章 124: 0124 Photo
The interior decoration of the house was worthy of its magnificent and luxurious appearance. Every piece of mahogany floor in the spacious living room was shiny and new, as if it had been wiped with a stain remover. A large chandelier made of thousands of pure crystals hung from the fifty-foot-high ceiling, emitting a dazzling brilliance under the sunlight that entered the room through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The walls were adorned with exquisite paintings and sculptures, displaying the refined taste and wealth of the owner. The furniture was elegant and comfortable, inviting the guests to sit and relax.
The mansion steward Lawrence led the terrified Dursley family to the right side of the living room, bypassing a few bends and stopping in front of an elevator hall. Vertical elevators are usually only found in Muggle malls and high-rise office buildings. The fact that there was an elevator in this building surprised even Harry, who thought that Uncle Vernon's boss must be a very rich guy.
"Sorry, Vernon–"
The elevator dinged and stopped on the third floor. After they got out of the elevator car, the mansion steward Lawrence turned his head and looked at the Dursleys, who only showed flattering smiles, and apologized. His voice was polite but distant, as if he was used to dealing with all kinds of guests. He wore a neat suit and a badge with his name and position on his chest. He had a thin face and a pair of glasses that made him look smart and serious.
"Mr. Watson is currently undergoing treatment. According to the doctor's instructions, he will be able to see you in about an hour. Can I trouble you to wait in the reception room for a while?"
"Of course not, Mr. Lawrence!"
Uncle Vernon nodded repeatedly. "We'll follow your arrangements!"
He tried to sound confident and friendly, but his voice betrayed his nervousness and anxiety. He hoped that Mr. Watson would be in a good mood and appreciate his visit.
After several young maids served them tea and closed the door of the reception room, there was a sigh of relief in the elegantly decorated reception room. Uncle Vernon, who had been holding his big belly for a long time, collapsed on the soft sofa. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and took a deep breath. He felt like he had just escaped a dangerous situation. He looked around the reception room, admiring the expensive ornaments and the cozy atmosphere. He felt a surge of pride and envy. He wished he could live in such a place someday.
"This house is really luxurious, Vernon!"
Aunt Petunia's voice trembled with excitement. She was sitting next to Uncle Vernon, holding his hand and smiling brightly. She was wearing a new dress and a pearl necklace that she had bought specially for this occasion. She wanted to impress Mr. Watson and his family with her appearance and manners. She also wanted to show off to her friends and neighbors later. She imagined their jealous and admiring faces, and felt a thrill of satisfaction.
"I dare say, if Yvonne knew I had been a guest in such a magnificent mansion, she would be jealous to death."
Harry raised his eyelids. Yvonne was Aunt Petunia's good friend. They both loved to gossip about their neighbors. They often exchanged phone calls and visited each other's houses, pretending to be friendly and caring, but secretly competing and criticizing. Harry hated them both.
"Mr. Watson inherited this mansion and the drilling company from his father–"
Uncle Vernon said to Aunt Petunia and Dudley.
"He was only in his early twenties at the time, and everyone looked down on him. They thought he would ruin the company, which was already in a bad situation. But who would have thought that he would lead the company out of the mud with his own intelligence and diligence–"
Actually, Uncle Vernon had said these things countless times at home, and even Harry knew them by heart. But Uncle Vernon never got tired of telling them over and over again. He admired Mr. Watson as his idol and wanted to be like him, successful and powerful.
"He's really admirable–how did I do, Mom and Dad?"
Dudley stood up and tried to smooth out the wrinkles on his stomach, but after a few attempts, he knew he was wasting his time. He raised his head and showed a 'disgusting' smile, looking at his parents. He was wearing a suit that was too tight and too small for him, making him look like a stuffed sausage. He had practiced his speech and his gestures in front of the mirror for hours, hoping to impress Mr. Watson.
"Great, my darling!"
Aunt Petunia immediately got up and hugged Dudley's arm, proud tears in her eyes. She kissed his cheek and stroked his hair, as if he had just won a Nobel Prize. She thought that Dudley was the most wonderful and handsome boy in the world. She loved him more than anything else. She spoiled him and pampered him, giving him everything he wanted and more.
"Not a bit rude, a standard little gentleman!"
"Just like his dad, who's seen a lot of big scenes!"
Uncle Vernon also chuckled. He patted Dudley's shoulder and winked at him, as if they were sharing a secret. He thought that Dudley was the most talented and promising boy in the world. He believed that he would follow his footsteps, and that he would be successful more than him someday.
Dudley proudly shook his chin. He looked at Harry, who was sitting there silently and expressionlessly, and a malicious light flashed in his small eyes.
"Oh, but I think we have someone here who seems to be scared silly, don't we!"
"Even if I were scared silly-!"
Harry, who immediately understood who Dudley was talking about, said angrily. He saw that the Dursleys seemed ready to scold him, so he preempted dudley by saying quickly.
"You told me many times yesterday that without your permission, I'm not allowed to move around or say a word!"
"Fine, boy, you have some memory!"
Uncle Vernon gasped, muttered, but then his tone became arrogant again.
"You know what to do when you meet Mr. Watson, don't you?"
"Yes." Harry said sullenly. "Observe Mr. Watson's physical condition carefully, and listen carefully when you ask him about his health in a clever way."
"Good."
Uncle Vernon gulped down the black tea in the exquisite teacup, nodded satisfactorily. He felt the warm liquid soothe his throat and calm his nerves. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time, and he didn't want to miss his chance. He leaned forward and whispered to Harry, who was sitting across from him,
"After the meeting, I'll tell Mr. Watson's steward that we have a friend who is very good at dealing with this kind of disease. Everyone knows that this disease is incurable, but Lawrence is desperate now. As long as you promise him that you can come up with a way to make Mr. Watson feel a little better, he will persuade Mr. Watson to try!"
When Uncle Vernon told him his specific request yesterday, the first thing that came to Harry's mind was the stimulant potion. It was safe and harmless, and very common in the wizarding world. It could boost the energy and mood of the drinker, and make them feel more alert and lively. It was not a cure, but it could at least give Mr. Watson some temporary relief.
Harry believed that if he sent a letter to Ron, he could easily get him a large jar. Ron was his best friend, and he knew that he would help him without hesitation.
Of course, the biggest problem was still whether giving a wizard's potion to an unsuspecting Muggle would violate the wizard's secrecy law, and how serious the situation was. Harry had learned from his school, Hogwarts, that there were strict rules and regulations about the use of magic in the Muggle world, and that there were severe consequences for breaking them.
On the way here, Harry was still thinking about these questions. According to his guess, this should not be a very serious offense. Think about it, how many Muggle-born wizards are there in the wizarding world now? Those wizards have Muggle relatives, and what if their relatives have some problems that Muggle hospitals are not good at treating? They would probably resort to magic.
Harry remembered that Hermione, his other best friend, was a Muggle-born, and that she had once told him that she had used magic to fix her parents' teeth. She had said that it was a minor thing, and that no one would notice or care. Harry hoped that she was right, and that he could do the same thing for Mr. Watson.
What helped him decide to do this without fear of punishment was also another thing. That was when he started his second year, because Dobby, the house-elf who wanted to stop him from going back to Hogwarts, blocked the platform nine and three-quarters, he and Ron missed the Hogwarts Express.
They had no choice but to drive Mr. Weasley's modified car to Hogwarts. The car was a blue Ford Anglia, and it had been enchanted by Mr. Weasley to fly and become invisible. It was a clear violation of the wizard's secrecy law, and it had caused a lot of trouble and commotion. Harry and Ron had been seen by several Muggles, and they had crashed into a giant tree called the Whomping Willow, which had attacked them and the car. They had been lucky to escape with their lives, and they had been scolded and punished by the school and the Ministry.
Harry learned an important lesson from that adventure. He discovered that Mr. Weasley, who was supposed to enforce the law against tampering with Muggle things, was actually fascinated by Muggle inventions and culture. He even had a collection of Muggle gadgets and books that he kept hidden. This made Harry realize that the wizarding world was not as strict and uniform as it seemed. There were probably many wizards who had their own hobbies, passions, and quirks that broke the wizarding laws in private, as long as they did not harm anyone, no one will care about such things.
"Oh, come and look at this picture, Petunia and Dudley!"
Waiting was always long and boring. Uncle Vernon, who had nothing to do, looked at the commemorative photos hanging on the walls of the reception room. He stopped in front of a black and white photo at the door and pointed at it.
It was a group photo of Mr. Watson and his employees, taken many years ago, when he had just taken over the company. They were all smiling and posing in front of a large sign that read "Grunnings Drilling Company".
Vernon was among them, standing next to Mr. Watson, looking young and happy. He felt a surge of nostalgia and pride, as he remembered the good old days, when he had joined the company as a junior manager, and when he had met Mr. Watson for the first time.
"This is a group photo of Mr. Watson and everyone when he just took over the company. He was handsome and charming, and many girls in the company admired him. Ah, I was so thin then, less than two hundred pounds!"
He chuckled and rubbed his belly, as if he was trying to make it smaller.
'Yeah, just more than twice my weight–'
Harry looked at Uncle Vernon's fat body and nodded sympathetically. He felt sorry for him, but not in a good way.
The Dursley's house was full of Dudley's pictures, but there were very few of them as a couple, and they were basically in their bedroom. That place and Dudley's bedroom were absolutely forbidden for Harry to enter. Before he went to Hogwarts, those two rooms were cleaned by Aunt Petunia herself. She had never let Harry touch anything that belonged to her or her son, and she had always kept them away from him.
Looking at the three people who were talking enthusiastically in front of the picture, Harry, who was sitting quietly in his chair, also felt a bit curious.
As Harry wondered if Uncle Vernon was really a little thinner than a whale when he was young, the door of the reception room opened quietly. The old steward who had led them before appeared again, but there was a deep worry on his brow.
"Mr. Watson is very tired, Vernon. It's best to keep the meeting time within ten minutes."
Uncle Vernon nodded and bowed, and as soon as the old steward left the reception room, he turned his head and gestured for Harry to follow him. He gave him a stern and menacing look, as if he was warning him to behave.
"Come on, boy, this place is huge. If you get lost, you might starve to death before the staff here find you!" he snapped.
Harry wished he could take the Dursleys to Hogwarts for a tour, so that they could see what a magnificent castle it was. He got up slowly and walked towards the door with a gloomy face. As he passed the picture that Uncle Vernon had mentioned earlier, he glanced at it curiously.
Clang!
Harry gasped, ignoring the bump on his forehead from hitting something, and stared at the man in the middle of the picture, muttering incredulously.
"Professor Watson?!"
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Author's Note: I think there must be a stimulant potion in wizarding world like energy drink but there must be also some which are good for health; Like some potions maybe used by St.mungos hospital regularly to energize the patients. I dont have much knowledge about the medicines so these are just theories.
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