MrPlotThickens
patreon
Second Chances [Dudley Dursley Story] 1 - Muggle, Money & Magic
🕑 Added 2024-10-26 18:10:16 +0000 UTCSynopsis: Where a reincarnated boy finds himself in Dudley's body and decides to ride that Harry Potter main character's energy backbone while banging some hot witches. (Dudley has average magic in this. But he has the power of knowing the damn plot. Also, Lily will be alive.)
"Harry, my best brother, can I get a small loan of a million dollars?"
Starts from 3rd year.
_______________
[A/N: Not much smut in this chapter. This chapter is more for preparing the base of the story and bringing us to the 3rd year plot.
1st and 2nd year will be briefly mentioned, leading to the end of 2nd year.]
_______________
Dad said that we were poor, so I left everything and focused on making money.
Mom said that we're not happy because we're poor. So, I searched for happiness in money.
I feared asking for presents on Christmas. I feared asking for a little extra food. I feared asking for a little pocket money. I worked, I studied, and it was all for shit. Finance guys make the most, they said, but nobody told me about the crack that ran through their veins.
At twenty, I made bank, a finance guy's dream—10 million dollars—What a party it was. Gorgeous women, tits, drinks… crack… overdose… ambulance, and now this fading light.
"Fuck… F-Fuck… Fuck thi—"
I'm dying on the greatest day of my life. Where’s my happiness? Where’s my money?
That beeping sound turned into a flat tone. The beating heart refused to wake up at the jolts of electricity. The pulse refused to soar again.
At twenty—2018, Saturday, September 1…
I died.
####
"Aaaaah! I'm dying! I'm fucking dying…"
His screams faded slowly as he felt a soft bed underneath himself and the faint darkness around him. It was a small bedroom and more than that, it was a small bed for someone of his size. He felt like falling from a great height in his sleep, ending up in a puddle of water, splashed.
"Where am I?"
The room wasn't his. It didn't need a rocket scientist to realize that. Everything was unfamiliar.
Shifting from the bed, he tried to stand up.
Thud!
"What the—" He frowned at the realization. Shorter legs, shorter arms, everything was short, and chubby?
Click!
He quickly turned on the bedside table lamp and looked at the walls of the room. They were filled with many portraits, small and large. In each of them, he noticed three figures, a large man, a slender woman, and a plump boy.
"I've seen them before…"
Scratching his head, he walked closer to the portraits on the wall. But in doing so, he walked past a mirror on his right. He caught something from the corner of his eye and instantly felt alert.
He rushed back to the mirror and looked.
Pa!
He slapped himself.
Pa!
No, this wasn't a bloody dream.
Pa!
This was reality!
Pa!
"I'm fucking Dudley Dursley?!"
####
"Careful! Don't burn it!"
This can't be real. Dudley, or the one inside that body, looked around at the breakfast table. Right beside him was the large-bodied Vernon Dursley, reading a newspaper. Inside the kitchen, he saw Petunia pouring juice into a jar, and then there was Harry fucking Potter flipping pancakes.
Dream? Coma? Yeah, that makes sense. I was pretty into Harry Potter back then.
"Be quick, boy!" Vernon shouted at Harry from his chair.
Dudley looked at the small-bodied, scrawny boy doing his best to not mess up the pancake. Holding the spatula in his hand, round glasses on his eyes, and his arms as thin as twigs.
Seeing the boy physically made Dudley realize how malnourished he was. While not on the verge of dying, there had to be some medical issues hiding inside that body. Or perhaps, the magic was keeping him alive.
"Oh, dear, my pumpkin. It's your birthday today! Why are you so silent? Don't you like the gifts?"
I feel like vomiting. Dudley didn't like the way Petunia addressed him. Who the fuck calls their already fat son pumpkin? And why are there so many gifts?
The entire living room appeared full of boxes. They didn't excite him since they weren't his, and birthdays never held any significant meaning to him. It was just another day of continued grind. But not anymore, it appeared.
He focused on Harry instead. The boy lived in the cupboard under the stairs despite there being an extra room upstairs. The schools hadn't started yet, so he was the de facto slave of the house.
Considering he's going to be a wizard, and filthy rich, there's no way I'd let this chance go. Since he had control over Dudley's body in this 'dream', he decided to do things differently.
"Mum, why does Harry live in the cupboard?" He suddenly asked.
Vernon and Petunia looked at their son with confused expressions. Their boy had never pondered over something so trivial and selfless.
"We have another room upstairs. Why doesn’t he stay there? Is the cupboard really nicer? If it is, I want to sleep there too!" Dudley requested, using his child-like innocence as a weapon. After all, they loved to spoil him, and he knew how to use that to his advantage.
"It's just…" Vernon froze mid-speech. How does one justify child abuse to another child? "He's a freak… Harry likes to live in the cupboard?"
Pathetic. Dudley sneered inside.
In mind, he remained a twenty-year-old, after all. He had Dudley's memories, and he knew all the instances where Harry was bullied. Not just at home but at school too. By none other than him. These fools. He's a living lottery ticket with a fucking plot armor.
"Really? Then I'll stay in there with him!" Dudley said, beaming as he looked over at Harry. "You wouldn't mind, would you, Harry?"
Harry Potter blinked dumbly, as frozen as his uncle and aunt. What had happened to Dudley that day? He didn't jump on the stairs to annoy him. He didn't push him around either.
"We… ugh…" Petunia tried to say something. "It's not big enough for the two of you."
Dudley sighed and gulped, preparing himself. Time to throw a tantrum.
"I WANT TO! I WANT TO LIVE IN THAT CUPBOARD!" He roared like a banshee. Damn, he loved his efficient vocals. "Why does Harry get to have it but not me? Don't you love me? I hate you! I hate you all!"
Bam!
Dudley jumped off the chair, letting it fall back onto the floor. He stormed away, running up the stairs and slamming the door of his room shut. He did half of it to play the role, and the other half to hide away the cringe he felt.
Remembering his own childhood, he couldn't even imagine acting like that with his parents without receiving a good beating and skipping dinner.
This feels so bizarre.
Alone in his room, he plopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He felt unhealthy in that chubby body. He felt appalled by the memories in that brain. Moreover, he felt annoyed.
Great, I'm in a magical world but as a muggle. What's the point of it all? Do I still gotta struggle to make a living?
He really wanted to go to Hogwarts. He really wanted to do magic, fly on brooms, and maybe date a few pretty witches. He wanted to see the impressive castle and all those amazing magical beasts. He wanted to see Diagon Alley and the Gringotts Bank.
What a disappointment.
As far as he could remember, he was eleven years old. In a month it was going to be Harry's eleventh birthday, and soon after the boy would head out to Hogwarts. The letters were soon going to arrive.
This is fucking depressing.
In the end, he shut his eyes to wake up from that nightmare. Or at least wake up in Harry Potter's body.
####
Nothing changed.
A week passed, and he woke up each morning expecting a change.
Then a month passed and he was still the fat Dudley who couldn't even do a single push-up. He slowly came to silently accept his condition and tried to make something out of his muggle life. He was going to start Year 7 at his school in the coming September, and he expected it to be as bland as possible.
Although many things were different in the UK, it was easy to get used to the new life with the help of Dudley's memories. On top of that, he read a few newspapers to discern if the world events were going the same way he remembered, one of them being the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Of course, it wasn’t yet December, and no such thing had happened yet.
But to Dudley, it was an opportunity. The fall of the USSR meant the Western stock markets would rise, driven by optimism about new economic opportunities and the end of Cold War tensions. The expectation of open markets and reduced military expenses in the U.S. and Europe.
But it's all useless. Dudley understood his shortcomings. Being an eleven-year-old was a curse.
However, he felt slightly better knowing that Vernon wasn't a poor man, and came from a well-off family too. The man was already the director in his firm, and earned enough to afford a four-bedroom house, dozens of presents for him, and still much more left to spend.
However, he saw heightened greed in his new 'parents'.
They were not satisfied and wanted to uplift themselves. Not just in terms of money but also class, as they seemed extremely aware of it, one of the major reasons they didn't want Harry to be seen with him. The Dursleys wanted to be part of the elite, not just rich.
That was a curse as well as a boon. Vernon's greed meant that he was easy to manipulate as long as there was profit to be made. In his case, as long as he could use some of his future knowledge to make something out of it, he'd be valued greatly. Similarly, if Harry and his friendship boosted the Dursleys’ wealth and status, the friendship and the boy would be valued.
But the main problem was…
I'm a broke eleven-year-old kid… Well, at least the pocket money is decent.
Splash!
He washed his face and left his bedroom, only to knock on the door just beyond his room. It was Harry Potter's new room, finally given to Harry after his tantrums that day. Vernon and Petunia decided it was better to have Harry sleep above instead of letting him share the cupboard.
From then on, the new friendship had set its sails.
"Come on, why are you still sleeping?" Dudley knocked on the door a few more times. But hearing no reply, he turned the knob and walked inside. "What are y—Fuck!"
He cursed openly for the first time. It made sense why Harry wasn't responding. The entire room was a mess, and half of the things around were somehow flying midair while Harry looked left and right confusedly.
Accidental magic strikes again.
"That's so cool!" He truly felt envious. "How are you doing this?"
"I-I don't know, Dudley! What's happening to me?"
"Magic! It has to be that!" Dudley proclaimed and jumped onto the bed to sit beside Harry. "Can't you control this? Make things fly at will?"
Thud!
All the things fell back on the floor.
"I feel tired." Harry weakly muttered.
Dudley scratched his head in silence. Why do they even use wands if they can do this much just by accident?
Again, he reckoned the wands were to avoid accidents.
"It's your birthday, Harry! No time for yawning—we’re headed out," Dudley said, giving Harry’s shoulder a friendly pat.
"Out? I don't think Uncle Vernon w—"
"Who said they're taking us? It's just the two of us. I checked the map, and there's a little eatery nearby. We can just walk there," Dudley explained, feeling he didn't have much time left to leave a nice enough impression on Harry. However, he was more worried about the lack of owl mail. By now, Harry should have received the Hogwarts admission letter.
He can clearly do magic. Then why the delay?
####
Dudley sneaked out of the house with Harry when Petunia was busy on the phone. He had given his cousin a set of his own clothes to look decent outside.
"Let's go." Dudley led the way.
Being twenty years old in the body of a kid meant that he didn't have the same hesitations, lack of confidence, and inability to make decisions as most kids. While Harry walked like a reserved, shy boy, Dudley was the boss on the streets, swinging arms, easygoing, and confident.
About half an hour later, they arrived at the nice little eatery. It was mostly empty, so they quickly found nice seats. But only Dudley looked at the menu as Harry had no money.
"Where are your parents?"
Dudley was prepared for that question by the waitress. "Mum said we could eat here while she’s at the post office. It’s Harry’s birthday today! Could we get a cake for him? And maybe some kids' meals? Oh, and a couple of Pepsis too, please!"
His childish charm didn't fail him.
"Sure, darling. Anything else?"
"That’s all," Dudley replied. He didn't know how much this was going to cost him. He had just brought all his monthly pocket money.
After that, the waitress brought a cake first with a lit candle. Then, the rest of the serving staff stood beside their table and sang a birthday song for Harry.
Hah, look at his shy face. Dudley held back his laughter. It's his first birthday of this kind.
Clap! Clap!
Dudley remembered from his memories, or lack of memories to be more specific. Harry's birthday had never been celebrated at the Dursley household.
"Blow out the candle and make a wish!" Dudley urged him.
Phoo!
Harry did just that.
But when he earnestly closed his eyes for a whole minute and made the wish, the twenty-year-old soul inside Dudley felt guilty. Guilty that he was trying to take advantage of Harry's innocence.
"What did you wish for?" Dudley asked.
"That you stay my friend forever and…"
I don't need to overthink this. Dudley made up his mind. He's starving for friendship and kindness. Even doing the bare minimum means the world to him.
Harry continued. "And I prayed for my Mum to wake up quickly."
"That's a good wi—Wait, wake up who?"
"My Mum," Harry replied, strangely looking at Dudley.
His mum?! Lily? Dudley tried to shuffle through his memories to find any mention of her. But, there was nothing. Dudley never cared for much besides himself. But there was only one memory that stood out. Every three months, Petunia took Harry to the hospital, and that was it.
"She's at the hospital?" He asked directly.
Harry nodded, looking down at the cake. "Aunt Petunia will take me to see her tomorrow. I… I want her to wake up soon."
This is different! She's not dead?!
"What happened to her?"
"Aunt Petunia said it was a car accident. Dad didn't make it and Mum… She fell into a coma." Harry sullenly answered, holding back his tears. "I-I wish she was here with me."
Did she survive Voldemort? Wait, she's in a muggle hospital?
"Can I come with you tomorrow? I'll pray for Aunt Lily's quick recovery."
Harry smiled brightly at that. "Of course! I'll introduce you to Mum."
"Brilliant! Let’s eat first, then we’ll hit the shops. I’m getting you some new clothes—yes, yes, your brother’s loaded."
He lied, but as long as it got Harry smiling, it was worth it. In any case, the cash Dudley had been saving all those years to buy a motorbike after growing up was his to spend now.
Ugh, I should focus on exercising more. I can still date fine witches with Harry's help.
He was no weak man to let that dream die down so easily.
####
After an hour of tantrums, Petunia agreed to take Dudley along to the hospital with Harry. It was a fairly large muggle hospital, and clearly, Lily J. Potter was being taken care of very well, having her own private room with a permanently assigned nurse, who Dudley suspected was a witch in disguise.
As soon as they arrived, Dudley saw Petunia heading to the food court instead of going to see her sister. It left a bad taste in his mouth since her and Vernon's actions were going to affect his reputation too.
He chose to follow Harry instead, wanting to see what the real Lily Potter looked like. A few floors up, they entered the private room. It had a large window on the side, basking the room in sunlight.
"Mum? It's me, Harry." Harry walked to the bedside and softly held the hand.
Dudley remained in the distance, taking in the details. Seeing the woman lying in the bed, eyes closed, he couldn't help but wonder what she'd look like when awake. Her pale face was beautiful, whatever medicine she was taking worked like a charm on her, keeping her fit. Her thick, dark red hair was neatly combed and kept behind her head, straightened.
I can see why a bully like James decided to tone it down to impress her.
"Mum, you won't believe what happened!" Harry excitedly rambled about all that had happened to him over the last month. "So much has changed. Dudley has changed a lot and he's the best now. He stopped jumping on the stairs, pushing me, or troubling me. He forced Aunt Petunia to give me the room upstairs, and he even bought me cake and clothes on my birthday. He's my best friend."
That almost made me blush. Dudley nodded at that praise and gladly accepted it. Keep going, buddy.
"Dudley, come and introduce yourself," Harry called his name.
Dudley nodded and walked to the side of the bed. From so close, he saw her seemingly lifeless frame, not even a twitch. Could she hear them? Or was she stuck in a dream too?
"Good afternoon, Aunt Lily. I’m Dudley… Harry’s cousin… Y-your nephew…?" Dudley shifted, unsure what else Harry might’ve told her. "I caused him a lot of trouble growing up, but… I’m not like that anymore. Please, get well soon and wake up."
The sad part about Harry was that he didn't even remember much about living with Lily. He didn't remember her voice, her smile, her touch. He was too young when the tragedy struck. Since then, all he wanted now was to hear her voice again.
"I'll wait for you outside, Harry." Dudley reckoned Harry wanted to be alone with his mum and left.
Another reason was to get his thoughts in order. This was clearly not the Harry Potter story he knew about. Lily was alive. The letters hadn't arrived.
What else is different? Is it all because of me?
No matter, he eagerly wanted to see those owls arrive at 4 Privet Drive. He felt terrified by the possibility that things might be greatly different from what he knew.
I can't be this unlucky.
####
It appeared he was indeed unlucky.
September arrived and went by, yet no letter from the school of magic came. He had to start his muggle school with Harry tagging alongside him. A few more months passed, and Dudley saw the news of the collapse of the USSR.
The world was following the same trajectory that he was familiar with. He kept an eye out for any major catch related to business and finance. But it was hard to be taken seriously at that age.
He simply chose to live ordinarily, learn whatever he could to add to his old knowledge, and hang around with Harry. The two slowly went from being just cousins to brother-like. Even at school, Harry no longer got bullied or found himself without friends. After all, Dudley was a bully himself, and he was friends with other bullies, which put Harry in a protected group.
Dudley had no interest in petty bullying at the school anymore. Other than bullying the bullies and studying, he tried to find more traces of the magical world. He knew about the Ministry and the telephone booth. But going to London was no easy task.
With so much free time, he studied French just to learn something new and not be bored. With a degree in finance from his last life, he was great with numbers. Vernon and Petunia couldn't stop gloating at their son's remarkable academic achievements, already dreaming of sending him to some old elite school later on.
For Dudley, however, it was a slow means of building confidence with Vernon so he may be allowed to invest.
As months turned into a year, Dudley started to feel disenchanted with the magical world entirely. It felt like just another reality, an ordinary second life with Harry Potter beside him. And of course, the often depressing weather of the UK.
####
"Ugh—Forty-nine!... Fifty!"
Thud!
Dudley landed back on his feet from the pull-up bar he had put on the door frame.
Sweating profusely, his dumbbells sprawled across the room and a few more resistance bands, he walked over to the mirror and flexed his arms, staring at his taller self. He liked what he saw, but not as much as he'd have loved to.
"Fucking hell, it's impossible to get rid of all this fat." He saw plenty of muscles in the mirror, and he no longer had bulging belly fat. The chest was well developed, but he still saw no signs of abs. "It's like a muscular dadbod."
"Dear! It's time!"
"Coming, Mum!" He shouted back and ran into the bathroom for a quick shower. Then, he put on a random T-shirt, and jeans and went downstairs. Vernon and Petunia were dressed in nice, formal attire that night. "Let's go."
"My baby, I can't believe you're fifteen." Petunia pampered him just as she did every year.
"He took after me." Vernon boasted, proudly looking at his son. "Look at him—the ladies will go crazy at his new school."
Still feels weird. Dudley thought. As a guy who hated the Dursleys from an outsider's viewpoint, he was now one of them.
"Where's Harry?" He asked.
"He's wiping the windshield. A bird did its business on it," Petunia answered.
Dudley glared at the two. "I told you not to order him around! We're better than this! Nobody likes arrogant people. And money doesn't buy class."
One of the perks of being the family's golden child was having a louder voice. With Vernon and Petunia's previous overindulgence in pampering him, they had created a perfect monster for themselves.
"N-No, Dudley. Harry willingly offered to help." Vernon tried to clarify, shaken by the mere possibility of angering his son. "I swear, we don't order him for anything anymore."
The Dursley household's dynamics had changed a lot.
"Oh…" Dudley awkwardly scratched his head. "Let's go then. It's my birthday!"
"Yes, yes, let's go, my pumpkin."
Ugh, that word again. He hated being called that while being big-boned.
That evening, they all went to a fancy restaurant in London to have dinner. It was quite a distance away from Surrey, but they wanted to celebrate.
It had been three years since his rebirth in Dudley's body. Much had changed, starting with Harry's life. His cousin lived better now with plenty of food and no more slaving around. A truly ordinary life for a teenager. Albeit, the guy stayed timid.
That day, going to London was also his plan. He picked the restaurant that would have them drive through Whitehall. He kept his eyes glued to the window that whole time, looking for that clue.
That one red box.
And there it was, the red telephone booth.
Is that it? Magic is real, there's no doubt.
He held back his urges to go there and check it. He had no way of explaining himself if it were to somehow work. So, he went with his family and ate a nice, sumptuous dinner. Then with ice cream still in hand, they drove back home.
Clack!
Dudley turned the house key and opened the door, Harry and Petunia held present boxes behind him. He took a step inside and paused, feeling something under his shoe.
"We got mail?" He muttered and crouched down to pick them up. There were two packed letters, and with one look, he noticed the Hogwarts emblem on the wax seal. "Harry's got a letter!"
He turned around and handed it to the boy who lived. A thousand questions went through his head at the same time, about why so late. Did Hogwarts change?
"Who would write h—" Petunia was about to snarkily comment when she froze, also recognizing Hogwarts seal. "No! No, not this again!"
"Hogwarts? Wait…" Harry shuffled through the two letters and extended the second one back to Dudley. "This one's for you."
"Me?" Dudley snatched the thing and read the name on it. "Mr. D. Dursley… That's me!"
What's this? I'm a wizard?
"You're a Wizard? Dudley, oh my dear! You're a wizard!" Petunia dropped whatever she was holding and jumped to her son's side to read the letter. "This is it! It's the same as Lily's!"
"My Mum?" Harry looked at Petunia.
"What's this about?" Dudley continued the clueless act. "Wizard? What's that?"
"We can't talk here!" Petunia snapped, hurrying the two boys inside and dragging Vernon along. She slammed the door with a jittery glance outside, leading them all to the living room. "We've all noticed those... strange things Harry does... magical things."
Petunia continued the explanation, her breath seemingly lost. She kept Dudley's letter clutched in her hand. "Some people are born with magical powers… My Sister… She had them."
I can see the struggle. Dudley saw the confused look on Petunia's face. The woman hated witches and wizards until a moment ago. But, with her own son being magical, what was she supposed to do? Hate him too? The venom she had formed in her mind about magic was being challenged in real-time.
“Children with… magic, they go to Hogwarts. To—to learn it properly. This letter is… it’s his official invitation.” She glanced at Dudley, her lips quivering, and then at Vernon, who had already sunk into his chair, speechless. “Our Dudley… has magic!”
Vernon gave a low, sharp grunt. "Refuse it! I’ve set my son up for the finest private school, and I won’t let them sweep him off like this!"
"W-What? Vernon, our son is gifted!"
"Since when did being a freak become a gift?" Vernon snapped at his wife. The man rarely showed the guts to talk down to her. "My son is normal, and I won't let him go to that freak school."
As if you have a choice. Dudley scoffed from the side. Like hell, he was going to give up that chance. This was a dream come true. I'll just leave home if he doesn't agree. I got rich Harry here to help me.
"I don’t think we can keep him from going, Vernon. Their Ministry, they’ll come for us. They might even get the police involved," Petunia responded, taking a more pro-Hogwarts side. It seemed she never gave up on Hogwarts and wanted to live that dream through her son. Maybe her son would be even better than Lily’s son.
Vernon’s face reddened as he glared at his wife. “I’ve made myself perfectly clear—he's not going, end of story! He's my son, and I will not stand by while he throws his life away on such nonsense.”
Thud!
Vernon left and slammed his bedroom door. Behind him, Petunia followed. Soon, loud bickering voices echoed.
Dudley shrugged and went upstairs to read Harry's letter.
"Dudley, do you think this is real?"
"Well, you being able to levitate the furniture sure is. That's pretty magical."
"Then you should come with me," Harry said.
Dudley chuckled. "Come on, Harry. You still don't know me? You think they can stop me?"
At that, Harry smiled. It wasn't wrong to say that Dudley was the man of the house. His words held the most sway.
"I can't wait!" Harry excitedly reread the letter. "But we'll need to buy these things on the list."
Won't Hagrid come over to guide him? Dudley pondered how to get a look into Harry's personal vault. We're both muggles at this point. Shouldn't there be someone assigned to guide us?
####
“Vault 687. The lamp please."
It's happening! Finally, my golden opportunity!
Vernon didn't want him to go, but Petunia did. He declared he wanted to go as well, so Vernon had no choice but to accept it. Then a few months later, two weeks before September, Hagrid arrived at 4 Privet Drive.
From there, everything felt like a dream.
Entering Diagon Alley, seeing all the familiar shops and attires, and then finally entering the bank. It was grand and magical, ethereal to his eyes. It felt like a dream, and at that point, he was almost sure this was his second life.
Clack! Clack!
The goblin opened Harry's vault gate and stepped aside.
"You're a rich man, Harry!" Dudley almost shouted. Seeing that many gold coins face to face was a totally different experience. The mountain of coins was taller than Harry and reached his own height.
"T-This…" Harry dumbfoundedly stared at the pile of gold. "Mum… It's Mum's?"
"And your dad," Hagrid said.
"It's a lot," Harry muttered. But it was now clear why he didn't have to pay a penny for his mum's treatment. "H-How much should I take?"
"Give me a loan!" Dudley shamelessly requested. It had already been three years and each time he saw a money-making opportunity slip away, he felt anxious and angered. He wanted to start as quickly as possible. "I'll invest it!"
Harry scratched his face and shrugged. Having been with Dudley for so long, he was at least confident in his intelligence. "How much?"
"A million! I mean, a million pounds."
"Sure."
That easy? Seriously? We're fifteen, buddy. Dudley felt emotional for his little brother. He had given up on magic and Hogwarts until two months ago. I'll help you double this then.
Quickly after that, Harry grabbed a fist full of coins and shoved them into his bag. As for Dudley's loan, they needed him to make an account at the bank first. He giddily accepted, although it wasn't free.
Following that, Dudley confirmed his growing suspicion. He saw Hagrid grab a 'stone-sized' wrapped pouch from another vault.
So it's just the age that's moved up?
"Better not mention this to anyone, you two."
Dudley quickly zipped his mouth and followed the giant man out. From there, he shopped for supplies and got himself an owl because it was the most convenient method of communication. Then, he got himself a wand.
Of course, he first watched the entire show of Harry getting his 'destined' wand.
"Ah, indeed! How exquisite! The wand you hold is one of the last fine Redwood wands remaining in this establishment. Crafted with the spine of a White River Monster, a magical creature from the magical depths of the White River in Arkansas. It will serve you admirably, Mr. Dursley—many covet Redwood for its illustrious reputation for bringing good fortune. But do heed this: Redwood wands possess a curious affinity for those already blessed with the knack for resilience, for turning misfortune to triumph. I foresee remarkable adventures in your future, Mr. Dursley!"
Dudley looked at the wand in his hand. It was red with a nice solid grip. It felt a little springy even. Adventures? Fuck that, I just want happy times. Maybe date a few pretty witches, and get rich.
Following the wand, they bought a few more things and then regrouped with Hagrid to have some lunch. He appreciated that the half-giant didn't dislike him this time, and didn't give him a pig's tale. Well, he wasn't fat like before either.
After listening to Hagrid give them a quick overview of the wizarding world, the two boys returned home to 4 Privet Drive.
It didn't matter if the air inside the house was depressing because of Vernon. The two boys were excited to start their magical journey.
They marked their calendars, crossing off each day.
####
When September 1st arrived, Dudley found himself often thinking of only two words that entire day.
Holy shit!
He crossed the wall on the platform and appeared in front of the steaming Hogwarts Express.
Holy shit!
He saw Hermione for the first time as she looked for the toad. Thanks to the age situation, she looked fantastically charming. Her bushy hair made her seem all the more cute. Of course, there was also Ron who sat with them.
If anything, he liked the red-haired boy for being so simple and easy to approach. While Harry was famous and a half-blood, Dudley knew he was just a muggle-born like Hermione. He expected the Slytherins to target him just for being related to the Boy Who Lived.
Holy shit!
He rowed the boat and stared at the majestic castle in the distance with all its lit windows. Finally, the dream had become a reality. Initially just hopeful of being involved with the magical world through Harry, but now he was a part of it too.
Holy shit!
Like a fool, he stared at the massive Great Hall. Its magical ceiling, the rows of tables. The end of the hall with the teachers. Majestic, ancient, and full of magic—He felt too excited.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Oh shit!
He finally cursed something different as Hermione got sorted into Gryffindor right before his eyes. It woke him up from the excited stupor. This was it, the moment of truth.
Which house should I go to?
Slytherin was not an option. Going to Gryffindor meant he'd always be on the winning team. But, being close to Harry would also make him the prime target for later Death Eaters. He'd be involved in all the battles that Harry would participate in. The Stone, the Chamber—he'd be dragged into everything.
Feeling the weight of that choice, he looked around, recognizing a few faces.
Let's take a seat first.
"Harry Potter."
Instantly, all the roars and claps died down. Whispers and chatter ensued and even the teachers sat up straight.
Oh, he's bloody famous. Literal magnet for all eyes around. Dudley watched his brother get sent to Gryffindor. Following that, a few more names went by.
"Dudley Dursley."
Here it comes. Being taller than almost every student in his year, he stood out already. Not Slytherin.
Not Slytherin? The talking hat spoke to him. I can see why. Ah, I see something in there, something profound. Strong, focused, and brave—Yes, I kno–"
Is it Gryffindor? Dudley asked directly.
What is this? I feel hesitation. Ah—patience! It's not Ravenclaw either for refusing the lion is no sign of wit.
Dudley frowned. Did you just call me dumb? I have a master's degree in fi—
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The hat was instantly taken from him. Dudley heard a lot of clapping from the right side as he stood up, scratching his head.
Hufflepuff? Who the fuck goes to Hufflepuff? He absentmindedly walked over to the Hufflepuff table. He shook hands with the seniors and took a seat. Only then did he look beside him and see the faces of Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot. He liked what he saw. I guess I'm a Hufflepuff then.
But then he leaned forward and looked at the other Hufflepuffs. After swiping a few faces, he finally saw the bright, handsome face of the guy.
There's my vampire.
Ting! Ting!
"Your attention, please!"
He looked back at the teachers, seeing Dumbledore stand up.
"Let the feast–begin!"
Woosh!
With a snap, a massive feast appeared on the table. So much food that he felt his stomach churn. But he dared not go crazy, and grabbed his well-calculated balanced meal with high protein and fibers, as low carbs as possible.
He took a bite of the chicken and it melted in his mouth.
Ah, I can get used to this.
####
Snape didn't hate him or like him. That was more than pleasing.
He loved flying on brooms.
Hufflepuff wasn't as bad as he expected. The common room had a lot of greenery and had a cozy air to it. With the school kitchen nearby, the appetizing scent of food often seeped into the common room. Sadly, it motivated him to exercise more so he could eat more.
The troll incident happened as expected. Using common sense, he got Hermione out of the bathroom before the Troll even entered. They still saw the creature enter the bathroom, but they were safely away. He was no battle junkie and had no interest in experiencing broken bones.
Thanks to that, he received study notes from Hermione for every subject. It was a life and time saver for him. In addition, the notes helped him get closer to Susan Bones and Hannah Abbot, the two girls he was interested in.
He tried out for Quidditch too and made it to the reserves at the very end of the list. He just got to watch Harry win that year. But overall, he loved his life at Hogwarts, in Hufflepuff's basement. Other than Draco's rare snarky remarks, he found no issue.
So, he focused on plotting his greedy business—the get-rich plan. Thanks to Harry, he finally had the funds to take the first step.
Before he knew it, the 1st year came to an end with predictable events unfolding. Harry caught Professor Quirrell and killed him. It shook his brother a bit, but he was there to cheer him up at the Hospital Wing.
By the time they returned home, Harry was as good as ever. And what a summer it was. The two brothers never felt that free in their life. They went outside regularly, met with Weasleys, even visited Hermione's parents' clinic, and made trips to Gringotts for business.
As Dudley explained his plan to Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived started to show some greed too and asked if he could invest too. Dudley agreed merrily with a small 'fee'.
Just like that, the 2nd year arrived.
Dudley created a magical whistle that let out rooster crows for himself. He didn't know if he had the plot armor, so he dared not take the snake lightly. However, he did come face to face with the Basilisk once and timely shut his eyes before using the whistle.
Surprisingly, he was awarded fifty points for his discovery. He then sold similar whistles for a Galleon each. Business was booming until he saw the first victim. From there, he handed free whistles to whoever wanted them.
The 2nd Year turned out great for him as he became friends with students of all houses thanks to his whistle. Even Slytherins requested them. Clearly, their hatred for his blood was not higher than their desire to live. He charged them money, however, as they could afford it. But not the pretty girls, of course.
As the 2nd year neared its end, Harry discovered the Chamber of Secrets, defeated the Basilisk, and saved Ginny from Voldemort. When the year-end dinner took place, not only Harry, but Dudley also received more points from Dumbledore. For his creation of the whistle that saved Hermione's life, and also his discovery and confirmation that a Basilisk was the likely culprit, even though no one believed him at the time.
Still, Gryffindor won. Hufflepuff came second that year.
But Dudley didn't care, more busy playing around with his girlfriend. They had just started dating during Christmas when they kissed for the first time and also got chased by the damn Basilisk. If not for his whistle, they'd have been petrified.
Although they hadn't crossed that 'boundary' yet, they were very much into each other.
####
"Ummm~"
The shaking of the train made it far more challenging to hold himself back. The 2nd year was over, and they were just a few minutes away from King's Cross.
With the students busy taking turns changing clothes, Dudley had the entire cabin for himself and the girl straddling his lap, dangerously rubbing herself on his noticeable erection, her large, cloudy peaks smushed against his chest.
"Mhm~" Her breathy moans and scentful exhales put their deep kiss in a league of its own.
Dudley felt his tongue melt against her warmth, their soft flesh coiling against each other. Both his hands kept a firm grip on her ass under her skirt, feeling her smooth panties and the skin. He pulled her into himself the more she grounded on his hardness.
Oh, how much he wanted to take the next step. But he didn't want to rush, loving this new life and his date.
She rode on his lap back and forth, teasing him with the forbidden fruit. As she stopped kissing him and gripped his face with her palms, she giggled. "Too bad, we don't have much time."
"Susan…" Dudley looked at her oval face, her red, long hair in a long plait was a sight to behold. She wasn't tall, but everything else about her body was the definition of curvy grace. "Better stop before your Aunt catches us at the station. I don't want Madam Bones coming after me."
"Hehe, she won't mind, I think." Susan giggled and went in for another deep kiss while gyrating her hips. "Umm… Are you sure we can't meet during the holiday? Maybe we can… do more?"
Dudley slipped one hand into her panties, squeezing from one of the leg's sides. He felt her amazing, tender ass and lingered just an inch away from the other entrance. "I got a lot to do this summer. But I'll try to find t—"
"Oh, what if I bring Hannah too?" Susan suddenly asked, sitting straight on his lap, taking away the warmth of her breasts from him. "You keep glancing at her plump ass, don't you?"
"What? Why are you bringing her into this?" Dudley asked back.
"Hmph!" Susan got up from his lap and sat beside him on the seat. "Why? You kissed her right in front of me, and tried to grab her ass."
Dudley awkwardly scratched his forehead. "T-That was a Truth and Dare game. What else was I supposed to do?"
"Take the penalty and drink the shot. But you kissed her and went further." Susan crossed her arms, pouting. "Seriously, just say it if you like her."
How did this go from us kissing to this so quickly?
"But that was before we started dating," Dudley defended himself. "I mean, she does have a great ass but, I like you more."
"Pfft…" Susan snorted in an attempt to hold her laugh. "Hah, you actually said it. I was just pulling your leg, but you do have a point…"
Susan raised her claws in front of herself and made a squeezing motion. "She does have a pretty fat ass, I can vouch for that."
Man, she's so hard to predict.
Shhh~
The door slid open and Hannah walked in, wearing regular clothing. "What are you two talking about?"
"Your ass." Susan blurted.
"..."
"What?" Hannah squinted her eyes at the two. Unlike Susan, she was more reserved unless slightly drunk. She was easily flustered and had a general lack of self-confidence, often breaking down when unable to tackle some subject. Not to mention, too naive, easily believing Harry was the Heir of Slytherin.
"I'll go get changed." Dudley chose to leave the brewing storm.
"I'll join!" Susan jumped to follow.
Of course, Dudley knew why. He even loved that side of her, open and easygoing with him. But sadly, there was a line in front of the carriage lavatories.
When the train reached the platform, they had to bid farewell with just a hug and a quick touch of lips before departing the cabin, heading different ways to keep their romance hidden from their guardians.
"Why didn't you join us?" Harry asked his brother.
Seeing Hermione was there on the platform too, Dudley shrugged. "Had some calculations to do. It's not so simple to register a private equity firm, Harry."
Having turned 18 just a few days ago, he was now confident about registering his business and entering the big games. Although he could have done that before since the minimum age was 16, he chose to go slow and build a base.
"I can’t believe you’re taking on school and business simultaneously, all alone! It’s going to be brutal, especially with the fifth year around the corner. Honestly, it'll be a nightmare." Hermione warned him in good faith, their friendship was already close enough. "But… I’ll be rooting for you."
"Who said I'll be alone?" Dudley smirked at Hermione, "I'll need a pretty, hot secretary too."
"You!" She slapped his shoulder shyly.
"Super hot? Yeah, sure," Ron chuckled from the side.
Hermione glared at him, and Dudley sighed. This Weasley had a lot to learn.
"Come on, Harry. Mum’s probably waiting for us." Dudley grabbed his luggage, giving a small smile. "See you later, everyone."
Quickly the two boys dragged their trollies out of the station and headed towards the parking lot. Vernon had stopped getting involved with them by now and never came to send or receive them at the station. It was only Petunia who remained excited.
"Big D…"
"What?" Dudley used to hate that name. But not anymore after growing muscles, and getting rid of that belly. Also, there were more things big about him.
"Don't tell my Mum about school," Harry requested.
"Don't worry about it."
The two soon arrived near the van Petunia drove. By then, the hatred Petunia had for Harry had vanished, and she treated him almost the same as Dudley.
"Oh! There's my pumpkin!" Petunia hugged her son tight and patted his shoulders, noticing he had grown taller yet again. "Oh dear, we'll need new door frames."
Harry laughed at the side and greeted the woman.
After that, they drove to the muggle hospital. Still, Petunia refused to see Lily and chose to spend time in the food court.
Harry and Dudley entered the private room and found Lily's bed fixed in a sitting position with the window blinds open, basking her body in much-needed sunlight.
As absurdly pretty as the first visit. Dudley admired her free red hair and mature face which didn't seem to age much. Even I want to hear her speak at this point.
He stayed standing near the footside while Harry sat beside the bed, holding Lily's hand and telling her about his school year while omitting a lot of details. As always, he got emotional near the end and got up.
"I'll go wash my face." Harry left the room.
At that point, Dudley walked to the side of the bed where Harry sat and admired her face. Thin, red lips that had become dry, a face that looked lively yet lifeless.
“Here, let me help.” Dudley noticed a lock of her hair falling across her face and gently tucked it back behind her ear, stepping back respectfully. No matter how he felt, he knew not to overstep, especially when she couldn’t respond. “I hope you wake up soon, Aunt Lily. Harry… he needs you more than anyone. I’m there for him, but I’m just his cousin, you know? Now that… that Voldemort is back, maybe it’s time you came back too?”
Beep! Beep! Beep!
"W-What happened?" Dudley heard the beeps on the medical monitors increasing. "N-Nurse!"
He rushed over and pressed the red button beside her bed.
Clack! Clack!
Lily's body started to shake profusely, shaking the entire bed with her.
"What's going on?" He tried to hold her in place so she wouldn't fall. "Aunt Lily? Can you hear me?"
"Mmm…" Lily made a noise, violently shaking still. "H-Hm-ry… Ary… A-Arry…"
"Harry's coming!" Dudley recognized her words. "He's right here, Aunt Lily."
Woosh!
"Mum!" Harry came rushing into the room with the doctor and nurses beside him. "What happened?!"
"She started shaking and calling for you, Harry!" Dudley explained. "She's waking up!"
"Mum!" Excited and worried, Harry ran to the bed's side.
Dudley had to move near the foot side to give the doctors and nurses some space. He watched everything unfold from there. Harry called for her and she called for him. The doctors injected some medicine into her body at the same time.
"H-arry…" Lily's voice became more clear and distinct.
"Mum!"
Right in that seated position, Lily's eyes started to twitch before slowly opening. She squeezed them back a few times, getting used to the light. It took her a few minutes before the shaking died down and she finally opened her beautiful green eyes.
Don't tell me…
Dudley was at the footside and realized she was looking directly at him, their eyes locked.
Sh-She could hear us all this time?!
Dudley's heart sank in shame. A nervous sweat broke out on his forehead. Although he never touched her, he did admire her plenty with some rare unflattering words.
A-All the unholy things I blurted here… she heard them all?
__________________
Choice Question - What should be Dudley's defining magical talent?
Choice 1 - Quidditch: Easy girls and fame.
Choice 2 - Arithmancy: Good with the magical nature of numbers, which makes him better at potions, predictions, and magic implementation.
Comments
Braxton Rheaume
2
Welltall44
While option 1 would make it easier to go after some specific girls, quite a few of the more notable HP witches are smart enough that something like fame just wouldn't be effective on, whereas option 2 can potentially open a path for going after just about everyone. As such I will say go with #2
Dan Topel
Also being known for being good with numbers and patterns and predictions might help him explain away any future knowledge he tries to use to his advantage.
MrPlotThickens
True.
Dan Topel
2 sounds more in line with the character you are building than sports star does
woody wolff
2
Chris Marino
2
Taim Koukach
2
Goxo
2) Maybe if you like other power system in other medias that you want to incorporate in this story. My favorite is magic cycles 1-10 in Korean Manhwa to show progress in becoming more stronger, but that is just and example. Till next time Author, Godspeed
John Bose
2
Cup of Happy
2
JacksAreWild
Love the idea of him as a beater for hufflepuff but #2 makes more sense as someone experienced manipulating numbers
Jas
2, sounds like it might be the more interesting path.
Dragon_knight240
1
Caimbeul
I think he’d be quite a good business man, is rich and quite smart but who’s to say he can’t do a little of both in school, like sure I don’t expect him to be a seeker or chaser but It would be cool if he was a beater for hufflepuff.
Pedro Brigante
2
Lord Mehmeh
1 &2
Immaculate Fyre
Same
John Smith
2
Patrick Darmon
1 and 2...... cause im greedy and why not 😉
Rex2000m
2
nam Tran
2
Kobe Brown
1
Darth Bane
2
Silver
1
Warslick
2
Wande Tarsad
2
UnlimitedLikes
1
Daemon
2
TheKidFromNY
1
iDogei
2
alex hampton
2
Weirdperson
2
Maggie329
Choice 2
Eternal Playa
For the hell of it, 1.
