Important: Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments);

House: Slytherin

Class: Potions: Antidote to Common Poisons

Assignment: Task 3 - Unicorn Horn: Write about a child losing their innocence

Genre: Hurt/Friendship

Word count: 579 (Excluding Author's Note, but including entire Entry and Title)

Warning: This is an AU (Alternate Universe)

Characters: Harry Potter; Vernon Dursley; Dudley Dursley.

Summary: Vernon Dursley has vanquished all notions that magic ever existed, but when Dudley's cousin, Harry Potter, comes to him after an argument with his father, he tells him that magic truly does exist, so long as you believe in it.

Author's Note: I'm very pleased how this turned out. :) I've never written a piece with Harry and Dudley interacting directly and I can't believe I waited this long! I hope y'all like it!

The Stars Dance

"There is no such thing as magic!" Vernon hissed, his face glowing red with anger as he stormed away from his son.

Dudley would never forget the day his father uttered those words. It had to be the most devastating thing he'd ever heard in his life. All his life, he believed in the impossible. Magic was such an extraordinary thing, and the cold reception from his father made his heart deflate in a matter of seconds. Dudley stared at the spot where his father once stood, tears swelling in the corners of his eyes. He'd held onto the hope that something otherworldly existed outside the safe haven of his dreams. Now, it seemed, that he had to let go of the notion that anything mystical could ever *** in his bleak reality.

He turned, finding his cousin there. He wanted to shout, to scream, but his chest ached too much for such a brutal attack. Instead, Dudley let the tears come.

"H-he told me magic doesn't exist…"

"He's wrong," Harry insisted, standing his ground. He walked over to where Dudley stood, his green eyes shimmering in the dull light of the living room. Dudley's heart clenched at the sight of him; he was wearing one of his oversized shirts and his hair was so unkempt, he appeared to have not bathed in days. He never understood why his parents treated him like a dog. Dudley watched helplessly in the background when his parents mistreated him, never once reaching out to help him. So, he questioned Harry's reason to protect him in his most vulnerable moment.

"I don't understand," Dudley confessed to him. "They've treated you so horribly, so why defend me?"

Harry didn't say anything for a while until a smile stretched across his face. "You're my cousin. Families must protect each other. Besides… Uncle Vernon is wrong. Magic exists, but you've got to believe. He lost that ability a long time ago."

Dudley's eyes lit up at the insinuation that his cousin might know more than he led on. Strange things have always happened when he was around him, and perhaps, it was his strong belief in it that solidified that in his reality.

"Do you want to see something cool?" Harry asked suddenly.

Without a word, Dudley nodded. Rendered completely speechless, he watched as Harry quickly looked around and bring his hands between them. Once he did, he began to wiggle his fingers in an uncoordinated manner, as if drawing the energy to conjure something from thin air. Dudley looked at him, gasping at the fierce concentration marring his face. Bright lights began fluttering between his fingers, and soon, he was met with the galloping image of a miniature horse. But, it wasn't any horse that he'd seen. It took flight, expanding his wings until he was a life sized image in the living room. The magnificent creature made a noise between a soft purr and a riotous call before plowing right into the fireplace, disappearing altogether.

Dudley didn't allow the dust to settle from what just happened before turning to Harry, mouth agape, his eyes asking him how on earth he was able to do such a thing.

"Was that…?"

"Magic?" Harry grinned. "I suppose."

"How long have you been doing it?"

Harry shrugged. "Dunno. I've done it all my life, I guess." He looked at Dudley for a moment before saying. "Magic exists. You just need to know where to find it."