It only took a month. A month was long, but time flew by and snuck up on Dudley. Harry's pleading face, chalk full of unbridled and contagious enthusiasm aimed at them, had appeared for the first time at Hogwarts. The blond looked to his side to see Neville's eyes going wide in alarm. The boy gripped tighter to his broom. Harry's timing wasn't the greatest.

"Come exploring with me tonight. I was thinking a tour of Gryffindor Tower and see where Mum and Dad and Sirius all were at when they were at Hogwarts."

"What?" Neville squeaked out. "But…but you can't be in there. It's—how do you know Gryffindor is in a tower?"

Green eyes rolled, not losing their excitement. "Please. I've heard stories of Gryffindor Tower for years and the Fat Lady is not that hard to find." There was an almost thoughtful pause and amusement. "She remembers Dad. Said she'd know if she got me in Gryffindor and looked far too happy to inform me about curfew and no password, no entrance."

Dudley reached out to grab hold of the school broom Neville was on, steadying him. Blue eyes stared at his cousin's expectant face. The Fat Lady had just challenged Harry. Bad enough the first thing Harry always did at a new place was scamper around and the sheer size of Hogwarts was challenge alone. Although, it was handy to let him get his fill at new restaurants and guarantee having someone knowing just where the loo was located.

"You want to prove her wrong, don't you?"

This caught Harry by surprise. Dudley caught the falter, Harry shifting on his own school broom. "No, but it will, won't it?" His cousin seemed pleased at the idea, brightening and beaming. "Yes."

Neville let loose a tiny yelp as his broom jerked to the side, Dudley firmly not letting go as he smacked down the front of Harry's broom. His cousin took the nosedive, veering right back up to them. "Oh come on. Have we ever been caught sneaking around with me involved? Except when Mum's paying attention and Neville's got the password to walk right in rather than going around the door. Oh! You could leave your window open and we know where the school brooms are kept now Dud."

Dudley grabbed the front of Harry's broom and yanked it forward. His cousin let out a whoop. After a thump over his head though, he ducked and went quiet for a precious moment. "Do you want to be caught?" Dudley hissed and Harry's head bopped back up, teeth flashing out in victory.

"It's brooms and flying. Everyone is too distracted trying to figure it out or showing off what they have figured out. No one's paying attention to us. I'd notice that," Harry brightly proclaimed. Dudley took the moment to glance around the wide open space of Slytherin and Gryffindor first years. Sure enough, his cousin was annoyingly correct. Even Draco, who had taken to sneaking peeks whenever Neville was around, was busy showcasing a trick. "Tonight then? Yeah?"

"Harry," Neville pleaded weakly. His broomstick jumped in Dudley's hold precariously. "I can't be loosing m-more points for Gryffindor. A-and it's out of bounds. What-what if it's like that o-one time...at the Ministry? Or—"

Harry scoffed. "This is a school. Not at all like the Ministry thing. We all lived and it wasn't that scary. Besides, it's only out of bounds for me and Dud. And not even by much. It's student friendly. It's not like I'm trying to get you to come with me to the Forbidden Forest or ignore Albus's warning on the third floor corridor. Tell Neville he'd be fine Dudley. I just want to see the dorm room Dad and the rest became the Marauders."

The third year dormitory that Uncle James and Sirius said to check out and see if their marks still stood. This was before their Slytherin sorting, which resulted in letters of various assurances of it being an acceptable house. Aunt Lily's letter was more of what she said before, her words still staying true after the sorting. There was no surprise of subtle and blatant hints of taking advantage to prank the youngest Malfoy by James and Sirius, not realizing that Draco remained amused by Harry. And that besides Dudley, Harry enjoyed Draco's company the most out of Slytherin house. Remus's letter wasn't much surprise, he typically agreed with Lily more often than he did with James and the rest about the house system. Peter was the real surprise when he found out, encouraging Dudley and Harry to take advantage, to not be scared by the hatred toward Slytherin like he'd been when he was younger. Turned out that the hat had taken it's time and seriously considered Peter for the house. Knowing that made it not as terrible. But still, being sorted Slytherin meant Harry and he couldn't hold their promise of looking for scribbles contained in Gryffindor Tower.

"You want check the underside of the bed they wrote on when they started making the map, don't you?"

"No." Harry drew out the word, nice and long. "I meant it. I want to see the whole dorm room."

Lost, Dudley looked to Neville since his cousin managed to break loose and go streaking over toward Draco, slipping the Remembrall out that Neville received in the mail from his gran earlier that day. It hadn't taken long for Neville to give the item up. Everyone forgot something, knowing it just made you more stressed out. The thing had gone red for everyone they passed it to before the flying lessons started up. Still, Neville leaned on his broom, sighing in relief as Draco directed Vincent and Gregory to fly underneath in case the others dropped it in a game of catch.

"Any idea who or what might actually be in the third year dorm room?"

Startled, Neville's broom shook as he whipped his wide eyed face back around to Dudley. "N-n-no? Well...Ron's older brothers...the twins from the train platform."

"Exactly."

Dudley and Neville both looked down to see Hermione slowly jerking her way up toward them. Brown eyes cast a frustrated and upset look across the open area where Harry easily weaved around Theodore, Blaise, Millicent, Tracey, and Draco as the proudly chosen Pansy gave the Remembrall a great toss. Daphne hovered off to the side, not taking part. Madam Hooch was currently busy focusing on basics with everyone else to pay attention to the impromptu game. Ron, while decent at a broom, kept glaring the small group of Slytherins having fun together. Instead, he was attempting to display the correct methods and unintentionally annoying Madam Hooch. The taller boy had shot a couple dirty looks earlier at Dudley and Harry going over to help Neville.

"I noticed Harry the other night before curfew in the library, going around and bothering other students." That wasn't surprising. Hermione had always struck him as wanting to be friends with Harry. Especially in how upset she became at realizing she missed her only invitation to play on the playground by Harry. "When I went to remind him about speaking in a library, he bothered me with what he'd been asking everyone else. If it was true the Weasley twins are the top pranksters. I told him as far as I knew, yes, but he had to stop speaking in a library. And somehow I got yelled at by Madam Pince for speaking and he was gone. I know there were always kids trying to figure out who was secretly moving Ms. Watson's things in her office and they thought it was just a bit of fun, but I also remember hearing Mr. Lupin make a comment at his desk when the kids were all busy laughing about it on how she should really stop giving you such a hard time. And that he should have another conversation to Harry about it."

Wide eyed, Dudley stared at the girl, startled at her saying all of this in one breath. And that she'd noticed who'd been the real culprit behind it and why.

"While I completely understand he's coming from a good place, you should really go to a professor if you've been subjugated to a prank."

Baffled, blue eyes blinked.

"But I haven't."

Everything that fueled up Hermione's speech deflated. "You...haven't? I was ready to go over at dinner to talk to them about pranking you and about confessing to Professor McGonagall on what they'd done. I can't figure why else Harry would be asking about them and then overhearing you two talking about the Weasley twins combined with a third year dorm room. I mean, it would make sense if he wanted to get in there to get back at them for something they did to you like how he did to Ms. Watson. You're his cousin. Don't you have an idea Dudley?"

He hesitated, then shook his head.

"Well he can't be entering our house," she declared firmly. "It's against the rules."

And with that, the girl flew back to the rest clustered around Madam Hooch. For all her lack of ability on a broomstick, Hermione still left a mark in her exit. Dudley caught the tip of Neville's broom as it made a sudden lurch up. Neville swiveled his head to him. The round faced boy looked both grateful and desperate at once. "She's go-going to be looking for him. Can't y-you make Harry f-forget about going? Not go with him?"

The last part was hopeful and Dudley raised his eyebrows at Neville. They both knew from past experiences what Harry was like when he decided to include them. Dudley more so than Neville. Rule breaking or not, Dudley went along when Harry popped up with some new 'quest'. They were cousins. Not to mention, the chances of fun were pretty high. Along with amusing, interesting, and challenging. Dudley was the one who problem solved and suggested plans when things went awry. And Harry tended to listen. Better that he go along when his cousin was extremely likely to come pounding on his door later tonight. Dudley felt better if he went along just in case.

"Maybe f-figure out if he can do whatever it is," Neville gulped. "A different way?"

"I'll try," Dudley responded dubiously. But honestly? The whole idea of sneaking through the castle under the cover of darkness to see the much talked about Gryffindor Tower was growing on him. Harry had successfully been out and about late at night without being caught. Neville had the password. And as much as Hermione brought up the rules, Dudley had already seen her break them once before in the library for him. She clearly kept lingering close to them before, during, and after Potions. And he kept seeing her eyesight go back to Harry. It didn't seem likely she'd really bring him in to any professors. Even if she'd go on about rules being broken.

The nagging of why bothered the blond. Through the lesson on brooms finishing up, to dinner, and after they made their way out after curfew. The real reason of why Harry wanted to get into the third year dorms was proving just as difficult to pin down as Dudley expected. An open ended question with his cousin meant Harry could worm out of properly answering you. Which Harry was clearly enjoying as he scampered along the edge of the corridor. Annoyed, Dudley blew a puff of air out and decided to forget it for the moment. He'd find out soon enough and deal with it then.

The blond grinned just as widely back at his cousin when they made a stop in the Great Hall, jumping up and racing down the length of two long house tables. Dudley won. Harry had been too busy leaping up into the air as he went, trying to nab a floating candle. They continued on as they did before with the light of torches in the corridors as Harry was unsuccessful. Green eyes shining with anticipation, Harry waved his hand for him to follow as he speed up to a portrait. Dudley reached it soon after and found a snoring lady residing within it. She was, as her name suggested, a fat lady, and wore a pink silk dress.

There was a slight creak and out popped a round head of tussled hair from behind the frame. Neville looked terrified.

"I-I don't think this is a good idea. Hermione g-gave me a—"

"Neville, you're awesome. Come on Dud." Harry pulled the portrait frame open wider, reaching back to grab Dudley by his cloak and pull him closer. "We have a map to liberate from the base of pranksters. Great quest, am I right?"

With that being sprung upon them, Dudley and Neville had their answer of why Harry was so set of getting a peek inside the third year dorm room of Gryffindor Tower. But before he could begin to make arguments against how Harry had decided to get the map, there were so many things that screamed at messing with a pair of pranksters in a dorm of students two years older, Dudley was yanked all the way through the doorway. And before the portrait could swing shut behind them, a dark shape sprang up from farther ahead. A lamp clicked on next to a red plush chair. Wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown, Hermione stormed forward. Blue eyes went wide in his surprise over the pink bathrobe. Pink?

"I can't believe you did this Harry. I almost told Ron's brother." Harry's jaw dropped. Dudley caught the almost and knew he could talk his cousin to retreat in promise of a better plan to reach his goal. Now that he knew. Hermione rolled her eyes. "The one that's a prefect. Percy. He'd know what to do about this. You sneaking around at night after curfew! Dudley, I thought you were better than this. And Neville, letting them into Gryffindor Tower. Honestly!"

"We can always look at your mum and dad's old photographs to see what it looks like Harry. There's another way." In seeing Harry's eyes light up, Dudley knew his cousin understood his meaning. He also knew he better think of a plan later to get a hold of the map, if the twins even had it.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor or Slytherin? You only care—"

All three boys backing up from her tirade stumbled into the corridor, falling into and on top of one another. Hermione followed them out. "I warned you. You all just remember what I said when..."

There was a snort and huffing sound. Hermione turned from where she stood. Meanwhile, Dudley, Harry, and Neville peered up from where they were tangled on the floor. The Fat Lady had woken up from the commotion and gazed blearily down at them all. With an incoherent grumble, she shuffled up and out of her portrait, a mumble about getting a drink echoed as she left.

It didn't take long.

"Now what am I going to do?"

"Play leapfrog through the Great Hall," Harry suggested brightly.

The girl spun and glared. "Now isn't the time for games! We're locked out!"

Dudley frowned and looked to Neville. The boy was shrinking away from the bushy haired girl, hands and feet pushing his way back across the cold floor. What confused Dudley though was the small nod confirming Hermione's words. The portrait was still there on the wall. The entrance was right there. For Slytherin, they said a password to a stone wall and it always worked as far as he knew. The way Hermione yelled suggested the same wasn't true for Gryffindor.

"Can't you just say the password?"

"Don't tell them the password Neville! Besides, we can't use the password since the Fat Lady is gone. We're going with you."

Harry crowed. "Excellent!"

"Do you think Neville and I are going to stand around waiting for Filch to catch us? If he finds all of us, I'll just tell him the truth and you can back me up."

"So, leapfrog then?"

Neville whimpered and shuffled close as Hermione shouted. She ranted, clearly trying to argue long winded points to Harry who remained cheerfully oblivious. His responses only caused Hermione to become more indignant and speak faster. It was a very amusing distraction as they waited, as Harry's remarks were becoming markedly more outrageous. But Dudley tried to think if there was a better way to go about doing this. They could be waiting for the Fat Lady's return for a while. And not getting caught would be nice, but getting back to bed was going to start ranking higher the longer they waited. There went the easy end to the night Dudley expected after he offered another way to Harry a few minutes ago.

Author's Note: I know it's been a few Sundays. Sitting down to type this Sunday felt weird. It's been a while. Like I need to get back into the groove and character mindsets. Probably my own fault as I've been writing ahead of my updates on a story from a different category. Combined together with going over the what went right and wrong for the post mortem meeting about the convention mentioned previously. Most of it was that I need to figure out future details to a 'What If' story that became more than I expected from the start. I've been really thinking about how and when the big bad is going to crop up. And about Neville. By the way, is anyone like me right now, wanting to race on those long tables and try to leap for a candle or two like Harry tried? Floating candle, yes, I'll take one please. Thank you to the favorites and follows and to the reviewers Runaway Fantasy Princess and duj.