Chương 694: Chapter 691: To Change or Not (Edited)
"Knock, knock, knock."
There was a knock on the door, and the Dursleys were so frightened that they all trembled.
Harry didn't have time to scare them any further. He walked towards the door and hurried to open it for Dumbledore and Fish.
Petunia opened her mouth to stop Harry, but in the end, she couldn't say anything as she watched him welcome Dumbledore with a tiger-spotted cat.
"Harry, good evening nya!"
(≧≦)
Fish jumped off Dumbledore's shoulder, cheerfully greeted Harry, and then looked with his big green eyes at the living room couch.
"Nya?"
Fish tilted his head, curiously observing the cowering Dursleys on the couch.
Then...
"Ha~!"
(`Д´)
"Aaaaaaahhhhhh-!"
"Don't hit me! Don't hit me!"
"We're not bullying Harry anymore!"
The trio shouted, clutching their heads in fear.
"Nyahaha!"
(`▽´)
Fish, having achieved his mischief, crossed his arms and burst into laughter.
"Fish..." Dumbledore chuckled and patted Fish's back, then looked at the Dursleys and apologized for Fish. "I'm sorry, the boy is a bit mischievous, but don't worry, he was just scaring you, he won't do anything."
However, the Dursleys wouldn't believe a single letter of Dumbledore's words, as Vernon had been hit to death by a previous Fish.
Dumbledore didn't care what they thought, as he closed the door behind him and headed to the living room.
"It has been a long time since I was last here," he said as he walked. "I must admit, your Hyacinths are in full bloom."
Vernon didn't say a word. He had finally regained some nerves after confirming that Fish wouldn't do anything, and he stood up from the couch, then positioned himself in front of Petunia and Dudley with a cautious look... which was probably the only good thing going for him.
"Ah, good evening, Harry." Dumbledore barely remembered to greet Harry, he looked at him from behind the half-moon spectacles with a satisfied expression on his face. "Excellent, excellent."
"Good evening, Professor," asked Harry excitedly, "Are we leaving now?"
"Of course," Dumbledore nodded, "as long as your bags are packed." He looked towards the couch and let out a soft chuckle. "Your aunt and uncle don't seem to be welcoming us."
Harry shrugged.
"Just a moment, please, my bags were already packed!" He raced up the stairs at full speed and soon was back inside the living room with his trunk and Hedwig's cage.
When he returned to the living room, he found that Fish had found all of Dudley's snacks and was going to replace them with magical treats from the wizarding world.
Fish's choice of snacks was a bit problematic, so when he handed over a pile of cockroaches, even Dudley, who always loved to eat, was screaming, and Petunia's screams shattered the glass.
"Don't you like them nya?"
(?ω?)
Fish scratched his head in confusion, and then he swapped the pile of cockroaches he had in his hand for a Chocolate Frog...
Petunia Dursley: "YAAHHHHH~!!!"
Fish, finding it amusing, pulled out another Ice Mouse from his pocket.
Fish: (?ω?)
Next, Fish proceeded to produce a series of moving snacks, including Beehive candies, Milky Coffee Flies, Jelly Slugs, and Peppermint Toads, which succeeded in scaring the Dursley family to the point where Petunia screamed so much that she lost her voice.
"Ahem... Professor, I'm ready," Harry suppressed a smile and said, "Also, Fish, I think it would be appropriate for you to switch Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans with Dudley."
He also had a bad taste in his mouth, not to mention the possibility that the peculiar-tasting snack that Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and Pepper Imps might make people breathe fire through their ears.
And it was evident that Dumbledore knew, but he merely observed with a smile on his face.
Fish scratched his head again. "Is that so?"
(?ω?)
So he did as Harry had suggested and pulled out a large box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and three cans of Pepper Imps, pushing them in front of Dudley and grabbing a few of each snack for himself, stuffing them into his own magical pocket.
Dudley cautiously looked at the magical snacks in front of him, but due to his experience with Tongue-Tying Toffee, he didn't dare to grab them, and he was too angry to say anything about Fish's assault on his snacks.
"Very well." Dumbledore stood up. "Then we should bid farewell."
He led Harry and Fish to the front door, using a spell to transport their luggage and Hedwig to the Black family's house first.
"By the way, one last thing," he said to the surprised Desiree family. "As you surely know, Harry will come of age in a year..."
"No, he's not of age yet," Petunia bravely replied. "He's a month younger than Dudley, who won't turn eighteen until the following year."
"Ah," Dumbledore kindly said, "but in the magical world, one becomes an adult when they turn seventeen."
Vernon muttered "ridiculous," but Dumbledore ignored him.
"I left him on your doorstep fifteen years ago, with a letter explaining that his parents had been murdered and hoping you would care for him as if he were your own son."
Dumbledore paused, and though his voice remained relaxed and calm, and his face showed no trace of anger, a tangible chill emanated from him that made the Dursleys huddle closer together.
"You have not done as I asked. You have never treated Harry as your own son. In your hands, all he received was neglect and constant abuse. Unfortunately for him, at least he was spared the terrible harm you inflicted upon the unfortunate boy who sat between you."
Petunia and Vernon instinctively looked away, as if expecting to see someone other than Dudley huddled between them.
"We abused Dudley? Is that what you're saying...?" Vernon said angrily.
But Dumbledore raised a hand for silence, and the room fell silent as if he had rendered Vernon mute.
"The spell I cast fifteen years ago meant that Harry would have strong protection as long as he could call this place home. However wretched, inconvenient, and mistreated he may have been here, he was reluctantly given a place to stay. When Harry turns seventeen, that is, when he becomes a man, the spell will expire."
He briefly explained to the Dursleys and Harry why he stayed here, and then said, straightforwardly but without question, "All I ask is that you allow Harry to return to this house again before he turns seventeen, ensuring that the protective power lasts until then."
None of the Dursleys said anything. Dudley furrowed his brow slightly, as if wondering what abuse he had been subjected to. Vernon seemed to have something stuck in his throat. Petunia, on the other hand, inexplicably blushed.
"Well," Dumbledore said, gently nodding at the Dursleys, "until next time." Then, putting on his hat, Dumbledore briskly walked towards the door.
And judging by Vernon's gaze, he hoped never to see them again.
"Goodbye." Harry quickly bid farewell to the Dursleys and followed them to the exit.
"Goodbye nya!"
(ΦωΦ)
Fish politely returned their farewell.
But as soon as Fish raised his hand, the three of them huddled back together.
The three walked out through the Dursleys' front door and ventured into the misty street.
"Well, Fish and Harry, let's go out into the night and chase after that frivolous and enticing adventure."
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