Chapter -80.
Wow, Dudley really knows how to surprise people!
When Dudley spoke, Snape's eyes went wide. Did he just throw shade at Gryffindor and drag the other houses into it too?
Dumbledore perked up, clearly intrigued. "Care to share more?" he asked.
Dudley didn't give a straight answer but instead said, "I've been at Hogwarts for a few months now, and I've picked up a thing or two about the four houses. Like, Gryffindor is all about bravery, Ravenclaw values wisdom, Hufflepuff is known for loyalty, and Slytherin is clever."
"But let's be real... Gryffindor can be a bit reckless, Ravenclaw can be a bit stiff, Hufflepuff sometimes gets seen as weak, and Slytherin has its fair share of shady characters."
"Professor Dumbledore, do you see it that way too?" Dudley asked, laying it all out there.
"Isn't that the truth?" he added.
Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eye, seemed to know where Dudley was headed. "Oh, I don't think so," he replied.
Dudley shook his head, looking serious. "There's a real issue here. Gryffindor has its share of self-serving folks, and Slytherin has brave souls who stand up against Voldemort."
People are complicated! They don't just fit into the boxes created by the four founders, and personalities can change over time. Some kids might be shy but grow into brave adults. It's not fair to label young wizards based on just four traits; that's not very scientific or magical, is it?
This is why some wizards feel out of place in their houses after they graduate.
"Take you, Professor Dumbledore. You graduated from Gryffindor, but I don't see any recklessness in you. Honestly, with all your achievements, you seem more like a wise Ravenclaw to me."
Dudley went on to share some impressive highlights from Dumbledore's life: he speaks multiple non-human languages, is a whiz at alchemy, has worked with the famous Nicolas Flamel, discovered twelve uses for dragon's blood, and even took down the notorious dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald.
Dudley thought Dumbledore was a mix of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. After all, the young Dumbledore was ambitious and had teamed up with Grindelwald for a noble cause. If it weren't for the tragedy with his sister, who knows how the wizarding world might have changed?
Maybe for the better, maybe for the worse. But one thing's for sure: we wouldn't have the amazing Dumbledore we know today.
Snape chimed in with a sarcastic remark, "Maybe he had a brain mutation?"
Dumbledore just winked at Dudley, brushing off Snape's comment. "But I'm not dull, am I?"
Dudley then asked, "Hey, Professor Dumbledore, you have the Sorting Hat, right?"
Just then, the Sorting Hat's voice filled the room: "Hey there, little one! I'm not just an item; I'm a magical hat, the only one of my kind!"
Dudley chuckled, "Okay, not an item, Mr. Sorting Hat."
The hat replied, "I think you're insulting me."
Dudley didn't respond to that but continued, "If I remember correctly, you said you sort based on a wizard's personality, right?"
"Absolutely!" the Sorting Hat replied proudly. "I follow the hearts of the young wizards."
"Then does that mean the Sorting Hat's choices aren't really accurate?" Dudley asked.
"Hey, that's a bit rude!" the hat complained.
Since the hat didn't argue back, it seemed Dudley had a point.
"If it's not accurate, then why do we even need four houses? That seems a bit silly."
Dudley reflected on the history of Hogwarts, founded when wizards were being hunted. It was a safe haven back then, but now, after all these years, Hogwarts has grown into the best school in the European wizarding world. It should be about more than just preserving magic and bloodlines.
In a nice way, that's called cultural inheritance; but let's be honest, it can also feel like stagnation.
Dividing into four houses just seems unnecessary now. If there has to be division, it shouldn't be based on personality traits.
Sure, we can specialize, but we shouldn't box people in based on their personalities. That's just part of being human and learning.
"The four houses do have their meaning; maybe some wizards will carry on the spirits of those four founders."
Dudley's insights made Dumbledore see him in a new light—not just as a kid.
As for Snape? He had started to see Dudley as a seventh-year version of Lily, at least in Potions class. Why seventh year? Because that's where his memories of Lily ended.
"How many young wizards can really embody the spirits of the four founders? Most just want to live a peaceful life."
"Have you noticed how tense the atmosphere is at Hogwarts? It's really not great, especially between the houses."
Dudley felt that splitting into four houses might do more harm than good. The Sorting itself creates divisions.
"Take Gryffindor and Slytherin, for example."
Dudley pointed out that their rivalry is pretty obvious and has led to some serious issues. If he were in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin, his friend Hermione might be overlooked just because of her house. That's not fair at all!
People often forget that Godric and Salazar were once the best of friends, despite their differences.
The Sorting Hat calls Slytherin a den of iniquity, but what about Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw?
"And what about Hufflepuff?"
Dudley had heard many young wizards say they didn't want to end up in that house before they even got to Hogwarts. Some even thought being sorted into Hufflepuff meant they were mediocre.
In the hierarchy of houses, Hufflepuff often gets the short end of the stick.
So, were young wizards already feeling hostile or looking down on Hufflepuff from the start? And is Hufflepuff really that bad?
"Not at all! It just got that reputation after the sorting."
"Take Cedric from Hufflepuff in the third year. He's one of the best wizards in the whole year!"
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