The imperfect Extension Charm Hagrid had cast only affected the living room's space. The distorted ceiling and walls hadn't actually changed shape; they just looked odd visually.
So, it didn't hinder Dudley from moving between rooms.
Dudley tossed Hagrid's coat into the washing machine in the bathroom, turned it on, and let the machine struggle to start.
He wasn't planning to tamper with Hagrid's coat but to give Hagrid a reason to return to the Dursleys' house later, increasing the chances of his plan's success.
When Dudley returned to the living room, the Dursleys, Harry, and Hagrid were already seated around the table.
Since there was no chair sturdy enough to support Hagrid's weight, Petunia had found a thick cushion for him to sit on the floor.
Even so, Hagrid still towered over everyone in the Dursley household.
They all sat around the table, staring at the two cakes—one tall and large, the other short and small—waiting for Dudley to return so they could dig in.
The atmosphere, however, was awkward and tense, a far cry from the earlier warmth and joy.
Hagrid, on the other hand, was in high spirits, happily sharing sausages he had pulled from his pockets.
The Dursleys looked stiff. Though Dudley had convinced them to accept magic, sitting with a wizard still felt uncomfortable.
Harry also looked conflicted. Knowing Hagrid was the one who had brought him to the Dursleys, he wanted to ask about the details of his parents' deaths.
The letter Dumbledore had left with the Dursleys only mentioned that Lily and James had been killed by a powerful dark wizard and that Lily had used her love and sacrifice to cast a powerful protective charm on Harry. It didn't specify the killer's identity.
The book Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century that Dudley had obtained from Diggle was equally vague.
As if avoiding a taboo, it referred to the brutal killer only as "You-Know-Who," focusing instead on Harry's fame as the Boy Who Lived and the savior of the wizarding world.
As a transmigrator, Dudley knew the full truth, but he couldn't just spill everything to Harry.
First, he didn't want Harry's childhood to be consumed by the pain of his parents' deaths. Second, he couldn't explain how he knew so much.
So, Harry remained in the dark about the details of his parents' deaths, eager to learn the truth.
But in this setting and atmosphere, he wasn't sure if he should bring it up or how to do so.
"Let's eat the cake first," Dudley said, sitting down next to Harry. "We can talk about other things after."
Harry and the Dursleys breathed a sigh of relief, their expressions easing as they began cutting the cake.
Unbeknownst to them, Dudley had become the family's backbone in a way, providing courage and strength.
Under Dudley's high emotional intelligence, the cake-eating session went smoothly and harmoniously.
Dudley, who trained in boxing, had a good appetite. Vernon, being round, also ate a lot. And Hagrid, with his giant blood and towering height, could eat like a beast.
The two sizable cakes were completely devoured, along with two jugs of juice.
Hagrid, now about 80% full, was in high spirits. Without a hint of tact, he commented:
"I guess I was wrong about you Dursleys. You're not as nasty and mean as I thought! Harry's been raised well—not as sturdy as little Dudley, but still healthy!"
Vernon and Petunia's faces darkened. Wizards, it seemed, were still an annoying bunch.
Dudley noticed this and quickly changed the subject, asking the question Harry most wanted answered:
"Hagrid, Harry's family, and we care for him as we should. But can you tell us how Aunt Lily and Uncle James were killed? Harry and we all want to know."
At this, Harry's face lit up with curiosity as he looked at Hagrid.
Even Petunia, though trying to hide it, couldn't help but lean in. She, too, wanted to know how her sister had died.
Hagrid's expression turned grim. He glanced at Harry with pity before speaking slowly:
"Some things I'm not entirely clear on, but I'll tell you what I know.
It all started with a very, very bad dark wizard, rotten to the core. His name was..."
"What was it?" Harry pressed eagerly.
"His name... people are too scared to say it. They call him You-Know-Who. Well, his name is... Voldemort!"
After saying the name, Hagrid shuddered and scooted closer to the fireplace before continuing:
"About twenty years ago, You-Know-Who gathered a bunch of wizards and formed a group called the Death Eaters. They took over the wizarding world.
All of Britain, except for Hogwarts, where Dumbledore was..."
The family listened quietly as Hagrid shared the semi-public secrets of the wizarding world, their expressions varied.
After a while, Hagrid finished. He didn't know much more.
Dudley, combining what Harry already knew, seized the key point and asked:
"Voldemort broke into Aunt Lily's house, killed her and Uncle James, but was hit by the protective charm Aunt Lily cast on Harry. He was badly injured, vanished, and no one knows if he's alive or dead. That's how peace returned to the wizarding world.
So, the question is: why did Voldemort want to kill Aunt Lily's family? What was his motive?"
Hagrid thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. He was a madman, pure evil. Back then, he killed many famous wizarding couples. Many couples and their children died, like the McKinnons..."
"Stop! That's it!" Dudley interrupted. "If a ruler systematically eliminates a group without any past grievances, excluding the possibility of madness, what could be the reason?"
Dudley looked at Harry.
Harry immediately began to think. After a few seconds, he came up with an answer: "Because someone or some people in that group posed a threat to his rule, maybe even his life!"
Dudley nodded approvingly. "Exactly! And the person who posed a threat to Voldemort was likely..."
"Me?!" Harry exclaimed, following Dudley's lead.
Dudley nodded again, and the room fell silent.
After a while, Harry broke the silence: "How could Voldemort be sure that someone in that group would be his downfall? Could he... predict the future?"
The concept of fortune-telling was something Dudley had introduced to Harry through stories. That Harry could make this rational connection, rather than drowning in grief or self-doubt, showed how effective Dudley's guidance had been.
"Fortune-telling? Harry, do you mean Divination?"
Hagrid chimed in. "You-Know-Who knew many powerful dark spells, but I've never heard of him being skilled in Divination. If you're talking about Divination, Professor Trelawney at Hogwarts is quite good at it."
"Then maybe..."
Harry spoke excitedly, as if he had guessed a crucial truth.
But at that moment, perhaps overwhelmed by too many thoughts, a flash of green light and an evil, sinister laugh echoed in Harry's mind.
It was a memory from the night his parents had died.
"Cousin! I..." Harry suddenly stood up, then felt dizzy and staggered a couple of steps.