The Next Dark Lord

Hypocrite's Advice

At eight, all three reached the headmaster's office. "Come in Mr. Weasley", came a voice from within when Ron raised his hand to knock the door. He pushed past the door and took one of the chairs in front of the headmaster. Without saying a word, the headmaster pushed the bowl of lemon drops towards the teens and much like the last time, Ron snagged a handful and stuffed them into his mouth in one go. Choosing to heed Hermione's warning, though he didn't know why, Neville refrained from taking and said, "no thanks Professor". Hermione simply shook her head and kept looking at the pensive.

Dumbledore let the silence go on for a while observing the teens keenly. He did not dare use leglimency on anyone. The slight surface scan told him that Ronald is thinking something lewd that involved food, quidditch and girls at the same time. 'I don't even want to guess', decided Dumbledore. Neville's thoughts showed himself to be nervous, understandable given the decision he must make. Miss. Granger's thoughts however aroused curiosity in him as they were jumping all over the place rather than the usual trains of thoughts. She thought of Dobby, then jumped to Harry suffering and then elves in general suffering and then about what he, Dumbledore, is going to do to Neville. 'She must think very badly of me to think I would not have everyone's best interest at heart. Everything that I do is for the Greater Good', he thought to himself.

"Neville, my boy. I think you have had enough time to go over what we discussed the last time. Do you have any questions before I start training you for what is to come?", asked Dumbledore.

Neville didn't respond immediately but kept looking at the sorting hat. Hermione wanted to hold his hands and tell him she would support anything that he decided but didn't dare. After the silence went on long enough to even make Dumbledore a little uncomfortable Neville spoke out, "It is very presumptuous of you to assume that I'm onboard with whatever you have in store for me Professor".

Ron bristled at the insult to his hero and stood up to confront Neville. Before Hermione could rip into Ron in Neville's defense Dumbledore said, "Please be seated Mr. Weasley, let us hear what Neville has to say".

Nodding his head Neville asked, "Do you honestly believe the Longbottoms haven't sacrificed enough for this community?"

"Neville my boy, your family has paid a terrible price, but so have many others. You could go somewhere and hide for the rest of your life, but is that the kind of person you want to be remembered as? It is about doing what is right rather than what is easy".

"What is right, rather than what is easy", muttered Neville deep in thought. Thinking that he has the boy in his grasp, Dumbledore let loose another brilliant grandfather smile at the boy. "Why does it apply only for your preaching, while you practice the opposite?", asked Neville still deep in thought.

Hearing the unexpected question, it took Dumbledore a couple of minutes to rein his emotions and give a response. But in the meantime, Hermione was treated to the cold fury that flitted across his face at the thought that a mere boy would question the great all-knowing Dumbledore. "I don't understand what you mean by that, my boy", he replied.

Finally looking at the headmaster's face, but never his eyes, Neville said, "I can spend many hours explaining why you are a hypocrite for preaching others to do what is right over easy alternative, but doing what is easy yourself".

Ron jumped out of his chair with the sole intent to hurt Neville, who was ready for this and put him in a full body bind mid jump before either Hermione or Dumbledore could react by drawing their wands. "Don't you dare release him", he muttered holstering his wand.

Albus Dumbledore being at a loss for words doesn't happen so often, but this teenage boy did that spectacularly. "Neville, I know you might be upset or angry at being put in this situation, but you can't possibly believe what you said".