Disclaimer all characters, settings, etc, are the copyright of JK Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishing
The future lies in the past.
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Chapter 27 Freeing Dudley.
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Harry was worried about his cousin, had their assault on the shack messed it all up, they had all expected to find Dudley in the shrieking shack, but he had not been there. He wondered had some of the death eaters escaped taking Dudley with them. Twenty minutes after arriving back in the common room, a loud pop announcing the arrival of Dobby the house elf stopped the discussion between Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, on what they should do about the tri wizard tournament, it also stopped Harry pacing the common room. Turning to face the little elf, Harry said hello and asked what he wanted.
Harry was relieved when Dobby told them that after the use of veritaserum, the death eaters had revealed that Dudley was being held here in the castle, by non other than Draco Malfoy and his two friends Crabbe and Goyle, he was in a room called the room of requirements. The elf went on to explain that the Minister had sent Professor Dumbledore an owl, with a message and the Professor had thought Harry might like the job of finding his cousin and releasing him. Harry asked Dobby if he could go down to the slytherin dorm and find out if Malfoy and his friends were there, while he told Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, all about the room that was being used to hold Dudley.
Harry had only just begun to explain the room of requirements when Dobby returned. "That was quick Dobby, were they there?" Harry asked.
"Mr Malfoy was just leaving the dungeon when Dobby arrived there sir, they were carrying a basket of food, Mr Potter sir," Dobby told him eagerly.
"Dobby will you stop calling me 'Mr Potter, sir'? my friends call me Harry, and you Dobby are one of my friends," Harry said to the little elf.
Dobby stared at Harry; his huge green eyes grew even bigger.
"Mr Potter wants Dobby to call him by his first name," he sniffled before letting out a huge wail and throwing himself at Harry's knees and hugging them tight, "never has Dobby heard of a house elf calling a wizard by his first name, Mr Potter is a great wizard."
Harry peeled the elf from his legs and looked him in the eye "Then you will be the first elf to do it," Harry told Dobby.
"Dobby will call you Harry, Mr Potter sir, if that's what Mr Potter sir, wants Dobby to do."
Harry sighed then turned to his friends, picking up where he had left off he finished his explanation about the room, where they could go and find practically any room they wanted. The four of them left the common room, receiving comments about them waking her from the portrait of the fat lady they made their way down to the corridor that contained the hidden room, as they approached they heard whispering. It was Draco who as usual was annoyed with Goyle for some reason.
Harry beckoned to Ron to wait until the Slytherin's had entered the room. Ron was looking confused as he tried to figure out where the room might be, it was not long before he found out, when a large polished brown door suddenly appeared in the middle of the wall where Draco was pacing. Draco placed a key in the lock and opened the door, then to Harry's surprise Draco stood to one side to allow Crabbe to enter first, then Malfoy followed, leaving Goyle supposedly on guard, Goyle could not resist watching his friends as they approached a scared Dudley.
Harry decided it was time to act; he tapped Ron and beckoned him to follow, on tip toe they crept right up behind Goyle. Harry turned and nodded to Hermione who cast a petrifying charm that hit Goyle between the shoulders, Ron, and Harry caught him as he toppled backward, swiftly they lifted him and carried his motionless form around the corner.
Having propped Goyle up against the wall they returned to the door, Ron stood to the left and Harry to the right of the door frame, Ron leaned forward and stuck his arm into the room. Crabbe saw a hand beckoning at him with the index finger, thinking it was Goyle he walked to the door way, he never new what hit him as Hermione petrified him also.
Once again Harry and Ron caught the rigid body as he fell forward, having placed Crabbe with his friend they went back to the door; they were just in time to see Malfoy backing out of the room. Harry stifled a giggle as he decided on the spell to use on Malfoy, with a quick flick of his wand Harry sent Malfoy soaring toward the ceiling, once again Malfoy found him self doing cart wheels in mid air, Hermione hit him with a silencing charm when he started to swear at them.
While Harry, being cheered on by Ron, played with Malfoy making him spin around like a puppet, Ginny went into the room and set Dudley free from the chains that held his legs. She came out of the room spluttering and spitting, her face pale and looking sick, Hermione rushed to Ginny's side.
"Ginny what's wrong, what happened?" Hermione said a hint of panic in her voice.
Ginny rubbed vigorously at her mouth with the sleeve of her gown before answering.
"Urg, that fat slime ball bloody kissed me," she replied, once more she began to spit and splutter "why the heck is it always me?"
Ron fetched Dudley out of the room, whilst fighting off Dudley's attempts to give him a hug.
"Are you ok Dudder's?" Harry asked, grinning at Ron's attempt to protect himself from his fat cousin.
Dudley looked puzzled as he looked at Harry; he had no idea who Harry was.
"I'm your cousin 'Harry!' 'Harry Potter', your Aunt Lily's son," Harry explained.
It was a few seconds before the light of comprehension dawned in Dudley's eyes. "Harry," was all he said, it was taking his brain quite a while to catch up with events. Harry and his three friends escorted a still dazed and completely puzzled Dudley to Dumbledore's office.
Harry was slightly annoyed with his headmaster; he had expected Dudley to be sent home immediately. He had not been prepared for what had actually happened, he had been told to take Dudley with him to Gryffindor tower, where a bed had been organised right next to his. That night very little sleep was had by those in the dorm that is apart from Dudley, who's snoring had kept them all awake. Ron had wanted Harry to use a silencing charm on Harry's fat noisy chain saw cousin.
Harry was tempted but the Headmaster's words kept echoing around in his head, 'No more magic was to be used on the Muggle'.
The following morning a troop of rather tired Gryffindor's escorted Dudley back to the headmaster's office. Having delivered him safely they all headed toward the great hall, anticipating a nice quiet breakfast. They were all disappointed when Dudley's voice echoed from the top of the stairs they were on, "Wait for me Harry!"
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Chapter 28 Dudley gone at last
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Ron and the rest of the Gryffindor's were about to make a run for it but were stopped by Harry when he hissed at them "Don't you dare leave me alone with him."
Dudley's huge frame almost filled the whole width of the stair case as he descended the stairs; Harry had the thought that his over large cousin reminded him of a whale diving to the depths of the sea. Every one made their way to the great hall having made up their minds that they would sit as far away from Dudley as they could get away with, sitting down at the Gryffindor table Harry found himself and Dudley separated from the rest of his house mates and even his girlfriend by a large space.
Dudley looked as though his Christmas had come early when the food appeared in front of him. Plates of bacon sausage and toast, eggs cooked in different ways, fried, boiled, scrambled. All sorts of other food filled the huge table. It did not take long for Dudley to realise he could just help himself to all he wanted, his hatred and fear of magic seemed to be vanishing very fast as he piled as much food on his plate as it would hold.
Harry meanwhile had to reach past Dudley to some plates that were further away, in order to get some breakfast, Ron and Hermione sat talking quietly about what would happen to Dudley's captors.
Dudley remained silent as they ate; his mouth seemed to Harry to be constantly full every time he glanced at him. Having finished his breakfast Harry began to wonder what they were to do with his cousin, would he have to look after Dudder's all day till his awful Aunt and Uncle turned up, he hoped not. Harry's eyes opened wide in disbelief as his cousin filled his plate yet again "Blimey Dudley!" he exclaimed.
Ginny smiled at Harry from her seat opposite Ron. Hermione noticed and leant forward to look at Harry as well, her attention was diverted as she like Harry started to watch as Dudley started to empty his plate yet again. Harry caught Ron's attention and indicated with a nod of his head that they should leave Dudley to finish his breakfast and head out into the entrance hall; Ron nudged Hermione and then Neville and whispered.
"I think we should go."
Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny, were followed out of the great hall by Harry, they were stopped from getting any further by Professor Dumbledore who had just walked down the stairs.
"Ah Harry, with regard to your cousin, he will be leaving us around eleven so do you think you and your friends could look after him till his escort arrives?"
Harry found that the three hours he had to look after his large cousin seemed to be some of the longest hours he had ever spent at Hogwarts. Waiting for Dudley to finish breakfast was a long lonely wait for him as every one else seemed to have finished their food and left the great hall while Dudley still had yet another full plate in front of him.
Harry wondered if the house elves would be able to keep up with the mobile food disposal unit that was his cousin, having finally finished eating Dudley followed Harry out on to the grounds where they went in search of Ron and Hermione.
They eventually found them sitting under a large beech tree along with Neville, Ginny, and Luna, Dudley surprised Harry by asking them to show him some magic.
Ginny who could not forget about reading the things that the Dursley's had done to Harry wanted to use her renown bat bogey hex on Dudley but was stopped by both Luna and Hermione, Ron thought it had been a good idea and said so.
As Harry and Dudley left the group at ten minutes to eleven to return to the heads office Hermione offered to walk with them. Harry, Hermione, and Dudley reached Dumbledore's office where they found four Auror's waiting for them, Dudley was questioned about his captors but was unable to remember anything other than waking up in a room and being fastened to the wall by chains.
Dudley actually thanked Harry and his friends for setting him free, this was something Harry had not expected but happily passed on Dudley's thanks to Ron and Ginny.
Dudley shook Harry's hand and promised he would never forget what they had done for him or his stay in Gryffindor tower. Then Kingsley Shacklebolt one of the Auror's performed the memory charm on him wiping all memory of the experience from his mind.
Five minutes later a relieved Harry and Hermione left Dumbledore's office and walked hand in hand to join their friends in the entrance hall before going on to their classes. Malfoy and his friends have been expelled for their part in Dudley's imprisonment Harry told Ron and Ginny as they entered the transfiguration class room, Ginny nodded and went off to her class.
Sleep that night came quickly to those in Harry's dormitory due to having had so little the night before.
Hermione sat at the huge Gryffindor table as breakfast was served; she had a plan in mind about helping Harry with the triwizard tournament. It was quite simple all they had to do was to convince the headmaster to allow Harry to enter. Ron and Harry joined Hermione at the table just as the food appeared they listened to her idea as Ron piled his plate high with bacon and sausage along with several eggs.
Hermione told them that to help convince Professor Dumbledore they would just have to point out that the Weasley twins would not receive the thousand galleons that started their business empire which in turn would lead to quite a lot of people not getting the jobs that would be generated.
"There is no way Dumbledore would let Harry in to the tournament Hermione, for a start Harry is way too young and second he all ready knows what the tests will be, you can hardly call that fair now can you," Ron protested between mouthfuls of food.
Harry then sat back a dark look appeared on his face as he remembered about someone called Victor Krum. Hermione noticed the look on Harry's face and wondered what was wrong. She was about to ask him about it when he spoke.
"Will you go to the ball with me, Hermione please?" he asked with what looked like a worried face.
"Well who else would I go with?" Hermione asked slightly offended as she realized what Harry was thinking about "after all we are sort of engaged," she added.
A huge smile spread across Harry's face as he thought about what his girlfriend said once again.
"Yeah I suppose we are at that," he laughed.
While this was going on Harry was also thinking about Hermione's suggestion about him entering the tournament, he decided his best plan would be to discuss the way the future would unfold with his headmaster, he would go to see Dumbledore after he had finished eating his breakfast.