Percy's Troubles

As Tver was about to continue his research on Horcruxes, there came a knock at the door.

"Knock knock—"

A hesitant voice called from outside, "Professor, I have some questions I'd like to consult with you about. Are you there?"

It was Percy's voice, tinged with confusion. This was an unexpected opportunity!

Eagerly tidying up his things, Tver was still surrounded by the lingering dark aura of the Horcruxes, which were difficult to put away quickly. After a hasty clean-up, he went to open the door himself.

"Come in," he said, patting Percy on the shoulder and guiding him to a seat, "Tea or pumpkin juice?"

"Pumpkin juice, please."

Pumpkin juice was a well-known favorite in the Gryffindor common room, a secret shared among the students, especially during exam preparations, as it was believed to impart strength.

Percy, not one to believe in such superstitions, didn't mind indulging the professor's preference. To his surprise, the professor seemed delighted, pouring him a full glass of pumpkin juice himself.

"Thank you."

Watching Percy take a small sip, Tver casually started the conversation.

"How are you finding the classes lately?"

Percy immediately thought of the terror dominated by exams. Although the papers could be completed gradually after class, they were challenging, with each key concept spawning a dozen different questions, each filled with traps.

"Practice makes perfect, though," he replied, swallowing nervously, "I've gotten much better at dismantling spells quickly and have mastered quite a few nonverbal spells."

Tver nodded approvingly. Even though Percy had chosen all twelve subjects, he was still top of his year, undoubtedly the most outstanding student.

"Nonverbal spells are covered in sixth year. If you can use them effectively in your exams, you'll astonish the examiners and easily secure the highest grade of O."

Percy flashed a proud yet restrained smile. "I owe it all to your teaching."

"But are you sure you can handle it? I heard you plan to take exams in all twelve subjects. That's no small feat." Tver handed him a piece of chocolate. "Honestly, I don't quite understand this approach. It seems to me choosing subjects that best align with your goals would be more beneficial."

Percy fiddled with the chocolate wrapper, creating a crisp sound.

"It's because I don't know what my goals are..." he admitted weakly.

"Oh?"

Choosing all the subjects because he was unsure of his post-graduation goals—to ensure nothing was overlooked. This was the kind of student he had high hopes for.

Tver's interest was piqued.

"I remember Professor McGonagall gave you career guidance, didn't she? Or have you not decided yet?"

Percy nodded, then shook his head, his voice filled with uncertainty, "I told Professor McGonagall that I wanted to work at the Ministry of Magic, and she gave me a lot of practical advice. But now, I feel even more that working there might not resolve my concerns."

"That seems to have you quite perplexed. Would you mind sharing what's troubling you?"

"It's my family," Percy said with a complex tone, "You might have heard from Ron; we aren't wealthy. My father is so hardworking... well, a bit distracted at times, but he truly loves his job. My mother, too, struggles hard to take care of us seven children. Yet, with all their efforts, they still worry about affording Ron's wand and the tuition for my sister who is about to start school!"

As he spoke, Percy's face turned red with emotion, and he clenched his fists tightly.

"I don't understand! Why do those pure-blood families, who seem so evil to me, get to enjoy wealth we could never amass in our lifetime and hold the highest positions of power in the country? And my two brilliant, capable brothers are relegated to the fringes of the wizarding world, doing obscure jobs for meager wages! My father has put in so much effort, only to be stuck at the bottom of the Ministry! It's not fair! Do I really need to climb to the top of the power hierarchy to escape this fate?!"

With that, he slammed his fist on the desk, causing a deafening bang, and pumpkin juice splattered everywhere.

Percy, startled by his own discourteous behavior, apologized, "Sorry, Professor, I got carried away."

He tried to wipe up the pumpkin juice, but Tver stopped him, cleaning the stain with a spell.

"I can understand your feelings, and honestly, I also don't understand what's wrong with the wizarding world right now."

"The wizarding world?"

Percy looked puzzled, his thoughts had been focused on his own family, not yet extending to the broader wizarding community.

"Yes, the wizarding world," Tver said, looking meaningfully into his eyes. "If a society cannot reward the efforts of its diligent members, the problem does not lie with those who endeavor, but with the society itself."

Percy was startled by the intensity of the gaze, blinking fearfully.

"But... but my father isn't that hard-working, really. He doesn't focus on his job, always tinkering with Muggle trinkets, playing with rubber ducks, tinkering…"

"What about your brothers, though? Even if I haven't met them, I've heard they performed in school no worse than you."

Tver leaned forward, his expression growing more stern, his gaze piercing, making Percy unable to meet his eyes.

"Or do you also want to end up like your brothers, with good grades yet remain a nameless pawn, at the mercy of those who have learned nothing? Percy, the problem lies with the wizarding world, not with your hard work. It can't be changed by your efforts alone, as I, a pure-blood heir—"

"I'm not talking about you," Percy said weakly.

"No, you are talking about me," Tver countered. "I can simply exist, and still possess more wealth than several lifetimes could exhaust, wealth that continues to grow, with even more to come! But what about you? You have to work tirelessly, earning mere scraps of Galleons I might choose to bestow."

Tver grasped Percy's head, turning it so they were eye to eye. "The wizarding world is sick, Percy. What it needs now is not more effort, but medicine."

Percy, led by the nose, murmured, "But where is the doctor?"

"Right here, Percy, right in this office," Tver said with a beguiling smile, his voice soft. "We are the pioneers who have first recognized this problem. The wizarding world is waiting for us to change it, to make it healthier and better."