Sherlock Holmes at Hogwarts.

Chapter 265 It's All the Principal's Fault
The Dursleys had no objection to Harry's suggestion.

Just as Harry imagined, even though their relationship had been repaired, Vernon was still unwilling to let others know of Harry's existence.

On the other hand, Vernon was also well aware of his sister's character; she was even more sarcastic than he was.

Penny and Dudley have now accepted Harry, so he certainly has no problem with it.

But her older sister was different—for years she had been urging the couple to send Harry to an orphanage.

It's simply impossible to expect someone like that to accept Harry.

If Harry were to remain here, and Maggie were to say something unpleasant or do something distasteful, it would be embarrassing for everyone.

It's wonderful that Harry has offered to leave for a while now.

"It's good that you're leaving, otherwise I would have really had to rack my brains trying to figure out how to tell Maggie about you."

Here's a hundred pounds, take it—don't get me wrong, I'm not doing this out of concern for you.

After all, you are the one who left my home. I just don't want others to look down on you.

What? You mean I need to take you to your classmate's house?

"Isn't that obvious? Do you expect me to expect you to walk there by yourself?"

Sherlock knew the rest.

"That's unreasonable!"

After hearing Harry's account, Mrs. Holmes, who was usually good-natured, became angry.

Valet Holmes was a very gentle and traditional English woman who deeply loved her husband and son.

Take Mycroft for example. Although he was young, he was already being given important responsibilities by the government, which seemed like an honor.

But she would rather her son be an ordinary person who never has to face danger.

Unfortunately, once a son grows up, he is no longer under his mother's control.

She could only keep her concern and worry to herself.

That's why, upon hearing what her Aunt Maggie had done, she was unusually angry:

"Hitting a five-year-old child's leg with a cane, giving dog food and biscuits as gifts, and letting a dog chase you up a tree until midnight..."

How could she do such a thing! Is her heart made of stone?

Mr. Holmes also frowned.

When Harry last came here, he knew that Harry had been having a hard time all these years.

So much so that when the couple mentioned that Harry treated this place like his own home, Harry's first reaction was that he wanted to live in the cupboard.

I never imagined that Harry would suffer so much more injustice than I had imagined; it's simply outrageous!

Harry was terrified.

In his memory, Mrs. Holmes was gentler than Mrs. Weasley, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of closeness whenever he saw her.

He never even imagined that Mrs. Holmes could get angry.

Although Mr. Holmes was also frowning, he felt that Mrs. Holmes was more terrifying than him at that moment.

Harry felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, as if he were walking on thin ice.

I should have known better than to say it.

"Auntie, it's all in the past now. My relationship with them isn't the same as before..."

Thinking of this, he quickly explained, "Actually, I think Aunt Maggie has a point."

"What are you saying, child?"

Mrs. Holmes looked at Harry, her eyes filled with a mixture of helplessness and affection:
"She treated you like that, and you're still taking her side?"

Seeing Mrs. Holmes's expression, Harry secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Because she always felt that Uncle Vernon and Aunt Penny shouldn't have adopted me, and that if someone had dumped me on their front door, she would have sent me to an orphanage long ago."

At this point, Harry couldn't help but think of Tom Riddle.

He grew up in an orphanage and eventually became the Dark Lord, feared throughout the entire wizarding world.

If I really grew up in an orphanage, would I also become a big bad guy?
It shouldn't be... right?

"Being with them is worse than staying in the orphanage," Mrs. Holmes said coldly, clearly still angry.

Sherlock suddenly spoke up at this moment, saying, "Actually, it was the headmaster who did a bad job in this matter."

"Headmaster, is that Professor McGonagall who came to our house?"

Mrs. Holmes immediately thought of the somewhat stern professor and was somewhat surprised that these things were related to her.

“No, it’s another one, Albus Dumbledore,” Sherlock said. “He was the one who insisted on sending Harry to the Dursleys, and for all these years he’s believed Harry is doing well on Privet Drive.”

"You call this doing well?" Mrs. Holmes laughed in exasperation, thinking that this headmaster named Dumbledore must have lost his mind.

"Because he lived too long."

Facing his mother, Sherlock spoke calmly and patiently:
"Our despicable country only passed a formal child protection law in 1989. Before that, there were even instances of 3-year-old children being made to clean chimneys..."

Principal Dumbledore was born in the Victorian era, and his perspective on many things was still rooted in that era, naturally differing from ours, including this point.

In addition, his unique life experiences also influenced his outlook on life, which is why he has this understanding.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Holmes took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking:
"Harry, from now on, for all holidays, unless you want to stay at school, just stay here and don't go back to Privet Drive!"

If the principal disagrees, let me speak with him!

At that moment, Harry was convinced that even against Professor McGonagall, Mrs. Holmes was in no way inferior. Indeed, it's the good-tempered person who's truly terrifying when they lose their temper.

He regretted it once again, thinking he shouldn't have brought it up—at least not in such detail.

Now I don't even know how to reply.

Fortunately, Sherlock spoke up in time to save him from the predicament:
"Mom, that won't do."

"why?"

“Harry has an ancient protective spell that requires him to stay there for at least a month each year.”

"Then stay for a full month before coming back!"

"..."

Harry was deeply moved by Mrs. Holmes's words.

At that moment, he felt as if he had received maternal love from Mrs. Holmes.

"Mrs. Holmes, actually my relationship with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia is much better now than before, thanks to Sherlock. They don't treat me like they used to..."

If Aunt Maggie hadn't been coming over, I would have had a pretty good summer vacation!
Now I have my own bedroom, and my cousin gave me a lot of comics and toys this holiday.

Harry quickly spoke up for the Dursleys.

He should have kept quiet, because once he did, Mrs. Holmes got even angrier.

How much grievance must one have suffered to feel that their cousin giving them a gift is something to be proud of?
Seeing Harry's sincere gaze, Mrs. Holmes suppressed her anger and changed the subject:

"Harry, I heard Sherlock say that tomorrow is your birthday?"

"Uh, yes!"

"where do you want to go?"

"what?"

"Alright, you and Sherlock should both get some rest tonight, and just follow our instructions tomorrow morning."

"what?"

Harry was stunned.

He didn't dare ask Mrs. Holmes, who was in her current state, so he went to ask Mr. Holmes, who just smiled and remained silent.

We'll have to ask Sherlock.

However, he felt he wouldn't get the answers he wanted from Sherlock.

Sure enough, Sherlock's answer to him was: "Time will tell."

Harry:

Seeing the mysterious behavior of Sherlock and his family, Harry could only go to bed early with a feeling of unease.

On the second day.

Mrs. Holmes woke Sherlock and Harry early in the morning to tell them they were going out today.

Sherlock had naturally anticipated this.

Harry was completely confused.

However, in the time that followed, he finally experienced the joy of his cousin Dudley.

Mrs. Holmes believed that Harry had been wronged on Privet Drive and planned to give him a proper birthday celebration.

She treated Harry like another child, taking him to every place she could think of.

As Harry sat beside Sherlock, enjoying the gentle breeze on his face, tears welled up in his eyes.

Just two years ago, on Dudley's birthday, Harry thought he was blessed with good fortune.

Simply because it was the first time in his life he had ever ridden in Uncle Vernon's car to the zoo.

Even if this was a desperate choice made by the Dursleys because they dared not leave him alone at home and had no other way to accommodate him.

At the park entrance, the Dursleys bought Dudley and his friend Pilgrim a large chocolate ice cream.

Because she felt embarrassed by the ice cream vendor's questions, she bought Harry a cheap lemon popsicle instead.

Harry thought the popsicles were pretty good at the time.

While having lunch at the restaurant, Dudley complained that his colored gem sundae wasn't big enough, so Uncle Vernon quickly ordered him a larger one and gave the original one to Harry.

Harry happily licked the sundae, because it was the first time he had ever eaten such an expensive snack.

Harry had a very happy time at the Cavern House last summer.

Even so, Harry still can't forget that day.

If he hadn't been locked up in a small dark room for a month after releasing the Brazilian python, it would have been the perfect day of his life.

After learning that he was a wizard and even studying at Hogwarts for two years, Harry thought he had already gotten used to life in the wizarding world.

But when he came to the zoo with Sherlock and his family today and enjoyed himself like other children his age, he realized something.

The reason he loved the magical world and accepted the fact that he was a wizard in a very short time was because he had a terrible time in the Muggle world.

He... was just a child after all!
　On the first day back to work or school, are you still feeling a little out of sorts and haven't quite transitioned from holiday mode?

　　
　
(End of this chapter)