Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

Humphrey didn't answer immediately, but smiled meaningfully.

"Your Highness," he said, "that's a very good question. But allow me to ask in return—do you think I should suggest anything to you?"

Henry thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"You probably wouldn't; you're more likely to suggest I do nothing."

Humphrey's eyes lit up: "Your Highness is indeed quick to understand. The situation you are facing can be summed up in one word: 'being seen'."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "You have already established yourself at Hogwarts, formed your own circle in Slytherin, and built initial relationships with other houses. You have even had several encounters with Dumbledore himself. You saved people, won competitions, and in fact, you have been noticed by the British wizarding world, including Mr. Fudge."

"He is currently in a delicate phase—he has just secured his position as minister and is beginning to taste the power, as well as the unease that comes with it. Although he may not start doing anything to Headmaster Dumbledore right now, it is foreseeable that, having already established himself in the wizarding world, he will definitely begin to want to get rid of Dumbledore's shadow."

At this point, he looked at Henry.

"Your Highness, what kind of person do you think you are in Mr. Fudge's eyes?"

Henry thought for a moment and replied, "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 world of ordinary people, the child personally attended to and enrolled in school by Dumbledore, the hero who saved Potter in the Quidditch match, and also the outlier who makes Slytherin and Gryffindor willing to have tea and chat with you."

He continued, "Think about it, what does Mr. Fudge want most right now? It's not to defeat Dumbledore—he doesn't have the guts or the power. What he wants is..."

He paused, looking at Henry with expectant eyes.

"Make yourself look less dependent on Dumbledore," Henry said immediately.

“Exactly.” Humphrey nodded approvingly. “He wants to prove that he is an independent Minister of Magic, not Dumbledore’s puppet. He needs something to endorse him, something to back him up.”

He paused, then smiled and looked at Henry.

"And you, my esteemed Your Highness, are precisely the one who can fulfill this need."

Henry blinked. "Me?"

“It’s not just you,” Humphrey said. “It’s the presence behind you, your surname, your lineage, your grandmother, your father, the entire royal family behind you—these carry weight in the wizarding world.”

He picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"Your Highness, you must understand that pure-blood families in the magical world worship bloodlines to the core. They value bloodlines and lineage. And you—the eldest son of Prince Wells, second in line to the throne, and a true descendant of the House of Windsor—are, in their eyes, a rare resource."

He put down his teacup.

"Even pure-blood wizards are actually very eager for titles in the ordinary world; otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many wizards accompanying the army during the Norman Conquest."

"If Mr. Fudge could get you to his side, even if it's just by having you show him respect and recognition in public, he could say to the wizarding world: Look, even the royal family of the Muggle world recognizes me, even that prince is willing to stand with me—that's more effective than any policy statement."

Henry nodded thoughtfully.

"So, in Mr. Fudge's eyes, I'm not a threat, but rather..."

"Resources," Humphrey said for him, "resources that he can use to package himself and enhance his authority, endorsements that come with their own halo."

Huck, who was listening nearby, suddenly remembered something.

"It's a bit like here," he said. "A cabinet minister carries a lot of weight in the cabinet if he 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 a report."

"The Prime Minister analogy is very accurate," Humphrey said. "The game of power, no matter the world, follows the same rules. Whoever has more charisma will have a stronger hold on."

He looked at Henry.

"Your Highness, do you understand the difference? Mr. Fudge will not 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 without appearing too eager."

Oh, just like when they were trying to recruit Harry in third year.

"Then what if he…?" Henry carefully chose his words, "what if he wants 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 bring up certain issues concerning Dumbledore in front of you, or arrange some activities unrelated to Dumbledore, so that you will gradually distance yourself from or even fear Professor Dumbledore."

"Boiling a frog in lukewarm water, Your Highness, that's the most common method," he concluded.

Bernard whispered from behind, "It's like when you want to say bad things about someone, you have to go behind them and make them think they're actually friends."

"So what should I do?" Henry asked.

Humphrey didn't answer immediately, but instead smiled meaningfully.

"When being courted, the best strategy is neither to refuse nor to accept, but to make the person courting you feel that you are already one of theirs, but not entirely."

Henry frowned. Although he had received a lot of education, this level was still a bit ahead of his time.

"How do you do that?"

Humphrey leaned forward slightly, his posture suggesting he was imparting a secret skill.

"Your Highness, what you need to do is make Mr. Fudge feel that you like him and are willing to deal with him, but without showing any alienation from Dumbledore. You need to make him feel that you are neutral, that you are attainable, but that you are not already on anyone's side."

He held up one finger.

"First, when Mr. Fudge probes your opinion of Dumbledore, do not defend him or agree with him. You should say: 'Professor Dumbledore is a respectable headmaster, and I have learned a great deal at Hogwarts.' — This is a fact, and no one can find fault with it."

He then raised his second finger.

"Secondly, when Mr. Fudge tries to get you involved in activities unrelated to Dumbledore, you can accept it, but don't be overly enthusiastic. You need to make him feel that you're willing to deal with him because you're interested in the work of the Ministry of Magic, not because you're on his side."

The third finger.

"Third, and most importantly—you need to make Mr. Fudge feel that the royal family behind you is neutral, detached, and will not interfere in the internal affairs of the wizarding world. In this way, he will not try to influence the royal family through you, nor will he use you as a political tool, and at the same time, he will feel at ease with you for the time being."

(Next Monday, I'll be making waves in women's clothing, so remember to follow along.)