Retreat

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"You... Are you... Dudley, Dudley?" Harry was taken aback by the figure suddenly approaching him, and if it weren't for the familiar voice in the other party's husky tone, he might have thought he'd encountered an undead.

Dudley was wrapped in a gray sheet with a hood pattern covering most of his face, and the rest of the sheet concealed his body below the neck.

"Dudley, come back quickly, don't provoke him. This big man is a 'wizard!'" Penny urged, concerned, as she tried to rush forward and pull Dudley back.

Vernon, however, held Penny back and cautioned her not to resist excessively. He believed that excessive resistance would only lead to more aggressive actions from the 'wizards' and that remaining calm was the wiser course of action.

Dudley, on the other hand, paid little attention to his parents and Harry. He was in an unusual state, one that could be described as "bad" or "excited" in some way. His eyes were fixed on the rubble in front of him, and he could almost see Hagrid buried beneath it. Dudley was transfixed by the strange events unfolding before him.

Hagrid was struggling to free himself from the rubble and was seemingly unaffected by Dudley's presence. Dudley, however, believed he could see imperceptible ripples on Hagrid's body each time he was subjected to a magical impact. It was as if he was witnessing a magical phenomenon that no one else could perceive.

Dudley experienced a strange sensation as the magical force washed over him. Most of the impact dissipated as if it had been neutralized. The damage exerted on his body was greatly reduced, condensing primarily on the outer surface. A small portion managed to penetrate deeper, but it had no apparent effect on his physical body.

Dudley's first reaction was a mixture of surprise and discomfort. He struggled to catch his breath while maintaining a firm posture.

"How are you not hurt " Dudley mused.

Hagrid, who had been hurled against the wall by his own spell, observed Dudley with a bewildered expression. "Why am I all right, you ask? It's because I'm a half-giant, something your Muggle family wouldn't know anything about."

Hagrid continued to explain, "Giants, Harry, 're ancient creatures from th' magical world, yeh know."

He raised his umbrella and pointed it forward, the tip glowing white. Dudley recognized the magical effect immediately, "Petrificus Totalus!"

In an instant, Dudley's body froze in place, his limbs immobilized, and he couldn't even shake his head. But it was only a momentary sensation, as his power overcome that.

However, Dudley didn't follow up immediately. He wanted to protect his family and demonstrate only some of his true strength.

After releasing the spell, Hagrid exhaled deeply, looked at the gray-robed figure, and said with palpable relief, "If it were any other wizard, they might not even 'ave 'ad time to cast a spell under that kinda impact. I need t' report this to Professor Dumbledore."