Henry studied her expression before responding, taking his time before asking, "What do you believe you should do?"
Daphne bit her lower lip, her uncertainty evident. "I... I don't know precisely. But I don't want this situation to develop."
Pansy whispered urgently beside her. "But what can we actually accomplish? We're only students. We cannot interfere in family decisions."
Draco remained silent, though his gaze, fixed intently on Henry, conveyed the same underlying question his companions had voiced.
"You've formulated the wrong question," Henry said, shaking his head with quiet certainty.
The three exchanged confused glances. "The wrong question?"
"Yes," Henry confirmed. "Your question about what you can do contains merit, but it's not the fundamental question. The real question is this: what do you actually want to achieve?"
The three looked at one another, clearly struggling to grasp his meaning.
"What do we want to achieve?" Draco asked for clarification.
"Precisely," Henry said. "What do you truly want? What are your genuine desires? What are your actual goals?"
He directed his gaze toward Daphne. "You mentioned not wanting something to occur. That describes what you wish to avoid, not what you aim to accomplish. Avoidance and achievement represent fundamentally different objectives."
He turned to address Pansy. "You stated that you cannot manage family affairs. That describes your current circumstances, not your aspirations."
Finally, his attention settled on Draco. "You aspire to become a capable head of your family—is that your true goal?"
Draco paused thoughtfully before responding. "Something like that, yes."
"Then we should begin with establishing your goals," Henry said. He reclined against the sofa, his posture relaxed while his tone remained serious and focused.
"Your ambition is to become effective heads of your respective families in the future, correct?"
The three exchanged glances before nodding in unison.
"Then answer this: what qualifications does a family head genuinely require?" Henry asked.
"Ability, connections, and family support," Draco responded promptly.
"Is there nothing else?" Henry pressed further.
"We require prestige and standing," Pansy contributed.
"We must possess the capacity to make sound decisions," Daphne added quietly.
"All of that is true, though you've overlooked the most essential element," Henry said, raising a single finger for emphasis. "You require people willing to follow your leadership."
Pansy's expression shifted noticeably; clearly, something in his words had struck a chord within her.
"People willing to follow us?" she echoed.
"Yes," Henry affirmed. "A family head cannot function in isolation. You require individuals who listen to your words, who respect your judgment. You need allies, supporters, people willing to defend you when circumstances demand it. Where do such people originate?"
Draco furrowed his brow. "From within the family?"
"The people within your family are currently your father's followers, not yours," Henry explained. "They obeyed your father because he held authority. Once he departs, they will wait and observe, determining whether you merit their loyalty. Without cultivating your own base of support, you remain merely a ceremonial figurehead."
Pansy's complexion shifted with the weight of this realization.
Daphne spoke softly. "My father expressed similar sentiments. He said every effective head of the Greengrass family actively cultivates their own network of loyal supporters."
"Have you considered where such loyal followers originate?" Henry asked.
He continued without waiting for responses. "You presently attend school, surrounded by your contemporaries. Among them are those who will become Ministry officials, those who will wield influence across various industries, those who will eventually lead their own families. These individuals represent your future resources and allies."
He let the significance settle. "But such resources don't materialize from nowhere. You must learn to invest in them deliberately."
"Invest?" Draco asked, uncertain of his meaning.
"Exactly," Henry said. "If you treat someone with kindness now, assist them when they struggle, ten years hence they may repay that investment through their position of influence. That is how investment works."
He looked at each of them intently. "Now consider this: in whom should you invest most significantly?"
Almost involuntarily, all three turned their gazes toward Henry.
Henry smiled in response. "Not me exclusively. I am one person, certainly, but not the only individual worth cultivating."
"Then who?" they asked.
Rather than providing a direct answer, Henry smiled knowingly. "This touches upon the fundamental principle of political strategy: cultivate as many allies as possible while making as few enemies as possible."
He stood, signaling the evening's lesson had concluded. "It's growing late. I'm leaving you with this question to contemplate. Return to your dormitories and think carefully about how you should conduct yourselves moving forward."
With that, he departed the common room, leaving the three of them in contemplative silence.
======
The following morning, the four house tables in the Great Hall brimmed with students. Owls circled overhead busily, delivering letters, packages, and newspapers to eager recipients.
Henry sat at the center of the Slytherin table, the Daily Prophet positioned before him alongside his customary modest breakfast: a glass of milk, several slices of toast, two boiled eggs, and roasted tomatoes.
Draco and his companions occupied the seats directly across from him, their expressions noticeably more serious than usual. Pansy and Daphne sat beside Henry, both appearing preoccupied with unspoken concerns.
Theodore ate his breakfast in quiet isolation at the table's corner, his gaze occasionally sweeping across the hall.
"Your Highness," Draco spoke suddenly, breaking the morning silence, "I've been contemplating what you discussed last evening."
Henry looked toward him with interest. "What conclusions have you reached?"
Draco selected his words with obvious care. "I understand portions of your meaning, but I remain uncertain about specific practical applications."
Henry smiled reassuringly. "There's no pressure. You're still only twelve years old. You possess considerable time to develop these understandings."
Life at Hogwarts settled into familiar rhythms following the term's resumption. Marcus, who led the Slytherin Quidditch team, intensified training regimens with increasingly demanding requirements.
Even the continuous light rain following the heavy snowfall failed to dampen his enthusiasm for the sport.
Eventually, during a practice session when the weather finally cleared, Marcus announced what he clearly considered excellent news: Professor Snape would serve as the official referee for the upcoming Quidditch match.
"That's wonderful!" Marcus proclaimed, puffing his chest with pride. "Professor Snape is undoubtedly the fairest, most impartial instructor at Hogwarts. I genuinely cannot envision anyone more qualified."
Henry almost laughed aloud at this blatant fabrication.
The notion that Snape could reasonably be described as fair or impartial was almost comical, particularly when Snape himself sat within reasonable proximity of these declarations.
Despite Snape's involvement as referee, Gryffindor nonetheless defeated Hufflepuff decisively in the Quidditch match. Within less than five minutes of play, Harry captured the Golden Snitch.
The following afternoon, Henry invited the Gryffindor trio to tea and offered his congratulations on Harry's impressive victory. Yet the three seemed distracted, their expressions betraying that something weighed heavily upon their minds.
Henry observed their distraction without pressing for immediate explanations, instead pouring tea and offering quiet companionship.
Finally, Harry's resolve crumbled. He exchanged glances with Ron, received slight nods from both his companions, and then ventured hesitantly, "Your Highness, I... I mean... if you discovered that a professor was attempting to steal something extremely valuable from the school, what would you do?"
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