Summer of Independence
Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me and I am not making any $$$ off of it. This world belongs to the talented JKR, I am just playing with it.
Chapter 4: Dealing with Dursley
Leaving the grocery store he prepared to head to Privet Drive. He had a portkey that Ragnok had made him that would take him to the play park and he would wear his invisibility cloak to the house so no nosey Order member would see him. He knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer, still under his cloak, and hoped it wasn't his uncle. He was relieved to see his aunt open the door.
"Aunt Petunia, its Harry, open the door further and let me in. There are others like me watching the house." He told her and was surprised when she did as instructed without a fuss.
After she closed the door he took off the cloak. "It's about time you showed up. I was afraid those freaks would realize you were missing." She said and then got a good look at him. "What did you do? You look… You look…" She didn't even know how to comment on his new height and weight as well as the confident look in his eyes.
"Yes, well I went to a magical healer after I got off the train. That is where I have been since. I was treated for over 2 months but with magic time moved slower and I was only physically gone for 24 hours." He told her, no longer afraid of them enough not to mention magic. "This is what I would have looked like if you hadn't starved me and taken such poor care of my health and would have healed my injuries." He told her with a glare. "Now where are Vernon and Dudley? We need to have a family meeting."
"They are in the kitchen having pudding," she told him and followed her now formidable nephew into the kitchen knowing things were going to be much different around their house from now on.
"Good evening Uncle Vernon, Dudley." Harry said and enjoyed the looks he got from both of them when they saw his new look. "Now we are going to have a little chat about how things run in this family." Harry told them with a glare as he sat at his place.
"Who do you think you are boy to walk into my house and make demands of me?" Vernon bellowed, obviously not realizing that Harry was not the same pliant boy he once was.
"No, you listen Uncle," Harry said eyes flashing. "This is not your house, it never has been. This is my house, I own it, therefore you will sit there and listen to what I have to say. I will let you ask questions after I have said my part." He waited until his uncle grudgingly nodded before continuing. "Now as I stated I found out that I own this house. You were allowed to live here by my mother after my grandparents died and left her the house. She knew she would be living in the magical world and wanted you to have a place as you had just married and Vernon had not found a job yet." Harry told them and watched as Dudley's eyes got huge as he realized that his cousin could kick them out of their house.
"I also found out that I own 100 of the Grunnings Drill Company," Harry told Vernon with a smirk and watched as all the blood left Vernon's face. "Turns out that my Grandfather Potter invested in one of his friend's son's ideas and thus purchased Grunnings; allowing his friend's son to run the business. When my mother told my father that her sister was marrying a man with no job, my father the one you call a worthless freak decided to help you out. My grandfather told the company to hire you and make sure that you had a job as long as you were married to Aunt Petunia." Harry told him with a triumphant smirk. "So now I own the company and I am the one keeping you employed. It seems the Grunnings Drill Company is not too pleased with your work. You are arrogant, rude and lazy and the only reason they have kept you on is because my grandfather demanded it."
Petunia was shaking as she realized how horrible her life would have been without her sister's kindness. They would have been destitute with no place to live and Vernon with out a job. She also realized that with how they had treated Harry over the years there was no reason to expect he would help them.
"I have also come to find out that you were paid 5,000 pounds per year to take care of me. This money does not come from the government nor does it come from the people who placed me here, it comes directly out of my trust account. Therefore I have complete control over the money you do or do not receive." He told them with a smirk. "All those gifts you get for your birthday and Christmas Dudley, they were all paid for with money that was supposed to be used to pay for clothes, food, medical care and toys for me." Harry told him and watched Dudley's eyes flash to his precious TV for a moment. "As of now the money has stopped. You have never spent one single cent on me before now so you will be easily able to manage without my money." He told them and watched as his aunt began to cry.
"Now we come to my demands. You should realize that by not using the money you were paid for my care, you are guilty of negligence and embezzlement as well as fraud as you never claimed that income." Harry told them and was pleased to see his uncle starting to sweat. "I have every right under the law to sue you for every penny that was ever given to you for my care. Additionally I could bring criminal charges against you and would easily win. Now I am hoping it does not have to come to that but there will have to be some major changes around here."
"First, I will no longer be your personal slave. I will not be cooking or cleaning any part of this house other than my bedroom. I will not be doing any chores or yard work. I will not be farmed out as cheep labor to the neighbors." Harry told them seriously, "Second, I will be treated with respect. You will call me Harry, not boy or freak. You will also not speak ill of my parents or my world in general. Third, I will be able to come and go as I please without hassle. I do not need to tell you where I will be if I do not desire you to know. I will leave you a note if I will be gone overnight. Forth, Marge Dursley is not welcome in this house while I am here. If you must see her then go visit her and be happy I am not banning her entirely but only when I am here. Fifth, Dudley, you and your gang will cease to terrorize the children of this neighborhood. You will stop beating up innocent people for the fun of it. You will stop vandalizing the neighborhood and will stop stealing from the local merchants. Those are the rules for now but I reserve the right to add more as I see fit." Harry told them, "Any questions?"
"What do you mean about Dudders terrorizing children and stealing?" Aunt Petunia asked seemingly offended by the thought.
"Would you care to explain Dudley or do you want me to tell them what you really do when you go out for tea?" Harry asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.
Dudley gulped and realized it was now or never to actually admit everything to his parents. "You know all the graffiti and stuff that people in the neighborhood complain about? Well most of it is from my friends and I. The boys and I used to beat up all the neighborhood kids when we couldn't find Harry to bully. We never had tea; we would be out stealing cigarettes or destroying stuff or beating up smaller kids. At least that was what happened through last summer." He told them and while Petunia looked appalled, Vernon looked unfazed which made Harry realize he had known all along. "I am no longer on speaking terms with Piers or Malcolm and have actually not gone out without one of you since I've been home from school."
"Why aren't you speaking with your friends Popkin?" His aunt asked her son, still trying to process that her son was responsible for everything her and all the other neighbors said Harry had done.
"Because they are mean, bullying, gits and refuse to change. I decided I didn't want to be fat and hated by everyone my whole life and have tried to change this year at school. They said I was becoming a wimp after I told them that beating up school kids didn't prove anything. I told them where to go and haven't spoken to them since. I don't need them anyway as I have made some good friends at school." Dudley told them and Harry was impressed with the apparent change in attitude and decided he would have to try and talk to Dudley at some point this summer.
"What do you mean by fat and hated, you're a strapping young lad and a fine boy?" Vernon asked him puffing up his chest in pride.
"No dad, I'm not. I have never done well in school. I have to struggle to just scrape by. I have belittled everyone I have ever known and thought way too highly of myself. I had no real friends until this past year as I never realized how poorly I treated people. I am way overweight thanks to both of you. If you had been proper parents and ever disciplined me I wouldn't have turned into a fat and stupid jerk. I have never been made to do anything for myself and you never made me try in school or checked on what I was doing with my friends. Thanks to you I will probably only live to be 40 since I am so fat and I will never marry because I have repulsed all girls my age with my sexist attitude that you instilled into me. I will be lucky to find a job after I am hopefully allowed to graduate." Dudley told them, huffing with the effort to speak so much in one go.
Harry was in shock at what Dudley had just said. All of it was absolutely true but he never thought any of them would realize it or admit it. "You were so worried about me becoming a freak like Harry that you turned me into a freak of another kind." Dudley finished waiting for his father to hit him and his mother to cry out protests.
"What have you done to my son Potter?" Vernon bellowed, knowing it had to be something his freak nephew had done.
"I haven't seen your son since last summer Dursley. To me it looks like he finally realized what horrible people you two are. You abused and neglected me, your nephew who was the same age as him, in front of him his whole life and expected him to learn how to treat people properly? You make your wife do every little thing for you and him and then expect him to learn to be self-sufficient? You starved me and then overfed him and expected him to be physically fit? You praised him for horrible grades and beat me for good ones and then expected him to excel in school? You blame all your mistakes on others and then expect him to learn responsibility? You two probably did more damage to him than you ever did to me. At least I knew that you weren't my parents and was content with knowing my parents would never have treated me that way. Dudley never had that luxury." Harry told him, it felt so good to say those things to his uncle. He had never had the courage before, but there was nothing stopping him now.
"I should have just drowned you when you were a child," Vernon growled at Harry. He would always blame the little freak for everything bad in his life just like he had blamed others his whole life. Vernon Dursley would never own up to his own mistakes or shortcomings because in his puny mind he had none.
"Yes and then you would be homeless, jobless and penniless." Harry told him with a smirk. "Now I am going to unpack and you are going to remember the new rules." He told them before making his way toward the kitchen door. "Oh and Dudley, if he tries to rough you up for what you just said feel free to lay him out. You can't beat me or the kids up but I never said anything about deserving adults."
Harry made his way to his bedroom and snorted in disgust at the layer of dirt and grime. It appeared that his aunt didn't see fit to clean while he was at school. He hated the thought of spending hours cleaning a room that he hated and wished he could do magic, but until he received his permit he had to suffer the muggle way. "Man I wish Dobby was here," he sighed out loud to himself. He was completely startled moments later when Dobby popped into his bedroom bouncing around with a big grin.
"Harry Potter wants his Dobby now?" The hyper elf asked, still bouncing.
"Hello Dobby," Harry said, trying to calm his still racing heart. "I didn't know you could hear me call you outside of Hogwarts."
"Dobby can hear his Harry Potter whenevers he calls." He said proudly. "Yous freed me and so Dobby waits for his Harry Potter to wants him as his elf."
"Do you mean you don't want to be free any longer?" Harry asked, not sure he understood what the elf was saying.
"Dobby wants to have a family again but only for Harry Potter sir," he said with a very hopeful look in his huge round eyes.
"Well Dobby, I know I will need a few good house elves in the future but you should hear my rules before you agree to bond to my family. First, I want you to wear clothes. If I ever need to free you or if you wish to be free again we will need to talk about it. Second, you will not call me master and I would like it if you could try and call me Harry. Third, you will not punish yourself unless told to do so by a family member. And finally, if there is anything you need, such as yarn to make socks or new clothing I want you to tell me and we will see if I can get it for you. So what do you think?" Harry asked, hoping he was doing the right thing. He hadn't planned on taking on any elves until he had a stable place to live.
"Dobby does like all the rules Harry sir," the house elf said, tears brimming in his eyes as his greatest dream was about to come true. He was going to be Harry Potter's elf!
"Good, now until I have a place to stay you will have to live at one of my other properties or stay at Hogwarts. You cannot stay here or my uncle may hurt you. I must admit I am not familiar with house elf bonding, you will have to help me through it." Harry told him fondly; glad he was able to make his little friend so happy. Dobby just snapped his fingers and a glow surrounded the two of them and then faded. Harry could feel the part of his magic that was connected to Dobby's now.
"I welcome you into the Potter family Dobby," Harry told him with a hug. "Now how about you helping me clean up this mess and get rid of all the old and broken things." Dobby grinned and started using his elf magic to get rid of all the dust. While Dobby was cleaning Harry went through the wardrobe and shelves to find anything worth salvaging. He was pleasantly surprised to find a small but working TV with the only problems being a cracked screen that Dobby was able to fix in a second. He also found a broken VCR that he had Dobby repair and he was all set to watch movies over the summer, there were even some old videos that Dudley had obviously grown tired of. Three of the videos were aerobic exercise tapes; there were 2 kung-fu movies and 4 different kids' movies of which there were 3 Disney animated movies and The Wizard of Oz. Overall Harry was pleased with the selection. He also repaired a few other broken toys and the Playstation so he could donate them to the local shelter.
After Dobby finished cleaning Harry had him vanish all the furniture and the remainder of the broken things that were not worth fixing. Once the room was empty they were able to see just how small and dingy it was. "Dobby can be painting the room." The house elf offered. "Its only be taking short time to buy paint."
Harry agreed that the room needed new paint and gave Dobby a small sack of gold to go get new paint as well as a ceiling fan with light fixture for the room. The fan and light would work off magic so no electrical outlet was needed on the ceiling. Harry had instructed Dobby to get a light blue paint to go with the rest of his purchases.
Dobby had just popped out when there was a knock on the door. Harry sighed and opened it to find Dudley looking nervous. "Can I talk to you please Harry?" He asked and Harry opened the door to let him into his currently completely empty room. "Um, where did all the stuff in here go? Where are you going to sleep? Did my dad do this?" His cousin asked, actually looking concerned.
"It's ok Dud." Harry told him and shut the door behind his large cousin. "I got rid of everything and am in the process of redecorating. Just so you are not too scared I have a magical friend who will be coming back soon. I'll introduce you but you can't mention him to your parents."
"So that's how you got rid of everything so fast, you used magic?" Dudley asked with a look of understanding.
"Yes, now what did you want to talk about Dud?" Harry asked and the two sat down on the floor.
"I wanted to apologize for the horrible way I treated you while we were growing up as well as to thank you for saving me from those horrible things last summer." Dudley told him. "I was having a real tough time of it once I got back to Smeltings. I kept having nightmares of the awful things and feelings and the cold and there not being any stars. My roommates thought I was cracking up and told a professor who sent me to the school psychiatrist."
Harry gave Dudley an encouraging smile as he realized that telling him all this must be hard on his cousin. He knew what horrible dreams could be like and almost wished Hogwarts had someone he could trust to talk to. "Was he able to help you any?" Harry asked concerned that his cousin could have lasting effects from the dementors.
"Yeah, it was hard talking to him at first because I knew I couldn't exactly tell him what it was that happened last summer. I was trying to be vague and he thought I was just making stuff up for attention. It came to a head one day when I just yelled at him that I almost died and that my cousin had saved my life. After that he began to ask about your and my relationship. I saw him every day after class for 2 months straight telling him about how we grew up. About 3 weeks into our sessions he asked me your name since I always just called you my cousin before. When I told him you were Harry Potter his eyes got huge and he looked startled, like he knew you." Dudley told him and Harry wondered how a muggle psychiatrist knew who he was, unless he wasn't as muggle as he appeared.
"He told me he was something called a squib and that he knew about magic and he knew your name." Dudley told him. "I was shocked and kind of scared but at the same time I was able to tell him about those dementor things and he could understand what my nightmares were about. He explained to me about dementors and how they suck all the happy thoughts out of you and everything. Since he knew about magic I was able to tell him about why my parents hated you so much and it was easier to explain growing up."
"He helped me realize how horrible I had been to not only you but everyone and how my parents had basically abused me as well by coddling me as much as they did. We talked about a lot more stuff and I began to see myself for what I really was. I started being nicer to people and eating healthier and working out to try and loose some of this body mass. After the 2 months I only had to meet with him three times a week and he asked me why I was so afraid of magic. He asked me if I had any idea about it other than what my dad had said. I told him no and he started telling me things about your world." Dudley told him with a shrug.
"I had never really thought about magic and what it could do before. So when he brought me a few books to look at about magic I was wary. He explained what a squib was as well as how some wizards discriminate because of blood. Finally he talked about the dark wizard that killed your parents and how he believed the evil man was back and that a war was going to be starting. He told me about you, things I had never known. He told me you were famous and that you had saved us all when you destroyed the dude that killed your parents. I didn't believe him until he gave me three different books about you." Dudley told him shaking his head. "My question is, if you're so famous, why the hell are you living here?"
Harry had listened intently to everything his cousin had told him and was glad that it seemed Dudley no longer thought of wizards as freaks. "I was never supposed to live here Dud, but the headmaster of my school broke the law and placed me here anyway. I could leave, and I probably will sometime in July, but he would look for me so it is easier to just hang out here. I have money and now that your parents have incentive to leave me alone it shouldn't be too bad. Remember those people from the train station? They are watching the house and making sure I am a good boy and staying here like the little weapon they all see me as. You see Dud, they think I'm the only one who can kill that evil wizard who killed my parents again. He came back to life using very evil and dark magic and now they are all waiting for me to kill him again. Problem is I have no idea how to do it, no idea how I did it the other time."
"So they do nothing and wait for a kid to save them?" Dudley asked in shock. "They're as bad as dad!"
Harry just shrugged as he agreed. He had a hard time understanding why the Order was basically doing nothing to stop the Death Eaters and were not training him or anything. "So what are you doing to try and get in shape?" Harry asked wondering if there was any way he could help him. He decided that since Dudley took the first step in trying to become a better person that he would do whatever he could to help.
"I have started a diet the school nutritionist recommended. It involves eating small healthy portions about 5 times a day to boost my natural metabolism. I am doing cardio exercise as well to burn more calories. The problem is that there is just so much to burn off that it will take years to get to a healthy weight. I was to the point that it was hard to walk from class to class because I was so overweight. I am continuing with boxing and that is helping me with stamina but there just are not enough hours in the day to get healthy before its too late. The school doctor told me it may be too late to help prevent heart disease and I am a prime candidate for other health problems like diabetes when I'm older." Dudley told him sadly. "I was roughly twice my healthy body weight. I need to get to under 200 lbs as a start."
Harry was trying to think of any potions regimen that could speed up the process. As long as Dudley kept to the diet and exercise schedule, a potion may be able to boost his metabolism enough to burn twice the amount. "I will write to a healer friend of mine and see if there is anything magical that can help you." Harry offered.
"Thanks Harry, I know I don't deserve your forgiveness or your help but I do appreciate it. I am almost envious of your ability to perform magic. It would be cool to be able to just fix broken things with a spell. I really want to see a Quidditch game sometime, flying sounds cool." Dudley told him and Harry was shocked with how comfortable his cousin sounded talking about magic. He assumed that his squib counselor and him must have bonded over both knowing about magic.
Dobby popped in and Dudley jumped up. "It's ok Dud, this is my friend Dobby. He is a House Elf and will be helping me get my room ready." Harry told him and watched as Dudley calmed and nodded a greeting to Dobby.
"Yeah, I read about them too. Jack, my councilor, gave me a book about magical creatures since I was asking if there was anything worse than a dementor." Dudley told him as he watched Dobby start to spell the paint onto the walls in wonder.
"I think dementors are the worst creatures ever but they are probably not the most dangerous. The dangerous ones are the Nundu, Chimera, Manticore and Dragons. You shouldn't have to worry about any of them though living here in England or even in Europe for that matter." Harry told him smiling at how fast Dobby was able to paint a room.
"Hey do you think your friend could help me paint my room too?" Dudley asked Harry. "I wanted to paint it last summer but mum refused to hire painters and I didn't want you near my stuff then."
"He's welcome to help you if he wants once we are done here." Harry told him. "But we'll have to see what he wants to do." Dudley nodded and the two boys who were once enemies watched magic being performed openly at #4 Privet Drive.
It only took Dobby 20 minutes to paint the room and dry the paint in place. It was a very nice periwinkle blue that Harry found soothing. Harry took his trunk from his pocket and focused his wandless magic on it resizing. He then took the small bags of shrunken purchases from his other pocket along with Hedwig's cage. After placing the shag rug in the room he carefully placed the bed in the middle of the room and enlarged it. Dobby and Dudley helped him push it into place in the corner where his old rickety cot had been. He enlarged the desk, bookshelf, shelves and MRE unit and placed them around the room. Dudley really liked the shag carpet and the blue bedding. He decided that magic was awesome when Dobby put up the ceiling fan and light combo that didn't need electricity.
Dudley sat down on the desk chair and Harry on the bed after Dobby headed back to Hogwarts. The two talked until it was time for Harry to go meet Lupin. The two cousins both realized that they were well on their way to becoming friends. The ability to discuss magic and their lives at Privet Drive was healing for both boys. They both decided that they wouldn't let Vernon and Petunia's prejudices affect them any longer.
Harry had gone out the back door under his invisibility cloak and snuck to the play park through the neighbors yards just in case. He waited until he saw Remus and approached him slowly, expanding his magic to see if there was anyone else around. "Let me put up some wards before you take off your cloak Harry," Remus told him and Harry realized he must have smelled him or heard his breathing with his enhanced senses. "Ok, it's safe to talk and you can take off the cloak," he told him lowering his wand.
Harry had recognized all the wards and though they were weak wards they would keep anyone from noticing them and keep their conversation privet. "So why did you want to see me Remus?" Harry asked deciding to get straight to the point. "Your letter didn't give much information but I am guessing this is not an Order sanctioned conversation from the secrecy and warding."
"First I need to know if you have read Sirius' journal yet," Remus asked. "Because I realize you have no reason to trust me and if you have read the journal then you may believe more of what I have to say."
"Just to make sure that we are on the same side here Remus," Harry told him, wary of a trap. "What were the contents of Sirius' will?"
"I don't know exactly," Remus told him. "He made it at Gringotts one of the times he left the house when I was on duty. He told me he was just making sure the people he cared about would be taken care of. He did tell me that you would get his bike and that he was planning on funding the next best pranksters to the Marauders, whom I assume are the Weasley twins. The only thing I do know is that Grimwald place shut up tighter than a Gringotts vault when he died and no-one has been able to get inside. Dumbledore is furious as it should only have done that if there was a blood heir, which he assumes there is none. As both of us know that is false, I am assuming you have gained control of the House of Black."
"Ok, I believe you Remus," Harry told him with a smile. "Now tell me why you are here."
"Sirius and I realized that Dumbledore has been manipulating you and us since before your parents died. I had always wondered why Albus didn't realize that Peter was the secret keeper for your parents and we finally realized that he HAD to have known since he would have been the one to cast the spell. I heard Flitwick talking to Moody about the spell and he was saying that if you were hiding a person rather than a location, the person or people being hid could not cast the charm on the secret keeper, that you needed another person. So who else would your parents have trusted other than Dumbledore? He knew the whole time and left Sirius to rot in Azkaban to make sure he had control over you and your finances and your families vote on the Wizengamot."
"Yeah, I had figured that as well." Harry told him and smirked at the astonished look on Remus' face. "I've learned a lot since the fiasco at the ministry. For example, I learned I had 6 blocks on my magic, 3 of which were added after my parents' deaths. I read the diary and how you thought I was holding back my learning to Ron's level and you were right. I have been reviewing all my books since to get ready to retake my OWLs in July."
"Harry, as much as I am happy to hear you are going to take your schoolwork seriously, I don't think you understand exactly what happens if you ask to retake your exams. Additionally you don't have enough time to relearn everything in a few weeks." Remus told him with a sad took on his face. "Maybe if we talked to the ministry…" He trailed off thinking. "What we really need is a few extra months to get you ready."
"Remus, relax." Harry said the amusement evident in his voice. "I have spent just under 5 months studying since the DOM incident. I found a time delay feature in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts and studied all the material I could before leaving. I am past OWL level in all offered classes as well as have read extensively about warding, prophesy, laws and duties of a Head of House. After I got off the train I headed straight to Gringotts where I spent another 2 months in time delay having my magical blocks removed and all my previous injuries healed, thus my new look."
They talked for another hour with Harry explaining everything he had done since the DOM. Remus told him everything he knew of the Orders plans for the summer. There would be guards watching the house again and reporting on all of his comings and goings. They were told not to speak with him to give him time alone to grieve. His so-called friends were told not to contact him at all over the summer as any owls could be intercepted. Harry was pissed, he couldn't believe the nerve of the Order to try and hold him hostage all summer. Harry thanked Remus for his information and promised to keep in touch over the summer.
The next morning Harry ate a light breakfast, changed into exercise clothes and went out for a jog around the neighborhood. He amused himself by imagining the out of shape Order guard trying to keep up with him. He was morphed back into his scrawny starved look to fool the guard. He would gradually change the morph so he looked more like his new self before he headed back to school. At least with his old look he didn't arouse any suspicions.
After he got back from his jog he showered and then he and Dudley walked down to the local health club. Harry had offered to buy them memberships if Dudley would join with him. He thought it was something they could do together that would benefit both of them and keep the Order off his back. Harry paid for a personal trainer for Dudley to maximize his weight loss. Harry signed up for 3 different martial arts classes and he and Dudley would work out together on the machines and bikes.
Harry smiled to himself after leaving his first martial arts class that afternoon. He was taking Judo, Tae-Kwon-Do, and Hapkido. Both he and Dudley were signed up for the kick-boxing and Tae-Bo classes. Harry had taken the entrance exam for Tae-Kwon-Do and proven his knowledge of the different stances by testing in at an Orange belt. The sensei was impressed with his knowledge and eagerness to learn.
Both boys were tired and starving by the time they got back right before dinner. They stumbled into the kitchen and to their seats both just relieved to sit down. They had showered at the gym so they didn't have to walk home all sweaty and were now glad that they could just eat and relax the rest of the night. Petunia placed a huge platter of chicken fried steak on the table and the two boys looked at her like she had grown a second head.
"Mum, you know that's not on my diet." Dudley told her. "And there is no way 4 of us will be able to eat all of that."
"Oh Dudders I hate how you're just wasting away," Petunia said all teary eyed. "Those people at your school don't know what they are talking about, now eat up. I made half of this for you."
"Come on Dud," Harry said standing and shooting a disgusted look toward his aunt. "We can eat in my room." It seemed his aunt would never learn and was still planning on babying her son into an early grave.
"Sorry mum, but there is no way I can eat this. I'll start eating with you again when you start following my diet. I gave you the list of acceptable and unacceptable foods as well as portion sizes." Dudley told her sadly. He was upset that she wasn't willing to do as he asked.
Harry showed Dudley how the MRE worked. The both had spinach salads with grilled chicken breast and pumpkin juice. They were both glad that Harry had the MRE. Eating a high fat meal after their full day of exercise would have made both boys sick. "We should go shopping tomorrow before our workout. We both need some more exercise clothes." Harry told Dudley.
"I would Harry, but my dad cut off my spending money. It seams that they are struggling to pay their bills without the money they were getting to take care of you. He is in credit card debt and will barely be able to pay for my school tuition for next year." Dudley told him. "With all the work outs I don't have time for a summer job, so I'll just have to make due. I'm very grateful that you are paying for my gym membership otherwise it would have been difficult trying to loose more weight this summer."
Hedwig soared in while they were eating with a response from Nani. Harry was encouraged to see she also carried a package. He quickly opened the letter and smiled as he read about how she could help Dudley. She had made him a specially formulated potion that would work on a muggle. It would boost his metabolism to work at 4 times the normal rate so he can loose the weight faster. She warned him that the potion could only be taken for 2 months or it could start to damage his natural metabolism. She had included the full regimen of potions. He would take 3 per day one with each major meal. She also included a minimum exercise schedule and a meal plan that he needed to follow to get the most out of the potion.
Dudley was ecstatic and couldn't believe magic would be able to help like that. "It will only work for the next 2 months so you will be back to burning normal calories by the time you go back to school." Harry told him and they decided that was best so it didn't raise too much suspicion. Harry also had Dobby make a copy of the meal plan and sent him to Diagon Alley to get MRE's that followed Dudley's plan. He decided he would help his cousin as much as possible if his aunt and uncle wouldn't.