Dumbledore fell silent for a moment, giving everyone in the Great Hall ample time to digest the surge of emotions. Even many of the professors at the staff table were no exception. Only when the hall gradually quieted down did Dumbledore's calm yet clearly audible voice ring out once more.
"Yes. This very year, the one who once poisoned Britain and then vanished for eleven years—Voldemort—managed, for certain reasons, to infiltrate Hogwarts. However, he was discovered in time by Mr. Ken. Together with Mr. Potter, Mr. Shafiq, and a gentleman who prefers to remain unnamed, they carried out a bold, meticulous, and brilliant plan that resulted in Voldemort's complete capture."
"For the past eleven years, many have feared that Voldemort was not truly dead, that one day he would inevitably return… and indeed, that fear proved justified. But from this day onward, it is no longer a concern worth troubling ourselves over."
"Please, take a look."
He raised high the bottle that sealed Voldemort's primary soul, then used magic to project and magnify it so everyone could see clearly. Within the glass swirled an eerie grey mist, from which a distorted human face occasionally emerged.
"This is what Voldemort looks like now. He clung to existence in this bodiless state for eleven long years, but he will never again have the chance to stir up chaos…"
"However, given his considerable attainments in the Dark Arts, bringing him to the end he so richly deserves will still require some time. That time, I assure you, will not be long."
The moment Dumbledore finished speaking, a roar of voices swept through the hall once more. Reporters frantically pressed their shutters or waved their hands, desperate to ask questions. If not for Dumbledore's immense prestige, some might have rushed straight up to the staff table.
"Quiet, please. I ask you all to remain calm and allow me to finish."
He had to amplify his voice with magic again to regain control of the scene.
"Although Voldemort has been sealed, what I wish to speak about today does not end there."
He slowly swept his gaze across the hall, taking everything in: some people were forcibly restraining their excitement; others looked confused; some were so overjoyed they seemed on the verge of fainting; and a few appeared distinctly uneasy.
"Voldemort's real name was Tom Marvolo Riddle."
He spoke slowly, his voice dropping lower.
"He was born in 1926. His mother was a descendant of Slytherin, while his father was a Muggle. Please, everyone—remain quiet and hear me out."
"He grew up in a Muggle orphanage and entered Hogwarts in 1938, where he was sorted into Slytherin House. He later served as both a prefect and Head Boy…"
"As for what happened after his graduation, you are all well aware. Voldemort began gathering followers and recruiting Dark wizards. He preached the doctrine of pure-blood supremacy, claiming that wizards should stand above Muggle-born witches and wizards—and Muggles themselves—and that they should be reduced to servants of pure-bloods. This ideology attracted a vast number of followers, and thus the organization known as the Death Eaters was born."
"They went on to poison Britain with their crimes—open violence, the spread of terror, the suppression of voices, ushering in the darkest decade of our history. Many of you here lived through those years in full, and I need not elaborate on the terror of that time."
"But even now, with that terror ended and Voldemort facing his final judgment, there remains a question we have never truly resolved—one we have scarcely even dared to confront."
"Why was Voldemort's ideology able to attract so many witches and wizards? Why were so many willing to serve a stranger, to obey him and give their lives for a vague and hollow theory?"
"The number of Death Eaters far exceeded that of pure-blood wizards alone. This means that a significant portion of them were half-bloods—what blood purists would deem 'inferior.' Why, then, were they willing to believe in pure-blood supremacy?"
Dumbledore paused, yet the Great Hall remained utterly silent.
"I have always believed that wizards are the happiest and most fortunate beings in this world," he continued.
"With a simple wave of our wands, we can raise comfortable homes from the ground, make barren land flourish with crops, bring warmth to the coldest places, and appear wherever we wish to go…"
"And if that is still not enough—if one wishes to live with dignity—even growing dittany in one's own garden and selling it is sufficient to earn a respectable living. Should one desire indulgence and pleasure, then so long as the Statute of Secrecy is strictly observed, one can easily obtain fine food and drink from the Muggle world."
"Every effort we make can be directly transformed into results. Each and every one of us has the right to use our own hands and our own wands to create a good life."
"So why would wizards who could have lived such wonderful lives choose instead to risk arrest—or even death—to harm others, to destroy their freedom and happiness?"
Dumbledore's gaze sharpened as it swept slowly over everyone in the hall, lingering especially long on the Slytherin table.
"I believe the answer is greed—and ignorance."
"Voldemort possessed a greed-bound ambition. He did not merely wish for his own happiness; he wished to stand above everyone else. To that end, he used the banner of pure-blood supremacy to deceive others, to entice them into serving his goals."
"Among those who served him, many were as greedy and wicked as he was. Some were pure-bloods—direct beneficiaries of his ideology—hoping to gain even more through him. Others coveted his power, seeing him as a shield behind which they could indulge their own excesses and satisfy their greed…"
"And as for the rest—those who stood to gain nothing, who were even considered inferior under Voldemort's ideology, yet truly believed in it from the depths of their hearts and were willing to commit atrocities for its sake—that is ignorance. Utter, incurable ignorance."
"For nearly a thousand years, the doctrine of blood purity has been woven deeply into the fabric of magical society, etched into their minds until they function almost like machines—incapable of thinking, devoid of logic, blindly discriminating against and hating so-called 'inferiors,' never once questioning whether what they believe is truly correct. They refuse to accept any other information, turn a blind eye to the outstanding achievements of Muggle-born witches and wizards, ignore the tragedies caused by Voldemort, and refuse to consider the horrors his future might bring…"
"Such people form the backbone of the Death Eaters—the very foundation upon which Voldemort once seized half of Britain."
"They may not be evil people in their daily lives. Some are even quite kind. They may be gentle to others, help their neighbors, rescue animals… Yet in their minds there seems to be a switch called 'pure-blood supremacy.' Once that switch is flipped, they become hysterical, utterly indifferent to bloodshed, sacrifice, and tragedy."
"So, everyone, what I wish to say is this."
Dumbledore drew in a deep breath. His voice was not loud, but it carried unwavering conviction to every corner of the hall.
"Voldemort is not merely a person—he is an idea, an ideology."
"So long as discrimination, prejudice, and hatred remain rooted in our minds like a malignant tumor, another Voldemort will eventually arise, plunging us all back into darkness and suffering."
"We must acknowledge that the existence and spread of blood purity doctrines have their historical origins. In the perilous era of a thousand years ago, it was the well-established pure-blood families who defended magical society, united the wizarding world, and protected our ancestors from persecution, thereby laying the foundation for the honor of pure-bloods. But we must also recognize that the times have changed."
"In this era, Muggle-born witches and wizards are no different from pure-bloods. From the awakening of their magic, to receiving their wands, to entering Hogwarts in confusion and wonder, studying diligently, and then stepping into society after graduation to work, live, and raise families—they owe nothing to anyone, nor have they taken anything from anyone."
"On the contrary, their presence has infused magical society with fresh blood, making it more vibrant, more innovative, and more capable of development and creation. And even after suffering under Voldemort's tyranny, the vast majority of them have not responded with extreme hatred toward pure-bloods, but instead cherish the hard-won peace we now enjoy all the more…"
"…"
At that moment, some among the crowd finally realized what was happening. Their eyes widened in shock, faces pale with disbelief at what they were hearing.
Dumbledore was openly declaring war on blood purity.
As he himself had said, he intended to eradicate "Voldemort" completely.
(End of Chapter)