Hagrid, completely oblivious to Dudley's provocation, immediately began rummaging through his coat pockets, pulling out a small pink umbrella to prove himself.
The tiny umbrella couldn't even cover Hagrid's head, so it clearly wasn't meant for rain.
In fact, the key part was the umbrella's handle.
[Oak Wand Nurtured by Magic (C-rank)]
[Item Description: 16 inches long, made of oak with a unicorn hair core. Owned by Rubeus Hagrid, it has been nourished by his magic for many years and has cast a small number of spells, increasing its rating. It was once broken but repaired by an extremely powerful mending charm.]
[Since the host is not yet a wizard, compatibility with wand-type magical items cannot be assessed. Fusing with a highly compatible wand can grant stable wandless magic abilities, as well as...]
Hearing the system's identification information in his mind, Dudley felt even more confident in his plan to quickly master powerful spellcasting.
Additionally, he confirmed one thing: Hagrid was truly a simple soul.
Hagrid raised his umbrella-wand, pointing it toward the interior of the Dursleys' house.
This action startled Petunia and Vernon, who rushed over to shield Dudley and Harry, trying to pull them deeper into the house. To their surprise, Dudley used his magically enhanced strength to pull the entire family outside into the rain.
"Dudley, what are you doing?" Vernon asked, confused. Petunia was equally puzzled, but Harry seemed to understand his cousin's intentions.
"Shh!" Dudley signaled for everyone to stay quiet, watching as the half-giant prepared to cast his spell.
"Let me think... how does that spell go again? Un... Unbreakable Extension, right? 'Unbreakable Extension'!"
Hagrid dug through his distant, limited memories of learning magic and recalled the space-expanding charm. He had picked it up from some Ravenclaw students during his years as the gamekeeper.
Though he hadn't used it often, he was determined to make it work this time—for Dumbledore's trust, if nothing else.
However, Hagrid didn't realize that he had already muttered the incantation aloud while reminiscing.
In an instant, invisible magic surged from Hagrid's body into his umbrella-wand, shooting out as a strange, crooked beam of light that struck the interior of the Dursleys' house.
When the light faded, the house appeared unchanged from the outside, still standing firm in the storm. Satisfied that it was safe, Dudley led his family back inside.
As soon as they stepped in, they noticed the bizarre changes to the interior.
Petunia had already turned on the lights, so they could clearly see that the ceiling had been raised several meters, now slanting like a zigzag. The furniture was scattered and displaced, and the walls had taken on a wavy, distorted shape.
"Wait, I'm not supposed to use magic! And I think the Ministry banned private use of this spell!"
Hagrid suddenly remembered his status as a convicted wizard.
He looked at the house, its interior now bizarrely expanded, and then glanced around the empty, stormy Privet Drive. Fearful of being caught, he quickly stuffed his umbrella-wand back into his coat pocket.
"I misunderstood you, strong and adorable Mr. Hagrid. Your magic is incredible!" Dudley lied through his teeth, praising Hagrid. "Come on in! Don't stay out in the rain!"
"Oh?! Really? I'm strong and adorable... sir?"
Hagrid ducked his head and squeezed through the now-enlarged doorway.
"No one's ever said that about me before! Dudley, was it? You're a great Muggle!"
Petunia and Vernon rolled their eyes so hard they nearly got stuck. If it weren't for Dudley's praise, they would have already started yelling.
Their once-neat living room was now a chaotic mess, and they were not happy about it.
"Is this what wizard magic is like? It's amazing!"
Harry, who hadn't yet seen much of the world, was genuinely impressed. His admiration made Hagrid even happier, his bushy beard quivering with joy.
"When will our house go back to normal? It's not going to stay like this, is it?" Vernon grumbled.
Hagrid's smile faltered. "Uh... well... maybe, probably...
Oh! You're celebrating Harry's birthday! A double-layer chocolate cake! Looks like my gift might be a bit redundant, but you can still try my baking!"
Hagrid had no idea how long his botched Extension Charm would last, so he dodged the question. He stammered for a moment before quickly changing the subject.
From his dirty coat, he pulled out a round, paper-wrapped package and unwrapped it in front of Harry.
"It got a bit squished on the way, but it should still taste good!"
Hagrid handed Harry a cracked, pink-frosted cake with green jelly writing that said "Happy Birthday!" on it.
"Happy birthday, Harry!"
The half-giant's beady eyes glistened with tears, filled with warmth.
Harry looked at the cake in his hands, then up at Hagrid's rough, kind face. A memory flashed in his mind.
"You're the one who brought me to my aunt's house, on a flying motorcycle, right?"
"Oh, Harry! You remember! You remember!"
Hagrid was overjoyed, tears streaming down his face as his massive frame shook, sending rainwater splattering everywhere.
Dudley's eyes gleamed, and he quickly spoke up. "Hagrid, your coat is soaked. Take it off, and we'll wash it in our washing machine."
"Washing machine?" Hagrid was intrigued by the new term.
"Yes, a washing machine. You could say it's our Muggle version of magic. You showed us wizard magic, so it's only fair we show you ours, right?"
Dudley spoke naturally, his reasoning sound and his intentions seemingly pure.
"Alright! I shouldn't use any more magic anyway. Thanks, Dudley!"
Hagrid walked over to a low table in the living room and began pulling items out of his coat pockets: his umbrella-wand, a ball of yarn, several cracked cups, a piggy bank, a handful of copper Knuts, a string of sausages, and some crumbly dog biscuits...
He laid them all out carefully.
Finally, he even pulled out two sleeping mice, an owl, and a quill, ink, and parchment.
"Oh, right! I should send a letter to Dumbledore! Let him know I found Harry!"
Hagrid muttered to himself, dipping the quill in ink and scribbling a few lines on the parchment. He folded it, tied it to the owl's leg, and sent it off.
Then, he removed his massive, heavy, worn-out, and soaking wet fur coat.
It was clear that Hagrid hadn't used magic to tend to his personal hygiene in a long time. As the gamekeeper of Hogwarts and a trusted ally of the greatest wizard of all time, he seemed surprisingly... impoverished.
Or perhaps he simply didn't care about money.
Dudley took the coat with practiced ease, his arm dipping slightly under its weight, and headed toward the family's large washroom. As he walked, he called out to his pale-faced parents:
"Mom, Dad, don't worry. Our living room will go back to normal. It's Harry's birthday, so let's all sit down with our guest and enjoy the cake while we chat!"