He had wondered before: just how much could Muggles' Power of the Mind do?
He had already confirmed that he could use Muggles' Joy. Will didn't know about their other emotions yet, but the appearance of the Nightmare made him instinctively believe that Muggles' Power of the Mind could indeed affect reality to some extent.
There had to be more to it, though. Rumors had begun spreading the Christmas before last, and Nightmares had started appearing after last Christmas.
Could it have something to do with Santa Claus?
Unfortunately, he had no Time-Turner now, and Will had no intention of using the Hour-Reversal Charm to go back two months. The risk was too great.
Dumbledore watched Will's expression shift. "Thought of something?"
"It's a mess. I can't make sense of it." Will shook his head. All he had was a vague suspicion.
Dumbledore nodded. "That's only natural. Tell me what you're thinking."
"Muggles' emotions and minds can affect magic, right? Belief, fear, things like that?" Will asked.
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. It seems you've begun to understand."
"But why—"
"I know what you want to ask, Will," Dumbledore interrupted. "Why don't the beings from Muggle myths exist? Is that it?"
Will nodded.
"Will, there's a great deal behind that, and I don't expect you to understand it tonight." Dumbledore walked along the muddy Country Lane without a speck of dirt clinging to his shoes. As they went, he asked, "But most importantly, Will, what do you think a wizard is?"
What was a wizard?
The question stopped Will in his tracks. From ancient times to the present, countless theories had been offered about the origins of wizards, and what they actually were remained hotly debated.
Some believed wizards were magic's favored children, masters of magic, higher beings who stood above Muggles.