"Professor Dumbledore, I don't see it that way. Wizards, centaurs, and goblins—they're all the same in some respects," Dudley said.
"You're right that wizards can be hypocritical, but goblins? They're so greedy they'd sell out anything for enough gold. In their eyes, only shiny Galleons are worthy of respect. And centaurs? They act like they're the chosen ones of the stars, always gazing up, waiting for cosmic guidance, looking down on everyone else. It's not just that wizards are prejudiced against them—centaurs don't even give wizards the time of day unless you can somehow turn yourself into a star."
Dudley wasn't wrong. No matter how backward or sparsely populated the centaur tribes might seem, they genuinely believed themselves to be the noblest beings, the true protagonists of the world.
"Even setting wizards aside, centaurs and goblins look down on each other with the same kind of prejudice you're talking about. So how can you expect wizards to treat them as equals?" Dudley continued.
It wasn't fair to only point out the flaws of wizards while ignoring the others. If you're going to talk, put it all on the table.
Sure, centaurs and goblins weren't perfect either.
Dumbledore's words were thought-provoking, worthy of reflection. But the problem wasn't just on the wizards' side. What good was it for wizards to self-reflect if the others weren't willing to meet them halfway?
As for house-elves, Dudley hadn't studied them deeply. Without investigation, he didn't feel qualified to comment, so he left them out.
"That makes sense," Dumbledore said, nodding without rebuttal.
This was what set Dumbledore apart from many other wizards—he was open to hearing others' perspectives. If that incident years ago hadn't happened, perhaps Dumbledore and the man in the tower could have truly changed the world together.
If Voldemort heard someone question him, he'd likely fire off an Avada Kedavra without a second thought—or worse, a round of Cruciatus torture first, then the Killing Curse.
The two stepped into an old elevator heading to the second floor. It creaked ominously, sounding like it might fall apart any second. With a mechanical ding, they arrived at their destination: the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
The department housed three branches: the Misuse of Magic Office, the Auror Headquarters, and the Wizengamot Administration Services.
Arthur Weasley, Ron and Percy's father, worked on this floor in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, a subdivision of the Misuse of Magic Office.
The second floor was as large as the Atrium on the eighth level below, but noticeably fewer wizards were bustling about.
Dumbledore led Dudley to the Wizengamot Administration Services with ease.
"Albus, you're finally here," said an elderly witch, approaching them shortly after they entered the hall.
"Griselda, it's good to see you," Dumbledore replied, his tone carrying a hint of respect.
Dudley could tell from her appearance that she was a witch in the same mold as Professor McGonagall, only much older.
Griselda Marchbanks, a senior member of the Wizengamot and head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority. Rumor had it she'd been Dumbledore's N.E.W.T. examiner a hundred years ago. In terms of seniority, she was among the top three in the entire Ministry.
Before the two could talk much, a gruff voice interrupted.
"So, you came for this kid? Our so-called Chief Warlock, who hasn't shown up in over a decade," said an equally aged wizard.
Tiberius Ogden, another veteran of the Wizengamot, with a career as long as Griselda's. (In some non-official works, he's depicted as the warden of Nurmengard.)
Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden were among Dumbledore's few old friends in the Ministry.
"Tiberius, if you want the Chief Warlock position—" Dumbledore began.
Tiberius waved him off. "Albus, don't start with that. The Chief Warlock can only be you."
"You don't know how much the Wizengamot has changed. So many new members, and most of them are useless," he grumbled. "Fudge has turned this place into a mess."
Reuniting with old friends, the first thing Tiberius did was complain, not bothering to hide his disdain for Fudge. Only someone with their seniority could speak so freely without fear of repercussions—Fudge could only ignore them.
By the way, as Minister for Magic, Fudge was also a Wizengamot member. Though the Wizengamot was housed within the Ministry, it was technically an independent body. The Chief Warlock was meant to be equal in authority to the Minister.
In recent years, Dumbledore's hands-off approach had allowed the Ministry to infiltrate the Wizengamot, replacing many members with their own allies. The Chief Warlock's influence had waned, its power largely eroded.
Dumbledore didn't care. He'd promised to stay away from the center of power.
"Tiberius, we'll talk later," Griselda said sternly, clearly displeased. "Don't waste time making others wait."
At her words, Tiberius shut his mouth, looking like a centuries-old henpecked husband.
Dudley followed them into a large hall filled with people, all wearing the distinctive Wizengamot robes. Only Dudley and Dumbledore stood out in their non-standard attire.
Dumbledore didn't mind. He strode confidently onto the stage, unbothered by the contrast. If he wasn't embarrassed, the awkwardness fell on everyone else.
With their arrival, the ceremony began.
The Human-Shape Reversal Charm was deemed an even greater invention than the Wolfsbane Potion. The potion allowed werewolves to retain their sanity during the full moon, indirectly reducing their threat. But the Reversal Charm could completely eliminate the werewolf curse. If Damocles Belby, the Wolfsbane Potion's creator, had been awarded a First-Class Order of Merlin, then Dudley, who co-created the Reversal Charm, was more than deserving.
Even though the charm was a joint effort with Healer Hemel, who had passed away, Dudley accepted a First-Class Order of Merlin on behalf of both of them.
The process went smoothly—a straightforward medal presentation.
After the awards, no one left. They all stayed, waiting in silence.
They were there to witness the youngest Wizengamot member in history.