By the laws of the Muggle world, a citizen's private property is sacred and inviolable. If the Dursleys had done away with Hagrid for breaking in, it would've been considered self-defense. Of course, that's only for Muggles; wizards don't need to follow their laws.
And, as a side note, the word "Muggle"... it's actually an insult, a bit like calling someone a "nitwit."
Hagrid stood outside the door, looking downcast as he watched the newly repaired door. After a moment of thought, he quietly mounted his motorbike and flew off.
It wasn't until the sound of the bike faded that Dudley finally let out a sigh of relief. He'd been worried Hagrid might come back and start another kerfuffle. He turned to his parents and Harry and said, "The annoying intruder has been dealt with. Let's just go back to sleep."
Dudley was exhausted; his level 5 skill had practically drained all his energy. He just wanted to rest. Any other business could wait until tomorrow. He figured he'd have to be more careful about using that spell.
With that, he flopped onto the sofa and immediately fell asleep.
Vernon opened his mouth to ask a question, but Petunia tugged on his sleeve. After a quick look between them, they went upstairs. Hagrid's visit made one thing very clear to the Dursleys: those wizards were not going to leave Harry alone.
Compared to the worried Dursley couple, Harry's heart was filled with admiration for Dudley. 'Of course D-Bro would defeat that giant,' he thought to himself. He had so many questions for Dudley, but since Dudley was fast asleep, he had to keep them to himself.
The next day, Dudley woke up early, thanks to a good habit he'd picked up. After his morning exercises, the Dursleys and Harry slowly got up.
"Let's go home," Dudley said, his face still round and chubby but with a seriousness that didn't match his age. "I think we'll have a few important guests at home soon, just like the one yesterday."
The four Dursleys packed their bags in silence, and Vernon drove them back to Privet Drive. The drive was quiet. After a few hours, they arrived back at their familiar two-story house. The owls that had been outside the yard and near the mailbox were gone. A little tabby cat, looking like it was just passing by, watched the Dursleys carrying their luggage inside, its big eyes full of curiosity.
"Dudley, darling…" Petunia began, but Dudley stopped her with a wave of his hand.
"Before we do anything else, I think you should tell us a few things," he said. "Like Harry's story, my aunt and uncle I've never met—Harry's parents—and those magical abilities. I think we should be honest with each other as a family."
Dudley put a little emphasis on the word "family."
Harry's eyes lit up. He looked from Dudley to his aunt and uncle, then sat down quietly, waiting for what would happen next.
Vernon and Petunia fell silent after hearing Dudley's words. They knew their son's character; he had never given them a moment of worry since he was little. From his manners to his schoolwork, he was always an outstanding student. Their entire family was close because of him. But he was just so opinionated.
'We have to tell them,' Petunia and Vernon had agreed the night before. At this point, there was no reason to keep the truth a secret.
"Alright, if you want to know, I'll tell you," Petunia said, her voice hoarse. "It all started when my sister and I were children…"
As Petunia spoke, the long-buried memories came to life for Dudley and Harry. The story wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. It had wizards and magic, Muggles, laughter, and sorrow... but mostly, it had a lot of helplessness.
When she was young, Petunia had yearned for the magical world. After Lily went to Hogwarts, Petunia had sent several letters to Dumbledore, hoping to join her. However, she had no magical talent, and Dumbledore had turned her down without a second thought. But that didn't stop her fascination. Through different methods, she learned about Dementors and Death Eaters and even heard about Voldemort. She knew that he had killed many half-bloods and Muggle-borns. It wasn't until she heard about Lily's death that she completely gave up her dreams of the magical world. She agreed to take Harry in with full knowledge of everything. It was the last thing she could do for her sister. Maybe she was a bad aunt, but she was a good sister.
The story ended as she described finding a sleeping baby in a basket outside their door. Harry knew without being told that the baby in the basket was him.
His expression was complex as he asked, "So, my parents didn't die in a car crash? They were killed by someone?" The Dursleys had always told him his parents died in a car crash, and he had always believed it.
"Harry, I'm sorry," Petunia said, looking apologetically into his green eyes, as if she were seeing her sister.
Harry shook his head slightly and looked at Petunia, saying sincerely, "You didn't tell me for my own good." He bowed respectfully. "Thank you for taking care of me all these years. I'm sorry for being so much trouble."
After growing up with Dudley, Harry was far more mature than other kids his age. Now that he knew everything, he felt nothing but profound respect for Petunia.
When he said that, Vernon looked at Harry with a kind expression for the very first time. As for Petunia, she covered her mouth, her eyes welling up with tears. She couldn't hold back her emotions anymore.
"Those people are terrible… and cruel…"
"Vernon and I didn't want the same thing to happen to you…"
"That night you lost your parents… and I lost my only sister…"
Petunia choked on her words.
"Petunia, it's not your fault," a sudden voice from the doorway said. It seemed to hold some kind of magic that brought a sense of calm to everyone's hearts. The Dursleys' door slowly opened, and standing outside was a kind, white-bearded old man. At his feet was a little tabby cat.
"Eavesdropping is very rude," Dudley said, a little annoyed, to the man.
"My apologies, big fella," Dumbledore said, winking at Dudley. He had meant to call him "little fella" but changed his mind when he realized Dudley was almost as tall as him. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts."
After hearing Petunia share so much about his mother, combined with what he'd experienced in the last two days—especially the unpleasant business at the seaside cabin—Harry felt a gut-level aversion to Hogwarts. He was even more upset when he thought about how Dudley had been hurt and that he might have to go to a different world from Dudley and never see him again.
A wave of sadness and anger washed over him. The moment Dumbledore introduced himself, Harry's eyes went red. A surge of heat rushed through him, and his ears buzzed. He couldn't hold back any longer and yelled at Dumbledore.
"I! Harry Potter! Will NOT go to Hogwarts!"