On July twenty-fifth, the weather in the suburbs of Chester was wonderful. The sun shone unusually bright, and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky.
At breakfast, Richard kept glancing out the window, thinking that staying indoors in such weather was practically a crime. Simply strolling along the street didn't interest him, so he found himself considering whether it would be worth buying some kind of vehicle to ride around the estate grounds.
A go-kart? Not ideal—you couldn't really drive it across fields or through the garden. That kind of transport required a smooth surface, and racing back and forth along an asphalt road wasn't all that exciting.
Richard found himself leaning toward an ATV, one he could send to Mr. Weasley's workshop for some upgrades. It would be enough if the quad no longer required fuel. Perhaps it should also be reinforced, so that its parts would not break down.
"Lovely weather," the duke remarked vaguely.
"I agree. It's wonderful. What do you think, Dad—can you buy an ATV in Chester?"
"Unlikely. Richie, what do you need such a contraption for?"
"To ride around. For fun."
"Everything's available in London. But I have another suggestion—you could come hunting with me. We've got buggies; you can drive one of those."
"That's a good idea. And when is this happening?"
"Saturday."
"So the day after tomorrow… though the weather's great today."
"I imagine it will stay like this through Sunday."
"Dad, will I be allowed to shoot a rifle?"
"Only at a shooting range under a trainer's supervision—or with a sporting air rifle."
"That's not bad. The air rifle will do. I'd be happy to join you on the hunt."
John entered the dining room, holding a radiotelephone. Approaching Richard, the valet said:
"Master Richie, Harry Potter is calling you."
"Thank you, John."
Richard took the receiver and held it to his ear.
"Richie speaking."
"Richie, hi," Harry's voice was tinged with excitement. "I got a letter from Hogwarts!" he exclaimed.
"Congratulations, Harry. Though it seems a bit early."
"I thought so too. Richie, you said a gamekeeper would come to see me!"
"Maybe… if you don't reply to the letter."
"Didn't you get a letter from Hogwarts?"
"Harry, I assume the school handles correspondence differently. People like you receive an invitation letter, while people like me get a visit from a teacher. If, for some reason, a prospective student doesn't respond to the letter, then a representative of the school comes in person."
"But what about the future… the gamekeeper?!" Harry asked, bewildered.
"My friend, the future doesn't exist," Richard said confidently. "There was the past, there is the present, and the future is something we create with our own hands and actions. Remember the 'stones'…"
"Yeeah… the stoones…" Harry drawled meaningfully. "Right! You had a revelation back then too—but you were wrong!"
"The ship was still found."
"That's true," Harry agreed. "So what should I do?"
"What does the letter say?"
"It says they're waiting for my owl with a reply. There's a school supply list, but I already have most of it. And it says I can bring an owl, a cat, or a toad to Hogwarts."
"A toad?! How delightful!" Richard commented sarcastically. "My dear friend, you have a wide range of options. You can sit comfortably on your backside and wait for a teacher—or a gamekeeper—to arrive. Or you can borrow Darth Vader from me and—"
"Right!" Harry exclaimed eagerly. "Richie, can you lend me Darth Vader so I can send my reply to Hogwarts?"
"Of course, Harry. I'll send the owl to you right after breakfast. And one more thing… would you like to visit London?"
"Mmm… sure. What did you have in mind?"
"I want to take a look at teenage ATVs. The idea of buying a few for recreational rides struck me as interesting."
A wistful sigh came through the receiver.
"I'd rather have a moped," Harry said. "But my uncle says I'm not allowed until I'm sixteen."
"Harry, you're not allowed to ride on public roads. But no one forbids you from getting a cross-country youth moped and riding it across fields, forests, or on motocross tracks."
"Wow! I'd love to have a moped like that. But I'm afraid Uncle Scott won't approve of such a purchase."
"Harry, your birthday is coming up soon, isn't it?"
"Yeah…"
"Wonderful. By the way, how are you planning to celebrate this year?"
"Uncle Scott and I are going on a week-long hike on July thirtieth. So, sorry, Richie—we won't be able to celebrate together."
"That's all right, Harry. I'll survive the disappointment somehow. Sorry, I won't keep John waiting for the receiver. Bye, Harry. Call me on my radiotelephone."
"Okay. Thanks, Richie. Bye."
After breakfast, Richard sent Darth Vader to the young Potter, having first instructed the owl to deliver Harry's letter to Hogwarts.
Then the younger Grosvenor called the London house, gave the housekeeper the day off, and soon traveled there by portkey together with Stephen.
At a shop that sold motor vehicles, Richie purchased several ATVs, mopeds, and kids dirt bikes, arranging for them to be delivered to Eaton Hall.
(End of Chapter)
P@treon: /SadRaven
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