"You are still thinking like a Muggle, which is why you can't see it from our point of view," spat Harry accusingly. "You say that we have slaves. Have you forgotten, Granger, that you had human slaves until fifty years ago? Didn't different Muggle countries colonise different parts of the world and subjugate the natives or even eliminate them? Where were your morals then, Granger? You keep spitting on us while saying that the Muggle world is advanced. Let me tell you that until about a hundred or hundred and fifty years ago, the Muggles had nothing! It was only because of the two World Wars that made you start developing all sorts of technology. Do you think what you have done is advanced ?"
"Fifty years of development will not equal the development that was present in the magical world five thousand years ago! Go to the library and read more books on magical history and you'll soon come to the same conclusion. It is because of people like you that the rest of the Muggle-borns face scorn even if they adjust to our society. Do you want to complain about discrimination? Of course, there would be discrimination if you act like this!"
"Do you think the Japanese would treat you well if you go to Japan and start spitting on their traditions and culture? The same applies here. You are essentially entering a new country. Just because we also go by the name of Britain and Ireland does not mean it is the same. There is a reason we are called citizens of Magical Britain and Ireland; this is Avalon, not the United Kingdom! We are a separate country and thus not answerable to anyone in the Muggle government, just like every other magical country in the world. We are not asking you to follow our traditions, Granger, but you have to learn to respect them since you are now a citizen of Avalon !"
Taking a deep breath, Harry centred himself, trying to control his emotions. After a minute, his impassive mask was back in place, but his eyes were still a shade of blackish-green. He saw that Hermione was still glaring at him and that no one in the common room was speaking a word. Supremely unconcerned, Harry turned around, with Daphne taking his hand in hers comfortingly and the two of them walked out of the tower.
Pandemonium ensued as nearly everyone in the common room was shooting filthy looks at one Hermione Granger.
Backward… barbaric… archaic… magic is just a tool to be used…
Those words echoed in the minds of every witch and wizard present in Gryffindor Tower.
...
"You okay?" whispered Dylan as they stood outside the castle on the thirtieth of October, waiting for the delegations of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang to arrive.
"I'm fine," said Harry quietly, but he didn't mention that he had been training like a madman over the past month. The meeting with Hermione Granger had shaken him to the core. She was arrogant and bigoted, not to mention self-righteous. He would readily agree that he did not think highly of Muggles, but he was not a citizen of Muggle Britain and had not entered the Muggle world since the age of seven. Hermione Granger, on the other hand, was a citizen of Magical Britain and for her to speak like that brought warning bells to Harry. There was no telling what she might do if she thought she was doing the right thing without realising the consequences of her actions. She was dangerous but no one else would agree with him.
Harry involuntary shivered when he thought about the scenario of Muggles knowing the existence of magic. It would be the end of the world because Muggles would never accept magic in their lives. That was the reason the International Statute of Secrecy was imposed in the first place and why it was so strictly enforced. He remembered reading about some of the Muggle-loving wizards wanting to help during the First World War. If another war breaks out in the Muggle world, it was people like Hermione Granger who posed a danger to the society. She would simply act, wanting to protect those Muggles from destroying themselves, using magic in the process. If magic was exposed to them, they would destroy witches and wizards along with each other. He was not speculating; history over millennia provided them with infinite evidence - history which Muggles did not have access to.
He only hoped such a situation never occurs in the future. The magical world had enough problems without the Muggles being one of them.
The confrontation with Hermione Granger had spread throughout the school like Fiendfyre. Harry actually expected a massive backlash, but there wasn't one - towards him, at least; not that much, anyway. Harry was right; no one wanted to give up their traditions and beliefs even if they were pro-Muggle. The Gryffindors had not forgotten the words Granger had used to describe them - backward, barbaric, archaic, and word had quickly spread throughout the school.
Even some of the teachers had grown cold towards her and Snape was actually being nastier than ever, docking points from Gryffindor every chance he could get. Draco Malfoy had loudly started talking about 'Mudbloods' until Harry had dressed him down verbally and transfigured him into an albino ferret in the middle of the Great Hall for insulting all Muggle-borns. He had gotten detention for it, not to mention had to endure Professor McGonagall loudly berating him for using Transfiguration on another student, but it had been worth it. Harry was a half-blood himself and he wouldn't take such insults to the general Muggle-born population lying down. Blind bigotry of the Death Eaters was something he did not agree with.
"So, any information on who's going to enter the tournament?" asked Harry.
"The Hufflepuffs are all talking about Cedric Diggory," replied Dylan. "The Ravenclaws don't have a strong candidate and even though you are a seventh-year student, I doubt you can enter because of what you said about the tournament's magical contract. The Gryffindors also don't have anyone strong and neither do the Slytherins."
"Diggory?" asked Harry, frowning slightly. "Yeah, I shared classes with him for two terms. He's a smart bloke, from what I remember. Maybe he'll do a good job, who knows? He could surprise us."
"What did Dumbledore want with you?"
"Oh, the usual," said Harry, rolling his eyes. "He heard about my confrontation with Granger and decided to instil the virtues of Muggles. He said that they are a fascinating race and that we must learn to be more like them. He also said that I should learn to forgive and forget."
Dylan cringed. "I bet you didn't take that rather well," he said.
....
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