Hearing Charle's question, Hagrid looked as if he had heard something utterly absurd, forgetting even to be angry.
He said loudly,
"You ask me how Dumbledore is great?"
"Merlin's beard, isn't that universally acknowledged?!"
Charle said with interest,
"I don't like universally acknowledged statements, because they are often exaggerated and contain elements of misinformation."
"Just tell me, what do you think is Dumbledore's greatest achievement?"
Hagrid said without hesitation,
"Dumbledore is the banner of justice. He led the fight against the mysterious person. Everyone knows that the only person the mysterious person fears in the wizarding world is him!"
"Without Dumbledore, there would be no one left in the wizarding world to oppose the mysterious person. Isn't that great?"
Charle, however, shook his head.
"I admit that Voldemort is wary of Dumbledore."
"But I want to ask you, where does it say that Dumbledore led the fight against the mysterious person?"
"I have indeed heard that Dumbledore has a secret society, I think it's called the Order of the Phoenix, right? Hagrid, you should also be a member of the Order of the Phoenix. How many people are in the Order of the Phoenix?"
Hagrid was stunned for a moment, not expecting to hear the name of the Order of the Phoenix from Charle's mouth.
He said proudly,
"That's right, I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix."
"I can't tell you exactly who is in the Order of the Phoenix, but there are at least ten or so people."
Charle nodded, interrupting Hagrid.
"So the Order of the Phoenix only has a dozen people from beginning to end. Let's say you have twenty people. You probably don't have various peripheral members like the Death Eaters."
"After all, according to Dumbledore's style, your funds are probably not much, and you have to bring your own dry rations to fight."
"How many Death Eaters are there? The core members are similar to yours, but the peripheral members and those dark creatures number at least several hundred. Are you in the Order of the Phoenix so strong that you can take on a dozen or twenty Death Eaters while facing the core Death Eaters?"
Hagrid's words paused.
"This, this is not the case..."
Charle chuckled.
"Then I want to ask, the people in your Order of the Phoenix can at most deal with such a small number of insignificant Death Eaters. If a large-scale battle occurs, who will fight the Death Eaters?"
Hagrid thought for a moment and said with some hesitation,
"The Aurors from the Ministry of Magic will also participate in the battle. Their numbers are even greater and they can fight many Death Eaters."
Charle nodded, then asked in return,
"Then the role of the Order of the Phoenix is at most to contain a small portion of the Death Eaters. The hard battles are still fought by the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic."
"Did Dumbledore lead the Aurors? Did he hold any position as a Director in the Ministry of Magic, or act as the wartime Minister of Magic, or participate in the strategic planning of any large-scale battles?"
"Why does it sound like the fight against the Death Eaters is all the credit of the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore? Have you eaten the credit of the Aurors and other resistance organizations?"
Without waiting for Hagrid to answer, Charle continued to ask,
"Voldemort made multiple moves during the previous wizarding war, burning, killing, and looting, with a fearsome reputation, killing so many people that they didn't dare to mention his name." "Then I want to ask, what did Dumbledore do?"
"Since he is so powerful, the only person Voldemort fears in the wizarding world, in this chaotic time, Dumbledore should have stepped forward, raised the banner high, and united all resistance forces under his banner."
"He should have directly taken over as Minister of Magic based on his reputation, led the overall situation, and actively attacked to eliminate the Death Eaters, killing them so that they wouldn't dare to mention his name. But where was he at that time?"
"Why was he still at Hogwarts, why did we rarely see Dumbledore make a move? The lives of Aurors under the mysterious person are countless, may I ask how many lives of Death Eaters are under Dumbledore?"
Hagrid was speechless for a moment.
"Because the young wizards at Hogwarts need Dumbledore's protection..."
This made Charle laugh even louder.
"Are you kidding me?"
"The descendants and children of relatives of Death Eaters also attend Hogwarts. Slytherin House is part of Hogwarts. Are they so bored that they would come to Hogwarts to slaughter young wizards before dealing with the Aurors and resistance organizations?"
"If Dumbledore's presence at Hogwarts was to hold the descendants of those Death Eaters in Slytherin House as hostages and deter the Death Eaters into surrendering quickly, that would make sense, but did Dumbledore do that?"
"He doesn't seem to have. In other words, what beneficial impact can his presence at Hogwarts have on the battle against Voldemort and the Death Eaters?"
"Voldemort is running around, killing people everywhere, striking fear into everyone, while Dumbledore, the only person who can contend with Voldemort, spends most of his time at Hogwarts maintaining school order. Is this also considered a huge contribution?"
Listening to Charle's mockery, Hagrid was trembling with anger.
"Nonsense, you're talking nonsense!"
"The mysterious person was defeated, and Dumbledore's contribution was indispensable!"
Charle said lightly,
"The mysterious person was defeated, and the most direct contribution was made by Harry Potter's family."
"Was Dumbledore there at the time? No, he wasn't, so what contribution did he make to defeating the mysterious person?"
"Could it be that Dumbledore also gets a share of Harry Potter's credit?"
Hagrid was a bit speechless.
Charle shook his head.
"So I've always been quite puzzled. How can you Order of the Phoenix members talk as if you've made such great contributions, as if Dumbledore killed so many Death Eaters and defeated Voldemort so many times? You're really good at patting yourselves on the back."
"Dumbledore's contribution was in boosting morale, providing a spiritual pillar for the Aurors and resistance organizations in the wizarding world. I acknowledge that contribution, but what else is there?"
"If an ordinary Auror had Dumbledore's strength, perhaps he could have done much more."
"Perhaps he would have taken on the responsibility of leading the wizarding world, instead of having immense power but staying at Hogwarts, not even daring to take on the position of Minister of Magic."
"Perhaps he would have hated the Death Eaters even more deeply. Wherever there were Death Eaters, he would be there, waving his wand and unleashing golden flames. When encountering difficult enemies, ordinary Aurors wouldn't have to sacrifice their lives; he would step in to resolve it."
"There would be far fewer casualties in the wizarding world, the Death Eaters' actions would be much more cautious, and the wizarding world wouldn't be filled with despair and fear, to the point where no one dares to mention Voldemort's name even now."
"Honestly, ask yourself, did Dumbledore do what he should have done with his strength?"
"Or let me rephrase the question, Hagrid, if you had Dumbledore's power and saw your Order of the Phoenix comrades die in battle, what would you do?"
Hagrid answered subconsciously.
"Of course, I would go eliminate the Death Eaters, go defeat Voldemort..."
Charle retorted.
"Did Dumbledore do that? Did he actively seek out Voldemort? Did he actively kill Death Eaters?"
Hagrid was speechless, only managing to say in a muffled voice after a long while.
"Dumbledore has his own considerations. Some battles belong to us."
This made Charle shake his head.
"So even the final battle that ended Voldemort was a contribution made by Harry Potter as an infant. Where was Dumbledore's battlefield?"
"Alright, I won't repeat how 'great' Dumbledore was during the war."
"Perhaps Dumbledore's greatness is reflected in the aftermath."
"I ask you, how much compensation did the Order of the Phoenix comrades who died in battle receive?"
Hagrid looked as if he had been insulted.
"Compensation?"
"We didn't fight for that; we fought for peace and justice!"
Charle said calmly.
"Then after they died in battle, what did the families they left behind live on?"
"The Order of the Phoenix didn't even show a hint of support?"
"Alright, I can understand that. The Order of the Phoenix is an unofficial, loosely organized group with no source of funding."
"However, they also made significant contributions to fighting Voldemort. Aurors who sacrificed themselves received compensation and were officially registered with honors, considered to have died in the line of duty. Did Dumbledore fight for the members of the Order of the Phoenix who died in battle?"
"In the official records of the wizarding world, are they recorded as warriors who died fighting Voldemort and the Death Eaters, or as ordinary victims? These are different, aren't they?"
"Oh? Still nothing? The great Dumbledore didn't even fight for anything for his fallen comrades? Heh, truly great, truly noble."
"That's right, it's just like his attitude towards Harry Potter. Hagrid, you must know what kind of life Harry Potter has lived all these years, right?"
At the mention of this, anger appeared on Hagrid's face, and his voice was choked with emotion.
"Of course I know! I can't believe Harry Potter's relatives treated him like that!"
Charle, however, retorted.
"How else should Harry Potter's relatives have treated him?"
"No matter how they treated him, what right do you have to say anything?"
"From childhood to adulthood, did anyone in the wizarding world take care of him for a single day? Did they buy him a single diaper, a single packet of formula?"
"Did you pay for him to see a doctor for the illnesses he had since he was a child? Don't you know how much it costs to raise a child?"
"Raising Harry Potter healthily, in my opinion, his relatives have already fulfilled their most basic moral obligation and responsibility."
"On the contrary, you, especially the great Dumbledore you speak of, knowing Harry Potter was there, what did he do?"
"Putting everything else aside, was it that hard to allocate some funds to them? Was it that hard to visit regularly and care about Harry Potter?"
"So, a powerful wizard who slacked off during the war, didn't provide compensation for his comrades after the war, didn't fight for proper honor and reputation for his comrades, and didn't even pay to raise Harry Potter, an orphan, leaving him with a Muggle family for eleven years without a word – where exactly is the greatness that makes you, Hagrid, question me so devotedly?"
"I really want to hear it clearly. Go ahead, I'm all ears."
Hagrid's face turned from red to green and then became completely pale.
He really wanted to angrily denounce Charle and say that it was all nonsense.
But what Charle said seemed to have no problem; it wasn't fabricated facts.
The members of the Order of the Phoenix who died in battle indeed received no compensation, and many of their merits and contributions were not officially recognized by the Ministry of Magic except by the members of the Order of the Phoenix.
The difficult life of the Weasley family, Lupin's awkward situation as a werewolf, and his own situation, seemed to have not changed because of the Order of the Phoenix.
As for Harry Potter's childhood, that left Hagrid speechless.
Only now did he remember that his attitude towards the Dursleys after arriving at their house was indeed very inappropriate.
No matter how harsh they were, they had genuinely taken care of Harry Potter for eleven years.
Although Hagrid didn't have children, he understood that taking care of children was much harder than taking care of magical creatures.
Children get sick, cry, need their diapers changed every few hours, and need to be sent to school and educated...
Hagrid hadn't done anything, so he wasn't qualified to criticize the Dursleys.
But if he had known that Harry Potter was there, Hagrid swore that he would have done everything in his power to raise Harry healthy and happy.
Even if he sold all his possessions, he would regularly send money to the Dursleys, supervise them to buy Harry new clothes and glasses, take Harry out to play, and wouldn't let Harry suffer even a little bit of injustice.
If only he had known a little bit of information?
Dumbledore didn't tell him, but Dumbledore didn't do anything either.
As the Headmaster of Hogwarts, dealing with children every day, didn't Dumbledore know that raising children costs money?
What was going on with all of this?
Hagrid's expression was a little lost and confused as he led Charle deeper into the Forbidden Forest.
Before, he had specifically gone to the Acromantula's territory, wanting the Acromantulas to appear before Charle at that time and give Charle a good scare.
This way, Charle might repent for insulting Dumbledore.
But now, Hagrid's mind was in turmoil, and he no longer had any thought of making Charle repent.
He really wanted to push Charle's words out of his mind, but the scenes of the past kept appearing before his eyes.
Yes, he was expelled from Hogwarts with his wand broken, and Dumbledore was the only one who was willing to believe him. Later, Dumbledore also found him the job of gamekeeper and accepted him, a half-giant, into the Order of the Phoenix. These were all things that made him grateful to the point of tears.
At that time, Dumbledore was not yet the Headmaster of Hogwarts, but the Transfiguration professor, and couldn't clear his name.
But later, Dumbledore was a world-renowned Headmaster and the Chief Mugwump of the Wizengamot. He completely had the ability to clear his name.
At least, he could have a wand of his own again after so many years, right?
And Lupin, he left after the war because there was no position available for him to work.
But there were actually many job openings at that time. Many people in the wizarding world died, and everything was waiting to be rebuilt.
If Dumbledore was willing to give Lupin a letter of recommendation, willing to be a guarantor, and make public Lupin's heroic deeds against the Order of the Phoenix, perhaps Lupin could have gotten a job and wouldn't have had to go far away.
And the Weasley family, Mr. Weasley missed many opportunities at the Ministry of Magic because he was involved in the work of the Order of the Phoenix.
If Mr. Weasley had participated in the battles organized by the Ministry of Magic at that time, he could have become a temporary Auror. With his merits in the war, there were many positions available after the war, and his rank would have been at least two levels higher than it is now.
If Dumbledore was willing to speak up for Mr. Weasley, Mr. Weasley would definitely have been promoted, and his life would have been much better than it is now.
At least the Weasley children wouldn't have to wear old clothes in rotation, and wouldn't have to buy everything second-hand and worn out.
Every time he saw it, it made Hagrid feel so heartbroken.
Originally, all of this could have been changed, as long as Dumbledore said one word, just one word.
But there was nothing, absolutely nothing.
In a trance, Hagrid felt that they were like pieces on a chessboard, only useful as long as they could play a role.
As for their own lives, Dumbledore didn't care at all.
Just as Hagrid's mind was in turmoil, Fang, the hound beside him, suddenly let out a roar, bringing Hagrid back to his senses.
Under the illumination of Charle's Luminosity Flicker, in the shadows of the Forbidden Forest around them, some shadowy figures wearing hoods could be seen.
There were at least a dozen of them, from all directions, and they had already surrounded Hagrid and Charle.
A warning sign instantly surged in Hagrid's heart.
This was the Forbidden Forest. What kind of good people could appear here?
Either poachers or dark wizards!
And when he saw a faint golden light flash through the shadows, Hagrid immediately understood what this formation meant.
"Lucius Malfoy, I see you!"
"What do you want to do, bringing people to the Forbidden Forest?!"
Lucius, who had exposed himself because of the reflection of his hair, stopped pretending after Hagrid called out his identity.
He sneered, walked out of the shadows, his eyes flashing with undisguised malice and killing intent.
"What do I want to do? Of course, it's judgment!"
"Snape is dead, my son's bones were broken, leaving him with trauma, and all of this is the mudblood's fault!"
"He did such a thing and wasn't expelled from Hogwarts with his wand broken? Is this fair?"
"I will represent the Malfoy family and personally reclaim justice!"
Hagrid let out a low roar, throwing the previous argument with Charle to the back of his mind.
He gripped the umbrella he was using as a wand.
"I won't let you succeed!"
Lucius sneered disdainfully.
"A half-giant, thick-skinned and tough. If he had a wand in his hand, I might be wary."
"But with that broken umbrella of yours?"
"Perfect. I've long found your filthy bloodline an eyesore. Today, along with that Mudblood, I'll make you disappear forever!"
He spoke with condescending arrogance, as if he already held Charle and Hagrid's lives in his grasp.
"Of course, you can try to struggle."
"I've prepared quite a few things for this moment. Look at these dark wizards from Knockturn Alley, I paid a hefty price to hire them. Every single one is fully armed with dark magic items."
"I've also prepared several powerful magic items here. If I don't even get to use them, wouldn't all my effort be wasted?"
"I'm looking forward to trying out their power on you."
Hearing Lucius's words, a hint of despair flickered in Hagrid's eyes.
He suddenly pulled a flare from his pocket, turned to Charle, and instructed.
"I'll create an opportunity for you later, don't look back, run!"
"After this signal is sent, Dumbledore and the other professors will be notified soon. You'll be safe once they arrive."
Then, Hagrid prepared to shoot the flare into the sky above the Forbidden Forest.
Seeing this, Lucius roared.
"Don't let him send the signal!"
"I want to properly torment that Mudblood, I don't want it to end so quickly!"
The next moment, the dark wizards from Knockturn Alley raised their wands.
A dazzling red light flashed, accompanied by a whispered sound.
"Stupefy!"
Hagrid was hit by a stunning spell.
This stunning spell seemed ridiculously powerful; the half-giant's magic resistance was practically nonexistent before it. Hagrid instantly lost consciousness, and the flare in his hand dropped to the ground, failing to be sent.
Lucius was overjoyed at the sight.
"Beautiful stunning spell!"
"Who cast it? I'll give them extra money!"
However, the dark wizards from Knockturn Alley looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion.
"Did you cast it?"
"No, I didn't have time yet."
"Besides, I can't cast such a powerful stunning spell."
"Which big shot has arrived? They're hiding quite well?"
Just then, Charle's slender figure emerged from beside the fallen Hagrid.
He grinned, smiling brightly, his eyes filled with a fervent glow.
"The stunning spell was beautiful, wasn't it?"
"Stop looking, I cast it. After all, if Dumbledore came, it wouldn't be convenient for me either."
"Now, are you going to hand over your magic items yourselves, or do you want me to do it?"
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