I Think I Need Two Swords

"Oh, unfortunately, I'm not," Petunia replied with a forced smile. "Wizards...not everyone can become one, even the children of wizards."

Harry kept his face expressionless and nodded. "Then please, tell me what you know about Hogwarts and wizards in general."

Petunia stammered through an explanation.

Vernon, meanwhile, had finally regained enough strength to survey the room, only to realize with a sinking feeling that his double-barreled shotgun was upstairs in the bedroom—not in the kitchen.

After more than half an hour.

Harry had listened to Petunia's lengthy account.

It described a strange and fascinating world—where wizards needed a small stick as a conduit to cast spells and were rendered powerless without it.

In the witcher's world, sorceresses sometimes used conduits for specific spells as well, but they also had spells they could cast without them.

And…

The power didn't seem all that strong.

According to Petunia's description, it seemed mostly limited to the conveniences of household chores. Then again, that could simply be the viewpoint of a housewife.

Still, it was intriguing.

To be able to freely alter the shape of external objects, even turning a piece of wood into an animal.

Magic could do that?

"The letter says I need to reply to them by owl," Harry muttered, scanning the letter. "An owl? Is that what wizards call their mail carriers?"

"Or did they actually mean…an owl that hoots?"

"The latter," Petunia replied, looking conflicted.

Harry nodded and gave a faint smile. "So, dear Aunt Petunia, do you have an owl I could borrow?"

Vernon shook his head in terror. "We're a normal family! Why on earth would we have one of those things?"

Normal…

Harry raised an eyebrow.

Were wizards seen as "outsiders" by humans here, much like witchers in his own world?

"Then I guess I'll have to figure something out myself." He got up, opened the door, and stepped outside.

Though he didn't know the mechanics of owl mail.

The traits of living creatures usually didn't vary too much.

Like… how every one of the White Wolf's horses was named Roach, just as every one of his girlfriends was a sorceress.

He stepped outside and immediately saw an owl perched on the fence, watching him intently as it turned its head to follow his movements.

"Looks like you're my mail carrier," Harry said with a small grin, extending his hand. "Would you care to come inside for a rest? A little place to relax while I write a reply?"

The owl hooted twice and hopped onto his arm.

Petunia might not have liked wizards, but Harry had to admit, she was a competent housewife.

The owl took a strong liking to the food Petunia had prepared.

With the letter sent off.

Hogwarts' response came even faster than Harry had anticipated. By afternoon, there was a loud knock at the door. Vernon went to answer it and was greeted by a giant.

"Hello, I'm Rubeus Hagrid, from Hogwarts. Uh...I'm here to help bring Harry along," the giant said, slightly bashful. But his enormous size, his appearance, and the grin he flashed nearly gave Vernon a heart attack.

"Oh, great, another freak," Vernon muttered under his breath. "Come on in."

Hagrid squeezed awkwardly into the house. Upon seeing Harry standing in the living room, his eyes softened, and he spoke in a choked-up voice, "Oh, Harry, last time I saw you, you were just a baby."

"You look a lot like your dad, and… oh, those golden-brown eyes, just like his."

"Thank you," Harry said, nodding and taking a step back.

A figure that massive was bound to feel intimidating.

Not to mention…

Harry's current body was rather frail by human standards.

Almost instinctively, he reached for his shoulder, only to find it empty—how unfortunate. Not a single sword, not even a steel one, let alone silver.

Human?

Hardly—humans couldn't grow to that size. Their bones couldn't support it.

Was he a non-human species? Like a halfling or an elf? Or perhaps a troll or giant?

"Hello, sir." Harry took a deep breath, hand poised at his waist, ready to cast a Sign if necessary. A typical witcher, even ones as strong as Geralt or Letho, couldn't usually affect such large creatures with Aard.

But he was different.

Even giants couldn't withstand the force of his Aard Sign.

"Are you a professor at Hogwarts?"

"Does Hogwarts accept non-human races as teachers?"

Hagrid bristled, quite literally; his hair fluffed up as his face turned red. "Non-human? Oh, my poor Harry, where did you get an idea like that?"

"I'm human—a regular human. Just… a bit big-boned."

"Hogwarts is a fine school. No werewolves or giants or anything of the sort there."

Is that so?

Harry kept his doubts to himself.

Hagrid took a deep breath, seemingly dismissing thoughts of "half-giant," then wedged his large body into the couch. He looked toward the Dursleys, hiding in the kitchen. "Excuse me, could I have some tea, please?"

"If it's black tea, a bit of extra milk would be nice."

Petunia immediately ducked back into the kitchen.

Hagrid turned to Harry, still standing. "Come on, sit down. Let's have a chat."

Harry hesitated, then nodded and took a seat on the other couch.

"I'm not a professor at Hogwarts. I'm the Keeper of Keys and Grounds." Hagrid brightened up, "It wasn't easy to get this job, mind you. Every other professor wanted to come fetch you."

"But I'm one of Headmaster Dumbledore's most trusted people, so he entrusted me with the task."

He puffed out his chest, clearly proud.

Harry nodded and pulled out Hogwarts' list of supplies from his pocket, laying it on the table. "How am I supposed to gather all these things for school?"

"Will you be taking me to get them, sir?"

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I don't have any money. And I doubt my aunt and uncle would be willing to pay."

From the kitchen, Vernon shouted, "I'm not paying to send him to some nutcase school to learn a bunch of nutcase nonsense!"

This pudgy uncle of his feared the power of magic.

But his mouth certainly didn't.

Despite the Aard Sign shattering a table, his mouth had emerged unscathed.

"How dare you talk about wizards like that?" Hagrid's fists clenched, his voice tinged with anger.

Harry raised a hand. "Calm down."

"In cases like mine, will Hogwarts help with these costs?"

Harry's words worked, and Hagrid gave a heavy sigh before refocusing on Harry. "Oh, no, you won't need to use their money. Muggle money is useless in the wizarding world."

"In fact, your parents—well, you know about your parents, right?"

"They left you a sizeable inheritance."

An inheritance?

Oh, that's right!

Harry suddenly remembered; how could he have overlooked something so crucial?

He turned sharply to Petunia, who was emerging from the kitchen with a teapot. "Aunt Petunia, what about the inheritance my parents left me? How much have you kept?"

Before Petunia could respond.

Hagrid jumped in, "No, no, the inheritance isn't in these Muggles' hands. Professor Dumbledore wouldn't have trusted them with it."

"He's been safeguarding it for you."