"Is that so? Do you need a little dose of Veritaserum?" Dudley's grin stretched wide, and to the five misbehaving students, it looked like a dragon's maw about to swallow them whole.
"I just so happened to brew a fresh batch."
Dudley pulled a small, transparent vial from a pouch on his belt and set it on the table.
Veritaserum (Perfect)
Initially, Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore just gave it a passing glance. After all, he was only a first-year. Even a truly talented wizard would find brewing this potion an almost impossible feat. But as their eyes fell upon it, both were stunned. As well-known wizards, they knew a good potion when they saw one, even if they weren't on par with Snape in Potions class.
What Dudley had produced was, without a doubt, a masterpiece.
"You made this?" Dumbledore asked, his voice filled with surprise.
"Yes," Dudley replied with a nod. He knew it was a good idea to show off his magical abilities a bit to get more attention and a greater say in things.
Dumbledore carefully picked up the Veritaserum, holding it up to the light. "Remarkable," he said with genuine admiration. In his long life, he had met countless powerful and brilliant wizards, but few had earned such high praise from him. Brewing a potion like Veritaserum was a task that most sixth-years, and even a large number of adult wizards, couldn't manage. Those who could had a terribly low success rate. For Dudley to have created a potion of this quality, he was already a master brewer in the making. If he had a larger repertoire of potions, he could even be considered a Potion Master, someone who could invent new potions entirely.
For a first-year to brew Veritaserum of this caliber? It was almost unbelievable. He was more than just a genius; it was unheard of. If Dudley hadn't told him, Dumbledore would have thought it was Snape's work.
"Professor Snape is just a very good teacher," Dudley said, a touch of modesty in his tone.
For Dudley, with his natural potion-making talent, hard work, and the help of his "data eye," the complex, multi-step process that was so difficult for others was practically a walk in the park.
"Looks like you've already finished this week's homework," Snape said, the corner of his mouth curling into the slightest, almost invisible, smile. He truly has inherited Lily's talent.
"Yes, Professor Snape."
"Then for the weekend, we can try something else... Perhaps Thunderbrew or Elixir of Eldrua? What do you think?"
Thunderbrew was a defensive potion that could create a small storm around the drinker, stunning and injuring nearby enemies. Elixir of Eldrua was another defensive potion; it hardened the skin to an almost stone-like state, much like a Shield Charm. Both were just as difficult as Veritaserum, if not more so. Snape was showing off, pure and simple.
"Sounds great, Professor," Dudley said. For him, the difficulty of any potion was about the same. As long as Snape was willing to teach him, he could pick it up easily.
What Snape didn't know was that Dudley was already working on improving and inventing new potions.
The back-and-forth between the two made Professor McGonagall quite envious. She, too, wanted a student who could carry on her legacy. Unfortunately, Dudley's Transfiguration grades were just average; he could make objects look like something else, but he couldn't change their very nature. Of course, for him to be able to turn an apple into a wrench, he would need to learn a whole other type of magic.
"Let's get back to the matter at hand," Dudley said, pulling out a second vial. He hadn't forgotten what he was there for.
He uncorked the bottle and flicked his wrist, a drop of the clear liquid hitting one of the student's hands, making them cry out in pain. Then, with a practiced motion, he flicked his finger again, and a single drop of the Veritaserum landed with perfect accuracy right into the student's open mouth.
McGonagall tried to stop him, but it was too late; the student had already swallowed it by reflex.
---
### A Souring Situation
Five minutes of question and answer later, the atmosphere in the Headmaster's office had turned icy.
It turned out that the bullying wasn't just limited to Hermione, and it wasn't just these five or even just first-year students. They had just been more brazen with Hermione because she was known to have a Slytherin friend, which they used as an excuse.
"Minerva, please take them to Filch and have him keep an eye on them," Dumbledore said, rubbing his temples, which had begun to throb. "I'll have their parents come tomorrow, and we will move forward with their expulsion."
It wasn't unheard of for students to be expelled from Hogwarts; it had happened quite a few times throughout its history. In just five minutes, they had learned about a string of truly nasty things that had happened and were about to happen.
"And, for this, Gryffindor will lose a full 200 points."
This time, even the head of Gryffindor herself, Professor McGonagall, didn't say a word. Her face was grim as she led the five students away toward Filch's office. The fact that they were being sent straight to detention rather than back to their common room showed just how terrible their actions had been. People, it seemed, could be the cruelest bullies to their own kind.
"Albus, it seems Gryffindor has plenty of talent, but their hearts aren't necessarily any better than those of a Dark wizard. In some ways, they're even worse," Snape sneered as McGonagall left.
He, unlike Dumbledore and McGonagall, had seen the dark side of Gryffindor since his own school days. A pointless, senseless cruelty, where a group would gang up on one person, and their bullying knew no bounds. They'd laugh and call it a "joke," even though they nearly took his life. He had fought back, of course, but you can't fight with one hand against four.
"Severus, this is an exception. It's an isolated incident," Dumbledore insisted.
"An exception? Five exceptions? The Potage's Cauldron Shop has better sales than that," Snape's sneer deepened. "A multitude of exceptions?"
Bullying wasn't just the work of a few first-years; it was clearly encouraged by older students and wasn't limited to Gryffindor. The other houses were likely just as bad.
Dumbledore, seeing how serious the problem was, changed the subject. He pulled out a box of treats from somewhere. The box hummed, a sure sign it was filled with Fizzing Whizbees. He loved sweets; they helped with a dreary mood.
A few sweets later, Dumbledore felt a bit better. This time, he didn't turn to Snape, but to Dudley himself.
"Mr. Dursley, are you satisfied with this outcome?"
Dudley's answer was blunt. "Not at all."
At this, Dumbledore popped a few more candies into his mouth. This was going to be a long conversation.
"They have been expelled..."
"They're only going to be," Dudley scoffed. He truly thought expulsion was too light a punishment.
"Even if they're expelled from Hogwarts, they can still go to other schools. There are three more in Europe alone."
"But Professor Dumbledore, have you considered the people they've bullied? This could become a shadow that follows them for the rest of their lives, something they have to spend their entire lives trying to heal from."
Dudley took a deep breath, his tone becoming serious and resolute. "I think the problem needs to be solved at the root."
"I believe... that Hogwarts shouldn't have four houses at all."
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