Gringotts, main hall.
Dudley and Harry rode the cart back here along the way they had come.
But the place was already in chaos, crowded with people being placated by another group of Goblins left behind to hold the fort.
These people fell into two categories: reporters and Aurors.
The Exploding Curse Quirrell had unleashed earlier had affected the geological structure of the underground vaults, causing slight tremors throughout Diagon Alley.
Naturally, it had drawn everyone who needed to be drawn.
The Daily Prophet reporters lingered around the outskirts, wildly snapping pictures with their magical cameras and relentlessly pressing the Goblins about what had happened.
The Aurors sent by the Ministry of Magic to handle the situation stood in the inner circle, seriously discussing something with Dumbledore, who had arrived after them despite setting out later.
Hagrid stood alone off to one side. He was within the inner circle, beyond the reporters' reach for now, and with Dumbledore handling the Aurors, they paid him no attention.
Dudley led Harry quickly over to Hagrid.
"Dudley, Harry, you and Professor Dumbledore..." Hagrid began hesitantly in a low voice.
"Muffliato!"
Dudley first tested his wand a few times and cast an anti-eavesdropping charm before explaining seriously and patiently, "Hagrid! You're an adult. You should understand that a friend's friend isn't necessarily your friend. Whatever is going on between us and Dumbledore has nothing to do with you, so you don't need to agonize over it.
"You only need to recognize one fact: Dumbledore is your friend, and we are your friends too. That's enough! The two relationships should be kept separate!"
"Oh! Dudley, Harry, you still consider me your friends! That's wonderful! You don't blame me for revealing your identities to Voldemort?"
Hagrid was so excited that he ignored the things making him unhappy and latched straight onto the part he wanted to hear.
Dudley did not get swept up in Hagrid's excitement. He continued, "Everyone has flaws. You didn't mean to expose us.
"Even if you hadn't revealed our identities today, Voldemort wouldn't have let us go just for the treasure alone. Besides, and this is the most important point, today's events did not lead to any serious consequences.
"So I can forgive your recklessness this time."
"If my cousin forgives you, then I don't blame you either, Hagrid!" Harry said as well.
"That's wonderful! I was terrified just now!" Hagrid wept with joy.
"But Hagrid, you need to learn a lesson from this." Dudley's expression grew even more serious. "If what happened today had truly caused Harry or me any irreparable harm, then even if you had not meant it, we could no longer have been friends.
"You should try to keep your friends' secrets and learn to judge situations better. Otherwise, in the future, Harry and I will inevitably hold things back from you—and we'll hold back a great deal."
Hagrid's expression became complicated too, guilt mingling with a trace of determination. "I understand, Dudley. I'll work on it!"
"It's good that you understand." Dudley's tone softened somewhat. "Now that we've gotten the money, it's time to buy our school supplies. You promised to do this for us. You aren't going back on your word, are you?"
"Oh! I won't go back on it, of course I won't!"
Hagrid brightened again. He glanced toward Dumbledore and pointed at Gringotts' side entrance.
Dumbledore spared a sliver of attention and nodded at Hagrid.
Only then did Hagrid turn back, intending to shield Dudley and Harry as they escaped Gringotts through the encirclement of frenzied reporters.
To his surprise, Dudley was already bent over protectively in front of Harry, following a Goblin guide toward a quiet exit.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Hagrid hurried after them.
On the other side, Dumbledore delivered his final words to the Auror squad from the Ministry of Magic in the United Kingdom.
"Tell Fudge that Voldemort—the terrible Dark Lord—is about to return! The Ministry of Magic needs to prepare for battle!"
Without waiting for the Aurors' reactions, he too silently left Gringotts and quietly followed behind Dudley's group.
The Aurors present were left utterly shaken by Dumbledore's news. If anyone else had said it, they would have drawn their wands, subdued the person, and sent them to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for psychiatric treatment.
But these words had come from the mouth of Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of the twentieth century and the uncrowned king of the British Wizarding World.
They had no choice but to take him seriously.
The Aurors exchanged glances, then Apparated back to the Ministry of Magic to report to Minister Fudge.
After the minor earthquake incident, although Diagon Alley showed no outward signs of damage, fear of the unknown had left it much quieter for the time being.
It was nothing like when Dudley and Harry had first entered Diagon Alley on their way to Gringotts.
Still, this made shopping more convenient for Dudley and Harry.
At Potage's Cauldron Shop, they bought Potions equipment—top-of-the-line gear, four or five sets at a time;
At Slug and Jiggers Apothecary, they bought potion ingredients. In addition to buying more than a dozen sets of the materials required on their Hogwarts letters, Dudley bought a huge pile of other potion ingredients;
At Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, they bought more than a dozen sets of wizarding robes and formal wear in various styles that fit Dudley and Harry, all with automatic ironing and repair functions;
At Flourish and Blotts, they bought two sets of the standard textbooks for Hogwarts Years One through Seven. Dudley also picked out some unusual books on spells, curses, and alchemy to fill the bookshelves in his bedroom.
At Eeylops Owl Emporium, Hagrid took the initiative to pay for a snowy owl for Harry. It was a gift between friends, so Dudley did not stop him. Just as in the original story, Harry named the snowy owl Hedwig.
Hagrid had also wanted to buy Dudley a pet, but Dudley refused.
"Dudley, do you really not want a pet? I think that Grey Tawny Owl looks quite nice!"
Inside the owl shop, Hagrid was somewhat dejected. He thought Dudley's refusal to accept his gift meant he was still holding a grudge.
"Owls aren't impressive at all! One for delivering letters is enough. Buying more is useless!"
Dudley grinned disdainfully. For sending letters, besides his cousin's Hedwig, Hogwarts had an Owl Post Office. If they were actually going to school, they would not lack owls to use.
"Hagrid, don't forget the compensation the Goblins promised me. If I'm getting a pet, a Fire Dragon would be far more exciting!"
After the group left the owl shop, Dudley revealed his true thoughts to Hagrid. "Didn't you say your dream was to raise dragons?
"Once we're settled, find a place. I'll write to the Goblins and have them deliver the two Fire Dragons to you. You can raise them for me, and any eggs they lay will be yours!"
"Huh?!" Hagrid was stunned. "Th-this... but Hogwarts doesn't allow Fire Dragons!"
"Be bolder and think outside the box, Hagrid! Once the Fire Dragons arrive, just 'put some makeup on them' and say they're winged fire lizards. No one will be able to find fault with us!"
Dudley casually offered his suggestion.
"That works too?" Hagrid had an epiphany. A door to a whole new world opened before him.
If he had known he could do that, he would not have raised Acromantulas back then. He would have raised ordinary spiders whose bodies had mutated and swollen after drinking Swelling Solution!
[Early Unlock: Rubeus Hagrid—The Groundskeeper's Long-Held Dream of Raising Dragons (A Rank)] [Details: Hagrid had always wanted to raise a Fire Dragon, but Hogwarts' rules prevented him from fulfilling that wish. In the original story, Hagrid was deceived by Quirrell. He traded the weakness of Fluffy, the three-headed dog, for a Fire Dragon egg, eventually hatching a Norwegian Ridgeback and naming it Norbert. But in the end, to prevent the school from finding out, Harry and his friends worked together to move Norbert and send him to Charlie Weasley, who professionally raised dragons in Romania.]
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