Dudley observed the barrier to platform 9 ¾ with unease. It seemed
solid, much to solid for his liking.
"Ron, Harry, you two next." Mrs. Weasley said. Ginny and Mr. Weasley had gone through already, much to Dudley's disbelief, and Dudley was going next with Hermione.
Ron and Harry set off at a walk to the barrier. They got closer and closer until- suddenly they were no longer there. Dudley stared at the spot they had disappeared through.
"Okay, Dudley, Hermione, go."
"B-but Mrs. Weasley, I dunno how to." Dudley protested.
"Its easy. Just walk straight at it." Mrs. Weasley said.
Dudley glanced back at the barrier. "Uh it looks pretty solid to me." he said uncertainly.
"My god!" Hermione snapped, shoving past him. "If you won't go, I will." She started purposely towards the wall and went through.
Dudley sighed. 'If she can do it, I can.' He thought stubbornly as he started for the barrier. 'I can do this. I can do this. I can-I'M GOING TO CRASH! Oh...my.god.' Dudley thought as he stared at the scarlet steam engine before him.
"Finally." Harry said, coming over to Dudley. "You were taking long enough."
"It looked solid." Dudley muttered, but it was obvious that Harry didn't hear him.
"I'll help you get your trunk on the train," Harry went on, "but you'll have to find someone to sit with on your own."
"But I don't know anyone!" Dudley wined.
"Stop that." Harry snapped. "I didn't know anyone either, so get over it." He helped Dudley get his trunk onto the train and disappeared to a compartment near the end.
Dudley looked around. 'Okay,' He though. 'I'll show you, Harry.' He peeked into the next compartment.
It was empty.
Sighing, Dudley quickly changed into his robes and sat down on the seat, easily taking up two, and pressed the side of his face against the window. His cheek cushioned his cheekbones, wherever they were, very well from the hard, cold windowpane.
Loneliness.
It was a new feeling for him. He'd always had his gang or someone to beat up on at home.
Now he had no one.
'I'll show you, Harry.' He thought again. 'You'll see. I'll find me a gang and become the most popular kid at this freak school!'
With many more thoughts like that, Dudley Dursley drifted off to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~
Dudley awoke as the train came slowly to a stop. Yawning, he stood and stretched, following the stream of students off of the train.
"'Firs' years! Firs' years follow me!" Hagrid called loudly over the other students.
Dudley let out a frightened squeak as he recognized Hagrid; the man who'd given him the pig tail six years ago. He froze in his steps, but was forced to move alone with the crowd and was inevitably pushed closer to Hagrid.
He looked at the other first years surrounding him, all following after Hagrid to the boats. They were all shorter-and thinner-then he was. He caught glimpses of their faces and thought he recognized the girl from Diagon Ally.
"Four to a boat," Hagrid said, interrupting his thoughts. "'Cept for you, that is." Dudley realized that Hagrid was talking to him. "You just share with one other person. Three wouldn't fit in a boat with you."
Dudley flushed. Saying nothing, he went and sat down in a boat.
No one came to sit with him.
Sighing, Dudley leaned back, looking up at the night sky. Gray-black clouds covered it, blocking the stars from his view. Shifting his weight, he peered over the side of the boat into the water. Still, he could see nothing in the murky water. He leaned farther over, his nose almost touching the water.
The boats began moving suddenly, and he was thrown off balance into the water. Fighting his way to the surface, he felt something wrap around his ankle.
Dudley screamed, or tried to, the water pouring into his mouth and filling his lungs.
A large hand grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him to the surface. Coughing and choking the water out of his lungs, Dudley clutched at the side of the boat. Hagrid pulled him inside while the other students watched. Dudley's boat floated over to Hagrid's, gently bumping up against the side. With Hagrid's help, he managed to get back in his own boat, laying down along the seats and staring up at the sky.
The boats began moving again, heading towards the castle a bit faster then before, as if to make up for lost time. Dudley lay in the bottom of the boat for the rest of the journey, shivering from the cold, wet cloth against his skin.
At last the boats came to the other side of the lake. Waiting for his to come to a complete stop, Dudley glanced around at the other kids. 'There she is.' he thought, once more finding the girl from Diagon Ally. The girl noticed his gaze and smiled slightly before turning away from him and walking with the others.
Realizing that he was being left behind, Dudley quickly got out of the boat. Tripping over his feet, he fell flat on his face in the sand, managing to coat himself with the stuff. 'This just isn't my day...' he thought, jumping to his feet and attempting to brush himself off while ignoring the snickers from the other kids.
"Fat oaf..." he heard one student comment. "Why was he even aloud to enroll?" asked another. "Bet he gets put in Hufflepuff." "Hey! My mum was in Hufflepuff! He'll probably be put in Slytherin." "Nah, Slytherin's to good for the likes of him."
"Shut up, all of you!" Dudley snapped loudly. The crowd of students immediately quieted. "If I hear one more word out of any of you, I'll. I'll."
"What? Finish a sentence?" One girl drawled, getting laughs from the rest.
Feeling himself go red, he was glad for the darkness. "That's it." He said, pulling up the sleeves of his robes.
"Ooo! I'm sooooo scared!" She taunted, laughing.
Dudley began advancing on the unknown girl, but was stopped short by Hagrid's large arm. "None o' that," He said firmly. "You're not gettin' detention on your first day, at least, not when I'm in charge o' you!"
Dudley glared up at the large man. "Then shut her up yourself." He said though clenched teeth.
"Why? She's not doing anything wrong. Unless, of course, her comments bother you?"
He ground his teeth. "Of course not." He said finally. "Where would you get a stupid idea like that?"
"Just wonderin'." Hagrid replied calmly.
"Right. Whatever. Are we ever going to get to this castle, or would you like us to stand around here for a while longer?" Dudley demanded, shivering from his wet clothes.
"We're going, we're going." Hagrid gathered up the class again and led them into the entrance hall of the school.
Dudley tried not to look around at everything, but was unable to resist. As Professor McGonagall led them into the Great Hall, his eyes became glued to the ceiling as the other first years pointed at it in awe.
"Come stand over here," Professor McGonagall said, motioning for the first years to stop before a stool with a very old, worn hat atop it.
Dudley stared at the hat, wondering what it was supposed to do. McGonagall pulled out a scroll and began reading off names.
"Archer, Robert." She said, and a short, pale looking boy stepped forward and sat down on the stool. McGonagall placed the hat on his dusty brown hair.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Sorting Hat said loudly and the Hufflepuff table began clapping loudly as Robert took his seat.
"Barnet, Marie." The girl who'd been taunting him stepped up and sat on the stool. McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head.
"SLYTHERIN!" Marie smirked and took her seat.
"Dursley, Dudley." Dudley blinked, and slowly started up towards McGonagall and the hat, ignoring the whispers and laughs from the tables behind him. He lowered himself gingerly onto the stool, hoping that it'd bear his weight. He heard it creak and groan underneath him, but tried not to think about it as he saw McGonagall lowering the hat below his head.
"I say, I can't believe the stool is holding up his weight! He must weigh more then all the other first years combined!" a students voice rang out, though it was impossible to tell who's voice it was.
Dudley jumped at the unexpected noise. The stool, not liking this, gave out beneath him and very soon he was sitting among the broken remains of it as the Great Hall burst into laughter.
"No matter," McGonagall said, taking out her wand and ignoring the way that Dudley flinched back from it. She waved it, and the shattered pieces of wood gathered themselves up and drifted out the door before she conjured up a new, hopefully stronger, chair.
Professor McGonagall turned back to Dudley as the hall quieted down. "Sit back down," she ordered. He obeyed, but could already tell that this stool, unlike the last, would bear his weight. She set the hat down upon his head. ~*~*~*~
Harry watched the people laugh at Dudley, and felt a smile tugging at the corners of his face. He knew that Dean Thomas had been the one who'd made the comment, and thought it rather amusing, but not nearly as much as Ron did, who was still laughing.
"You know," Hermione said in an undertone to the two boys. "I could almost feel bad for him."
"But you don't." Ron said firmly.
Hermione said nothing.
"Hermione! You can't feel sorry for him, not after all he's done to Harry!"
"I don't, I don't." Hermione leaned back a bit. "But I do wish that they'd hurry up with the sorting. I'm hungry!" ~*~*~*~*~ Look, people! I'm alive!! Isn't it amazing? I would of updated sooner, but I've been. busy. Also, as for which house Dudley's going to be in, you guys choose. First house with five votes gets it. And don't vote Gryffindor.
"Ron, Harry, you two next." Mrs. Weasley said. Ginny and Mr. Weasley had gone through already, much to Dudley's disbelief, and Dudley was going next with Hermione.
Ron and Harry set off at a walk to the barrier. They got closer and closer until- suddenly they were no longer there. Dudley stared at the spot they had disappeared through.
"Okay, Dudley, Hermione, go."
"B-but Mrs. Weasley, I dunno how to." Dudley protested.
"Its easy. Just walk straight at it." Mrs. Weasley said.
Dudley glanced back at the barrier. "Uh it looks pretty solid to me." he said uncertainly.
"My god!" Hermione snapped, shoving past him. "If you won't go, I will." She started purposely towards the wall and went through.
Dudley sighed. 'If she can do it, I can.' He thought stubbornly as he started for the barrier. 'I can do this. I can do this. I can-I'M GOING TO CRASH! Oh...my.god.' Dudley thought as he stared at the scarlet steam engine before him.
"Finally." Harry said, coming over to Dudley. "You were taking long enough."
"It looked solid." Dudley muttered, but it was obvious that Harry didn't hear him.
"I'll help you get your trunk on the train," Harry went on, "but you'll have to find someone to sit with on your own."
"But I don't know anyone!" Dudley wined.
"Stop that." Harry snapped. "I didn't know anyone either, so get over it." He helped Dudley get his trunk onto the train and disappeared to a compartment near the end.
Dudley looked around. 'Okay,' He though. 'I'll show you, Harry.' He peeked into the next compartment.
It was empty.
Sighing, Dudley quickly changed into his robes and sat down on the seat, easily taking up two, and pressed the side of his face against the window. His cheek cushioned his cheekbones, wherever they were, very well from the hard, cold windowpane.
Loneliness.
It was a new feeling for him. He'd always had his gang or someone to beat up on at home.
Now he had no one.
'I'll show you, Harry.' He thought again. 'You'll see. I'll find me a gang and become the most popular kid at this freak school!'
With many more thoughts like that, Dudley Dursley drifted off to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~
Dudley awoke as the train came slowly to a stop. Yawning, he stood and stretched, following the stream of students off of the train.
"'Firs' years! Firs' years follow me!" Hagrid called loudly over the other students.
Dudley let out a frightened squeak as he recognized Hagrid; the man who'd given him the pig tail six years ago. He froze in his steps, but was forced to move alone with the crowd and was inevitably pushed closer to Hagrid.
He looked at the other first years surrounding him, all following after Hagrid to the boats. They were all shorter-and thinner-then he was. He caught glimpses of their faces and thought he recognized the girl from Diagon Ally.
"Four to a boat," Hagrid said, interrupting his thoughts. "'Cept for you, that is." Dudley realized that Hagrid was talking to him. "You just share with one other person. Three wouldn't fit in a boat with you."
Dudley flushed. Saying nothing, he went and sat down in a boat.
No one came to sit with him.
Sighing, Dudley leaned back, looking up at the night sky. Gray-black clouds covered it, blocking the stars from his view. Shifting his weight, he peered over the side of the boat into the water. Still, he could see nothing in the murky water. He leaned farther over, his nose almost touching the water.
The boats began moving suddenly, and he was thrown off balance into the water. Fighting his way to the surface, he felt something wrap around his ankle.
Dudley screamed, or tried to, the water pouring into his mouth and filling his lungs.
A large hand grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him to the surface. Coughing and choking the water out of his lungs, Dudley clutched at the side of the boat. Hagrid pulled him inside while the other students watched. Dudley's boat floated over to Hagrid's, gently bumping up against the side. With Hagrid's help, he managed to get back in his own boat, laying down along the seats and staring up at the sky.
The boats began moving again, heading towards the castle a bit faster then before, as if to make up for lost time. Dudley lay in the bottom of the boat for the rest of the journey, shivering from the cold, wet cloth against his skin.
At last the boats came to the other side of the lake. Waiting for his to come to a complete stop, Dudley glanced around at the other kids. 'There she is.' he thought, once more finding the girl from Diagon Ally. The girl noticed his gaze and smiled slightly before turning away from him and walking with the others.
Realizing that he was being left behind, Dudley quickly got out of the boat. Tripping over his feet, he fell flat on his face in the sand, managing to coat himself with the stuff. 'This just isn't my day...' he thought, jumping to his feet and attempting to brush himself off while ignoring the snickers from the other kids.
"Fat oaf..." he heard one student comment. "Why was he even aloud to enroll?" asked another. "Bet he gets put in Hufflepuff." "Hey! My mum was in Hufflepuff! He'll probably be put in Slytherin." "Nah, Slytherin's to good for the likes of him."
"Shut up, all of you!" Dudley snapped loudly. The crowd of students immediately quieted. "If I hear one more word out of any of you, I'll. I'll."
"What? Finish a sentence?" One girl drawled, getting laughs from the rest.
Feeling himself go red, he was glad for the darkness. "That's it." He said, pulling up the sleeves of his robes.
"Ooo! I'm sooooo scared!" She taunted, laughing.
Dudley began advancing on the unknown girl, but was stopped short by Hagrid's large arm. "None o' that," He said firmly. "You're not gettin' detention on your first day, at least, not when I'm in charge o' you!"
Dudley glared up at the large man. "Then shut her up yourself." He said though clenched teeth.
"Why? She's not doing anything wrong. Unless, of course, her comments bother you?"
He ground his teeth. "Of course not." He said finally. "Where would you get a stupid idea like that?"
"Just wonderin'." Hagrid replied calmly.
"Right. Whatever. Are we ever going to get to this castle, or would you like us to stand around here for a while longer?" Dudley demanded, shivering from his wet clothes.
"We're going, we're going." Hagrid gathered up the class again and led them into the entrance hall of the school.
Dudley tried not to look around at everything, but was unable to resist. As Professor McGonagall led them into the Great Hall, his eyes became glued to the ceiling as the other first years pointed at it in awe.
"Come stand over here," Professor McGonagall said, motioning for the first years to stop before a stool with a very old, worn hat atop it.
Dudley stared at the hat, wondering what it was supposed to do. McGonagall pulled out a scroll and began reading off names.
"Archer, Robert." She said, and a short, pale looking boy stepped forward and sat down on the stool. McGonagall placed the hat on his dusty brown hair.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Sorting Hat said loudly and the Hufflepuff table began clapping loudly as Robert took his seat.
"Barnet, Marie." The girl who'd been taunting him stepped up and sat on the stool. McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head.
"SLYTHERIN!" Marie smirked and took her seat.
"Dursley, Dudley." Dudley blinked, and slowly started up towards McGonagall and the hat, ignoring the whispers and laughs from the tables behind him. He lowered himself gingerly onto the stool, hoping that it'd bear his weight. He heard it creak and groan underneath him, but tried not to think about it as he saw McGonagall lowering the hat below his head.
"I say, I can't believe the stool is holding up his weight! He must weigh more then all the other first years combined!" a students voice rang out, though it was impossible to tell who's voice it was.
Dudley jumped at the unexpected noise. The stool, not liking this, gave out beneath him and very soon he was sitting among the broken remains of it as the Great Hall burst into laughter.
"No matter," McGonagall said, taking out her wand and ignoring the way that Dudley flinched back from it. She waved it, and the shattered pieces of wood gathered themselves up and drifted out the door before she conjured up a new, hopefully stronger, chair.
Professor McGonagall turned back to Dudley as the hall quieted down. "Sit back down," she ordered. He obeyed, but could already tell that this stool, unlike the last, would bear his weight. She set the hat down upon his head. ~*~*~*~
Harry watched the people laugh at Dudley, and felt a smile tugging at the corners of his face. He knew that Dean Thomas had been the one who'd made the comment, and thought it rather amusing, but not nearly as much as Ron did, who was still laughing.
"You know," Hermione said in an undertone to the two boys. "I could almost feel bad for him."
"But you don't." Ron said firmly.
Hermione said nothing.
"Hermione! You can't feel sorry for him, not after all he's done to Harry!"
"I don't, I don't." Hermione leaned back a bit. "But I do wish that they'd hurry up with the sorting. I'm hungry!" ~*~*~*~*~ Look, people! I'm alive!! Isn't it amazing? I would of updated sooner, but I've been. busy. Also, as for which house Dudley's going to be in, you guys choose. First house with five votes gets it. And don't vote Gryffindor.
