Gentle Giant
It was pouring outside, and Zhongli was shivering. He was still wearing the same black turtleneck and shorts from yesterday, and Osial’s cold sleek scales weren't helping.
Honestly, he was quite jealous of Dudley who was wrapped in a blanket that Vernon had fetched out of the car.
Currently they were on a boat, a small pitiful one, and Vernon was paddling it towards who knows where.
They were miserable.
And soaked.
Extremely soaked.
Finally they arrived at their destination. Which was a small hut on an isolated island.
The hut made quite a scene with the full moon above, partly covered by the dark grim clouds.
“Mom, I’m scared.” Dudley whimpered, shivering, despite being wrapped in a blanket.
Petunia rubbed his hair from behind him, “Don’t worry my sweet angel. We only have to stay a couple of nights here,” She assured, “It'll be over in a heartbeat.”
Vernon laughed madly, “Haha! Bet the letters won’t find us here! We’re in the middle of nowhere.”
Zhongli sincerely didn’t believe that.
He had come to the conclusion that nobody was actually sending the letters, the first letter may have been sent by someone, but the rest was purely just magic. Locating and duplicating the more you ignore them.
He wondered if they were going to be transported here by a magical boat this time.
The inside of the hut wasn’t much warmer either. It was gloomy and dark, Zhongli despised it.
Again he was forced to stay with Dudley, sleeping on the cold stone floor, while the boy slept on a couch.
He was freezing, and if it continues like this, he’ll get hypothermia.
~Why are you so adamant about staying with them? You’re old enough to go fend for yourself.~ Osial demanded. The snake was curled on top of him, beneath his sweater, of course. He can’t risk Dudley seeing him.
“Oh I'm more than old enough to fend for myself,” Zhongli mumbled out tiredly, “It’s just that tolerating them may be the only chance that I might find Childe.”
~The ginger you were talking about back in the cupboard?~
“Yeah.” Zhongli answered.
He suddenly remembered confessing to Osial about how Childe and him were transported into this world, the snake took it in pretty well, he had hissed out,
~That’s cool, not my problem though.~
“It is unwise to go out searching for someone without being prepared,” Zhongli continued explaining, “I know nothing about this world yet. I might as well be walking to my doom.”
The snake didn’t respond, he seemed as if he had fallen asleep.
Zhongli sighed, he stared at the clock that was hanging on one of the walls of the room. He huffed, It wasn’t even a room. More like a small living room, with a couch in the corner.
There was a smaller sofa a couple meters away from him, but he didn’t want to accidentally wake Osial up. The snake hadn’t been able to sleep much either along this mad journey.
Zhongli rubbed his hands together, trying to create heat.
If he closed his eyes, would he be back at Teyvat? Maybe this whole thing was just a long crazy dream.
He didn’t know how long he just lay there staring at the clock's hands moving. He wanted to sleep, Zhongli really wanted to sleep, but the storm outside kept him awake, and on edge.
He wasn’t scared. No, of course not of a little storm. Honestly, he doesn’t know why he was on edge. His body was anticipating something that his mind wasn’t aware of.
He was sensing something…
Something dangerous…
Something that radiated magic.
And that something was coming towards the hut right now, he realized with a jolt.
Oh Celestia, why.
“Osial, wake up.” He nudged the snake that was currently coiled into a ball on top of his stomach.
~What do you want.~ The snake spat.
“Quickly, up my neck, something’s coming towards us.” He explained hastily, standing up.
~Are you sure it’s not just from your imaginations? I mean humans are quite imaginative and stupid sometimes.~
“I’m sure,” Zhongli replied a tad bit annoyed, “And I told you already, I'm not a human, I’m half qilin, half dragon.”
~Didn’t you say you took 'form' as a dragon? Seriously, what are you?~
Now, Zhongli would just wish Osial would shut up.
He felt the power come closer, then,
“He’s here-” His warning to the snake was cut off by a loud banging from the wall.
He felt Osial winced at the noise.
“Holy- what was that?” Dudley’s voice was a bit slurred by sleep, but he was awake as well now, rubbing his eyes.
Before Zhongli could answer him however, the loud obnoxious banging continued, literally shaking the door.
Dudley was standing up now, cowering behind the couch, shaking in fear.
He heard footsteps coming down the staircase, turning to see Vernon holding a gun, and Petunia hiding behind him.
Zhongli had heard of guns before in Teyvat, they were powerful weapons that shot out bullets. Celestia had banned them, however Tsarista being Tsarista managed to get a hold of some.
Vernon was planning to shoot whoever entered.
This wasn’t going to end well.
As the banging continued, they all stared at the door, that was preventing the monster outside from entering, collapsed onto the floor with a bam.
A giant figure appeared,
“Sorry ‘bout that’.” The intruder said, voice thick with accent.
The dursleys screamed.
Zhongli felt himself tense up, and Osial wrapped tighter around his neck. He hadn’t fought in a while now, and had never in this form before. However, considering that this hut was partly made of stone, Zhongli could just trap the intruder with rocks.
Before he could do anything though, Vernon shot.
Zhongli flinched at the noise, then glanced up, expecting blood, but the figure was still standing.
He missed, Zhongli realized, incredulously, spotting a fuming hole on the wall next to his target.
“Yeh know, yer horrible at shoo’ing, consi’ering imma big man an’ all.” The gruff voice commented. The giant man then stepped inside the room.
Zhongli finally got a better look at him.
The intruder had a large messy beard with equally messy hair, a large and bulky build, he literally towered over Vernon as he strolled closer.
Vernon tried shooting again, but the man merely grabbed the front of the gun and bended it upwards.
Bang!
The bullet went through the ceiling.
Zhongli watched as Vernon’s face went pale with fear as he glanced at his bended gun, and back to the intruder,
“S-s-stay a-away.” He stuttered out. Zhongli was impressed that Vernon could even speak.
The man looked as if he was about to respond, but he suddenly paused,
“Hol’ on a minnit.” The scraggly bearded man said, walking back towards the collapsed door.
He grabbed the door, then heaved it up, placing it back to the door frame.
For a person that broke in their hut, broke the door, and broke a gun, he's weirdly polite. Zhongli thought, dryly.
He could hear Dudley whimpering, Petunia was still cowering behind Vernon, who looked purple with rage and fear.
“Now, Morax!” The intruder suddenly boomed, turning to Dudley, “Yeh look differen’.”
Morax?
Don’t tell him that that giant was looking for him.
Was he the one who sent the letters as well? His power was similar to the one he sensed on the envelopes.
Dudley pathetically shivered again, “I’m not Morax.” he whimpered.
The man cocked his head in confusion.
“Yeah, I’m Morax.” Zhongli’s brain practically screamed at him to not say that, even Osial was softly hissing at him.
But he was an Archon. God of Contracts. He’s not scared of an abnormally tall man. He faced thousands of monsters, a hundred times bigger than he was without a single trace of fear in his eyes.
“Yeh are?” The man beamed, eyes warm, “Wonderful! Love yer hair!”
That was not what Zhongli was expecting. He seemed… happy that he found him.
“My name’s Zhongli now,” He corrected cautiously, “But you can still call me Morax if you like.”
The bearded man grinned, “M afraid ol’ habit die hard Morax! Yeh can call meh Hagrid. Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of the Keys from Hogwarts. Here’s yer cake! Baked it all by mehself.”
Zhongli blinked, he barely understood what Hagrid just said.
“Thank you?” He said, uncertainly, taking the box of cake from the man’s hands, “What is it for?”
“What's fer? Morax! It’s yer birthday!” Hagrid cried.
It was?
How confusing. His birthday was the thirty first of December though. Guess it was different in this universe.
“Ah yes, my birthday.” He nodded, playing along.
He opened the box.
Truthfully, it was one of the ugliest cakes he had ever seen, pink icing with green letters spelling out: Happee Birthdae Morax!
Zhongli wasn’t going to crush Hagrid’s spirit though, “It’s amazing!” He lied with a smile.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Dudley crawl forward to peek at the cake.
Hagrid grinned, “Thank yeh, meh will bake yeh more at Hogwarts.”
“Hogwarts?” Zhongli asked, placing the cake down on a small wooden table next to him, “What’s that?”
The scraggly beard man frown, “Yeh don’ know wha’ Hogwarts is?” He asked.
Zhongli glanced at Vernon and Petunia, were they supposed to tell him? “Uh, no?”
“NO?” The man suddenly boomed, “Morax? D’yeh know where yer parents came from?”
Zhongli could only watch as Dudley snatched his cake away, “I-” didn’t even know I had parents in this universe, “Don’t know.” He answered, tearing his gaze away from Hagrid’s sharp eyes.
Hagrid turned around to face Vernon and Petunia, “Did yeh no’ tell ‘im who they are?” He demanded.
What’s going on?
Petunia finally spoke, “Of course we didn’t.” She snarled.
Hagrid tore his gaze away from her, and looked back at Zhongli, slowly he said,
“Yer a wizard, Morax.”
A beat of complete silence, then,
“Oh,” Zhongli bit his lips, hesitantly, he asked, “Uhm, what’s a wizard?”
He had never heard of the term wizard before. Intriguing.
Hagrid reared back in surprise, “Wizard! Witch! Magic!” He cried, Zhongli watched in bewilderment as the man shoved his umbrella towards the fireplace, and a moment later flames appeared out of nowhere.
So wizards are magical mortals. Like vision users without visions? That’s confusing.
Hagrid then pulled the same purple stamped envelope out of his pocket, giving it to him.
Zhongli’s eyes lit up, finally. He gets to find out what these letters contain.
“Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore,” He read aloud, ”Dear Mr. Zhongli Lapis Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins first September. We await your owl by no later than thirty first July…” He trailed off.
Suddenly, with a jolt, he realized.
Petunia and Vernon didn’t know that he was a Geo User, they thought he was a wizard.
Hagrid was grinning again, “Yeh see! Yer a wizard!”
No, he was the Geo archon.
“But isn’t today the thirty first of July…?”
“Don’ worry! Me will sen’ an owl right now!” Beamed the man, plopping down onto the couch, letting out a whistle.
“Hold on, you are not going to that stupid school!” Vernon cut in, grabbing the letter away from Zhongli yet again.
“No? Why ‘s that? That’s where his parents went!” Hagrid demanded, rising up again.
“Yeah, where they went and got themselves blown up!” Petunia spat, “And left us with a freak just like them.”
She shot him a disgusted glare.
Hagrid stomped towards them, “Hogwarts has the bes’ Headmaster in Britain! Yer a fool for not lettin’ him go!”
“I don’t care about the Headmaster! He’s just a freak like the rest of you!” Vernon snarled.
Hagrid suddenly raised his umbrella, “Don’ yeh dare talk abou’ Dumbledore like that.” His voice was cold as ice.
Vernon gulped.
The bearded man then pointed his umbrella to Dudley, who was still stuffing Zhongli’s cake into his mouth.
Hagrid muttered something under his breath, then suddenly, a pig tail grew out of Dudley’s bottom.
Dudley paused, and touched the tail.
He shrieked.
Petunia and Vernon screamed, running towards him.
Zhongli could only watch wide eyes at the chaos, he glanced at Hagrid who was smirking,
“What? It suit ‘im!” Hagrid protested with a chuckle, “I’ll appreciate if yeh don’ tell anyone, mi actually not allowed to do spells in front of muggles.” He added, whispering nervously.
Zhongli nodded, “Muggles?” He asked, tilting his head sideways.
“Non-magic folks.” Hagrid explained.
He watched as Hagrid took out a blank sheet of paper, and started writing on it. The man whistled again.
A moment later, a large owl appeared.
Zhongli’s eyes widened.
Hagrid handed the letter to the owl. Who flew right away, carrying the scroll of paper in its claws
“Wonderful.” He blurted out.
Hagrid smiled at him warmly, before announcing to the panicking Dursleys, “I will be stayin’ tonigh’.”
Somehow, the thought that the giant would be staying, comforted Zhongli.
“Yeh should go ter sleep,” Hagrid said, “Meh and yeh have a long day tomorrow.” He added with a wink.
That night, Zhongli slept on the couch with Hagrid’s coat draped over him, feeling warm and buzzing with anticipation for tomorrow to come.