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Even with Dumbledore's nomination, the Order of Merlin would not be approved quickly. It required a long review process.
The Third Class award Dudley had applied for in first year had taken several months, and that had been with the Carrow family's connections working behind the scenes. The review process for a First Class award would only be more complicated than that of the Third Class. The Wizengamot alone would need several rounds of meetings just to discuss the matter. If it was approved before the end of Dudley's third year, that would already be fast.
During another Care of Magical Creatures lesson, Hagrid brought good news. After more than two months, the batch of hybrid carnivorous slug eggs had finally hatched.
The tiny slugs, each carrying different kinds of soft shells on their backs, crawled around inside the box, freely gnawing at the fruit and leaves Hagrid had scattered for them.
This counted as the wizarding world's first batch of magical snails.
Unfortunately, even though the breeding had succeeded, they still did not meet Dudley's requirements. He could only ask Hagrid to continue helping cultivate the next generation.
It had to be said that Hagrid's network in the field of magical creatures was truly unmatched. He could obtain almost any kind of magical creature.
In the previous lesson, he had brought in a Manticore. It was a creature even more dangerous than a griffin, though danger was not the same as combat power. Like most XXXXX-rated magical creatures, it also enjoyed eating humans.
In front of Hagrid, however, it behaved obediently and did not attack the students.
For this lesson, Hagrid had originally planned to bring a Chimaera egg or cub, but Dudley persuaded him not to.
In terms of threat level, a Chimaera was even higher than a Manticore.
The main reason was that the thing was too unintelligent, too bloodthirsty, and too violent. Once it went mad, it would not recognize anyone and could easily cause an accident.
So Hagrid changed it to a few Fire Crabs instead.
He muttered about that for a long time.
For the next lesson, he said he wanted to bring a Sphinx.
Dudley wrote down every magical creature Hagrid mentioned. Once his taming level rose high enough, he would find a chance to pack them all up and take them away.
After the day's classes ended, the members of the disciplinary group gathered together and began discussing each person's goals for the term.
A figure approached from ahead. After hearing their conversation, he immediately lowered his head and moved aside, seemingly intending to avoid them.
"Percy. I have looked for you several times. I think we should talk."
Just as they were about to pass one another, Dudley stopped, turned, and looked at the person.
It was the former Gryffindor prefect and current Head Boy, Percy Weasley.
He was also a student chosen by the disciplinary group.
Seeing that he had been recognized, Percy stood in place and smiled awkwardly.
Dudley had the others return first. Then he found a suitable place to talk with Percy. This time, it was not the Slytherin common room. It was simply an unused room in the castle.
When he pushed open the door, he saw a translucent white figure by the storage cabinet in the middle of the room, rump raised as it searched through something inside.
"Who dares disturb the great Peeves?"
Hearing the door open, the translucent white figure turned around and was just about to get angry. Then he saw Dudley, and his expression instantly changed.
"M-Mr. Dursley, good afternoon."
Percy could hear the ingratiating note in Peeves's voice.
Peeves had no restraint at Hogwarts. The ghosts were annoyed by him, the students feared him, and even the caretaker Filch found him a great headache. He feared nothing and no one. He was a true little tyrant.
Aside from not actively provoking professors, under normal circumstances, he only deferred to three figures: two living people and one ghost.
The ghost, the Bloody Baron. The Headmaster, Dumbledore. And Dudley Dursley.
"Mr. Weasley and I have something to discuss, and I do not want to be disturbed. Mr. Peeves, could you stand guard outside for us?"
Dudley looked at Peeves and spoke in an extremely calm tone.
"W-with the greatest pleasure."
Peeves immediately gave his assurance, obediently opened the door, and slipped out.
Percy could not help taking another look at Dudley. When Peeves got excited, he sometimes refused to give even professors any respect.
Most importantly, other people truly had no way to deal with him. Methods that worked on ghosts were completely useless against him.
But if it was Mr. Dursley, then it made sense.
Dudley clapped his hands, and two stone stools rose from the floor.
"Sit."
Percy sat down, looking somewhat nervous.
"Percy, I remember inviting you to join the disciplinary group at the start of the term. But even now, you have not given me a definite answer."
"Can you tell me why?"
Percy opened his mouth but said nothing. He met the question with silence.
Why?
Of course it was because he was already Head Boy.
Starting in fifth year, Hogwarts appointed one male prefect and one female prefect from each House. The same was true for fifth, sixth, and seventh years.
At the same time, every year, one Head Boy and one Head Girl were chosen from the seventh-year students.
The Head Boy was directly appointed by the Headmaster and, in theory, stood at the peak of student authority.
Although Dudley had established the disciplinary group two years earlier, and in theory it also directly oversaw the prefects and student leadership, at present its reach did not yet cover the seventh-year Head Boy.
If Percy joined the disciplinary group, it would effectively mean giving up his position as Head Boy.
He would graduate after this year.
He could not wait until the disciplinary group's power reached its peak. The position of Head Boy, however, was real power right now.
Percy desired power.
His desire for power was actually easy to understand. The Weasley family had too many children, and his father, Arthur, was a very easygoing man. As a result, the Weasleys were used to poverty. Their lives were tight and difficult. That could be seen from how often Ron mocked himself for being unable to find even a Sickle in his pocket.
Percy did not want that kind of life.
In his view, the identity of Hogwarts Head Boy would be a huge advantage when he looked for work after graduation. Without question, it would make his future career path smoother.
Perhaps many students who had not yet graduated believed that. In reality, however, that title meant very little.
Once you left school and entered the workforce, if you wanted to gain power quickly, people would not care much about what you had been at school. Ability was a bonus, but not a necessity. What mattered was what stood behind you.
As the old saying went, if you wanted to survive in politics, you needed power and backing. Without either, you were nobody.
If your family could not be relied on, then you had to find a way to join someone else's side. That was what people called opportunity, or meeting a patron.
The disciplinary group was actually an excellent path. During the holidays, Dudley had already helped quite a few recent graduates find positions in the Ministry of Magic.
"I will give you three days. If you think it through, you can come to Slytherin and find me at any time."
Dudley did not speak with Percy for too long. He simply gave him a brief hint, then left.
To be honest, Percy's personal ability was quite good. Otherwise, Dudley would not have recruited him into the disciplinary group.
As for whether Percy could wake up to the opportunity, that depended on his own judgment.
Opportunity mattered. Recognizing it mattered even more.
Three days later, with mixed feelings, Percy knocked on Dudley's door.
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