The process sounded rather troublesome, but to keep from being found too soon by the police or certain people with ulterior motives, Harry had no choice but to do things this way.
The era he lived in was, after all, not the internet-connected future. It wasn't as if he could post a message online and instantly become a trending topic.
"Hey, kid, where'd you come from?"
"I had a fight with my parents. I don't want to go home."
The sudden voice startled Harry, but he kept his expression calm and gave the explanation he'd prepared earlier, successfully handling the bartender's questions.
"I knew it!" The bartender put on a stern, self-assured expression. "You can stay here, kid, but don't cause me any trouble! And don't touch even a drop of alcohol, got it?"
"Got it. I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning." Harry nodded like a well-behaved child.
"Good. Here, have this instead. It gets chilly at night~" The bartender seemed satisfied enough with Harry's attitude. After warning him, he went back to work.
Before leaving, he set a glass of milk on the table.
"Excuse me... Could I borrow some paper and a pen?"
"I'll go get them! Damn it, I hope you don't have any more requests!"
So this was probably the charm of British pubs.
You could never quite say whether they were vulgar or refined, but they were certainly welcoming, and they were never short on human warmth.
That was exactly why Harry had chosen a pub as his refuge. Compared with asking a stranger for a place to stay, or fighting homeless people for newspapers under a bridge, he was less likely to have his whereabouts discovered in a pub.
British law had extensive regulations governing children and alcohol. Children under fourteen were supposed to have absolutely no contact with alcohol, but some pubs that operated alongside restaurants wouldn't stop children from coming in. This was the kind of place Harry had chosen.
Besides, pubs were businesses, and they cared most about keeping up a good atmosphere. Few people would call the police over a child like Harry, who was obviously just fighting with his parents.
Anyone who ruined every customer's good mood would get a sound beating in the alley behind the pub~
Another important reason was that pubs were often a good place to pick up useful information!
Their customers came from all walks of life, and their conversations ranged from affairs of state to widows taking baths. If Harry listened from the sidelines, he might just find inspiration.
On his first night away from the Dursley family, Harry listened to the pub patrons' grand pronouncements while furiously writing the materials for his anonymous report.
On a side note, the milk tasted great. It was hot~
"They're actually pretty efficient. It's already made the papers."
On the last day of the year, when Harry spotted his anonymous letter in an obscure section of some tabloid, a delighted smile finally appeared on his face, tense for days.
Great. It looked like he could take his complaint to even bigger news outlets now. Maybe he could even land a major New Year's story~
But just as Harry was weighing whether to go to The Guardian or The Daily Telegraph first, the conversation between two pub patrons beside him suddenly caught his attention!
"Hey, mate, have you heard? Our Prince of Wales is holding a big public procession tomorrow, on New Year's Day!"
"I've heard that too. Apparently, it's a fundraiser to celebrate the New Year and help orphans. They say the whole royal family will be there, though I don't know if that's true."
"Who knows? Anyway, let's go have a look tomorrow~"
A royal procession... The news sent a thunderclap through Harry's mind!
In an instant, he came up with a way to make a much bigger fuss than by searching for the media, social workers, or the police!
The Prince of Wales Was Someone to Cling To
Colorful fireworks painted the clear sky in brilliant hues, and fervent cheers echoed through every street and alley. At the start of the New Year, the British Isles were filled with celebration.
As he looked at the people around him dancing and reveling, a hopeful smile quietly appeared at the corner of Harry's mouth.
For him, the New Year also meant a fresh start.
If everything went smoothly, after today he wouldn't have to keep hiding anymore!
The royal procession...
He would seize this opportunity and checkmate the Dursley family—and Dumbledore behind them!
After taking a long look at the ceremonial procession approaching to the sound of music, a look of resolve flashed in Harry's eyes. He turned and strode away.
Meanwhile, the British heir to the throne, riding on a float, had no idea that a certain boy had decided to use him as a stepping-stone. He continued waving to the people along the street.
Prince Charles was in a very good mood. It had been a long time since he'd enjoyed such enthusiastic cheers from the public.
Hounded by negative press and repeated reports of family problems, Prince Charles, now over forty, had seen his public approval plummet in recent years. That was why he wanted to improve his standing with the public by making a grand appearance at the New Year procession.
The country had just passed the Children Act, which addressed an issue that touched a nerve with many people. Taking advantage of the attention it had garnered would naturally benefit Prince Charles greatly.
That was also why the Prince of Wales had chosen to bring his whole family along.
This was a charity procession with children as its theme, so he needed his two sons—William and Harry—to appear before the public. For that, the Prince didn't even mind bringing along his wife, with whom he had long since grown apart.
The solemn procession moved slowly forward. When it reached Trafalgar Square, not far from the palace, it came to a halt.
Trafalgar Square was a famous place for festivities in London. On holidays like Christmas and New Year's, tens of thousands of residents would even come to celebrate through the night. The longer the procession lingered here, the more chances Prince Charles had to mingle with the public.
Besides, flocks of pigeons were lazily roosting here. The Prince knew better than to have them driven away.
According to British law, all animals belonged to the Queen. Pigeons in particular were angels in the hearts of the British people—the daddies of all daddies—and no one would dare mess with them.
So, it was said, many cooing birds whose chapters had been left unfinished were especially fond of this country, because it offered pigeons the safest protection... Of course, that was a joke~
Anyway, while the Prince was busy showing how approachable he was and the pigeons were strolling around lazily, no one noticed the thin boy slipping quietly to the very front of the celebrating crowd!
At that moment, he was barely one step away from the procession!!
With a flurry of wings~
Flocks of pigeons took flight, and the procession struck up its music again. But amid the drifting feathers, a small figure suddenly darted out!
He moved like lightning, nimbly weaving through the gaps in the procession before making a last-second dash in front of the Prince's carriage!!
"Who goes there?!"
"Protect His Royal Highness!"
The startled horses reared up, and shouts rang out from the procession. By the time the commotion died down, dozens of rifles were aimed at Harry's head.
But he wasn't worried about being shot full of holes at all. The ceremonial guards' rifles couldn't possibly be loaded!
"Everyone, lower your weapons! He's just a child!!" A man who looked like an aide hurried over. After stopping the overreacting guards, he glared angrily at Harry. "Kid, why would you do something so dangerous?!"
"I need help! I... I've been abused by my aunt and uncle, the people who adopted me!!" Harry yelled at the top of his lungs. Though he kept his eyes on the aide in front of him, his words were clearly meant for the people in the carriage.
"Listen, child... I'm sorry to hear what happened to you, but you should have gone to a social worker or the police..."
"I went to them, but it was no use!" Harry screamed, interrupting the aide. "The police never came, and the social workers even covered for my aunt and uncle! If that weren't the case, I wouldn't have fled from Surrey to London, let alone come here to stop the Prince's carriage!!"
"Poor child, it sounds as though you've suffered a great deal."
At that moment, Prince Charles stepped down from the carriage. Like a kind elder, he crouched in front of Harry and helped straighten his tousled hair.
"Child... What's your name?" The Prince had originally only wanted to use Harry to show how approachable he was. But when he saw the lightning-shaped scar on Harry's forehead, his fine eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.
"My name's Harry." With the matter not yet settled, Harry didn't dare give his full name. It was always better to be careful.
"Oh, what a lovely, familiar name. It's the same as my younger son's." Prince Charles took Harry's hand warmly. "Come with me, Harry. I give you the royal family's word that we'll do everything we can to help you!"
"But, Your Highness..." The aide tried to say something, but the Prince silenced him with a warning look.
"Tell the procession to move on. When I give my speech in front of Buckingham Palace, I'll personally see that justice is done for this boy, Harry!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" The aide had no idea why the Prince thought so highly of the boy, but he could only obey.
The procession set off again, and now that he was on the float, Harry finally felt the weight lift from his heart.
The British heir to the throne was definitely the biggest backer he could hope to cling to!
The Royal Family Wasn't That Simple
"People of Britain, I am your Prince of Wales, Charles."
"At the start of this New Year, I should be wishing you all a happy New Year. But what I witnessed just now has left me so outraged that I must speak out!"
"When I heard that a poor boy from Surrey, Harry, had been abused for years by the family of his uncle and aunt, who had adopted him, I could hardly believe my ears!"
"I cannot imagine that such an ugly act could still exist in Britain today!!"
Outside Buckingham Palace, Prince Charles was delivering an impassioned speech. He was skilled at stirring up the public's emotions, and before long, the crowd was denouncing the criminal Dursley family across the entire square.
Harry was with the Prince's family in a reception room. He listened to the Prince's speech while quietly wondering to himself.
Everything had gone far more smoothly than he'd expected. Harry had certainly planned to make a big story out of it, but he hadn't expected the Prince to change his New Year's speech for him!
And the Prince had even risked public criticism by letting Harry spend time alone with his family. That was even more bafflingly considerate.
"Mother... Is what he told Father true? If those people are his family, why would they treat him badly?" In a corner of the room, the Prince's eldest son quietly asked his mother.
Harry understood his confusion. After all, he'd been born into royalty with a silver spoon in his mouth. He might have seen a great deal of the world, but he couldn't truly empathize with people at the bottom.
"Child, not everyone is as fortunate as you, born knowing they would be loved."
The dignified Princess first looked at Harry as if to ask permission. After confirming he didn't mind, she continued gently, "In fact, there are many children like Harry who are treated unfairly in Britain. That's exactly why our royal family must lend a hand!"
"A good deed may not bring immediate results, but many small acts can add up, gradually warming this country!"
"Thank you, Mother. I understand!" After hearing the Princess's guidance, Prince William nodded, only half understanding.
Then he hurried over to Harry, took his hand, and said earnestly, "You don't have to worry. My father and the rest of our family will do everything we can to help you!"
"Thank you..."
Harry said nothing more. He simply thanked him in a hoarse voice.
This warm scene of a loving mother teaching her child made Harry's nose sting. He hadn't seen his mother in a long time, even before he'd crossed over, and after he'd crossed over...
Heh, let's not talk about it.
In any case, he was truly grateful for the Prince's family's kindness.
Whatever Prince Charles's motives might be, the fact remained that he was helping Harry.
Besides, Harry didn't think there was anything a commoner like him could offer that the other man would want to use him for.
"Hey, kid, settling in all right?" After the procession had completely ended, the Prince came to the reception room and greeted Harry warmly as soon as he entered.
"It's very nice here. I can never repay your kindness!" Harry bowed deeply to the Prince. He wasn't groveling; he was genuinely grateful.
"Harry, there's something I've been wanting to ask you..." After smiling and waving his hand, the Prince turned serious. "Why did you choose to resolve your predicament this way?"
Earlier, on the float, the Prince had already heard Harry's full account of what had happened. Now he was simply curious about why Harry had made that choice.
"Because this was the only way I could deal with it!" Harry's gaze was unwavering. "Even if the Dursley family has someone powerful protecting them—someone willing to trample the law—I still believe that neither the law nor the truth should be distorted by personal connections!!"
"Well said!" Prince Charles patted Harry on the shoulder in approval. "Child, I'll make sure you get a satisfactory answer. For now, go with my family to Highgrove House. It's my private residence. You can rest there while we wait for the results."
"I... Thank you very much~" Harry was so surprised that he didn't know what to say, and could only hurriedly express his gratitude.
The Princess beside him didn't seem to agree with the Prince's decision, but under his stern gaze, she ultimately remained silent.
"Your Highness, I don't understand... Why are you treating an ordinary boy like this?" After Harry left with the Princess and the others, the Prince's aide cautiously stepped forward to ask.
"You wouldn't understand." The Prince smiled and shook his head, not answering the aide's question directly. "Go and contact the Prime Minister and the Justice Secretary at once. Tell them I have an urgent matter to discuss!"
"Yes, sir." The aide hurriedly acknowledged the order and strode away to carry it out.
But after the aide had completely disappeared from view, the smile on the Prince's face gradually took on a mysterious air.
Heh, an ordinary boy... Was that really all he was?
Black hair, green eyes, a long, thin lightning scar on his forehead, and that name... There was no mistaking it!
That child was none other than the Boy Who Lived, the one who had once defeated the Dark Lord...
Harry Potter!!
He'd actually managed to escape Dumbledore's control. Wasn't that interesting?
So... What would happen if the royal family and the government both stepped in to help the Harry of today escape Dumbledore's influence?
In the reception room at Buckingham Palace, the smile on Prince Charles's face grew brighter and brighter~
Before you continue