Chapter 27
The Knights' Conquest
The Inner Circle gathered in the Slytherin dungeons openly, all sitting around the fireplace in the common room's comfiest chairs. The other Slytherins all glanced at them curiously, but never really approached as the group held a superior air. "My friends, I believe it is time for our next goal in our everlasting quest of conquest," Tom said. "Slytherin is under our control, and we have a strong foothold in both Ravenclaw as well as Gryffindor. If we are to change the world, we will need to have both Houses under our control. Show the others that true Inter-House relationships can exist and prosper, especially with Slytherin and Gryffindor, moving past our famous petty rivalry. Hogwarts will serve as an example for the other wizarding schools to act, just as Britain will soon act as an example for the rest of the world."
"So what exactly are we going to do, my lord?" Rosier asked. It was a comfort to them all, that they could call Tom their lord opening, and show their loyalty. "We only still have one prominent Gryffindor member."
"Yes, and Castor is friends with two of our own," Tom nodded, "close friends, with my Harry and Jasper Lestrange." He looked at them with a knowing smile, his eyes falling mostly on Jasper who gave a light blush. "And we will use this. The Gryffindors are more emotional than the Ravenclaws, sticking to courage and loyalty as their favored qualities. Harry and Lestrange are the best candidates out of all of us to talk with and convince the Gryffindors. Harry especially."
"Why Peverell?" Nott asked.
"Because when I see him, I see a beautiful snake in a lion's skin," Tom purred. "Harry and Jasper can get into the Gryffindor's most noble egos, I believe, and bring with them a version of our goals that will undoubtedly align with their… heroic and 'good' morals."
"Okay," Harry said simply, "we can do that, right Jasper?"
"Yeah," Jasper smiled brightly.
Tom nodded then looked at the others, "Meanwhile, we will approach Ravenclaw. Malfoy, Nott, you two and I should be able to convince the more introverted of the Ravenclaws."
"So you want to get them both at the same time?" Harry asked.
"Precisely. As I told you, Harry, with both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw on our side, Hufflepuff will fall in line naturally without even needing us to tell them so," Tom chuckled.
"So when should we do this?" Abraxas asked, "I think the sooner would be wiser, my lord. Give them more time to understand our goals and serving you."
"I don't think we should call it serving for them," Harry said, "the Gryffindors will never accept serving a Slytherin, no offense my Master. Instead of saying serving you, we can say follow, and paint you as a leader who is open to new ideas, instead of who you truly are."
"And who am I, Harry Peverell?" Tom asked, sounding more amused than insulted.
"Besides being my Master whom I love and serve willingly? A leader who will stop at nothing from getting what is his," Harry said.
"You are exactly right," Tom said, and in front of everyone, he kissed Harry possessively, his hand going to hold the back of Harry's neck. "You're mine," he smirked, "just as everyone in this room and all of Slytherin are mine," he added, directing to his Inner Circle. "I want the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws to be mine as well! I want this whole school. So tomorrow, we shall get them. Harry, Lestrange, give me the Gryffindors. I will accept nothing less."
"Yes, my lord," Jasper said.
"Yes, Master," Harry smiled.
"Then this meeting is over," Tom said, and just like that the superior, unapproachable feeling went away and the boys all relaxed. Harry smiled and turned to Rosier, suddenly remembering something "Cassius, can I ask you something," he said.
"What is it Harry?" the older Slytherin asked.
"I just remembered, because it's getting close, but I don't have a place to stay during the summer," Harry began. "I was wondering if I could possibly stay with you."
"Me?" Rosier asked, looking surprised. "Why me? Why not Riddle?"
Harry glanced at Tom, frowning slightly. Did they not know that Tom lives at an orphanage? Tom did not look surprised or even concerned. He saw Harry's concerned look and raised an eyebrow. Harry looked back at Rosier, but his mind turned a blank. Thankfully, Tom rescued him, "Because he is asking for both of us," Tom said. "It would be more efficient for our goals if he and I stay with one of you."
"Oh, then of course," Rosier said, "yeah, you two can stay with me."
"Thank you, Cassius," Harry smiled. Rosier just hummed as a response and stood up, stretching. "If you excuse me, I actually promised a girl I'll show her something," he said and walked away. The remaining group remained, and Harry spent the night doing homework with Tom.
The next day, classes passed with a blur for Harry and he and Jasper cornered Castor as soon as they all left their final class. They brought him around the corner where they were alone. "What can I do for my sexy baby and his friend?" Castor chuckled.
"Well Daddy," Jasper purred, "We really need you to bring us to Gryffindor tonight."
"Tonight? Why?" Castor asked, frowning slightly. Jasper pushed himself against Castor, whispering, "Because your babyboy asked you to. And we were told to by Riddle."
"Tom wants us to talk to Gryffindor about joining us," Harry said. "And he specifically wants us to talk to them tonight."
"Everyone?"
"No, just us," Harry said, "Jasper and me."
"I mean you want to talk with all of Gryffindor," Castor said.
"Yes Daddy," Jasper purred.
Castor looked thoughtful for a moment. He held Jasper and looked at Harry, cocking his head slightly to the side. "Why you two? I mean, is it because you're my friend and boyfriend?"
"Mostly, as well as we are more… emotional," Harry said carefully. "We talk honestly easier than the others, with nothing holding back or hiding."
"Unlike the others, who always are hiding something behind their backs," Jasper said, moving away from Castor. "So please?"
Castor sighed and gave a rueful smile, "Sure," he said. "I'll pick you boys up after dinner, okay? You have the entire night to convince us lions."
"I think I can convince you in an hour," Jasper giggled, "although I can go all night if you want." Harry blushed at what he was hearing. He took a step back and looked around, People are coming," he said, and Jasper immediately jumped away to a friendly distance between him and Castor. A group of students were walking towards them and the three took their cue to walk away. Castor smiled and said, "Looks like we can't say goodbye, but yeah, I'll meet you guys after dinner maybe around eight if you can get out?"
"Don't worry, just tell us where and I'll make sure we're there," Harry said.
"Good, then let's meet on the third floor staircase," Castor said. Harry and Jasper agreed, and Harry helped them find an empty classroom for privacy before running back to Tom. He and Tom spent time together in the dormitory, lounging in Tom's bed as they touched each other lazily until it was time for dinner.
During dinner, the group once again went over their plans. When they were done, Harry brought Jasper into the dormitory to show him something. "You don't need to worry about sneaking around," he said, going to his trunk. "We won't be seen by anyone."
"How?" Jasper asked, and Harry answered by pulling out his Invisibility Cloak. "I have this, it's Death's Invisibility cloak if you remember what he said on Samhain. Along with this," he pulled out the Marauders Map from his bag. "It's a map of the castle, it's from my dad. He and his friends made it when they went here." He opened the map and whispered it's incantation. Jasper gasped as he saw it, "Woah, that's brilliant," he smiled. "And that's really Death's cloak?"
"Yeah," Harry nodded.
"Can I put it on us?" Jasper asked, looking like a little child in a candy shop. Harry nodded and gave it to Jasper. The slim teenager threw it over them, smiling as it covered them. "This is wicked," he said.
Harry checked his watch and said, "It's almost eight, come on." He led Jasper, both walking carefully as they left the dormitory and went across the dungeon, exiting it. It was a simple walk to the third floor landing. They met a few students and professors, but none of them noticed the two as they were invisible under the cloak.
Harry and Jasper reached it first. They waited under the cloak for Castor. Harry heard him first, the taller teen singing a random song to himself as he approached the landing. He turned to humming soon and leaned against a banister.
"He's so hot," Jasper sighed quietly. "Thanks, Harry for introducing us."
"No problem, I knew he would take good care of you," Harry smiled. He winked at Jasper and said, "Now to give him a scare." He pulled the cloak off, the two appearing right in front of Castor. The Gryffindor screamed and jumped, "Jesus! Boys don't do that!"
"Sorry Castor," Jasper giggled, jumping to hug Castor. Harry stepped forward and kissed Castor's cheek, "Since we didn't get to say goodbye earlier," he teased. "Are most of the Gryffindors in the Tower?"
"What did I do to get two cute boys kissing me?" Castor sighed happily before nodding, "And yeah, they are."
"Good, then let's go," Harry said. He placed both the map and cloak into his bag and gestured to Castor, "Lead the way," he said.
"One second," Castor smirked, and he pulled Jasper in for a searing kiss, his free hands going to Jasper's ass and squeezing them hard. "I needed to say 'hi' to my babyboy," he smirked. He spanked Jasper's ass and walked away, the two Slytherins following him.
Castor led them up the familiar path for Harry towards the seventh floor, and then to the corridor where there waited the Portrait of the Fat Lady. The portrait looked at Harry and Jasper, raising her nose slightly. "You are not Gryffindor," she said.
"They're with me," Castor said, "Leo Cor."
The Fat Lady gave a small bow and the portrait swung open, revealing the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. "Come along little snakes," Castor smirked, stepping through the portrait hole. The common room was exactly as Harry remembered it. A cozy circular room filled with armchairs and a roaring fire, everything decorated in several shades of red. Jasper took a step closer to Castor, no doubt feeling like a fish out of water, while Harry felt oddly nostalgic. He looked around to see Gryffindors that he did not recognize only to be met by confused and hostile faces.
"Warbeck, the fuck?" a Gryffindor said, "Why are they here?"
Harry looked and saw that it was one of the Gryffindors who tried to bully him months ago. He smiled and waved politely, "Good evening," he said.
"Fuck off faggot!" the Gryffindor said.
"Shut up, Boon," Castor said. "Harry, Jasper, and I have something we want to tell all of you."
The Gryffindor named Boon sneered and gave them a rude gesture. Jasper shook his head and said quite loudly, "Are the rest of Gryffindor afraid like Boon? I thought that Gryffindor was the brave and noble lion. Fearing nothing. Harry and I are here because we have something to talk to you guys about, something that will get rid of all Dark Wizards and all problems that we might face. But if you're too afraid to even listen to us."
"We're not afraid," said a seventh year, puffing his chest, "we just don't want to listen to slimy Slytherins!"
"Then listen to me," Castor said, "you all know me. I'm already a part of their group and know what they're trying to do. I'm all for it."
Harry looked around and sighed, "Hate me," he said. "Hate me if you want to, I don't care, but I know what is out there, I know the dangers that our world has to offer! Yeah, I'm a poof, but do you know what? I'm braver for it! I'm stronger because of it. I know that each of you daydream of going out and fighting dark wizards, of going out and getting rid of the evil in the world. I should know, I had that daydream every night when I started to run away."
"Yeah right! You Slytherin."
"I chose Slytherin," Harry said louder, drowning out other Gryffindors. "When I came here, the Hat gave me a choice: Gryffindor or Slytherin. I chose Slytherin." It was half a lie in his mind, for technically he was in both.
"Why would you do that?" Boon demanded.
"Because it was better for what I needed," Harry said. "I was on the run for years—no friends of my own and I needed a safe space to hide from Grindelwald, hide from his followers. Gryffindor would treat me as a hero, as a leader to look up to but all I wanted then, all I needed was to hide. So I chose Slytherin, I hid and befriend my friends, Jasper, Tom, even Abraxas Malfoy, who is a giant prat at times." That earned him a few chuckles, and he became a little more confident. "Let me tell you this, Slytherin is not full of slimy snakes, dark wizards, and people who will always backstab you. There are slimy individuals in there, yes, Walburga Black and Xavier Mulciber are two of them—but still, Slytherin has decent people. At least myself and Jasper are decent. The others didn't want to include you guys, they were afraid honestly, didn't think that they could convince you all, which is why I'm here, and more importantly, why Jasper is here." He paused and made his way to the fireplace, the Gryffindors clearing the way. Jasper and Castor followed him.
Harry looked at Jasper, "You okay with telling them what our goals are?" he asked.
"I am," Jasper nodded. Harry smiled then addressed the crowd. "Look, I know that you guys might not listen to me, but listen to my friend here, Jasper Lestrange." He looked at Jasper, who stood up.
"Hi," he said, sounding a little nervous. "I'm Jasper, like Harry said, I'm his friend, but I'm also Castor's friend, a close friend, and we're all part of Riddle's group: The Knights of Walpurgis. We're a group who wants to make the world a better place! A place where we don't need to be afraid of showing who we are, witches, and wizards. Grindelwald, he's trying to tear down the wall between us and muggles, but he wants to do it to enslave the muggles. To hurt and kill them and that's just wrong, very wrong. We want to break the wall too, but so that we can live together as equals! A lot of my friends don't like muggleborns and half-bloods, but that's wrong. I know that you know that. There's no difference between any of us! We're just wizards! Witches! Riddle wants to mix and integrate all of us! Having muggles and wizards live together like we used to long ago.
"There's no reason for us to be hateful to each other. Our mistrust and anger towards each other is why dark magic and dark wizards rise. Grindelwald comes from a place of hatred and, and—if we just get together, if we just work as one, we can do the bravest thing imaginable! We can change the world!" Jasper looked around hopefully only to be met by blank faces. His hopeful smile began to waver, and he took a step back, looking behind him at Harry and Castor, his eyes pleading for help.
Castor stepped in immediately, placing a hand on Jasper's shoulder, "What he's trying to say, is that we all want to be heroes, right? We all want to be the good guys! Tom Riddle and his gang are the only way I see of us getting rid of dark wizards once and for all. His group isn't made up of just slimy snakes, no there are also some Ravenclaws, and me obviously. As well as some Hufflepuffs shortly. We want this to be an Inter-House thing, so why don't we join and show the other Houses how it's done!"
That got him cheers and Castor smirked. He patted Jasper's shoulder and said softly, "You have to learn how to play them, babyboy." Harry patted Jasper's other shoulder, "Thanks, both of you, I'll take care of it from here," he said.
Harry stepped forward and looked around, "That's all it's about," he said. "Uniting the worlds and getting rid of dark wizards. I can't think of a more nobler goal! And who else to have a heavy hand in this than Gryffindor? You all are the future just as Jasper and me, we will need all of us to make this a reality."
"So now what?" a girl asked.
"Spread the word about us, let Hogwarts know that she is housing the future," Harry said. "We have meetings, and Castor is a member. If you want to come, if you want to have a more direct hand in how we're changing the world, ask Castor. Otherwise, we'll call on you guys to do some things in the future, stopping bullying, keeping each other in check. You are all noble and courageous, and I am expecting that you will help keep the peace. Serve as the role model everyone looks up to, even if you have to punish someone in your own House. Can you do that?"
Half the Gryffindors responded immediately, cheering for Harry. Others reacted a little later with the rest looking hesitant. Harry smiled, "Of course, we don't expect you to fully commit immediately. Think it over, see if it sounds right. The world is changing in the future, either by Grindelwald and his dark wizards or by us. We hope that you will join us, and together we will make dark magic disappear!"
More cheers followed and Harry smiled victoriously as he saw even Boon was clapping. He and Jasper started to make their way out when Boon stopped them, "Peverell! Wait." Harry stopped and turned, smiling politely while he had his arm ready to flick his wand out. "I just wanted to say, uh, you're alright… for a poof," Boon said.
"Um, thanks," Harry said, glancing at Jasper. "We'll see you then." He and Jasper walked out, the portrait closing behind them.
"Harry, how were you able to do it?" Jasper asked. "I thought I was doing the right thing but, they didn't even clap for me like they did you and Castor."
"Gryffindors can be tough," Harry said. "Deep down they all want an adventure, a chance to prove themselves to be the hero, the good guys, even if they don't realize it. They're noble and brave to the point of reckless, it's easy to rile them up when you play that angle, which you did. In fact, honestly I think you did a great job building them up. We just needed Castor to make them climax," Harry winked and laughed as Jasper blushed.
"Harry!"
"It's true, we couldn't have done it without you Jasper," Harry smiled. "Now come on, let's get back to Tom before he thinks for a second that we could possibly fail." He threw the Invisibility Cloak over them, and the two quickly made their way back to the dungeons, Harry leading Jasper down several shortcuts to avoid the chance of seeing anyone. Tom and the others were not back yet, so Harry packed his cloak and map into his trunk's secret compartment, and the two friends lounged by the fireplace as they waited.
Tom, Abraxas, and Alexander Nott returned half an hour later. Harry waved them over and smiled broadly. "We beat you," he said.
"The Ravenclaws demanded a trial of wits," Tom muttered, sitting down next to Harry. "It was such a nuisance."
"Did you win?" Jasper asked.
"Of course," Tom said. "Alexander here did most of the heavy work for us. The Ravenclaws are on our side."
"As are the Gryffindors, thanks to Jasper," Harry said. "They're all excited to be the heroes that expel dark magic from our world."
"Too bad they do not know that all we are doing is changing definitions," Tom said, chuckling.
"But they don't need to know that, do they?" Jasper asked.
"No, they do not. Good job, gentlemen. We have three Houses. Hufflepuff will fall before the school year is out, I expect," Tom said. "We all deserve a good night's rest."
Tom was right. Immediately the next day, Harry could hear whispers about the Knights. People were talking about them openly with their friends. Gossiping about their goals during meals, rumoring in classrooms about its members, and openly praising their actions in between. Harry saw Boon and his friends stop several fights in front of him, each time the boys looking at him expectantly for praise like excited puppies, which he gave with a head nod or a thumbs up. Students started to mix with each other, talking about helping each other out and singing praise, mostly with Harry's names on their lips. Hufflepuff, too, started talking about Harry. The rumors continued to spread and get louder, bolder, and with each new meeting, gaining more traction until day before final exams began, Harry caught a group of Hufflepuffs running to Castor and Jasper and asking them about the Knights. "Tom, you madman," Harry whispered, "how do you plan all of this out?"
"That is a question I too would like the answer to, Mr. Peverell," a voice said behind him. Harry turned to see Professor Dumbledore looking down at him disappointedly. "If you would follow me?"
Harry felt his heart drop as every anxiety and problem he ever faced fell onto his shoulders. He walked slowly, following Professor Dumbledore. He could feel eyes on them as they walked. Harry knew almost immediately where they were going and felt nothing when the stone gargoyle statue at the end of the hall confirmed his feeling. They were going to the headmaster's office.
Dumbledore said the password, and the gargoyle sprung to life and jumped away. The spiral staircase rose from the ground, and the two walked up it and into Headmaster Dippet's office. The ancient man was waiting behind his desk, looking solemnly as he saw Harry. "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore," Dippet said. "Harry, sit down."
Harry felt a lump in his throat form as he walked to the seat in front of Headmaster Dippet's desk. He sat down and swallowed heavily. "You wanted to see me, Headmaster?" he asked.
"Yes Harry, I do," Professor Dippet nodded. "I wanted to see if you have remembered what you yourself promised with Professor Dumbledore and myself. Time is a dangerous thing to mess with Harry Peverell, and I fear that you have completely changed its course."
"What do you mean, sirs?" Harry asked.
"The Knights of Walpurgis," Professor Dumbledore said grimly. "A new revolutionary movement with you and Mr. Riddle in the middle."
"Revolutionists who want to change the world completely!" Headmaster Dippet said angrily. "Destroying the wall that keeps muggles and wizards separate! That wall keeps us safe Peverell! And you want to introduce anarchy!?"
"It is not anarchy, it's progression," Harry argued.
"Progression!" Dippet mimicked, "This is not progression, Peverell! Every day there seems to be rumors about you, boy. Indecent actions with members of the same sex, dueling other students—and now you are being a revolutionist! When we are in the middle of a war! It is not good enough it seems to you to stop a future war but to start a completely new one?"
"I am not starting a war, sirs," Harry said, doing his best to stay calm. "We are improving the future—having a place where there is no prejudice, no hatred—"
"A child's dream that will only lead to ruin, Mr. Peverell!" Headmaster Dippet yelled. He coughed and looked at Dumbledore, "Explain to the boy," he demanded.
Dumbledore frowned and looked at Harry. "It is good to have a dream, Harry, but still dreams must surrender to reality. Inter-house relations are improving, I will not deny that but what will happen after the summer? Or even after you and yours graduate? Left leaderless, the Houses will go back to how they were, and rivalries will continue," Dumbledore said.
Harry frowned, "I did not think of that," he muttered, "but then I will think about that in seventh year. This is not a phase, nor is it a chaotic revolution. Professor Dumbledore, I truly believe that what I am doing, what we are doing, will change the world for the better. My original time is no different from now, there has been no progress. I love Tom, I love him with all of my body, heart, and mind, and I will do everything to see our dream come to reality. So no, you're wrong in that Dumbledore. Dreams do not need to bend to reality. Reality must bend to dreams."
"An ignorant statement from an ignorant child!" Headmaster Dippet said. "I will not allow this to continue on, Peverell!"
"And what will you do?" Harry asked curiously.
"If needed, I will expel you on grounds of revolutionary," Professor Dippet said. "For riling students and making them do harm against one another as well as the proud tradition of Hogwarts!"
"Sir, technically that is not allowed," Professor Dumbledore said. "Harry here is not urging his fellows to do harm—in fact, I see them constantly going to young Harry or others searching to do good."
"That does not matter Dumbledore, the point is that Peverell is continuing to mess with time even after he promised not to!" Professor Dippet exclaimed.
"I am not messing with time," Harry said, "I am making progress! The future that I know is gone, so why not make it a better one now? It was a mistake for muggles and wizards to be separated, we are just rectifying that."
"You do not know what you are talking about young boy! You cannot even begin to imagine the danger that the outside world contains," Headmaster Dippet yelled.
Something in Harry broke. He stood up quickly and with a flick of his wrist, his wand was in his hand, and before he even fully grasped it, he sent a silent Reducto to Headmaster Dippet's liquor cabinet. "Do you want to hear everything I had to face in my time, Headmaster?" Harry demanded. "Facing deadly trials that includes a three-headed dog that could easily have bitten my head off, devil's snare that almost strangled me to death, a killer game of life-sized wizards chess where my friend almost died as well as fighting a troll in the girls' bathroom to save another friend and facing against Lord Voldemort himself! The Dark Lord who I'm trying to prevent from ever existing! All to save the Philosopher's Stone from him so that he cannot return, and all when I was only eleven! Then I had to deal with the Chamber of Secrets, which does open again, and its Basilisk and one of Voldemort's Horcrux when I only twelve! A horcrux that almost sucked the life out of my best friend's sister, mind you! Third year was dementors and the man who betrayed parents to Voldemort, fourth year I was forced to compete in the Tri-wizard Tournament—almost dying at each and every task, the first of which included a DRAGON all ending with me and a friend being tricked to a graveyard by the Triwizard Cup which was a portkey—to have my friend killed right in front of me—and have the Strongest Dark Lord there ever was resurrected attempt to kill me! Fifth year I had to continue fighting against him as well as convince the entire bloody wizarding world that he is actually back, and my godfather died because I was too stupid and too reckless to realize that Voldemort was tricking me! NOT TO MENTION ALL THE ABUSE AND NEGLECT THE DURSLEYS GAVE ME WHENEVER I WAS FORCED TO RETURN! So no, Professor Dippet, I clearly do not know the dangers that the outside world contain so please, inform me."
Dumbledore frowned, staring at Harry completely disappointed while Headmaster Dippet stayed in his chair, shaking with anger. The old man stuttered but Harry did not back down. He was breathing heavily, his anger still getting out of him. "You—you stupid boy!" Headmaster Dippet finally yelled. "I cannot expel you without a case but destroying my property is a good ground for it! Remember who you are talking to, young man or else I will get the chains out and have you hanged until you do! Those friends of yours are obviously horrible influences and I demanded that you cease this foolishness at once!"
"Foolishness?" Harry laughed.
"Harry," Dumbledore said warningly.
"This is not foolishness—this is my natural temper sir! Last time I blew up I destroyed all of Professor Dumbledore's instruments and tools—you should be lucky that I just destroyed your booze!"
"GET OUT! GET OUT RIGHT NOW!" Dippet yelled. Harry sneered at him and turned around, stomping out. His anger left with every step he took; the void being filled with a heavy regret. He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Professor Dumbledore, looking at him disappointed.
"I'm sorry I lost my temper," Harry apologized. "It's just, I truly believe that what I'm doing is good, that I'm changing the world to become a better place."
"I understand that Harry, however the world does not work as you wish it does," Professor Dumbledore said. "Losing tempers and forcing change does not work. Yes, you will need a push, a striking blow to start change, but it must happen naturally."
"This is naturally," Harry sighed, "it's a result of many people's frustration and need to do better."
"That might be the case however Harry, there are plenty of other ways to do what you wish to do," Dumbledore said. "Your actions in the Headmaster's office only served to fan the fires of his fears, that this Knights of Walpurgis is dangerous. I understand your want of a better world Harry, and I commend you for taking the august task of working towards it. You and yours have done something that many headmasters and professors have failed to do, you are promoting inter-House relations! Positive, friendly relations. I did not lie when I said that you are not urging your fellows to do harm. No, in fact, all I see is students deescalating conflicts! It is small, yes, and it does not happen all the time, but Harry this is an important and crucial step. You say your dream is to reunite the muggle and wizarding worlds? Then you must remember this one thing, Harry. Change, just like healing, takes time. Not everything will happen at once, or even during your lifetime. But take that first step, and I think you will achieve something brilliant. Lastly, never forget about humanity. It is easy to speak about ideals, but it is even easier to forget about the humans who must live through your ideals."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said. He felt immensely calmer. He looked up at Dumbledore and smiled. Dumbledore returned his smile ruefully, and Harry saw that familiar sparkle behind his half-moon eyes. "You're going to make a great headmaster," Harry committed.
"Oh I don't think about that," Dumbledore chuckled, "however if I were to become headmaster, I think I would like to make a change myself."
"And what is that, sir?"
"I find that muggles create these most extraordinary candies. One of my personal favorites is sherbet lemon," Dumbledore chuckled. "I would like to add those to the pudding menu."
Harry laughed, smiling merrily at Dumbledore. "I think that can happen," he hummed happily. "Sir? Do you think Headmaster Dippet would really try to expel me?"
"The thought would past his mind, I am sure, however, I do not see him doing it," Professor Dumbledore said. "It kills him to send a student away. The last time, he was crying for months on end."
"Would you have expelled me, if you were headmaster?" Harry asked.
"No, I would not," Dumbledore said, and that was all the comfort Harry needed. He stood taller and said calmly, "Thank you again, Professor Dumbledore."
"Of course, Harry. Now, you run along back to your friends, and I will go tell the Headmaster all about how I yelled and bullied you into doing right again," Dumbledore said, smiling slyly and tapping his finger against his nose. Harry nodded and left, smiling to himself as he returned to the Slytherin common room. He sat down with Tom and relaxed towards him as he looked around at his friends, feeling like he was home.