chapter 15: Expanding Horizons and Hidden Wealth

With Uncle Vernon gone, the atmosphere in the house had shifted. Petunia was less tense, Dudley was more open, and for the first time, Harry felt like he wasn't walking on eggshells every second of the day.

This also meant he had more free time.

Harry used it wisely.

His trips to the library became a daily habit. Every book he touched added to the vast collection in his Library, expanding his knowledge in every field imaginable.

Mathematics. Engineering. Botany. Martial Arts. Psychology.

Anything useful, anything that could be useful, he absorbed.

The more he read, the more he understood how the world worked—both magical and mundane. He had no illusions; magic was powerful, but knowledge was its foundation.

That evening, as they gathered for dinner, Timmy—the Potter family elf—suddenly spoke up.

"Master Harry, Timmy must inform you! You have a magic bank account!"

Petunia stiffened at the mention of magic, but she didn't protest. Not this time.

Dudley, however, perked up. "You have a bank? Like, with real money?"

Harry tilted his head. "I do?"

Timmy nodded vigorously, his large ears flopping. "Yes! Lots of gold! But Master cannot access Lord Potter's vault—it is for noble heirs only, and Master is too young. But Mistress Lily's vault… that one, Master can use!"

Petunia's fork clattered against her plate. Her lips pressed together as if she was fighting an internal battle.

"Lily had money?" she murmured, almost disbelieving.

Timmy beamed. "Oh yes, Mistress Lily was brilliant! She worked for special magical research, and she saved gold. Not as much as noble families, but still a lot!"

Harry leaned forward. "How much are we talking about, Timmy?"

The elf tapped his chin, thinking. "Enough to live well. Not like nobles, but better than most wizards. Mistress Lily was wise and saved for the future."

Harry exhaled slowly. This changed everything.

They weren't struggling anymore. They didn't need to worry about scraping by.

But more importantly…

"This means we have options," Harry said, glancing at Petunia and Dudley.

His aunt didn't respond immediately. She just stared at her plate, thoughts swirling behind her eyes.

Dudley, on the other hand, grinned. "This means we're rich, right?"

Harry chuckled. "It means we don't have to depend on whatever scraps Uncle Vernon left behind."

Timmy nodded excitedly. "Master Harry must visit Gringotts to claim the account! Goblins handle wizard money!"

Petunia finally sighed, rubbing her temple. "More magic," she muttered, but this time, it wasn't angry. Just… tired.

Harry smiled slightly. "It's not just magic, Aunt Petunia. It's security."

And for the first time in years, they weren't just surviving.

They were planning for the future.

How's this? I kept the changes you wanted while making the flow more natural!