"Look—how marvelous!"
Amid the Great Hall awash in eight interwoven colors, Dumbledore gazed at the astonished students below. Behind his half-moon spectacles, his eyes crinkled into happy slits.
"Slytherin displayed kindness and gentleness; Ravenclaw burst forth with astonishing courage and perseverance; Hufflepuff used exceptional wisdom to design ingenious traps; and Gryffindor proved capable of such splendid acting—while even wielding Slytherin's signature Parseltongue…"
"How wonderfully inventive," he continued. "It shows us—quite plainly—that being sorted into a House does not mean a person's character is reduced to only what that House represents."
As thoughtful expressions spread across the Hall, Dumbledore's smile deepened.
"Wisdom, courage, kindness, ambition… these fine qualities have flowed in each of us from the very beginning. And if one wishes to become a whole, genuine person, then every one of them is indispensable."
"Yet each of us will naturally lean a little more toward one quality than the others. That is why the four founders divided you into four Houses—to help you receive the education best suited to you, to live with fewer burdens, to befriend those most like yourselves, to refine your strengths and mend your weaknesses."
"But in doing so, it seems we created a problem."
He paused, spreading his hands with a touch of regret. "Many of us have come to prize our House ideals too much—so much so that we believe being sorted into a House means we may possess only that one quality, overlooking the other shining traits in ourselves and in others."
"Gryffindors—have you ever broken school rules simply to prove yourselves, even mocked those who are quiet or gentle? Do you know that courage is not recklessness, and that those who seem soft may hide bravery and perseverance equal to any?"
"Ravenclaws—have you ever looked down on those who seem less clever, who score lower than you? Yet wisdom is not measured by grades alone; it hides in every corner of life."
"Slytherins—have you divided people by blood, or harbored lofty ambitions you dare not voice? Remember that even Tom Riddle carried half Muggle blood—and that pure-blood pride itself was born in an age where all who bore wands were protected without distinction."
"And Hufflepuffs—have you ever lamented not being as clever, as brave, as glorious as others, and in doing so squandered your days? Look closely at the lives of those you deem 'better,' and you may be surprised to find you are not so different after all."
Dumbledore's smile gradually faded into a gentle seriousness. His gaze swept across every face at the long tables, taking in doubt, reflection, indifference, and even disdain.
"As I have said before," he went on, "each of us is born with all these fine qualities in our blood. Being sorted into one House does not make the others vanish."
"So when we share courage, wisdom, kindness, and ambition alike—why can we not understand and embrace one another?"
"Why must the traits that stand out in us be used to compete and boast, instead of to complement one another?"
"Why should the wand in our hands—the wand that can call forth miracles—spit curses, even Dark magic, to attack and harm one another?"
"I know that relations between Gryffindor and Slytherin have never been easy—but tell me, what grievance could truly stretch across centuries, ensnaring even first-years, so that the mere sight of red or green sparks resentment?"
If earlier words had met some indifference, this question stopped everyone cold. Even those who most despised Gryffindor or Slytherin found they could not answer it.
Are there no brave warriors in Slytherin? No pure-bloods in Gryffindor? Why do I dislike an entire House? Is it because there are too few of what I value? But I don't know everyone there—how could I be sure?
When did I start hating Slytherin, anyway…
Even Harry and Ron found themselves wondering:
Was it Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle? Did I really let my dislike of a few spill over to an entire House?
That doesn't sound like me. Is it the House's style I dislike? Then why do I groan when they win, and cheer when they fail—when there are people like Baron over there, truly worthy of respect?
The same doubts filled the minds of the Slytherins. Most came from wizarding families; from childhood they'd been told Gryffindors were reckless fools, honorless trash—and they'd brought those notions to school.
But now that they thought about it, Gryffindors' grades weren't worse, their Quidditch wasn't lacking, and there were plenty of pure-bloods among them—how many came from the Weasley family alone?
So why did they resent Gryffindor?
Seeing students—especially Gryffindors and Slytherins—lost in thought, a glimmer of satisfaction passed through Dumbledore's eyes.
He did not expect a single speech to change everyone's mind. If they would only follow his reasoning a little—just a little—his purpose was served.
That little bit of thought would become a seed: a seed of reason, of reconciliation. And under his care at Hogwarts, it would be nurtured, take root, and grow.
"Understanding, tolerance, help, and learning from one another—this was the original intent behind the Houses."
"If each person excels in one quality, then four together excel in four. United as one, bringing out the best in each other, they become an unshakable whole—just like our predecessors, the founders of Hogwarts…"
He paused, then lifted his eyes toward the ceiling, as though remembering something long past.
"Brave Gryffindor, from wild moor;Fair Ravenclaw, from glen;Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad;Shrewd Slytherin, from fen."
"They shared one dream, one wish—and formed a bold plan: to nurture young witches and wizards. Thus, Hogwarts was founded."
"Perhaps those of you within their Houses might try, as the founders did, to meet and understand those you once dismissed because of House lines? The friends who will become dear to you—like Godric and Salazar, Rowena and Helga—may be waiting where you never thought to look."
"Well, perhaps I've said enough."
Dumbledore stood again, smiling warmly. "But before we eat, there is just one last thing I must say—"
"Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
(End of Chapter)