"What's wrong, my little Dudley?!" Petunia exclaimed, rushing over.
Uncle Vernon stood up abruptly; he'd been on edge lately, jumping at the slightest disturbance.
Harry gasped, his face contorted. A sharp, intense pain shot through the scar on his forehead. It was the first time his scar had reacted so violently.
"Your scar…" Dudley's face showed confusion and surprise. When he touched Harry's scar, he'd felt an intensely evil aura.
"Boy, what are you doing?" Vernon roared at Harry. He hadn't yelled at him in a while, but harming his son was intolerable.
"It's nothing, I'm fine," Dudley said quickly. He looked at the pained Harry and asked, "How are you?"
"N-nothing, my scar just stings a bit," Harry said, pale. He suspected Dudley was pranking him, but Dudley's expression suggested otherwise.
"Mom, Dad, do you really not know what's going on with Harry's scar?" Dudley asked seriously. There was something wrong with that scar—not something ordinary means could cause. The evil aura was unmistakable up close and likely tied to magic.
Dudley realized his aunt's family's sudden death might not be straightforward.
"How would we know? The boy appeared on our doorstep like that," Vernon said.
"Perhaps… it's related to Lily's house exploding," Petunia speculated hesitantly.
"Is that so…" Dudley gave Harry a deep look. He was certain the scar held an evil aura.
Sequence 8 of the Judge pathway, Magistrate, can detect unscreened evil, chaos, and madness when close. This ability is tied to their "jurisdiction"—familiar areas enhance their powers, while outside, they rely solely on extraordinary abilities. Dudley's recent familiarity with the neighborhood had made it his mystical jurisdiction. Though not yet a Sequence 8 Magistrate, his prior high-sequence experience allowed him to sense the evil aura in Harry's scar upon direct contact.
"Did your scar ever hurt before?" Dudley asked after a pause.
"No, this is the first time," Harry said, shaking his head.
"If your scar acts up again, like stinging, tell me," Dudley instructed.
"Uh… okay," Harry hesitated, then nodded.
Dudley said no more but kept the matter in mind. He'd need to investigate and resolve that evil aura later.
The incident was a minor interlude at July's end. After dinner, with no Hogwarts teacher arriving, they assumed it would be the next day. Dudley returned to his room early.
Harry couldn't sleep. Though his life had improved since moving to the second-floor bedroom, he wanted out of this place. He yearned for the magical world and a new life, hoping it would be revealed tomorrow, the last day of July.
"I hope this isn't a joke and that it's my best birthday gift!" Harry murmured, sitting by his bed, waiting for dawn.
In Dudley's room, he sat on his bed, recalling the evil aura from Harry's scar. "It's different from the evil of that bizarre world. The magic here and the extraordinary abilities there must differ," he mused. "How do wizards here cast spells? Is it really like legends, waving a magic wand? They probably chant spells too."
He opened his bedside drawer and took out Terrence Thorsten's Brass Book. His recent research gave him a preliminary understanding of it. It was in a low-activity state, but that didn't mean he couldn't use it. The sealed artifact, which had traveled with him, had a mystical connection to him.
To an extent, Dudley could use the book to influence his surroundings. He could even modify rules in specific areas if he wished. However, this came at a price. He hadn't tested what that price was, but per the principle of equivalent exchange, greater influence meant a steeper cost. Using it might also activate the book, causing it to impose rules autonomously, creating major trouble for Dudley.
This powerful artifact could be used cautiously, ideally only in critical moments. "All gifts of fate come with a hidden price," Dudley murmured, closing Terrence Thorsten's Brass Book.
He glanced out the window, feeling an inexplicable sense of destiny. Rumble. A violent roar sounded outside. Dudley looked toward it, spotting a massive shadow speeding toward his house under the moonlight.
"What… is that?" Dudley was shocked.
The shadow descended rapidly, crashing onto the lawn, kicking up soil. Boom. The noise woke Vernon and Petunia.
"Oh! Damn it, who is that?!" Vernon's angry voice rang out.
Dudley peered closely. The shadow was a person—a giant.