"Regulus! I've been sending letters to Harry Potter all summer, but I haven't received a single reply. Just like you said, Harry Potter might be in trouble. Love, Hermione."
Regulus Black received Hermione's letter a week before the start of term. It seemed the instructions he'd given the little girl had stuck—she had sent out letters weekly but never got a response. As agreed, she informed Regulus a week before school began.
"Reina, do you think I should go to Harry Potter's house? Maybe I can even discuss a business deal with his uncle."
Regulus Black teased the owl Reina with his quill, though his mind was already working through how to handle the situation ahead.
Harry Potter had lived with his aunt and uncle since he was little. His cousin Dudley had bullied him for just as long. Originally, Harry thought that learning magic would mean the end of the bullying, but he soon learned that the Ministry of Magic had a Restriction Order for underage wizards—no magic at home.
Though Hagrid had reminded him of this during the end-of-term farewell, that his aunt and uncle didn't know about the restriction, Harry never got the chance to use it to his advantage. As soon as he got home, Uncle Vernon moved all of Harry's things from the cupboard under the stairs to the upstairs bedroom. In other words, Harry officially had his own room. This change alone made many of Harry's revenge ideas impossible to carry out—which, in a way, was a good sign.
However, the Dursleys still showed strong aversion to anything magical. Any magical behavior or actions from Harry would send them into a fit. As Harry would describe it, "It's like they're all insane."
Because of Uncle Vernon's stubborn refusal, Hedwig hadn't been able to go out flying for a long time. After more than half a month, she was nearly fattened up. She had to flap inside her cage and bite at the lock, banging it noisily.
"Harry Potter!"
Vernon once again shouted from downstairs. Important guests were expected today, and strange noises from upstairs were strictly forbidden.
Aunt Petunia was making a beautiful cake, the sweet cream topped with large red cherries. No wonder the Dursleys were all overweight—anyone eating her cooking regularly would have a hard time staying slim.
"I'm warning you: if you don't get that dumb bird under control, I'll have it thrown out!"
"She's just bored. If she could fly outside for an hour or two…"
"Aha! So you can send secret messages to your freaky friends? Dream on!"
Vernon carefully adjusted Dudley's outfit. Tonight's guest was very important—rumored to be a noble, and a very prestigious one at that.
"But I haven't received any messages from my friends—not a single one… all summer."
Harry felt dejected, as if all the friends he had made at Hogwarts were fake.
"Who'd want to be friends with you?"
Dudley passed by Harry and slammed into him with his elbow.
"I think you ought to be grateful. We raised you since you were a baby, gave you food, and now we've even given you Dudley's spare bedroom. We've done everything we can to treat you well…"
Vernon wanted to keep lecturing Harry, but then remembered the guest would be arriving soon. They needed another rehearsal.
"The guest could arrive any minute. Let's go over everything again. Petunia! When the guest arrives, you'll be…?"
"In the living room, ready to greet them with the warmest welcome possible."
"Excellent. Dudley, you?"
"I'll open the door for them."
"And… you?"
The Dursleys all turned to look at Harry—the most abnormal person in the house.
Harry watched their dramatic stage play-like exchange and had zero desire to cooperate.
"I'll be in my room, completely silent, pretending I don't even exist."
"Good. If today goes well, this will be the biggest deal I've ever made. You absolutely must not show up and ruin it."
Having said all that needed to be said, Harry had no choice but to return to his room—only to open the door and find a creature he had never seen before, bouncing and playing on his bed.
It was the house-elf Dobby, who immediately showed his reverence upon seeing Harry.
"Harry Potter! What an honor it is to see you!"
"Lord Duke Black, what an honor it is to see you!"
The Dursleys' guest had finally arrived. Regulus Black stepped inside, dressed in a black Gothic-style suit. Accompanying him was Lucy Piddle, an external affiliate of the Ministry of Magic at Crimson Peak, and now his personal legal advisor.
"This is Lucy Piddle, my personal legal advisor."
Regulus Black introduced his female companion. Tonight, Lucy Piddle was dressed in professional attire—a tailored women's blazer that cinched at the waist, paired with a short skirt and black stockings, complemented by low-heeled leather shoes that gave her a very sharp, capable look.
"Welcome! Please, come in."
Aunt Petunia greeted them warmly in the small sitting room. Regulus Black took a seat along with his companion.
Vernon Dursley glanced at the luxury sports car parked outside the yard, his face lighting up with joy as he returned to the living room.
"Mr. Dursley… my estate happens to need complete demolition and reconstruction, and throughout the process, we'll require all kinds of equipment…"
As soon as Regulus Black sat down, he got straight to the point—after all, keeping things strictly professional was the best way to avoid awkward small talk.
The two sides began a very professional discussion. Dursley dealt in construction equipment, and whether renting or purchasing new machines, it was all within his capabilities. He could even help connect them with a construction crew.
Regulus Black might have money, but why not save where possible? Whether to buy or rent involved many negotiable details. If tonight's conversation went well, the next step would be to have their lawyers draft a formal contract.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Loud bangs came from upstairs. Vernon Dursley gave an awkward smile and explained that it was the cat's doing.
The house-elf Dobby belonged to the Malfoy family. He was the only abnormal house-elf in the entire Harry Potter world. Just from hearing about Harry Potter's deeds, he became fanatically obsessed, worshiping Harry like a great hero and doing everything he could—in his own twisted way—to help him.
His methods included intercepting all mail, dropping a cake on a guest's head to frame Harry, sealing the entrance to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, turning a Bludger into a homing missile, and even breaking Harry's arm.
Regulus Black had no intention of humoring Uncle Vernon's excuses. Both men were deeply engaged in their conversation, and Regulus didn't react at all to the noise upstairs. Naturally, Vernon had no choice but to stay in the living room and continue entertaining his guest.
Without Uncle Vernon's warnings, Harry Potter and Dobby caused even more of a ruckus.
Eventually, when Dobby accidentally admitted that he had intercepted the letters to cut off Harry's contact with the outside world, Harry erupted in fury.
Chasing after Dobby, he ran downstairs—only then remembering his uncle's command to stay quiet.
Dobby ran ahead to the first floor, quickly glancing at the cream cake in the kitchen before turning back to flash Harry a mischievous grin.
"No! Dobby, please! Don't do this."
"Then Harry Potter must promise Dobby not to return to school."
"I can't. Hogwarts is my home."
"Then Dobby has no choice. This is all for Harry Potter's own good."
With a snap of his fingers, the cream cake floated through a thin mist, drifting toward the guests.
At that moment, Uncle Vernon was just talking to Regulus Black about plumbing, when suddenly, the entire Dursley family looked utterly shocked.
They saw the kitchen cake slowly floating toward them, with Harry Potter behind it, arms outstretched, as if controlling it.
Yes, that's exactly what they saw. In their eyes, Harry Potter had gone completely rogue! This would ruin the biggest business deal of the evening!
Suddenly, a black, gold-trimmed three-legged toad appeared behind Regulus Black. His head happened to block the Dursleys' view of it. The toad opened its huge mouth and rolled out its tongue, swallowing the entire cake in one go.
"Croak croak!"
Trevor made it clear that he could grow or shrink at will—and only by shrinking himself could he manage to fill up on a cake like that.
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