Harry flopped onto his bed, frustration gnawing at him.
He'd just arrived at the Dursleys', and Uncle Vernon had locked away all his magical belongings—spellbooks, wand, cauldron, broom, everything—in the cupboard under the stairs. Harry could only be grateful he hadn't been shoved back in there himself.
The thought of those early years, cramped in that dusty, spider-filled space, made him long for Hogwarts even more. The castle, the moving portraits, the ghosts, the fascinating classes, the friends…
One day back at Privet Drive, and he was already at his wit's end.
"Goo-goo," came a soft hoot.
Harry glanced at Hedwig, locked in her cage. "Poor girl, Vernon won't even let you out of the room," he muttered. The realization hit him harder—if Hedwig couldn't fly, how was he supposed to write to his friends?
Knock knock.
A gentle tap on the door snapped Harry out of his gloom. He frowned, puzzled. Who could that be? Uncle Vernon would've pounded the door with a bellow, Dudley would've barged in or kicked it open, and Aunt Petunia? She never knocked twice.
Knock knock.
Nope, definitely not her.
Harry rolled off the bed, grabbed his glasses, and opened the door. Standing there was a young woman in a sharp black-and-white outfit, her face strikingly pretty.
Harry blinked, completely thrown. Who was this in his house?
"Are you Mr. Harry Potter?" she asked, her voice soft and kind.
Harry nodded instinctively.
"Young Master Lucien is downstairs," she said. "He sent me to fetch you—there's something he'd like to discuss."
At the mention of Lucien's name, Harry's face lit up. Barely registering the "Young Master" part, he blurted, "Thanks for letting me know!" and bolted downstairs.
But the scene in the living room stopped him cold.
Lucien sat alone on the long sofa, posture relaxed yet refined, nodding occasionally like a boss hearing a report. Across from him, Uncle Vernon was perched nervously, forcing a smile while dabbing sweat from his forehead and cheeks with a handkerchief. Aunt Petunia and Dudley were crammed onto the smallest sofa, looking tense and barely breathing.
Harry had never seen anything like this.
Uncle Vernon, the domineering head of the household? Aunt Petunia, always fawning over Dudley or echoing Vernon? And Dudley, usually stuffing his face? They were like strangers.
Lucien noticed Harry and waved him over with a warm smile. "Afternoon, Harry."
Harry plopped down beside him, half-dazed as he listened to Lucien's conversation with the Dursleys. It was mostly Lucien talking, with Vernon nodding vigorously after every sentence.
"Harry's just starting his magical education," Lucien said smoothly. "This is a critical time for building a strong foundation."
Harry's heart skipped a beat when Lucien casually mentioned "magic." He braced for Vernon's reaction—his uncle hated anything to do with wizards. Sure enough, Vernon's jowly face twitched, his instinctive disdain bubbling up.
But to Harry's shock, Vernon just wiped his cheek with the handkerchief and stammered, "Y-yes, absolutely, you're right. Harry needs to focus on his studies, learn properly…"
Vernon using polite language? Harry had never seen his uncle look so… groveling. The man who'd always sneered at clients was practically fawning, a mix of fear and flattery in his eyes.
"Studies are the priority, of course," Lucien continued, "but things like proper meals and rest are just as important for a growing kid."
"Y-yes, Harry's meals…" Vernon faltered, his voice trailing off.
Lucien's gaze flicked to Dudley, whose round figure resembled a chubby penguin cub nestled beside his equally stout parents. Then he looked at Harry, who'd only just started filling out after a year of decent food at Hogwarts.
It was obvious Harry hadn't exactly lived the good life here.
The Dursleys' attitude toward Harry was a tangle of contradictions. He was the baby dumped on their doorstep, the child of Petunia's "freak" sister and her husband, a kid revered by a bunch of wand-waving weirdos calling themselves wizards. They'd raised him for ten years—and mistreated him for just as long.
But the protective magic over Harry required a family's shelter, strengthened by blood ties. That's why he had to stay with his aunt.
Lucien understood the messy mix of love and resentment at play.
"Treat Harry the same as your son, Dudley, when it comes to meals," Lucien said calmly. "Mr. Dursley's salary can cover that, I'm sure."
Vernon, sweating buckets, nodded frantically. Dudley opened his mouth to protest, but Petunia quickly hushed him, whispering reassurances.
"Oh, and how's Harry's room?" Lucien asked.
Vernon and Petunia exchanged a relieved glance. Thank Merlin they'd moved Harry out of the cupboard last year—into Dudley's old toy room—though only after Hagrid's intimidating visit.
They discussed Harry's education a bit more, with Vernon swearing up and down to give Harry plenty of study time. Finally, Lucien politely declined Vernon's overly eager dinner invitation and left Number Four Privet Drive with Loralice, the young woman who'd fetched Harry.
"Wait, Lucien!" Harry called, jogging after him.
Lucien paused and turned, waiting for Harry to catch up.
"Uh, I just…" Harry hesitated, clearly wrestling with his words. "Do you know where I can exchange Galleons for Muggle money? I'd like to get some."
Lucien tilted his head, puzzled at first, but a guess formed quickly.
"I didn't know my parents left me so many Galleons," Harry continued, voice low. "I know raising a kid costs a lot, and Uncle Vernon's complained about it before, so…"
Lucien's heart softened. Of course—Harry wanted to "repay" his aunt and uncle, at least financially. Living under their roof, enduring their glares and prejudice without contributing anything, had weighed on him for a decade.
This kind kid…
"No problem, that's an easy fix," Lucien assured him.
Harry's face brightened with a quick "Thanks!" before he asked the question that had been nagging at him. "By the way, Lucien… how'd you get Uncle Vernon to, like, respect you like that?"
Lucien's expression remained calm. "Simple," he said. "I became a shareholder in his company."