Chapter 21 – The Rejected Letter

The next few days seemed to Harry like one long celebration. First they broke the news of their engagement to Molly, who immediately started crying and held them both in a bone-crushing Weasley Super-Special, then they told Ron and Hermione, who reacted in pretty much the same way. Ron and Hermione then came out about being engaged themselves, which set Molly off again.

Molly instantly organised a party for the whole family. Everyone came. Bill, Fleur and Victoire, Charlie, Percy, George and Angelina, Arthur, even Andromeda and Teddy. It went on for most of the night. Most of the men insisted on interrogating and threatening Harry about what they would do if he ever hurt their sister - Harry never thought Percy could be so descriptive on the precise uses of a rubber chicken in these situations. The women however were all gathered round Ginny and Hermione, 'oooh'ing and 'aaaah'ing over their rings.

The next day the letters arrived. It seemed the whole world and his pet toad wanted to congratulate the newly-engaged couples. The entire staff and student body at Hogwarts, all their old friends and their families, they even got a polite card from the Malfoys. It merely read "Congratulations on your engagement" without any personal sentiments but it was still a surprise and more than they would have expected.

...

When Harry and Ron went back to the Auror department they found that the office had been decorated with wedding attire. Their chairs had huge red 'L' plates on the back, which Harry guessed must have been Dean's idea. That whole day became an impromptu party with Pearson and even Kingsley giving their congratulations.

The good news didn't end there. The following day Pearson walked into the office with the general air of someone who was floating on the clouds. He had a huge smile on his face.

"Someone's in a good mood." Ron quipped.

"It's my youngest daughter's birthday today." Pearson explained then paused for dramatic effect. "She's eleven."

"Eleven?" Harry was the one to break the silence. "Then that means..."

"Yes! She's got her Hogwarts letter! It came first thing this morning!" Everyone clapped and cheered and Pearson beamed with pride.

"Hang on though," Harry said when the applause died down, "One thing I never quite understood. We all get our letters during August, but our first letter always comes on our birthday no matter when it is. What's that all about?"

Pearson was still smiling. "Well it's a good present isn't it? Makes the child feel special and grown up. The official reason is that the family has a chance to decline the offer."

"Oh come on." Dean scoffed. "Who would ever give up the chance to go to Hogwarts?"

"You'd be surprised Thomas." Pearson said. "It doesn't happen very often I admit but it has been known. I believe the last time was, oh let me see, about eight years ago."

Ron's ears perked up. "Really? That's when we all started. Do you know who it was?"

"No not off the top of my head. I'll tell you what, I'll ask Records to send down the file this afternoon. Now back to work you lot!"

Something was starting to scratch at the back of Harry's mind. Something someone had said to him recently but he hadn't really been paying attention. Deciding that it was probably nothing, he pulled the nearest case folder in front of him, opened it and started reading.

...

When Harry came back from lunch there was an unmarked folder on his desk. It was obviously the file that Pearson had promised them. Settling down in his seat he opened it. And promptly felt his jaw drop in shock.

He suddenly realised what thought had been trying to attract his attention. I still have nightmares sometimes. I can see them with their ragged cloaks and their long cold fingers and those faces! Those had been Dudley's words. Dudley had been able to see the Dementors! Harry had never thought about it properly. He looked at the envelope sitting in front of him. In the top left corner was a large red stamp. "DECLINED". The address...

The letter was addressed to Mr D Dursley, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.

Harry could scarcely believe it but the evidence was right before his eyes.

Dudley was a wizard.

Suddenly a lot of Harry's treatment at the hands of the Dursleys made a lot of sense. It hadn't just been about trying to beat the magic out of him, it had also been about making Dudley feel as normal and ordinary as possible. Harry could imagine Petunia's fear on receiving the letter. He doubted Vernon had ever seen it, especially after his, er, reaction on seeing Harry's letter.

Harry just sat there, not knowing what to do.

...

"What are you going to do?" Ginny asked him. The four of them – Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron – were sat round the table in the Burrow with the unopened letter in the middle. Harry shook his head.

"I don't know. I think he deserves to know but I don't know what effect it'll have on the family. I'm not too bothered about Vernon but I don't know how Petunia will take it."

Hermione sighed. "It's like my parents all over again. Look Harry, I think you should send it to him. Like you said he does deserve to know. At the very least let him make his own decision on what to do."

Ron nodded. Harry looked at Ginny and she also nodded. Finally he nodded himself. That night he wrote his own letter, put that and the Hogwarts letter into an envelope and gave it to Fawkes to deliver.

...

Dudley was lying on the bed in his room with his stereo on full blast. He was dozing. His father had gone away for the weekend on some conference to do with drills or whatever. His mother had gone out to do some shopping.

He heard a faint but insistent tapping. He tried to ignore it but it wouldn't go away. Finally he turned his music down. The tapping was coming from the window. Dudley looked and cried out in shock as he saw a large red bird outside, using its beak to knock on the window. He then saw that the bird appeared to be carrying an envelope in his beak. Trembling, he slowly opened the window and the bird dropped the envelope on to his desk then flew away.

Dudley looked at the address. It was indeed addressed to him. Was that Harry's handwriting? Curious he opened the envelope. The first thing he pulled out was a square piece of some sort of stiff paper. He sat back on his bed to read it.

Hi Dudley

First off, many thanks for those letters. They really meant a lot to me and I really appreciate Aunt Petunia keeping them. Oh and by the way I'm engaged to Ginny now.

The real reason I'm writing to you is that I came across something at work today and I thought you needed to see it. I don't know if I'm doing right thing by sending it to you but you deserve to know.

Harry

Something he needed to see? Something he deserved to know? Dudley had absolutely no idea what Harry could be talking about. He put his hand back into the envelope and found a smaller envelope. He pulled it out and stiffened in shock. He recognised the crest on the back of the envelope. After all, he had been brought up to hate the sight of it. Hands shaking he turned the envelope over and immediately dropped it. This couldn't possibly be right! He picked it up and read the address again in case he had made a mistake.

Mr D Dursley

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

It was definitely him. There could be no doubt.

He slowly opened it, extracted the letter and read it

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Mr Dursley

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Dudley was stunned. Him? He could have gone to Hogwarts? With Harry? He heard the door open and close downstairs and his mother's voice.

"Dudley? It's only me."

Dudley didn't move, still staring at the letter in his hand. The door to his room opened and Petunia came in.

"Dudley? What's the matter dear?"

Dudley turned his head slowly to look at her. He didn't say anything. He could feel tears starting to gather in his eyes. He held out the letter. Petunia took one look and gasped in shock. She came and sat down on his bed. Dudley finally broke down in tears and Petunia soon followed, wrapping her arms around her son as their combined tears fell onto the Hogwarts letter.

Later on Dudley penned a reply to Harry. He put it back into the envelope Harry's had come in, crossed out his own address and simply wrote "Harry Potter". He went to the window, opened it and stuck his head out.

"I, er, I have a reply for Harry?" He felt a little foolish but sure enough the same red bird reappeared and stuck its head out. Dudley held the letter out to the bird and it clamped its beak shut onto the envelope. Bowing its head once it turned and flew away. Dudley closed the window and sat back onto his bed. He had been given a lot to think about.

...

Fawkes arrived with Dudley's reply after dark. Harry took the letter and opened it, a bit nervous as to what effect his discovery had prompted. He opened the A4 sheet and started to read.

Harry

Thank you for letting me know. I really had no idea. If I had I would never have been as nasty to you.

Mum came in after I read it. She was speechless when I showed it to her. She asked me if I could ever forgive her. She said that she received the letter on my birthday and she knew instantly what it was and what it meant. She was so afraid. Not just because of me or because of you. She was afraid of Dad and what he would do if he found out.

She never told him. She simply wrote "Return to sender" on the envelope and left it outside on the doorstep. It was gone the next day. And after all this time she never told Dad or me about it.

I think I'm ok about it though. I don't know if I would have been able to fit in with you and your friends, especially after the way I had been brought up. I would probably have wound up in that group with the snake symbol!

Both me and mum send our congratulations to you and Ginny.

Keep in touch

Dudley

Harry had to wipe his eyes. Ginny found him and he showed her the letter.

"Well?" she asked, "Are you going to keep in touch with him?"

"I dunno. Probably." Harry sighed. "He doesn't seem like the same old Dudley at least. Maybe this was for the best."

"Well I think it definitely turned out for the best." Ginny said, putting her arms around him and leaning on his shoulder, her ring glinting in the soft light.

A/N I'm a bit surprised that only one person called me out on the Dudley-seeing-Dementors thing last chapter :P Anyway the idea for Dudley being a wizard came from a reference on the Harry Potter wiki and it got me thinking: If Dudley was a wizard what happened to his letter? Don't worry though he's not going to suddenly become an instant expert.

I may have made up that bit about the first letter coming on the person's birthday but it seems to work. And in context it does explain quite a bit about Dudley - Petunia spoiled him rotten because she was more afraid of him than of Harry. I don't think she knew for certain but the possiblity would have been there at the back of her mind.

Anyway I digress

Next Chapter: Plans And Preparations