All characters belong to someone else (except the original onesJ.)

Chapter 7:Catching up

Harry and Dudley followed Professor McGonagall to Gryffindor Tower while wearing their biggest smiles.  Harry took in the beauty of the campus, and thought pleasantly of how glad he was to return.  Dudley was strangely excited by even the different smell of the air. He felt energy all over him that was new and a little scary all at the same time.  He put his arm around Harry as if it was the natural thing to do, and Harry responded in kind as he smiled back.  Harry remembered how exciting his first day at Hogwart's had been, and enviously thought about how much better it would likely be for Dudley. 

Once they were inside the tower, they were led to the common room. They approached the great portrait, which is the entrance to the common room.  The lady in the portrait spoke loudly, "Password pl." "Alohomora!" Professor McGonagall cut her off with a wave of her wand.  "How rude!" said the lady in the portrait, as the door on which she rested swung open. "You would think she didn't know who the head of this house is," Professor McGonagall said dryly.  Harry and Dudley giggled as they entered the common room.

"Welcome to Hogwart's, Mr. Dursley," She said as they all took seats. "I am professor McGonagall." Pleased to meet you," Dudley said with a grin. The professor went on, "I have been given the task of getting you caught up to the second term first years. These next few weeks will be quite difficult, but I am sure that Mr. Potter will gladly help you along."  Professor McGonagall waved her wand gracefully, and two letters without envelopes appeared Harry and Dudley's laps. "This is a list of all the things you will need to acquire today at Diagon Alley.  Your lists are different, but you shall need to procure them at the same stores.  Mr. Potter knows the way.  I have left adequate floo powder on the mantle, and you may floo back.  Please do not loiter, as time is short before dark.  I will be alerted when you return, and the password for the portrait will be Acacio Eclipse.

Oh, Mr. Ronald Weasley and Mr.Seamus Finnegan will be returning with you, along with Professor Lupin. They will be waiting for you at The Leaky Cauldron. Professor Lupin has opened an account at Gringott's in your name Mr. Dursley, and Mr. Potter will help you through all of this. Enjoy your shopping. I shall expect you back before dusk." "See you later, then, Professor," Harry said while grinning as he noticed how nervously quiet Dudley had become.

"What's wrong Dudley?" Harry asked calmly. Dudley confessed, "I guess I feel a bit overwhelmed by all of this. I didn't really know what to expect, but I thought that I would at least understand what people were saying when they spoke to me. I mean, leaky cauldrons, gringott's, Diagon Alley; these things sound strange."   Harry laughed and told Dudley, "The Leaky Cauldron is actually the entrance to Diagon Alley. The magical world is sort of separate from the muggle world. Do you follow?" Dudley smiled and nodded. "Good," Harry continued. "Now Gringott's is a wizard bank that is run by goblins. Magic folk, like us, use different money. You will find that all of our money is formed into coins of different amounts, galleons and sickles.  Twelve sickles equal a galleon and so on. And Diagon Alley is a place where magical folk do their shopping.  You will see some amazing things there, but stay close to me, and make sure to ask before you touch anything. Now let's go."

The cousins approached the fireplace. "Let me guess," Dudley said wirily, "We are traveling through that fire, aren't we?" "Great guess!" Harry told him. "Cool!" Dudley yelled, unable to control his excitement. "Listen, all you do is throw some floo powder and say the name Diagon Alley loudly and clearly. Walk into the fire and you will come out at The Leaky Cauldron." Dudley grabbed the floo powder, threw it in the fireplace and yelled, "DIAGON ALLEY!" Dudley disappeared into the fireplace. Harry did the same, and in a moment they were standing inside The Leaky Cauldron.  "Wow! That was ultimate!" Dudley beamed.

Harry grabbed their list and read over them. He was planning the order of the shops they needed to visit when a hand slapped him on the back, and he turned to see his best friend Ron. "Ron! It's wonderful to see you. How are you?" Harry said shaking Ron's hand.  "Fine. Professor McGonagall felt you would need company, and probably help getting your cousin up to speed." "Right. Dudley, this is my best friend in the world, Ron Weasley. It was his father who brought our portkey this morning." Harry announced as Dudley and Ron shook hands. "Glad to know you aren't quite the prat that I have heard," Ron added smirking. "I've been through a few changes lately. Any friend of Harry's is all right by me. I am glad to meet you, Ron." Dudley said politely.

Ron continued, "Professor Lupin and Seamus are waiting for us out front. We should go. The goblins at Gringott's get particularly testy around lunch time." They proceeded to the front of The Leaky Cauldron, where they met the professor and Seamus. After all the introductions were made, they went to Gringott's Bank, and Dudley grabbed Harry's arm in fear of the strange looking goblins. Dudley stopped to read the sign posted at the entrance:

                  Enter stranger, but take heed

                  Of what awaits the sin of greed.

                   For those who take, but do not earn

                   Must pay more dearly in their turn,

                   So if you seek beneath our floors

                   A treasure that was never yours,

                    Thief, you have been warned,

                    Beware of finding more than treasure there.

 Dudley had only seen such things on television, and had never believed them to be real. Harry, Ron, Seamus, and Professor Lupin all chuckled as they helped Dudley through the process of getting his bag of coins and getting their own money as well.

As they left the bank, Professor Lupin took charge. "Ron and Seamus, you will go to Flourish and Blotts to acquire books for you all. I have made a master list so that you will need only on parchment. I will accompany Mr. Dursley and Harry to Ollivander's to procure a wand for Mr. Dursley. We will meet at Apothecary in twenty minutes. The stores will not be so crowded, as most students have not received their lists." Ron and Seamus took the master list and headed off. Harry and Dudley followed Professor Lupin to Ollivander's.

As they entered Ollivander's, Mr. Ollivander greeted them. "Who have we here?" he said recognizing everyone else.  "My name is Dudley Dursley, sir." Dudley answered as Mr. Ollivander was standing with a quill and parchment taking measurements and making calculations. "Mr. Dursley, I wondered whether you would even be needing a wand! Of course, I believe I have just the one. I know you arrived just a short time ago, because a box just jumped off the shelf! Let me get it for you." Mr. Ollivander said and turned to hand Dudley a gorgeous wand made of shiny redwood. Dudley took the wand and as he did, it began to glow. Even Professor Lupin showed surprise, and instinctively drew his wand.  Harry merely took a few steps backward, and placed his hand over his own wand. Mr. Ollivander smiled and chided, "Give her a wave!" Dudley gracefully waved the wand, and said in an enchanting voice that took everyone by surprise, "Incendio!" A few small sparks flew from the tip of the wand, and then a perfect green flame flickered at the tip of the wand. "Well done, Mr. Dursley! I think that wand had chosen quite well, indeed! Wouldn't you two agree?" Mr. Ollivander asked of the two open-mouthed wizards. "Dudley, how did you know that spell?" Harry asked. "I found an old book of spells at my grandmother's house when I was a little boy. I suddenly remember almost all of them. Would you like to see another one?" Dudley beamed. "No, that will be enough for now, Mr. Dursley. I don't think I can handle another just now." Professor Lupin quickly answered. Dudley paid Mr. Ollivander and they left. "This is going to be very interesting." Harry whispered to Professor Lupin as headed to meet Ron and Seamus at Apothecary.

The group met at the entrance of Apothecary, and bought all of their potions supplies. Later they visited Madam Malkin's Robes For All occasions, bought Dudley a cauldron at Cauldron Shop, and Dudley bought a pet kittypup. The kittypup looked like puppy, but didn't bark. Instead it purred like a kitten, and made a slight yelping noise when excited or hungry. It was a pretty animal whose coat was golden with a white patch on its nose. The kittypup was only about two months old, and was already as big as it was going to get. It took an instant liking to Dudley and rode on his shoulder as they walked towards The Leaky Cauldron to return to Hogwart's.