Vernon kept glancing at Professor Vinda. After a while, he realized she had no intention of engaging with him, so he could only turn to Isaac.
"Listen, boy! I don't care who you are, but I want you to leave my house right now!
You're not welcome here!
And we want nothing to do with you—not even the tiniest bit!"
Vernon's words were forceful, but Isaac could hear the unease beneath them.
Then again, if Vernon were really that tough, would he have hidden away on this godforsaken reef?
Honestly, this place barely even qualified as an island.
"Don't be hasty, Mr. Dursley. We came with good intentions. There's no need to be so hostile toward us.
You see, I know who you are, but you don't know me.
Allow me to introduce myself."
Isaac said, "Allow me," but he didn't actually need Vernon's permission. And though Vernon Dursley had said they weren't welcome, he didn't interrupt Isaac now.
"My name is Isaac Waldore. I'm a wizard starting at Hogwarts this year. I also live at Number 12, Medway Street."
Vernon's mind raced as he tried to work out where Medway Street was. Mrs. Dursley quietly reminded him.
"In Hampstead Garden Suburb. Medway Street... it's the most expensive street there!"
The homes on Medway Street were truly the sort only the rich and powerful could afford. Isaac was still enjoying the benefits Grindelwald had left him.
You had to hand it to the older generation. One house old Grindelwald had bought years ago had saved Isaac a lot of explaining.
Under the spell of money, Vernon Dursley's attitude became much more respectful.
He suddenly realized something: freaks like Harry didn't seem to care about a person's background.
Isaac continued his introductions. "The person beside me is this year's Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts.
Professor Vinda Rosier comes from the Rosier Family.
You can think of the Rosier Family as the equivalent of nobility in your society—one of the wealthiest and most powerful noble families."
That explanation made sense to Vernon. He didn't question Professor Rosier's manner at all; as far as he was concerned, nobles were supposed to be arrogant.
Once Vernon understood, Isaac continued. "I'm here on the request of Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, to introduce Mr. Potter to the Wizarding World."
"Wait, wait!" Vernon Dursley hurriedly interrupted. "We haven't agreed to let Harry Potter attend your... whatever it is, Hogwarts!
Have you got something wrong here?"
Seeing that Isaac seemed willing to talk, Vernon Dursley put aside the fact that Isaac was only an eleven-year-old boy.
Right now, he desperately wanted his family to escape all this trouble and nonsense.
To put it plainly, as a sales manager, Vernon was under pressure to meet his targets. He couldn't hide on this rocky island forever.
He needed to go back to work, earn money, and support his family. Otherwise, how would he pay for his son Dudley's private school?
Drawing on the same firmness he brought to his work, he declared, "You can't just ignore Harry Potter's guardian!
He doesn't need any of this ridiculous magic in his life!"
Isaac showed no sign of impatience. Instead, he listened carefully to Vernon Dursley.
At least, that was how it seemed to Vernon.
Only after Vernon had finished did Isaac give a slight nod.
"Don't get worked up, Mr. Dursley. I understand how you feel, and what you've said does sound reasonable.
At Hogwarts, Muggle-born children do need their guardians' consent to enroll.
Muggles are ordinary people who can't do magic."
Isaac took his time explaining what "Muggle" meant. When Vernon's face began to show a hint of triumph, Isaac calmly continued.
"But that's true of ordinary young wizards, Mr. Dursley.
The name Harry Potter has never been an ordinary one in the Wizarding World.
Ever since shortly after his birth, the entire British Wizarding World has whispered his name—Harry Potter.
You don't need to know what he did. You only need to understand that the whole British Wizarding World is watching Mr. Potter.
Everyone knows Harry Potter will start at Hogwarts this year."
"The Hogwarts messengers—I mean, those owls—may have caused you a little trouble..."
Vernon immediately began to shout an angry retort, but Isaac stopped him with a look.
Then Isaac spoke to him sincerely. "Please believe me. Those wizards... I mean, your wife's sister's kind—they can cause far more trouble than owls.
I'm sure you know that from experience?"
Vernon Dursley was furious, but then he noticed his wife's expression. After years of marriage, he knew Petunia agreed with what Isaac had said.
Vernon stepped in front of Petunia, breathing hard. "So you're threatening us?
Fine, I admit—"
Vernon had just started to admit that Isaac's threat had worked, and was about to "throw Harry out," when Isaac raised a hand and gently stopped him.
"Mr. Dursley, what I just mentioned was what you and your wife already know. Now let me tell you something you don't.
In the Wizarding World, wizards are divided by their background into three groups: Pure-blood wizards, Half-blood wizards, and Muggle-born wizards.
We can set the first two aside and talk about the last.
Wizards have conducted studies. If a wizard has ever appeared in a Muggle family's ancestry, the chances of a wizard appearing among that family's descendants increase.
Also, two Muggles can have a wizard child. I believe Mrs. Dursley knows that, too?"
Petunia Dursley seemed to realize something. Her face darkened as she nodded.
"Good. Based on what we've agreed so far, Harry's mother, Lily Evans Potter, was a witch.
So, Mrs. Petunia Evans Dursley, are you really certain that your future children—or even young Mr. Dursley's future children—won't be wizards?"
"Don't get worked up, Mr. Dursley. I know what you want to say." Isaac glanced at Vernon, already knowing his objection.
"If magical talent were simply a gift of fate, Hogwarts professors wouldn't have to go to such trouble persuading Muggle families to let their children study at Hogwarts.
The truth is that young wizards with magical talent can cause even more trouble if they don't receive proper teaching and guidance.
I'm sure you know that from experience?"
Vernon certainly did. Over the years, any one of the strange things that had happened around Harry Potter could have worn him out.
If any of his descendants had the same talent as Harry Potter, he'd rather they bottle up that ridiculous "gift" than let it show.
As Vernon was thinking this, Isaac, standing nearby, said in a low voice, "If that talent is forcibly suppressed, it will turn into an even greater problem.
An Obscurus is a parasitic mass of dark energy that forms when a young wizard suppresses their magical talent for a long time.
A wizard like that is usually called an Obscurial.
Obscurials almost never live past the age of ten."
Great. He'd gone from one dead end straight into another!