Avian Anarchy
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling or Disney, and I am not earning anything by writing this story. I am merely borrowing the characters to play with them.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
Warnings: Completely AU, partly OOC, magically powerful Harry. Dumbledore/Weasley bashing.
Please make sure that you have read yesterday's chapter, before reading this one :)
"You're the owner of the company, where Uncle Vernon works?" Harry stared at his godfather in disbelief.
"I only realised that, when Hedwig pointed it out to me." Sirius grinned, broadly. "When she told me that she wanted to take revenge on her sister for her treatment of you, I knew exactly what to do, especially with Arthur Weasley as the new director of the Muggle Liaison Office. I'm sure that Arthur is going to love the additional position, and the salary is extremely good."
"Thank you, Sirius." Harry smiled at his godfather, before he telepathically thanked his mother. "Mr. Weasley seems really nice."
"He is a very nice man," Sirius confirmed. "He is obsessed with muggle items though, and it's funny how anything is interesting to him, even muggle rubber ducks."
"Why do you even know about something such as a muggle rubber duck?" Claire cast Sirius a surprised look. "Considering your upbringing…"
Sirius scoffed. "Please don't consider my upbringing. My parents were the worst people imaginable, but as you know, I was friends with people who have been raised in the muggle world such as Lily Potter and Remus Lupin." He chuckled at the memory. "Lily once received a rubber duck from Petunia, and she had a hard time explaining to us what it was."
#Explain a simple rubber duck to a horde of imbeciles who try to make a simple muggle item look like a dark object.# Lily fluffed her feathers, clearly annoyed at that specific memory, and Harry quickly translated for Sirius.
"Well, you managed to make it clear to us in any case."
"That was not the last of your mother's Christmas presents to the Dursleys by the way." Santa let out a loud chuckle. "I am going to leave now for the second part."
"Be careful dear. We will remain here and watch. Don't take too much time, as we then really have to begin delivering Christmas presents to Australia." Claire chuckled, as she readjusted the screen to show the street in front of the Dursleys' residence.
"Oh Merlin, what is he going to do now? Mum, you know, they at least raised me. They could have kicked me out and put me into an orphanage you know." Harry did not feel comfortable at the idea that the Dursleys would have to pay for raising him.
"Yes, but they did a poor job at it," Merlin spoke up from his portrait, and Hedwig trilled her agreement.
HP
Petunia felt extremely happy, as she drove the car back home with Dudley sitting next to her chattering away. She had not told him about having to leave Smeltings yet, as she was still hoping for a miracle. After all, it was Christmas Eve.
"I can't understand why they kept you at the school so long. They could have let you leave during the weekend as usual."
Dudley let out a deep sigh. "Mum, I had to stay longer, because I was in detention yesterday."
Petunia looked at her son in surprise. "And why was that? I am sure that was a misunderstanding."
Dudley shook his head. "No Mum, although I'm not really sure what happened. One of the older students taunted me because of being fat, and I wanted to kick him in the shins, however, apparently, I kicked him hard enough to fall out of the window, which wasn't even open." He shrugged. "Sorry Mum, I have no idea how that could happen."
"Was he sitting on the window sill?"
"No, we were just walking the hall in front of the windows." Dudley let out a deep sigh. "Do you think I'm a freak like Harry?" His voice was barely audible.
"No." Petunia's voice was firm, although she had to admit to herself that she felt not confident about it at all. 'What else could that have been if not magic?' she wondered, however, did not voice her thoughts, knowing that her son just like his father absolutely disliked magic. Vernon's dislike went as far as a complete denial. She had heard him tell her nephew that there was no such thing as magic countless times.
She mulled about the matter for a few minutes, however, quickly became distracted the instant they reached Privet Drive.
The usually quiet living area was in an uproar. All the neighbours were standing in front of their houses staring at what seemed to be…
"A sleigh!" Dudley's expression was one of pure excitement.
The fact that made Petunia most uncomfortable, however, was that the sleigh was parked right in front of their house. Ignoring the commotion around her, she carefully pulled into the driveway and slowly got out of the car. Entering the house through the back garden seemed like a good idea, and she hurried around the garage – only to let out a gasp of pure shock.
"My garden!" she breathed, staring at the scene in front of her in horror.
A flock of reindeer inhabited her garden. They scratched with their hooves and dug up the whole garden. All her flowers were uprooted and the lawn destroyed. Only the trees were still standing, while the rest of the wonderful garden, for which she had already won several prizes, looked like a plain construction site.
Petunia quickly retreated, resolving that entering the house through the front door seemed to be the lesser evil. 'Who knows what reindeer are capable of?' When she unwillingly decided to walk through the front garden, saved from the curious neighbours' eyes by the sleigh, she realised that none other than what seemed to be Santa Clause was sitting in it, smoking a cigar and shouting, "Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas."
Only when she passed right next to the sleigh, she heard him whisper. "Now, how are you going to explain that to the neighbours?"
HP
Harry shook his head in annoyance. "I'm sorry, but I don't like it. That was just too much. I mean, they raised me in spite of being muggles who don't like magic. I know what that garden meant for Aunt Petunia. Claire, will you please teach me the necessary spells to repair that garden?"
"Harry, they deserved everything they got." Sirius' voice was firm.
However, Harry was not convinced. "Claire please. It's Christmas after all."
During the following hour, Claire and Sirius taught Harry how to reverse everything that had been done to the garden with the occasional input from Hedwig and Merlin.
#I don't believe that they deserve that you help them, but I am proud of you, son. I will take you there first thing tomorrow morning.#
"Thanks Mum."
HP
Later in the evening, Patty, the post elf, made her way to the owl office at Hogsmeade to fetch any letters for the North Pole, and Harry received Christmas gifts from all of his friends. Letters were attached to each of the packages, and Harry contented himself reading the letters, deciding that he would only open his Christmas presents on Christmas morning.
'My first Christmas,' he thought, feeling very happy. 'And my first friends. It's only five months ago that I got to know about the magical world, and I already have seven friends plus a godfather, two really nice guardians and two familiars, of which one is my mother, even if in the form of a phoenix. My life is really brilliant now.'
HP
Before breakfast on Christmas morning, Hedwig flashed Harry right into the Dursleys' back garden, which was non-existent anymore. He had taken his real wand, knowing that it did not have the trace in contrary to the one which he had purchased at Ollivander's, so that it would be safe for him to use it, even during the school holidays and in a muggle area.
With Hedwig sitting in a tree watching his every move, he eagerly waved his wand casting the spells and charms, which he had studied the previous evening. Half an hour of intense spell casting, he had the impression that it sufficed. The garden was not only back to its previous glory, it looked even better and more perfect than before.
'I hope Aunt Petunia will like it,' he thought, as he pocketed his wand, feeling tired but also very contented.
However, when he looked up in the direction of the house, he saw in absolute horror that Petunia and Dudley were standing behind the kitchen window looking straight at him.
HP
Dudley was unable to sleep that night. His father was drunk and asleep on the sofa in the living room, his mother was sitting in the kitchen crying about her garden, the sleigh, Santa and the neighbours, and he was worried about possibly being a freak.
After unsuccessfully trying to sleep for a few hours, he went downstairs and kept his mother company. It seemed the right thing to do – it was Christmas after all –, and it kept him distracted from his own problem.
He spent the rest of the night telling his mother about school, drinking tea and nibbling biscuits, before it finally became light. They both looked out of the window, only to jump from their seats in shock.
A lone figure was standing in the middle of the garden waving a stick around.
"Is that Harry?" Dudley narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, I think so. He seems to be repairing the garden." His mother's voice was laced with excitement, as she walked to stand in front of the window.
Dudley stepped next to her, and together they observed in amazement and gratefulness how their unwanted cousin and freak repaired what Santa and his reindeer had destroyed.
"He's good." Dudley could not help but feel admiration for his cousin's spell-casting.
"Apparently so, and it looks even better than before." His mother cast him a happy smile. "We don't deserve his help though, considering how we treated him all this time."
"That's true." Dudley fully agreed, when a sudden thought crossed his mind. "Mum, would you mind me speaking with Harry for a moment?"
His mother nodded in understanding. "Invite him into the kitchen. I'll go to bed and try to sleep for a while. Wake me up, when you want breakfast, although I suggest that you try to sleep first, too."
HP
Apparently realising that Harry had noticed them standing behind the window, Petunia left the kitchen, and Dudley opened the backdoor.
"Harry, will you come in for a moment? I'd like to speak with you about something."
Dudley's voice for once held no malice, and Harry hesitantly agreed. He held out his arm for Hedwig to join him, and with the phoenix perched on his shoulder, he followed his cousin into the kitchen.
"Thank you for what you did here. I know that we didn't deserve your help, but we appreciate it."
Harry stared at his cousin in shock. "Did anyone give you a brain washing?" he finally asked.
To his surprise, Dudley let out a deep sigh, before he told him what happened at Smeltings during the previous week. "Could it be that I am a freak, too?"
Harry remained pensive for a moment. 'Mum, what do you think?'
'That sounds like magic. Give him your wand and teach him the Lumos charm. If it works, you'll know more.'
Harry handed Dudley his real wand and taught him the spell, staring at his cousin in surprise, when he swiftly followed his instruction. The tip of his wand lit, even if not very brightly. Dudley quickly handed the wand back, looking at his right hand as if it had been burnt by the wooden stick.
Harry smiled broadly. "Congrats Dudley, you're a wizard."
Dudley buried his face in his hands. "Mum and Dad will hate me for that. You know that. What am I going to do?"
#Your father might, but your mother won't. Petunia will accept it.#
Harry quickly translated, and Dudley agreed. They talked for a long time, before Harry suddenly realised that he felt famished.
"I'm going to go home now, but I'll come back and join you for your conversation with your parents."
"What if they kick me out?" Dudley seemed horrified.
"In the worst case, you can come with me. You should attend Hogwarts together with me anyway. I'll be back in a few hours."
With that, he allowed Hedwig to take him back to the North Pole for Christmas breakfast.
HP
After breakfast, Harry quickly scribbled a letter to Professor McGonagall.
'Dear Professor McGonagall,
this morning, I found out that my cousin Dudley is magical. His magic seems to have manifested recently. Will he be able to attend Hogwarts, provided that his parents allow him to go? I would pay the school fees for him. Please give my phoenix a short response, before I even suggest it to him and his parents.
Thank you very much and merry Christmas
Harry.'
"Hedwig, will you please take this to Professor McGonagall and wait for her response?"
#Of course.# Taking Harry's letter into her beak, Hedwig flashed away in a small splash of ice.
'I wonder where Dudley would be sorted if he was allowed to attend Hogwarts,' Harry thought, as he sat in front of the screen to observe his friends open their presents. 'I hope they'll like what I sent them,' he thought, while he opened his own presents.
He received a broom polishing kit from Draco, a book about magical plants from Neville, a book about magical traditions from Daphne, a box with muffins from Ginny and a hand-made Christmas ornament from Tracey. The twins sent him a box with a couple of small phials. 'Use them wisely' was written on an attached parchment.
'Probably prank potions,' Harry thought in amusement, looking forward to having the funny twins on the North Pole after Christmas.
"Harry, I would not eat these cakes if I was you." Harry turned around giving Merlin a questioning look.
"Yes, he is right," Sirius said. "These muffins might be laced with a love potion or whatever, considering who sent them. That's exactly what Mrs. Weasley would do."
"So, what am I going to do with them?" Harry eyed the muffins, which looked absolutely mouth-watering.
"You can give them to the reindeer. They're not susceptible to love potions."
"Are you sure?" Harry gave Merlin a questioning look.
"Yes."
Just then, Hedwig appeared showering them with small bits of ice.
#Sorry.# She held out a letter to Harry, which he quickly accepted, feeling very excited.
'Dear Harry,
thank you for your letter, which took me with surprise.
If he is indeed magical and the school fees will be paid, I don't see a reason why Dudley should not attend Hogwarts. I hope that he will be able to catch up what he missed during the last four months; otherwise, he will have to go back a year in September.
I am looking forward to having you and your familiars back at Hogwarts. I already miss Paws, the cutie, although I must say that I enjoy being able to spend some quality time in my feline form without being chased around my own classroom. I wish you a very merry Christmas, too.
Best regards
Minerva McGonagall'
"She will never forget about that." Harry chuckled and quickly explained to Merlin and Sirius about his first Transfiguration class, causing the Marauder to grin broadly.
"Paws is a real Marauder Paws. You can be proud of him."
"Not if he chases my professors, who can in turn take points off Slytherin, which might cause me a detention with Snape." Harry glared at his godfather.
Sirius was just about to make a what Harry assumed nasty comment about his head of house, when Merlin interrupted them from his portrait.
"Harry, I believe that your presence is needed at the Dursley residence." Merlin pointed to the screen, where Petunia, Vernon and Dudley Dursley just sat around the kitchen table for a late Christmas breakfast.
"Merlin, if anything goes wrong at the Dursleys, will I be allowed to bring Dudley here with me?"
"Yes, my boy, and Petunia, too, if necessary." The old wizard cast him a reassuring look. "This is your home now, and if you consider them family, they're always welcome here."
HP
Minerva let out a deep sigh, as she ran towards the headmaster's office in her feline form. 'Does Albus really have to call for a meeting at this time?' she thought in annoyance. 'We're going to have dinner in the Great Hall tonight anyway. Can't he leave us in peace until then?'
Only in front of the gargoyle did she transform back into her human form.
"Merry Christmas," she gave the password to the more than annoying busybody gargoyle, nodding, when it opened instantly.
"Minerva, how good of you to join us on this fine afternoon." The headmaster greeted her warmly, offering a lemon drop, which she rejected with an impatient wave of her hand.
"Did something happen?" Her mouth was stretched to a thin line, as she looked from Albus to Severus, Filius and Pomona.
"I have made an interesting discovery." Albus popped a lemon drop into his mouth, before he continued. "Dudley Dursley appears to be a wizard."
"Yes." Minerva's voice was laced with boredom. "Anything else?"
She noticed in amusement that Severus, Pomona and Filius could barely contain their laughter, when Albus replied in apparent surprise.
"Ah, you knew about that?"
"Yes, Mr. Potter informed me about the matter. Apparently, Mr. Dursley's magic only manifested recently, and he asked me if his cousin would be able to attend Hogwarts."
Somehow, she had the impression as if Albus was not pleased that Harry had turned to her and not to him; however, she could not care less. 'It's his own fault that he never cared to check on Harry all these years, not even after he arrived at Hogwarts,' she thought in amusement.
"Albus, you know that Minerva is especially close to Mr. Potter's canine familiar, don't you?"
Minerva glared at Pomona, mouthing, "Let go already." 'Ah, I'm going to kill Poppy and Rolanda,' she thought in annoyance, 'or better yet, I'll use the prank potion the Weasley twins sent me on them.' She was brought back to reality, when Albus spoke up again.
"The question is what to do with Mr. Dursley. Will he be able to catch up and attend the first-year classes right from the beginning of January?"
"I suppose that depends on which house he gets sorted into," Minerva said, matter-of-factly. "If he was a Gryffindor, I would see to it that he catches up."
"Perhaps I should allow Mr. Potter to do magic during these Christmas holidays, so that the boys could study together."
Severus let out an uncharacteristic snort. "Albus, what do you know about the relationship between Mr. Potter and his relatives? Mr. Potter was clearly abused by the Dursleys. Why would he even bother teaching Mr. Dursley? If he is still living with them at all. Considering that Black is his godfather, he'll surely have taken the brat in."
Albus stared at the Slytherin head in shock. "But it's important that he lives with the Dursleys. The blood wards must keep him safe. Severus, as his head of house, please contact Mr. Potter and enquire if he would be able to teach his cousin about the first-year material. If so, he should write to me, so that I can allow him to do magic during the Christmas holidays. No," he interrupted himself. "Severus, please tell him to return to Hogwarts together with his cousin immediately."
"Yes sir." Although Severus was wearing an indifferent expression, Minerva could tell that he absolutely disliked the order. However, she knew better than to contradict the headmaster, who usually insisted on his ideas – even if they were often mediocre to say the least.
"Severus, please keep me updated about Mr. Potter's response. As he contacted me about his cousin, they must at least be in contact with each other."
The Potions Master slightly inclined his head in confirmation. "If that's all…"
'Thank Merlin,' Minerva thought, as she transformed back into her feline form and dashed towards her private rooms to think about when to feed her best friends the prank potions. 'I wonder what they'll do,' she thought; however, decided to trust her mischievous third-years to not send her anything dangerous.
HP
When Harry opened the Dursleys' back door, not even bothering to knock, Vernon was just shouting at Petunia.
"You freak! It's your family who are the freaks. Leave this house, before I kill you and take your freak of a son and nephew with you."
"That's exactly what we are going to do." Harry's voice was firm, as he instructed Petunia and Dudley to show him what they wanted to take with them.
Using the spell his mother had taught him, Neville and Draco just a few days ago, he packed his cousin's and aunt's belongings with a few flicks of his wand, before he turned to Hedwig.
"Mum, will you be able to take all three of us?"
#Sure.#
"Please grab my phoenix' back feathers."
Petunia and Dudley obeyed as if in auto mode, and just when Hedwig set to flash away, Vernon burst through the door pointing a gun at them. Harry heard a shot, just before they were whisked away.
tbc...
Thank you so much for the many kind reviews for the previous chapter. Please let me know what you thought about this one and what you expect from this story.
Next chapter: 'Christmas Holidays'.