A/N: Special thanks to Kimbra and Dunderhead! Sorry Kimbra for not going along

with the idea that I should put Dudley into Slytherin but I will make Snape hate

him! For not using your idea, I dedicate this chapter to you okay?

Disclaimer: I own nothin'

~*A Change of Mind*~

Chapter 6

Hogwarts… More Surprises.

The trip to Hogwarts was a blur to Harry. Partly it was because Dean, Seamus, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and himself was busy playing Exploding Snap. Dudley had left them after a while, as he felt not welcomed. They enjoyed themselves so much that they didn't notice that they were almost there until the announcement was made.

"We will be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage, as they will be brought into the castle separately. Thank you," went the announcement.

"Well, c'mon Ginny. We better change before we get there," Hermione said as she grabbed her bag from her seat and left the compartment.

Ginny followed suit and both of them exited the compartment to change. Harry closed the doors behind them.

"Hey Harry. Who was that kid we saw when we came? I've never seen him before and he looks our age," Seamus said as he puts on his uniform.

"He's Dudley, my cousin. The muggle I have to live with during the summer holidays," Harry mumbles, wishing they hadn't mentioned it.

"What's a muggle doing here? No offence Dean," Seamus asked again.

Dean mumbled something that sounded like 'none taken' through the robes that he was trying to pull on.

"You don't wanna know. Anyway he won't be any trouble 'cos he's not going to be enrolling," said Harry, who was now pulling on his uniform too.

"Too bad. I would love to see the look on his face if Snape says he's gonna put poison in Dudley's food when he least expects it, just to see if his antidote works," Ron snorted, remembering the incident that happened to him before.

Harry laughed.

"What - a – sight – that – would - be," Harry managed to say between his laughs.

They all had put on their uniforms when suddenly the door slides open and Professor Dumbledore himself stood at the doorway.

"Good Evening, Sir. We were just leaving," Seamus said as he felt the train came to a stop.

Dumbledore nodded.

"Well, we all have to get off the train to get to the school. Please, don't let me be the one to stop you. You all can go except for you, Mr. Potter. I need to have a few words with you," said Professor Dumbledore, smiling.

Harry would have felt he had done something wrong if Professor Dumbledore hadn't said it with a smile. All three of them nodded and exited the room, bumping into Ginny and Hermione on the way out. Hermione gave Ron a questioning look and Ron mouthed 'He wants to talk to Harry'. Hermione nodded her head and followed Dean's lead.

"You wish to speak to me, Professor?" Harry asked as he watched the rest of his friends leave without him.

"Yes. Please, have a seat. Even though this will only take a moment but I'm sure that you will find this news rather shocking," Professor Dumbledore said as he himself took a seat while Harry took the one opposite of him.

"Well, I have been discussing this matter with Remus, Minerva and… Snuffles and we came to a conclusion that Dudley will be enrolling into Hogwarts after all," Dumbledore said slowly.

It took Harry a few minutes to absorb this information and when it finally did, he jumped to his feet.

"WHAT! Professor, please. I BEG you to reconsider. I can't be in the same room with him for barely a few seconds and now you're telling me that I might be in the same room with him during my meals AND MY CLASSES? He can't even hold a wand properly. Heck! He doesn't even have a wand. How do you expect him to… to… transfigure a match into a needle? He can't do it!" Harry exclaimed angrily, totally forgetting that he was actually talking to his headmaster.

He can't believe this is happening. He felt that he could have exploded in rage.

"Please Harry. Calm down. I realize that this is very shocking news to you but please, you have to look at it another way. He will not be in the 7th year like you. Instead he will be joining us, as a first year since, as you have mention earlier, can't even hold a wand properly. We are still not sure what house he will be sorted in until he has put on the Sorting Hat so let's not assume that he would be sorted into Gryffindor like you have suggested. We need him to at least know the basic ways to defend himself if Voldemort decides to kill them. I am sorry Harry but it seems as if we have no choice," explained Professor Dumbledore.

Harry was too shock to say anything so he just flopped down to the seat he had been sitting on earlier.

"I can't believe this is happening to me. I was hoping that this year would be just as exciting as the last six years that I have been attending Hogwarts but it seems as if I was wrong. I can't possibly do anything with Dudley around the school. He will tell everything I do is against the rules just to get me expelled. I don't need this now. I've got N.E.W.T.s to go through this year and a Quidditch cup to win. I really don't need this right now," Harry mumbles as he puts his head on his hands.

There was a short pause before Harry spoke again.

"Do the other Dursleys agree with this?" said Harry, softly.

"We haven't told them yet. We thought that it was best if you were the one to inform them about this matter," said Professor Dumbledore.

After a moment of thinking, Harry had no other choice than to agree.

"Alright, Professor. I hope you know what you're doing and I trust you will do the right thing for all of us. It is because of this, that I am agreeing. I just hope that he won't be sorted into Gryffindor. Now that I think about it, I don't think that he is worthy enough to be sorted into any of the houses. Not even Hufflepuff," said Harry.

"Now, now Harry. We will leave that for the Sorting Hat to decide," Professor Dumbledore said with a smile and twinkle in his eyes. "But I need you to be there when I tell this to the Dursleys. I'm not sure they will agree to this but we have to make them agree. It's the only way so that they will have at least some defence against Voldemort."

"I doubt that they will listen to anything I say but sure, Professor. Just lead the way," Harry said in a small voice.

Professor Dumbledore nodded and led Harry towards the very end of the train, which Harry guessed where the Dursleys were sitting. Professor Dumbledore looked at Harry for a moment before he opened the door. There they were, sitting in the compartment. Dudley was sitting opposite his parents, Mr. Dursley sitting nearer to the doors.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, I have a few matter to discuss before we make our way to Hogwarts," Professor Dumbledore said to the two grown ups.

Uncle Vernon grunted and he moved towards the other side of the compartment, leaving his seat empty so that Professor Dumbledore and Harry could sit. Professor Dumbledore and Harry sat down and then Professor Dumbledore continued.

"You see, I have been discussing with few of our most important professors and we have come down to a conclusion that Dudley will have to be enrolled into Hogwarts," Professor Dumbledore started.

Well, as Harry had guessed, both Vernon and Petunia's action were more or less what Harry had done except that Harry didn't cry like Petunia did.

"I will NOT have Dudley learning what he's learning! I forbid Dudley to enter that school," Uncle Vernon boomed and jumped from his seat.

Aunt Petunia didn't say anything but just cry and held Dudley closer to her. Professor Dumbledore remained calm.

"The reason we have to do this is because your son is your only hope against Voldemort if he chooses to attack you. He will be taught on how to defend himself when the time requires him to do so. Surely Harry won't be with you all the time because he has other responsibilities," continued Professor Dumbledore.

"Him? What responsibilities does he have? He couldn't save us even if he was there," Vernon smirked.

Harry took a deep breath and spoke.

"I don't like this any better than you do but Professor Dumbledore says that it is for your own protection. Imagine being face to face with the man that came to the house the other day without me to protect you like I did before. Now, if Dudley had been taught on how to use a wand properly and how to defend himself when the time comes, at least that will give us a chance to try and figure out where you are before Voldemort kills you," Harry said, crossing his arm in front of his chest, looking down at his extended legs and eventually closed his eyes.

"Harry is right. Please reconsider, Mr. Dursley, because it is for your own good. Dudley could be your only hope if Harry isn't there," said Professor Dumbledore, trying to make the Dursleys see his point.

Vernon kept quiet and took his seat, discussing quietly with Petunia and Dudley on about what to do. Harry wasn't bothered to listen and kept his distance until Vernon cleared his throat.

"Well, if the only way we are going to survive this Voldemort fellow is by getting Dudley into this school of yours, we agree as long as he isn't in the same class as Dudley. I want Dudley to be in the first class along with the smart kids-" said Vernon

Harry interrupted him before Vernon could continue.

"First and foremost, I am in the 7th year and he will be in the first year. He lacks the skills to be in the same year as I am although we are of the same age. There are no first classes and last classes. There will be only one class and that is the same in the other schoolhouses. He will be sorted into a house and that house will be like a family to him. He will sleep in his dorm room, eat at his house table and go to classes with the rest of his house members. There are four houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. He will be sorted into the house when we get to the castle," Harry went on like an encyclopedia, obviously trying to keep his temper, as he was just insulted.

Dumbledore merely smile.

"Don't worry about your son's books and uniforms. I have spare books for your son to use in my office. I have also sent for Mr. Ollivander and Madam Malkin. Both of them should be arriving after we get into school," said Professor Dumbledore, smiling because the matter went well.

Harry looked up as Professor Dumbledore said this and saw that Vernon's face turned scarlet. He was mumbling something under his breath.

"Excuse me?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"I haven't any wizard money. How am I going to pay?" Vernon mumbles again, turning redder with every word.

Harry giggled as he never saw his uncle expressing embarrassment before and Professor Dumbledore looked at him, looking quite amused himself but gave Harry a warning look anyway.

"Well, do you have any muggle money with you now?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

Vernon nodded his head.

"Could you please give them to me?" asked Professor Dumbledore, very politely.

Harry watched as Vernon pulled out his wallet and handed Dumbledore some 50 dollars notes. Dumbledore mumbled something under his breath and the muggle money turned into wizard money.

"Now, shall we proceed to the school? Harry, I'm sure your team is waiting for their captain to join them before the feast starts," said Professor Dumbledore as he got up and helped Aunt Petunia and Harry up.

Harry heard Vernon and Dudley snort.

"Captain? You? At what?" Dudley smirked.

"None of your business. Remember Dudley. At school, I am your senior and you have to listen to me," Harry said as he pulled something out from his pocket and pinned it to his uniform.

Before Dudley could get a better look, Harry pulled his cloak around him.

The journey to the school using the horseless carriage was quiet. Professor Dumbledore and Harry took seat on one side of the carriage while the Dursleys' took the other side. It was raining so everyone pulled up their cloaks. Professor Dumbledore noticed that Harry was shivering so he reached into one of his cloak pocket and pulled out a bar of chocolate. He broke a piece and then he ate it. Then he broke another piece, bigger than the previous one and gave it to Harry. Harry gladly accepted it and whispered thanks to him. Professor Dumbledore smiled at Harry, with a twinkle in his eyes. He then broke another piece and offered it to Dudley. Before Dudley could take it, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon told Professor Dumbledore that they didn't need it. Nobody wanted to say anything so Harry kept looking outside, waiting for the view of the school. When he finally saw it, Harry smiled to himself.

"I feel sorry to leave all this behind during the summer holidays and now it will be my last year right. The past years here have been the most exciting and enjoyable years of my life," Harry said to Professor Dumbledore.

He just smiled.

"Yes, I will be sad when the great Harry Potter finally graduates from Hogwarts with the rest of his classmates. I just hope that you don't forget about all of us at Hogwarts," said Professor Dumbledore.

"I would never forget about it. I'm sure that I would need to remind Ron a couple of times about it but I'm under the impression that Hermione will be returning to this school as a teacher. She's really smart and would be good at teaching," Harry said.

"Miss Granger has been the most intelligent student Hogwarts have ever seen and it would certainly be an honour to have her working with us," Dumbledore said, smiling.

"Yeah but don't tell her I said that," Harry said, turning to look at the older man sitting beside him.

"I have already forgotten that this conversation, we had just now, existed," said Professor Dumbledore, smiling and then started humming to himself.

Harry smiled and turned to look at the view once again. After a few more minutes, the carriage came to a stop and all of them got off.

Harry, who allowed the Dursleys off before he did, was happy to see that the sight of the school took them aback. Harry merely smiled as he and Professor Dumbledore made their way to the Great Hall. The sorting ceremony hasn't started as they were waiting for Professor Dumbledore. All the conversations came to a halt when all five of them entered the hall. Harry spotted his friends at the end of the Gryffindor table, which was nearest to the staff table and went to join them while the Dursleys followed Professor Dumbledore to the staff table. Then, Professor Dumbledore motioned them to sit at the three empty seats at the end of the table, closer to the Gryffindor's house table.

The usual ceremony took place. Professor McGonagall called Dudley and asked him to follow her to the chamber which the first years are suppose to wait in before they are called out for the sorting ceremony. Ron, who was sitting beside Harry, whispered something. Hermione was on his other side.

"Harry, what did Professor Dumbledore talk to you about?" whispered Ron.

"That Dudley will be sorted along with the rest of the first year students," Harry whispered back.

"WHAT! How come?" Hermione whispered back fiercely.

"I'll tell you later," Harry said when he saw Snape looking at them.

Just then, the first years were led to the front of the hall and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on the stool. Their attention was drawn to the hat.

* Okay Peeps. This is where I leave you to make up your own tunes for the Sorting Hat song. I'm not good at it so make one up if you like. *

As soon as the Sorting Hat finished its song, the room burst into applause.

"When I call your name, you will step forward, put on the hat and sit on the stool. It will tell you which house you will be sorted into. Burns, Jade," Professor McGonagall called out.

A girl with blond hair came up, looking rather nervous. After a few moments…

"Ravenclaw!" the Sorting Hat yells.

The second table from the left clapped and cheered as Jade went to join them.

"Clarington, Greg."

"Slytherin!"

"Diggleburgs, Lance."

"Hufflepuff!"
"Domes, Mandy."

"Hufflepuff!"

"Dursley, Dudley."

Harry watched as Dudley made his way to the stool and put on the Sorting Hat. It actually took the hat two whole minutes before it finally shouted the house he belonged to. Harry felt his world going blur as it did.

"Gryffindor!"