"A Foolproof Plan and a Bit of Magic"

---"A Foolproof Plan and a Bit of Magic"

"Boss Stephen, do you really think my uncles will let me go on a trip?" Harry asked, a bit nervous, as he watched the station getting closer.

"Don't worry, Harry, I have a foolproof plan. And if they don't accept, I'll send them to live in the North Pole. I've been wanting to send someone there for a while," Stephen said, trying to reassure Harry with words that, in reality, did nothing to calm anyone.

After everyone got off the Express and said goodbye to their friends, Stephen followed Harry to the Muggle side to meet his uncles.

"Hurry up, boy, I don't have all day to wait for you!" Vernon exclaimed, standing outside his car as if he had just arrived a second ago and was already tired of waiting.

"Uncle Vernon, this is Stephen Flamel, a senior at Hogwarts," Harry said softly, introducing Stephen.

"I don't care who he is. If he's one of your lot, say your goodbyes quickly and let's go. I don't want to be around your kind," Vernon grunted, showing his strong aversion to wizards.

"Interesting," Stephen commented, looking at Vernon.

"Don't bother me. What do you want?" Vernon snapped, nearly spitting in anger.

"I just find it interesting how an ordinary person can so vividly express his hatred toward another group of people, even knowing that a simple wave of the hand could change his world," Stephen said, literally moving his hands. Suddenly, their surroundings seemed to transform.

The ground shifted, and the street disappeared, forming a circle about five meters in diameter with the Dursleys' car right in the center, where Petunia and Dudley were huddled together in fear.

Vernon, seeing what was happening, quickly positioned himself in front of the car, trembling, and shouted, "What are you doing?! You're not supposed to let us see you do that!"

"Boss Stephen?" Harry asked, surprised by what Stephen was doing, and noticing that no one around them seemed to be looking their way. It was as if they didn't exist.

"It's okay, Harry, don't worry. They can't see or hear us," Stephen said with a smile that Vernon perceived as demonic.

"That's why I said it was interesting. You see, I'm not the most powerful wizard in Britain (maybe top 10, at best), and yet I can show this kind of power. The fact that you express your hatred for us so vividly is actually quite commendable," Stephen commented with interest, looking at Vernon.

"T-tell me what you want, but don't hurt my family," Vernon pleaded, frightened but still maintaining his protective instinct.

"Hurt? Oh, no, no. I was just demonstrating what a wizard can do. Sorry if I scared you, that wasn't my intention. It's not like I go around scaring people," Stephen said, while Harry rolled his eyes, holding back what he wanted to say. At the same time, Stephen restored everything to normal.

After that, Vernon calmed down a bit, though he still looked at Stephen with distrust.

"You see, Mr. Dursley, my family, the Flamels, are known for sponsoring various sports stars in the wizarding world, and we believe Harry has great potential in magical soccer. We'd like him to join our athletic camp," Stephen said, while Harry looked at him in disbelief at how many lies he had just told in a single second, without showing even a hint of shame. (Wasn't the Flamel family known for having Nicolas Flamel, the greatest alchemist of all time?) Harry thought silently, keeping it to himself.

"Thanks, but we're not interested. If you'll excuse me, we're in a hurry," Vernon said quickly, without even considering it. He just wanted to get away from this guy as fast as possible.

"You may be in a hurry, but at least let me tell you about the benefits. The first and foremost is security. By becoming a professional player, your family will require the highest level of security. We guarantee that no wizard or witch will be able to come within 100 meters of your family. And the second is financial business support. Our currency is different, so we couldn't give you money directly, but I take pride in having some companies in your world that could facilitate funding for your drill company. I'm a shareholder in one of the largest construction companies in the area. If you'd like, I wouldn't mind making a few calls," Stephen continued with his lie—though the part about being a shareholder in the Muggle world wasn't entirely false.

"What...? That..." Vernon was about to respond when Stephen quickly interrupted him.

"I understand that parting with your nephew may sound sad, and perhaps you don't want him to be away from home for weeks. But you'll be able to see him a couple of days a month. With Harry's popularity, we can't allow him to stay too long, as many wizards might start harassing him, even in the Muggle world," Stephen said, partly to convince Vernon and partly to scare him, implying that if Harry stayed with them, he might attract more wizards.

"Alright, let me discuss it with my wife, and we'll give you an answer," Vernon said, quickly heading toward the car to talk to Petunia, who was still clutching Dudley in fear.

"Boss Stephen, what is magical soccer?" Harry asked once Vernon walked away.

"What do I know? I just made it up. If I said 'Quidditch,' do you think he'd understand? Besides, Harry, we need to convince your uncle without forcing him, or the Ministry will send you back home in an instant," Stephen replied. Then he fell silent as he saw Vernon returning with Petunia.

"H-Harry, do you want to go to this camp?" Petunia asked, not knowing exactly how to feel. She hated the magical world but also felt some guilt about her sister.

"Yes, Aunt, I want to go. Please," Harry said, surprised that his aunt was asking for his opinion.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Dursley. You'll be able to see Harry a couple of days a month, safe and sound. Think of it as a summer camp," Stephen commented with a professional smile.

"Alright, boy, we accept. Just make sure that kid's fans don't come near our house," Vernon said hurriedly, afraid someone might change their mind.

"Alright, sir, you just need to sign the enrollment contract, which is, of course, free, and everything will be set. In a few days, you'll receive a call from the construction company, but that's your responsibility," Stephen said, pulling out a contract that was actually a temporary guardianship certificate and the necessary permits for Harry to live away from home for a while.

Vernon gave it a quick glance, and although the contract had a slight magical illusion, he signed immediately. Then he looked at both of them and said, "Here you go. Now we're leaving—we're busy." He walked away with his wife, who had barely spoken a word.

"Well, Harry, looks like you're free from your uncles for one or two years," Stephen said, showing the contract, which transformed into a permit for Harry.

"One or two years?" Harry asked, feeling both happy and a little sad that it wasn't permanent.

"Obviously, you fool. It's not like I'm adopting you. Besides, I'm not old enough for that. Though if you want to call me 'Dad Stephen,' I wouldn't mind," Stephen joked.

"I think one or two years is still great," Harry said, ignoring the last part.

"By the way, Boss Stephen, won't you get in trouble for using magic outside of Hogwarts? And what kind of magic was that? It was like no one could see us," Harry asked, recalling Stephen's demonstration.

"Cool, right? Although, technically, it should send us to a mirror world, this is the best I managed. I can control about 15 meters around me as if it were my own dimension. The Muggles couldn't see us because I created an illusion dome and a temporary anti-Muggle barrier. But since I used everything together, the control area was smaller," Stephen explained about his incomplete mirror dimension spell.

"Mirror world… That sounds amazing. So, where are we going now, Boss Stephen?" Harry asked, impressed by magic he didn't fully understand.

"First, we're going to my house to inform my grandmother. Crap, I should have told her before. Maybe we should live in a magical hotel… Though she probably already knows what I did. The old man surely told her. Well, whatever comes, comes. And in a few days, we have to go to the Ministry. If you want to come, we'll look for the twins," Stephen said, feeling a bit nervous about what awaited him with his grandmother but excited about what was coming next.

Harry nodded eagerly, feeling like he was embarking on a real adventure. Although the last few days had been complicated, he now felt lighter, as if a weight had lifted from his shoulders.

They walked through the Muggle streets, with Stephen leading the way while glancing around and muttering to himself about the different stops they had to make before reaching home—though obviously, there were none.

"First, we need a Portkey to avoid potential issues with the Ministry," Stephen commented as he pulled an old cup from his pocket. "Don't worry, this cup has more magic than it seems. I'll use it to ensure a quick and smooth journey."

Harry frowned at the cup. "Why an old cup?"

Stephen grinned. "Discretion is key, Harry. Sometimes, the simplest things hide the greatest secrets."

Before Harry could say anything else, Stephen grabbed his hand, and both of them vanished with a sharp tug, leaving behind the train station and any lingering concerns.

The trip was swift, and within seconds, Harry found himself standing before a massive mansion he had never seen before. It was an impressive structure, surrounded by magical gardens that seemed to shift shape with the wind. It was on a beautiful paradise island. Stephen had bought this island and convinced his grandparents to move there so they could enjoy their retirement more instead of staying in their old home. Although they still kept a portal connected to their house in Hogsmeade and another to France.

"Welcome to the Flamel Mansion," Stephen said, grinning proudly at a dizzy Harry who was trying to steady himself. "It's time for you to meet my grandmother. She's… well, let's just say she's a bit peculiar. (Though maybe she turned out that way because of me.)"

Harry swallowed nervously, suddenly realizing he was about to meet one of the most legendary witches in history. If Stephen's grandmother was the famous Perenelle Flamel, then he was about to meet one of the most powerful witches of all time. After all, Nicolas wasn't the only one with legends.

However, before they could take another step, the mansion doors swung open, and a petite but imposing figure stepped onto the threshold.

"Stephen Flamel," the old woman's voice was firm and authoritative. "What have you done this time?"

Stephen slowly turned to Harry and whispered with a mischievous smile, "Well, Harry, looks like we're in for a very interesting introduction."

—-------

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