Chapter 171: Harry, These Prank Items Are Better Than Magic
"Good thing this is a Muggle community. Unlike other places, homeless wizards can just move into any empty house they find."
After hiding the last safe house, Dylan leisurely strolled along. After a short walk, he arrived at Number 4, Privet Drive.
Since it was Harry's birthday, Dylan had specifically chosen this time to inspect this house of his.
His purpose was to celebrate Harry's birthday.
It definitely wasn't because he had previously promised Harry he would call him early, but every time he remembered, he'd say "two more days."
However, "tomorrow and tomorrow," and time kept getting delayed by Dylan.
Resulting in over a month slipping by in the blink of an eye for Dylan.
This time, Dylan remembered that he still had a safe house to inspect, thanks to a letter Ron had sent him not long ago.
It said that Ron wanted to invite Dylan to the Burrow again.
And at the end, he asked Dylan if he had called Harry.
Clearly, Ron had also forgotten about it as soon as the holidays started.
Dylan wrote back, saying he would directly visit Harry on July 31st and, while there, give him a birthday present.
He hadn't called before purely because he wanted to give Harry a surprise.
Dylan also specified in the letter that if Ron wanted to contact Harry, he shouldn't mention him in calls or letters.
Lest he ruin the surprise he had prepared for Harry.
In reality, there was no surprise at all.
It was purely an excuse he fabricated.
But then again, Harry was just a little kid now.
A simple excuse would suffice to appease him.
Ron didn't write back to him, and Dylan didn't know what that meant.
"Knock knock."
Dylan knocked on the door.
He didn't ring the doorbell.
There was a layer of slippery, suspicious substance on the doorbell that looked frightening, completely discouraging any thought of pressing it.
He waited for a while.
No one came to open the door.
Dylan then knocked on the door again, loudly.
Only then did he hear movement inside.
The door slowly opened.
A portly, obese man appeared at the doorway—it was Vernon Dursley.
He was frowning, looking at Dylan with an impatient expression, and asked gruffly, "Who are you?"
Dylan blinked. "Hello, could you please tell Harry that his classmate is here to see him?"
Vernon, upon hearing the name "Harry," paused for a moment.
When he realized what was happening, his face immediately darkened, like a wild dog whose tail had been stepped on, practically jumping in agitation.
"There's no one named Harry Potter here! Get lost! Don't let me see you again!"
Bang!
No sooner had Vernon finished speaking than the door was slammed shut.
Dylan looked at the closed door, then at the scattered people around who had been drawn to the commotion.
What kind of hellish life was Harry living?
Whether it was from reading books, watching movies, or listening to Harry himself describe the bizarre stories about the Dursleys.
Dylan had prepared himself mentally, yet he still didn't expect that merely hearing Harry's name would turn the man into a barking mad dog.
He wasn't even willing to perfunctorily send him away?
What exactly had he done to be so guilty?
Narrowing his eyes.
Dylan's gaze flickered, just about to cast a spell nonverbally and wandlessly.
Suddenly, there was a commotion inside the door.
Dylan heard Harry's angry voice, and Vernon's roar.
The next moment, the lock clicked.
The door was pushed open again.
Harry appeared, his face alight with surprise.
"I just passed by and heard your voice, I thought I misheard! Dylan, why are you here?"
Dylan looked at the excited smile on Harry's face, then his gaze swept through the crack in the door to the furious fat man inside.
He gradually curled his lips, his gaze calm, and pulled out a gift from his satchel.
"Happy Birthday, Harry. This is my gift for you."
Dylan placed a marble-sized blue crystal gem in Harry's hand.
"Wow! Such a beautiful crystal!" Harry blinked, saying with some surprise.
Dylan smiled slightly: "Remember to keep it on you. I made it with special ancient runes. If you encounter anything unlucky, it might just bring you a turning point."
Actually, this gem could be considered a Mind-Guarding Stone.
It was also a small idea Dylan had while researching how to summon a Patronus.
Although he still hadn't successfully mastered the Patronus Charm, Dylan, combining his existing magical knowledge, was able to transform a gem into a guardian stone capable of calming the mind.
The gem in Harry's hand was exactly that.
He had not only incorporated calming and steadying charms into it but also inscribed some protective charms.
This sapphire could not only ensure that Harry could mitigate the negative effects of Dementors when facing them but could also directly help Harry resist some lower-level spells.
It wasn't about instantly conjuring a shield to directly withstand attacks.
Instead, it would guide spells that weren't excessively powerful, and when they were about to hit Harry, it would help Harry to subtly shift his position, causing the spell to deflect.
If you can't block a spell, can't you at least dodge it?
After all, the gem was only so big, and the magic Dylan could imbue into it could never be infinite.
So, rather than directly withstand attacks, it was better to help Harry make small deflections, causing the spells to miss entirely.
This could give Harry a helping hand in crucial moments.
However, against threats like a horde of Inferi, it would naturally be useless... or rather, ineffective.
And most crucially, Dylan had also made this gem into a Portkey.
After all, his appearance had already caused many effects. Would it trigger some yin-yang balance law of the world, leading to Voldemort suddenly gaining strength and outright killing Harry?
This was something Dylan couldn't be certain of.
In the original plot, Dylan naturally believed Harry would be fine, but outside the plot, what might happen was unknown.
Therefore, if Harry truly encountered an accident, this Portkey could also help Harry return directly to a safe house Dylan had set up.
As a restriction, Dylan had added a condition to this Portkey:
It could only be activated when Harry was close to death.
This was also a small cleverness on Dylan's part.
As for whether Dumbledore and the others would discover and notice the gem he gave Harry.
—Dylan believed that even if they did, they wouldn't say anything.
In fact, Harry might even have a Portkey secretly hidden on him by Dumbledore and the others, without Harry himself even knowing.
"I'll keep it close to me, thank you, Dylan. You're the first person to personally give me a birthday present!"
Harry carefully took the sapphire with both hands, then held it in his palm.
Dylan saw Vernon furtively staring at Harry's back from behind the door, and his gaze swept directly across.
"One more thing."
"Hmm? What?"
"I've put a curse on it, a wizard's curse—besides you, any other ordinary Muggle who tries to steal the protective stone I gave you will have their soul devoured by the evil spirit I've raised within it, becoming an empty shell that can't move and can only wait for their body to grow old."
Dylan smirked: "In fact, the reason this protective stone can keep you safe is precisely because of the evil spirit within it."
"Ah?" Harry was a little confused.
But seeing Dylan discreetly wink at him, Harry glanced at Vernon behind him and immediately understood his friend's meaning.
He nodded repeatedly, his voice getting a bit louder: "The evil spirit must have been caught from the cemetery behind the school, right?"
Dylan nodded with a smile: "Yes, to catch it, my wand almost broke."
Harry looked touched—in fact, he really was touched.
He had never imagined that Dylan would personally come to this home he hated to give him a gift with his own hands.
"Ron called two days ago—but he got hung up on. Oh my goodness, I thought I wouldn't be able to contact any of you for the entire summer!"
Dylan tilted his head: "Where's your owl?"
Harry glanced at Vernon, who was staring at them from not far behind him, then pouted.
"He always chases my owl away! And I don't have too many owls to scare him with, like I did when school started!"
Dylan pursed his lips, stifling a laugh.
"Even though we can't use magic right now, the Ministry of Magic hasn't restricted us from playing with prank items at home."
Harry's eyes immediately lit up: "You mean..."
Dylan pulled out some more items from his discreet satchel.
A prank toy snake it looked like a toy snake, and indeed it was a toy snake.
However, unlike an ordinary toy snake, this one, when a switch was pressed, would lunge like a real snake when someone approached.
And it could even mimic a snake bite.
While it wouldn't cause any actual harm, a bite could still be quite painful and very startling.
Magical Itching Powder when sprinkled on someone, it would make them uncontrollably itchy, causing them to scratch relentlessly.
This item was particularly effective for making the pranked person embarrass themselves in public.
Bat-Bogey Hex Spray as the name suggested, it could make someone's boogers turn into bats and fly out of their nostrils.
Stink Bombs they looked like eggs, but once cracked open, they would unleash a disgusting odor, quickly filling an entire space with a foul stench.
"This, so much…"
Harry was dumbfounded.
He watched Dylan pull out one item after another from his satchel, then stuff them into a slightly smaller fabric bag.
Harry even cautiously glanced out towards the street.
"This is a small pouch I made myself using an Undetectable Extension Charm. Keep it close to you. Even if you can't use magic, don't let anyone bully you at home."
Dylan handed the fabric bag to Harry.
Harry slightly tilted his head, a trace of emotion flashing in his eyes.
Dylan pouted: "What are you doing? Don't tell me you're about to cry, Harry. I don't comfort boys, not even brothers."
Harry: "..."
His earlier surge of emotion was stifled by Dylan's words.
"Anyway, Dylan, thank you."
"Oh, well! Since the gift has been delivered, I'll head back now, lest I can't resist and just blast your rude and uncivilized uncle into dust with a single spell."
Vernon, not far away, shuddered.
This guy was so violent?!
What kind of people did Harry Potter even know?
No wonder he dared to talk back to them as soon as he came home recently!
So he was relying on the power behind him!
Did he think that just because he knew some wizards at that "school," he could disregard them?
Vernon gritted his teeth.
He really wanted to rush over, point his finger at Dylan's nose, and lecture this little brat.
But looking at Dylan's cold eyes, he still retreated.
Dylan snorted lightly, "Alright, time to say goodbye. If you have time, you can just call Ron and the others directly. You don't have to wait for them to call you."
Harry nodded, a hint of reluctance on his face.
—It was so hard to finally meet his good friend during this difficult summer.
And it was his birthday today!
But in the blink of an eye, they had to part ways.
It was truly upsetting!
However, this house wasn't Harry's own, after all.
Even if he wanted to, he couldn't invite Dylan inside.
If Dylan had truly lost control and used magic on his aunt and uncle, he would surely be punished by the Ministry of Magic and the school.
Harry didn't want his good friend to take risks for him.
"Goodbye."
Dylan waved his hand and turned to leave.
In fact, before Harry appeared, his nonverbal, wandless attack on Vernon to cause a minor accident would not have had any impact.
As long as he maintained proper discretion.
After all, compared to ordinary young wizards, even though those underage had signed pledges, in reality, the Ministry of Magic didn't really monitor them very closely.
If they didn't use their own wands, some young wizards, even if they performed spells in the Muggle world, might not necessarily get caught.
Not to mention Dylan could shield himself from others tracking his use of magic.
And when little Voldemort wasn't so old yet—or rather, when he was only 16 years old, after he learned of his Muggle heritage.
He returned to the Gaunt family shack.
He stunned his uncle Morfin Gaunt and took his wand.
Then he went to the Riddle family mansion in Little Hangleton.
He directly used the Avada Kedavra curse to kill his father, Tom Riddle Sr., who had abandoned him and his mother.
Little Hangleton was in the Muggle world.
At that time, little Voldemort was only 16, underage, and hadn't graduated.
However, because there were no wizards around when he committed the murder, the Ministry of Magic had no reaction whatsoever.
So Dylan, when using magic outside, wasn't afraid that the Ministry of Magic would trace it back to him.
However, the problem was that as soon as Harry appeared, or rather, if any excessive magic was used near Harry, or even if magical fluctuations occurred near Harry, it would most likely be directly detected by the Ministry of Magic.
—The Ministry of Magic clearly kept a very close eye on Harry.
This was both protection and vigilance.
So, if Dylan had attacked Vernon nonverbally and wandlessly before seeing Harry, he might have gotten away with it.
Because no wizard could observe his use of magic.
However, after Harry appeared, he couldn't do that anymore.
Otherwise, he had a premonition that as soon as he used magic, Harry would definitely receive a letter from the Improper Use of Magic Office.
On this point, Dylan was absolutely certain.
Last summer.
Harry had been warned.
He hadn't even used magic at the time.
No matter how big the gap was between that magical fluctuation and the magic a wizard could display.
—Even if the one casting the magic wasn't a wizard, but a house-elf.
Harry was still deemed by the Ministry of Magic to be the underage wizard who illegally cast the spell.
Harry being warned was a small matter, but getting Dylan involved in the Ministry of Magic's sight would be troublesome.
So Dylan ultimately just gave Harry a bunch of prank items and didn't personally take action to make the person who dared to yell at him upon meeting him feel the approach of death.
Dylan walked a few steps away, and Harry closed the door.
But almost the next moment.
A scolding voice drifted out from inside the house again.
Dylan also heard Harry's rebuttal, followed by a clanking sound.
Dylan chuckled.
The prank items he prepared for Harry were more than just the ones he mentioned.
If that old man really pushed Harry too far, even using two a day would be enough for Harry to get through the rest of the summer.
After returning home.
Dylan continued his studies and research as usual.
He occasionally urged his dad to keep making more money.
And then to give him the money to spend.
Until one morning in early August.
Dylan woke up early as usual.
He had just finished making breakfast, and the steaming food emitted an inviting aroma.
He untied his apron, ready to go wake his parents, who had once again been out gallivanting until ten last night.
—God, ten at night is already very late, but even if they came home and went straight to bed, they shouldn't be sleeping in this late, right?
His parents must have been making babies again last night!
Give up, old man, you won't be able to make one!
—At least not before he graduates!
Just then.
The sound of flapping wings came from outside the window.
Dylan turned to look and saw an owl perched on the windowsill.
"Oh, has my pre-ordered Daily Prophet arrived?"
Dylan walked over and skillfully slipped five Knuts into the cute little pouch on the owl's chest.
Then he casually picked up a fried egg he had just cooked from the table and tossed it to the owl.
The owl immediately tilted its head to catch it and swallowed the fried egg in a couple of bites.
Hooting twice, the owl flapped its wings contentedly and flew off into the distance.
Dylan picked up the newspaper and scanned it first.
He ended up seeing a massive headline.
"Dangerous Convict Escapes! Extremely Perilous! The Wizarding World May Be In Peril Again!"
Dylan raised an eyebrow.
"Finally escaped? This headline is quite exaggerated. Just one Sirius Black, and the entire wizarding world is in peril? Are you treating him like Voldemort?"
Dylan pouted, his gaze falling on a large photograph beneath the headline that took up most of the page.
The man in the photo had a gaunt face, his skin looked as if it had been drained of moisture, crisscrossed with deep lines, and his hair was like tangled clumps of dry grass, scattered wildly across his face.
Most striking were his sunken eyes.
His eyes revealed extreme madness and fanaticism, staring fixedly ahead, as if they wanted to break through the newspaper and into the real world.
"This photo is really well-taken; his character immediately comes across."
Dylan clicked his tongue in amazement.
Anyone who saw this photo would have to say—this man is indeed a wanted criminal!
In fact, when Dylan resumed buying the Daily Prophet some time ago, he had even seen Calthas's wanted poster in the newspaper.
Even though he had never shown his face, he was portrayed as ferocious and a merciless executioner.
If Calthas weren't him, he would have been afraid of this character, known as "The Fool."
....
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