Chapter 6: "You Remind Me of a Silver-Haired Man I Once Knew"
The men who served as Leon Shelby's bodyguards were rigorously trained. No matter how bizarre the situation, they were conditioned to react with maximum speed and efficiency.
So, upon seeing the strange old man in the back seat, the guard in the front passenger seat drew his pistol in a fluid, lightning-fast motion and aimed it squarely at the intruder.
"If I recall correctly, this curious little device is called a 'gun,' is it not?" the old man remarked, looking at the weapon with academic interest. He raised a hand casually. "These old bones can't take much of a rattling. Protego!"
"That's enough," Leon's voice was low and commanding. "Holster your weapon. He is my guest."
He then turned to the old man beside him and spoke calmly. "Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Grand Sorcerer of the Order of Merlin, First Class, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot."
Leon paused for a beat. "If I'm not mistaken, you are the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore."
"I must say, Mr. Shelby, your memory and powers of observation are astonishing," Dumbledore said with a kindly smile. "But please, just Dumbledore will do. I'm afraid there isn't enough room in this car for all those people."
Leon's eyebrow twitched slightly. He hadn't expected Dumbledore to have a sense of humour.
Dumbledore, in turn, studied Leon with a curious gaze. "I have met many young wizards in my time, Mr. Shelby. But you are not quite like the others..."
"Different?" Leon finished the sentence for him.
Dumbledore looked momentarily surprised but then nodded.
Leon gestured for his driver to continue on as normal while he continued his conversation with the wizard. "It can't be helped. You have to grow up fast where I'm from. And having taken over the family business at a young age, I've learned it pays to think ahead."
"After receiving your letter, Mr. Shelby, you never sent a reply. And yet you came all the way to London," Dumbledore said, getting to the point. His eyes, though friendly, were piercing. "Might I ask why?"
As one of the people who cared most for Harry's welfare, Dumbledore had been monitoring the situation at Privet Drive. He had been alerted the moment Leon's convoy arrived.
Leon met his gaze without flinching. Facing one of the most powerful wizards in history, he began his performance.
"After receiving the letter from Hogwarts, my first step was to rule out the possibility of it being a prank."
"I must admit, the contents were staggering. A few short lines that revealed an entire new world."
"So, I had my people investigate. It took some doing, but we eventually found traces, whispers of your world."
"Following these clues, one name kept reappearing: 'The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter'."
"It took a considerable amount of effort to filter through everyone with that name, but we eventually tracked him down to this address."
Leon paused, letting his words sink in before delivering the final, subtle blow.
"However, meeting him today has made me question my findings. The famous Harry Potter, living in a tiny cupboard, suffering the abuse of his aunt and uncle... To be frank, Professor, it has somewhat diminished my impression of the wizarding world."
Listening to Leon's calm recitation, Dumbledore first cursed the incompetence of the Ministry of Magic for leaving so many tracks for a Muggle to find. Then, he felt a familiar pang of shame. The decision to leave Harry on Privet Drive had been his, after all.
He gave a small, weary shake of his head. His expression as he looked at Leon grew more complex. For some reason, in this unnervingly composed child, he saw the faint shadow of a certain silver-haired acquaintance from his youth. The thought made his gaze soften, his memories drifting for a moment.
Because of this, his attitude towards Leon became far more lenient than it otherwise would have been. Besides, everything the boy had done was, strictly speaking, perfectly legal. He had even taken steps to improve Harry's living conditions. There was nothing to find fault with.
In Dumbledore's eyes, Leon Shelby was not a wand-waving wizard, nor was he a cold-blooded gangster. He was a shrewd and impossibly mature politician.
"Your insight is truly remarkable, Mr. Shelby," Dumbledore said with genuine feeling. He sighed. "In that case, I have taken up enough of your time this evening. I look forward to seeing you at the Start-of-Term Feast."
Dumbledore drew his wand, preparing to place a Memory Charm on the driver and the bodyguard before departing.
"One moment, Professor Dumbledore!" Leon interjected quickly. "I've run into a bit of a problem. I was hoping you might be able to offer some assistance."
Dumbledore paused, his expression pleasant and patient. "Oh? What sort of trouble could possibly vex the head of the Shelby family? I would be happy to help, if I can."
"I've liquidated a number of assets into pounds sterling," Leon explained. "I intend to convert it all into wizarding currency. It will be... a substantial sum. I'm concerned it might attract the wrong sort of attention."
Hearing this, Dumbledore's admiration for the boy grew. "A wise precaution. There are indeed Dark Wizards in our world. You can exchange pounds for Galleons at Gringotts Bank; the approximate rate is five pounds to one Galleon. May I ask how many pounds you were planning to convert?"
"Five to one, you say..." Leon did a quick calculation. "In that case, I'll need to exchange for about eight hundred thousand Galleons."
Dumbledore blinked. For the first time, the old wizard looked genuinely stunned.
"Eight... hundred... thousand?" The old man took a sharp breath. "Mr. Shelby, attending Hogwarts is not a particularly expensive affair..."
"I'm planning on starting a few business ventures," Leon replied smoothly. "This is my startup capital. Legitimate ventures, of course. You have my word."
Dumbledore didn't quite understand, but he respected the boy's ambition. "Very well. In that case, I shall ask a trusted colleague to assist you with the exchange."
"Excellent. I also require a complete copy of all wizarding laws. The most profitable loopholes are usually written between the lines... I mean, I need to know which lines not to cross," Leon said, barely catching his slip of the tongue.
Dumbledore said nothing.
"Oh, and if possible, I would like to tour the wizarding prison. To speak with the inmates and learn from their experience... I mean, to learn from their mistakes," Leon added, his face a mask of sincerity.
Dumbledore remained silent.
"And of course, I'll need to know the legal process for establishing a private army, and what sort of government oversight would be involved..." Leon continued, warming to his subject.
"Alright, I think that is quite enough questions for one evening," Dumbledore interrupted, his expression now deeply complicated. He gave his wand a swift flick. "Obliviate!"
With a loud crack, he Disapparated, vanishing from the car as if fleeing a plague.
In the final moment before he disappeared, Dumbledore looked at Leon's young, determined face, and a sudden, startling thought flashed through his mind.
This Shelby boy wasn't like Grindelwald at all.
His methods were infinitely more audacious.