Harry Potter: I Am Big D

Chapter -28.

It's a bit of a mystery what Petunia and Vernon chatted about yesterday, but today, Vernon seemed like a whole new person! He was no longer grumbling about magic and was actually excited about their trip to Diagon Alley.

If Dudley didn't know better, he might have thought Petunia had magically swapped brains with Vernon. "How long until Professor McDou gets here? I can't wait to see the magical world!" Vernon exclaimed, practically bouncing on the sofa.

"It's only eight-thirty; we still have thirty minutes to go," Dudley replied, glancing at the clock. 

He had just wrapped up his morning workout and was wiping his sweat as he headed to the bathroom. "And it's Professor McGonagall, not Professor McDou. It's really not nice to mess up someone's name."

"Oh, Vernon, come see how I look in this outfit!" Petunia called from the bedroom, her voice a mix of excitement and nerves.

Ten minutes later, she was back at it. "Nope, this outfit doesn't fit. The color is way too bright!"

"Nope, not this one either; it's too flashy. I remember Lily saying that wizard clothes are usually pretty plain."

Another ten minutes passed.

Petunia stared at her closet, exasperated. "Oh my goodness, I have nothing to wear!"

Vernon: ...

Five minutes later, Dudley emerged from the bathroom, fresh from his shower, while Harry yawned and stretched as he shuffled out of his small room. He had stayed up way too late the night before, buzzing with excitement, and now he felt a bit sluggish.

Petunia finally settled on an outfit, and just as the clock struck nine, the doorbell rang at the Dursleys' house.

Professor McGonagall arrived right on the dot. "Are we taking a flying carpet or flying directly?" Vernon asked, peeking curiously behind her.

"I'm afraid, Mr. Dursley, that flying carpets have been banned by the Ministry of Magic since the 18th century, at least in Europe," Professor McGonagall explained with a smile. "We usually use flying broomsticks."

"Why are flying carpets banned?" Dudley asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Because they're considered Muggle-made products," she replied.

"Does the magical world really avoid using things made by regular people?" Dudley pressed.

"Pretty much," Professor McGonagall nodded. "For instance, electronic gadgets like TVs and computers are a no-go at Hogwarts."

"Then what do you use for lighting?" Dudley asked, puzzled.

"Candles, oil lamps, and torches," she said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Isn't that like stepping back into the Middle Ages?" Dudley's eyes widened at the thought.

Even if Professor McGonagall assured him those items were magical, they still didn't seem as effective as electric lights. 

Dudley frowned a little; her words made him feel a bit left out of the wizarding world. 

Why not use the handy stuff that was already out there? The idea of giving up all the fun things like game consoles and TVs, and having to rely on oil lamps at night, made Dudley reconsider if going to Hogwarts was such a great idea after all—though that thought quickly faded.

"Time's ticking; we still need to pick up another little witch," Professor McGonagall said, pulling out a piece of parchment and studying it closely. 

"Let's see, she lives a bit far from here, but we can use Floo Powder to get to the nearest wizard's house to the Johnsons. It's about two kilometers away. Her place is quite remote; not many wizards live nearby."

She added, "I hope the Johnsons are home today; otherwise, we'll have to walk five kilometers."

"If they're not home, can't we just go there?" Dudley asked, shocked. What kind of plan was it to walk to someone else's house?

Professor McGonagall patiently explained, "Well, if no one is home, the fireplace is closed."

Of course, they could also use Apparition, but the Dursleys were Muggles, and Harry and Dudley had never tried it before. Apparition isn't exactly a pleasant experience, especially the first time. And as for a key to the door? Sorry, no door in sight!

Dudley leaned in to peek at the address on the parchment. It was in a fancy neighborhood that ranked among the best in all of London. It might seem remote to wizards, but in reality, it was close to one of the busiest shopping areas in the city. The housing prices were definitely not cheap.

"St. John's Wood neighborhood? That's only about a thirty-minute drive from us!" Dudley suggested. "Why don't we just take our car? It might be a bit slow, but at least we won't have to walk."

"Muggle transportation?" Professor McGonagall looked a bit tempted; driving was definitely more convenient than walking. 

Actually, wizards had their own ways of getting around, but just thinking about that queasy feeling made Professor McGonagall feel like Muggle transportation wasn't such a bad idea after all.

So, the five of them piled into the biggest car in Vernon's garage, which had been running smoothly lately; the Dursleys now had three cars in total. 

Vernon and Petunia felt a bit let down; they had expected to see some magical wonders but ended up just driving.

Luckily, the roads were clear, and they reached St. John's Wood in less than half an hour.

As they approached a three-story house with a red roof, Dudley felt a sense of déjà vu. 

"Mom, Professor McGonagall is almost here; hurry up!" 

Standing outside the door, they heard a familiar, booming voice.

Then the door swung open, and a young couple with a little girl stepped out to greet them.

The three of them were momentarily taken aback when they saw the group at the door, and then the man joyfully rushed over to Vernon and gave him a big hug. "Oh my, isn't this my dear brother Vernon?"

Vernon patted the man's back warmly. "Hey, Wendell, long time no see!"

Wendell Granger and Monica Granger were a well-known dental duo in London, and they were quite skilled at what they did.

As for how they knew the Dursleys, it all started one night when Vernon indulged in too much ice cream and ended up with a toothache. He visited Mr. Granger's clinic for a couple of days, and during that time, they discovered they both loved fishing, which helped them bond over time.

They often went fishing together, even if they always came back empty-handed, which somehow made their friendship even stronger; sometimes, the bond between fishermen is a bit quirky like that. 

When Dudley went to Oxford Dragon Primary School as an exchange student, it was also because Vernon had consulted Mr. Granger before making that decision.

Oh, and their daughter's name is Hermione Jane Granger. The "Jane" comes from Mrs. Granger's maiden name before she married Mr. Granger.

Note : Guys, some power stones will be really helpful.

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