Chapter -23 Beating the shit out.

Chapter 23:

Dudley was taken by surprise when Hagrid ambushed him. By the time he realized what was happening and tried to dodge, it was already too late.

While he managed to avoid a direct hit, he wasn't entirely in the clear.

The bright red beam still connected with him, landing squarely on his sturdy backside.

Stereotypes can be dangerous.

It's important not to judge someone's actions based solely on how they are depicted in stories, as real life can often be quite different.

Take Hagrid, for instance, the very one who surprised Dudley.

In Dudley's mind, Hagrid was a kind and somewhat vulnerable man, and after he successfully knocked Hagrid's wand away, he didn't see the need to do anything more.

Have you ever thought about elephants? In movies, they often seem gentle and very intelligent, right?

However, in reality, when these majestic creatures get agitated during mating season, it can be extremely frightening. They can attack without any provocation. Sadly, many people have been harmed or killed by elephants in such frenzies; they are capable of picking someone up with their long trunks and slamming them to the ground with great force.

So, please don't say things like, "You didn't provoke them, why would they attack you?" Or, "As long as you avoid their mating season, you'll be fine." That's just silly, similar to claiming that bullying doesn't happen unless both parties are involved, because most people can't tell when an elephant is in heat.

This analogy might not be perfect, but Hagrid is very straightforward—so simple, in fact, that he might act unpredictably without even realizing it.

That's the first lesson reality teaches Dudley.

Humans are intricate beings.

At certain times and in certain places, they can behave in unforeseen ways.

Don't gauge another person's potential threat based solely on your previous impressions.

Suddenly, Dudley's pants ripped open, and a curly, slender pig's tail started sprouting rapidly from the base of his spine.

It wiggled comically from his backside.

There was no doubt about it; he had been hit by a transformation spell.

Luckily, it was an incomplete and imperfect spell; otherwise, he would have transformed entirely into a pig.

"Oh my God!"

Petunia and Vernon screamed in unison, and Harry noticed his aunt swaying as if she were about to faint, so he rushed to support her.

'No wizard ethics?' 

Seeing that little pig's tail made Dudley's pupils dilate, his cheeks turned bright red, and his heart raced. Energy surged through him, filling him with a mix of rage and fear. 

It wasn't just anger; he was also terrified!

He was furious about the ambush and frightened about nearly turning into a pig.

Having read many books on magic, Dudley understood that transformation spells are a risky branch of magic, capable of causing lasting damage to the caster. Some wizards have even met tragic ends due to animal transformations gone wrong.

It is crucial for any spellcaster to approach spells with respect.

Dudley didn't know how to brew the antidote for the transformation spell.

He wouldn't ask the other party for help either.

He wanted to remember this incident physically, to keep himself alert for what was to come. 

This wasn't a fairy tale world from kids' books; this was reality, where 'when people are killed, they die!'

Consequently, Dudley took an unexpected course of action.

He shouted loudly, grabbing that wriggling tail with a surge of determination, and with all his strength, he yanked it. Blood gushed from his backside, streaming down his thighs and staining most of his pants. 

The tail, along with a chunk of flesh, came off in one swift pull, and he gulped down that bloody piece along with the tail.

This shocking act left the Dursleys and Harry in stunned silence, and even Hagrid was taken aback; they hadn't anticipated Dudley would react so intensely.

For a moment, the room was eerily quiet.

The only sound was the crackling of the dimly lit fireplace, casting flickering shadows on Dudley's face. His once round cheeks turned angular, with veins bulging like coiling dragons.

In the dim light, his eyes bulged wide, glowing faintly like a cat's, while his half-open mouth revealed two rows of white teeth streaked with blood, a thin mist escaping from between them, making everyone shiver with fear.

He looked like a malevolent spirit rising from the depths of darkness.  

Harry suddenly felt a chill; he had seen this side of Dudley only once before, on the night he rescued himself from human traffickers.  

That version of Dudley had returned.  

He was feared by countless thugs, a lasting nightmare for all human traffickers in Surrey.  

Ghostly Dudley!  

Harry could tell Dudley was genuinely enraged now.  

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."  

Hagrid waved his arms excitedly, momentarily forgetting his shoulder injury. 

He didn't even understand why he had acted so impulsively against Dudley; he just wanted to teach him a lesson for interfering while he tried to take Harry and fulfill Dumbledore's task. 

He never expected it would lead to Dudley getting hurt.  

Maybe it was just a spontaneous reaction, but that didn't matter now.  

In the blink of an eye, Dudley moved with astonishing speed; Vernon and Petunia only noticed a rush of wind as Dudley closed in on Hagrid.

He threw a powerful punch at Hagrid's chest!  

LV3 Punch!  

Caught off guard, Hagrid was knocked to the ground by Dudley's unexpected strike.  

It felt like a little mountain had collapsed, causing the modest house to shake violently.  

Dudley quickly stepped back after delivering his blow.  

Given that Hagrid was a half-blood giant, his physicality was shockingly resilient.  

Despite Dudley's full-powered punch, which was enhanced by his skills, Hagrid only managed to sit down, while Dudley's right fist throbbed painfully, as if he had struck a steel plate.  

He was confident that he could knock out an ordinary person with just one hit.  

But Dudley wasn't finished yet.  

As Hagrid began to get up, Dudley's low, ominous voice cut through the air.  

"Are you ready? Here I come again!"  

The menacing tone startled Hagrid, and a sharp pain shot through his right hand, causing him to drop the small red umbrella.  

This time, Dudley didn't let it fall to the ground; he snatched it up and tossed it away effortlessly.  

First, I'll take away your wand.  

Without those troublesome spells, we can really have some fun!

Dudley's ghostly eyes sparkled with excitement.  

Let the battle begin!

Note : Guys, some power stones will be really helpful.

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