Chapter Two

Cousin Confession

Well, here's the second chapter, and as I forgot the disclaimer on the first,I hope I'll be forgiven when I put it in here :) Anyway, I hope you'll like my story, and please review!This is my first fic and I would be really happy to get some feedback...

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, related characters or places, only this fic and it's story.

So, there you go: read and review :)

Two days later, Harry woke in his bed with his scar aching terribly. He knew what was going on - something had happened that Voldemort was not happy about, and Harry could feel the Dark Lord's anger, though it slowly faded away. Harry sighed, and decided that he might just get up, as he knew he wouldn't get more sleep.

He dressed quickly and went down to the kitchen for some breakfast. Something told him he wasn't the only one who hadn't been able to sleep, and some loud noises from the television downstairs told him he was right. He entered the kitchen to find Dudley eating toast and watching a cartoon.

'Hi, Dudders,' Harry said loudly, laughing silently at the angry, but frightened look on Dudleys face when he discovered Harry. 'Bit early for you, isn't it?'

Dudley grunted slightly and threw him a very dirty look. 'Sorry, I didn't catch that,' Harry said, amused. Slowly, Dudley turned his pig-like face away from the television and stared at Harry. 'What do you think you are?' he said angrily.

This took Harry by surprise. It was a long time since Dudley had last spoken to him, and even then he had wore a terrified look and spoken in a very tense, shaky voice. 'What?' Harry said. 'You heard me,' said Dudley, his voice firm and cool.

'Do I think I am anything, what do you mean?' Harry was confused. Dudley grunted once more. 'Just because you could fight those shadows and I could not, you think you are some kind of superior around here. I think you ought to remember that this house belongs to MY parents, not yours!' Harry watched his cousin grow more and more angry. Suddenly, Dudley seemed to explode with surpressed anger.

'You don't know what it's like, being attacked like I was! And there was nothing there to attack me! And I heard voices, Isaw things, things like... like...' his voice shook and died.

'Dudley?' Harry asked palely. He had never heard his cousin speak of his encounter with the Dementors. 'What did you see?'

Dudley glanced at him, his face wearing an almost sad expression. He sat down by the table and took a deep breath, while Harry moved closer. 'What did you see?'Harry asked again, at the same time eager and not willing to know what horrors the Dementors had sent upon Dudley.

'Why should I tell you?' Dudley said weakly, his fists clutchedupon the table. 'Why do you care?' Harryconsideredthe questionfor a moment, then answered: 'Because I know what they do. The Dementors are horrible beings, not visible to you, but to wizards they are as real as you and me. They are gigantic, black figures, draped in black cloaks, and when they attack...'

He took a short break to see how Dudley reacted, then continued: '...they suck out all your happy memories, leaving you with only the most terrible memories of your life.' At this, Dudley winced and hid his face in his hands.

'I saw...' he began, then started to sob. Harry jumped at this sudden display of emotion from his cousin. 'I saw myself. I saw myself in the first grade... trying to... to impress a girl.' He stopped, drew a huge breath and sobbed a little again. 'So know you know - the truth about "great, dangerous Big D"...' he laughed painfully.

Harry was veryconfused. Why was Dudley's worst memory of himself trying to impress a girl?? 'Dudley,' Harry said slowly, 'what happened?'