Harry had never experienced such a dismal birthday. His day was utterly spoiled by Dobby, the house-elf, resulting in him being confined to his room. He even harbored fears that he might never return to Hogwarts again. Peering through the narrow gap in the window's iron plate, Harry's gaze fell upon Hedwig, who had visibly lost weight due to the poor quality of food over the past several days. Hedwig, looking rather ill, turned her head away in a huff.
At that moment, the door, which only opened twice daily, swung open. Harry's eyes widened as he saw John stepping inside. "John!" Harry exclaimed, a mix of surprise and relief in his voice.
John's brow furrowed as he surveyed the cramped space. The room was dimly lit, with scant sunlight filtering through the shuttered windows. He approached Harry, saying, "I came to check on you after Hermione and the others mentioned you hadn't replied to their messages."
Sitting down on Harry's bed, John looked at him quizzically. "Why on earth are you locked up?"
Harry's frustration bubbled to the surface as he recounted the incident. "A house-elf broke in, warned me against returning to Hogwarts, and caused a mess. Uncle Vernon discovered the chaos and blamed me, citing the rule against using magic outside school."
Finding a sympathetic ear, Harry poured out his grievances to John. John, however, was puzzled by the mention of a house-elf causing trouble for Harry. "A house-elf targeting you?" he mused, knowing it was unusual for house-elves to attack wizards or cause havoc in their homes. "Could someone have put him up to this?"
Harry immediately thought of Malfoy as a potential instigator. John, however, dismissed the idea, reasoning that if Malfoy were behind it, he'd likely have boasted about it in a letter by now.
The conversation then turned to the possibility that the house-elf had acted on its own, which seemed even more baffling. John knew that only old and wealthy wizarding families had house-elves, and while the Potter family certainly fit that description, Dobby's disobedience didn't make sense since house-elves couldn't defy their masters' orders.
As they delved deeper into the mystery, Harry, with hope in his eyes, asked, "John, did you come to rescue me?" He had heard Uncle Vernon's screams earlier, which he assumed were related to John's arrival.
John shook his head, explaining that while he hadn't come to rescue Harry himself, Ron was planning a rescue operation after learning that Harry had received a warning letter from the Ministry of Magic and hadn't responded. "I'm here more for moral support," John clarified, adding that he couldn't very well engage in anything illegal like kidnapping the Dursleys.
Despite John's inability to rescue him, Harry felt comforted by their conversation. They talked about John's recent trip abroad, which made Harry quite envious.
Before leaving, John issued a serious warning. "Harry, be vigilant. I believe Voldemort may be plotting his return. I encountered a Death Eater in France, which suggests his followers are still active. Perhaps Dobby's warning wasn't entirely unfounded."
Their discussion left Harry with much to ponder, especially about the potential dangers that lay ahead and the mysterious motivations of the house-elf named Dobby. John's visit to Harry at the Dursleys' was marked by a clear sense of purpose. He reminded Harry of the crucial clue hidden in a secret chamber within a bathroom, urging him to remain vigilant. "I know, John. I'm glad you came to see me. If only I had my luggage, I could review it," Harry responded, acknowledging the need to prepare. Unfortunately, his belongings were still downstairs.
John reassured him not to worry. After bidding Harry farewell and descending the stairs, he addressed Uncle Vernon with a calm authority, "Even if you confine Harry, he should be allowed time to organize his belongings." Vernon, intimidated by John's presence and fearing the potential wrath of the wizarding world—even though John couldn't legally use magic outside of school—hastily agreed, "I'll move his things up right now." It was clear Vernon wanted to appease John, whom he viewed as a formidable figure, to avoid any trouble.
Harry was puzzled by how John managed to make Uncle Vernon so compliant. He wondered why, if John could influence Vernon to this extent, he didn't just secure his release from the Dursleys' house. Unbeknownst to Harry, John had already left, casting a final glance at the Dursleys who watched him depart, acknowledging their begrudging hospitality towards Harry, a wizard, in their muggle household.
That night, John was alerted to the sound of a car engine. From his attic window, he observed a turquoise car flying past, heading towards the Dursleys'. Recognizing the three red-haired occupants as members of the Weasley family, John mused on the ingenious melding of muggle technology and magic that resulted in the flying car. He deduced that Arthur Weasley, head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, was likely the creator, not the Weasley twins, given the advanced level of enchantment involved.
John watched as the Weasleys helped Harry escape with his luggage, thanks to John's earlier intervention. The next morning, Vernon Dursley was distraught over the damage to his house, suspecting John's involvement in some vindictive scheme. This incident led to Dudley being confined to the house, much to his chagrin.
Meanwhile, John was engaged in correspondence with Ben Abbott, a renowned swordsmith, commissioning a sword. He provided mithril and special wood for its creation, anticipating its completion in two weeks.
Upon receiving the second-year textbook list from Hogwarts, John was puzzled by the inclusion of titles that seemed more like novels than academic texts, such as "Walking with Corpse Eaters" and "Holidays with Witches." Recalling Hermione's recommendation of these books for their fascinating content, John humorously wondered if Hermione possessed the gift of prophecy, given her enthusiasm for these unconventional resources. After some contemplation, John decided to temporarily set aside his current project. He dedicated himself to setting up an additional alchemy room in the basement. During this period, he crafted several items, pondering the possibility of selling them in the future. Despite his family being of middle-class status, the exorbitant costs associated with alchemy were becoming unsustainable. John recognized the need for self-sufficiency and the potential benefits of finding a business partner. This partner would not only assist in the production but also handle the sales of the items. However, John was adamant that this individual must possess a high level of professionalism. The magical items he was creating were far from mere novelty items like those produced by the Weasley twins; they were potent artifacts with significant power.
After giving it some thought, John realized he didn't know anyone with the necessary expertise in his immediate circle. The logical next step seemed to be a trip to Diagon Alley, where he hoped to find someone with the professional background and interest in collaborating on his alchemy projects.
_________
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Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge