Dudley knocked on the door to the room in The Burrow that Dumbledore was using as his office. The headmaster of Hogwarts was sat on a comfortable chair waiting for him.

"Are my parents alright?" Dudley asked, immediately. He had heard about the Battle at Privet Drive.

"They are both fine," said Dumbledore. "Though shaken. We ... that is, Alastor, Severus and I, decided it would be best for your parents to go into hiding."

"And dad went along with that?" Dudley said, stunned.

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "We sweetened the arrangement," he replied. "We have reached an arrangement with the American Ministry for Magic. They have been given a luxury apartment in New York City with a view of Central Park. Officially, your father was transferred there as the Grunning's senior representative for the company's expansion into the United States."

Dudley furrowed his brow, a little puzzled.

"Confundus charm," Dumbledore explained. "On your father's boss."

"They will be safer there than with Moody ... I mean, than with Professor Moody?" Dudley asked.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes," he said, simply. "Lord Voldemort's reach has extended far, but he will not be able to strike in America yet. Your parents will be safe."

"Good," said Dudley, that was a huge weight off his shoulders. He had feared Voldemort doing something to harm his parents, even with Mad-Eye Moody and Sturgis Podmore protecting them.

"Now, we need to discuss your lessons this year, please, sit," Dumbledore gestured to a seat opposite.

Dudley frowned, not sure what Dumbledore was getting at. Wasn't he just taking the normal classes next year?

"You remember we discussed the prophecy?" Dumbledore said.

"Yeah, the one in the Department of Mysteries," Dudley replied.

"Lord Voldemort will make a move against you one day," said Dumbledore. "I hope by denying him the prophecy that we can delay that, but sooner or later, he will move against you and you will need to fight him."

"Because of the prophecy" said Dudley.

Dumbledore nodded. "He will want to kill you before it can be realized, but, perhaps there is a way we finish Lord Voldemort, once and for all before he can murder you."

"You mean, duel him again? Like you did before?" Dudley asked.

"Not exactly," Dumbledore said. "I suspect if we dueled and I defeated him, Lord Voldemort would just return once more. No, we need to find a way to put an end to him—permanently."

"You have an idea, Professor?" Dudley asked.

"I do," said Dumbledore. "Or, at least—I am working on an idea. I suspect I am on the right path to finding out just why Lord Voldemort managed to return from the dead."

"How, Professor?" Dudley asked.

"Not yet," said Dumbledore. "I will tell you when I have more than theories. The reason I am telling you this is I know that you and your friends might be growing impatient at a lack of action. I fear you and others may do something rash. But I assure you, I am working on a plan to rid the world of Lord Voldemort but it will take time. I just ask that you trust me. That you do not rush into looking for a fight against Lord Voldemort, no matter what happens. Wait until I have all of the facts, then we will strike together. Trust that there is a plan in place, Dudley."

Dudley stared at Dumbledore for a few seconds. It was true, he had been growing frustrated at the lack of action on the part of the Order of the Phoenix, but he hadn't once considered going after Lord Voldemort himself—that would be suicide.

"Ok, professor," he said, finally. It was an easy promise to make. He had no intention in seeking a fight with Lord Voldemort.

"Thank you, Dudley," said Dumbledore.

"You mentioned, erm, lessons this year?" Dudley said.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "I know that you did extra lessons with Gilderoy Lockhart."

"Yes, professor," said Dudley. "He taught us the memory charm and the patronus."

"You can cast it—a corporeal patronus?" Dumbledore asked, looking impressed.

"Yes, professor,"

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "It seems Gilderoy has more teaching skills than I thought,"

"Yes, professor," Dudley said. While it was true, Gilderoy Lockhart had given them lessons, they had hit a brick wall and Lockhart had been unable to instruct them further. It had only been thanks to Luna's suggestion to think of people rather than specific memories that had led to Dudley casting his own patronus. Still, Lockhart had known the fundamentals of the spell and they wouldn't have learnt it without him, even if it did need suggestions from Luna to finish the spell.

"Good," said Dumbledore. "A very useful skill. Well, I want you to take additional lessons with Severus Snape this year."

"Snape!" echoed Dudley.

"Professor Snape," Dumbledore corrected.

"What will I be learning, professor?"

"I want him to teach you all about the Death Eaters," Dumbledore said. "You are going to fight against them?"

Dudley hesitated for a second before nodding. "Yeah, well ... I owe him for what he did to Neville. But, when I'm ready—I mean, I know if I went to duel him know he would kick my arse ... sorry professor. I mean, he would beat me. But once I'm ready—once I know how to fight. Yeah, I want to fight him."

"Then you will need to know your enemy," said Dumbledore. "You are directly involved in this conflict, through no fault of your own. Lord Voldemort believes the prophecy is about you. If you and your friends are to stand a chance of fighting against him, you need to know your enemy. None know Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters better than Severus Snape—save, perhaps, myself."

"I won't be learning spells, sir?" Dudley said, thinking some new powerful spells in his arsenal would be useful.

"Nobody, save myself, stands a chance of defeating Lord Voldemort in a duel," Dumbledore said, bluntly. "You lack any protection that might give you an advantage, so it would be your magic against his, and, forgive me, Dudley, I mean no offence, but he is in a different league entirely. But Severus can teach you of the Death Eaters-information you can use in your own efforts against him."

Dudley wasn't offended. He knew he was quite a powerful wizard in his own right, or, at least, a skilled dueler. But Voldemort was one of the most powerful and dangerous of all time.

"So how will he be defeated?" said Dudley.

"There are plans in place," said Dumbledore. "I can say, the first plan involves me defeating him once more—as soon as I am sure his defeat will be permanent. The second and third plans—I cannot say."

"Then why do I need to practice, professor, if I'm not going to be the one to defeat him?"

"Because Lord Voldemort has his own schemes," said Dumbledore. "I do not plan for you to engage with Lord Voldemort—but you will join the war. It is likely you will cross wands with either Lord Voldemort or his Death Eaters, and Severus will help you to understand how his followers work—to give you the better chance to survive or even to find a way to kill him."

"So ..." Dudley said slowly. "In a way, this training—the extra lessons, are sort of a plan?"

"A contingency plan," Dumbledore agreed. "For when Voldemort moves against you so you will survive. Now, I have pressing business, so I will take my leave," said Dumbledore.

"Ok, professor," said Dudley, taken aback at being dismissed so suddenly.

Dumbledore

Dumbledore stared at the door once Dudley had left. He felt guilty. While most of what he said was true, and that he certainly hoped the lessons with Snape would help the boy survive, they were essentially a distraction. Let Lord Voldemort believe Dudley was the chosen one. Let Severus Snape pass on information that Dudley was in training. While Lord Voldemort was focused on the threat posed by Dudley Dursley, he wouldn't be looking elsewhere. While Lord Voldemort targeted the enemy in front of him—the enemy that Dumbledore was waving in front of him—he wouldn't be expecting an attack from behind. He wouldn't be expecting Severus Snape.