Oddly, Harry did feel that he understood. Not the emotional side of it; he couldn't imagine being that detached from the world. But the rest of it? Harry would have done anything for some people, too.
He licked his lips. "So the Muggleborn thing? Even though it seems likely he's going to come back, because of the Horcrux?"
"I have made my choice," Father said, and held up his bare left arm again. "That path is closed to me. It's not a matter of belief; it's a matter of action. That means that I need to make my way forwards and create a world that is safe for my sons and my wife based on not following the Dark Lord. And if I can manipulate the Minister and please my son at the same time? Then that is what I shall do."
"You don't believe that Muggleborns are the equals of purebloods, then."
"No."
"But you don't hate them and want to kill them, either."
Father shook his head. "As I told you, it is a matter of action, not belief. What I believe matters less than what I do."
"And would you give up your current campaign to support Muggleborns if you thought there was a more advantageous way to keep us safe?"
Father frowned a little. "It is hard to imagine what that could be. The Dark Lord's path was the only other one, and as I said, that is closed to me now. And you would be angry at me. I do not like it when you're angry at me."
Harry nodded slowly. He felt a little shocked, but also as though—
Well, it wasn't a good thing that his father was so detached from everything but his family that he could switch political beliefs easily. Obviously.
But Harry couldn't help but think it was better than having a father who was attached to the belief that purebloods were the only ones who mattered. Instead, it seemed that Father thought his family were the only ones who mattered.
Harry stood up. Father's gaze narrowed at once, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he kept his mouth shut.
"Thank you for explaining it to me," Harry mumbled. "And—and I'm glad that I matter to you enough that you're going to change the way you act in public."
Father smiled at him, an expression that seemed to go a lot deeper into his eyes than most of the ones he'd worn during the conversation, now that Harry was looking for that. "You matter so much to me, Henry. Believe me, in the end the Dark Lord will suffer for what he tried to do to you. I will destroy him."
Harry blinked. "But he did that when you didn't know I was your son."
"Why does that matter?" Father sounded honestly baffled.
Harry leaned carefully around the ledgers and tomes and hugged him. Father's arms returned the hug with crushing strength. He obviously didn't want to let Harry go, but did when Harry decided that was enough and went to step away.
"Thanks," Harry said.
"I love you, Henry."
"I love you, too, I think," Harry said, and then ran away so he wouldn't have to look at his father's face.
....
"So what are you going to do? Just wander down to the first turning in the maze and then come right back?"
Harry smiled and made sure that his wand was in its holster and he had the Blood-Replenishing potion Mother had owled him the day before in his robe pocket. "Yeah. I thought that was the best plan."
Ron shook his head a little. It had taken him a long time, but finally he'd come to Harry and admitted that he was lonely and tired of being angry, and he would do his best never to think that Harry was just a generic Malfoy again. "I still don't know who's going to win the Tournament. Probably Krum, though. He's the most ahead in points."
Harry nodded absently in acknowledgment while he looked up at the stands to find his family and Hermione. Hermione sat with a pointed distance between her and Draco, but that was all right. Harry was just as glad that some pieces of his life fit together, even if it was pretty rough right now.
Mother smiled at him and waved. Father didn't smile. He hadn't liked Harry's plan of going through even one turning of the hedge maze, but once they learned what the Third Task was, Harry hadn't seen what else he could do.
Draco had his arms crossed and was doing his best to imitate Father's expression. Harry didn't think he'd succeeded, though. Draco was much warmer and more emotional than Father was, even though he would have hated to hear that.
"Champions, get ready!" Bagman yelped.
Harry clapped Ron on the shoulder and turned around to jog to the line where he would wait, while Ron went to join Harry's family in the stands. Because he had so few points, he would enter the maze after everyone else. Harry didn't care about that, though, or about the boos and jeers that sometimes got thrown his way.
Krum entered the maze first, then Diggory, then Delacour. Harry stood where he was and yawned. He saw Professor Moody staring at him from not far outside the maze. Apparently he was one of the people who was supposed to make sure that no one cheated to help the Champions.
Harry avoided his gaze. Moody was far weirder than even Dumbledore. At least Dumbledore had explained that he thought Harry was important because of the prophecy.
"Henry—Malfoy!"
....
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