Chapter 4: Chapter 3
There's a sense of finality in watching as the train to Stonewall slowly begins to pull away from the station with one Harry James Potter on board. In another life, it would have been Dudley on that train… in another life, it HAD been Dudley on that train, staring out the window, smiling as he waved goodbye to his mother and father, both of whom had come to see him off.
But this wasn't that life. This wasn't that timeline, as mind boggling as it still was for Dudley to think in such a fashion. This was a different timeline, a new timeline… and instead of it being Petunia and Vernon seeing Dudley off, it was Petunia and Dudley seeing Harry off. Vernon hadn't been able to find the time off to come today… that was probably the one downside to Dudley's new life as a magical being.
His father had spent the last decade decrying Harry for being freakish and unnatural. He'd abused the boy and Lily too at times, be it verbal or physical. He'd hit Harry, he'd screamed at Lily… only to discover, over a decade after the pair had been dropped into the Dursleys' laps… that it wasn't Harry who was the freak. It was his own sun. It was Dudley.
It wasn't as if Vernon had started calling Dudley a freak or unnatural, nor had he started yelling at his son or hitting him. If he had, Dudley wasn't sure what he would have done, though he definitely wouldn't have stood for it. He might be in the body of a boy, but that didn't mean he wasn't a full grown man, and he definitely wasn't going to put up with Vernon hurting him or anything like that.
As it was, Vernon had simply become a bit… distant, ever since the letter had arrived for Dudley instead of Harry. Ever since it turned out that Dudley was the wizard and was the one who would be going to Hogwarts, while Harry didn't receive an invitation and would thus be heading off to Stonewall, Vernon Dursley had been a bit adrift, losing himself in his work at Grunnings rather than confronting the obvious.
In the end, it was still for the best for everyone, in Dudley's oh so humble and completely unbiased opinion. After all, even Harry was happier with this. Dudley knew for a fact that neither he nor his parents had gone to see Harry off when he'd left for his first year at Hogwarts, after all. More than that, they couldn't exactly send Harry to Stonewall in Dudley's ragged old hand me downs, now could they?
For the first time in his life, Harry Potter had received an entire wardrobe of clothes that actually fit him. On top of that, Petunia had taken him to see the eye doctor and gotten him a prescription of glasses that actually helped his eyesight, rather than just whatever they could find for cheap. He'd also had a haircut, which now that he was no longer magical, actually took, leaving him with a short black hairstyle that in Dudley's opinion, actually looked very good on him.
Even the scar upon Harry's brow had begun to fade away, going from that angry red he'd had all of his life to a thin white line that even now was in the process of disappearing altogether. As far as Dudley was concerned, he'd done Harry quite the favor by taking the boy's magic for himself and shipping him off to Stonewall. If the smile and wave Harry gave him and Petunia from the window of the train as it pulled away was any indication, Harry would agree.
Of course, if he knew the full truth of everything, he'd probably curse Dudley to the ends of the earth and feel a lot differently about the whole situation… but that was information that Dudley Dursley fully intended to take to his grave. No one would ever know the truth, not if Dudley had anything to say about it.
"Come along, Dudley. We don't want you to miss your train either."
Petunia's hand on his shoulder guides her son away from the platform and back into the train station itself. As they go, Dudley feels his excitement building. How can it not? He'd seen the platform number himself and couldn't help but be undeniably curious. Platform Nine and Three Quarters… how the hell was that supposed to work?
Of course, his mom would know, apparently. As she'd told him, her parents had dragged her along to see Lily off every single year until she was old enough to beg off. Regardless, soon enough they come to the space between Platforms Nine and Ten… and as Dudley looks around in mild confusion, trying to figure out where the secret door might be, Petunia guides him right over to a brick wall.
"It's through there, darling. The wall is not really a wall, it's an illusion. If you run at it with all your strength, you'll come out the other side just fine and be on Platform Nine and Three Quarters."
Dudley bits his lower lip at that, staring at the bricks for a long moment before looking to his mother.
"Come with me?"
Like son, like mother… Petunia also bites her lower lip, indecisive for a brief second, but seeing the look in his eyes, she ultimately gives a hesitant nod. Together, mother and son clasp hands and run forward. Together, two people who truly had no business being in the magical world pushed through the invisible barrier that barred the entry to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, Dudley's stolen magic allowing them to slip right on through to the other side.
And there it was. Dudley can't help but be amazed at finally laying eyes upon the Hogwarts Express. It truly is a spectacular sight to behold, and everything and more then he ever dreamed possible.
What follows is a bit of a sappy, teary goodbye. Mostly on his mother's part, but even Dudley finds himself getting a little worked up as they hug goodbye right there at the side of the train. He can tell from the wistful look in his mother's wet eyes that she's both happy and sad at the same time. It's different from all those years with Lily, or at least Dudley hopes it is. After all, he's not her sister, he's her son.
He likes to think his mother is happy with him, but there's no denying that, as he ascends into the train itself, she's watching him do what she never could, just like she watched Lily all those years. Maybe Dudley can do something about that… but not now. Now, he has to focus on pressing forward, on putting one foot in front of the other. He's finally made it, he's finally going to Hogwarts… and if he wants to make the most of this opportunity, this do-over, then he can't slack off for even a moment.
His mother will understand, he thinks. This means just as much to her as it does to him, he's pretty sure.
"Ah! Dudley! I was wondering if I'd see you, come and share my cabin!"
And then there's Draco Malfoy, the platinum blond boy calling out to him from down the hall. With a grin, Dudley makes his way over, entering the young wizard's cabin. Within are two other boys, each of them bigger and burlier than Draco, more Dudley's size truth be told. Draco is quick to introduce them as Crabbe and Goyle, which are apparently their family names, not their first names. The fact that Draco introduces HIM as Dudley and seems to give him a lot more credit than the other two boys gives Dudley a good idea of just what the power dynamic is like between them… and an idea of where Draco holds Dudley in comparison to his two thugs.
That's good… and probably has more to do with Dudley having an entire life packed in his young noggin'. Regardless, the four of them all get to talking, only stopping long enough to pick some things from the trolley. Dudley, eager to show off his wealth, gladly buys things for all four of them, even as Draco does the same, the two of them having a bit of friendly competition for a moment as they spend their money respectively.
From there, the conversation turns rather low brow, not that Dudley minds. There are people constantly passing by their cabins, and each and every time a witch passes by… well, the four just HAVE to grade her, rating each witch on their looks and bangability. Most aren't worth much, though there's some pretty ones… and some interesting ones, like a particular older witch that Draco points out to Dudley.
"That one there was Nymphadora Tonks. Shame she's a half-blood, but what's really special about her is the fact that she's a metamorphmagus."
Dudley's raised brow causes Draco to grin raunchily as he explains.
"It means she can shapeshift. You know, change any part of her body into whatever she wants? Or rather… whatever you or I might want. Imagine having a witch like that under your thumb, eh?"
Oh yeah, he can imagine it. Dudley chuckles, even as he briefly fantasizes about what he could do with a witch like Nymphadora Tonks…
And then SHE comes along, and his fantasies are abruptly derailed.
"Excuse me, have any of you seen a lost toad?"
Hermione Granger leans into the cabin, looking… young. That's Dudley's first thought, even as he freezes up for a moment at the sight of one of the few people from the magical world that he'd had actual contact within his past life. Hermione Jean Granger… one of Harry's lovers, in that other timeline. But that timeline was now dead and gone, and Dudley needed to remember that. He's well aware that Hermione has the potential to be a genius, but given what he's done to the timeline, she'll never have a chance to meet Harry or Lily. Still…
"A toad? Really?"
Draco beats him to the punch thanks to his inner musings, causing Hermione to let out a sigh and roll her eyes in exasperation.
"Yes, really. A boy named Neville apparently lost one and I'm helping him look for it."
Before Draco can say anything else, or heaven forbid, Crabbe or Goyle interject, Dudley leans forward with a smile on his face.
"Sorry, but we haven't seen one. Have you considered asking an upperclassman for help? They probably know magic that would get you the toad back, right?"
Hermione blinks, looking like she honestly hadn't thought of that and staring at him in a new light for a moment before gracing him with a small smile.
"You're probably right! Thanks!"
And like that she's gone, leaving Dudley sitting back as Draco looks at him with a raised brow. Dudley just gives his new mate a carefree grin and a shrug of his shoulders.
"Over-eager girl like that, spending her first ever ride on the train looking for a boy's toad? That one's going to be desperate for friends, you can already tell."
Draco snorts at Dudley's explanation, even as he shakes his head.
"Not sure she's worth your time, Dudley. I'd give her a four, at that."
Quick to jump into things, Crabbe and Goyle both pipe up.
"I dunno Draco, she might be bangable once she fills out some more."
"Yeah, I liked her voice."
Draco gives his thuggish friends a scoffing grin.
"You both just like them bossy, admit it."
While they duck their heads sheepishly, Dudley laughs and gives his honest opinion.
"I think she could be a solid six once she has a few more years to grow out and clean herself up."
Of course, Dudley IS cheating a bit. The incredulous look Draco gives him just makes him laugh some more, even as they continue shooting the shit. Eventually though, conversation turns towards a topic that's actually quite close to Dudley's heart. Harry Potter.
"I can't help but wonder where he is. I'd be out there searching the train for him if I'd heard even an inkling of his presence… but so far, there's not even been a rumor that the Potter Heir is on the train. Father wanted me to get in touch with him as soon as possible, but at this point it might have to wait to just before the Sorting Ceremony, and that just won't do."
Dudley hums, pretending to think things over for a moment before making his suggestion.
"Well, since he's not here now… maybe he ended up being a squib? After all, Hogwarts is THE premier school of magic, so it doesn't make sense that he'd go anywhere else. If he WAS a squib, that would be a good thing, right? It'd mean things would stay stable and the status quo would remain intact, right?"
Draco looks distinctly nonplussed at the idea for a moment as he processes it… then, he laughs uproariously.
"Imagine that! The political danger presented by the Potter Heir neutered because he turns out to be a damn squib! Haha!"
It's obvious Draco doesn't believe that's what's happening… but Dudley just smiles, knowing that it is indeed exactly what's going on. And soon enough, all of them, from Malfoy to anyone else looking to use Harry Potter, is going to have to accept one simple fact. Harry James Potter is NEVER going to attend Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Soon enough, night falls and the train pulls into its station, where a massive burly man Draco says is the Hogwarts Groundskeeper is waiting to pick them up. They're finally here… and Dudley must admit, his excitement has never been higher.
-x-X-x-
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