Lupin looked somewhat disapproving, but after a moment of silence, he ultimately respected Harry's choice.
The Dursleys simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief, but their expressions twisted a bit at the thought of being "forgiven" by Harry.
"Uh..."
Harry looked at Lupin, unsure how to address him, and sought help from Vid.
"This gentleman is Remus Lupin, my family tutor, and a close friend of your father's."
Vid introduced, "You can trust him."
"Mr. Lupin." Harry pointed to the spot under the stairs and asked, "Could you help me unlock this?"
"Of course."
Lupin was eager to do something for him, and immediately used the Unlocking Charm to open the lock, glancing at the small and dark cupboard without much attention.
Harry handed the owl cage to Vid and crouched in front of the cupboard, pulling out various personal items — a magic wand, robe, magic book, cauldron, Flying Broomstick, and, at the very bottom, the Friendship Book.
As soon as the summer break started, Vernon had locked all his things in this small cupboard, and Harry had done his best to at least keep ahold of the Friendship Book…
"It's just a few sheets of parchment!"
He jumped up but still couldn't reach Uncle Vernon's hand holding the Friendship Book, and could only shout in anger.
But because he cared so much, Vernon was the first to snatch the Friendship Book away, hiding it in the deepest spot.
"Don't even think about it!" Vernon yelled at him in a terrifying voice, "Don't even think about using your wicked stuff to contaminate our home!"
…
Harry shook his head, as if trying to shake all those bad memories and the dark cupboard out of his mind.
He randomly crammed everything into a suitcase, stood up, and showed a relieved smile, saying, "Vid, Mr. Lupin, let's go."
He no longer looked at the Dursleys, who were pale and stiff, nor at Dudley trembling in the bathroom, and with each step out of the house, joy swelled in his heart.
Vid accompanied him out, casually asking, "Did you hear what I said earlier?"
"Yeah." Harry responded, in a very soft tone.
"You should know, not just today, but until you turn eighteen, the 'Children's Code' will protect your legal rights." Vid said.
The Dursleys looked pale, as if they desperately wanted to shut his mouth.
Vid was of course saying it for their ears.
Harry thought he could leave the Dursleys forever, but Vid knew that before graduation, he still had to come back here for a period of time each year.
He reminded Harry, "Don't think that losing your magic wand means you can't stand up to adults; in the ordinary world, the law is a weapon that can protect you."
"I understand, thank you... Vid."
Harry gratefully said.
No one had ever told him he could protect himself in this way.
He certainly understood that Vid had essentially given him a powerful weapon… how terrified Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were of their family being "different," no one knew better than he did.
If the police were to drop by the house, to those two, it would be no different than being condemned to death.
Lupin silently followed behind them, and upon leaving the door, he turned to look at the Dursleys.
"I know your relationship with Lily years ago wasn't good," he said coldly, "But if... if eleven years ago, you and your spouse had met with an unfortunate accident..."
"James and Lily would never treat your son this way!"
…
The few of them walked in silence for a while.
Because of Lupin's last words, Harry's eyes suddenly grew a little damp, and he blinked hard, quickly wiping them with his sleeve.
Vid and Lupin pretended not to notice.
When the moisture in his eyes finally subsided, Harry heard Hedwig making loud, peculiar noises from the cage.
Vid lifted the cage, frowning at the snowy owl, and asked, "Is it hungry?"
"Ah, it's feeling stifled!" Harry hurriedly went to pull the latch on the cage, "It's been cooped up in the cage for ages, unable to stretch its wings."
As soon as the cage was opened, Hedwig flew out eagerly, disappearing into the sky in no time.
Harry watched as it vanished, and his stomach suddenly growled noisily. He clutched his painfully hungry stomach and looked awkwardly at the other two.
"Uh… where are we going…"
Vid and Lupin stopped, exchanging a glance.
"To the farm first." Vid said, "Everyone's waiting for Harry over there!"
Lupin nodded, "I also need time to prepare, at least have a house... uh..."
He said somewhat awkwardly, "Harry, I don't think I've asked you yet, would you like to live with me?"
"Although you're still unfamiliar with me, I was really very good friends with James... if you want, I would care for you like a father..."
"Live with you?" Harry said, "You mean... leave the Dursleys?"
"Of course." Lupin bent down, earnestly said, "I've been living quite nomadically for the past decade or so, and I'm still staying at a tavern... but if you want, I could buy a house, the conditions might not be great..."
"I would love to!" Harry interrupted him, excitedly saying, "Are you short on money? I have some money in Gringotts..."
Just being able to leave the Dursleys, Harry was naturally eager to do so.
Although he still didn't know Lupin well, he trusted him, and Lupin left a much better impression than Uncle Vernon.
"You don't need to use your money, Harry, that's your parents' legacy."
Lupin, unable to help but laugh, touched his head and said, "Thanks to Vid, I have some savings now... and houses in the countryside aren't expensive either."
He looked at the two, saying, "I'll take you to Granian Farm first... when I'm ready, Harry, I'll come to pick you up."
"Wonderful... a farm?"
Harry finally realized belatedly.
"You've missed a lot." Vid said, "We'll chat on the way."
He raised his magic wand, and soon, a purple bus popped out, the roadside trash can deftly dodging, giving Harry a start.
"Welcome aboard the Knight Bus, emergency transport for witches or wizards in distress—"
A young man with flappy ears leaned out, not finishing his opening line before Vid already tossed some Golden Galleons, pushing Harry aboard.
"To Granian Farm, please. And also — chocolate."
"Alright, alright... already a regular, aren't you?"
Stan Shunpike pocketed the Galleons, smiling broadly as he provided hot chocolate.
Harry couldn't wait to take a big gulp, the bitter-sweet aroma melting on his tongue, finally easing his rumbling, hungry stomach.
A new life seemed to be gradually unfolding before him.