end as well.
He had invited the girl to lunch at a nearby café, nothing too fancy. There was little chance of him being recognized here, regardless, and he championed himself as being friendly to all supporters and cordial to all opponents, should he be recognized after-all. He was dressed down from his formal suits, and was instead wearing a nice pair of slacks and a short-sleeved shirt. He had invited Valentina to do the same, as today was mostly packing and travelling. They would be taking a portkey, of course, but he did want a chance to ride the tube while he was there, so he had arranged for them to travel a bit in muggle London as well.
He looked up at the pretty young Tigrova and smiled lightly at her, stirring his soup absentmindedly. “So, Valentina,” He began. “How did you find London?” He had kept most of his negativity to himself throughout the trip, though he had made a point to stop to take photos of the protest artwork near the entrance to the Ministry whenever he saw something new.
@Valentina Teodorescu 
