After celebrating their fifth birthdays, Ashley Dursley, Dudley, and Harry entered primary school in September, officially becoming proud little students.
Transitioning from the leisurely pace of kindergarten to the busier first grade, the three of them went through a trying period at first.
But once they settled in, the novelty and fulfillment of school life quickly became apparent.
Whether it was meant to train them, a matter of chance, or some unseen assessment, the three were placed in different classes.
This reduced the time they spent together sharply, but their classrooms were not far apart, so they still walked to and from school together. For now, it didn't seem to cause any issues.
Life moved forward in a rhythm of daily routines, family concerns, and occasional bursts of excitement.
In this magical world, perhaps even "life" deserved a special adjective ordinary.
Yet on one otherwise ordinary morning, eight-year-old Harry suddenly noticed that his vision seemed a little blurry.
He didn't pay much attention at first and gradually developed the habit of squinting to see clearly.
It wasn't until Ashley noticed his "bad habit" that he admitted something was wrong with his eyes.
Ashley had read discussions about Harry potentially needing glasses.
Many people suggested that living in the stairwell with poor light and distance conditions could cause nearsightedness.
But now that Harry had moved into the former guest room that Dudley had occupied, none of these factors existed yet Harry was still nearsighted.
Perhaps the second explanation had merit genetics.
After all, James seemed to be nearsighted as well.
One weekend, Ashley had Vernon take her and Harry to get a pair of glasses.
Seeing Harry with his new glasses brought a sense of familiarity, a mix of nostalgia and helplessness.
Well, perhaps this was just part of being Harry Potter, just with a pair of glasses added. Why overthink it?
Still, Ashley reminded Harry multiple times about eye care.
After all, nearsightedness varies in severity, and extremely high prescriptions can feel almost like blindness.
Among Ashley's schoolmates, there was one child whose vision was so poor that he bumped into walls without his glasses. Truly miserable.
So if it could be managed, it should be managed. At least it left some choices, which might even help in future challenges.
Harry nodded obediently but, when out of Ashley's sight, his eyes reflected a hidden worry.
What seemed like a minor incident in their peaceful lives turned out to be just the beginning.
One afternoon after school, Ashley had to stay behind to finish a drawing assignment while Dudley and Harry went home first.
She finished successfully before evening and was happily thinking about what would be for dinner when she saw something that stopped her in her tracks.
"What are you doing? Let her go!"
In a corner of the park, Harry was pushing a group of boys away, shielding a little girl behind him.
The girl lowered her head, trembling with fear and unease, eliciting Ashley's sympathy.
Seeing Harry protect someone else, she felt proud. Yes, this was very "Harry Potter."
She was about to step forward when she heard:
"Potter, get lost! Mind your own business! Dudley and Ashley aren't here, and if I catch you "
The short, chubby ringleader shouted with a temper.
"You dare? Aren't you afraid Dudley will see your scratches and get mad? If Ashley finds out, she might talk to your parents about your behavior."
Harry clenched his fists, tension written across his face, but his expression still carried a fearless determination.
"Boss, he might not be wrong. You know how fierce Dudley is. And what Ashley says, my parents always listen to…"
A boy behind the ringleader spoke hesitantly, clearly scared.
"What can you do on your own anyway? You've only got a good brother and sister," the ringleader snapped.
He was afraid too but couldn't resist hurling back a verbal jab.
Harry flinched, his vulnerable spot hit, and a faint bitterness escaped him.
The ringleader pressed further.
"Dudley's a youth boxing champion, Ashley's always top of her class, and I hear she had multiple furniture patents at five! And you? You're just ordinary little Potter with your four eyes!"
"Four-eyes Potter, four-eyes Potter…"
The ringleader spared no cruelty, openly using the harshest words to target someone he "disliked," without care for consequences.
The other boys joined in, singing that cruel nickname song.
Ashley's blood boiled. She was furious at both the bullies and Harry for keeping his head down.
"Hey, you big one in front! What are you playing at? Let me join in too," she said, walking up with a forced smile.
The boys immediately fell silent, retreating behind the ringleader.
The short, chubby boy had nowhere to hide, swallowed nervously, and glanced at Ashley's size, gaining some confidence.
"Nothing, just playing with Potter," he muttered.
Ashley's anger grew as she looked at Harry, head still down, unsure what he was thinking.
"Playing? But Harry usually plays with Dudley and me. Do you have any championships, patents, or top grades?"
Her sharp questioning left the boys speechless.
By this standard, none of them deserved to play with Harry…
Though they weren't scolded, they felt the sting of the truth and left uneasy. Even the timid girl slipped away quietly.
Harry looked up in surprise, catching Ashley's gaze, and they shared a quiet laugh at the scene.
But Ashley didn't smile this time. She stared at Harry, serious, making him feel uneasy.
"Harry, why didn't you stand up for yourself? If they bully you, you should fight back."
Harry lowered his head, sitting on the bench behind her, and after a long pause, muttered:
"But… they weren't entirely wrong."
Ashley paused, understanding his meaning, or rather, the emotions beneath it.
"Harry, why would you think that? Don't they know? Don't you?"
"Dudley's temper is terrible. He's all about fighting. And… I only ever had flashes of being good at things, but now… nothing really stands out either."
"We're all ordinary. Nothing special… and you, you've always helped the weak, done what's right. You're a great boy."
(Just not on this stage, Ashley silently added.)
Harry's eyes brightened, like seedlings nourished by rain, hope renewed.
But he quickly remembered something and said in a low, troubled voice:
"But Dudley is a boxing champion, Ashley is top of her class, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are proud of you… no matter how hard I try, even staying up late, my grades are still ordinary…"
"Maybe they're right. I'm just an ordinary Harry, you see? Just Harry…"
His voice was heavy with pain, helplessness, and despair.
Ashley, who understood his feelings, felt a complex mix of emotions.
Despite all she had done, had nothing really changed?
Even without the Dursleys belittling him, Harry still carried the faint self-doubt in his heart.
Even without Dudley leading the bullying, he was still targeted by other children.
Dudley's grades remained low, and Harry's remained middling.
Dudley was still notorious for violence, while Harry's "bad" reputation shifted from "weird kid" to "meddlesome, incapable child."
The world seemed to have repaired itself only to return to the familiar reality Ashley knew…