"Very well, he has a talent for Potions second only to Lily."
Snape's voice was a bit curt, as if he'd rather not be discussing Dudley with Dumbledore at all. "Perhaps he'll inherit my full knowledge of Potions... perhaps he'll even surpass me. Who knows, maybe he'll even become Minister for Magic, hmph."
"But Albus, don't spoil him too much. That kind of potion, Veritaserum, shouldn't be used so lightly, even by an Auror, let alone a student who hasn't even finished his first year."
Compared to the stern Snape, Dumbledore's tone was much more cheerful. He popped two more sweets into his mouth and gave Snape a little wink.
"Severus, you said it yourself, he's just a boy... no one would believe a first-year student could brew Veritaserum. And besides, I think he's right. Hogwarts needs to change."
"And speaking of spoiling, isn't that what you're doing?"
Snape ignored the jab. He merely let out a cold huff and gave a dramatic swish of his black robes. "If that's all, I'll be going."
After Snape left, Dumbledore remained seated, mulling over Dudley's words.
"A very modern theory..."
The idea of combining the four houses into one had a certain logic to it, but he knew it was something he could never truly do. He then thought about Dudley's earlier comment about "teaching without discrimination."
"If the Slytherin climate wasn't what it was, then perhaps Tom wouldn't have..."
It was a question no one could ever truly answer.
"What do you all think, Headmasters?" Dumbledore asked the portraits of the previous Headmasters hanging on the wall.
"A very impressive young wizard. He knows so much," said the old witch with long, curly silver hair, who had immediately opened her eyes. This was Dilys Derwent, a famous healer who had also served as Headmistress.
"Combining the four houses into one is a truly bold idea," said a gaunt, white-haired wizard. This was Armando Dippet, Dumbledore's predecessor.
"Albus, his ideas are even more wild than yours, and his courage is even greater. He really should have been in Gryffindor... what did the Sorting Hat say?" he asked, his voice filled with admiration for Dudley.
"Hey, you just complimented his idea! If there's only one house, what's a Gryffindor?" another portrait immediately retorted.
"He has ambition. I see his ambition. He's a true Slytherin," said a sly-looking old man. This was Phineas Nigellus Black, the only Slytherin Headmaster in Hogwarts' history, known as the most unpopular Headmaster of all time.
"Quiet, Phineas!"
Poor Phineas was barely finished speaking when he was dragged away by the Headmasters in the next frame, still shouting about the "glory of Slytherin."
"He's right. I think a disciplinary committee should be formed," said a pale-faced wizard with short, dark bangs. This was Everard, a highly respected figure in the wizarding world.
"Albus, he's right. You really should think about it."
"I know, I know..." Dumbledore nodded, though no one could tell what he was really thinking.
"Oh, goodness. It's so late already. I wonder if the Skeleton band has arrived yet? It's time to get the feast ready."
---
### A Feast and a New Circle
Colorful Halloween decorations adorned the Great Hall. A thousand bats fluttered along the walls and ceiling, while another thousand swirled like a low-lying cloud above the tables, making the flames of the candles in the carved pumpkins flicker. The atmosphere was certainly festive, if you ignored the empty seats at the Gryffindor first-year table.
"Dudley! Are you alright?" Hermione and the others rushed to him, looking him over to make sure he wasn't missing anything.
"Did Professor Dumbledore give you a hard time?"
Dudley ruffled Hermione's hair. "Of course not, I told you. We were in the right."
He patted Harry and Ron on the shoulders. "Ron, thanks for standing up for us when it counted."
"Oh, it was nothing. I... I didn't do anything," Ron said, a little flustered. Then his face lit up. "Mr. Dursley, you used my name correctly!"
Most people usually got his name wrong, except for Harry. Now there was one more.
"Don't call me Mr. Dursley. If you don't mind, you can call me D-Man, just like Harry does."
Harry looked a tiny bit unhappy at this, but the feeling passed quickly.
"Okay, D-Man," Ron said happily.
"D-Man, I think I need to step up my training. I don't want to be useless like I was today," Harry added, his voice serious.
"You should, and not just with physical training," Dudley said. "I'll make some time to teach you some charms starting tomorrow."
Dudley's offer was a bit of a tease. He meant to teach them the theoretical knowledge, which he had in spades. After all, he couldn't be the only one on the new disciplinary committee.
"Really?" Harry and Ron said, their eyes wide with excitement. They had been in awe of Dudley's "little sun" charm that had lit up the dungeon. It was brilliant.
Dudley then turned to Neville, who was sitting alone at the table. "Mr. Longbottom, if you don't mind, meet us at the Hogwarts gate at seven tomorrow morning."
He extended a sincere invitation, adding, "Your body is perfect for training."
"R-r-really?" Neville stammered, looking completely stunned.
Dudley nodded. "Of course, if you're willing."
"I am!" Neville said quickly. He had been hoping to join Dudley's group for a while now.
Dudley stayed at the Gryffindor table for a bit, then returned to the Slytherin table just as the feast was about to begin. At the Slytherin table, only Malfoy and his two lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle, were with him. Well, to be precise, Malfoy wanted to be with Dudley, and he had dragged Crabbe and Goyle along. The two chubby boys sat nervously beside Malfoy, their faces pale, looking as if they were about to be executed.
"What's with the fear? I don't eat people," Dudley mumbled to himself, stroking his chin.
The two boys shivered even more. Malfoy seemed to know what was going on and quietly explained to Dudley that a rumor had spread that Dudley had used a single charm to make the Gryffindors turn on each other. The empty seats at the Gryffindor first-year table were proof. This had made the other Slytherin students even more wary of him.
Not long after Dudley sat down, the professors took their places. With Dumbledore's announcement, the feast officially began.
Dudley grabbed a lamb chop and with a single bite, he pulled a perfectly clean bone from his mouth. As he chewed, he said, "You know, if you get to know me, you'll find I'm actually very easy to get along with. I'm very gentle and kind."
"Right, Draco?"
Malfoy, put on the spot, said something he didn't even believe himself. "Er, yeah, D-Man."