Chapter 12 – Connections
Everyone was shocked after hearing about the role Harry was destined to play in ridding the world of Voldemort. They were shocked by the news of Voldemort's connection to Dudley and the terrible way he planned to use him. And they were even more shocked by Professor Dumbledore's prediction of doom should Voldemort return and Harry fail to destroy him. No one felt like saying anything, nor had they anything to say, for a long while.
Finally, Vernon broke the silence. "Just how are we going to find out what his connection is to Dudley? And how are we going to get rid of it?"
"I have an idea," said Dumbledore. "It's a long shot, but it's the only idea I have." Suddenly, everyone looked hopeful. He straightened his glasses and continued. "Most of what Voldemort learned about the dark arts he got from the restricted section of our own library. So, the answer must be there somewhere. Unfortunately, none of us has the time or expertise to search the thing out properly. The only person I know who can do that type of research is Hermione Granger."
McGonagall looked flabbergasted. "She's a third year, Albus! You're proposing we give her access to the restricted section of the library?"
"Total, unrestricted access, yes," said Dumbledore, fixing his sharp blue eyes on McGonagall. "We don't have much choice, Minerva. We can tell Madam Prince that she's working on a special project for me — which will be the truth. Harry and Ron will have to be told. Those three share everything. No one else is to know what we're doing — especially Dudley."
"Why not?" asked Petunia defensively. "He's the one most affected by it?"
"But that's just it," said Dumbledore. "While he's asleep, Voldemort can read his mind. Last night, Voldemort tried to use him to kill Harry. Dudley doesn't have the magical skill at his age to perform the Avada Kedavra. Voldemort surely knows that. But he tried anyway — which shows how desperate he is. Anything Dudley knows, Voldemort will find out. And we don't want him to know that we're on to what he's doing. That could be dangerous for Dudley." Then he turned and looked at Vernon. "As far as breaking the connection is concerned — we won't know how to do that, if indeed it can be done, until we find out exactly what that connection is. Hopefully, Hermione will be able to find the spell Voldemort used on Dudley."
McGonagall shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "So, what are we going to tell Harry, Ron, and Hermione?"
Dumbledore removed his glasses and cleaned them on the sleeve of his robes. Then he replaced them on his long, crooked nose, looked around at everyone, and gave a sigh. "We'll tell them that Voldemort considered the Potter family a mortal enemy and that he put a spell on Dudley, right after he was born, to create an ally on the inside. That's the truth. It's just not the whole truth. It would be very unwise to let them know anything about the prophecy. But this explanation should be good enough to satisfy their curiosity."
"When do you plan to tell them?" asked Petunia.
"Tomorrow morning," he said. "Which brings me to another point. Removing his access to a wand won't stop Dudley from sleep walking. We need to restrict his movements at night."
"You mean lock him up?" said Vernon contemptuously.
"For his own safety — and ours," said Dumbledore. "Since Dudley never walked in his sleep before, it's obvious that Voldemort is behind it. He's probably seeing through Dudley's eyes when Dudley is asleep. We cannot allow him unrestricted access to the castle at night. We'll find a room Dudley can use as a bedroom — one we can lock. We'll explain that it's dangerous for him to walk in his sleep, and we're locking his room so he won't hurt himself. He'll accept that explanation because it's reasonable. And so will Voldemort."
"We understand," said Petunia. "We don't want Dudley to hurt himself or anyone else."
"I'm glad you do," said Dumbledore, half-smiling. He stood up slowly and walked to the window to look out. He stared at the clear, cold August sky for a few moments thinking about tomorrow night and the start of term feast. He was about to challenge long held traditions and beliefs in a way they'd never been challenged before at Hogwarts. His position as headmaster might even be at stake. But sometimes what's right is more important than what's socially or politically acceptable. Having made his decision, he turned back to Vernon and Petunia.
"Now, the last item on my agenda concerns the two of you. It's customary to introduce new staff members at the start of term feast. Ordinarily I would discourage anything that makes a staff member appear vulnerable in the eyes of the students. But in your case, Petunia, I think that honesty is the best policy. So I'm going to tell them that you were born a witch and just recently discovered your magical abilities. The fact that you've lived your entire life as a muggle should impress the students who are seriously interested in Muggle Studies. As for the rest, I don't believe any student at Hogwarts would dare harass a member of staff. If they do, I will deal with the situation most severely. As for you Vernon, you will be spending quite a lot of time at Hogwarts. It won't take the students long to guess that you cannot perform magic. I think it's best to deal with that situation up front. I'll tell them that you're Petunia's husband, and you are not a wizard. Being the spouse of a staff member gives you the right to be here. I will make it clear to the students that they are to respect you as they would any other member of staff. I'm not worried about the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, or Hufflepuffs. It's the Slytherins I'm concerned about. Many of them come from pure-blood families who are deeply prejudiced against muggles, muggle-born wizards, and squibs. I intend to lay down the law and frighten them into compliance. Don't worry. None of the students would dare harm you. But using magic, they could make your life difficult. I intend to make it quite clear that I will not tolerate any kind of prejudice or bigotry at Hogwarts."
"Thank you, Professor," said Vernon gratefully. "I wish there was an easier way."
"I do, too," said Dumbledore with a sigh. "Well, that's all I had to say. It's been a difficult day for everyone. I suggest we all relax a bit and clear our heads before the students arrive tomorrow."
"I have an idea," said Petunia. "Why don't you all join us at our house this evening for Dinner. We could eat and then watch a movie? We could make it a totally non-magical night!"
Dumbledore's face brightened. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Petunia! What do you think, Minerva?"
"I wouldn't mind if you're sure it isn't too much trouble?"
"Not at all," said Petunia graciously. "After everything you've done for us, I'd be more than happy to cook dinner for everyone." She looked at her watch. "It's getting rather late and cooking the muggle way takes time." Then she turned to Vernon. "Do we still have those pizzas in the freezer?"
"The ones we stocked up on because they were on sale?" he said. "Yes, we do."
"Good! We'll have pizza tonight. It's easy to fix and doesn't take a lot of time. And I'll make a nice green salad if Vernon will run to the store and get some fresh vegetables."
"I've heard of pizza," said McGonagall thoughtfully. "But I don't think I've ever had it. Do you think the kids will like it?"
"Trust me," said Petunia with a smile. "Every teenager I've ever met loves pizza!"
"Then it's settled," said Dumbledore. "Let's all meet in the Dursley quarters as soon as possible. It sounds like it's going to be an interesting evening!"
Petunia cleared her throat. "Jabbery!" she called loudly. The house elf instantly appeared beside her.
"You called Jabbery, Madam Dursley?" said the elf.
"Yes. The boys are at the quidditch pitch, and Hermione is in the library. Please tell them to meet us at our quarters as soon as possible."
"Yes, Madam Dursley," he said. "Right away mam!"
As he turned to go, Dumbledore added, "Jabbery, please inform the kitchen staff and Madam Pomfrey that we'll be eating out tonight with the Dursleys. Let them know we'll be back before midnight."
"Yes, Headmaster," said the elf.
"Oh, and Jabbery," added Petunia quickly. "Thank you so very much!" He gave her a gracious nod and dis-apparated.
McGonagall was smiling approvingly at Petunia. "I'm glad to see you're getting adjusted to the magical world."
"Well," said Dumbledore, standing up to leave. "There's no need hanging around here! Shall we go!"
"Aren't we going to change, Albus?" asked McGonagall.
"Change into what?" he said, smiling.
She looked at him annoyed. "Change into muggle attire! It's supposed to be a non-magical evening, Albus."
"I'm going to leave that to the younger people," he said. "They seem to enjoy dressing the part more than I do. But feel free to dress as you like, Professor."
"I think I'll go as I am, too," she said.
"It's alright, professor," said Petunia. "We don't mind. But we do need to get going."
They all walked down to the Dursley quarters on the third floor. As he reached for the door knob, Dumbledore stopped and thought a moment. "I meant to give you a password."
"Do we need one?" asked Vernon.
"I think so," he said. "I'm sure you don't want curious students in your quarters when you're not here. And I don't want Harry and Dudley hanging out in here between classes, either. Besides, if they can't get in when you're not here, they can't abuse the portal."
"Good thinking, Albus," said McGonagall.
Dumbledore considered for a moment. "What should it be?"
"How about 'Star Wars'?" suggested Vernon.
"No," said Petunia. "That's one of Dudley's favorite movies. Let's see — he hates brussel sprouts. He'd never guess that one!"
"Good," said Dumbledore He pointed his wand at the door knob and said, "Cincino verbum brussel sprouts!" It glowed orange for a few seconds. Then the glow subsided. "Try it, Vernon," he suggested.
Vernon walked around Petunia and up to the door. He tried to turn the knob but it wouldn't budge. Then he announced, "brussel sprouts!" The door swung open on its own. "I think I like the magical world more and more!" he said to himself. Dumbledore smiled.
In a few minutes, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Dudley came rushing in. Harry and Ron were carrying broomsticks and looked windblown. Hermione had a library book, she had been reading, tucked under her arm. "What's going on?" she asked. "Jabbery said you wanted to see us right away?"
"Yes," said Petunia. "We're having dinner and a movie at our house this evening. We need to get going."
Harry's, Dudley's, and Hermione's faces lit up with excitement. In less than half a minute they were already arguing about which move to watch. Ron was staring with a blank expression. "What's a movie?" he finally asked.
They all stopped talking and stared at him. "You mean, you don't know what a movie is?" asked Hermione incredulously.
"I'm not from the muggle world like you, Hermione," said Ron sarcastically.
"I don't suppose you know what a video game is, either?" said Harry.
"A video what?" said Ron, looking around at all their disbelieving faces. Then he crossed his arms and took a defiant stance. "Come on! How am I supposed to know that?"
Dumbledore cleared his throat, and everyone looked his way. "There are some wizards who live side by side with muggles in the non-magical world. But a lot of wizards, like Ron's family, live totally isolated. You can't expect Ron to know the things you do."
"He's right, Ron," said Hermione. "I'm Sorry! I just thought everyone knew what a movie was."
Harry slapped Ron on the back. "Don't worry. We'll explain everything." Ron nodded approval.
Dudley, who was more concerned about his stomach than Ron's knowledge of the muggle world, was looking at his mother hopefully. "What are we having for dinner, Mum?"
"Pizza," she said flatly. That one word had an instant, transforming effect on Harry, Hermione, and Dudley. Suddenly, their expressions were alive again with anticipation. They made "Um!" and "Ah!" sounds of delight. Petunia was smiling at them.
Ron, however, looked impassive. "What's pizza?" he asked.
"It's the best thing in the world!" exclaimed Dudley enthusiastically.
"You'll love it, Ron!" said Hermione.
"It's awesome!" added Harry.
Petunia smiled at Dumbledore. "Told you! I've never met a teenager yet who didn't like pizza!"
He stroked his long white beard as he observed all the excitement. "It looks like Ron is in for a very interesting evening."
"Not only Ron," added McGonagall, watching the four teenagers over her spectacles.
Dumbledore clapped his hands to get their attention. "Why don't you all go get changed. Muggle attire, now. This is to be a completely non-magical evening. We'll leave in about twenty minutes."
They all rushed out of the Dursley quarters and up to Gryffindor tower. In less than fifteen minutes, they were back and dressed in muggle clothes. Dumbledore looked at everyone approvingly.
"I've adjusted the magical portal to allow everyone to pass — at least until midnight. Why don't you lead the way, Vernon?"
He walked up to the wall, gave the password, opened the door, and walked through into number four, Privet Drive. The others followed. Petunia, Hermione, and Professor McGonagall headed straight for the kitchen. Dumbledore stood looking around the living room observing everything.
"I'm taking Harry and Ron up to my room, mum!" Dudley yelled to his mother.
"I'll call you when it's time to eat," she yelled back while looking in the refrigerator to see if she had everything they needed for dinner.
"I think I'll make a sheet cake for desert," she said to Hermione. "Get that pen and pad on the counter, and make a list for me, would you, love?"
Hermione found the pen and pad and began to write down what Petunia told her. When she'd finished listing the ingredients they needed, she took the paper from Hermione and turned towards the living room. "Vernon," she called. He came walking into the kitchen. "This is what we'll need." She handed him the list. "Could you run to the store, please?"
"Of course!" he said. "I'll be back in a few minutes." He put on his coat and quickly left for the store.
Petunia found her apron, put it on, and began to gather the bowls and cooking utensils she needed to make the cake. Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore were watching all the domestic commotion with uncommon interest.
"Could you use some help?" asked Hermione.
"I certainly could," said Petunia while she searched in a drawer for the beaters to the electric mixer. "Do you know how to cook?"
"I've been helping my mom since I was five," she said.
"Great! Between the two of us, we'll have everything done in no time. I think we'll make the cake first, since it will take forty-five minutes to bake. We'll make the frosting while it's in the oven. Then we can put in the pizzas. And while they're baking, we'll make the salad." Petunia was running back and forth, gathering the items she needed.
Hermione began washing her hands at the sink. "Sounds like a plan," she said as she dried them on a dish towel.
Upstairs, Harry and Dudley were introducing Ron to the computer and a video game. Harry explained what video games are and how to play them. Then, Dudley showed Ron how it was done before letting him have a go.
Finally, Ron sat down at the computer for the first time and began playing the game. He wasn't very good at first. But as he got used to the controller in his hand, he slowly got better. "Wow! This is incredible!" he exclaimed as he blasted a space ship. "I wish we had something like this at the burrow!"
"The burrow?" said Dudley.
"That's what we call where we live," explained Ron, blasting more alien space ships. "We don't even have electricity."
"What?" said Dudley, amazed. "How do you live without electricity?"
"Magic," said Ron, clicking away.
Downstairs there wasn't much to do until Vernon got back from the store, so Petunia and Hermione were just standing around talking. "I'm curious about this video game thing?" said Professor McGonagall. "Do you think the boys would mind if I had a look?"
"I'm sure they wouldn't," said Petunia. "They're upstairs in Dudley's room. It's the second one on the left."
Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore climbed the stairs and entered Dudley's bedroom. Ron was blasting space ships in a Star Wars game. Harry and Dudley were watching.
"Mind if we join you?" asked Dumbledore politely as he focused his attention on the computer screen.
"Not at all," said Harry. "Ron's playing Return of the Jedi." Then he explained to Dumbledore what a computer is and how the game is played.
"Do you think I might have a go?" asked Dumbledore calmly.
Harry and Dudley looked at each other like it was going to be 'humiliate the teacher' night. "Sure, Professor," said Dudley. "Ron, let's give Professor Dumbledore a chance."
Professor McGonagall was watching with extreme interest as Ron got up and Dumbledore took his place. When the game began, everyone's mouth fell open in surprise. Dumbledore blasted every alien space ship that came towards him. In fact, he got the high score. Everyone was shocked.
"How did you do that, Albus?" asked McGonagall amazed.
"Well, you see, Minerva, there's this little video arcade in London on South Hampton street —"
"You old faker!" she said, slapping his shoulder and smiling at him.
Dumbledore smiled back. "Want to have a go, Minerva?" McGonagall shook her head vigorously. "Well, then. It's all yours, Ron. See if you can beat that score, boys!" he challenged.
The two Professors walked out laughing, and leaving Harry, Ron, and Dudley with their mouths hanging open.
When they arrived downstairs, Petunia was straightening up the living room. "How did it go?" she asked.
"He had us all fooled," said McGonagall, teasing Dumbledore. "He's been playing video games all along in an arcade in London!"
Dumbledore blushed slightly. "I do try to keep up with what's going on in the muggle world," he said. "Isn't Vernon back?"
"He should be back any minute," said Petunia.
When Vernon returned from the store, Hermione and Petunia unloaded the grocery bags and began measuring ingredients and mixing the cake batter. Then they put the cake in the oven and began making the frosting. McGonagall watched in fascination.
"It's amazing how you do that so easily," she said. "You ought to do very well in potions."
Petunia looked at her appreciatively. "I've been cooking a long time, Professor."
Dumbledore leaned over and whispered to McGonagall. "You seem quite fascinated by all this."
"I never learned to cook the muggle way," she admitted.
"You know," he thought aloud, "most witches and wizards view the magical way of doing things as normal and think that muggles are odd. But it's actually the other way around."
McGonagall diverted her attention quickly from Petunia to Dumbledore. "What do you mean, Albus?"
"It's quite simple, Minerva," he said. "There's a lot more of them than there are of us. We're the minority — the blessed few who can do magic that makes our lives easier. Theirs is the 'normal' way of doing things."
"Say that around some people, Albus, and they'll put you in Azkaban!" McGonagall warned him.
"I do have a penchant for offending the wrong people, don't I?" he said, somewhat amused.
"Yes, you do, Albus, and you do it quite well."
"Thank you, Minerva," he said and smiled at her.
When the cake came out of the oven, they set it aside to cool and took a short break.
"I was thinking," said Petunia as she wiped her hands on her apron. "Why don't we invite Mrs. Figg? We'll have plenty of food, and I'll bet the poor thing never gets out."
"That would be nice," said Dumbledore. "Would you like me to go and collect her?"
"No, thanks! I'll call her," she said as she picked up the telephone and dialed Mrs. Figg's number from memory. It rang and Mrs. Figg answered.
"Hello?"
"Mrs. Figg, this is Petunia Dursley."
"Oh, hi Mrs. Dursley. What can I do for you?"
"Well," said Petunia. "We're having a little get together before Harry goes back to school. I was just wondering — would you like to come? We'd love to have you?"
"Are you sure it's alright?" asked Mrs. Figg.
"Of course! We have plenty. And I think you'll be surprised how much has changed since we last saw each other."
"Alright, then. I'll come Mrs. Dursley. What time?"
"We're about to put the pizzas in the oven," said Petunia.
"Right now? Heavens! I won't have time to change!"
"It's alright. We understand. Please do come?"
"Very well," said Mrs. Figg. "I'll be there in a few minutes. And thank you! Goodbye now."
"Goodbye," said Petunia.
She hung up the phone and turned to Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. "She's really going to be surprised when she finds out what's happened."
"Please try not to hurt her feelings," said Dumbledore gently. "Remember, she's a squib and can't do magic like we can."
"I completely forgot!" said Petunia, embarrassed. "I'll be careful, Professor. I promise. I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings for anything."
In less than ten minutes, Arabella Figg knocked on the front door of number four, Privet Drive. She was wearing an old, faded print dress, mismatched hat, and house slippers. Petunia greeted her warmly. "Please, come in. I believe you know Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall?"
Her eyes grew wide with surprise when she saw wizards in the Dursley home. "Albus, Minerva," she said. "How extraordinary to see you here. So, what's the exciting news?"
They told her all about Dudley being a wizard, and Petunia getting her magic so late in life. Mrs. Figg seemed genuinely pleased. When they got around to Vernon, Petunia leaned conspiratorially towards Arabella. "We just found out that Vernon's parents were wizards. His mother abandoned him when he was five."
Mrs. Figg's hand went to her mouth as she let out a sad little sigh. "The poor man," she said, looking piteously at Vernon across the room. "My family encouraged me to live in the muggle world, but at least they didn't abandon me."
"He's been carrying that secret around for years," said Petunia. "That's why he hated magic so much. It was because of his parents. But now he says he wants to change."
"He's been doing really well, too," added Dumbledore. "He hasn't gotten angry or yelled at anyone in days."
"But the time may come when he'll need someone to talk to," said Petunia. "Someone like himself who understands."
"I see," said Arabella, looking at Petunia sympathetically. "You can always count on me and Mr. Tibbles."
"Mr. Tibbles?" asked Petunia slightly confused.
"One of my cats," she said.
"Thank you, Arabella," said Dumbledore, nodding to her graciously.
Petunia glanced at her watch. "Heavens! If I don't get a move on, we're not going to have any dinner!"
When she returned to the kitchen, Hermione had already started chopping the peppers and onions for the salad. "You didn't have to do that, dear!" she said.
"It's alright, Mrs. Dursley, I'm glad I could help."
When the second batch of pizzas went into the oven, Petunia called upstairs. "Fifteen minutes, boys!" Then she and Hermione iced the cake.
It was an amazing feat of organization. In less time than it would normally have taken her to prepare dinner for just her family, Petunia and Hermione had made a meal for nine — and without magic! Vernon found the leaf for the dining room table and Harry found extra chairs. Soon, they were all sitting down to dinner.
Everyone was anxious to see Ron's first reaction to pizza. It was love at first bite! He rolled his eyes with pleasure and muttered unintelligible syllables of approval with his mouth full, while he savored every bite. "This is the best thing I've ever eaten!" he finally managed to say between slices. "I've never tasted anything so good!"
"Better not say that in front of you mom," warned Hermione.
"And that's not even good pizza," Petunia told him. "It's frozen. You should taste fresh made pizza. Perhaps we should have ordered out, Vernon?"
"We will next time," he said.
"So, what do you think about pizza, Professor?" Dumbledore asked McGonagall.
"I think I've found another favorite, Albus," she said. "And, Petunia, this salad is heavenly!"
"Hermione did most of it," she said, smiling at her favorably.
"Wonderful job, Miss Granger!" said McGonagall. "One hundred points to Gryffindor!" Everybody laughed.
Once the remains of the meal were cleared away, they all assembled in the living room to watch the movie. Chairs had to be brought in from the dining room to accommodate everyone.
"So, what should we watch?" asked Vernon.
"I was thinking about that earlier," said Hermione. "I think it should be something totally different from both the magical and non-magical worlds but something we can all relate to."
"What about science fiction?" Harry suggested. "That's different."
"Yeah," said Hermione. "That's an idea. But which movie would be good?"
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I saw a science fiction movie many years ago that was excellent."
"You saw a movie?" Ron interrupted.
"Yes, Ron," he said. "When I was younger, I used to sneak off into the muggle world and visit the movie theaters. The film was called The Day the Earth Stood Still. You wouldn't have it by chance?"
"As a matter of fact, we do," said Petunia.
Dudley looked excited. "It's one of my favorites!"
"I haven't seen that in years!" said an excited Mrs. Figg.
"Great!" said Hermione. "It's one of my favorites, too." Dudley went to get the DVD. "I should explain to some of you. This is a very old film. The way people dress, talk, and act is very old fashioned — not at all like today. What year is it from, Dudley?"
Dudley looked on the back of the cover. "1951."
"That is old!" said McGonagall.
"Yes," agreed Hermione. "But the message is still valid today. One other thing. It's in black and white."
Ron scrunched up his face. "Black and white?"
"Yes," she said. "Many of the early movies were shot on black and white film. They had color back then, but it was really expensive."
"Well," said Harry, "enough with the history lesson. Let's watch the movie!"
Hermione put in the DVD and hit 'Play'. As soon as the first scene started, Ron was hooked!
"Wow!" he said. "Now I know why they call it a movie! It moves!" They all laughed, but he didn't care. He was glued to the screen.
For the next hour and a half, they watched The Day the Earth Stood Still." The basic theme of peaceful existence seemed to strike a chord in everyone — especially those who could remember what it was like when Voldemort was powerful.
Afterwards, they talked for a while and then said goodnight to Mrs. Figg. When everything had been straightened up and put away, they all went back through the magical portal to Hogwarts.
"That was one of the nicest evenings I've had in a long time," said Professor McGonagall. "Thank you so much for inviting us!"
"You're welcome," said Petunia. "I'm sure we'll do it again, soon."
"I hope so," said Ron, who couldn't stop talking about the film. "I've never seen anything like it! Wow! I wanna see more movies!"
"There are hundreds of thousands of movies in the world," said Hermione. "You could never watch them all."
"I'd love to try," he said.
Harry yawned. "Well, I'm beat," he said. "Let's get to bed."
"Me too," said Dumbledore, trying to stifle a yawn. "The students start arriving tomorrow."
After breakfast the next morning, Professor Dumbledore told Dudley that Madam Pomfrey needed to see him again.
"Do I have to, Professor?" he complained.
"She needs to talk to you about your sleep walking," said Dumbledore. "And so do your parents."
"Well, alright," he said reluctantly.
As they turned to go, Petunia looked back at Dumbledore. He gave her a reassuring smile. Then, as soon as they had gone, he turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "I need to see the three of you in my office in twenty minutes."
"Is something wrong, Professor?" asked Hermione.
"Yes," he said, and calmly walked away.
Twenty minutes later, they were in the headmaster's office, watching him across his desk as if they were in some kind of trouble.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you here," he began. "We have a very serious problem, and I need your help."
"What is it, Professor?" asked Hermione curiously.
He adjusted his glasses and looked troubled. "You remember what happened in Godric's Hollow, Harry? When your aunt touched the ruins of your old house?"
"Yes, Professor," he said.
"I assume you've already told Ron and Hermione?" Harry nodded. "Well, Harry, there's something you don't know about what happened to your aunt. After you left to get Madam Pomfrey, she told me something rather shocking. She saw a vision from that night your parents were murdered. Saw the whole thing happen from start to finish. Like watching a movie. And something else. She recognized Voldemort."
Harry's mouth fell open. "When? Where? How? What does Voldemort have to do with my aunt?"
On hearing the name, Ron flinched.
Dumbledore looked serious. "According to your aunt, when she was in the hospital right after Dudley was born, she woke up in the middle of the night and saw him standing over Dudley's crib. That's all she remembers. The next morning, she thought it was just a dream. She says she didn't remember it again until yesterday."
Harry still looked puzzled. "But what would Voldemort —" he began and Ron flinched again. "Oh, get over it, Ron!" he snapped. "What would Voldemort be doing in my aunt's hospital room?"
Dumbledore sighed. "Voldemort had many enemies. But some he considered more of a threat than others — people like your parents who he knew would never join him. He was after them. So they went into hiding while your mother was still pregnant with you. Do you know anything about the Fidelius charm?"
"Yes," said Hermione, like she was answering a question in class. "It's a really complex spell used to hide a secret inside someone's soul. The only way anyone can know the secret is if the secret keeper chooses to tell them. So — if they used the Fidelius charm to hide the Potter house —"
"Exactly," said Dumbledore. "Voldemort could search for years without ever finding them — even if he were standing right in front of their door."
"So, what does this have to do with my aunt and Dudley?" insisted Harry, who was beginning to feel impatient.
Dumbledore gave him an understanding look over the top of his half-moon spectacles. "Voldemort knew the Potters could hide for years — forever even. He wanted someone on the inside who could get to the Potter family for him — someone he could control. He chose Dudley, who had just been born. That way he could groom him for his future task. He knew, of course, that it might be years before he could make use of Dudley. But he was looking towards the future — just in case he wasn't able to finish off the Potters himself. Dudley was his insurance, you see. What Voldemort didn't count on was losing his body when he attacked you, Harry. Without a body, he can't use a wand. And without a wand, he can't control Dudley the way he intended."
"So, you're saying there's some kind of connection between Dudley and Voldemort?" said Harry. "I don't mean to be thick, Professor. It just sounds so incredible."
"Dudley was a logical choice," said Dumbledore. "As far as Voldemort was concerned, he was a muggle. He wasn't a threat, and he would be easy to control."
"The dreams? The sleep walking? The attempt to kill Harry?" said Hermione.
"Exactly," said Dumbledore. "Voldemort can't control Dudley when he's awake — not without a wand. But the connection he forged does allow him to enter Dudley's dreams. Which brings me to the reason I called the three of you here this morning."
"Why is that, Professor?" asked Ron.
"I'll tell you," said Dumbledore. "But there's one more thing you need to know first. Voldemort's real name is Tom Riddle. He was a student at Hogwarts and all his teachers liked him immensely. He was one of the most gifted students we ever had. But nobody knew he was secretly studying the dark arts."
"Even while he was a student at Hogwarts?" said Hermione, amazed.
"Yes," he replied. "Most of what Riddle learned about the dark arts he got from our own library! We need to find out exactly what spell he used on Dudley and find a way to break that connection. The secret must be somewhere in our library — in the restricted section. I need your help to find it, Hermione."
She looked at Dumbledore in disbelief. "You want me to help you find a dark curse in the restricted section of the library?" she said, making sure she understood correctly.
"Yes," said Dumbledore. "I don't have the time to search the thing properly, and the fewer people who know about this the better. Besides, Miss Granger, you're the best researcher at Hogwarts!"
"I'll do what I can," she said. "But what about Madam Prince?"
"I've already told Madam Prince that you'll be working on a special project for me. There are some rules and some warnings, however, Miss Granger. You'll have total unrestricted access to everything that's there. But be warned. There are some things you may come across that are extremely unpleasant. Horrible, in fact. Do you think you can handle it?"
"Yes, sir," she said. "I'm not all that squeamish."
"Also," added Dumbledore, "I don't want any material to leave the library. And I don't want anyone to know what you're up to. There's a lockable room at the back that's private. You can use it for your research. One more thing — and it's the most important. None of you can let Dudley know what you're doing."
"Why not?" asked Ron. "He's involved, isn't he?"
"Yes," he said. "And so is Voldemort!" Ron flinched again. "Anything Dudley knows, Voldemort will find out when he's asleep. We don't want him to know that we know about the connection. That could be dangerous to Dudley. We can't let him know anything about what we're doing until we've figured out how to break that connection."
"We understand," said Harry. "But what about Dudley's sleep walking? Isn't he dangerous with Voldemort controlling him while he's asleep?"
"It's possible," said Dumbledore. "We're going to give Dudley a room of his own that we can lock at night so he won't be able to wander around. He'll understand it's for his own safety. But he is not to know anything about the connection between himself and Voldemort. That is extremely important."
"We understand," said Hermione. "When do you want me to get started, Professor?"
"Right away, Miss Granger. I'll try to lighten your load a little so you can have the time you need to do the research. We must find a way to break that connection. If Voldemort manages to regain a body, the consequences could be most unfortunate." They all looked stunned. "Well, that's all I had to say. We'll find a way to meet regularly without Dudley knowing. Alright?" They all nodded. "Fine. Well, off you go!" And they left the headmaster's office more burdened than when they had arrived.
