That day, Vernon Dursley's temper was at its peak, his anger spilling over in loud growls. This behavior struck Mr. Weasley as exceedingly rude, prompting him to hold back from retaliating. Instead, he directed his sons to take Harry's luggage and use the Floo Network to leave first. Whether by accident or design, Fred managed to spill taffy all over the floor in his haste to clean up, deliberately leaving behind a piece. Dudley, ever the first to react to the sight of food, found himself in a predicament he couldn't avoid.
As Harry stepped towards the fireplace, he reflected on his summer with the Dursleys, finding it in him to bid them farewell despite everything. Unfortunately, Vernon, consumed by rage and panic, blatantly ignored the gesture. Mr. Weasley, slightly irritated, remarked, "Didn't you hear? You won't see your nephew until next summer. A goodbye is in order, don't you think?"
Vernon's frustration was palpable. "You've turned my living room upside down, and now you expect me to bid farewell to Harry?" He was on the verge of an outburst, but the sight of Mr. Weasley's wand coerced him into a begrudging, "Fine, goodbye!" His face flushed a deep shade of red, a clear sign of his anger.
"Goodbye," Harry said, stepping into the green flames of the fireplace. Just then, a dreadful retching noise filled the room. Aunt Petunia screamed as they all witnessed Dudley by the coffee table, his tongue swollen to a foot-long, sticky purple mass, unable to utter a sound. At his feet lay the wrapper of the taffy Fred had carelessly left behind.
Harry immediately knew Fred was to blame and had to suppress a smile at the sight. Dudley was in agony, gasping for air as if he might suffocate. Petunia, in a panic, tried to pull the swollen tongue from her son's mouth, while Vernon, eyes wide with concern, yelled for the Weasleys to leave.
Mr. Weasley, recognizing his son's handiwork, offered to help, but Vernon, fearing further harm to his son, hurled the nearest object at him. Mr. Weasley deflected it with his wand, exclaiming, "The solution is simple. It was the toffee. Fred enjoys his pranks, but I can fix this."
Vernon, initially furious, was on the brink of fetching his shotgun when he ordered, "Leave! All of you, get out!" His hands trembled as he looked at Dudley's distress, instructing Petunia, "Go to the Wick boy. He can save Dudley."
In Vernon's eyes, the wizards, especially the Weasleys, were nothing but troublemakers. They had caused chaos in his home and now his son was suffering. Petunia, supporting Dudley, rushed out as Vernon, protective as a wild boar, blocked the door, declaring, "You'll have to step over my dead body to get through!"
Mr. Weasley, taken aback and frustrated, had no choice but to leave. As the head of the Office for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, he had dedicated his life to protecting Muggles from wizarding abuses. Yet, here was his own son, causing mischief. He stepped into the fireplace, determined to reprimand Fred for his actions.
Meanwhile, Vernon hurried to find his wife and son, desperate for help.
...
John was in the midst of research in his basement when he heard a frantic knock. Opening the door, he was greeted by the sight of Dudley's grotesquely swollen tongue and Petunia's tearful plea, "Please, save my son. He's dying."
John, taken aback by Dudley's dire state, frowned, realizing the gravity of the situation. John stepped into the house, his wand at the ready. With a precise flick and a muttered incantation, "FubuteUbcabtaten," Dudley's unnaturally enlarged tongue began to revert to its normal size. John's brow furrowed in concern as he asked, "What happened here?"
Penny, seeing her son safe from harm, finally felt her anxiety ebb away. Just then, another knock sounded at the door. Without hesitation, John gestured, and the door swung open to reveal a panting Vernon Dursley. Relief washed over Vernon as he saw his son unharmed. Both he and his wife had dressed in their finest, a gesture now marred by embarrassment and Vernon's minor injuries from his frantic efforts to clear the debris.
Mrs. Wick, ever the composed presence, calmly served tea to the Dursleys, who were unaccustomed to such close interactions with her. Vernon, struggling to contain his anger in John's presence, managed to say, "We dressed up to welcome that Weasley, and they blew up my house."
John pieced together the events. The Weasleys had intended to collect Harry via the Floo Network, not anticipating the sealed fireplace. Mr. Weasley's attempt to break through had resulted in the destruction of the living room. The Dursleys had even prepared to host the Weasleys, a gesture of goodwill that ended in disaster.
Rubbing his temple, John empathized with Vernon's grievances. He had only recently persuaded Vernon to treat Harry better, and now this. "The Weasleys were at fault here. I'll repair your living room," John assured, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Wizards often misunderstand the needs of non-magical folk. Mr. Weasley likely didn't realize that such damage requires professional repairs."
Vernon's anger subsided somewhat at John's words. John then turned his attention to Dudley, who looked back fearfully. "Dudley is losing weight. I have an effective training regimen that, when combined with a balanced diet, can be very beneficial."
Dudley's ears perked up at the mention of meat in the diet, and he quickly sought his mother's approval. Petunia, though hesitant, agreed.
John set to work repairing the Dursleys' home, internally lamenting Mr. Weasley's lack of awareness. With a wave of his wand, the living room was restored to its former state in moments, including the fireplace.
As John left, the Dursleys saw him off with warmth, especially Vernon, whose opinion of John had significantly improved. John had not only assisted Harry but had shown himself to be a reasonable and helpful individual.
Upon returning home, John found Mrs. Wick with a basket of broken household items. With a simple spell, he restored them to their original state. Despite his fatigue, John penned a letter to Percy Weasley, urging a discussion with the twins about the dangers their pranks posed to non-magical people, whose physical resilience was far less than that of wizards.
The next day, after informing Mrs. Wick of his plans, John set out, determined to address the aftermath of the Weasleys' visit and ensure such misunderstandings were avoided in the future. John's father, eager to experience the Quidditch World Cup, nearly knelt before his son, pleading with him to take him along. "Have you finished your tasks?" John inquired with a nonchalant tone. Watson, visibly frustrated, had a myriad of tasks still demanding his attention. As the departure time approached, John prepared to leave, checking his list of essentials. He needed a tent for their overnight stay at the Quidditch World Cup campsite. Fortunately, he had previously arranged for Tang Mi to transport his belongings, reducing the number of items he needed to carry.
Stepping outside, John employed Apparition, vanishing from his current location. When he materialized again, he found himself in a desolate, mist-enshrouded swamp. Navigating through the dense fog, a door materialized before him, leading to a quaint stone house. After retrieving his tent from Mr. Roberts, the Muggle administrator residing in the stone house, John proceeded to the campsite located behind the building.
The campsite was a vibrant assembly of tents, each boasting unique and peculiar designs. The area extended towards a dark forest that loomed on the horizon, creating a picturesque yet mysterious backdrop. The anticipation of the upcoming event filled the air, as fans from all corners of the wizarding world gathered, each sharing the same excitement for the Quidditch World Cup.
_________
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