Chapter 4: "You're a Wizard, Harry"
The gunshot was followed immediately by the discordant shrieks of the Dursley family.
The bullet grazed Dudley's ear and slammed into the vase on the wall behind him, shattering it with a deafening crash. A loud ringing filled Dudley's ears, his mind a complete blank. He only snapped out of it when his mother's shrill screams echoed through the room. A torrent of tears and snot streamed down his face as he collapsed weakly back into his chair.
"It seems my aim is a bit off."
Leon handed the gun back to his bodyguard, his gaze on the Dursleys still as cold as ice.
"I'm a man of my word, Mr. Dursley," Leon said, turning his attention to Vernon. "Since that talking lump of lard guessed correctly, you will get your big order."
As Vernon stared at him in a daze, Leon slowly rose from his seat and walked towards the staircase. He stopped in front of the cupboard door and knocked softly.
There was only silence from within.
Leon waited patiently for a moment before knocking again, a little louder this time. "Harry Potter?"
It wasn't long before the cupboard door creaked open, revealing a small, thin boy. He wore a clumsy pair of round glasses, was dressed in an old, oversized long-sleeved shirt, and his hair was a messy black mop. A faint, lightning-bolt scar was visible on his forehead.
Leon noted that the boy's eyes were bright and, more importantly, held no trace of fear.
The Chosen One, after all, Leon thought. A fine lad. A pity his name isn't Shelby.
Harry, for his part, was sizing up Leon as well. He saw a boy about his own age, yet dressed in a world of difference. The elegant, tailored black suit made Harry feel self-conscious, and he quickly averted his gaze. Worse, Leon projected a unique and powerful aura, an unconscious air of command that made it hard for Harry to breathe.
"Relax, Harry," Leon said, patting him on the shoulder. "Come and have something to eat. Your aunt is a decent cook."
A bewildered Harry was led to the dining table. The Dursleys sat in rigid silence, not daring to make a sound.
The faint smell of gunpowder still hung in the air. Harry wrinkled his nose and stole a glance at the Dursleys sitting opposite him. When he saw the trail of snot dripping from Dudley's nose into his mouth, he couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter.
Seeing the boy who lived under his roof dare to laugh at his precious son, Vernon instinctively let out a cold grunt, his mouth opening to deliver a harsh reprimand.
And then, his mouth was full.
A thick, black gun barrel was shoved between his teeth. Beside him, Petunia and Dudley started squealing like pigs again.
"Show some respect, Mr. Dursley," Leon said, his expression terrifyingly dark. He shot a cold glare at Petunia and Dudley, and their squeals died in their throats as if someone had grabbed them by the neck.
"Mr. Potter," Leon said, turning back to Harry, his face instantly softening into a warm smile. "I came here specifically for you."
Harry was taken aback. For as long as he could remember, he'd never had any friends, so no one had ever come looking for him before. And this boy, this clearly important... Mr. Shelby (was that his name?), had come all this way just for him?
"Mr. Shelby... I don't understand. I don't think we've ever met," Harry began nervously. "Does that mean... are you the one who's been sending me all those letters?"
Before Leon could answer, Harry continued in a dejected mumble, "But... Uncle Vernon took them all. I never got to read a single one."
"No, I didn't write the letters," Leon said, shaking his head. Harry's face fell. "But I know what they say."
At these words, it wasn't Harry who had the strongest reaction, but Vernon and Petunia. They shot each other a look of pure terror, a scream building in their throats only to be choked back by the gun barrel still lodged in Vernon's mouth.
"You're a wizard, Harry," Leon said plainly. "Just like me."
As the words left his mouth, a look of grim resignation—'I knew it'—washed over the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. Dudley just looked vacant, not understanding a thing.
Harry, however, was completely stunned. His heart began to pound violently in his chest.
"A... a wizard?" he repeated in disbelief.
Leon walked to the window and threw it open with a sharp push. An owl was perched on the sill, hooting indignantly. He took the letter from its leg, walked back to the table, and, under the despairing eyes of the Dursleys, handed it to Harry.
It was Harry Potter's acceptance letter. From Hogwarts.
The small boy with the round glasses read it carefully, poring over every single word. When he was finished, he looked up at Leon, his eyes wide.
"Mr. Shelby... is this real? Everything in this letter?"
"We'll be classmates," Leon confirmed with a slight nod, pulling out his own acceptance letter for Harry to see. "The best way to convince you, of course, would be to show you some magic." He paused, a hint of regret in his voice. "Unfortunately, I haven't learned how to do any of it yet."
"Lily... You're just like my wretched sister!" a voice suddenly shrieked. It was Aunt Petunia, who had been mostly silent until now, her tone dripping with scorn.
Dudley looked at his mother in terror, his face contorting in a worried grimace, afraid he would be punished alongside her.
"Freaks... the lot of you!" Aunt Petunia's voice grew shriller as she glared venomously at Leon and Harry.
Leon held up a hand to stop his men, who were already moving forward. He stared directly at Petunia, his gaze fixed on her reddened, hateful eyes.
"Watching your sister be special while you were just ordinary... you must have been so jealous, weren't you?"
"When you were a girl, you saw her make a dead flower bloom in her hand. You must have tried it yourself in secret, didn't you? And you failed."
"You let your pathetic jealousy destroy your relationship with your own sister. How pitiful."
"Tell me, Petunia," Leon's voice was a cold dagger. "Doesn't it hurt, knowing you have no magic?"
Each word struck home, unearthing truths that Petunia had buried so deep even she tried to avoid them. Her head sank lower and lower, until finally, she broke down, sobbing with shame and humiliation.
Leon gave a cold snort and turned his attention back to Harry.
The boy hadn't been paying attention to any of it. He was just staring at the letter in his hands, the sheer, unadulterated joy in his eyes impossible to hide.
After a long moment, he looked up at Leon, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Mr. Shelby, thank you! Thank you so much! If it weren't for you, I might never have gotten the chance to learn magic!"
"Don't thank me," Leon said, not taking the credit. "Even if I hadn't come, someone would have been here for you in a few days' time."
He snapped his fingers. Immediately, two of his men charged up the stairs and into Dudley's room.
A few moments later, all of Dudley's belongings came crashing down the stairs, his most prized toys scattered across the floor like rubbish. Meanwhile, Harry's few meagre possessions from the cupboard were carried upstairs and placed neatly in Dudley's former bedroom.
"Mr. Dursley, I will sign a contract for a very large order. The profit from this single deal will be enough for you to live a much better life," Leon announced. "But Harry's living conditions are going to change. I think that room upstairs will do nicely."
"But where will I sleep?" Dudley asked blankly.
Leon shot him a look of utter contempt. "The cupboard under the stairs seems about right."