Chapter 315: When did I receive the Order of Merlin?
It wasn't until he noticed Dylan had been waiting quietly for a while that Dumbledore cleared his throat, withdrew his smile, sat up straight, and adopted a serious tone.
"Ahem, well, stop bickering. There's a child here."
He turned to Dylan and spoke slowly: "I personally suggest that you take advantage of the remaining holiday time to thoroughly research Contract Magic."
"It would be best if you could find some related ancient texts or spell manuals, focusing on the conditions for establishing and the scope of efficacy of magical contracts."
"Contract Magic?" Dylan was momentarily stunned. "Professor, why do you want me to study this? I don't quite understand what you mean." He had, of course, dabbled in Contract Magic. But what did the old man mean by this?
"Just keep it in mind for now; you'll have a use for it later." Dumbledore didn't elaborate further, merely waving his hand. "I have quite a few important matters to attend to in the coming period, so I'll be rather busy. The search for the other Horcruxes will have to be temporarily suspended."
As he spoke, he raised his wand and gently tapped the nearly empty cup of butterbeer in front of him. The liquor in the cup instantly rose, refilling the glass completely.
"Professor, I don't think you should be using the Refilling Charm here," Dylan reminded him, glancing towards the bar. Aberforth was looking over. "You know all pubs forbid the use of such magic indoors."
Dumbledore, however, smiled like a child who had successfully played a trick, his voice even lower: "Hehe, as long as Aberforth doesn't see it with his own eyes, it doesn't count as me using magic, does it?" He winked at Dylan, then raised the cup and took a sip.
Probably finding the butterbeer not sweet enough, Dumbledore pulled a piece of greaseproof paper out of the pocket of his voluminous robes. When he opened it, inside were several brown Cockroach Clusters. He picked up two and popped them into his mouth, chewing slowly, his face showing a look of utter satisfaction, as if savoring a delicacy.
After swallowing the candy, he spoke again, his tone returning to seriousness: "Alright, back to business."
"Yesterday, I submitted an application to the Ministry of Magic, requesting the Wizengamot to accept you as the Youth Wizard Representative."
"The day after tomorrow morning, you need to go to Courtroom Ten. The Wizengamot will convene a special meeting to examine your qualifications for this position."
Dylan instinctively raised his hand and rubbed his ear with his fingertip, looking shocked, as if suspecting he had misheard.
"What did you just say? Youth Wizard Representative on the Wizengamot? Is that the Wizengamot I think it is?" He couldn't quite grasp how he would become involved with the Supreme Court of the magical world, composed of the most senior wizards. Let alone, the old man wanted him to become the representative member for young wizards? Has the old man gone mad?
Dumbledore looked at his astonished expression, nodding gently, his tone firm: "Of course, it's that Wizengamot."
"And I believe you are entirely qualified for this position. You are the youngest recipient of the Order of Merlin in the magical world for nearly a century. This alone is enough for many wizards to recognize your capability."
Dylan tilted his head. "When did I receive the Order of Merlin? Why didn't I know?"
The old man gave a cunning smile: "You dealt with the Troll and saved your companion's life in your first year. Your talent is exceptional, you are benevolent, you helped us capture Peter Pettigrew, you showed no fear when facing Voldemort's Horcrux, and you were even able to destroy it. Therefore, as of today, you are a recipient of the Order of Merlin."
He paused, then added, "In my application, I also mentioned your involvement in destroying the Dark Artifacts left by Voldemort. These are all concrete achievements."
At this, Dumbledore took a drink of his butterbeer: "Although Minister Fudge vehemently denies the possibility of Voldemort's return and attempts to suppress related news."
"But the riot after the Quidditch World Cup Final, following continuous reports in the Daily Prophet, has spread throughout the entire magical world. While the newspaper didn't explicitly state the meaning of the Dark Mark, wizards aren't fools; everyone knows what it represents."
He pointed to the Daily Prophet pinned near the pub entrance. The headline was still about the ongoing discussion regarding the riot.
"Now, the sentiment across the magical world against Dark Arts and Dark Wizards is very high. Everyone hopes there will be people brave enough to step forward and confront the dark forces."
"Although I didn't explicitly say you destroyed a Horcrux in the application, merely mentioning your confrontation with Voldemort's remaining Dark Artifacts will lead those in the Ministry who truly care about the safety of the magical world to fully support you as a young standard-bearer against the Dark Arts."
"After all, a young, capable representative with actual merit is far more inspiring than those old fuddy-duddies who only talk nonsense."
"Naturally, I highly recommend you. Some people may not be familiar with you, but I will quickly make them familiar."
Dylan's mouth twitched as he listened. Are you sure it's just 'some people' who aren't familiar with me?I doubt anyone knows a young wizard like me, right? What was the old man's intention in suddenly pushing him forward? He was already puzzled by the old man's sudden request for him to join the search for Horcruxes. Now, he was being loaded up with a pile of titles? Come on, he's Karsus!
"Haha, after I proposed this to the Ministry of Magic, a witch who was recently promoted from Auror at the Ministry also spoke highly of you. You happen to know this person." The old man winked at Dylan. "You often used to sponge ice cream off her father's ice cream parlor."
Dylan instantly recalled who that person was: Florin's daughter, Vela. She got a promotion already?
Dylan had little reaction to this. Or rather, he had no particular reaction to anything the old man said. Whatever the old man was planning, it didn't greatly affect him. Could someone really jump out and accuse him of being Karsus? He knew he used Dark Magic probably more frequently than anyone in the magical world outside of dedicated Dark Wizards. Being recommended as a "standard-bearer against the Dark Arts" made him feel a little amused.
On second thought, becoming the Youth Wizard Representative would allow him to be more directly involved in the fight against Voldemort. The convenience of this was too good to refuse. Wasn't it just because the old man got some unexpected intelligence that he was able to act preemptively and secure the Slytherin locket?
Thus, he immediately suppressed his discomfort and agreed firmly: "Alright, I will be prepared and attend the hearing on time."
Dylan bade farewell to the old man and returned home. This time, his parents had finally returned. Dylan put aside other matters and spent the entire day with them. He also brewed some strengthening potions, giving them a little to drink now and then.
It was getting close to the end of the summer holiday. Dylan decided not to claim his achievement reward immediately. He hadn't yet decided whether to allow Slytherin to directly reside in his world. He'd wait a little longer.
Time flew by quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was the last day of the summer holiday. Dylan opened his wardrobe and took out a formal robe custom-made by Twilfit and Tattings. The black velvet fabric felt soft and smooth. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with fine silver thread patterns, and a matching silk sash was tied around his waist.
He put on the robes and adjusted his collar in the mirror. The black fabric accentuated his defined eyebrows and bright eyes, and his posture was upright and tall. He exuded an air of calm and handsomeness. If anyone were to see him now, they would surely compliment him as a handsome youth. In the small Wizarding World of Great Britain, Dylan's appearance combined with his abilities made him easily the "distinguished young man of the surrounding regions."
"Mirror, mirror, tell me, who is the most handsome man in the world?" Dylan deliberately stood in front of the mirror, striking an exaggerated pose to admire himself.
"Why, that would be Lord Dylan, of course!"
He smiled after glancing around, turned, picked up the wand from the table, and prepared to head to the Ministry of Magic. He specifically chose to use Floo Powder via the fireplace this time. His last experience made him never want to try Apparition again.
Undeniably, the invention of Floo Powder was a major breakthrough in the history of magical civilization. It established interspatial channels through fireplaces, significantly shortening the distance between wizards and making the already small magical world even more closely connected. It was extremely convenient for both daily travel and urgent matters.
Dylan stepped into the fireplace, threw in the Floo Powder, and stated the address. After a moment of dizziness, he successfully arrived at the Ministry of Magic Atrium fireplace hall. He stepped out of the fireplace, and although he had no ash on him, he habitually raised his wand and cast a Scourgify spell on himself. As a prospective Youth Wizard Representative for the Wizengamot, maintaining a clean and elegant demeanor was the most basic requirement.
Dylan walked out of the fireplace hall and took the magical lift down to the Ninth Level (Courtroom Ten is typically on the Tenth Level, but Dyl is likely going to the lowest level first). As the lift slowly descended, the indicator light flashed with each floor, accompanied by a faint "ding-dong" sound.
Upon reaching his destination, he stepped out of the lift and instinctively glanced towards the Department of Mysteries at the end of the corridor. The doors there were tightly shut. Two Ministry Aurors in dark uniforms stood guard at the entrance, their expressions solemn, breathing very lightly. The entire Ninth Level was eerily quiet; even the sound of air flowing was clearly audible. This silence was somewhat suffocating. The clock at the end of the corridor ticked incessantly, each sound seeming to strike the heart.
Dylan took a light breath and stepped through the door of Courtroom Ten with his left foot first.
The courtroom was already full. The circular seating was packed with figures in wizard robes. Seeing Dylan enter, all eyes converged on him, carrying scrutiny, curiosity, and a degree of probing.
This was actually Dylan's second appearance, the first being when he testified for Sirius. Dylan didn't know how the old man had introduced him to the Ministry, but judging by the current reaction of these people, Dylan believed the old man was trying to achieve something. Perhaps he needed a young, trustworthy wizard to cooperate, or perhaps he was trying to cultivate a... successor?
Don't be ridiculous. Even if the old man did drop dead right now, the successor should be Professor McGonagall or Professor Snape.
Dylan quickly scanned the crowd and soon spotted Moody. He was seated near the front row, his magical eye constantly rotating, clearly observing everyone present. As a senior Auror and an iconic figure in the fight against Dark Wizards, Moody's membership in the Wizengamot was certainly reasonable.
Many witches, seeing Dylan in his custom robes—young yet standing tall and straight—flashed a look of appreciation, subconsciously nodding. Clearly, this handsome and composed appearance made them feel he was indeed capable of assuming the role of Youth Wizard Representative.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please be quiet." Minister Fudge stood up, holding a document, his tone clearly reluctant, his brow furrowed. "Today's motion is to vote on whether to agree to Dylan Hawkwood becoming the Wizengamot Youth Wizard Representative and formally joining our ranks."
He still refused to believe in the possibility of Voldemort's return. He even strongly denied the existence of the Dark Artifacts the Dark Lord left behind in the magical world. Naturally, he had little interest in this young representative recommended for "confronting Voldemort's lingering forces."
"Next, we will allow Dylan Hawkwood's nominator—Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore—to elaborate on his reasons for the nomination."
After Fudge's voice trailed off, the courtroom fell silent. Dumbledore immediately rose with a smile, and a round of warm applause erupted. As the most respected wizard in the magical world, his prestige was beyond doubt.
Dumbledore waved briefly in acknowledgement to the wizards around. He then turned and shook hands with Fudge in a symbolic gesture. Finally, he looked at Dylan, his eyes encouraging, and nodded gently.
He walked to the speaker's platform in the center of the courtroom, cleared his throat. His voice was robust and strong, carrying a natural persuasiveness that resonated throughout the courtroom.
"Thank you, everyone. I am deeply honored to be Dylan Hawkwood's nominator."
"Firstly, I must clarify that Dylan is currently a student in Gryffindor House at Hogwarts. My recommendation for him to serve as the Youth Wizard Representative is absolutely not due to personal bias but is a fair judgment based on his abilities and achievements."
Dumbledore paused, then continued: "As you all know, becoming a Wizengamot Youth Wizard Representative requires meeting a series of conditions, one of which is the ability to expertly cast the Patronus Charm."
"Not only can Dylan do this, but his Patronus is also a marvelous sight, a very rare occurrence among young wizards."
At this, he suddenly looked at Dylan, a twinkle in his eye, and said lightly, teasingly: "But unfortunately, Dylan, like me, you also seem to be unable to learn the Animagus transformation."
.............
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