Humphrey didn't answer immediately. Instead, he smiled with quiet meaning before speaking.
"Your Highness," he said, "that's a very good question. But allow me to ask in return: do you think I should suggest something to you?"
Henry considered the question for a moment, then shook his head. "You probably wouldn't. You'd more likely advise me to do nothing."
Humphrey's eyes lit up with satisfaction. "Your Highness is indeed insightful. The situation you're facing can be summed up in one word: being seen."
He paused, letting the words settle before continuing. "You've already established yourself at Hogwarts, built your own circle in Slytherin, and cultivated preliminary relationships with other houses. You've even had several encounters with Dumbledore himself. You saved people, you won the competition. In fact, you've been seen by the British wizarding world, including Mr. Fudge."
"He's currently in a delicate phase," Humphrey explained. "He's just secured his position as Minister, starting to taste the power, and also the unease that comes with it. While he may not take action against Headmaster Dumbledore right now, it's foreseeable that, having already established himself in the wizarding world, he'll certainly begin wanting to escape Dumbledore's shadow."
He looked directly at Henry. "Your Highness, what do you think Mr. Fudge sees you as?"
Henry pondered before replying, "Someone who's very close to Dumbledore?"
"More than that," Humphrey said. "You are second in line to the British throne, one of the noblest bloodlines in our ordinary world, the child personally attended to and enrolled in school by Dumbledore, the hero who saved Potter in the Quidditch match, and the outlier that both Slytherin and Gryffindor are willing to chat with over tea."
He continued with measured deliberation. "Think about it: what does Mr. Fudge want most right now? Not to defeat Dumbledore, for he lacks both the guts and the power. What he truly wants is..."
He paused, his gaze settling expectantly on Henry.
"To appear less dependent on Dumbledore," Henry said immediately.
"Exactly," Humphrey nodded with approval. "He wants to prove himself as an independent Minister of Magic, not Dumbledore's puppet. He needs something to back him up, something to endorse him."
He paused, smiling at Henry with clear intention. "And you, my esteemed Your Highness, happen to be precisely what he needs."
Henry blinked. "Me?"
"Not just you," Humphrey clarified. "It's the presence behind you: your surname, your bloodline, your grandmother, your father, the entire royal family. These things carry weight in the wizarding world."
He picked up his teacup and took a deliberate sip before setting it down again. "Your Highness, you must understand that pure-blood families in the wizarding world revere bloodlines absolutely. They value lineage and heritage above nearly all else. And you, the eldest son of Prince Wells, second in line to the throne, a true descendant of the House of Windsor, are in their eyes a rare resource."
"Even pure-blood wizards are actually quite eager for titles in the ordinary world," he continued. "Otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many wizards accompanying the Norman Conquest."
"If Mr. Fudge could get you to his side," Humphrey went on, "even if it's only by having you show him respect and recognition in public, he could say to the wizarding world: Look, even the Muggle royal family recognizes me. Even that prince is willing to stand with me. That would be far more effective than any policy statement."
Henry nodded thoughtfully as he grasped the implications.
"So, in Mr. Fudge's eyes, I'm not a threat, but..."
"A resource," Humphrey finished for him. "A resource he can use to enhance his own image, strengthen his authority, an endorsement with its own built-in halo."
Hark, listening nearby, suddenly remembered something relevant. "It's a bit like in our world," he said. "If a cabinet minister can get a member of the royal family to attend one of his events or receive a few words of praise from His Majesty in an official report, his weight in the cabinet becomes considerably greater."
"The Prime Minister analogy is very accurate," Humphrey agreed. "The game of thrones, no matter which world, plays by the same rules. Whoever accumulates more halos can stand more firmly."
He looked squarely at Henry. "Your Highness, do you understand the difference? Mr. Fudge won't see you as an enemy, at least not now. He will see you as someone he can win over, someone he needs to carefully cultivate, but not too eagerly."
Henry recalled a pattern he'd read about. "Just like when he was trying to win over Harry in his third year."
"Then will he..." Henry hesitated, uncertainty crossing his features, "will he want me to distance myself from Professor Dumbledore?"
"Definitely," Humphrey said without hesitation, "but not directly. He wouldn't be foolish enough to say, 'Your Highness, please stay away from Dumbledore.' He'll use a more subtle approach. For example, he might casually mention some issues concerning Dumbledore in front of you, or arrange activities unrelated to Dumbledore, subtly encouraging you to distance yourself from or even fear Professor Dumbledore."
"Like boiling a frog slowly," Humphrey concluded. "That's the most common tactic in his arsenal."
Bernard whispered from behind them, "It's like when you want to speak ill of someone. You have to go behind their back and make others think you're actually friends."
"Then what should I do?" Henry asked.
Humphrey didn't answer immediately. Instead, he smiled with the same meaningful expression as before.
"When someone tries to win you over, the best strategy isn't to refuse or accept outright," he said. "Instead, you should make that person feel they've already secured you as an ally, but not completely."
Henry frowned, wrestling with the concept. Although he had received considerable education, this level of political sophistication extended somewhat beyond what he'd previously encountered.
"How do you do that?"
Humphrey leaned forward slightly, as if imparting a closely guarded secret technique. "Your Highness, what you need to do is make Mr. Fudge feel that you genuinely like him and are willing to work with him, while simultaneously showing no distance from Dumbledore. You need to make him feel that you remain neutral, that you could potentially be won over, but that you don't yet belong entirely to any side."
He raised one finger for emphasis.
"First, when Mr. Fudge probes your opinion of Dumbledore, neither defend him nor agree with any criticism. Instead, say this: 'Professor Dumbledore is a respectable headmaster, and I have learned a great deal at Hogwarts.' This is simple fact, and no one can find fault with it."
He raised a second finger.
"Second, when Mr. Fudge tries to get you involved in activities unrelated to Dumbledore, you may accept such invitations, but don't show excessive enthusiasm. Let him feel that you're willing to work with him because you're genuinely interested in the work of the Ministry of Magic, not because you're taking his side."
He held up a third finger.
"Third, and most importantly, you need to make Mr. Fudge feel that the royal family behind you is neutral and detached from wizarding world affairs. This way, he won't attempt to influence the royal family through you, nor will he try to use you as a political tool. Most crucially, he'll feel more at ease with you for the time being."
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Early chapters: [email protected]/palevolt100