Chapter 312: The Emperor
Over the next few days, Dudley kept turning that mysterious card over in his mind, to the point he barely paid attention to the fact that his birthday was almost here.
This year, he received far more presents than ever before. A large portion came from his mum and dad. They had made a lot of money over the past year, and they certainly were not going to be stingy with Dudley, especially considering how crucial a role he had played in that big deal.
On top of the family gifts, Dudley also received presents from Hermione and Ron, and even a box of sweets from Dumbledore. All in all, a surprising number of people had sent him birthday gifts.
Harry's present was a set of magical textbooks he had bought long ago.
The birthday banquet itself was lavish to the point of extravagance. Not because Dudley demanded it, but because his parents insisted. Using his birthday as an excuse, Vernon invited a host of his business partners, as well as some important potential clients with whom he had yet to close deals.
To host this banquet, Vernon spent heavily, booking a grand hall in a five-star hotel. Even with his current income, it was no small expense. But for Dudley, he thought it was worth every penny.
Dudley did not let his parents down.
His Beyonder abilities were honed to perfection. Wherever Dudley went, there was hardly anyone who did not like him. Or rather, like this young man. He was no longer a boy.
In recent months, Dudley had shot up in height and seemed to mature overnight. Dressed in a tailored suit, he looked every bit the young aristocrat, the sort of person people could not help but feel goodwill toward at a glance.
By the time the banquet ended, Vernon's face hurt from smiling. They had secured almost every contract they had hoped for. For the next year, Vernon would not need to worry about finding orders. His only problem now would be production capacity.
"Did you cast some kind of spell on them?" Harry asked quietly.
The way those people fawned over Dudley was downright unreasonable. As long as he appeared in front of them, negotiations flowed without a hitch.
"This is the benefit of being handsome," Dudley said, swirling the red wine in his glass.
"Er..."
Harry could not help looking Dudley over seriously. He had to admit, Dudley did look very handsome now. Though only thirteen, his height was already approaching one metre seventy, and combined with his short blond hair and sharply defined features, he definitely qualified as good-looking.
Even more important was his bearing.
Dudley carried a sort of innate nobility that was hard to describe. Even in a crowd, one glance was enough to pick him out. It was something most so-called handsome boys did not have, and it made Dudley stand out even more.
"What are you staring at?" Dudley asked with a small laugh when he noticed Harry studying him.
"Nothing. You really do look quite good," Harry said honestly.
"You are not bad either. You just have no idea how to tidy yourself up," Dudley said, smiling.
"I will pass. You know my hair. No matter what I do, it ends up a mess," Harry replied helplessly.
"Maybe you should try magic," Dudley suggested.
"Maybe later," Harry said. He was not ready to fuss over his appearance yet.
"Suit yourself," Dudley said, shrugging.
When they got home after the banquet, Vernon and Petunia stayed up counting the evening's gains, so excited they could not sleep. It might have been Dudley's birthday, but the ones most delighted were his parents.
"Mum, Dad, when Harry's birthday comes next month, you should throw him a birthday banquet like mine," Dudley said.
"There is no need," Harry said quickly.
He knew Dudley was only trying to keep him from feeling left out. Their birthdays were so different that any comparison would be brutal, but Harry genuinely did not mind. Of course, there was a hint of wistfulness, but he did not resent Dudley or his family for it.
Vernon and Petunia exchanged thoughtful looks at Dudley's words.
"Of course we should," Dudley pressed. "And you can invite more business partners along. Additionally, if you wish to expand production, you may consider approaching potential investors. I can help you handle them."
"That is an excellent idea," Vernon said, eyes lighting up.
He had been fretting over how to fulfil all those new orders. With investors, new options opened instantly.
"No problem, Harry. We will throw you a beautiful birthday party," Vernon said.
"Yes, leave it to us," Petunia added, patting her chest. "We will handle everything."
"But..." Harry's cheeks flushed.
"See? Two birds with one stone," Dudley said. "We can invite Ron and Hermione too. What do you think?"
"Ron is on holiday in Egypt," Harry reminded him.
"Then we will invite Hermione," Dudley said, patting Harry's shoulder lightly. "It is settled."
Harry's heart hammered in his chest. Would he really get a grand birthday next month? He could not help feeling a flutter of anticipation.
That night, Dudley did not tinker with magic. He went to bed early. It was his birthday, after all; he did not want to exhaust himself. This was not that strange, dangerous world, and at his current strength, there were not many who could threaten him.
Half-asleep, Dudley's eyes snapped open.
Pop.
With a soft crack, Dobby appeared in his bedroom.
"Oh! Mr Dursley, happy birthday!" Dobby said excitedly, offering up a gift he had prepared.
It was a pair of rainbow-coloured socks.
"Thank you, Dobby," Dudley said, genuinely pleased as he accepted them.
"And I also found some more of You-Know-Who's things," Dobby said, producing another small bundle. This time, there were far fewer items than before.
"These are all things He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named used that still have magical effects," Dobby said.
Dudley examined them. There was a Rubik's Cube enchanted so that no matter how you scrambled it, it would instantly return to its solved state. There was also a teacup that was always full, though the porcelain was stained a deep yellow and looked filthy.
"Thank you, Dobby," Dudley said with a smile.
They were not Horcruxes, but that did not diminish Dobby's effort. At the very least, Dudley could now confidently rule out the possibility of other Horcruxes being stored in Malfoy Manor.
"Mr Dursley, I have more good news!" Dobby said, eyes shining. "Just now, I finally found a chance to see the card in Mr Malfoy's hand clearly. There is indeed writing on it. It says 'The Emperor'!"