But as Harry's muscles began to swell like balloons and his grades gradually improved from mediocre to good enough to get him into Eton College, his reputation at school also changed from "weirdo" to a "particularly promising weirdo."
Aunt Petunia, who had also noticed the changes in Harry, tentatively asked if he could help Dudley, who was almost as fat as a ball, solve his obesity problem and improve his grades at the same time.
Harry did not refuse Aunt Petunia's request.
Although at the beginning, Harry needed to use some "little tricks" he'd learned from his companion Shadowheart—who was prone to dreaming of murder—to get Dudley to join in the training and studying, and to get Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia to shut up, the results spoke for themselves.
When Dudley went from being as fat as a pig ready for slaughter to one that needed to gain weight, and started to get consistent A's, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia—as if it wasn't Harry who had threatened them in the kitchen months ago—stood firmly on Harry's side and began to urge Dudley on.
As for Dudley's own opinion, in Harry's view, the opinion of a spoiled child was of no reference value.
After his life gradually got back on track, Harry would unconsciously think of his companion who was always covered in flames during battle every time he exercised. He wondered how she was doing now that she had returned to Avernus, and whether everything was okay.
Whenever this happened, Harry felt a twinge of regret. Why had he rejected the offer from the great wizard Gale, who once had an affair with the goddess of magic, to teach him magic? If he had learned magic from Gale, would he have had the opportunity to return to Baldur's Gate, or even enter the Hells to help his friend?
With this lingering annoyance and regret, Harry and a sweating, panting Dudley—who looked as if he would die if he ran two more steps—arrived back at the door of his aunt's house.
There, Harry saw an owl land in front of him with a letter in its beak.
Owls were not common in London, especially ones carrying letters. Do owls stop catching mice and start delivering mail these days?
Just as Harry was staring at the owl with curiosity, he noticed the letter in its beak was addressed in emerald green ink:
Surrey
Little Whinging
4 Privet Drive
The Smallest Bedroom
Mr. Harry Potter
002 The Owl Post
Regardless, Harry's name was clearly written on the letter. The owl was still staring at him with big eyes, as if asking, "The letter has been delivered, what are you waiting for?"
All of this showed there was no doubt the letter was for him. It was just that this method of delivery, using animal companions or magical pets... this was certainly not something the Royal Mail would do.
Are they coming to see me? I knew those guys were reliable!
Harry reached out a trembling hand and took the letter from the owl. As soon as he touched the envelope, the familiar texture of the parchment felt right. It must be those bastards coming to find me.
Harry turned the envelope over with shaking hands and saw a wax seal on it—a shield crest with a capital "H" surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake.
Harry frowned as he looked at the emblem he had never seen before on the wax seal.
"Huh... Harry... what's wrong?" Dudley, drenched in sweat, saw Harry standing unusually still on the garden path and poked his head out, trying to see what he was doing.
"It's nothing, let's go," Harry said, casually stuffing the letter into his pocket and ignoring the owl that was hooting as if asking for food. After opening the door, he rushed Dudley, who looked like he'd been fished out of water, to take a shower.
Harry then walked into the kitchen, smelling the aroma of frying bacon. As usual, Aunt Petunia was standing at the stove making breakfast, and Uncle Vernon was sitting at the dining table reading the newspaper.
"Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, good morning."
"Good morning, Harry. Take a seat. Breakfast will be ready soon," Aunt Petunia responded enthusiastically from the stove. Ever since Dudley started to lose weight, her attitude towards Harry had gradually improved. Last Christmas, she had even given Harry three cans of protein powder as a gift. Compared to the usual gift of a single coin or a toothpick, it was like giving him a car. From then on, their relationship became much more harmonious.
Uncle Vernon, who was still a little sore over past unpleasantness and was hiding behind his newspaper, just greeted Harry with a muffled cough.
After sitting down at the dining table, Harry pulled out the strange letter. Opening the envelope, he took out the letter and began to read.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Looking at the admission letter, Harry fell into deep thought. So there is a school of magic that wants to accept me? Although he had no doubt about his own talent for wizardry, Harry was more concerned with something else: how did they know he had this talent? Were they spying on him?
As Harry stared at the letter, pondering when this so-called Hogwarts had discovered his potential, a scream erupted in the kitchen, followed by the crisp sound of porcelain shattering on the floor.
Harry looked up and saw Aunt Petunia staring in horror at the envelope Harry had placed on the table, as if she had seen something filthy.
Uncle Vernon, hearing the scream, poked his round head out from behind his newspaper wall to see what was happening. The moment he saw the envelope on the dining table, he shot up from his chair. "Bang!" His bulk hit the table with a loud thud, almost overturning it.
"Boy! You didn't read that letter, did you?!" The expression on Uncle Vernon's face was as if Harry had just walked out of an epidemic area while carrying a deadly virus. His roar contained three parts anger, seven parts rebuke, and ninety parts fear.
Harry placed the acceptance letter on the dining table and looked with some helplessness at Vernon and Petunia, whose eyes were wide with fright. His keen Paladin-trained perception allowed him to understand the emotions behind their panic.
"Looking at your reactions, you must know something about this."
"No... we..." Aunt Petunia began, but Harry raised a hand to interrupt her.
"Aunt Petunia, please don't lie to me. If there is anything I should know, please tell me and give me your advice. I will respect it."
Looking into Harry's sincere eyes, Aunt Petunia turned her head to look at Uncle Vernon. "Vernon..."
Uncle Vernon's face flushed. "Oh, no, Petunia... we swore we wouldn't..."
"Vernon, Harry's grown up now," Aunt Petunia insisted.
As they were exchanging words, Dudley rushed into the kitchen wrapped in a bath towel. "What happened?!"
From the look in Dudley's eyes—which was seven parts curiosity and three parts hope for an escape from his training—Harry knew exactly what he was thinking.
"This doesn't concern you!"
"Go back to your room!"
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia shouted in unison.