HP : The Frail-Looking, Iron-Fisted Beauty of Harry Potter

With her parents in tears, it seemed like Dolly's request was doomed to fail.

However, Dolly felt that the matter was already settled.

Because a small head peeked out from around the corner.

He didn't dare to breathe loudly, but he was biting his lip, listening intently to the conversation.

This person was undoubtedly Harry.

Making a Gryffindor stay put quietly?

That was more difficult than making Draco Malfoy genuinely like Muggles.

What's more, Vernon and Petunia hadn't been careful to lower their voices when they mentioned Harry's parents.

Now Harry had no choice but to emerge and find out what was going on.

Harry just hadn't expected to be discovered by Dolly.

Their eyes met, and Dolly clearly saw Harry's panic.

At this moment, all Dolly had to do was shout, and what would greet Harry would be the furious brown bear, Vernon, and at least 24 hours locked in the cupboard from the outside.

In the past, this is what Dolly would have done.

Compared to Dudley, who liked to bully Harry himself, Dolly preferred to summon Vernon and Petunia.

However, just as Harry was so nervous he almost forgot to breathe, Dolly winked at him and made a "shushing" gesture.

Harry didn't have time to think and nodded instinctively.

Then he felt strange. Why had Dolly changed so much?

But since it involved his parents, Harry couldn't be bothered with that and continued to listen intently.

"Mum, Dad, how did Harry's parents really die? And who forced you to take him?"

Dolly appeared shocked and asked with curiosity.

At the same time, to prevent them from stopping, she added petulantly, "It's my birthday today. You can't lie to me."

"I've wanted to know what's really going on with Harry living in our house for a long time."

Vernon and Petunia were clearly taken aback. They didn't want to bring this up.

But seeing their daughter about to get angry, their defenses loosened considerably.

After all, it was her birthday, and she had just been acting so mature.

If they tried to fool her now and she reverted to her old self, wouldn't that make them unqualified parents?

So, they exchanged a look, and Petunia began to explain.

Vernon, after all, knew nothing about the magical world, but Petunia at least knew some of the concepts.

Petunia considered her words for a moment. "Harry's parents were a pair of... very outstanding scholars. But because they offended someone, they were brutally murdered."

As she said this, Petunia watched her daughter nervously.

If Dolly got scared, she would stop immediately.

But Dolly looked like she was listening to a fascinating horror story, which put Petunia at ease.

"The murderer hasn't been caught yet. He didn't just want to kill Harry's parents; he wanted to kill Harry too."

"Then an old man, the teacher of Harry's parents, asked us to take care of Harry because he said the murderer couldn't find him here."

"If we didn't keep Harry in our home, he would definitely be found and killed."

Vernon grumbled, "That's all what that old codger said. I don't believe a word of it."

"If we handed Harry over to the police, could that murderer kill all the police too?"

Petunia continued, "You know what happened after that. Harry has lived with us for 11 years, and we've lived in fear for 11 years."

"It's not that we simply hate Harry, but everything behind him is just too much for us to bear."

Although Vernon and Petunia's spirits were low, their mental state was clearly much better.

It seemed too early to tell their daughter these things, but her "I'm listening to a story" expression dispelled their worries.

Next, their daughter got down from her seat, came over to them, and gave them a hug.

The image of the family of three supporting each other comforted Vernon and Petunia even more.

As for Harry, he had silently hidden in a corner, squatting and crying without a sound.

After comforting her parents and wiping their tears, Dolly said with a serious expression, "Dad, Mum, I understand."

"But I think we must make a decision about Harry. We can't let this remain so ambiguous."

Vernon and Petunia looked at Dolly in surprise, but they both nodded for her to continue.

Dolly's performance today had won their acknowledgment. Their daughter had truly grown up.

"Since Harry must continue to live in our house, we need to define his status."

"Is he our relative, or is he merely a lodger in the house?"

Petunia didn't quite understand. "What's the difference?"

Dolly immediately replied, "A huge difference."

"If he is our relative, and you and Dad are taking care of him out of familial love, then it's natural to be a bit strict with him."

"If he is just a lodger in our house, then we should treat him like a tenant and, by the way, have him pay rent."

Vernon burst out laughing, looking cheerful.

Not because his daughter's words were naive, but because he was pleased by her innocence.

If his daughter had been any more dramatic, he would have started to worry.

"Alright, making an 11-year-old boy pay rent is certainly a fine idea."

Petunia glanced at her husband, as if chiding him for discouraging their daughter's initiative.

Then she said, "Although we are unwilling, we will still take care of Harry's daily needs until he is an adult."

"We have legally adopted Harry. It is our responsibility."

Vernon took his wife's hand, and they held on firmly.

In that moment, they were the backbone of the family, shouldering its future together, even if they were very reluctant to do so.

"It's really not possible?" Dolly asked again, as if unwilling to give up.

This time, Petunia also smiled. "It's really not possible."

"At least for now, we must raise him. We can't possibly let him go out to work and earn money at 11."

Dolly looked very disappointed, which made Petunia and Vernon smile even more broadly.

In that moment, Dolly perfectly fit the image of a cunning 11-year-old brat.

But then, Dolly's next sentence forced them into a corner.

"So that means he's still my cousin, and I should treat him like a cousin?"

The statement was plain but correct, yet it left Petunia and Vernon momentarily speechless.

Because if they admitted this, wouldn't it be saying that their past behavior was inappropriate?

If they denied it, then the legal adoption obligation the couple just mentioned would seem to be null and void.

If they denied both, were they to admit that they hated Harry's parents and therefore abused Harry?

That was even more out of the question; it would completely destroy their perfect image in their daughter's eyes.

But if they didn't admit to any of this, were they really supposed to treat Harry as family?

That was even more impossible. The Dursleys were not such magnanimous people.

Just as Dolly was about to deliver the final blow, Harry stood up.

In a thin but firm voice, he said, "I'll pay rent."

"I'll pay you in the future. For now, I'll owe you."

....

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