A time for Heroes

Chapter 1: Beginning

Harry surveyed the scene unfolding before him with growing discomfort.

What was he thinking, when he decided to introduce Dudley Dursley of all people, to his two best friends in the entire world? At first Ron and Hermione had eyed his large blonde cousin with barely concealed looks of disgust and pity. They were all too aware of Dudley's past behaviour toward Harry, but were also curious to meet one of Harry's relatives.

So a few days before the Hogwarts Express was due to leave platform, the four teenagers decided to meet up at the Leaky Cauldron for a late lunch.

It was just a few minutes before 2pm and Dudley was fidgeting and squirming in his seat. Harry had felt it best to use the Leaky Cauldron as it served as a sort of bridge between the magical and muggle worlds. Much like he did at Privet Drive, he mused to himself.

Whilst Dudley tried unsuccessfully to look small and inconspicuous, Harry cast his mind back to a few days past when Dudley had approached him. Harry had just finished his 3rd year at Hogwarts, and had been writing a long detailed description of his holiday to Sirius. Hedwig was waiting dutifully for him to finish, and eyed him patiently, as if she knew that the recipient of the letter was very important to Harry. Harry was so absorbed in his letter that he did not hear the faint knock on his door, or the timid greeting that followed. Hedwig however gave a small cry of surprise and Harry warily turned around and was greeted by the sight of his large cousin.

"Yes, Dudley?" Harry asked politely

"Listen Harry..." Dudley stumbled off, "I just wanted to talk to you for a bit" With that Dudley slowly made his way towards the bed and sat heavily upon it. Harry turned his chair around to face his cousin, and eyed him expectantly.

"Mum and Dad told me that you have a family now. I mean that you have a godfather and he's asked you to come live with him" said Dudley slowly.

Harry did a double check at the obvious concern on his cousin's face. Was it some sort of trick? True, Dudley and he never really bothered much with the other. They just seemed to exist in the same space for a few painful months every year, and then he, along with Petunia and Vernon were all but forgotten when Harry entered the magical world.

Although in the past few weeks, there seemed to have been a change in Dudley's demeanour. For one he no longer ground his teeth or snarled when Harry joined them at the table for meals. Harry slowly focussed when he realised that his relative was speaking again. "I guess that I don't want our kids to be like how I was to you Harry. Mum told me how she and your mum were so close and then she never spoke to her after she left for Hogwarts" The explicit use of Harry's school name shocked him more than anything else Dudley had said. The son of Vernon Dursley openly acknowledging magic without any vitriol? Had someone told him of this mere days ago Harry would have laughed himself silly. Harry would have sooner expected Severus Snape to adopt him than this! After a few moments Harry smiled slowly at Dudley and Dudley grinned back at him. The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur and that night, for the first time in Harry's memory, he was happy to sit next to his cousin at the dinner table.

Harry mentioned this episode to Sirius in his letter. Sirius's reply reached Harry the next day, along with a very harried looking Hedwig. Harry had smiled ruefully when he detached the scroll of parchment, that had been sent by his beloved godfather, from Hedwig's front leg. It looked like Sirius had replied within seconds of receiving his letter, and had sent Hedwig back immediately.

It still gave Harry immense joy to receive any form of correspondence from Sirius, even it was a brief note like this. Fingers trembling with excitement, Harry carefully unfurled the scroll on his desk and bent over to read the hasty scrawl.

Pup

Good to hear from you. Looks like the Ministry has decided that I'm not too much of a threat to Britain and has dispatched a team of Aurors to look for me in America. Good luck to them!

This business with you cousin seems a bit dodge. As always i respect the value of family. Even if mine were nothing to boast about. Your Dad and his parents were my real family. If you have a chance to make things good between you and Dudley then i would say give it a chance.

I'll chat to you soon, maybe even in person!

Love Padfoot

After a few hours Harry had decided to owl Ron and Hermione asking to meet at the Leaky Cauldron.

A draught of cold air shook Harry from his revelry heralding the arrival of his two best friends.

And so it began.