In the morning after Christmas day, after breakfast, I decided to open the box along with the Dursleys. The box itself was wrapped quite tightly, and it took Vernon a while to take it apart, even with a knife he wasn't so careful with.
In the end, once opening the box, the first major prize I see is a winner's envelope for a family trip. The destination is immediately specified.
Petunia grabs it quickly, and slowly opening the envelope, she discovers it is a trip to Japan for 2 adults and 2 children, with a date set to March 30th, just in time for the cherry blossoms.
"Holy!"
She is so surprised she drops it, at which point I realize that it is not just a trip to Japan, but an all-expenses-paid month-long vacation across several regions in Japan.
At this point, Vernon's eyes bug out as well.
It does say that, as a requirement, we have to take a photo with the winning tickets to prove that they can be won. But damn.
Shaking my head in disbelief, I realize that Vernon has already grabbed the tickets and is calling the number on the ticket to confirm.
I turn my head back to the box and lift the Styrofoam cover that hides the rest. The first thing my eyes land on is.... a laptop? Wait, a modern laptop.... huh?
[Anomaly Identified]
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/ \
| Anomaly Detected, Host please keep this anomaly a secret |
\ /
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Anomaly problem scale: D+
Name: AGoodLaptop
Description:
A laptop from 2025 that has access to the entire internet archive of 2025. Has no special properties.
My turn to be bug-eyed, apparently. I quickly glance to the Dursleys' direction, and they seem to be busy, so in turn, I stash the laptop under the couch and look at what is under it...
Styrofoam... what did I expect?
Removing the white slab, the next few items I encounter are a Pixel 7 Pro? Sorry, no, Pixel 7 magic. Literally says this on the box.
[Anomaly Identified]
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/ \
| Anomaly Detected, Host please keep this anomaly a secret |
\ /
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Anomaly problem scale: C
Name: PixelMagica
Description:
A phone from the year 2025 that ignores magical interference and can even be used for communication spells.
Shrugging at the timely convenience, I chuck it under the couch and look at the next item.
.....
.....
.....
A crystal stick.
Cool.
I pocket it. Maybe I can sell it for a good price.
>Then what is?<
Puffing my cheeks in annoyance, I glance at SK, who was currently sitting on a flower within the living room.
The last item seems to be an emblem with odd Chinese characters.... tch of course Chinese.
<.... sigh>
...?
Anyway, I grab it and slip it into my pocket just as the rest of them come over. They lift the cloth which was covering the last items, which included a gold ingot, 300 UK pounds, and a voucher for the newest television from CeX.... lol.
I already see Vernon's and Petunia's eyes twitch, especially because they got that exact TV cheaper, with the condition that they couldn't return it.... lol.
"Boy."
A blank stare follows as I slowly disrupt all thought in the endless nothingness of my soulless mind, an abyss that stares back, staring into Vernon's eyes....
I blink... "Yes?"
Vernon blanks for a moment, then speaks. "Go shovel the driveway."
"Alright."
Surprisingly, this is something I enjoy doing and enjoyed doing in my past life.
The comfort of the wooden handle, the weight of the snow, the serenity of snowflakes coming down, the short, cold breaths, and the slight biting of the wind in the eyes.
The rest of winter break passed quietly. There wasn't much to complain about beyond Shorekeeper's increasingly absurd study schedule.
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Time passes. Winter break ends, and during school time, I usually just study with Shorekeeper on the more advanced material... Recently, I've gotten past calculus and am now being pushed to study the stupid Smith chart... is leaving this body still an opt-
...Fine.
During breaks, I get to enjoy myself a little, as I found out the laptop and phone are a pair that connect to each other, with the laptop having info and the phone being able to connect to any house phone or other device that connects to a network without issue.... Like SK even let me connect to the UK's military systems without issue... though only thanks to her was such not discovered.
Oh, and it apparently connects to magical frequencies as well... I was able to listen in on two pure-bloods arguing about Quidditch. Honestly- boring.
Oh, and through the laptop, I managed to find out how to make homemade laxatives.... ya, let's just say Dudley doesn't want to bully Harry anymore... he had worse problems. Apparently, Wikipedia and a few household common foods can make a convincing argument to stay in the bathroom for a day.
*sigh*
It's funny at the start until Petunia decided it was my fault anyway and forced me to clean the entire day.
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Outsider's POV:
A book with a bunch of Kanji suddenly had several English names appear.
Second Outsider's POV:
*Poof*
A sudden deja-vu feeling hit an old bald hag.
Third Outsider's POV:
.... Nothing happened, just a day with blue clouds and a white sky.
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A month passes, as I find myself passing time with Chisa and Sven.
"So what have you guys been doing lately?" I ask.
Chisa gives me the side-eye, and Sven speaks up first.
"Not much really, I am just a bit worried about today's subtraction quiz next period."
...right, we are just five-year-olds.... I am the only idiot older in the head here... wait.
I glance at Chisa. He is looking back at me, and we realize that.... well, likely, we are thinking in a similar direction... that is... this guy didn't do homework, didn't study, and doesn't have another life experience... he's failing.
Simultaneously, we both look at him, then, with pity, close our eyes and nod as if saluting his doom.
A small tear flows down his cheek, realizing his demise is near, his mother's belt seeming closer than ever.
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Middle of March
During the end of lunch break, Chisa is running up to us.
*huff**huff* "Hey guys! I just wanted to" *Huff* "let you know that" *Huff* "myself and my family will be leaving for Ashi- Japan" *huff* "at the end of the month, specifically" *Huff* "the 30th."
Surprised, I ask, "Wait, the 30th?"
"Ya."
Sven then comments, "That's great that you get to visit your country."
Reeling from the surrealism, I say, "Wow, well, I thought of informing you guys as well, but my family won a paid trip to Japan from the 30th."
In unison, at the proclamation, both turn to me. "Huh?"
I rub the back of my head awkwardly as both stare at me, Sven with a 'wtf' look and Chisa with slight suspicion.
"Ya, well, during the winter holidays, I participated in a raffle for several mystery boxes and seemed to have gotten one of the grand prizes, if not the grand prize."
Chisa's expression lightens while Sven's darkens. "So what, are you two just leaving me here while going to Japan together?"
"Well, I didn't know Harry/Chisa was coming," we both say, then pause and grin.
"Perfect," she comments.
"Immaculate," I parrot.
Sven just looks at us and asks, "What time's the flight?"
"6:30," "6:30."
I glance to the side, my head tilting and my mouth now slightly agape, the cheesy snack in my right hand making a sound against the ground.
"Coincidence, this is too much," I mumble.
As Chisa just stares off into the distance, then turns to me.... "VIP seat B3?"
"B1."
Sven POV: Okay Universe, I know I am the third wheel, but what the actual fuck.