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"So, was I really doing it this way?"
Dumbledore's previously imposing aura suddenly vanished, leaving him looking like an ordinary old man, somewhat dejected.
To be honest, provoking Dumbledore was completely ineffective. His personality differed from Grindelwald's; although Dumbledore wasn't entirely good, he would certainly fall into the categories of either neutral good or lawful neutral.
"I must have made a mistake. I overlooked your feelings, focusing solely on what I thought was right. But that so-called 'right' only applied to me and couldn't change anyone else."
"It's just like when I lit up Tom's cupboard to force him to return the toys that didn't belong to him. I selfishly believed that I should make you a brave person, so I…"
"So your way of making me brave is to send a first-year wizard like me to face Voldemort alone? To trap me with a magical barrier when I realize I can't even scratch the surface of him, preventing me from leaving? Is this forcing me to my death?"
"I don't know what you're thinking!"
Harry said bitterly, "If you want me dead, just tell me straight out, or say the Killing Curse while I'm sleeping and put me out of my misery!"
"Don't you think that's a bit excessive? Killing is no mere scratch; it's a brutal death. Isn't it too much to expect me to endure such treatment?"
"Albus didn't foresee that things would turn out this way," Grindelwald said with a wry smile, defending Dumbledore. "But look at the final result; it turned out quite well! The brave hero defeated the Dark Lord. While there's no princess for you to carry away, you still received a hefty treasure as a reward."
"Even if I hadn't obtained the Philosopher's Stone or this Silent One, I could still stand atop the magical world. The treasure my mother left me is more than enough. All I need is time—the time to grow."
"Give me seven years. Even if Voldemort comes back and regains his peak power, killing him will be as easy as killing a chicken. Professor Grindelwald, do you believe that?"
Unlike Lily, Harry's Awakened One magic, although lacking the unique 'extreme' properties of an Awakened One, was still an incomplete but powerful form. He was more adept at combat, and his magic leaned towards destruction.
Harry looked at Grindelwald, who merely shrugged and nodded dismissively. "Ah, right, right, right."
"The power of the Awakened One, even if you've only inherited a part of it, is indeed sufficient to stand at the highest point. The pinnacle of strength is simply overwhelming power; with time, you can reach heights that most wizards could never attain in their lifetimes."
Grindelwald's words were quite valid. Even if Harry didn't put in much effort, his ancient magic made him stronger than other wizards, allowing him to stand far ahead of others. The world was inherently unfair, and sometimes the gaps between people were greater than those between humans and dogs.
Harry could ignore the Disillusionment Charm thanks to his ancient magic. With that kind of cheat, even if he couldn't win, could he not escape?
Grindelwald's patience with Harry was not just because he saw his own shadow in Harry but also because Harry possessed significant potential. More importantly, it was due to Dumbledore. If he were the mastermind behind this affair, he wouldn't feel any guilt. At worst, he'd let Harry dance on his grave, and by then, he'd be dead—whatever happened would be irrelevant.
But Dumbledore was different; he was a stubborn and even obsessive old man. He would dwell on his mistakes for a long time. He regretted that if he could have given Voldemort proper guidance back then, this talented student might not have taken this dark path. His unwillingness to face Voldemort directly was partly due to that connection.
He also regretted that if he had paid more attention to the Order of the Phoenix, perhaps the tragedy of the Potters wouldn't have occurred. After all, Harry's father, James Potter, was a staunch supporter of Dumbledore. James lived in Godric's Hollow, and the Potter family were neighbors. Dumbledore knew many people in the Potter family, which fostered a deep trust and closeness between them.
If Harry were to follow in Tom Riddle's footsteps, and the one responsible for it all turned out to be himself, he truly wouldn't know how to face another grand adventure after death.
Even though he understood that he was not the same as Tom, who wielded that dark power, and that Harry could control it and turn it to his advantage, he still worried. When he believed that the dark power might backfire, he could destroy it without hesitation, obliterating this uncontrollable force—something Tom could never do. With this practical example in mind, Dumbledore believed Harry would not take that wrong path.
"But in the end, the one who messed things up is me."
Dumbledore murmured, his gaze returning to calmness. Although this incident hit him hard, he was not someone unwilling to face reality. At least in this matter, he could candidly acknowledge all his mistakes and confront the truth.
"How can I make amends for the wrongs I've committed, Harry?"
Previously, Dumbledore had always viewed Harry as a child. Even though Grindelwald had informed him that Harry was a person with thoughts and ambitions, he had stubbornly chosen to trust his own judgment. But now, he was determined not to make the same mistakes again.
"I can agree to anything within my abilities."
This time, it wasn't a matter of retreating for progress. Earlier, he had woven a narrative around Harry's parents' deaths, placing some blame on himself. If Harry was just a child, even if he had been overwhelmed by anger at the time, he would eventually realize that his parents' deaths were not primarily Dumbledore's fault. He might reflect on his own excessive actions and the guilt that followed would alleviate everything. This wasn't just a subtle manipulation; it was a way Dumbledore habitually tried to gauge people's feelings. He never intended harm; it was merely his way of doing things.
Back then, he still hoped Harry would follow the path he had laid out for him.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm very sure," Dumbledore nodded slightly.
"I need some of the Philosopher's Stone's magic. I want to become a unique Animagus, and I need the stone's magical assistance. If I weren't forced to consume it, I would choose this path willingly."
"Under those circumstances, that's fine. I'm sure Nicolas wouldn't mind helping with this little task. When you're ready, you can come to find me."
Dumbledore had a good relationship with Nicolas Flamel, who was both a mentor and a friend to him. Although the Philosopher's Stone he had obtained this time was a rather imperfect version, it was still the Philosopher's Stone—his greatest treasure, which Nicolas had never given to anyone else. Dumbledore had acquired it permanently, not just for temporary use.
"Although I know, Professor, that you mean no harm and only want to help me become braver and stronger," Harry softened his tone slightly, sensing Dumbledore's sincerity, "I don't like having my fate dictated by others, even if it's 'for my own good.' I know the path I want to take, and I will pursue it without hesitation."
"Of course, that is indeed how it should be. Regardless of intent, intervening in another person's life without their consent is a mistake I now realize."
Dumbledore earnestly expressed his apology. It would be unrealistic to expect him to kneel and bow repeatedly to confess his wrongs.
"There's one last thing, something I care about deeply—more than anything else."
Harry's expression turned cold. "Peter Pettigrew. I hope you can help me find him, Professor. While it was indeed Voldemort who killed my parents, the traitor who betrayed them is even more despicable than that murderer!"
"He! Deserves! To die!"
(End of chapter)