I Think You Should Protect the Razor Gang at All Costs

Dumbledore was especially uneasy today.

He had a feeling that something bad was about to happen.

He had always trusted his intuition, so he did not even eat any sweets. He was afraid the poor Cockroach Cluster he had not eaten would choke him.

Sitting in the Headmaster's Office, several portraits behind him noticed Dumbledore's state. Phoenix Black was the first to speak.

"Dumbledore, what's wrong with you?" Phineas picked his nose, then wiped the finger he had used on the wall inside the neighboring portrait, drawing an angry roar from an unknown headmaster next door.

"Phineas, something happened in your Slytherin House today. Oh no, more precisely, last night."

Dumbledore frowned as he groomed Fawkes's feathers beside him.

"What happened?" Phineas pressed.

"It's Lyon. You know, he has always had a strong air of leadership."

"Last night, he gave a speech in the common room, and now everyone in the House obeyed his every command."

"Someone even shouted slogans about overthrowing the Ministry of Magic last night."

Phineas stared wide-eyed in disbelief, then suddenly burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha... Albus Dumbledore, so this day has finally come for you!"

Dumbledore sighed. "You can still laugh?"

Phineas laughed even louder. "I'm already dead. You're the one with the problem. I'm laughing because our Slytherin House has produced a genius."

The other headmasters in the portraits on the wall frowned, and one of them asked a question.

"How did he do it? With one speech? Even Grindelwald could never have had that kind of ability."

Dumbledore shook his head. "I don't know, but I'm worried..."

Phineas cut in. "What else are you worried about? As long as that boy doesn't do anything immoral, you can support him completely."

"You know, I heard some words from the portraits over in Slytherin before. You know, Sir Cadogan, that mad knight."

Phineas happily picked his nose again, wiped it on the wall of another headmaster's portrait, and continued.

"That mad knight has been muttering ever since last night about the Razor Gang and making wizards great again. Look at that—it was obviously something only noble Slytherins could accomplish!"

Phineas looked immensely proud. Dumbledore was somewhat intrigued by his words. "When did you learn about this?"

"This morning. I went over to Slytherin for a look, and unexpectedly, everyone in the portraits there seemed to have changed overnight. They all firmly believed they were members of the Razor Gang."

"Look at that. The person capable of doing something like this really was Lyon. You could tell at a glance that he was another genius of Hogwarts!"

Dumbledore shook his head. "Phineas, Wizarding Society is already at peace. I don't want another war to break out because of these struggles for power."

"I'm old. I can't bear to see so many people die."

Phineas shook his head. "Perhaps that isn't a bad thing. Listen to it: establish a new order and make Wizarding Society great again. What a magnificent declaration!"

Dumbledore shook his head again. Just as he was about to say something more, the door to his office suddenly opened.

"Albus Dumbledore."

A pale figure dressed entirely in black walked in.

It was Snape.

Dumbledore frowned and flicked his wand. A chair beside him instantly moved to Snape's side.

"Severus, what happened? How did your talk with Lyon go? You should have persuaded him, right?"

A flicker of expectation flashed through Dumbledore's eyes, then vanished.

"No, Albus Dumbledore. I think we were wrong."

The usual coldness was gone from Snape's face. Instead, he looked as if his convictions had crumbled as he spoke while staring into Dumbledore's eyes.

Dumbledore's previously relaxed mood gradually froze over.

"Severus, you're in a very bad state. Have a Cockroach Cluster and tell me what happened."

Snape did not take a Cockroach Cluster. Instead, he stared into Dumbledore's eyes. "I've realized that Wizarding Society really does need a new order."

"Albus Dumbledore, we need to withstand the Ministry of Magic's pressure and let the Razor Gang develop rapidly. Wizarding Society has already rotted away."

Dumbledore had thought he was calm, but he suddenly realized he could not calm down at all.

At Snape's words, a clear flicker of confusion flashed through Dumbledore's eyes.

"Severus, what's wrong with you?"

Snape shook his head at that, rose to his feet, and looked coldly at Dumbledore. "I've realized that Lily's death really was because Wizarding Society had decayed to the point where it would collapse at the slightest push."

"You say you're old. You say Grindelwald has returned. You say you haven't planned everything out. Then I think you should start throwing away all those messy plans in your head and truly establish a new order!"

"Didn't you once believe everything was for the greater good?!"

"So Wizarding Society needs a powerful authority!"

"I finally understand how cowardly I was. Lily's death wasn't because of Voldemort, nor was it because of that prophecy. It was because of the Ministry of Magic! Without a powerful authoritarian organization controlling the magical world, thousands upon thousands of Lilys will die!"

Dumbledore said nothing.

He felt as though an old lump of phlegm had lodged in his throat.

The last time he had felt this way was the last time.

Cough, cough. The last time had been when facing Lyon; this time was when facing Snape. But fundamentally, it was still because of Lyon.

He felt old.

He truly was old. He realized that none of this had been within his expectations.

"Severus, calm down."

Dumbledore spoke as he stared into Snape's eyes. It was as if Dumbledore's words had interrupted Snape's emotions, and he gradually calmed down.

"Mm, fine. Think carefully about what I just said. That useless idiot Fudge may come to Hogwarts soon. I heard David, the student president of our Slytherin House, has already told his family about this."

"This will soon reach that idiot Fudge's ears. When that happens, I will protect my students at all costs."

After saying that, Snape flicked his sleeve. His black cloak swept up a gust of wind as he left the Headmaster's Office.

Dumbledore sat in his chair, deep in thought for a long time, before finally sighing.

"I never expected it, Severus. One day, you would lose control like this."

"What kind of magic does Lyon possess that he could make an Occlumency master like you change your mind?"

Dumbledore muttered to himself in his chair. Behind him, Phineas spoke up. "Dumbledore, look. That Lyon really is a genius. Even Severus now agrees with Lyon's views."

"I think you should protect the Razor Gang at all costs too."