"Veritaserum isn't bad, nor is it non-compliant." Dumbledore instinctively defended himself a bit, trying to salvage his image in Harry and Dudley's hearts.
But as soon as the words came out, he regretted it and quickly shut up.
He wasn't someone who strictly followed the rules. Using rules as a shield would only backfire and prove to Harry and Dudley that he was still narrow-minded and hadn't reflected.
"I was wrong! Terribly wrong, wrong from the very beginning!"
Dumbledore said heavily. But after saying this, he seemed to have shed a heavy burden and was completely relieved.
"Dudley, Harry! Maybe I've never been someone who could make the right arrangements. Mistakes have accompanied me throughout my life.
When I was young, because of a love that clouded my judgment, I hurt my family, helped those I shouldn't have, and contributed to the rise of the first Voldemort.
When I was a bit older, I brought Voldemort into the wizarding world in an inappropriate way, enabling a monster who ignored life and could never understand love to learn powerful magic and become the second Voldemort.
I personally imprisoned the first Voldemort and thus gained some unnecessary fame and adulation, which made me even more self-righteous and put shackles on my ideas.
I wanted to make up for the mistakes I made, wanted to destroy the second Voldemort, Voldemort, and wanted to restore peace to the wizarding world.
This idea obsessed me, made me crazy, made me ignore details, made me speak lightly of sacrifices, made me suffer setbacks one after another, forced me to take refuge in a corner, made me doubt myself, and then made me firmly believe in the prophecy and want to shift the responsibility to Harry.
I've become someone I don't recognize anymore. Or perhaps, I've never really found myself!"
Under Dudley's continuous questioning and prodding, Dumbledore completely let down his guard. Analyzing most of his life from an extremely critical perspective, he gave a heartfelt self-monologue.
Harry's eyes were shining brightly, deeply touched.
Dudley also showed sincere admiration and nodded continuously.
"When you reach a certain age, your cognition and thinking become fixed, and it's very difficult to accept new ideas and things. I have to admit, Mr. Dumbledore, you're an amazing person.
At over a hundred years old, you still have the courage to overthrow your past and transform into a new self.
For this alone, you're a great person. This is the first time I've wholeheartedly used this word in its true sense to describe you!"
Dudley's recognition slightly soothed Dumbledore's almost uncontrollable intense emotional turmoil after his self-analysis.
"Harry, Dudley, have you forgiven me?" Dumbledore asked tearfully.
"The truth is almost clear. To be fair, you can't be blamed for the death of Aunt Lily and Uncle James.
They joined your camp based on their own ideological understanding and stood against Voldemort.
After the Fidelius Charm was implemented, they refused your kind offer to be the Secret-Keeper based on their own ideas and entrusted the lives of their family to Sirius.
Whether Sirius truly defected to Voldemort and leaked the secret or was being smart and transferred the role of Secret-Keeper to Peter, indirectly leaking the secret, it shows that they trusted the wrong person.
Aunt Lily and Uncle James were adults and should have taken the consequences for their own decisions.
So, I think, in this matter, Mr. Dumbledore, you are not at fault. At most, it was just an accident that prevented you from fulfilling your promise to the undercover Snape. It's not a matter of whether Harry and I forgive you or not."
Dudley gave his sound opinion, then turned to look at Harry, who nodded in agreement.
Naturally, the kind - hearted Harry was not an unreasonable person.
"I'm so glad you think this way..." Mr. Dumbledore got some psychological comfort, but unexpectedly, Dudley followed with a bit of a "build - up before a let - down" move.
Just as Mr. Dumbledore was feeling a bit pleased, Dudley interrupted him again:
"What you really need our forgiveness for is what happened after that tragic incident back then, Mr. Dumbledore!"
Aunt Lily and Uncle James voluntarily followed you to fight against Voldemort. That was their own choice while they were alive, and that's just their own business.
But after they sacrificed themselves, as their leader, you should have given a proper explanation and compensation to Harry, my mom, Aunt Petunia, and even me, all of us relatives.
But after the incident, you neither investigated the whole truth clearly nor talked to my parents face to face to explain things clearly and express your feelings.
You let Harry, who was still in swaddling clothes, after experiencing the great pain of losing his parents, be flown through the air on a flying motorcycle by Hagrid for most of the night, and then left him to shiver in the cold wind on the steps of our house at Privet Drive for several hours, only leaving a brief letter to explain the situation.
You didn't even bother to knock on our door to get my parents' attention before leaving. You should be grateful that Privet Drive is relatively safe at night, and also that my mom has the habit of getting up early to pick up the milk at the door.
If Harry had been abducted by human traffickers at that time, I can't even imagine what a tragedy that would have been.
Speaking of the letter you left, I've read it. There's very little apology in it. You mainly emphasized the necessity for my parents to adopt Harry, and the wording even carried a bit of a threat. It's definitely not a proper explanation to the victims' family members.
My parents have been very good to me, but it's undeniable that they are not kind people. My mom, Aunt Petunia, and Aunt Lily have had conflicts since childhood because of the issue of magical talent. And my dad, Uncle Vernon, is a Muggle who hates wizards extremely.
You should know all this, right? Mr. Dumbledore!"
"I know, but..." An embarrassed look appeared on Mr. Dumbledore's face.
"But what? But even though you knew all this, you still left Harry with them without making any preparations or showing any understanding.
Because the maternal love protection magic on Harry can only take effect for a long time in a place where there are blood relatives and where he can call it home.
Because the brainless wizards in the wizarding world regard Harry as the Savior, and you don't want Harry to grow up in an environment of flattery, which might cause problems with his personality.
Is that what you were thinking?"
Most of Dudley's resentment had dissipated because of Mr. Dumbledore's honest Self - Analysis, but when it came to his parents and Harry's childhood, his resentment welled up again.
"That's exactly what I was thinking, but I failed to consider the details. I will sincerely apologize to the Dursleys later."
Dumbledore hastened to admit his mistake. He could see that Dudley's anger was simmering again.
"Didn't consider the details?" Dudley scoffed with a sneer. "Mr. Dumbledore, I believe you may not have thought over other matters thoroughly, but in this case, you definitely thought it through clearly!
You knew the personalities and ways of doing things of my parents, yet you still asked them to raise Harry.
Weren't you thinking of making Harry undergo a childhood of being ostracized and suppressed, and then when Harry turned eleven, that is, this year, at this exact period, you would introduce Harry to Hogwarts.
Then you would appear in front of Harry as a kind and mysterious elder, easily winning the affection of an orphan starved of love, so that you could map out Harry's future growth more smoothly. Eventually, just as the prophecy foretold, forge Harry into a sword to fight against Voldemort?"