Disclaimer: I own nothing having to do with the Harry Potter Universe. The squirrel, however, is MINE!

Harry Potter and the Strength of Three

Chapter 2: Apologies

The next day after showering and getting dressed, Harry pulled an old backpack from his closet that he used during his days in elementary school. He popped open his trunk, (still having to give it a good kick first,) and pulled out a few books. Curses, Hexes and Charms for the Intermediate Duelist, Fight Fire with Fire: An introduction to Auror Tactics, and Dark Arts Through the Ages. All three books given to him by Mad-Eye Moody before he had left King's Cross station four days ago.

"Take this, Potter. You might find it useful." Harry had blinked at him, turned, and followed after the Dursleys.

Taking a quill, ink, and parchment, Harry sat at the folding table used as his desk. He had to write some letters.

Order of the Phoenix,

I have arrived at 4 Privet Drive and am in good health.

Dursley's are rotten as always, though Dudley seems

strange. Neighbors think I'm dangerous.

Write you in three days.

Harry

The letter made him chuckle a bit, let them puzzle through the neighbor's bit. Taking a clean sheet of parchment, he dipped his quill again.

Ron,

I feel as though I'm surrounded by Slytherins. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are sods as always, though there is something strange going on. I walked in on Dudley arguing with them yesterday, and then he asks me how I can stand living here. Like I have a choice! Then, when I leave the house, the neighbors all look at me like I just climbed out of the sewer. They all think I go to to St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys. I can't walk down the street without them sneering at me. If I so much as frown at them, they almost faint and run into their houses. Its kind of depressing.

To top it all off, the cast-off clothes of Dudley's that I get to wear are so big I look like a bloody criminal. I went to a store yesterday, and the clerk looked at me like I was going to rob the place.

Heres the weirdest part, but don't tell anyone. I have a bunch of gray hair. I look wierd.

Harry

One more to go, and he could get on with his day.

Hermione,

How are you doing? I'm sure you and your parents have some grand vacation planned, and you'll have a great summer. Mine isn't too bad so far. Don't worry about me getting too depressed about Sirius. I am dealing with it. My family hates me, the neighbors are scared of me, and everyone else I meet look at me as though I'm going to pull a knife on them. But, other than that, I'm having a pretty good time. I think I might have made a new friend yesterday. Maybe you can meet him sometime. I really miss you guys, please write soon.

Love Harry

Rolling up the parchments, Harry clucked to Hedwig, who flew over from her perch above the cage. After giving her feathers an affectionate pat, he tied the letters to her legs, and sent her on her way. Putting the three books into his bag, grabbing his wand from his nightstand and stuffing it in the waitsband of his pants he went downstairs to start a new day. Without even looking in the kitchen this time, Harry went straight out the door and began the walk to Parlow's.

Even though he was walking as slowly as he had the day before, the trip seemed to take less time. The Clerk still looked at him like he wanted to call the police, but rung up the Cola and the small bag of peanuts without a word. Leaving the scowling clerk and his store behind, Harry again walked to Maggie's Cafe. The waitress seemed surprised to see him again, and the other patrons pointed him out to their companions. Not even bothering to scowl, Harry placed his order, ate, and left.

As he entered the park, he felt the lift of his spirits he was expecting. Walking quickly to the tree and up into his nook, Harry unslung the backpack and removed Curses, Hexes and Charms for the Intermediate Duelist, his Cola, and the peanuts. After opening the peanuts and scattering a few on the rough bark of the tree a little ways in front of him, he settled back to study.

The book was very well written, with animated illustrations for the wand movements. Most of the spells in the book seemed to be restricted to Auror use, unless used in a controlled environment, like a sanctioned dueling tournament. Harry poured over the book, trying to take in as much new information as possible. He would read and re-read each spell until he was sure he would be able to perform it. One thing that he found odd was the fact that a lot of the spells seemed to have long incantations and complicated wand movements. If you're in a duel, one would think that speed would be vital. Flailing your wand around while spouting a ten word incantation seemed like a good way to get yourself killed. Despite his misgivings, Harry memorized the spells anyway.

He was concentrating so hard on the book that he didn't realize the squirrel had returned until it had eaten all the peanuts, and was chattering at him angrily. Slowly, Harry put a few peanuts in his hand, holding it out to the squirrel. The furry little guy followed the same routine he had the day before, sniffing his hand, then the peanuts, before grabbing one and zooming up a branch to safety. Harry chuckled happily at this and sat back to await his return.

And so the days went. Harry developed a routine of his own. Wake up, shower, dress, grab the backpack, and start off to Parlow's. He hadn't spoken to Vernon or Aunt Petunia since the night the argued with Dudley, which was fine by him. Dudley seemed to have moved out or something, because he hadn't even seen him since that night. He would buy a soda and some peanuts at Parlow's, a new pack of cigarettes if his was empty, and go to Maggie's. After breakfast, he would return to The Tree and the squirrel. Eventually the squirrel had worked up the courage to eat from his hand while Harry softly stroked his fur. Harry decided to call him Cricket. He would spend the day studying from the books Moody gave him, playing with Cricket, and relaxing as he smoked. Voldemort and the Death Eaters plagued his thoughts, but oddly enough, not his dreams. One nightmare had interrupted his sleep since his return to Privet Drive, and he hadn't even remembered it upon waking.

It was on one such day, cloudy and dreary, that found Harry reading through the Auror Tactic's book. Cricket sat contentedly upon his shoulder gazing at the text, seemingly reading along with Harry, chattering in his ear every once in a while as he would reach up and hand him a peanut. Fight Fire with Fire was an official Auror training text, restricted to Aurors and wizards in the Auror training program. Technically, Harry could be arrested just for possessing it. However, if an Auror such as Moody thought he should know its contents, Harry wasn't about to argue.

Covering basics in unseen surveillance, raiding, group dueling, and one-on-many dueling, the book was very helpful. One of the first spells Harry had found in the book was the disillusionment charm that Moody had used on him the previous summer. No incantation was needed, only wand movements. One would swirl the wand in a tight circle at the highest point of the object or person to be dissillusioned, then tap the wand with a sharp crack, all the time envisioning the preferred result in ones mind. It felt like a broken egg running down over the persons body because the effect of the spell worked from the point of contact down.

This raised other questions in Harry's mind. Why did some spells use incantations and some did not? Why did some spells with simple effects have more complicated incantations and wand movements than spells with more complicated results? It made no sense.

When Harry was just beginning to get frustrated and a pounding had developed behind his eyes, Cricket started going crazy and bolted up the tree, just as a head appeared next to his nook.

"Dudley?" Harry asked, incredulous. "What're you doing here?" Dudley said nothing as he finished climbing into the nook. Sitting down and getting comfortable, he simply gazed at Harry with a vacant expression.

"Nice to see you too, Cousin." Dudley said at last, drawing his knees to his chest and gazing towards the sky. "I just saw you climb up here earlier, wanted to see what you were doing. Looks pretty boring if you ask me. Whatcha reading?" Harry was in shock. Dudley had just spoken to him using four complete sentences, without a single insult. Realizing his mouth was hanging open, he closed it with a snap.

"Fight Fire with Fire, An introduction to Auror Tactics." He said without thinking, then cringed, waiting for Dudley's outburst about freaks, freaky books, and the m word. But the only reaction he could see was a slight tightening of the skin around Dudley's eyes, not even a frown.

"What the bloody-hell is an Auror," Dudley grimaced, leveling his gaze with Harry's, "a cop or something?" This was definitely not the reaction Harry had expected. A few moments passed in silence before he answered, thinking carefully.

"Sort of, but not really," Harry said, hesitantly, "more like special forces, I would guess. But that's not right either. I guess they are cops." What was an Auror, specifically? Harry had never really wondered about that much, just assuming that Aurors fought dark wizards all day long. A sudden image of an Auror apparating into a store in Diagon Alley, wand drawn, to arrest a shoplifter caused him to choke on a drink of his soda. "Never mind, more like special forces," he said, coughing, "I think Hit-Wizards are more like your run-of-the-mill cops in my world." Dudley grunted, nodding his head with a slight frown.

"You want to be an Auror?" This question caught Harry by surprise. Why did Dudley care what he wanted to do? Why was Dudley even here for that matter? Surely not to just make light conversation.

"What do you want, Dudley?" Harry asked, his tone a little sharper than he had meant. "Why do you care what I want to do?" Dudley grimaced at this, running his hand through his hair roughly, before leaning his head back against the trunk behind him again.

"Bum me a smoke, would ya?" Harry's eyes widened, how did Dudley know? Was he going to tell his dad? Before he chuckled softly, and narrowed his eyes.

"How long have you been watching me?" He asked, pulling out the pack of smokes and handing one to Dudley, pulling one out for himself. "You gonna tell your dad?"

Dudley accepted the cigarette and lighter with a nod, sparking the smoke to light and breathing deeply before answering. "Not too long," his words came out with a cloud of smoke, almost a sigh, "Just long enough to see you smoke and talking to that rodent." He looked down at this, staring levelly at Harry. "Can you really talk to that thing? Understand it, I mean?" Harry couldn't help but laugh at this. Talk to a squirrel?

"No, I can't understand it. He's just a friend of mine, he seems to live in the tree." Dudley raised an eyebrow at Harry's possesive tone regarding the tree, but said nothing. "You still haven't answered my question." The young Dursley stared up at the sky before speaking, smoking his cigarette in silence. Finally, with a grimace fit for Snape, Hogwart's resident ghoul, he spoke.

"Why do you still live with us?" Harry's attention snapped back to his cousin's face at this, his look questioning, yet guarded. "We've always been horrible to you. Why put up with it?" It was Harry;s turn to grimace, making him look more like the old man seen in the mirror back on Privet Drive, than the young teen from a few moments ago.

"I don't have a choice. I have to live there." Harry snapped, scowling at Dudley. "What's it to you anyway? I thought you liked having me there, as your punching bag." Again Dudley took a long time to respond, gazing through the thick canopy of leaves above his head.

"I took my girlfriend home to meet mum and dad the weekend before you got home from school." He stated, now fascinated with his shoes. "It was horrible. Mum and dad spent the whole time insulting her. Shes from Greater Winging, you know? Lower class. Didn't think she was 'good enough' for me. Rubbish. Penny rushed out of the house in tears." Dudley sighed at this, reaching around with his right hand to scratch a beefy shoulder. "I never realized it before then, but mum and dad are horrible people. I guess seeing them treat someone I respect and admire in such a way was kind of a wake up call. Made me start to think about a few things." Harry snorted at this, quickly stifling it with the sleeve of his shirt. "Sod off, Potter," his cousin laughed, "I can think, you know. I think that my weight problem might have played a part with my dismal marks and such. After I started working out in earnest and lost the weight, I felt sharper, my mind a little clearer at times, but this is beside the point." Harry had found himself nodding through Dudley's explanation, it made sense. "Mum called Penny a harlot, right to her face. Said she was trying to seduce me. Dad said she was trying to get pregnant so I'd be stuck with her, to support her. I couldn't believe what they were saying. We had a huge argument after I got home from apologizing to Penny." He was speaking freely now, still looking down at his shoes. It seemed to Harry that this had been weighing him down for some time. "You're name got brought up, for some reason. I can't remember really, dad said something about you putting me under a spell or some rubbish. And that got me thinking about the way we treated you all these years. How do you put up with it?"

"I just try to ignore it. It's hard at times, especially when you're fist is in my face." Dudley grimaced again at this, frowning slightly.

"That's why I'm here." He stated. "I'm sorry Harry. I'm sorry for the way I've treated you over the years, sorry for mum and dad. I felt horrible after what happened to Penny, it made me think about the way we treated you your whole life. No one deserves it, especially you. You did nothing to us, besides live. I'm a sodding bastard, and I'm sorry."

Harry almost choked on this, his eyes bulging out of his head. Dudley was apologizing to him? Big-D? The same Dudley that used to bully the 10 year old kids around the neighborhood?

"I know now that you saved my life last year, and for that I thank you." With that, he gave a sharp nod and descended back to the ground, walking slowly away with his hands in his pockets. Harry was still reeling from the blow he had just received. Dudley, apologizing? But when he thought about it, if he had brought his girlfriend to the house, and she was insulted in such a fashion, he could understand.

"Bloody-hell," he muttered. Cricket poked his head around the branch behind Harry, chattering in agreement, before resuming his position on the teen's shoulder. "Sorry, bud, but I have to go for a while. Here," Harry handed him another peanut, "I'll be back in a while." With that, he stuffed the book and half drunk bottle of soda in his backpack, and scurried down the tree.

"Hey, Dudley, wait up!" He shouted, trotting after his big cousin. Dudley turned in surprise, watching Harry approach. "Wanna grab some lunch? I know a good place, called Maggie's." Dudley smiled at this, nodding his head.

"Yeah, sure. I eat there sometimes, they got some good grub." He turned and the two began walking towards Ricter Street. Silenced reigned for a few minutes, and Harry started to get nervous. What was he doing? This was his cousin, the same guy that beat him up every chance he got. Why spend more time around him than he had to? The silence was starting to get a little uncomfortable, so Harry asked the first question that popped in his head.

"This...umh..Penny. You guys been dating long?" His cousin looked sideways at him before grimacing and kicking at a clump of dirt on the path. Harry wondered if this was the wrong question, and was floundering around in his head for something else to try before Dudley answered, a snarl in his voice.

"She broke up with me after what mum and dad said." The grimace left his face to be replaced by a look of sadness. This surprised Harry, he had never seen Dudley genuinely sad before. "She said she couldn't date someone who's parents hated her. Made her feel uncomfortable. Not that I blame her. If I was her, I would have done the same, after something like that." He sighed, running his hand through his spikey hair again. If one were watching the two, their body language was oddly similar for people who looked so drastically different. Harry, a short, rail thin bespectacled boy with unkempt, black and gray hair, with clothes that seemed made for someone twice his size. Dudley, a few inches taller that Harry, not overly muscular, but athletic looking. Short, spikey hair and new clothes. They couldn't have looked different if they tried. "What about you? You got a girlfriend in school?" Harry blushed at this, before frowning himself.

"Not really. I went on a date with a girl I used to like. It was horrible." Cho. Cedric.

Kill the spare!

"You alright?" Dudley asked, concern evident in his tone. Harry tried not to look surprised.

"Not really." He sighed. "The girl was Cho Chang, I had a crush on her since fourth year. She was dating Cedric Diggory. Both me and Cedric were in the Triwizard Tournament at school, along with two other people, one from France, and one from Bulgaria. The third task of the tournament was a maze, filled with puzzles and beasts, other obstacles and such. Cedric and I both made it to the end, and agreed to take the Cup at the same time. But it was a port-key, it brought us to Voldemort and Cedric was murdered." Kill the spare! Harry shuddered. "Cho was dating Cedric at the time, and while we were dating all she could do was cry. It never could have worked anyway. Too much baggage, you know? How do you compete with a dead boyfriend?" Dudley was looking at him with a horror filled expression, his eyes big as saucers. Harry sighed again, running his hand through his hair. Dudley shut his mouth and looked forward again. Harry kicked a soda can viciously, sending it careening into the street.

"So....this Voldii-mart..."

"Voldemort." Harry corrected automatically.

"Ok, this Voldemort guy, he's the one that killed your parents? And this Cedric?" At Harry's nod, Dudley grimaced, looking sideways at Harry. "I'm sorry. I really don't know what to say. I've never known someone who died." Harry nodded. "I really don't understand all that rub...err..stuff about the tournament or anything. Or what a porkley is, so correct me if I'm wrong." Harry smiled at porkley. "You were in this tournament, at the end of it you and this Cedric both grabbed the trophy at the same time." Harry nodded. "And the trophy was one of these porkley things, which somehow transported you to Voldiemurt. And then he killed Cedric?"

"Yeah, that's about the gist of it." They were nearing the small cafe now, and Harry reached the door first, holding it open for Dudley, before entering himself. He braced himself for the cold stares he knew were coming, quickly walking to his usual booth in the corner. Dudley followed, either not noticing or caring about the way people were looking at Harry. Soon after sitting down, Susan the waitress bustled over to their table. Surprisingly, she was smiling.

"Dudley! Haven't seen you around here lately, where ya been?" She noticed Harry with a start, her smile waning slightly before she brought it under control. "You know this guy?" She asked, jabbing her pen in Harry's direction.

"Hello, Mrs. McMartin. Nice to see you." He glanced at Harry, holding his hand towards his him. "This is my cousin, Harry Potter," He moved his hand so it was in front of Susan, "Harry, Mrs. McMartin, Penny's mum." Harry gave a start at this, glancing between Dudley and the waitress. He could see now why his Aunt and Uncle had been insulting to Penny, if her mum was a waitress. They considered them selves upper class, anyone under them to be scum. They must have really given Dudley's friend a hard time. With another glance at Dudley, Harry smiled warmly and held his hand out to Susan.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. McMartin." To his surprise, she returned the smile and shook his hand, before putting pen to tablet and giving them a questioning look.

"So boys, what'll it be?" She turned her attention to Dudley at this. "The usual, Dud?"

"Yep, and get Harry here the same, its on me." Harry jerked his head up at this, mouth open in a half spoken protest before Dudley held up his hand. "Don't worry about it, Harry. I owe you this. Besides, you'll like it, just a burger and some fries." He smiled.

"Umm...ok." Harry murmured, looking shyly at the waitress as she scribbled down the orders. Smiling warmly once more, at both teens, she turned and left, calling out to the cook as usual. Looking around the cafe, Harry noticed a few people that had been in that morning. Mostly old people sipping coffee or tea at the tables. One old man was watching a football game on the telly above the bar. The glances he was getting seemed more curious now....less threatening, insulting. Harry looked at Dudley curiously.

"I knew Susan before I dated Penny," he explained, "I talked to her about the break-up, no hard feelings." He smiled. "I come here quite a bit, even more since I'm on the outs at home. I've never seen you here though. How long you been coming here?"

"I've eaten breakfast here every morning since I left the house this summer. I can't stand being in the same room with your parents...no offence." Harry grimaced, looking down at the table. He pulled the pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, offering one to Dudley, striking up his own.

"None taken, can't agree with you more." He smirked, lighting his own smoke, and pulling the ashtray to the middle of the table. "I haven't even slept at home since that argument you saw, I've been staying with a friend of mine." Here he gave a slight grimace. "You talk to them? When you're there, I mean?"

"Nah, I'm only there while I sleep. I've spent all my time at the park, in The Tree. I haven't eaten a meal there since I got home from school."

"Again, can't blame you there, you know?" Dudley frowned. "Why do you have to stay there anyways? Why not stay with those Weasels? Or your Godfather?" He jerked his head up at Harry's gasp, seeing the expression there, he widened his eyes. "Hey, what's wrong? I say something?"

Harry lowered his head, thoughts of Sirius playing through his mind. Sirius in his dog form, Snuffles, bounding up to him and licking his face. Sirius laughing with Harry as they spoke about his father last summer. Sirius, mocking Bellatrix before she landed the spell. His look of surprise as he passed through the veil. "Sirius died. Just last month." Dudley's turn to gasp. "He was trying to protect me. Its all my fault." Harry grabbed his glasses from his face, rubbing a hand viciously across his eyes before replacing his glasses and looking at Dudley. "I have to stay at your mum and dad's during the summer because of a..." Here he glanced around, lowering his voice before continuing. "protection spell. As long as I'm there, Voldemort can't touch me." Harry grimaced. "Or so Dumbledor says." They sat in silence until the food came. Harry found his cousin shooting him worried glances now and then, but said nothing.

"I can pay for my own food, if you want. I got some money." Harry offered when they finished. Dudley shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, Harry. I can pick this up." With that, he left a tip and brought the check up to the counter, speaking with Susan as he paid the bill. Harry took out his wallet and left a tip on the table as well, before getting up and following Dudley to the door. He saw Susan wave at him as he left, and he smiled back. Stepping out onto the street, Harry took a deep breath of air, letting it out slowly. Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed another smoke, offering one to Dudley as well. After lighting up, his cousin looked him in the eye.

"Sorry about your Godfather, Harry, and I'm sorry you have to put up with mum and dad." Harry nodded at this. "I'm gonna head to my friends place, wanna come along?" Harry looked up sharply at this, looking for any expression of hostility, any of the Dudley he knew, but his cousin's expression was open, inviting.

"Nah, I'm gonna get back to the park, but thanks anyways." Harry smiled. "I sort of feel like being alone, you know? See you tomorrow?"

"Ok," Dudley nodded, smiling himself. "I'll come visit you at your tree, yea?" Harry nodded, and the two parted ways. Harry walked slowly back to the park. Despite being reminded of Sirius, he still felt happy. It made him feel guilty, being happy when Sirius was dead. Sighing, he trudged his way back to The Tree.

When he arrived, Cricket began chattering happily, climbing up the leg of his pants to his shoulder before he even got a chance to sit down. Harry chuckled at this. "You know Cricket? This might not be such a bad summer after all." Cricket chattered happy agreement.

A/N Phew! I wrote this almost right after I wrote Chapter 1, because I got a review so quick. This chapter is dedicated to Kyliaria, my first reviewer! Thank you so much! I like the squirrel too!

I'm really tired, have to get to sleep cause its 3 am and I have to work in the morning. Sorry about all the spelling errors and such, I'll clean it up tomorrow after work, hopefully.

Edit: 10/11/2004

I cleaned this chapter up a bit, and did a few small changes. Note to self: Don't try to write after 2 AM at night, it makes you look like an idiot.

Review please!