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Even though the preliminary setup of the first equipment department was already underway, it would still take quite some time before the department could be fully operational.
The twins, who were still focused on their studies, couldn't fully grasp what kind of equipment they needed. All they could do for now was to modify their schedules, turning them into something as packed as Harry's. Talent alone wasn't enough—hard work was always the key to success.
After the Christmas holidays, Harry had to take charge of the training for his team. Since the purpose of this group was to cultivate a group of loyal followers, Harry couldn't afford to be careless.
Grindelwald provided him with significant help in managing the team. As an ambitious man who had once reached the top, Grindelwald admired a talented and ambitious young person like Harry. Seeing a reflection of his younger self, Grindelwald gave Harry plenty of useful advice.
However, Harry wasn't going to blindly follow Grindelwald's methods. The core nature of Grindelwald's faction and Harry's team were different. Grindelwald's faction, though united by ideology, was also motivated by political interests. While its members were formidable fighters, the faction was fundamentally a tool for Grindelwald's rule. Harry's team, on the other hand, was simpler. He intended to create a group of elite warriors, loyal followers bound by their dedication to him—not by a system of interests or exchanges. His goal was loyalty, loyalty, and more loyalty! Only those who were unwaveringly loyal would become true members of his future team.
This approach might seem like a form of brainwashing, like a cult. But in truth, it's the necessary path for establishing a successful authoritarian group.
The first crucial step to achieving this was to instill absolute discipline—he needed to implant the idea that he was their unquestionable leader.
In this regard, Grindelwald couldn't offer much help, as their paths diverged. Though there were similarities in their goals, if Harry copied Grindelwald's methods entirely, it would undoubtedly lead to failure.
But this wasn't a real problem. The largest, most cohesive, and highly disciplined national military force in the world had already shown Harry the way. He could simply imitate the methods of the PLA (People's Liberation Army). Though he couldn't replicate their core beliefs, Harry could position himself as the center of his team.
Compared to other professional military organizations around the world, only the Soviet military—led by political officers who were willing to lead charges and face danger head-on—could rival the PLA. Their strength came from having a genuine belief system, not some intangible illusion like Jesus Christ or God. Their ideology was rooted in the will and ideals of the people and the nation, something that could be called the "Imperial Will" or "National Will."
Harry, though, couldn't support such a large force based solely on his own central role, and even Grindelwald couldn't manage that. But for a small team of elite warriors, Harry's approach was more than sufficient.
At first, the team members who were dragged into a militarized training regime under Harry's leadership complained endlessly. They had never experienced waking up at 6 a.m. to train outside the castle in freezing, sub-zero conditions. But Harry, as their leader, led by example. His training regimen was nearly double that of the others. Gradually, the complaints faded—perhaps due to the sight of his gleaming Nimbus 2000 or the realization that someone more talented and capable than them was also working harder than them.
As Quidditch players, they all had a competitive spirit and didn't want to be outdone. Each of them carried a strong desire to win, and this fueled their willingness to join Harry's team and undergo his rigorous training.
Just as Harry's training sessions for the team were getting on track, he received a message from Grindelwald summoning him to his office.
"Come in," Grindelwald called after a knock on the door.
Raising his head from his desk, Grindelwald gestured to the armchair across from him. "Sit," he said, giving Harry a once-over.
"Your little team is shaping up nicely. Very energetic."
"Have we disturbed you?" Harry glanced out the window. Grindelwald's office overlooked the snow-covered Quidditch field, offering a great view.
"You did wake me up early on your first day of training," Grindelwald waved it off. As a wizard, he had plenty of ways to block out the noise, like using an anti-eavesdropping charm.
"Today, I didn't call you here because of that," Grindelwald said, "but because of a request Albus made before the start of the term."
"Albus...," Grindelwald shook his head slightly, a trace of helplessness appearing on his face. "He's no Seer, can't predict the future, but that man is always planning ahead."
"He wants to guide you, Harry."
Grindelwald raised a hand, and a large velvet curtain floated aside, revealing an imposing mirror. The mirror, with its grand golden frame reaching the ceiling, was supported by claw-shaped feet. At the top of the frame, an inscription read: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.
What Grindelwald unveiled wasn't just the curtain—it was also Dumbledore's hidden intentions. As his closest friend, Grindelwald had no intention of continuing Dumbledore's plan.
As soon as the veil was lifted, Grindelwald's eyes shifted immediately to Harry's face, as if eager to see his reaction.
Nearly everyone who sees the Mirror of Erised for the first time reacts emotionally, for it reflects the deepest desires of one's heart. The overwhelming temptation of seeing what you want most is hard to resist.
But Grindelwald had miscalculated. Harry gazed at the mirror with a calm, unwavering expression. This wasn't a façade but a genuine response.
Having lived two lives, Harry had very few regrets. The familial love he had lacked in his previous life was more than fulfilled by his aunt and uncle in this one. The Dursleys truly raised him as their own son. He was never deprived of anything, even during Vernon's hardest times, treating Harry equally with care.
In this life, Harry had also inherited his parents' wealth, leaving him financially secure. On top of that, he had Severus Snape, a master of Potions, as his godfather. While Snape never voiced it openly, he treated Harry as his own. Though he still harbored some dislike for James Potter's "chosen one" fate, it was merely a mild disdain. The Hogwarts environment, rich in honor and duty, had dramatically altered many life paths. By the time Snape graduated, with his exceptional talent in Potions, he already possessed the combat prowess to take down anyone in the castle if necessary.
Though poisoning was often frowned upon as a cowardly tactic, Snape didn't care much about the insults of those about to die. As a Slytherin, he simply embraced the mindset of special operations. His Potions Professor and Slytherin Head of House, Horace Slughorn, had endlessly praised his skills. A poison that even a master of Potions couldn't unravel could only come from the hands of another master.
With such a family and support system, Harry lacked nothing in terms of material needs. And as for spiritual fulfillment—the kind of intangible desires the Mirror of Erised could not reflect—those were no longer of concern to him.
In front of Harry, the mirror was nothing more than an elegant, ordinary-looking piece of decor.
(End of Chapter)