After reading many many time travel fics where Harry (sometimes with others) succeed in their usually experimental spell/ritual and travel to the past where they start changing things left and right while trying to keep things the same so as not to invalidate their future knowledge, I had a random thought.
Why do they always succeed in travelling to the past in the first place?
On the other hand, having a random plot bunny creep up on me doesn't mean I have the literary skill to put it down in words and write out the entire fic. Hence, this is what resulted in the initial burst of inspiration and spent much time fermenting in the depths of my computer. It's very choppy and unplanned. But I don't think I will try to write any more of this.
If there's anyone who's actually interested in this idea and wish to write it, go ahead. Just drop me a link to your fic so I can read it.
Magicless Me
1.
Harry Potter was impatient. The runes carved into the granite slab he was standing on had not yet finished powering up on the ambient magic from the broken blood wards.
It would be soon, he thought, that he'd be able to send his memories to his past self, and prevent his past self from making the same mistakes he had. He would ensure that the Wizarding World will be able to come out from the war without being totally destroyed, and everyone will survive.
The glow from the runes changed from a faded blue to a brilliant white. It was time. With trembling hands that he strained to keep steady, Harry Potter raised the goblin made ritual knife high above his head and stabbed himself in the heart.
As his blood flowed onto the runic carvings, Harry Potter collapsed. And the bright glow from the runes flickered out.
2.
Dudley Dursley was having fun.
"I'm not letting you in 'cuz you're a freak, freak!" he chortled as he bounced merrily on the small cot that usually held Harry Potter.
"Please Dudley," pleaded Harry. "Uncle Vernon told me to stay in the cupboard."
Dudley ignored him and bounced harder. Dad had always told him that the freak's words were not to be listened to after all.
"Boy! Why are you still here!" bellowed Vernon Dursley, startling both his son and his nephew.
Harry scuttled into the cupboard, forgetting in his fright, that Dudley still occupied it. The badly abused cot broke under the combined weight of Harry and Dudley and a rusted spring pierced Dudley in his bottom.
At this very moment, the memories that the future Harry Potter sent, arrived.
And entered the wrong target.
Dudley screamed. His noggin felt like a herd of hippogriffs were stampeding through it and the sudden bump against something hard was not helping any. There was also a persistent stabbing pain in his right bum. Vaguely, he had the impression that his Dad had pulled him out of the cupboard and carried him to his first bedroom. There, he fell into a troubled sleep.
3.
Harry Potter was crying.
His nose was bleeding from where Dudley had head butted him as he thrashed about in agony. He had a bump on his head that throbbed in synchrony with his heartbeat where his Uncle had struck him with a meaty fist. He was also lying in the sad remains of his broken cot.
He sniffed, idly toying with the rusted spring that poked through the thin mattress. Dudley's blood had long since dried on the sharp point of the spring and was almost indistinguishable from the rust that had flaked on his hand.
4.
Dudley dreamed.
He dreamt of magic words, of flying on broomsticks and of all the things him mum had told him did not exist.
Dudley also dreamt of fear. Fear of the people with black robes and white masks, fear of the large snake that bared her fangs at him, and especially, fear of the pale-faced man with blood-red eyes. That man's skeletal hands were wrapped around his throat and squeezing. He couldn't breathe!
Dudley woke up, drenched in sweat. He was lying face first into the pillow. Clutching the pillow to himself, he sat up, but the sharp pain in his bum persuaded him to lie down again.
This time, on his side.
He chewed on the corner of the pillow, thinking deeply. As much as he wanted to run to mum about the dream, he was not a freak and only freaks dreamed about freakish things. So he would not tell anyone. It was probably all the freak's fault that he had this freakish dream anyway! He'd tell Dad that the freak had contaminated him and Dad'll lock him in the cupboard for the rest of the holidays! That would teach him.
5.
"Get the mail, Dudley."
"Make Harry get it."
"Get the mail, Harry."
"Make Dudley get it."
"Poke him with your Smeltings Stick, Dudley."
Dudley gladly complied. He jabbed the Stick out but unfortunately, his target escaped him. Scowling, he hefted his Stick for another jab but Harry had already scampered out.
Dudley set his Stick down and continued shoveling his bacon into his mouth. Somehow, this seemed rather familiar. Abruptly, he remembered and the bacon stuck in his throat.
Today will be the day he'll receive his Hogwart's letter! Dudley felt like celebrating. He'll go to Hogwarts, beat up all the little Death Eater spawns and save the day! Again!
Just then, the freak entered the room with a bunch of letters clutched in his hands. Dudley swelled up imperiously; about to hold out his hand to demand his Hogwarts letter, but the freak never gave him his letter. Instead, he went back to his seat clutching the letter that Dudley knew was supposed to be his. Dudley frowned.
"Mum! The freak's taken my letter!" Dudley called out.
"It's my letter!" Harry retorted. "It has my name on it!"
Dudley rocked back on his chair, stunned. He ignored the sudden pandemonium that broke out around him in favour of his thoughts.
'Why isn't it me?'
It should have been him, Dudley knew. He clearly remembered what had happened the last time around. His cousin had jabbed at him with the Smeltings stick before he retrieved the mail from the front door. Afterwards, Uncle Vernon had confiscated and burned his letter and locked him into his cupboard.
'…Since when have I ever called dad 'Uncle Vernon'?'
When his parents threw him out of the dining room, Dudley did not even protest. He went quietly up to his room, with the realization that it had never been him that got the Hogwarts letter, never been him who had magic.
For the first time in his life, Dudley Dursley felt envy.
6.
Dudley watched as Hagrid led Harry out of the small hut by the hand, Harry's eyes was shining. He bit his lip and fingered the tail that suddenly grew on his bum.
Why couldn't it be him?
Scene Notes:
1. Not a very important scene, just more for background knowledge so the next scene won't start out with nothing to go from
2. The ritual future Harry used was keyed to blood. As Dudley was the person who actually bled in this scene, Dudley received Harry's memories.
3. I was thinking of having Harry receive some minor memories from his future self, hence the part where his nose was bleeding. Couldn't really think of a way to put it in so this scene is kinda redundant.
4. Dudley assimilates the memories, but thinks it's all a dream.
5. Some character development for Dudley? As a child, Dudley is used to having things his way, but he will never have magic. Possible reflection of how Petunia felt towards Lily?
6. More jealousy.
I had wanted to add more scenes, like the meeting with the Weasleys. Dudley would try to make friends with Ginny because future Harry had a brief romance with her etc. But I couldn't remember what exactly happened in canon (I don't own a copy of the book). Where was Dudley when on September 1st? In Smeltings? Undergoing tests to find out why a pig's tail sprouted on his behind? In the car laughing at Harry unable to find the platform?
In this universe Dudley would of course know where platform 9 ¾ is, but he probably wouldn't tell Harry yet. I think he would have to come to terms with his lack of magic and matures a little before we see him try to help Harry using his future knowledge. Another question would be can magic extract a muggle's memories? It'll be more fun it couldn't. Harry can't transfer the future memories to himself then.