Chương 160: 39
Chapter 39: Harry and Petunia
As Harry walked out of the Potions classroom, he looked as wilted as an eggplant hit by frost.
"Ethan, I'm really sorry. I got you into trouble," Harry said, his face flushed with embarrassment.
Professor Snape had targeted Harry, and since Harry was unable to respond effectively, Snape's ire had been redirected towards Ethan. Fortunately, Ethan's answers had been satisfactory, so no points were deducted. However, there was a minor issue involving Ethan and Hermione later, and Harry wondered if it was his fault.
"This isn't your fault; it's Snape's own issue," Ethan reassured him.
There was, however, an uncomfortable truth: sometimes one person ends up paying for another's mistakes. Harry's father had once stolen someone's childhood sweetheart, used Snape's own magic to publicly humiliate him, and exposed Snape's legs and underwear—an experience Snape would consider one of the greatest humiliations of his life.
"I don't understand why Snape has always been so hostile to me. It's like he's out for my eyes."
Harry seemed stuck in a cycle of frustration. While other professors were generally kind to him, Snape was the glaring exception.
"You could try asking your aunt about this," Ethan suggested.
Snape was known as a "freak" in the eyes of Harry's aunt Petunia. This was from when Snape was younger and Petunia had little to do with him after that, but she would certainly know what Snape thought of Lily.
"Why would I ask my aunt?" Harry questioned, confused. His aunt was just an ordinary person, and Snape was a professor at a magical school. They seemed like two worlds apart.
"If Snape had negative feelings toward you from the start, then it's likely he harbors some grudge, even if you two didn't know each other well at first."
Ethan was guiding Harry toward a realization he needed to reach. He was curious to see Harry's reaction upon learning more about Snape's background.
"Is it related to my parents?"
Harry pondered this and reached a logical conclusion. His parents were wizards and had left him a considerable inheritance. If they were alive, they'd be around Snape's age, and there could be historical animosity.
"Is that true? You can confirm it when you return home for the holidays. It's just a matter of asking."
People who understood Hogwarts would be unlikely to divulge such information to Harry. His only option was to ask his aunt.
"You know my relationship with my aunt isn't great. She wouldn't tell me anything," Harry replied, shaking his head. Since childhood, his aunt's family had treated him poorly, making him live in a cupboard, wear shabby clothes, and handle all the household chores. They were indifferent to the bullying he received from his cousin Dudley.
"Are you sure about that?" Ethan pressed.
Harry nodded firmly. His aunt's family had always been unkind, treating him differently from Dudley, which had been hard for him to accept.
"First of all, you're not your aunt's biological child, so why should she raise you? Did your family provide any financial support?"
"It costs a lot of money to raise you."
Ethan pointed out the stark reality. Harry, having grown up in the Muggle world, was aware of some of the legal and financial issues, and he knew about orphanages.
Harry's father was from the wizarding world and had no assets in the Muggle world, which meant there was no benefit for his aunt's family in raising him. It was common for people to exploit their relatives' properties, leaving the children to fend for themselves.
Harry had his own room, dined with the family, and was included in outings, which was significantly better than an orphanage. His aunt's family could be seen as relatively positive in this context.
"But they haven't treated me well!" Harry insisted.
Despite understanding some of the reasons for his aunt's behavior, the years of mistreatment were hard for him to overlook.
"You have talents they lack. This breeds jealousy. They fear you might bring trouble to the family. Given these emotions, it's surprising they didn't treat you worse. Yet, they still care for you and raise you, even with the risks."
Ethan's explanation was rooted in his own experiences. When Penny was young, she had shown magical talent, which made her sister envious. Despite the jealousy, Penny's sister still sent her to Hogwarts, indicating deep familial affection.
Later, knowing about her sister's death and the dangers of the wizarding world, Penny understood why her sister's family might have had enemies. Adopting Harry, despite the risks, showed that they still cared for their sister's legacy.
"What should I do?" Harry asked, distressed.
He was struggling to reconcile his aunt's caring nature with the years of mistreatment.
"Be clear about your feelings, and occasionally send small gifts, like Chocolate Frogs. Avoid anything magical, as they won't be able to interact with it."
"Okay! I'll think about it when I get home."
"By the way, Ethan, would you like to visit Hagrid's house with me this afternoon? He's the giant who led us to the station."
"Sure, I'm free this afternoon, so I'll go with you."
Ethan agreed eagerly. It was a great opportunity to explore more of Hogwarts and meet one of its most intriguing inhabitants.
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