A Change of Heart

Benedictus de Spinoza

Lazing nonchalantly on a velvet sofa, Draco leafed through an old book that was just barely falling apart from misery. He had his legs stretched out on the luxurious fabric, ignoring Rabastan's scowl. "That Spinoza chap was in some obscure shit," said Draco unimpressed.

"Language, Draco!" said Lucius without looking up from the newspaper he was reading.

"English!" cried Draco undisturbed, throwing the book at Harry. "Listen, Harry, in this book, 'Renatus Des Cartes Beginzelen der Philosophy, Volumes I and II ', he asserts that there is no proof of the divine, that all human influences are discernible in all religious texts."

"That sounds even less interesting than Professor Binn talking about the third Goblin war," Harry said as he flipped through a Muggle book explaining how a prism works.

Draco grinned and rolled his eyes. "Let me finish, you git! If the translations are correct, however, he states the following: 'After the geometrical way was proved by Benedictus de Spinoza the Amsterdammer. Provided that even supernatural thoughts are briefly explained, in which the gravest disputes which encounter both in general and in the particular part of supernatural sciences are briefly explained.' In other words, he connected geometry with the supernatural and claimed that with science he could explain any deviations."

Lucius folded the top of his newspaper and looked across the paper at Draco and Harry, his gray eyes glittering intelligently. "That's interesting, Draco," he said with interest. "Does this scholar speak of the supernatural in terms of religion, or do you think he had knowledge of our world?"

Harry blinked in surprise, understanding that Draco and Lucius were right: that was interesting. Until then they had assumed that the Spinoza was a muggle and had only looked for writings published in Muggle Netherlands, but it was possible that he also had an influence on the magical community.

Harry closed his eyes thoughtfully, making a twisting motion with his hand. "Assuming the Spinoza had magical bonds, perhaps was a wizard or a squib himself, what does this mean for our research?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow arrogantly and smiled affably at Harry. "That means we've been looking in the wrong place for information. I have seen several shops on Leprozengracht that deal in old documents, it is likely that the name de Spinoza can be found in one or more of these establishments."

"Lucy, don't be an ass to my son," Sirius growled as he sipped from his hot cup of tea. "It was a valid question."

Lucius sniffed loudly and looked at Harry. "It turns out that we should have looked directly in the right writings... Muggles are beneath us, their works are worth no more than the childhood photos of Harry with his Muggle aunt and uncle..." He looked at Sirius and grinned broadly, "Not existing."

Sirius cursed loudly and sent a Stinging Hex to Lucius who chuckled low at his own joke. However, the rest of those in attendance couldn't appreciate his comment, causing an eerie silence. However, Harry laughed loudly and winked at the older white-blond wizard.

"Truly wonderful how you connect my Muggle background with a snide comment about Muggles intelligence and the abuse in my youth, very clever how you played with the words."

Lucius tilted his head and looked at Harry with a look that resembled something of appreciation and pride. "One should always recognize one's past, especially when it has conquered it and raised itself from the derogatory expectations of its environment."

"That almost sounds like a compliment," Harry said in surprise.

"Good," Lucius muttered, staring again at his paper, "apparently you are indeed more Slytherin than Gryffindor."