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"Dumbledore, what do you think of this spell?"
Snape had not noticed the strange look in Dumbledore's eyes when they entered the Headmaster's office. He repeated what Dudley had done during Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"And you, Severus? What do you think?"
As one of the most powerful figures in the wizarding world, Dumbledore naturally understood the meaning of this spell.
The wizard who invented such a spell would receive extraordinary honor.
"I believe Dursley is worthy of an Order of Merlin, First Class."
Snape looked at Dumbledore and spoke with absolute certainty.
The Order of Merlin, Third Class, might not be worth much. The Second Class left more room for political padding. But the First Class still carried real weight. Only those who had made outstanding contributions to the wizarding world were qualified to be nominated. It was the wizarding world's highest honor and the least commonly awarded class of the Order.
Several years ago, Damocles Belby, the wizard who invented Wolfsbane Potion, had received the Order of Merlin, First Class.
The Homorphus Charm was an invention even more outstanding than Wolfsbane Potion. If Dudley received that honor, many doors would open for him in the future.
Dumbledore was Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and one of the Wizengamot's duties was awarding the Order of Merlin.
As Chief Warlock, Dumbledore was the most qualified person to apply for an Order of Merlin, First Class, on Dudley's behalf.
To put it plainly, Snape had come to use Dumbledore's influence.
"Severus, that is only your view. You have not asked Dudley yet. I would like to hear what he thinks."
As Dumbledore spoke, he gave Snape a meaningful look.
In all these years, this was the first time he had seen Snape care so much about something unrelated to Lily.
Dudley was Lily's nephew, yes, but Snape did not even care about Lily's own sister, Petunia, let alone an ordinary nephew.
There was one thing Dumbledore could be certain of, however. Snape genuinely cared about Dudley.
"Dudley, are you willing to report this spell and make it public?"
"Of course."
Dudley nodded. He had never intended to keep this spell to himself.
But he added, "Professor, I want to include the name of the old wizard who proposed the spell and completed the initial research as well."
"His name was Hamel. He was an exceptionally talented wizard."
If the other man had managed to endure a little longer, Dudley might have been able to save him. Every wizard in Lockhart's stories had been exceptionally capable. Their knowledge and experience were the most precious treasures.
"In that case, it would be a joint attribution. If it is a joint attribution, you may very well be unable to receive an Order of Merlin, First Class."
Dumbledore stared at Dudley. He wanted to know what Dudley would choose.
The sly old man even deliberately said, "This is an even greater discovery than Wolfsbane Potion."
"If only your name appears on it, you will receive unimaginable glory."
Dudley shook his head.
"It does not matter, Professor."
"Credit where credit is due. I only built on someone else's work. Without him, there would be no Homorphus Charm now."
Dumbledore was very satisfied with Dudley's answer. The boy had not let so-called honor blind him. If Dudley had not taken the initiative to say it, no one would ever have known about the wizard named Hamel.
Snape, on the other hand, frowned faintly. But his brow soon relaxed again. If it had been Lily, she likely would have made the same choice. He truly liked this boy, who had inherited Lily's talent and carried the shadow of his own younger self.
"Besides, it is only an Order of Merlin. It does not matter much whether I have one or not."
Glory was something Dudley could take or leave. Even a First Class honor had no real practical use beyond impressing people.
Others would not unconditionally obey you just because you had an Order of Merlin, First Class.
It was better to ask for something more practical.
"It seems you have already thought about it, Dudley. Then what is it?"
"Professor, I want to join the Wizengamot."
The center of the wizarding world was the Ministry of Magic. Although that place was rotten through, it was unquestionably the core of power.
Fudge might be described as useless by capable wizards, but when he issued orders, people still had to obey unless they were already prepared to openly defy the system and had the power to survive the consequences.
Just like in the Muggle world, ordinary people in Britain often criticized their Prime Minister. So what? Even if the Prime Minister got caught in some absurd scandal, the general public would at most treat it as gossip over tea. He would still be the Prime Minister.
Before graduation, Dudley could not enter the Ministry of Magic. Not that he had any intention of doing so.
But the Wizengamot had no such rule. As a combination of court and parliament, membership in the Wizengamot had a high degree of freedom.
Even someone who had not graduated could enter it, as long as they had the qualifications.
At full capacity, the Wizengamot had only fifty members. It was part of the top circle of wizarding power. Its members were not much worse off than high-ranking Ministry officials, and their influence was even greater in some respects.
Most importantly, the British Ministry of Magic was only Britain's Ministry of Magic. Even if it was the oldest and most influential Ministry in Europe, it was still only one Ministry among many. The Wizengamot, however, carried influence far beyond a single Ministry.
"The Wizengamot."
Dumbledore repeated the name slowly.
Dudley had ambition and had never hidden that ambition. Anyone with eyes could see it.
The ambition to gain knowledge.
The ambition to surpass his professors.
The ambition to become stronger.
Perhaps that was why the Sorting Hat had placed Dudley in Slytherin.
But those ambitions were not negative. Just look at the disciplinary group.
Ever since the disciplinary group had been formed, the atmosphere at Hogwarts had truly improved a great deal. Since last year, there had not been a single serious incident of students tormenting others. This year's first-years were especially well behaved.
That was why Dumbledore sided with Dudley in many matters.
"I can nominate you. As for whether it succeeds, that will depend on the other members' vote."
Dumbledore thought for a moment before speaking.
"The Order of Merlin is the same. As I said, the Homorphus Charm is a greater invention than Wolfsbane Potion. Not only werewolves, but perhaps those troubled by a Maledictus-type blood curse might also find a way forward through it."
"Professor, a Maledictus-type blood curse is different from werewolves."
Dudley shook his head.
It was not that he had never studied Maledictus-type blood curses. Werewolves became beasts, and those curses also turned people into beasts. They sounded similar, but in reality they were completely different concepts.
Ordinary fire and Fiendfyre could both summon flames, but the fire they summoned was not the same thing at all.
A Maledictus-type blood curse was even more complicated than lycanthropy. Lycanthropy generally affected only one generation. Apart from the special werewolves born when two transformed werewolves mated in wolf form, there had been no reports of it being inherited. A blood curse, however, clung to bloodlines like a deep-rooted curse, passing down through generations. In the later stages of beast transformation, the victim would even lose all memory and become a pure beast.
"But it is still an inspiration, is it not?"
Dumbledore blinked, his eyes twinkling.
Not long afterward, Snape and Dudley left the Headmaster's office.
Dumbledore was just about to eat another sweet when a whimper caught his attention. Only then did he notice the special werewolf, still unclothed and forgotten in the corner by the two who had left.
"Oh?"
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