Chương 18: Chapter 19 : Heart to Heart

"Have you attempted any charms yet?" Tyson asked, glancing over at his friend from across the room. They were sprawled in Tyson's bedroom, the sun outside already dipping low enough to stain the walls orange. Harry had already completed his Diagon Alley canon event a few days ago. The clue Tyson had dropped at the part had been more than enough for him to figure out that Tyson had also gotten the letter, which he had been absolutely thrilled about.

Harry sat cross-legged on the floor, absently spinning his wand between his fingers.

"Just the Wand-Lighting Charm," he replied with a small shrug.

"Though I was only able to produce a little spark before it flickered out." Tyson shut his book halfway and raised an eyebrow.

"Would you like me to show you how it works?" he offered.

"Once you grasp the underlying principles, casting them becomes much easier than it seems." Harry blinked at him, his fingers tightening slightly around his wand. For a moment, Tyson saw temptation flicker in his emerald eyes. Then it was quickly replaced by determination, and he decisively shook his head.

"No. I want to figure it out myself first." Tyson smiled faintly. Was this the pride of an eleven-year-old? How adorable. Internally, though, he was relieved. He had mostly been asking as a courtesy, already knowing Harry would refuse. Teaching him the basics properly would eat up hours, and right now he genuinely had no time to spare. His days were consumed by poring over first-year textbooks, cross-referencing them with additional study materials he had purchased, and relentlessly drilling charms.

Every minute was accounted for. Even now, lying open beside him was his Transfiguration textbook—A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration—along with supplementary notes covering Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration, which Tyson was still trying to fully wrap his head around. If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. Harry walked over and settled beside him, quietly observing as Tyson turned the pages with focused attention. The silence stretched between them.

"I'm famous," Harry announced abruptly, snapping Tyson out of his studies. The sudden declaration caught him so off guard that he almost dropped the book in his arms. Tyson glanced at Harry, but found that he wasn't truly looking at him. He was staring into the distance, lost in whatever revelation had struck him.

"So you found out, huh?" Tyson asked gently. Harry's head snapped towards him, his eyes sharpening with a flash of accusation.

"You already knew?" Tyson could practically see the thoughts forming behind Harry's eyes. How long had Tyson known? Why hadn't he said anything? Had that been the reason Tyson befriended him? Before the thought could fully settle, however, Tyson reached out and lightly flicked his nose.

"Ow!" Harry recoiled. Tyson snorted.

"Of course I knew. Defeating the wizarding world's version of Hitler is a major historical event. How could I miss my best friend's name appearing in our first-year History of Magic book?"

"Oh." Harry blinked. Then his expression shifted into something almost comically sheepish.

"It really does suck to be famous," Tyson continued with a heavy sigh.

"Are you holding up alright?" Harry's gaze dropped. His glasses hid part of it, but Tyson still caught the hint of shimmering tears gathering in his eyes.

"Every time someone found out who I was—the folks at the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander—they all treated me like I was someone extraordinary. But I didn't do anything. I can't even remember that night." Tyson stayed silent, letting him speak. Harry swallowed.

"All I know is that my parents died." His small fists tightened at his sides.

"And they celebrate the day. I read about it. My parents were killed, and people throw parties over it like it's some great victory." Tyson let out a long breath before placing both hands firmly on Harry's shoulders.

"I get it, Harry. It's completely messed up."

"Yeah," Harry muttered, letting out a bitter laugh.

"It's completely fucked." Tyson winced. Right. That one was definitely his fault. He now wondered if teaching Harry the sacred language of America had been the right decision.

"I suppose there's no need for me to point out that they're mostly just celebrating the fact that Voldemort finally got what was coming to him?" Tyson added.

"I know," Harry replied, staring down at his hands.

"But it still hurts. And Aunt Petunia knew the whole time!" His expression hardened.

"All these years, she lied to me. My parents weren't drunks, Tyson. They were decent people who loved me. Hagrid told me they sacrificed themselves to save me. She made everything up!"

"Your aunt is a bitch of the highest order," Tyson said flatly.

"Yeah, she's a fuckin' bitch!" Harry exploded. In a surge of anger, he snatched 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2' from the bed, hurled it across the room, and watched it bounce off the wall before landing open on the floor—conveniently displaying the section on the Dancing Feet Charm.

'Well, there goes my new book,' Tyson sighed.