The Reason He Could Cast Freely

Harry, living at 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, was experiencing for the first time how happy he was to live there.

He even felt that the only downside of this place was the absence of Ron and the others.

This was all because of something that happened not long ago, a few days after Harry returned to the Dursley family.

In the days following Sirius's return of Aunt Petunia and Dudley, perhaps because Dudley was also a wizard, Vernon Dursley and Aunt Petunia, whose attitudes toward magic had long remained in the Middle Ages, began to talk about magic less shyly.

They no longer targeted Harry, ordering him around; they mostly treated him like he wasn't there.

They even allowed Harry's spellbook, wand, cauldron, and flying broom to be kept in Harry's bedroom, instead of being locked in the stairwell where Harry had lived since childhood.

They even allowed Hedwig to go out for some fresh air, and she brought back a whole bunch of dead rats.

Harry was completely baffled that his Aunt Petunia, who was a germaphobe, didn't lose her temper. This was far beyond what he could tolerate just because Dudley was a wizard.

This made Harry a little suspicious that Sirius had said or done something.

"Hey Dudley, my son, try to make this dress bigger, I think it's shrunk a bit." On some unknown morning, Uncle Vernon mentioned for the first time the thing he hated most—the wizards' special abilities.

"We signed an agreement that we can't use magic at home," Dudley replied helplessly.

Harry suspected that Uncle Vernon's quick acceptance of magic was also related to Dudley's transformation. No matter how much Uncle Vernon had deceived himself before, he knew deep down that Dudley was a disobedient boy with poor grades, and even fatter than he had been as a child.

But ever since he became a wizard and returned from Hogwarts, the place he described as teaching tricks, Dudley has become more polite, knows how to speak politely, and has even become much slimmer.

Dudley's sudden maturity made Aunt Petunia cry tears of joy every day. Anyone who didn't know better would think she was being bullied, but anyone who knew the Dursley family knew that Aunt Petunia was the undisputed head of the household.

However, when Dudley mentioned that magic couldn't be used at home, she said resentfully, "It seems the Wizarding World has made progress after all."

This almost made Uncle Vernon think he had said something wrong, Dudley was also at a loss.

"Mom, what do you mean?" Dudley glanced at his father, who was pretending to be dead again while reading the newspaper, and asked cautiously.

"When I was a little girl, Lily was already at Hogwarts. Whenever she came home for holidays, Lily would often play tricks at home—like turning a teacup into a mouse. My parents loved it and would call her Lily the time."

"But that's my favorite teacup! Turning it into something dirty! I think it's fine as it is; children shouldn't use magic at home," Aunt Petunia couldn't help but say.

Harry was suddenly a little surprised; he saw a deep-seated jealousy in Aunt Petunia.

Aunt Petunia doesn't hate magic after all; she just wants to have magic too. Maybe she's even tried to secretly write to Dumbledore, Harry couldn't help but think.

Immediately, he noticed a hint of regret on Aunt Petunia's horse-like face, which couldn't hide her emotions. At that moment, she was looking at the wand in Dudley's hand—perhaps she longed to see her child possess what she herself had once desired.

"Engorgio!" Dudley pulled out his wand and read it to Uncle Vernon's suit. He understood the emotion on his mother's face.

To Harry's surprise, Dudley had turned out perfectly; it hadn't become too big, but rather just big enough for his now-fat Uncle Vernon to wear.

Harry suddenly remembered something: he didn't know Dudley's grades. His Flying Class was probably the Troll T (Troll) course in history, but Harry didn't know anything about his other subjects.

Harry couldn't help but think that Dudley might actually be doing well Dudley Charms Class.

"My little Dudley, what happened to you—"

"Oh, you signed the agreement." Aunt Petunia said to Dudley, her eyes brimming with tears, as she tried to suppress her urge to look any further.

"But Mom, you want to see." As soon as Dudley finished speaking, Aunt Petunia hugged Dudley tightly in her arms, and Uncle Dursley stood up and joined in.

Harry was left standing there awkwardly, wanting nothing more than to grab the flying broomstick in the room and leave.

Just as the Dursley were immersed in a happy family atmosphere, an owl suddenly flew in through the dining room window like a whirlwind, dropped a letter on the sofa where Uncle Vernon had just been sitting, and then flew away like a whirlwind.

"This letter couldn't possibly be from the Ministry of Magic, could it?" Aunt Petunia reached out shakily, trying to pick up the letter.

Uncle Vernon picked it up without hesitation, his movements surprisingly agile for a 220-pound man. "Petunia, don't worry, someone as outstanding as Dudley won't be Dudley."

Aunt Petunia still looked worried, but before Aunt Petunia could speak, he understood her gaze. "Even if those monsters—no, even if the wizards—would hate Aunt Petunia so much that they would target Dudley. Dudley is one of them."

"Let me see—hey, kid, pick up your letter and read it to us." Uncle Vernon's expression suddenly relaxed, and he shoved the letter into Harry's hand.

Harry opened it and saw that it was written to him.

Dear Harry:

When you receive this letter, you'll surely be tempted to use magic. I'm not surprised at all; you're James's son! You're a Ravenclaw student, so you might know that children from wizarding families don't receive letters from the Ministry of Magic Misuse of Magic Office when using spells at home. But you're an exception. I'm your godfather, and I'm a wizard too. I've already registered with the Ministry of Magic, and with Galleons's help and your reputation, you'll be free to use magic in the Dursley family from now on. The Ministry of Magic Misuse of Magic Office will consider your spellcasting as the effect of a wizarding elder—that is, my magic.

Also, I will pick you up at 9:00 AM on July 21st at 4 Privet Drive to go to my house, where you will spend the rest of the summer vacation.

Love, Sirius

Harry didn't read it aloud. He carefully folded the letter, just as carefully as he folded his Hogwarts acceptance letter.

"This is a letter Sirius wrote to me. He said that children from wizarding families can use magic at home, and he's my godfather," Harry explained simply, seeing that Uncle Vernon was about to lose his temper.

"Is what that boy said true, Dudley?" Uncle Vernon shrank back instinctively when he heard Sirius's name, then rolled his small eyes and shrewdly confirmed with Dudley.

"That's a saying."

"Harry is telling the truth." Dudley nodded repeatedly. He didn't really understand these things, but he believed that Harry wouldn't joke about this.

"Those guys are the same; they look down on kids from families like ours," Uncle Vernon muttered. "Dudley, get your wand out and practice more. Don't lose to those guys!"