Petunia Dursley could not believe what she was doing. Here she was in the
stands of an unfamiliar school-a wizard school at that-preparing to spend
God-knows-how-many-hours watching a sport that she'd never seen before. To
top that off, she didn't even know any of the players. She knew that Harry
had once been an avid Quidditch player. That Nimbus 2000 of his had been
his prize possession, and once he'd gotten the Firebolt he'd been even
worse. She didn't suppose that he realized she knew these things. That
even if she tried to pretend otherwise, she did know a few things about the
wizarding world and how her nephew fit into it.
But for whatever reason, Harry wasn't playing today. She knew that because he was sitting next to her in the stands. Well, actually as far away as he could possibly get while still being in the same row, but it was close enough for her taste. Diddy was on one side of her, and those Grangers were on the other side. Now they seemed like the right sort of people, successful dentists. If it wasn't for that witch of a daughter of theirs, Petunia might have considered socializing with them. Maybe she could invite them for dinner sometime during the school year, when that know-it- all Hermione and her own nephew Harry would be safely out of range in Hogwarts.
Dumbledore was approaching the center of the field. He began to speak, and even though there was no public address system, she could hear him perfectly. Of course he must have used an amplifying spell on his voice. Why did these wizards have to use magic just because they could? They were all a bunch of show-offs.
"If I might have your attention," Dumbledore was saying, "it is almost time for the game to begin. As you may be aware, each school year Hogwarts has 6 regular Quidditch matches that determine the winner of the school Quidditch cup. The winner this year has already been determined. However, since Quidditch is such a huge part of the life of the school, we felt our guests needed to get a taste of it. For that reason Miss Bella Zimm, a member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, has arranged this special exhibition match. I feel it appropriate to point out that the composition of the teams was entirely her doing. So without further ado, I give you teams Slytherpuff and Gryffinclaw!" At that moment, 14 players came out onto the field, half in silver and black and half in bronze and gold.
A collective gasp went up from all the Hogwarts students in the stands, while the Muggle guests just looked puzzled. There was a flurry of whispers as people tried to explain to their guests just how unusual and surprising the teams were, especially Slytherpuff. Petunia didn't really care about all that. She just wanted the game to be over, and soon.
The players mounted their brooms, Madam Hooch threw the quaffle into the air, and the game began. Petunia's eyes glazed over as the various balls and players swooped past faster than she could ever hope to follow. Next to her, however, her son was watching the game much more avidly. He couldn't follow the mechanics of the game either, but it didn't matter. Unlike his mother, he did know one player, the blond prefect he'd met at lunch, and he was content to follow his movements around the field. The way he zoomed and swooped and hovered on that broom was simply amazing! Dudley had never before dreamed it possible, but suddenly he wanted to be a wizard in the worst way. He could become a Quidditch player and fly around the pitch as effortlessly as that boy was doing! He knew that could never really happen, of course, so his second choice was to get to know a Quidditch player. His cousin Harry was completely out of the question, of course, but this one seemed like a good sort. As long as he never revealed how he really felt about Harry, they could probably be friends.
Out on the field, Draco Malfoy was getting annoyed. It was impossible for him to even locate the snitch among all the glittering metallic robes! Hadn't anyone thought of that before designing the costumes? This game would go on forever at this rate.
No sooner had he thought that than Ginny Weasley, the Gryffinclaw seeker, made a sharp dive for the ground. At first Draco was sure she was simply going into a Wronski feint, but then at the last moment he saw her fingers tighten around the tiny golden orb. Darn it! Gryffinclaw had won after only 10 minutes! Now what was he supposed to do?
In the crowd, Ron was much happier. "Weasleys rule! Weasleys rule!" he was shouting at the top of his voice. He grabbed onto Harry's arm and the two of them stormed the field. Hermione ran behind, shouting something about not getting carried away and respecting school property. Draco noticed all this and was about to fly over and crash the impromptu Weasley celebration when he noticed something else. Harry's cousin was sitting alone in the stands with only some Muggle adults watching over him. Certainly they wouldn't have any idea who Draco was. It would be only too easy to lure the big oxen away and get him to reveal the location of the Chamber of Secrets.
He approached Dudley and asked cheerfully, "You want to go on an adventure with me?"
Dudley's eyes shone brightly. "Yeah!" he said, almost too eagerly.
"Just tell your mother you're heading back to Hogwarts with me," Draco instructed him.
Dudley tugged on his mother's arm. She was deep in conversation with Mrs. Granger and didn't seem to want to be disturbed. "Mom, I'm going back to Hogwarts with my friend! Is it ok?"
"Yes, dear," Petunia said absently. "Have fun!"
As the two boys walked back towards the school, Draco realized they still didn't know each other's names. "I'm Draco Malfoy," he said. "What's your name?"
"Dudley Dursley," was the reply.
Meanwhile, back at the Quidditch pitch, Dumbledore was making another announcement. "Since this match was one of the shortest in recent memory, and since there are almost 3 hours until the closing reception, it has been decided that our Muggle guests can either return to the house common rooms or take a side trip to Hogsmeade, the wizarding village nearby. Host students are asked to please accompany their guests to whichever destination they choose."
Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way back to the stands where they had left their guests. The grown-ups were there, but Dudley was missing. "Where's Dudley?" Harry asked, afraid that he might have gotten himself lost again.
"Oh, he went back to the school with one of the prefects," Petunia said. "I'm sure he just wanted a nice rest in the common room this afternoon."
Harry wasn't sure which prefect would want to hang around with Dudley all day, but he decided not to worry about it too much. "How about you, Aunt Petunia?" he asked as politely as he could. "Would you like to return to the school as well, or would you like to go shopping in Hogsmeade?"
Harry was already sure of the answer. Aunt Petunia could never get enough of shopping. Even wizard stores would no doubt be tempting for her. And he was right, as she quickly agreed to the shopping trip. Hermione's parents did the same, and so the 6 of them set off for an unexpected afternoon of fun in Hogsmeade, never suspecting for a minute that Dudley was now in the clutches of Draco Malfoy.
But for whatever reason, Harry wasn't playing today. She knew that because he was sitting next to her in the stands. Well, actually as far away as he could possibly get while still being in the same row, but it was close enough for her taste. Diddy was on one side of her, and those Grangers were on the other side. Now they seemed like the right sort of people, successful dentists. If it wasn't for that witch of a daughter of theirs, Petunia might have considered socializing with them. Maybe she could invite them for dinner sometime during the school year, when that know-it- all Hermione and her own nephew Harry would be safely out of range in Hogwarts.
Dumbledore was approaching the center of the field. He began to speak, and even though there was no public address system, she could hear him perfectly. Of course he must have used an amplifying spell on his voice. Why did these wizards have to use magic just because they could? They were all a bunch of show-offs.
"If I might have your attention," Dumbledore was saying, "it is almost time for the game to begin. As you may be aware, each school year Hogwarts has 6 regular Quidditch matches that determine the winner of the school Quidditch cup. The winner this year has already been determined. However, since Quidditch is such a huge part of the life of the school, we felt our guests needed to get a taste of it. For that reason Miss Bella Zimm, a member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, has arranged this special exhibition match. I feel it appropriate to point out that the composition of the teams was entirely her doing. So without further ado, I give you teams Slytherpuff and Gryffinclaw!" At that moment, 14 players came out onto the field, half in silver and black and half in bronze and gold.
A collective gasp went up from all the Hogwarts students in the stands, while the Muggle guests just looked puzzled. There was a flurry of whispers as people tried to explain to their guests just how unusual and surprising the teams were, especially Slytherpuff. Petunia didn't really care about all that. She just wanted the game to be over, and soon.
The players mounted their brooms, Madam Hooch threw the quaffle into the air, and the game began. Petunia's eyes glazed over as the various balls and players swooped past faster than she could ever hope to follow. Next to her, however, her son was watching the game much more avidly. He couldn't follow the mechanics of the game either, but it didn't matter. Unlike his mother, he did know one player, the blond prefect he'd met at lunch, and he was content to follow his movements around the field. The way he zoomed and swooped and hovered on that broom was simply amazing! Dudley had never before dreamed it possible, but suddenly he wanted to be a wizard in the worst way. He could become a Quidditch player and fly around the pitch as effortlessly as that boy was doing! He knew that could never really happen, of course, so his second choice was to get to know a Quidditch player. His cousin Harry was completely out of the question, of course, but this one seemed like a good sort. As long as he never revealed how he really felt about Harry, they could probably be friends.
Out on the field, Draco Malfoy was getting annoyed. It was impossible for him to even locate the snitch among all the glittering metallic robes! Hadn't anyone thought of that before designing the costumes? This game would go on forever at this rate.
No sooner had he thought that than Ginny Weasley, the Gryffinclaw seeker, made a sharp dive for the ground. At first Draco was sure she was simply going into a Wronski feint, but then at the last moment he saw her fingers tighten around the tiny golden orb. Darn it! Gryffinclaw had won after only 10 minutes! Now what was he supposed to do?
In the crowd, Ron was much happier. "Weasleys rule! Weasleys rule!" he was shouting at the top of his voice. He grabbed onto Harry's arm and the two of them stormed the field. Hermione ran behind, shouting something about not getting carried away and respecting school property. Draco noticed all this and was about to fly over and crash the impromptu Weasley celebration when he noticed something else. Harry's cousin was sitting alone in the stands with only some Muggle adults watching over him. Certainly they wouldn't have any idea who Draco was. It would be only too easy to lure the big oxen away and get him to reveal the location of the Chamber of Secrets.
He approached Dudley and asked cheerfully, "You want to go on an adventure with me?"
Dudley's eyes shone brightly. "Yeah!" he said, almost too eagerly.
"Just tell your mother you're heading back to Hogwarts with me," Draco instructed him.
Dudley tugged on his mother's arm. She was deep in conversation with Mrs. Granger and didn't seem to want to be disturbed. "Mom, I'm going back to Hogwarts with my friend! Is it ok?"
"Yes, dear," Petunia said absently. "Have fun!"
As the two boys walked back towards the school, Draco realized they still didn't know each other's names. "I'm Draco Malfoy," he said. "What's your name?"
"Dudley Dursley," was the reply.
Meanwhile, back at the Quidditch pitch, Dumbledore was making another announcement. "Since this match was one of the shortest in recent memory, and since there are almost 3 hours until the closing reception, it has been decided that our Muggle guests can either return to the house common rooms or take a side trip to Hogsmeade, the wizarding village nearby. Host students are asked to please accompany their guests to whichever destination they choose."
Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way back to the stands where they had left their guests. The grown-ups were there, but Dudley was missing. "Where's Dudley?" Harry asked, afraid that he might have gotten himself lost again.
"Oh, he went back to the school with one of the prefects," Petunia said. "I'm sure he just wanted a nice rest in the common room this afternoon."
Harry wasn't sure which prefect would want to hang around with Dudley all day, but he decided not to worry about it too much. "How about you, Aunt Petunia?" he asked as politely as he could. "Would you like to return to the school as well, or would you like to go shopping in Hogsmeade?"
Harry was already sure of the answer. Aunt Petunia could never get enough of shopping. Even wizard stores would no doubt be tempting for her. And he was right, as she quickly agreed to the shopping trip. Hermione's parents did the same, and so the 6 of them set off for an unexpected afternoon of fun in Hogsmeade, never suspecting for a minute that Dudley was now in the clutches of Draco Malfoy.