Dumbledore did not grow angry at Will's pointed analysis. The sharpness in his blue eyes gradually gave way to a deeper wisdom and compassion, as though he could see through time itself.
"You have seen the problems, Will, and very clearly, too—more clearly than many adult wizards." Dumbledore's voice was gentle, yet carried considerable weight. "The stagnation of wizarding society, its entrenched class divisions, its reluctance to pursue progress—these are all very real, persistent ailments. Gellert saw them as well when he was young, though his thinking was a little more radical than yours."
He sighed softly, as though recalling events from long ago.
Will watched Dumbledore. He knew why Dumbledore had been having these heart-to-heart conversations with him more and more often—he was still worried that Will might go down the wrong path.
Dumbledore's lofty personal standards and morals prevented him from killing Will before Will had actually done something truly wicked. In Dumbledore's eyes, he was an untamed genius, still growing, with the potential to achieve great things. That meant Dumbledore had to guide him onto the right path.
"Power, especially immense individual power such as 'turning back time and manipulating space,' often comes with tremendous temptations and risks.
"Gellert and Tom were both extraordinarily gifted wizards who longed to break the old order. They saw injustice and stagnation, and wanted to bring change to the wizarding world. Yet the paths they chose ultimately led to the enslavement of others, fear, and terrible disasters.
"Tom, in particular, equated superiority with domination and twisted progress into conquest."
"You have seen the problems, Will. You possess extraordinary talent and a clear mind, but you must answer one question: what, ultimately, is the purpose of your desire to 'break this stagnation'?
"Is it to allow all wizards, and indeed all living