As the head of the family, Vernon Dursley stood up, his voice cautious. "It's about Maggie. We inadvertently mentioned something concerning Harry's parents."
"Inadvertently?" John's gaze was piercing, prompting Vernon to quickly amend his statement. "Perhaps some unfortunate words were mixed in."
Observing John's expression for signs of anger and finding none, Vernon was relieved. John sighed, understanding now why Harry had been so upset. In Harry's eyes, his parents were paragons of virtue. It was during today's heated moment that Harry, agitated, had unintentionally unleashed magic on Maggie. Remarkably, he had done so without a wand, which reinforced John's belief that magic was closely tied to emotions.
Sitting on the sofa, John tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the armrest. The Dursleys watched in terror as the chaos they had caused seemed to be tidied away by unseen forces. John fixed Vernon with a meaningful look and said calmly, "It appears you have a fundamental misunderstanding of wizards."
Vernon, intimidated by John's penetrating gaze, remained silent.
"You seem to think wizards are akin to street magicians, mere tricksters," John continued, his voice cool. "You're mistaken. A wizard could effortlessly demolish a house with a flick of his wand or send your car careening off a cliff."
Vernon gasped, his voice trembling. "But students aren't allowed to use magic outside of school, right?"
John's response was a chuckle. "True, but that's not the whole story. Do you think someone ceases to be a wizard once they leave Hogwarts? Let me be clear, Mr. Dursley, I'm not trying to scare you unnecessarily. By antagonizing Harry, you're pushing him towards a dangerous path."
Vernon felt a chill run down his spine. He had underestimated Harry's capabilities and the gravity of their situation. "Today, had Harry been less in control, you might not have been here to see my arrival. Life is fragile. Why provoke a wizard, especially with such disdain? You could have been a supportive family."
Petunia Dursley, upon hearing the word 'family', clutched Vernon's hand. Harry was her nephew, her sister's child. The loss of Harry's parents to Voldemort was also the loss of her sister. Despite her envy of her sister's magical abilities, Petunia had never intended to abandon Harry. John's words made her realize the gravity of her actions towards Harry.
Vernon, drenched in cold sweat, recalled the fear he felt when Harry had pointed his wand at him earlier that day.
"That will be all, Mr. Dursley. What a disruption this has been," John concluded, standing to leave now that the Dursleys understood the need to change their attitude towards Harry.
On his way home, John encountered the large black dog again. "Here again, after just feeding you dried fish?" he muttered, placing the last piece of dried fish on the ground before the dog. After giving the dog a pat on the head, John continued on his way home.
Sirius, in his Animagus form, recognized John as Harry's ally. As he chewed on the dried fish, he pondered how to capture the traitor.
With less than a month of summer vacation remaining, John gave a crystal ball a gentle push; it rolled off the table onto the floor. Tom, eager to help, rushed to retrieve it.
"It seems the enthusiasm of our young wizard knows no bounds," John mused, eyeing a stack of letters on the table addressed to the generous Lord Johnny Silverhand. Having already committed to covering the expenses for a cursed young wizard's Wolfsbane Potion until he came of age, John noted that more than half of the Little Wizard Foundation's funds were still available. With a considerable sum amassed from the profits of Lockhart's books and the continuous revenue from the Johnny Silverhands store, John decided it was time to put the surplus to good use. Johnny Silverhand, leveraging his wealth, established a unique opportunity to support the entrepreneurial dreams of young wizards. By offering angel investment, he addressed the common issue of lacking start-up capital among aspiring wizard entrepreneurs. His stores across the country received a steady stream of letters, prompting Johnny to designate a special mailbox for these correspondences. Among the letters, one from Fred and George Weasley caught his attention. Known for their inventive minds, the twins proposed opening a joke store. Johnny, intrigued, replied with interest but insisted on evaluating their products first, despite their shared classmate status.
Before sending his response, Johnny remembered the Weasley twins were currently in Egypt. Deciding to wait for their return, he set the letter aside and sifted through the others. A photo from Hermione in Paris caught his eye, though the darkness of the image made him question the camera angle.
Another letter from Dharma Alex revealed his keen interest in Johnny's last research proposal. Eager to share his findings, Dharma invited Johnny to Belby Manor. Upon arrival, Johnny was greeted by a house elf and introduced to a visibly exhausted Dharma, whose dedication to his work was evident from his smoke-emitting ears and dark circles under his eyes.
Dharma's excitement was palpable as he showed Johnny his breakthrough on the Blood Curse, a millennia-old affliction. He had developed a potion, similar in preparation to the wolfsbane potion, due to the lack of a specific test subject. Johnny, examining the potion, noted its foul stench and the ominous scarlet color. He expressed more interest in the hereditary aspect of the curse, pointing out the unique challenge it presented compared to other forms of magic.
As Dharma's exhaustion finally overtook him, leading him to fall asleep mid-conversation, Johnny contemplated finding a place to wait. Suddenly, his surroundings transformed into a dense forest, and a mysterious voice beckoned him. A figure flashed before his eyes, and Johnny felt as though he was being pulled into an apparition passage. Amidst the disorienting experience, he glimpsed lines of silver light, hinting at an unforeseen adventure ahead.
This unexpected turn of events promised to delve deeper into the mysteries of magic and the unexplored territories that lay beyond the familiar walls of the wizarding world. Johnny's journey was about to take a new, thrilling direction, guided by the mysterious call of the unknown. Hovering before him, John grasped the ethereal line with all his might, only to find himself plummeting suddenly. The visions that had enveloped him vanished, replaced by the familiar surroundings of Belby Manor. Leaning heavily against the table, John gasped for air, his gaze fixated on his right hand. A silver, light-like line extended from his palm, disappearing into the void at its other end. "Who was that just now?" John murmured, perplexed. It felt as though he had physically touched something moments before. Glancing down, he discovered a book in his hand. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the open page detailed a blood curse. Simultaneously, he noticed an enhancement in his proficiency with ancient magic.
As John contemplated his newfound mastery, the voice he had heard earlier lingered in his mind. It bore a resemblance to the enchantments used by goblins, yet there was something uniquely compelling about it. "Could it be ancient magic?" he pondered, his fingers gently caressing the page that spoke of the blood curse. The look in John's eyes shifted, reflecting a newfound determination. The call he had experienced was undoubtedly from the realm of ancient magic, carrying with it a sorrowful, feminine timbre.
"This warrants investigation," John resolved, his grip on the ethereal line firming. However, he realized that the source of the call lay beyond the nation's borders, in a place shrouded in mystery.
_________
If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge