But Dumbledore shook his head gently.
"Your ideas are already impressive. There's nothing left for me to teach you."
"No, no, no! I'm still too inexperienced. I need guidance from someone as experienced and powerful as you," Tver quickly insisted.
As if reading his mind, Dumbledore chuckled softly but still shook his head.
"Come now, I can hardly keep up with your thoughts these days. Besides, you wouldn't want someone overseeing you."
"How could that be? I'd be delighted to accept your guidance—"
"Very well then. I'll reluctantly accept your invitation." Dumbledore said quickly, nodding seriously.
Tver: [・_・?]
"To ensure you never entertain thoughts of harming Muggles or wizards, I'll need to keep a constant watch on your thoughts, and I may intervene in your actions when necessary."
"But don't worry—I'll always give you a warning first." Dumbledore smiled faintly, watching Tver, who looked stunned.
Dumbledore knew he couldn't truly control Tver, especially with Voldemort on the loose, leaving him little time to focus on anything else. So, his role would be to prevent Tver from making irreparable mistakes on the bigger issues, unlike the time he and Grindelwald were blinded by ambition.
As for the future of the magical world, just as Tver had said, it should be up to the wizards themselves to decide.
Tver pursed his lips.
He had hoped Dumbledore would offer support, but at least part of his goal was achieved—Dumbledore wouldn't stand in his way. Now, some of his plans could finally move forward!
"By the way, after all this talk, I still want to know that original question," Dumbledore suddenly said.
"What exactly are your intentions toward Muggles? Offense or defense?"
Tver thought for a moment, realizing now might be the right time to share some of his true thoughts with Dumbledore.
"I'll stick to my original answer: I don't know."
You'll have to figure that out yourself!
If he said it directly, Dumbledore would never agree. But if Dumbledore himself came to the conclusion of wizard-Muggle integration, that would be beyond Tver's control.
"But I don't think either approach is ideal."
"Attacking Muggles would face the biggest obstacle from us wizards ourselves."
"As you know, Muggle-born and half-blood wizards make up the majority of the magical world."
"They'd be the first to oppose us harming their parents or friends."
"Before the war even starts, we'd be torn apart from the inside."
"As for defense, it's even harder."
"No one knows when Muggles might develop powerful weapons or detection devices—it could happen tomorrow or a hundred years from now."
"By then, the magical world's strength—no offense—I haven't seen anyone from the younger generation with the talent of you or my teacher."
"In the future, the magical world's strength, especially at the top, will likely show signs of decline, while Muggle technology will continue advancing."
"With this shift, and the massive population gap, I can hardly see any chance of our success."
Dumbledore could no longer hide his modesty.
As Headmaster of Hogwarts, he had long realized that while there were plenty of talented wizards in the magical world, none could match his own ability—or even Voldemort's exceptional skills.
To be blunt, if Muggles truly launched a brutal war against wizards now, many wouldn't hesitate to ally with Grindelwald or Voldemort.
He was sure that the intelligent ones among them wouldn't refuse.
But Dumbledore couldn't shake the worry that, in the future, the only one who could fight this war might be Tver!
"Therefore, we must act quickly. With you, me, and the teachers in the magical world, whatever we do, facing Muggles, we'll be more confident!"
A sense of urgency bubbled up within Dumbledore, but he raised a hand to suppress it, quelling the feeling.
"From what I understand, Muggle technology isn't yet at that level. There's no need for such urgency."
"As a leader, composure is your greatest weapon."
"But you're right. The International Confederation of Wizards will hold its conference this summer. I can arrange for you to give a speech on my behalf."
"The magical elite needs to recognize the potential future threats. And of course, it'll save me from being labeled a stubborn old fossil."
He chuckled lightly, but noticing Tver's odd expression, he asked, "Is something wrong? Or do you not want to step into the spotlight so soon?"
"Um, I've already secured the speaking spot for Britain…" Tver scratched his head awkwardly.
"…"
Dumbledore stared at him in silence for a moment.
"That little girl named Cynthia did it, didn't she? I've received plenty of praise about her from members of the British branch of the Confederation."
Tver hadn't hidden his relationship with Cynthia, so he wasn't surprised Dumbledore knew about her. In fact, it would've been odd if Dumbledore didn't know.
He nodded firmly.
Dumbledore shook his head with a sigh.
"Even though I was prepared, you always manage to astonish me with your excellence."
"I can't say your approach is always correct, but I'm looking forward to seeing what you accomplish this summer."
"Ahem, please don't say that. I still have a lot to learn from you," Tver replied, feeling embarrassed. He quickly took a sip of pumpkin juice to cover up his blush.
Dumbledore had complimented him multiple times tonight, and truthfully, he was starting to feel a bit heady. So he quickly brought up his own question, to avoid getting carried away with his own pride.
"For instance, have you studied Limbo?"
At Dumbledore's surprised gaze, Tver proceeded to share his understanding of the realm.
Only after Tver finished did Dumbledore compose himself.
He paused for a moment before speaking slowly and cautiously.
"I never imagined you'd delve this deeply into it. I've only begun exploring the concept of death in recent years."
"But since you ask, we can discuss it."
"Limbo isn't a space where all departed souls go. In fact, only a select few ever encounter it."
"It's more like a loophole between life and death."
"Since consciousness can also create space, my theory is that consciousness itself might be the gateway to Limbo."
"When someone is on the brink of death, if they retain strong, active consciousness, they could manifest in Limbo."
Dumbledore's words carried a hint of uncertainty, but Tver seemed even more certain of this theory.
Of course! The Limbo in the story was likely conjured by Dumbledore himself—who else could know it better than him?!
For the rest of their time together, Tver and Dumbledore focused entirely on this topic.
As for their usual Muggle studies... they tacitly agreed not to bring them up again...