Could someone actually be writing to me?
Could it be from Sister Peng?
But she usually sends letters directly to the restaurant.
Harry opened the envelope with a puzzled expression.
The envelope was made of thick, heavy parchment, and the address was written in a swirly emerald green ink.
There was no stamp.
Harry flipped the envelope over. On the back, he saw a wax seal, a shield crest, and a large “H” surrounded by a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake.
Who sent him this letter?
He pulled out the letter and began to read: To: Mr. Harry Potter, The Cupboard Under the Stairs, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, (Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, (Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Grand Sorcerer of the Order of Merlin, First Class)).
Dear Mr. Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress
The list of all necessary books and equipment:
[Uniform] First-years will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all students’ clothes should carry name tags.
[Books] All students should have the following books:
‘The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)’ by Miranda Goshawk
‘A History of Magic’ by Bathilda Bagshot
‘Magical Theory’ by Adalbert Waffling
‘A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration’ by Emeric Switch
‘One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi’ by Phyllida Spore
‘Magical Drafts and Potions’ by Arsenius Jigger
‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ by Newt Scamander
‘The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection’ by Quentin Trimble
[Other Equipment]
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 brass scales
Students may also bring an owl or a cat or a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.
Magical Academy?
Harry's usually calm demeanor was shattered by the contents of the letter. He even had a shocked expression on his face.
"Boy, who wrote you this letter?" Uncle Vernon coughed softly, seemingly indifferent as he asked.
"A magical academy called Hogwarts," Harry said casually, looking at the contents of the envelope.
"What?!" Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia cried out in unison.
Their voices were so loud that the water in the glasses on the table swayed.
Dudley, who was lying down digesting, jumped up in fright.
Harry was startled and put down the envelope, looking at the two.
Uncle Vernon's face turned a deep purple with fright, and for a moment, Harry thought he couldn't breathe.
Aunt Petunia's face turned pale, her hands trembled slightly, and she stared blankly at the envelope in Harry's hand.
"You know about this magic school?" Harry, noticing their strangeness, curiously raised the letter in his hand.
Aunt Petunia took a step forward, wanting to grab the envelope from Harry.
Too slow.
Harry dodged Aunt Petunia's lunge with a slight shift of his body.
"You guys seem scared. You know there's magic in the world?" Harry’s face also showed a look of surprise.
After living together for so long, Harry never told them about his magic. But they knew about the existence of magic.
It seemed he wasn’t the only one.
"Boy, give me that envelope." Uncle Vernon stood up and strode towards Harry, rolling up his sleeves as he walked. He was clearly trying to scare Harry into handing over the envelope by making those gestures.
"You can't beat me, don't do anything irrational." Harry looked at Uncle Vernon.
"Hey, kid, even though you've gotten stronger, you're still too skinny." Uncle Vernon sneered.
Compared to his physique, Harry’s body was indeed considered ‘weak’.
Harry sighed, slowly raised his left hand, and a small lightning sword appeared in his hand. The sound of crackling electricity came from the sword.
It was clearly not a vegetarian.
Level 1 magic, Magic Divine Sword!
After Harry killed countless live fish, a new magic appeared. It was also the only new magic to appear so far.
Harry had a rough guess about the emergence of this new magic. At the same time, his physical strength suddenly increased by more than twice.
Harry guessed that this was probably like a game, he had leveled up. The way to level up was also the same as in a game, defeating and killing monsters to gain experience points. When he leveled up, he would randomly gain some attribute points. His physical strength had doubled. Harry guessed that this was probably added to attack power, adding the attack that should have been given to his troops to his own body.
Seeing the lightning sword in Harry's hand, Uncle Vernon stopped in his tracks. He looked at Harry in terror.
Aunt Petunia let out a shriek, sharp and piercing.
"No, how can you? You haven't gone to school yet, how can you use magic?" Aunt Petunia stared at Harry in astonishment.
All these years, she had never seen her nephew use any of his strange abilities. But now, it was obvious that Harry had been using magic for a long time, not something that suddenly appeared now.
"It doesn't matter. It seems you guys know a lot that I don't. Can you tell me?" Harry held up the magic sword in his hand and said to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon.
Dudley was stunned, sitting there dumbly, unable to speak. The 2K-sized processor in his big head was simply unable to handle the complex situation before him.
Uncle Vernon glared at the lightning sword in Harry's hand, snorted angrily, then sat down weakly in his chair, holding his chest with both hands, looking annoyed. He clearly didn't want to talk.
Harry looked at Aunt Petunia.
Aunt Petunia stood there blankly, looking at Harry with a complicated expression.
Harry grasped his hand, the magic sword disappeared.
"Alright, since you've received the letter and you don't know why you have magic." Aunt Petunia hesitated for a moment, then sat down and said, "Since you want to know, I'll tell you."
"Your parents, they were both witches!"
[Witches?] Harry silently chewed on the word in his heart.
"My mother was also a witch?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Petunia nodded.
"If she was a witch, why weren't you?" Harry asked curiously.
Harry's question was not malicious. But Petunia’s face stiffened. Her mouth twitched. Harry's question brought back those damn memories.
In her youth, she had seen her sister receive the letter, and she had tried to send her own fantasies to the address. But then she was cruelly rejected by the warm words, her fantasies shattered. She knew Harry was just curious, but the sincerity in his voice made her feel even worse.
Petunia felt short of breath, as if someone had stabbed her in the chest.