Chapter 25. Birthday Present
Harry had never seen so many marvellous things.
When he returned from Diagon Alley to the Dursleys' house, he felt as if he were floating.
The only pity was that he had forgotten to ask Hagrid about his parents.
Still, there would be chances in the future.
Because of some things he had done earlier, his aunt's family let him come out of the cupboard and moved him into his cousin Dudley's small bedroom.
Now, as he lay on the bed, he felt that his life didn't seem quite so bad.
He had a bed, a wand, Hedwig… and a teacher who cared about him.
And soon he would be able to go to Hogwarts.
What would life at Hogwarts be like?
Harry wondered silently, and drifted into sleep.
…..
"Knock knock knock."
Early the next day, Harry was woken by a commotion at the window.
He rubbed his eyes and looked outside.
An owl with a slightly crooked beak was pecking the dust-covered window with its beak over and over again.
"It's my teacher's owl!"
Harry woke up at once, scrambled out of bed, hurried to the window, opened it, and let the owl into the room.
Under the owl's disgruntled gaze, Harry received a delicate box and a letter.
The letter was, of course, from Adrian Wesson.
[Harry, happy birthday, though your present is arriving a little late. Because I need to make certain preparations, I must leave Privet Drive for a day. Friendly reminder: please read the instructions for your birthday present carefully. Adrian Wesson.]
After reading it, Harry excitedly set the letter down and fixed his gaze on the delicate box—it was obvious that this was the present Adrian had sent him.
He hadn't expected Adrian to give him a birthday present at all; it was a complete and unexpected surprise.
He opened the box. Inside was a small bottle, the liquid within a murky black.
There was also a small slip of paper tucked beneath the potion.
[Do you remember the Chinese Chomping Cabbage I gave you before? Next time you water it, try adding this potion.]
"Chinese Chomping Cabbage?"
Harry turned to look at the bedside table.
A shabby flowerpot sat on top, with the Chinese Chomping Cabbage planted in it.
At the moment, the Chinese Chomping Cabbage had its mouth buried in the soil, snoring away.
Come to that, Harry hadn't even thanked his Chinese Chomping Cabbage yet. Just two days ago, it had helped him get the Hogwarts letter from the Dursleys.
Because of that, his uncle's face had gained several new scars.
Since that day, the Dursleys no longer dared go near the pot with the Chinese Chomping Cabbage.
Thinking of this, Harry couldn't help feeling a rush of satisfaction.
At the same time, he felt a bit anxious.
What if the Dursleys threw him out over this?
Then he really would be homeless.
No—Harry quickly shook his head to banish the thought.
He still had his teacher, Adrian!
With that in mind, he felt much steadier.
When Harry leaned close to the Chinese Chomping Cabbage, it instantly grew alert and bared its sharp teeth at him.
But as soon as it sensed who it was, it buried its mouth back in the soil. Clearly, it had recognised Harry's scent.
After all, the person watering it every day—whether it liked it or not—was bound to be familiar.
Seeing this, Harry let out a breath of relief. Although the Chinese Chomping Cabbage had never bitten him, he felt a chill down his spine every time he saw those sharp teeth.
Following Adrian's hint, Harry fetched a watering can from the box room, filled it, and poured the potion Adrian had sent into it.
Before Harry's expectant eyes, the liquid spread through the water at once.
At first the surface of the water showed a faint grey, but then it gradually turned a scarlet red, just like fresh blood.
Harry frowned; he could smell a strong tang of iron spreading through the air.
"Is this… really a potion?" Harry muttered, pinching his nose.
Although he had been studying Potions with Adrian for quite some time, he still couldn't recognise what kind of potion this was.
In fact, it was a growth-and-mutation stimulant Adrian had brewed specially for plants, its main ingredient his own blood.
Adrian's magic had the property of altering plants, and his blood was the best carrier.
For plants, Adrian's blood was the best tonic.
So too for Harry's Chinese Chomping Cabbage.
The Chinese Chomping Cabbage's leaves quivered slightly, as if it had caught the scent of the liquid in the can.
As the smell from the liquid grew stronger, the Chinese Chomping Cabbage even pulled itself out of the flowerpot.
Harry could feel the plant's craving for the liquid in the can.
"Don't rush it, little one." Harry spoke as he lifted the can beside the Chinese Chomping Cabbage, ready to sprinkle the potion onto the soil.
But the Chinese Chomping Cabbage obviously couldn't wait. It bit down on the spout of the can and began gulping the liquid straight from the mouth.
Harry: "..."
He had actually forgotten that the Chinese Chomping Cabbage had a mouth.
In just a few seconds, the Chinese Chomping Cabbage drained the watering can of potion, down to the last drop.
When it swallowed the final mouthful, it suddenly stilled.
It returned to the flowerpot, its leaves seeming to go soft—as if relaxed—then buried its head back into the soil and didn't move at all.
"Er… is that it?"
Harry stood there at a bit of a loss. He had thought there would be some special change.
A whole can of potion, gone into that small body of the Chinese Chomping Cabbage?
It didn't seem very reasonable.
Puzzled, Harry crouched and tried gently poking a leaf, but it still didn't react.
After trying for a while to rouse it, Harry gave up.
He couldn't very well yank it out of the soil. If he affected its development, that would be bad.
…..
Just as Harry was wondering what to do, Vernon Dursley shoved the door open roughly.
"Get to work, you little freak!" he bellowed at Harry in a rage. "I didn't keep you here so you could lie about sleeping!"
Seeing his uncle's face red as a boiled prawn, Harry couldn't help shrinking his neck.
No matter what, he had always been afraid of his uncle.
However, when he noticed the not-yet-healed scars on Vernon's face, part of that fear suddenly ebbed.
Vernon glanced at Harry, then his eyes slid to the Chinese Chomping Cabbage on the bedside table. He couldn't help giving a shudder, the scars on his face throbbing faintly.
"You'd best get rid of that bitey little thing you keep!" he panted. "Or I'll call the police!"
With that, he backed out of the room at once and slammed the door hard, leaving Harry standing there, stunned.
Harry didn't know whether the police would deal with a Chinese Chomping Cabbage, but he thought that if anyone should, it ought to be the Ministry of Magic.
Maybe he should leave the Chinese Chomping Cabbage with his teacher tomorrow, Harry thought.
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