51 Benefits

Hagrid uttered a statement he didn't truly believe, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment, secretly hoping no one would question him.

Beside him, the Weasley wore a knowing smile, showing no intention of intervening.

"Mr. Weasley," Hagrid addressed, his tone shifting, "I'll leave it to you. There's something pressing I must attend to, and Hogwarts requires my immediate consultation!"

With a wave to Harry, Hagrid turned away, evading Dudley's gaze until he vanished from sight.

Harry witnessed, for the first time, someone disappearing through magic right before his eyes. His face lit up with excitement as he turned to Weasley, inquiring eagerly, "Mr. Arthur, how did Hagrid do that?"

Weasley shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry, Harry. Since you're not officially enrolled at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I'm not at liberty to divulge that information. It would violate the Ministry of Magic's regulations..."

"I understand," Harry replied, his disappointment palpable.

However, Weasley reached into his pocket, retrieving a ticket, and handed it to the two children before him. "Here you go, kids. We need to get to King's Cross Station as soon as possible."

As Dudley took the ticket, Vernon's gruff voice boomed from behind him, "Curse Hogwarts, curse that magic school, and curse these tricks!"

Vernon stormed out of the dining room, shooting angry glares at Weasley before addressing him directly, "Mr. Arthur Weasley, according to your admission letter, if one fails to arrive at Hogwarts before September first, the admission offer will be extended! I won't argue about anything else, but my son Dudley clearly lacks your magical abilities. How will he make it to school on time?"

Weasley's retort was abruptly halted by a voice that seemed to catch in his throat.

After a moment of reflection, he collected himself and spoke again, each word measured, "Mr. Vernon, these documents are the latest directives from your London project team. I've already discussed this community project on your behalf... This is my personal endeavor, not an action sanctioned by the Ministry."

Harry looked on, perplexed by the exchange, while Dudley felt a sense of resignation, as if realizing he'd been inadvertently caught in the crossfire.

Penny, visibly flustered, stomped her foot in disbelief, while Weasley straightened his suit, maintaining his composure.

Vernon, without uttering a word, accepted the contract, scanned it, and nodded with approval.

Observing Vernon standing in the doorway, Weasley's expression remained stoic:

"Mr. Dursley, please listen. In response to the issue of young wizards attending Hogwarts, our Ministry of Magic has devised some solutions. In the past, in the absence of Ministry regulation, many wizards resorted to flying brooms, driving cars, or riding magical creatures to reach school. However, due to the disruptions caused, these methods were banned long ago.

The secrecy of wizardry should not continually intrude upon Muggle sight and disrupt normal life. Therefore, we have adopted a new approach, sponsored by Hogwarts and overseen by the Ministry of Magic. A magical train will transport all new students to Hogwarts."

Vernon waved his hand dismissively. The Ministry of Magic was now sponsoring his sons, Dudley and Harry, for studies at Hogwarts. While it wasn't entirely clear why Hogwarts bestowed such favorable treatment upon his family, the two contracts from the Ministry of Magic promised future benefits. Upon Dudley's graduation from the School of Magic, he could acquire a property, and sufficient funds would facilitate his academic pursuits.

In Dursley's perspective, the path to scholarly excellence involved starting from scratch, diligently studying biology, progressing from Cambridge University, advancing to graduate school, earning a doctorate, and finally becoming a postdoctoral fellow. To ensure Dudley's successful academic future and establish him as a prominent figure in British scholarly circles, Vernon deemed it necessary to lay a solid foundation.

Dudley looked at his father, surprised that he was contemplating time reserves for him even after graduation or a decade later. Examining the ticket handed over by Mr. Weasley, Dudley furrowed his brow in thought.

....

Platform 9 (3/4)

London train station.

Two figures navigated the bustling street.

Harry pushed a cart loaded with belongings, a change of clothes, and several large suitcases, topped by a cage. Within the cage, a white owl observed the surrounding crowd with curiosity.

"Dudley, I can't help but feel that Hedwig's expression seems a bit off!"