Dumbledore's Ambition

"Sorry, Professor Dumbledore. I hadn't thought it through." After a moment of silence, Sirius said, "Keeping Mundungus within the Order of the Phoenix really is a hidden danger."

"Then what about the European Ministry of Magic's actions? Those wars? And the Dark Arts classes taught in schools—did you approve of those too?" Sirius immediately asked.

"Approve?" Tierra countered. "No. Tierra, Nicolas Flamel, our other old colleagues, and I all worked together to bring these things about."

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Sirius asked in disbelief. "Are you so afraid of Voldemort that you would even allow our children to be tainted by Dark Magic?"

"Oh, no, Sirius, no..." Tierra said calmly. "Voldemort is nothing. In my eyes, he is no different from a petty thug. He is childish, immature, excessively arrogant and insecure. A person like that will never amount to anything."

"What I fear is Muggles," Tierra said gravely.

"Muggles?" Sirius cried. "Muggles? Why would you fear Muggles? They are such kind and lovable little beings. Why should we fear them?"

"Lovable?" Tierra chuckled softly, but behind those half-moon spectacles, his eyes brimmed with mockery and sarcasm. "Kind?"

"Oh, Sirius, since you like Muggle things so much, why don't you read their history books?" Tierra leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Sirius.

"Or... why not read our own History of Magic books?" Tierra gave another soft laugh. "Oh, I nearly forgot. History of Magic was your worst subject at school... No wonder... no wonder... no wonder that after spending twelve years in Azkaban, you have forgotten even the little knowledge you had left."

"Muggles... have never been a lovable, kind species..." Tierra said with a smile. "Or rather, a small number of Muggles may be lovable, kind, and upright, but most Muggles possess an innate