The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 9: Graduation Day Owls

Mum had sent the brooch to Ginny about a week after our fitting for our robes on the same day as the robes were delivered by a large owl from the robe shop. I had tried mine on and still couldn't see the point of all the pins the fitter had used, some had obviously been for buttons, but the rest were a mystery. The robes did fit well though; nothing like the dress I had been dreading. I hung them up and put them in the wardrobe, and more or less ignored them for now.

I received formal notification of my grades in mid July and the date of my graduation ceremony. I had apparently done quite well, passing my diploma and getting honours in the two elective subjects I had taken at the same time. I now had a Diploma in Social Work and a BA in Parapsychology and Metaphysics, the closest I could find to magic in the Muggle world. I couldn't do anything myself; but I had some sort of knowledge about it; albeit on spoon bending and cheating at dice, but it was something.

My graduation ceremony was on July 23rd, a Tuesday, and a month after my birthday, I was quite excited about the prospect. Mum and Dad were going to come to the university to see me get my degree. Mum was so proud, I could swear she might burst with her excitement, Dad was proud of me, but still disappointed that I wasn't going to work for him at Grunnings. He saw it as a betrayal of all that he held important, I saw it as a chance to be myself. I had received an owl from Harry to say he would be there to see my graduation, and this was good news, I wanted him to be proper part of my life and family. Pity Dad wouldn't agree.

I stood with the scroll of my degree in my hand, aware that somewhere in the crowd Dad was clicking away taking photographs of this moment. It would end up on the mantle with all the other pictures of me, but none of Harry. Mum still had the baby pictures of Harry in her special box along with the ones that had been taken at Christmas of Harry, his friends and me. She hadn't put any of these on display in fear that Dad would throw them in the fire the first chance he got. His attitude hadn't improved at all; in fact as his waistline had got bigger, his attitude had got worse. Any mention of magic, Harry or anything else about his world was likely to set him to chewing his moustache in a certain way and mumbling under his breath, his face going purple as he did so. He was never vocal about it to Mum or I, she had refused to allow him to speak about him unless he was respectful, but I was positive he would still speak to his cronies about his no good nephew.

As we left the great hall of the university I saw a familiar figure at the back of the crowd and pointed it out to Mum. Harry was here at my graduation. I motioned to Mum that I was going to speak to him and she nodded leading Dad off in another direction. I walked slowly through the crowd towards my cousin. "Thanks for being here; it means a lot to me!"

"Well I couldn't miss it really; I hear you did quite well. I wasn't even sure you could read when we were kids. I certainly never saw you with a book."

"Thanks! That shows me what you really thought of me. I suppose I deserved it though; and you're right I don't think I ever read a proper book while we were kids. Even at school I didn't bother that much. I was a total prat." I was violently pushed to one side and narrowly avoided hitting the floor.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here? It's all your fault that he's decided to become one of the interfering bloody busybodies isn't it? Admit it! Come on you did something to him that night we left, he was never the same afterwards, it was you and your unnatural freakiness." Dad came to a stop to find Harry's wand pointing at his face and he was slowly going white as a sheet. "Bloody unnatural freak," he murmured under his breath.

"I maybe a bloody unnatural freak in your opinion Uncle Vernon, but I have never done anything to you or Dudley," Harry replied his wand never wavering. "But I think I might make an exception in your case if you don't keep your ignorant bigoted opinions to yourself. I came here to see my cousin graduate; I did not come to be insulted by you. Dudley has tried his best to atone for his past mistakes with me, and I've forgiven him in my way, Aunt Petunia as well. I can understand their reasoning's behind their prejudices, but not you. You were an absolute bastard to me! You didn't have any reason to resent me when I was left on your doorstep. You just followed Aunt Petunia's lead that I was a freak. You never tried to find anything out about me or my world. You were and still are just an overweight bloated bigot, an abuser and a piss poor excuse for a human being. I really think the world would be better off without you!"

Dad was swallowing hard and looking like a fish out of water, his mouth opening and closing silently. "I... I..." he just stared at the wand in his face and shut up, still looking like a frightened rabbit.

"If you can't be civil to me or my friends don't bother saying anything at all! I'm not a frightened little boy living under your roof any more. I'm not forbidden from doing magic anymore. I'm sure if I cursed you in some way, my superiors would understand it. I would love to make you suffer the way you made me suffer all those years, but fortunately for you I'm a better person than you will ever be. Now bugger off and leave me to speak to Dudley in peace."

"Well I never! Such an ill mannered freak!" Harry swished his wand and made a jabbing motion, Dad was still mouthing away but no sound was coming from his mouth.

"Best thing that ever happened to him," Harry muttered to me. "Silencing charm! Only lasts for about half an hour! I was going to ask if I might take you out for a meal, sort of a celebration on your graduation and for your birthday, which unfortunately I missed. I was hot in pursuit of one of the last Death Eaters."

I looked for Mum's face in the crowd and beckoned her over. She gave Dad one sour look and turned to face us. "Sorry he just happened to turn and see you talking to Dudley; I hope he didn't give you too much trouble."

Harry turned and looked at Dad, "not too much, he played his mouth a bit, but I soon shut him up. Unfortunately it will only last about twenty more minutes. I was just saying to Dudley I was going to ask if I could take you out for a meal, but I don't think uncle Vernon would like to be seen in the presence of an unnatural freak like me."

I looked at Mum who nodded at me, "we'd love to go for a meal with you, I just don't know how we'll get back from here though. Dad can drive home, but you'd have to apparate us back." Mum looked slightly dubious at the idea of apparition; I had to admit it wasn't my favourite mode of travel.

"I don't think that'll be necessary, are you insured to drive his car?" I nodded and Harry grinned, he waved his wand at Dad who gulped and swallowed. His belt buckle glowed blue and he was gone. "Oops! I hope you've got the car keys! Your Dad is now backing at home in the lounge. I do hope you haven't rearranged the furniture or you may have to dig him out of the sofa."

Mum sniggered and reached into her bag and rattled the car keys. "No, the lounge hasn't changed that much, except the wallpaper and a couple of new photos on the mantle."

"Oh well! Can't have everything I suppose. Now Dudley you studied in this town, where can we go to eat, not the local chippy though. I fancy somewhere proper where we can sit down, talk and eat like civilised human beings."

I thought about this and finally after consulting them both about their preferences we decided in a local Indian restaurant that I had been to a couple of times while I was studying. We got into the car and I drove to the street the restaurant was in.

We spent a nice time talking to each other over a very good meal, about my future career prospects. I'd received a couple of letters back from some health authorities, not hiring at the moment, but keep me in mind, that sort of thing. The usual problem with graduates I had heard about, qualified but no experience. Harry seemed to be a little amused at this, but wished me luck finding a job. We all thoroughly enjoyed the evening and each other's company; it was getting late when Mum and I started our Journey back home.

When we finally arrived home and got out of the car, there was a hoot from above and an owl landed on the car roof holding its leg out. I took the envelope from its leg and it took off into the night. The envelope was addressed plainly enough:

Mr. D. Dursley

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

Mum looked at me, "well I suppose you'd better open it, but why Harry couldn't tell you whatever it was when we were out I don't know."

I took the letter and went inside, Dad was sat glowering from the sofa, "well it's about bloody time. I'm starving, what are you going to do about it Petunia? You spend most of the night with your freaky nephew and leave me here to starve."

Mum walked over to Dad and slapped him hard across the face. "Vernon, I've told you before you will never speak about Harry in that tone of voice or manner around me again! Now Dudley and I have eaten, I assumed you would have done something for yourself, but I should have realised how bloody useless you are in the kitchen. 25 years of marriage and you don't even know how to make a cup of tea; well unless you do something for yourself you can bloody well starve for all I care." She walked out of the lounge and up the stairs leaving Dad looking shocked in the lounge. I followed her upstairs and into her bedroom as she sat down heavily on the bed.

"Are you alright Mum? I've never seen you this angry before!" I sat down on the bed next to her. She looked hard at me, tears in her eyes and nodded.

I got up to leave, and she looked up, "What was in your letter Dudley? What does Harry want that he couldn't tell us about in Bristol?"

I sat back down on the bed and took the envelope from my pocket

Society for Promotion of Elvish Welfare Giant Problem Solutions

Goblin Liaison Office Muggle Relatives Support Agency

Dear Mr. Dursley,

After reviewing the results forwarded to us by the University at our request, we would like to offer you a position at the Ministry as the first social worker in the Ministry of Magic's history. Your department would be yours to staff as you see fit, under the auspices of ministry regulations.

Your area of work would be diverse, dealing with everything from house elves to muggle relatives. I understand from talking with acquaintances' and friends of yours that you have some experience in these areas and your continued help would be much appreciated.

I would like you to invite you to attend a job interview at the Ministry on Monday 5th August at 11am. I understand you already have prior knowledge of the Ministry of Magic visitor entrance, so will not repeat them here. I look forward to meeting you in person.

Yours faithfully

Hermione Granger

Head of Departments.

I looked at Mum and grinned, "Seems like I've started something here. How would you feel about having a son as well as a nephew working for the Ministry of Magic?"

"I'll be proud of you whatever you end up doing, Dudley. I've never been prouder of you than I am right now. You've got over the problems of your upbringing and become a fine young man. Any idea who this Hermione Granger is? She sounds awfully important, must be someone high up in the Ministry."

"I've met her before."

"When? The last time you were at the ministry I suppose, I don't remember you mentioning her."

"No, Mum, at Hogwarts, when I went to see Harry. She was in the same year as him, the cleverest witch of her age some people were calling her. She took 12 N.E.W.T.s, the wizard equivalent of A levels. You've seen her as well; she was nearly always at the station when we picked Harry up, pretty girl, with Bushy hair."

"Can't say I remember her Dudley, but are you sure, she must be awfully young to be running all those departments."

"I don't know Mum, I think it's the entire same one, some sort of Ministry for Racial Equality. She's dealing with elves, giants, goblins, and muggleborn wizards and probably several more different races and species besides. I now she came up with the name SPEW when she was still at school. She was horrified at the treatment house elves received at the hands of wizards, but went about her aims in totally the wrong way."

"One of those goody two shoes types, always jumping to the wrong conclusions I suppose!"

"Not really Mum, just tries to do too hard. Her hear was in the right place over the house elves, but she went the wrong way about achieving her goals. Didn't listen to their needs and wants before trying to solve their problems. She had good intentions, and has probably has done some good work for non-human magical races, it looks like they're now trying to stop the sort of abuse we put Harry through. It sounds like a good thing. I hope it will work, I intend to do my best to make sure it will."

"I'll be with you in spirit for your interview, but before that we've both got a wedding to attend, in spite of your father's opinion I'm going. I don't care what the hell he thinks anymore. I spent all your childhood making life hell for Harry and causing you your share of problems I'm going to do my utmost to atone for it now that I've got the chance."

Please review: this chapter was hard to write, some things didn't seem to flow right, but I hope you enjoy it and continue to enjoy the story I'm trying to tell.