Chapter 30 Dumbledore, Another Piece of Bad News!

"We've finished shopping. Harry and I are going home.

Mr. Dumbledore, if I'm not mistaken, Aunt Lily and Uncle James used to follow you and fight under your leadership and stand on your side to fight against Voldemort, right?

Well, as the family members of the wizards who sacrificed under your command, I think we deserve to know the relevant information.

Please go to 4 Privet Drive before 12 o'clock tomorrow night and tell us the whole story of Aunt Lily and Uncle James' deaths.

Also, if you have any other requests, you can discuss them with us tomorrow.

Please don't break the appointment. Before that time arrives, I will make a decision on whether our family will stay in the UK or go abroad.

This isn't a threat. You don't have to come.

But if you don't come, when Harry and I come back here again, no matter what you say or do, you won't be able to influence Harry and me, not even a little bit!"

Dudley said with an extremely solemn expression, not caring at all about Dumbledore's increasingly troubled expression.

He wanted to give Harry an explanation, give himself a chance, and also give Dumbledore an opportunity.

The butterfly has already flapped its wings and stirred up a hurricane. Since the future had become unclear, then so be it. Let the storm be even more intense!

"Dudley, I don't agree with what you said. Lily and James were my partners, my teammates, not some followers... But alright! I'll come to the appointment tomorrow. There are some things for which I also need an answer! A direction!

As for the matter of going abroad or going to Hogwarts, I hope you and Harry can both think carefully about it!"

Dumbledore looked extremely worried, his expression complicated. Just a few hours today seemed to have aged him ten years.

His heart was so tired!

But what he didn't know was that soon, his heart would be even more exhausted.

"Looking forward to your arrival!"

Dudley said politely with a straight face, then handed over the certificate document written by Mr. Ollivander. "This is your payment! Thank you for breaking the rules of the Ministry of Magic and helping me make a large space suitcase that isn't registered!"

Dudley's words still carried a hidden edge, which was a response to Dumbledore's emphasis on separating him and Harry just now.

Moreover, even if Dumbledore hadn't modified the suitcase for him, he would still give the certificate document to Dumbledore.

The reason was simple. He wanted to make Dumbledore even more frazzled. This would be helpful for tomorrow's negotiation.

After handing over the document, Dudley turned around directly and walked away slowly, saying at the same time:

"Hagrid, I'll trouble Mr. Dumbledore to bring back your old overcoat to you after it's dried tomorrow. Also, keep in touch, our friend!"

"Ah? Alright, I'll write to you guys!"

Hagrid replied simply and honestly. He suddenly figured something out. As long as Dudley and Harry didn't completely stand against Dumbledore, it actually wouldn't affect their friendship.

Thinking like this, his heart wasn't so tangled up anymore and became more open.

However, Dumbledore beside him couldn't become open. In the underground vaults, he had watched with his own eyes as Dudley took out the cracked murderer's wand from the huge rock.

At that time, the murderer had already turned into ashes and couldn't be identified.

He didn't give it much thought either, simply assuming that Voldemort had parasitized an unlucky wizard. Little did he know that this unlucky wizard was actually Quirinus Quirrell, an outstanding graduate of Ravenclaw whom he had specifically invited to be this year's professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

A long time ago, the position of professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts was cursed by Voldemort, who couldn't obtain it, with a curse that couldn't be lifted.

Any wizard who took on the position of professor of this course was bound to have an accident within a year, either ending up dead or paralyzed.

But Dumbledore never expected that Professor Quirrell had been "done in" by the curse even before starting work.

Couldn't even someone who had become Voldemort's host be spared from the curse?

Dumbledore was very worried. Quirrell was dead, and Hogwarts was going to start in a month.

He had to find another outstanding wizard whose fame or strength was comparable and who was willing to come and teach to be this year's fall guy, oh, no, the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Frowning, Dumbledore, along with Hagrid, watched Dudley and Harry pass through the back wall of The Leaky Cauldron, enter the pub, and leave Diagon Alley.

Then, he sighed and placed his old hand on Hagrid's arm, Apparate away.

Both he and Hagrid needed to return to Hogwarts and cool off.

...

Dudley and Harry got on the Muggle train on their way back.

It was already past noon. Harry's eleventh birthday had really been thrilling, exciting, and full of events.

"Cousin, actually, you don't need to think so much. Wasting time isn't your style."

On the train, Harry stroked Hedwig's feathers and said a bit hesitantly.

"It's you who think too much, Harry!" Dudley laughed. "So many things happened today. We both need some time to digest it. It wasn't because it was your birthday that we deliberately postponed the conversation with Dumbledore."

"I knew it!" Harry pouted. "I'm really strong! And things are already quite obvious.

Because of a prophecy, Voldemort went on a purposeful killing spree. He even reached my old home and killed my parents. Then he met me, his fated nemesis, and got knocked half unconscious, looking neither human nor ghost."

"Dumbledore wants to train me according to his ideas so that I can completely defeat Voldemort! But his ideas have too many flaws and are too old - fashioned. You don't like them, cousin."

"You're quite smart!" Dudley said with a smile, then stroked the tuft of hair on Harry's head again and became serious. "This is the main idea of the matter. It should be right! But there must be a lot of details that need to be sorted out.

Back then, Voldemort was a ruler. He wouldn't act alone. There must have been a bunch of accomplices. These people might not be taken seriously by Dumbledore, but we can't let them off!

If we take revenge, we should do it right. Both the main culprit and the accomplices should get what's coming to them!"

"That's right! I will take revenge on all the bad guys who harmed my parents!"

Harry also looked very serious. Having grown up with Dudley, he wasn't some soft - hearted person.

"Then cousin, what's your opinion of Dumbledore exactly? After today's events, I'm a little confused."

Harry asked, looking puzzled, "My parents fought against Voldemort with him. Logically, we should be on his side, but his moves... are really confusing."

"Do you remember the first name Dumbledore blurted out after he burst into the battlefield?"

Instead of answering Harry's question right away, Dudley brought up a detail.

Harry thought for a while and replied, "He called my name first, then Hagrid's, asking if we were okay."

"Today was basically your first official meeting with Dumbledore. The primary object of his subconscious concern was actually you, not Hagrid, who is nearly as close as an intimate family member to him. Why is that?

You know, at that time, Hagrid had just been rescued from a coma by us, while you were awake and hardly injured throughout the whole process."

Dudley guided Harry patiently, speaking in a gentle, unhurried manner.

"Does this mean that in Dumbledore's heart, I'm more important than Hagrid?!" Harry logically figured out the answer.