Chapter 24: Meeting Dumbledore

[Rohan's Pov]

The next morning, George was making breakfast, and Elena and Chris were at the table, engrossed in their magazines and newspapers.

"Sorry I'm late," I rushed in and took a seat. Unlike them, I was dressed and ready to go out.

"Are you going somewhere, brother?" Chris asked.

George had already served me breakfast, and with a full mouth, I replied, "Yes, Chris, I'm heading to the library."

"Library on Christmas? Are they even open today?" Chris seemed skeptical.

"Yes, they are. I'm working on a project, but I can't tell you more about it," I said

After quickly finishing breakfast, I left the house and went to the Leaky Cauldron.

When I arrived, I saw Olivia waiting outside.

"Sorry for being late, Olivia," I apologized.

"No problem, there's still time," she replied.

We found a quiet corner inside to talk.

"Could you show me the letter?" I asked Olivia, and she handed it over without a word. I quickly skimmed it and noticed that it didn't reveal much. It simply mentioned that Dumbledore wanted to meet us before making a decision. What struck me as odd was that he also wanted to meet me.

This meeting was crucial for our summer camp plans. I could understand Olivia needing to be there since she was the one leading this project, but I couldn't figure out why Dumbledore wanted to meet me. I reviewed the paperwork, and my role was limited to being an investor in Olivia's company, nothing more.

We spent the next half-hour discussing our strategy for the meeting and how to persuade Dumbledore to support our plan.

Tom came over and informed us to proceed to a specific room on the next floor.

As I entered the room, I was surprised to find it resembling the one where Minister Fudge had met Harry. There was a desk in the back and three chairs near the fireplace.

And there, sitting at the table by the fireplace, was none other than Dumbledore himself.

He looked at Olivia, then at me, and curiously, he had that twinkle in his eyes, just as described in the books.

"Good morning, Headmaster. It's been a while," Olivia greeted him.

We walked over and took our seats. Tom served us tea.

"I apologize for the delayed response, Miss Olivia. I've been quite occupied lately," Dumbledore said.

"It's all right, sir. I appreciate your quick reply," Olivia replied.

Olivia then introduced me, "This is Rohan, and he's agreed to help me as an investor."

Dumbledore looked surprised as he examined me, saying, "Oh, I didn't expect the investor Miss Olivia mentioned to be so young."

"Don't let his age fool you, Headmaster. He's quite capable for his age," Olivia reassured.

"Nice to meet you, sir. I've heard a lot about you," I said, taking out a small gift-wrapped box and handing it to him. "Since it's Christmas Eve, I thought I'd bring you a gift."

Dumbledore was surprised but accepted the box. It was small and light, making him assume it was a book. He placed it aside and said, "Well, this is unexpected. I don't have anything to offer you in return at the moment. How about this: ask for anything you desire, and I will do my best to fulfill it."

Olivia was taken aback; this was a significant offer. Dumbledore was the most powerful wizard in Britain, and his word carried immense weight.

I needed to make a good impression, so after some thought, I confidently asked, "If it's okay with you, I'd like to see a Patronus Charm."

Dumbledore squinted in surprise, as the Patronus Charm was rare and challenging. It was unexpected for a Muggle like me to know about it.

Olivia was equally astonished. Dumbledore then took out his wand and cast the spell. A phoenix-shaped Patronus appeared, gliding majestically around the room with a blue glow, emitting the same enchanting hum from the movies.

"Wow," we both exclaimed in amazement.

"That was incredible. Thank you for showing it to me," I said with gratitude.

Dumbledore chuckled and said, "You're welcome. Now, shall we get down to business?"

After that, we dove into discussing Olivia's proposal with Dumbledore.

Olivia's idea was simple yet significant. She wanted to create a practice space where Muggle-borns and half-blood witches and wizards living in the Muggle world could freely practice magic during their summer break, similar to students in the wizarding world.

The challenge was that the Ministry had placed tracers on underage wizards to prevent them from using magic in the Muggle world, in case it was witnessed by non-magical people.

As they discussed the proposal, my mind wandered to the Patronus charm. I had never seen Dumbledore's Patronus in the movies, so I was genuinely curious. However, my primary motive was to catch a glimpse of the Elder wand, just as depicted in the films.

I glanced at Dumbledore, who was sipping his tea and attentively listening to Olivia. Despite his reputation as a powerful and enigmatic wizard, he appeared approachable, as if I could talk to him about anything.

His eyes held that familiar twinkle, as if a curious child resided within the body of an elderly man. After Olivia was done explaining,  he briefly examined me before speaking.

"You're quite popular here at the Leaky Cauldron, did you know that?" Dumbledore remarked.

"Me? Popular?"

"Yes, it's not common to see a Muggle frequenting this place as often as you do. Many store owners have become quite familiar with you."

"Well, I do visit here quite regularly, I suppose. But what does that have to do with this matter?" I inquired.

"It does matter. A Muggle like you helping a few wizards does raise some concerns for me."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that it's not the first time a Muggle, such as yourself, has shown a keen interest in the wizarding world. Most of them didn't end up well."

"I don't understand."

Dumbledore let out a sigh and continued, "During my years at Hogwarts, I've seen family members of Muggle-borns who become overly fascinated with magic. Some go to great lengths, endangering themselves and those around them, trying to become wizards. I want to prevent such situations from arising again."

"You think I'm helping her because I want to become a wizard?" I chuckled. "Oh, no, sir, you have the wrong idea."

"You don't?"

"No, I have no desire to become a wizard. To me, magic is no different from science. My true passion has always been science, and I'm simply trying to understand magic in my own way."

"Even though you can't use magic, you want to study it? Why?"

"Well, you don't need to possess magic to study it. I view magic as a natural force, similar to gravity. My interest lies in comprehending this mysterious force known as magic and using that knowledge to advance my scientific understanding."

"Hmm. I presume your summer camp project will aid in your studies?"

"Yes, we will be focusing on potion development for the rest of the year, so it does align with my goals. However, my primary reason for supporting this project is my younger brother, Christopher, who recently started his education at Hogwarts. I want to help him."

"Christopher?" Dumbledore's eyes brightened. "Yes, I know him. He's a gifted wizard."

"Yes, I'm adopted, you see. When Miss Olivia approached me with this opportunity, I agreed. I wanted to explore magic, and they needed assistance, so it's a mutually beneficial arrangement."

Dumbledore took a moment to think, then asked, "You requested to see me perform a Patronus Charm, which suggests you already have some knowledge of magic. Is that correct?"

"Unfortunately, my knowledge is quite limited, only up to the second year and some extra books."

Dumbledore relaxed in his chair, deep in thought, and finally asked, "Then tell me, what is magic?"

"What is magic? That's not an easy question to answer," I responded, taking a moment to consider.

Dumbledore allowed me some time to think, and after a few moments, I began to answer his question about the nature of magic.

"Imagine a Muggle magician performing a trick for a child," I began. "He takes off his top hat and shows it's empty, then he puts it on a table and somehow pulls out a live rabbit. To the child, this seems like real magic because it goes against what she knows about how things work. But to the magician, it's just a trick he knows how to do."

I continued, drawing a parallel between magic tricks and real magic. "This situation can help us understand what magic really is. It's not just about how you see things; it's also about understanding them. Even everyday things can seem like magic if you don't know how they work. For instance, if a wizard visited our modern world and saw things like TVs and cars, they might call them 'Muggle magic.'"

I referenced Arthur C. Clarke's quote, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic," to explain that magic often occurs when there's a gap in our understanding.

Dumbledore, however, didn't seem entirely satisfied with my answer. He waved his hand dismissively and commented, "If not understanding something were enough to make it magical, then anyone who's learning something new would be like a wizard in training. Learning a new math problem would be magical, but it isn't, is it?"

I nodded in agreement, and he prompted me to continue.

I elaborated on the concept, saying, "Now, let's go back to our magician. If he performs the same trick in front of an adult, the adult might be amazed, but they'll immediately start thinking about how it's done. They assume there's a rational explanation, even if they don't know what it is. So, for the adult, there's no magic involved; it's just something they don't fully understand yet."

I then delved deeper into the essence of magic, stating, "So, what is magic, then? It's not a phenomenon, an action, or a set of rules. It's when you genuinely believe you're seeing something that should be impossible according to everything you know. A gap in understanding can make magic more likely, but the gap itself isn't magic. When you accept that you've witnessed something that truly goes against all your usual explanations… now, that is magic."

A silence filled the room as Dumbledore and Olivia absorbed my explanation. Dumbledore's twinkling eyes were wide with surprise, and Olivia seemed equally amazed and shocked. It was clear that my perspective had made them reconsider their understanding of magic.

"Actually," I continued, "I believe not being able to do magic puts me at an advantage when studying magic compared to other witches and wizards."

Both Dumbledore and Olivia looked at me with confusion, prompting me to clarify. "Any sufficiently advanced technology may be indistinguishable from magic, but likewise, any sufficiently advanced magic is also indistinguishable from science."

I then used the example of the Patronus Charm to illustrate my point. "Think of the moment I asked you to perform the Patronus Charm. I'm a Muggle and cannot do magic, Olivia is an experienced witch but cannot cast the Patronus Charm, yet you, sir, are experienced with it."

I emphasized the different perspectives on magic, saying, "In this case, the Patronus Charm was the most magical to me, but it was slightly less so for Olivia, who is an experienced witch. For her, it is just a difficult spell to master. However, it was the least magical for you, the one who is the most familiar with that spell."

Dumbledore and Olivia contemplated my words and eventually agreed that I had a valid point.

I concluded, "It seems like the more you learn about magic… the less magical magic becomes."

The room remained silent for a moment as both Dumbledore and Olivia processed my unique perspective. Then, Dumbledore started clapping his hands in appreciation. " Brilliantly explained."

He took a sip of tea and turned to Olivia. "I believe that answers all my doubts."

Olivia was relieved and asked, "You mean...?"

Dumbledore nodded and clarified his condition. "Yes, I agree to support your initiative to open this summer school. But I have one condition."

"We'll do our best to fulfill it," Olivia replied eagerly.

Dumbledore looked at me with a smile. "You are quite a talented individual, Mr. Rohan. I hope to meet you again."

We shook hands, and as we left the place, Olivia couldn't contain her happiness. "I can't believe he agreed," she exclaimed. "And your answer, I was so scared, but you responded brilliantly."

I replied with a smile, "I told you i came prepared," explaining that I had anticipated the questions. I mentioned that during the moment Dumbledore had scrutinized me, I had remained focused on whether he would attempt to read my thoughts. Fortunately, he hadn't, as there would be no point in reading the mind of a powerless Muggle boy.

When he looked at me, i had no choice but to say anything that came to my mind. At the end it went well.

Olivia praised my response, and together, we walked away from this extraordinary encounter.

[Dumbledore's Pov]

I sat alone in the room, long after they had left. When I received Olivia's letter, I decided to gather information about it from the Ministry. Upon seeing a Muggle listed as an investor, I quickly discerned the nature of this endeavor. I had intended to dissuade the young boy from involving himself in the wizarding world, but I didn't anticipate this.

"He is truly unusual, unlike any other Muggle I've encountered," I muttered to myself. Typically, individuals react to magic with wonder, sometimes even a lust for power. That's why I had decided to test him.

The question, "What is magic?" might seem simple, but it can reveal a lot about a wizard's perspective. A Ravenclaw would likely tell you that magic is wisdom for unraveling mysteries, a Slytherin might say it's a means to attain personal power and success, a Gryffindor could describe magic as courage for achieving great feats and standing up for what's right, and a Hufflepuff might view magic as a tool to bring people together.

However, I had expected Rohan to provide a more conventional answer. Instead, he articulated what magic truly represents. Most wizards focus on spells and incantations, rarely pondering the fundamental nature of magic.

Even I found myself amazed. I hadn't anticipated learning something new during today's meeting. "The more you learn about magic… the less magical magic becomes. I'll keep that in mind."

I rose from my chair and approached the fireplace, preparing to Floo back to my office. As the green flames enveloped me, I couldn't help but reflect on the exceptional child I had just encountered. It was a shame he couldn't use magic; otherwise, he could have been one of the most powerful wizards in all of Britain.

With that thought in mind, I returned to my office through the Floo Network.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This chapter proved to be quite tough; writing dialogues and staying true to a character is exhausting. Maybe I should just write more casually from now on. Still,  one of my favorite chapter. btw did you notice the forshadow ?