The start of school
The pillow fight carried a playful element, so Dudley didn't call for help, simply letting Harry give him a good beating with the pillow.
For some reason, after that night, Dudley became Harry's follower.
In the month leading up to the start of school, Dudley treated Harry as if he were a completely different person.
Only Harry knew the truth: part of it was that Dudley was somewhat afraid of his magic, but the bigger reason was Harry's promise to bring him some magical snacks the next time he returned home.
Seeing Dudley's chubby figure, Harry thought it might be necessary to give him some weight-loss potions.
The £750 Harry had obtained from the Dursleys was spent entirely on Muggle snacks, with a particular focus on Coca-Cola.
Who knew how much he had longed for a sip of the fizzy drink during the Victorian era?
Given the purchasing power of the pound, Harry took the Knight Bus to Diagon Alley once again and bought a suitcase with an Undetectable Extension Charm.
He packed all the Muggle snacks into the suitcase and, seeing there was still space left, stuffed in his books and clothes as well.
This suitcase cost him thirty Galleons.
As the saying goes, you get what you pay for, and Harry was very satisfied with the suitcase.
A month flew by, and soon it was time for school to begin.
Since Dudley was also starting at Smeltings Academy, the Dursleys drove to London to drop him off.
"I've always been curious—where did you get wizard money?" Uncle Vernon suddenly asked as they drove.
"It's the inheritance my parents left me, stored in Gringotts," Harry replied.
The car screeched to a sudden halt, nearly causing Harry to hit the seat in front of him.
Through the rearview mirror hanging in the car, Harry saw Uncle Vernon's face darken.
Was he upset about not being paid for raising him? Harry wondered, then blurted out, "I know I have money now. I can pay for all the years you've looked after me…"
"You're just like your father, Potter!" Uncle Vernon turned his fat body around in his seat, glaring at Harry. "He was arrogant and conceited—"
"My father wasn't conceited, and neither am I. If you don't mind, could you pull over?" Harry interrupted, defending his father.
Uncle Vernon snorted coldly and pulled the car to the side of the road.
Turning to Harry again, he yelled, "Listen, boy! I don't care how much pure gold you have stored in that blasted Gringotts! I love Petunia—I love her more than anything! If it weren't for her, do you think I'd have let a freak like you into my house?"
"You know about Gringotts?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow, realizing Uncle Vernon had reacted so strongly because of its mention.
Uncle Vernon's face turned purple again, his mustache trembling as he roared, "Gringotts? Of course, I know Gringotts! When I met your father in a restaurant, Petunia told me he didn't have a job. I even considered offering him a position at my company, despite his lack of recognized qualifications! I even thought of funding him, but your father—"
"Vernon! Oh my, Vernon!" Aunt Petunia, seated in the front passenger seat, clutched her collar as if she couldn't catch her breath.
"Like father, like son! The station is here. You can get out!" Uncle Vernon fumed.
Harry looked up and saw that they had indeed arrived at King's Cross Station.
"Sorry," Harry said with a smile to the Dursleys, then turned to Dudley. "I'll be off now."
"Don't forget your promise," Dudley mouthed silently.
Harry nodded, retrieved his suitcase from the trunk, extended its handle, and walked away.
That was the grudge of the previous generation and had nothing to do with him. No need for mental gymnastics over it.
"Nine and three-quarters…" Harry muttered as he walked into the station, dragging his suitcase.
Since it wasn't his first time entering the platform, Harry wasn't in a hurry. He leisurely strolled with his suitcase, calm and relaxed, waiting until the red-haired family in front of him entered before stepping onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters himself.
The smoke from the steam engine swirled above the crowd. Cats of various colors darted around people's feet, accompanied by the cacophony of chatter and the occasional hoot of owls, creating a symphony of back-to-school excitement.
It was very wizardly and had a distinct magical atmosphere.
Since it was close to departure time, the first few compartments were already crowded with students. Some leaned out of the windows to chat with their families, others were playing games, and some quietly snacked on treats in their seats.
Harry even spotted a chocolate frog leaping out of an open window, much to the dismay of its owner.
In one of the rear compartments, Harry found an empty space. After storing his suitcase, he encountered a pair of identical red-haired twins.
"You're… Harry Potter?" the one on the left asked, his face lighting up with excitement.
Before Harry could answer, a woman's voice called from outside.
"Fred, George, are you on the train?"
"Coming, Mum!" The twins hastily said goodbye to Harry and ran off.
Harry leaned against the seat, gazing absentmindedly at the crowd outside.
He could still hear the twins' mother scolding them: "That poor boy isn't a zoo animal for you to gawk at!—Fred, George!"
As her voice faded, Harry lost interest in eavesdropping, settling into a comfortable position on the seat.
Meanwhile, the twins' mother continued to reprimand them on the platform.
"I don't want you asking him about his scar! Don't make him think of that on his first day! All the wizards celebrated the day he got that scar and defeated You-Know-Who, but for him, it was the day he lost his parents—oh, the poor child…"
"Alright, don't get mad," said one of the twins. "We get it."
The whistle blew.
"Alright, children, time to say goodbye," the woman said with a smile, kissing each child on the forehead. "Get on the train, Ronny dear—and you two, don't make me receive another complaint from a professor about your pranks!"
The last remark was directed at the twins.
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