Leaving the Headmaster's Office, Ron kept frowning, muttering to himself as he mulled over what Dumbledore had told them. The more he thought about it, the more something felt wrong.
"Harry, do you think..."
He suddenly leaned close to his friend and said suspiciously, "Dumbledore said so much just now, but why do I feel like... he seemed to say something, yet also said nothing at all?"
Harry slowed for a moment. He had been thinking the same thing.
Other than "don't spread it around casually," none of the rest had been wrong exactly, but Dumbledore had given no definite answer as to how the prophecy they cared about most should be interpreted.
He gave a vague hum and said, "Maybe... Professor Dumbledore isn't sure himself... Maybe, like Hermione said, the time hasn't come yet..."
Ron looked even more confused. He scratched his head and said with some dissatisfaction:
"Then why did he keep Wade behind alone? I think Dumbledore must be about to have a real discussion with Wade. Everything he said before was just to fob us off!"
At that moment, it was as though a veil of self-deception had been torn away, and something pricked at Harry's heart.
That familiar, uncontrollable bitterness rose up again.
Why was Wade always the one left behind, trusted, and entrusted by Dumbledore with important tasks? Why wasn't it Harry Potter?
But Harry immediately forced the thought down, even feeling sickened by himself for having it.
He thought—
Wade is better at Charms than I am. He studies harder than I do. He's more capable than me in every way. Even when facing those Dark Wizards... he performed far better than I did.
*If Wade hadn't held back, Harry didn't think he could have made it to the end of the Magic