AN: You know who owns the Potter Universe.
Harry paced outside the shops with Teddy in his arms. For once he was glad that the attention from passer bys was directed more towards Teddy than towards him. He smiled kindly at two women who approached him, cooing at Teddy. Teddy was sporting black hair and emerald green eyes; he was bundled up in the warm jumper Mrs. Weasley made for him, with a matching hat, scarf and mittens.
Teddy buried his head in the nook of Harry's neck, looking at the two women shyly as they cooed at him and then proceeded on to congratulate Harry on being such a nice father at such a young age. Harry smiled at them shyly, as the two women walked away chattering among themselves about the precious, little, shy baby. Harry looked down at Teddy who was busy pulling lint out of Harry's scarf, "You hear that Teddybear? They really don't know the menace that you are, do they?" Teddy ignored Harry, concentrating on the lint as Harry rubbed his nose with Teddy's nose. Teddy gave him a look, nodding slightly, before going back to working on his scarf.
Harry grinned at Teddy, before giving him a quick kiss on the forehead and looking around, waiting for Ginny. "She is late Teddy." He told her, "How will we finish our shopping in time?"
"No, Haeee." Teddy said without looking up at him.
"We won't be able to finish our shopping today? Is that what you are saying?"
"Yes. ICE-EEEEEM" he screamed as his head turned to a nearby ice-cream shop.
"No! No ice cream. It's too cold out here, you will get sick."
"Ice-eeem." Teddy demanded stubbornly.
"No. But we can get you some chocolate. Would you like some chocolate, Teddybear?"
"Chotlate." Teddy screamed gleefully.
"That's right, let Ginny come and then we will go get you some chocolate. Okay?"
"Okay. Chotlate." Teddy said, tapping Harry's cheek. Harry grinned.
"You are stubborn little bugger, aren't you?"
"Yes." Teddy nodded seriously. Harry laughed.
"HARRY!" "HARRY!"
Harry turned to the familiar voice. "Dudley!" Harry said surprised, as Dudley dodged the crowd to get near him, followed by Vernon and Petunia Dursley. "What are you doing here?" Dudley asked Harry. Harry glanced uneasily at his Aunt and Uncle who were eyeing Teddy with contempt and anger. His arm curled protectively around Teddy, Dudley followed his movement. His eyes widened as he saw Teddy.
"So, this is little Teddy?" Dudley asked extending his finger to shake Teddy's hand who was eyeing Dudley with interest.
Harry smiled at Dudley before nodding as he watched Teddy hold Dudley's finger in his chubby hands and shaking it.
"Hello, Teddy! I am Dudley, your Godfather's cousin. It was nice meeting you." Dudley said smiling broadly at the baby.
"Yes." Teddy replied smiling toothily at Dudley and proceeded to tap Harry's cheek impatiently.
"You didn't tell me though. What are you doing in this part of London?" Dudley asked Harry.
"Remember the newspaper article I told you about last month?" Dudley nodded.
"Well, I don't want a repeat of that. So, I am finishing my shopping here. What are you doing here?"
"Finishing our Christmas shopping." He said pointing towards his parents and him.
"Harry!" Harry turned to see Ginny as Teddy gave a delighted squeal throwing his arms out for Ginny, his hair turning a vivid green under his woollen cap. Ginny gave Harry a peck on his cheek, taking Teddy from him before noticing the people around him. Ginny had never met the Dursleys; she looked curiously at the three people in front of Harry, guessing who they were but choosing to keep her mouth shut.
"Harry, is this Ginny?" Dudley asked looking curiously at Ginny. Harry nodded. Dudley smiled at her before sticking out his hand for her. She shook his hand, politely.
"Harry does you no justice when he talks about you." Dudley said smiling warmly at her. "I am Dudley by the way. His cousin." Ginny nodded. She knew that Dudley had contacted Harry last Christmas, after returning to England safely and since then they had met twice a month, trying to build a cordial relationship. She looked at the older couple behind Dudley; they were busy eyeing Teddy with open revulsion.
"These are my parents. Vernon and Petunia Dursley." Vernon ignored Ginny turning purple, while Petunia gave Ginny a stiff nod, her lips pursed. Ginny nodded coolly at them before turning to Harry.
"We are running late. We should get going." Harry smiled gratefully at her.
"It was really nice meeting you, Dudley." Ginny said politely.
"I was nice to finally meet you too, Ginny. You should join us sometime for coffee, bring little Teddy along too." Dudley said.
"Sure Dudley. See you soon. Goodbye." Ginny turned walking away to give Harry sometime to catch up with her after saying his goodbyes.
"So, I guess I will see you next Sunday." Dudley said, sticking his hand out. Harry had been quiet the entire time eyeing his Aunt and Uncle with mixed emotions. Now that he had a family, he knew what they had deprived him of, making him feel worthless.
"There is a Yuletide Ball at my place on Christmas Eve. I will send you an inivitation and the details tonight." Harry blurted out before he could stop himself. "Sure." Dudley said with a slight nod. Harry nodded in response before turning around and walking away.
Petunia stared at the retreating back of her nephew. "We won't go." Vernon spat angrily.
"He is just like his parents." Petunia added with disgust "Not even a proper adult and already has a child, though I didn't see any ring on that girl's finger.-"
"Because they are not engaged or married." Dudley said impatiently, "As far as the baby is concerned. His name is Teddy Lupin, Harry is his Godfather."
"You buy that bit lie from the freak!" Petunia seethed, "The child looked exactly like he did as a baby."
"That's because the child is a metamorph or something. Harry told me, he could change his looks at will to look like anyone. Though currently he changes his looks as a sign of identification, by changing his looks he lets people know that he recognises them as individuals and has a specific look for them." Dudley explained.
"The child is an even bigger freak than him then?" Petunia asked.
"Mum please. That's enough. If Harry sends us an invitation, I would go. And I would take Caroline with me. You are welcome to come with me; I doubt he would resent that."
Harry walked away with Ginny, holding her hand.
"Hey Gin."
"Yeah?" Ginny asked distractedly pulling Teddy away from a display window.
"Don't ever leave me alone with them again."
Ginny looked up surprised, "Why? What happened? Did they do something? I swear I-"
"Iinvitedthemtotheyuletideball." Harry finished quickly.
"What? And say it a little slowly this time."
"I said, I uh… I invited Dudley to the ball and I kind of implied that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon could come too."
"WHAT?!"
"Err… Yeah." Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck before snatching Teddy up in his arms to prevent him from running away.
"Harry Potter! Why would you do something like that?"
"I don't know. I don't really know. When I saw them looking at Teddy and you like that, I just wanted to show them all that I have achieved despite what they did to me. I now have a family, people who care about me, friends, a home and I am worth something. I am not the ungrateful brat who deserved nothing good in life anymore. I know it sounds lame." Harry finished looking down ashamed of himself.
"Oh Harry! You don't have to prove yourself to them, if anything they should prove their worth to humanity at large. Those foul, evil-"
"Ginny!" Harry warned glancing down at Teddy, who was observing Ginny's outburst with interest.
Ginny looked from Harry to Teddy, her brows furrowed before she burst off laughing. Teddy jumped, clinging on Harry's neck, before giggling away with Ginny.
"Wait, till they meet the portraits of all the Potters that existed in the last 500 years. OH MY GOD! Sirius, Remus, James and Lily would probably ask the elves to terrify them mercilessly." Ginny said before doubling over with laughter. Harry grinned and Teddy squealed pulling Harry's hair and pointing at a toy train set on one of the shop windows.
Ginny bound up the stairs of the Manor to reach the study, grinning like a maniac. Harry followed with a sleeping Teddy on his shoulder.
"What is it Ginny?" He heard his father, as he opened the door. "Come on, you know I can't handle mysteries. Tell us, what did Harry do?"
"Harry!" Sirius called, as he saw Harry enter. "What did you do? Ginny is refusing to give us any information."
Harry sighed inwardly, he noticed Remus and Dora were absent from their portrait, probably visiting Andromeda at Sirius' old flat, and his grandparents were out too. Sleepy bustled in, taking a sleeping Teddy from his arms and proceeding to Teddy's bedroom, assuring Harry that she would stay with Teddy.
"I kind of invited-"
"He invited the Dursleys to the ball!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly.
"WHAT?!" His mother shouted.
"Yes." Harry sighed, readying himself for a verbal onslaught.
"Why?" She asked. "Were you drunk? Were you imperiused? Confounded? Why the bloody hell would you invite her to my home?"
"He has his reasons, Mrs. P- Lily." Ginny said, "But the good part is that they might come. You will finally get a chance to return the favour back to your sister." She finished, her eyes twinkling evilly.
"Excellent." James and Sirius said together, rubbing their hands as they went.
"Look," Harry said loudly. "They are still Dudley's parents and Dudley apologised and I forgave him and we got over it. We are trying to build a cordial relationship here."
"So? We won't harm Dudley. You can't present us with opportunity and expect us to lie low as far as Vernon and Petunia are concerned." His mother said defiantly.
"I am not saying that." Harry said before he grinned, "Just don't do something extreme. And I don't want to know about your plans. I am going to my room to sleep for a couple of hours, before everyone comes over for dinner. Gin, wake me up when they start arriving in." Ginny nodded grinning widely. His parents and Godfather were wearing similar expressions.
"Doc." Harry called before leaving; the said elf appeared with a loud crack.
"Yes, Master Harry?"
"Are the rooms prepared for our guests?" Doc nodded. The Weasleys, Hermione and Andromeda were coming over to stay at the Manor till Christmas.
Harry nodded, "And Kreacher's room has been prepared?" Doc nodded again.
"Are you sure you guys won't be overwhelmed? You have to cook food for 12 people, take care of an old and sick house elf, you insist on looking after Teddy, decorate the Manor, help Andromeda prepare for the Ball because I am useless there. It looks like a lot. We can always request Minerva to lend us some house elves from Hogwarts."
Doc rolled his eyes, so did the other occupants of the room. "There is this helpful thing called, elf magic. I think I told you about that when you first voiced your concern. The more work we have, the more excited we are. Contrary to popular belief, free house elves like working too, more out of the love for the family that they are living with. Stop trying to steal our thunder! Now, if you will excuse me, we have to prepare dinner for 12 people." The elf stuck his tongue out at Harry before disapparating. The remaining occupants laughed before shooing Harry out to plan the perfect prank for the Dursleys.
AN: So, here is another chapter. I want your opinion on this one though. Everyone knows that Vernon and Petunia would die before allowing Dudley to step into the magical world on his own, so they would attend the ball if Dudley decides to attend, which he would because he is trying to make it up to Harry for being a menace during their childhood. Do you want to know about the prank or should I move on to next Yuletide Ball? Please do let me know. I will wait eagerly for your response. Read and review. Happy Reading people! :D