They stayed by the lake for an hour before heading back to the castle. Luna announced that she would come to the Gryffindor room, too, to see what Dean's idea was.

"Look, Dud," Hermione said, falling back from the group to walk next to him. "I can't imagine what you might be feeling or going through. But, you know, we're all here for you."

"I know, thanks Hermione," Dudley said.

"I miss him a lot," Hermione said.

Dudley looked at her. Hermione had been closer to Neville that all of them. Now that he looked at her, he suddenly saw how tired she looked. Dudley suddenly felt a bit guilty, he had been bottling up his own feelings of what had happened and hadn't realized how sad Hermione must be. Yet she was focusing more on Dudley than her own grief.

"What's happening here?" Ron asked, suddenly. There was a commotion outside the school.

The group hurried forward to see what was happening.

"It's Malfoy!" Ron barked with laughter.

Sure enough, Malfoy had been cornered by a group of students which included Cormac McClaggen and a chubby boy Dudley felt sure was called Harold Dingle.

Malfoy was alone. He had a bloody nose and Cormac had somehow got hold of his wand.

"I should snap it," Cormac said. "Stop you from running off to join your Death Eater pals."

"Give it back … or I swear you'll regret it!" Malfoy snarled, his eyes blazing.

The group of students laughed.

"You must be joking!" Harold Dingle chortled. "What are you going to do? You're the school's bitch."

Malfoy swore at him.

"Scourgify!" said Dingle, and the laughter grew more pronounced as thick bubbles of soap filled Malfoy's mouth.

Dudley watched. His hands were balled into fists. This was the first time he had seen Malfoy since that night at the graveyard. He remembered Lucius helping prepare the ritual, helping to bring back Voldemort, helping to kill Neville. He hated him—Dudley realized. He hated Lucius Malfoy for what he had done. It was all his fault. Dudley felt like there was a voice inside of him, urging him to walk up to Draco and batter him to a pulp. He couldn't get his hands on Lucius, so Draco would be the next big thing.

"Come on, Dud, back to the tower," Hermione was saying, but Dudley barely heard it. Nor did he feel her, Luna and Ginny tugging on his robes.

No teachers were around and it would be so easy to go and pound Draco into the dirt. Cormac, Harold and their gang would find it amusing.

Then, over the voice urging him to beat Malfoy, came another—that of Albus Dumbledore.

"Nothing ever good comes from hate, Dudley."

Yeah, well, Dumbledore didn't have to see one of his friends murdered in cold blood.

"Every choice we make matters,"

Dudley stared at Malfoy, thinking hard on Dumbledore's words. Dudley had bullied Malfoy and beat him up in their first year. That had led to Lucius Malfoy planting Tom Riddle's diary in Dudley's books. That had then led to Luna getting possessed and opening the Chamber of Secrets. That had led to Lucius Malfoy's arrest and escape. Which had led to Lucius seeking out Voldemort. Which had led to Lucius helping Voldemort return.

Choices mattered.

Dudley saw that clearly. A simple choice in his first year had led to this. Draco's choices too mattered. If he hadn't caused trouble with Dudley, if he hadn't sought a confrontation, then this wouldn't have happened.

Choices mattered.

He had a choice now. He could join in the bullying of Malfoy. He could even walk away. Or …

Dudley stepped forward.

"Dud, don't!" Hermione hissed.

Dudley ignored her.

"Leave it," he said.

Harold and Cormac turned around, looking annoyed, but they brightened when they saw who it was.

"Dudley!" Harold Dingle greeted. "Come to have some fun with Malfoy too?"

"His wand," Dudley said.

Smirking, Harold Dingle handed it over. "Gonna snap it?" he asked eagerly.

"Or shove it up Malfoy's arse?" Cormac suggested, and high-fived a boy stood next to him.

Dudley stepped forward, staring at Malfoy. He watched Malfoy's eyes widen with fear, and that pleased Dudley. Malfoy was scared of what he was going to do. He could easily punch him, hex him, snap his wand—do what he liked.

But, no—choices mattered.

"Here," Dudley growled, holding out the wand.

"Huh?" Ron said. Dudley felt he could almost hear Ron's jaw hitting the floor.

Malfoy eyed him suspiciously.

"Hurry up," Dudley snapped. He may have decided not to bully Malfoy, but he wasn't going to treat him with any respect or kindness.

As if expecting some sort of trick. Malfoy reached out and took the wand hesitantly.

He held it as if unsure whether to raise it or not.

"Malfoy is a piece of shit," Dudley said in a loud voice. Malfoy's eyes narrowed.

"But he isn't his father." He turned to face Harold, Cormac and the others. "Leave him alone."

Cormac looked like he was going to argue but he gave in. "Whatever, come on guys," he muttered and his gang slouched off.

Dudley looked at Malfoy who looked as if he had been hit with a confundus charm.

"You can fuck off, now," Dudley growled, half-regretting not taking the chance to smack Malfoy upside the head.

"Come on," Dudley said, walking over to rejoin his friends. "Let's go and see what Dean had in mind."

Luna slipped her hand into his. "That was a very nice thing you did," she said, giving him a hug.

"Yes … yes … I'm, well, stunned … and very proud of you," Hermione said, slowly. "I was certain you were going to beat him up."

"It crossed my mind," Dudley admitted. Remembering Dumbledore's words he added. "I made a choice. Now it's down to him to make his."

"What choice?" Ron asked, puzzled.

"Clearly whether or not to continue to be a nasty, bullying little wart!" Ginny said, giving Ron a push.

"Well, kinda," Dudley said. "But I was thinking more of a choice of whether to continue to be like his old man or not."

Ginny shrugged. "Same thing," she replied.

They headed back to Gryffindor Tower. Dudley thought of something. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before. "Has anyone seen Lavender?"

"She's really broken up," Hermione said. "Parvati and Padma have been consoling her."

Dudley nodded. He felt certain that Lavender was going to ask him what happened, and he wasn't looking forward to it. But he also felt that he had to tell Lavender something. She had been Neville's girlfriend, after all.

Ron said the password and led the way in.

"Wow!" he said.

Dudley followed, stopped and stared. There was a banner hanging up on the wall above the fire. It was a white sheet with a drawing of hand holding up a middle finger. Underneath were the words "Neville Longbottom"

"Like it?" said Dean. "I figured we needed some sort of memorial to Neville. And what better?"

"I love it, and I bet he would too," said Dudley. He noticed a few of the other students were looking puzzled.

"We saw Dean making this," Fred said, coming over. "We helped him attach it. I know there's got to be a good story behind the middle finger?"

"Yeah," Dudley said. He glanced at Hermione and then at Luna and decided it was time to tell the Gryffindor Tower about Neville's bravery,