23 The Sea Of Letters

Inside the restaurant of their home, Petunia spoke to Dudley while sitting in front of the fireplace.

"Alright, Dudley, hurry up and have breakfast. It's not early, and after breakfast, I've scheduled a visit to some prestigious private junior high schools in London with your father. You need to make your choice. I'm sure there's one you'll like."

Penny got up, ready to let Dudley come over. She had made an appointment for a visit to the Royal Junior High School in London, and the spots at these prestigious schools were in high demand.

However, Penny sensed something unusual. A strange rustling sound came from behind. Vernon, sitting nearby, also looked at Harry suspiciously and asked, "Harry, did you hear something?"

Harry, with a mouthful of cookies, replied with a muffled voice, "I didn't hear anything, Uncle Vernon."

For Harry, the cookies in his mouth seemed to be of greater importance than the strange noises.

The rustling sound grew louder, and Dudley turned his body to see the fireplace not far away. It appeared that the noise was coming from the chimney. Then, out of the blue, a letter flew out of the fireplace, followed by a deluge of white envelopes.

Letters addressed to "Mr. Harry Potter" filled the living room in an instant, as they rained down from the sky, one after another.

Amidst the family's shock, Harry displayed an ecstatic expression. "Letters! These are my letters! They're all addressed to me!" Harry joyfully danced amidst the sea of envelopes.

Penny sat on the sofa with vacant eyes, muttering to herself, "They've found us..."

Vernon was bewildered, his round cheeks tightened, and his hand on the table slowly clenched into a fist.

Dudley, however, was more thoughtful. He glanced out the window, contemplating the situation. After all, this was their home.

In London, in July, at 4 Privet Road in the Little Whinging district of Surrey, darkness had fully descended. Vernon and Penny sat at the dining table. On the table, grilled meat sandwiches and pineapple soup were set, filling the room with their enticing aroma. But neither of the two seated there had any appetite to eat.

"What do you make of what happened this morning, Penny?" Vernon's voice was subdued, and he was clearly in a foul mood. The Dursleys had only recently managed to find peace, and now these "peculiar" events were unfolding before them.

Penny glanced at her husband and replied with a complex expression on her face.

Vernon hesitated, his emotions in turmoil, and he pondered his next course of action. The corner of his mouth twitched as he glanced at his wife, then back at the locked door of the utility room under the stairs. He gritted his teeth and finally spoke up.

"Penny, listen! I can't bear it any longer!"

Penny looked up, her expression a mix of surprise and disbelief, as she questioned, "Get rid of Harry? You can't be serious, Vernon?"

Vernon took a deep breath and met his wife's gaze, attempting to explain his perspective, "Listen, Penny, I understand that such a request may seem extreme, but please, try to understand that we're a family, and my primary responsibility is to maintain 'harmony' within our family. I can tolerate your 'unusual' relatives, even if they are so poor that they look down on me. I can even accept adopting Harry and taking care of him. That's not the issue. But it all has to be to ensure that our family can live a normal life. Penny, we're a family, and it's not just us, but also our son Dudley. He's a biological prodigy, a future intellectual in the Dursley family, and he should not be disturbed by forces beyond our control. Do you understand? I'm doing this for his sake."

Vernon's flesh quivered with emotion, and his eyes shone with determination. However, as if Penny had remembered something important, her tone changed, and she raised a counterargument.

"Vernon, you have to listen to me on this. Sending Harry to an orphanage or something is absolutely not an option."

Vernon slammed his hand on the table, expressing his shock and frustration, "Penny, are you serious?"

Penny interrupted Vernon's argument, saying, "Vernon, I understand what you mean, and that's precisely why we can't remove Harry from the picture. It's for Dudley's sake. We can't let Harry go."

"What do you mean?" Vernon inquired, now paying closer attention, sensing that something unusual was happening.

Penny gazed at her husband, and after a moment of contemplation, she finally made a decision, "I told you before we got married that my sister is a witch. When she was eleven, our family received an acceptance letter from 'Hogwarts'."

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