New Pure-Blood Theory

Dean Thomas was a guy Harry could barely call a friend.

If they weren't in different colleges, their relationship would probably be even closer.

While Dean and Diggle were talking in hushed tones, Sirius seemed to sense Harry's confusion. "Hardwin Jones, he's in the same year as me."

"He left the Wizarding World after graduation and chose to live in the Muggle World, but later, for some reason, he returned to the Wizarding World and eventually died because he refused to join the Death Eaters."

"Diggle is Jones's friend, just like James and I are, but even he didn't know about Dean and his mother. It seems Jones really cares about them. Can you believe it? Dean thought he was Muggle-born wizard before he received the letter, and his mother didn't know either!" Sirius sighed.

"Care? I don't quite understand," Harry said.

He couldn't understand why he had to keep his marriage a secret from his friends. If he got married someday, Ron and Draco would definitely find out. Besides, according to Sirius, even Dean's mother didn't know his father was a wizard.

Is it really love to hide things from your family?

What is the reason for needing to conceal it?

"Harry, you didn't experience that period. At that time, the Death Eaters' influence had spread to Britain. Their first step was to use force to recruit some outstanding non- Muggle-born Wizard. Some wizards chose to hide in the Muggle world, and Dean's father, Jones, was one of them."

"As the Death Eaters' influence spread further, they set their sights on Pure-blood wizard living in the Muggle world. If they were married to Muggle, they would prioritize killing the Muggle partner of their target."

"Back then, being a wizard didn't mean you could protect your Muggle family. You could only choose to stay away from them, and ideally, make sure they didn't even know the concept of a wizard," Sirius said with lingering fear.

"How was Dean's affair discovered? Did his father leave a letter for Diggle?" Harry asked curiously.

"That's quite a coincidence. It must be Jones guiding Diggle through some mysterious means."

"Diggle is a guy who likes to wander around the Muggle world (Harry says: He bowed to me in a shop before). He's a crazy guy. He supposedly caused a meteor shower in Kent after Voldemort lost power, which apparently made the Muggle newspapers. Unfortunately, I missed it, of course, because I was hunting Peter at the time."

"I seem to have gone off-topic. You should understand what kind of person Diggle is by now, Harry."

"A few days ago, when he was passing through Plymouth Devon, he took a break at a Muggle- world pub and saw an old newspaper used as wallpaper featuring his friend Hardwin Jones. Jones in the newspaper looked like some kind of fishing champion who had caught a 7-foot-long, 183-pound blue shark. In an interview, Jones lamented that it was a pity it was a blue shark and he couldn't take it home to share with his wife and children."

"And that's how Diggle learned that Jones had a wife and children, and how easy it is for a wizard, especially an unruly wizard like Diggle, to find someone."

"In less than two days, Diggle found Jones's wife, who had remarried, and was even more surprised to discover that Jones's child was a wizard and an excellent Gryffindor!" At this point, Sirius couldn't help but clench his fist, as if to vent his frustration at Harry not being Gryffindor.

"However, this incident also provided some evidence for some fools," Sirius said somberly.

"What evidence?" Harry asked. Sirius's sudden frustration made him decide to hold off on complaining about the hint of disdain for Ravenclaw House that Sirius had just revealed in his words.

"Most of these guys are from Slytherin House, and they belong to the unpopular part of Slytherin."

"They believe in the New Slytherin Pure-Blood Theory," Sirius said with a somber expression.

"Harry Potter! I wasn't looking, we've met again!" the excited Diggle exclaimed in a shrill voice. "This is Dean Jones, my friend's son!"

"We're friends." Harry glanced awkwardly at Dean, who was wiping away tears. Dean seemed to have calmed down, but his fingers were gripping the keys tightly, turning slightly white.

"It must be Merlin! James' son and Jones' son are friends again. What were you talking about?" Diggle finally managed to regain his composure.

"Sirius is talking about some New Slytherin Pure-Blood Theory," Harry replied.

"I know that. They're not bad guys. They believe there are no Mudblood in this world, that all Mudblood must have been wizards, and that they were just fellow Mudbloods who were accidentally left behind in the Muggle world," Diggle said. Sirius, standing nearby, couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Harry, don't think that just because they believe in this theory they won't look down on Muggle-born Wizard. They are the ones who take Muggle-born Wizard seriously and treat them as opponents."

"Harry, I've done my homework on all your matches. Like your second match, Slytherin Team's Seeker, Terence Higgs, is the son of a guy I know well. His family believes in the new Pure-blood theory. Before you played against Terence Higgs, did you think he was a gentleman and never said anything condescending like the other Slytherin did?"

"As far as I know Harry, you've made him resort to tricks. That's how the Higgins are. They usually seem upright and polite, but when it's necessary or someone they'd use tricks on, they'll do the dirty work. Remember, a dog that bites doesn't bark!" Sirius warned Harry and Dean.

"Diggle, we weren't finished yet. What else do you want to do at Hogwarts besides see Dean?" Sirius asked curiously.

"I'm planning to take Dean back to the Jones family's ancestral home for the summer. I've already gotten his mother's permission, and I want to ask Dean about it myself," Diggle said cheerfully, while Sirius couldn't help but frown.

"I'm in a similar situation to you. I also wanted Harry to come with me. But not just for the summer holidays. I wanted him to live with me from now on, but Dumbledore refused!" Sirius said, almost roaring.

"I've read Rita Skeeter's reports. I don't believe the others, but I agree with her on the issue of Harry being adopted."

"I also applied to adopt Harry, but Dumbledore rejected me as well," Diggle said dejectedly.

"Alright, I should go now, Harry." Sirius looked dejected, as if he were avoiding something. He had thought he would be living with his godson from now on, and had even told him in advance. But now he had disappointed Harry, which was why he had talked about other things when he first met Harry.

"What about summer vacation? Dumbledore can't possibly make me stay at the Dursley family for the entire summer vacation," Harry said, slightly annoyed.

"I didn't ask." Sirius turned around abruptly, a wry smile on his face.

The system malfunctioned yesterday, and I almost thought I'd lost my perfect attendance record.

P. S.: Thanks to Taishi Yumi Xu and his wife Super Fierce for their monthly tickets, and to other classmates for their recommendations and subscriptions.