Transformation
Chapter One
What Happened To Dudley?
Harry's feet dug into the ground, lurching the swing to a halt. He sat there for awhile, just clinging onto the chains. It was dark and, although he'd vaguely been aware of the sun setting and its growing darkness, he had no idea how many hours had passed. He remembered that Dudley's party was supposed to be over by eleven, though, and it had to be later than that. He got up and stretched, hoping some of the numbness would go away as he walked. He left the park and the safety of its lights, taking the quickest route back to Privet Drive. He struggled to keep a steady pace and looked straight ahead as an unnatural fear nagged him. He wanted to run, run and never stop. He normally wasn't afraid of the shadows, but he imagined he saw them moving out of the corner of his eye. Death Eaters? He was suddenly confronted by an image of himself with a broken neck and a Death Eater tearing into his throat. Harry swallowed. Death Eaters weren't animals. Monsters, yes, but they used curses not teeth. A chill ran down his spine and he struggled to get his wand out of his pocket as a dog howled. The hair raised on the back of his neck and again he fought down the instinct to run.
Before he knew it, he was in the Dursleys' front yard. He felt a little bit ridiculous for his fear, but he looked around just to be sure. He couldn't tell where his guard was, but he didn't know what he would've said anyway. That he'd had a bad feeling? He didn't want to sound like a kid. He was almost sixteen! Before he could come to a decision, the front door opened. Aunt Petunia stood there in her bathrobe and slippers, ushering him into the house without comment.
"Don't make a racket going up the stairs. Dudley's asleep and I want him to be well-rested for his birthday!"
Harry ignored his aunt and went to his bedroom. He was too restless to sleep so he settled down to stare out the window. He didn't know what he expected, but he felt anxious. Something was going to happen.
He jerked to awareness and realized he must've fallen asleep. He recognized his aunt's screaming. He gripped his wand tightly as he glanced out the window. There was nothing he could see, no fire or Death Eaters. Before he could do much else, a figure burst into his room. It was his uncle and he looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him. His aunt was still screaming.
"YOU!" his uncle shouted angrily, grabbing him by the hair and pulling him into the hallway. "WHAT DID YOU DO?" he bellowed, throwing Harry against the wall.
Harry gasped in pain and tried to communicate that he hadn't done anything, but he couldn't speak. Why couldn't he speak? Confusion was quickly replaced by fear. He had to get out of here before his uncle killed him. The threat of death was familiar to Harry and he welcomed the adrenaline. He pushed against his uncle and managed to knock the man off-balance. His escape was hindered by his aunt who came pelting out of the room next to him, screaming. He fell and she quickly grabbed him by the throat and started choking him.
The lack of oxygen was muddling his thoughts. His hands were on hers, pulling and scratching desperately, as he tried to get her to release him. What had he done? She was shouting at him and he struggled to understand what she was saying. Her grip went lax and she soon removed her hands from his throat to beat his chest with her fists. As he took big gulps of air, he listened to her yelling.
"WHERE'S MY DUDLEY? WHAT DID YOU DO WITH HIM?"
'Dudley' he tried to say, but instead he made a whining sound. He felt a sharp blow to the back of his head and he passed out.
When he woke up, he was on the couch in the living room. His aunt and uncle stood on the other side of the room, glaring at him hatefully. Dumbledore entered the room and Harry sat up quickly and fell back to the couch as his head spun. "Ow."
"Harry, you're awake," Dumbledore said with undisguised relief. "My scans picked up the strangest thing. It was like you weren't here for a bit."
"What happened?" He asked, confused. His eyes widened as he remembered. "You kicked me!" he shouted angrily at his uncle, his hands flying to the back of his head. There was a big bump there, alright. The Dursleys seemed to shrink as Dumbledore sent them a scathing look.
"I have already reprimanded your relatives for their appalling actions. It seems they jumped to conclusions when they discovered your cousin was missing," Dumbledore explained.
"Dudley's gone?" Harry asked. His mouth had suddenly gone dry. Was he taken by Death Eaters? That didn't make any sense. "Was he taken, Professor?"
"I cannot find any sign of Death Eaters, or any proof that he ever left at all. He has simply vanished."
"HE TOOK MY SON!" Vernon Dursley pointed a fat finger at Harry as Petunia sobbed next to him.
"Harry did no such thing," Dumbledore injected power into his voice and Vernon Dursley paled and turned to mumble assurances to his wife. "You will call the police and file a missing person's report. Harry will be leaving with me." He turned to Harry. "I have already packed your trunk."
Grimmauld Place was empty except for Harry, although Professor Dumbledore promised that the Weasleys and Hermione would be there tomorrow. He stayed up all night, wondering and worrying. One question was on his mind. What could possibly have happened to Dudley?
A/N: The main idea is taken from Kamerreon, who wanted a non-typical creature fic as much as I did.. Slight cross-over with Hunted by N. M. Browne.