As Dudley stirred the mixture evenly, this Elixir of Life-infused meal was officially completed.
"According to Professor Dumbledore's explanation, the Elixir of Life doesn't grant eternal life after a single dose but must be taken at regular intervals. At the same time, this potion can slow aging but cannot completely stop it," Dudley murmured softly to himself.
"But this is more than enough!"
Being able to keep his parents by his side for hundreds of years was already an extraordinary gift. When the time was right, they could relocate somewhere peaceful and live a carefree life from then on. This kind of future was exactly what Dudley had always hoped for.
"Dinner is served!" Dudley waved his right hand lightly, and the dishes floated gracefully through the air before landing steadily on the table.
Soon, Vernon and Petunia, along with Harry, rushed into the kitchen, eagerly admiring the delicious spread before them.
"Duddy, you're absolutely amazing," Petunia looked at the meal and praised him warmly.
Not only did everything smell incredible, but it also looked remarkably appetizing.
"I can hardly wait to taste it," Vernon said, practically drooling as he gazed at the food.
"Dudley, I had no idea you possessed this talent," Harry added with genuine admiration.
"Please, everyone sit down and enjoy," Dudley invited them to the table.
They raised their glasses together to wish Harry a happy birthday while feasting on the wonderful meal.
"How does everything taste?" Dudley asked midway through the meal.
"Excellent!" the three of them said almost in perfect unison.
"And I sense an indescribable fresh fragrance in the food. After eating it, I feel wonderfully refreshed all over," Petunia observed.
"Really? I don't notice anything like that," Vernon said, secretly licking his lips and trying to detect the fresh fragrance Petunia mentioned, but he still couldn't identify it.
"Regardless, eating this delicious meal my son prepared makes me feel much more energetic too, hahaha," Vernon said cheerfully.
"Dudley, what did you add to the food?" Harry asked quietly.
After eating this meal, Harry clearly felt subtle changes throughout his body. If he didn't understand potions, he might have ignored these sensations.
But Harry was a wizard after all. He knew about various potions' effects on the human body.
Dudley's cooking was delicious, but that alone wouldn't cause physical changes. This meal obviously contained something additional.
"Something beneficial. You don't need to worry about it. I would never harm you," Dudley replied softly.
Dudley hadn't told Harry about the Philosopher's Stone and didn't want him to know for the time being.
Harry understood that Dudley wouldn't hurt him. He was simply curious.
At the same time, he found Dudley becoming increasingly mysterious. Even he couldn't casually enter that magical laboratory in the basement.
The birthday lunch concluded on this pleasant note, leaving Harry thoroughly satisfied.
"Ahem, Harry, we were originally planning to take you out this afternoon, but I'm terribly sorry. I have an important business meeting to discuss today, so..." Vernon said to Harry in an apologetic tone.
"It's perfectly fine. We already celebrated during Dudley's birthday last time. Uncle Vernon, you should focus on your business," Harry said graciously.
If this were in the past, Vernon definitely wouldn't have considered Harry's opinion, but under Dudley's influence, he had genuinely changed.
"Wonderful," Vernon smiled happily. "If this business deal succeeds, I can buy a villa in Majorca. Then we can vacation there during the summer."
"Darling, it will definitely work out," Petunia said with an encouraging smile.
Dudley wanted to mention that they didn't need this deal to succeed to purchase a villa in Majorca, but after considering it, he kept quiet.
Rather than directly giving his parents gold bars, it would be better to help them close this deal. This would be child's play for Dudley.
"Alright, let's rehearse tonight's dinner party procedure," Vernon announced.
"At eight o'clock, everyone takes their positions. Petunia, at this time you should..." Vernon looked expectantly at his wife.
"Be in the living room, warmly welcoming them."
"Very good, excellent. Dudley, what about you?" Vernon turned to his son.
"I'll open the door for them," Dudley said with a smile. "Then help them with their coats and greet Mr. and Mrs. Mason."
"Oh, and I can also prepare some small gifts to present when they arrive," Dudley added thoughtfully.
"Excellent, Dudley. They'll definitely be charmed by you," Vernon exclaimed with pride.
Dudley smiled knowingly.
"Harry, what about you?"
"Uh... me, should I just stay in my bedroom?" Harry asked uncertainly.
Usually in such situations, Vernon would require him to remain in his room and avoid making any noise. At least that's how things used to be. They never let others know of his existence.
Although Vernon was much kinder to him now, Harry didn't feel comfortable participating in the family dinner party. He thought it would be less awkward to stay in his bedroom.
"No, no, no. I mentioned you to the Masons, and they're very interested in meeting you too. So you should wait in the kitchen and warmly welcome them. How does that sound?" Vernon suggested.
"This... alright," Harry agreed reluctantly.
He thought it might be rather awkward, but since Uncle Vernon had made the request, he couldn't refuse.
For the next hour, Vernon meticulously reviewed every detail of the entire procedure, including everyone's positioning and exact words, rehearsing everything step by step. This demonstrated how much importance he placed on this business deal.
Dudley really wanted to say that as long as he was present, this deal couldn't possibly fail, but he ultimately remained silent.
He didn't want his parents to know he possessed the ability to influence others' thoughts.
Therefore, he could only cooperate with their preparation.
The entire rehearsal process lasted about an hour. By the time it ended, both Dudley and Harry were thoroughly exhausted.
"Dad, I want to know something. If this business deal succeeds, would you be able to start your own company?" Dudley asked.
"That would certainly be possible. This way I'd have substantial startup capital. The only concern would be that when the company first launches, I might struggle to attract enough clients," Vernon said with slight hesitation.
"I see. Let's see how tonight progresses then," Dudley's eyes gleamed with calculation, already formulating a plan.
For the remaining time, Dudley didn't return to the basement to continue studying potions, instead going to his room to rest.
Just as he was about to draw the curtains, Dudley's senses detected something amiss.
"Something has entered the property..." This was Dudley's home, and he was intimately familiar with every inch of this place. The Interrogator's abilities would be considerably enhanced here.
Dudley's eyes sharpened as he immediately focused on the hedge in the yard below. There, a pair of unusually large green eyes was blinking up at him.