Chapter 4: The Magic Word
Dudley eyed the birthday cake with an avaricious glare.
"You can have some, if you want," said Fred, looking for once directly at Harry's cousin.
Uncle Vernon got a knife and Dudley served himself a generous piece. As Dudley shoved a huge forkful into his mouth, Fred and George exchanged delighted looks. Harry looked at them imploringly, but they simply responded by looking at the kitchen clock.
"Don't eat that!" pleaded Aunt Petunia startlingly, but it was too late. Dudley's skin was bubbling.
"What's happening?" he asked shrilly. "Please, make it stop, mom. Dad, do something."
Harry watched, trying to stifle his giggles, as Dudley's skin became fully covered in boils. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon looked at each other, but neither seemed to know what to do.
Finally, George spoke, "We can make it stop."
Aunt Petunia looked frightened whilst Uncle Vernon seemed to be attempting to gather enough courage to speak.
"Make it stop! Make it stop!" exclaimed Dudley, itching vigorously.
"You just need to say the magic word," began Fred.
"Then it'll stop," finished George, a content expression resting on his face.
At this, the Dursleys stayed silent for quite few instants. Harry knew why. They had always tried to deny their connection to the magical world. Harry had always been reprimanded for mentioning "the magic word", even when he simply meant please. Although, in this case, he wasn't sure whether the twins meant please, or whether they meant an actual spell.
"What exactly do you mean?" asked Uncle Vernon, finally breaking the silence.
"I meant what I said," said Fred slowly. "If you say the magic word, it'll stop."
"But which magic word is that?" demanded Dudley, wide-eyed.
"We can't say what it is right now, because then the spell will stop," stated George. "We need to know that you are willing to follow our plan for the day, to make this Harry's best birthday ever." He then smiled affectionately at Harry.
"What are you planning to do to us? How should we know whether to trust you?" asked Aunt Petunia, her expression clearly frightened.
"Make this stop! I can't take it anymore. I've got a wrestling game this afternoon, and I can't show up looking like this," Dudley motioned. "Make it stop, please…"
Fred and George were staring into each other, speaking without words in the way that only twins can… Without using Occlumency, of course! Finally, George nodded contemptuously, pointed his wand towards Dudley and muttered under his breath, "Finite Incantatem!"
At once, Dudley's skin settled and only scratch marks remained as a reminder of the boils. He wasn't the type who was considerate enough to say thank you and seemed determined to look everywhere but at the wizards before him. He knew that he was in their power for the day, and that nothing he could say or do would change that.
The Dursleys looked at each other, hoping that another would speak instead of them. Finally, Uncle Vernon took charge and asked, "Now what?"
Harry was thinking the exact same thing. In response, Fred and George wore matching knowing smiles.
"You'll see…" breathed Fred.
