Clay Pinions

By Lochar

Disclaimer: Found in previous chapters.

Chapter 4

Several weeks went by, with both Harry and Dudley working as hard as they could at The Dojo. Sensei Uzuki worked with them as much as they asked and could handle, with the results being that all the forms of Tai Chi that they knew were corrected within a short period of time.

"Alright boys, you two have done very well. You've corrected yourselves on all of the forms you knew." Sensei told them. Both beamed at this. "Now we're going to begin with some more advanced forms. Quite a bit of this is old hat to the rest of the students, but they need to keep in practice anyways. So they'll be helping to correct you two once you get the basics of it down."

Harry nodded. Dudley was grinning and looked to be nearly bouncing at the chance to learn new moves.

"Yes Sensei Uzuki. We'll learn them as quick as we can so that we can get to the rest of the class's level." Harry said. He looked about ready to jump into anything as well.

Uzuki chuckled. "No doubt both of you will. You both have quite the knack for learning."

Dudley frowned, but then shook it off. Uzuki noticed this, but didn't mention anything in front of the class. "Alright, here's how this one goes." With that, he began to show them their next form.

Later that evening, Uzuki held them back. "Boys, if you'd come into my office with me for a moment?" Harry and Dudley threw each other a look, wondering what they had done. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble, I just want to talk."

They nodded, and followed him into his office. Uzuki closed the door and bade them to sit down. They did and he sat down across from them.

"Now, Dudley. Earlier when I was talking about you two learning the new moves, you frowned at something. Care to share? You won't get into any trouble with me, I promise."

Dudley shook his head. "No Sensei, it isn't that. We both love learning the new stuff, right Harry?" At this, Harry nodded his agreement. "It's just that I'm not doing all that well in school. It's hard to even get C's in my classes."

Uzuki smiled. "Ahh, ok. Have you thought to ask your parents for help with the class work?"

Dudley nodded. "Yeah, but they say it's the school system's fault. I should easily be able to do anything that Harry can. My Dad says that they're b-biased against me and to Harry."

Uzuki raised an eyebrow. Sounds like Mr. Dursley thinks his son can do no wrong. "And what about your Mum? What does she think?"

"She said that it's been too long since she was in school, and I should find someone that will know it better than she would."

"Ah. And have you asked at school if there is someone who can help you? Maybe a teacher during lunch or some such?"

At this, a forlorn look went over Dudley's face. "That's the problem. I don't understand it the way the teachers explain it."

Uzuki sighed. I should not be the one having this conversation. His parents seem to be lacking in this department. Wait… "Harry, how are your grades?"

Harry started at being brought into the conversation suddenly. "Pretty good Sensei. Mostly A's and B's."

Thought so. "So Dudley, why have you not asked your cousin to try to explain it differently to you?"

Dudley's face lit up. "Harry, would you? Please?"

"Sure. It's not a problem for me. I'll help you if I can."

"Good then. Dudley, if you would, I'd like to see your report card the next time you get it. I'd rather not have a student of mine having problems with his school classes."

"Yes Sensei."

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment. "Sensei, may I ask a question?"

"You just did, but you may ask another one if you wish." Uzuki replied with a grin.

Harry and Dudley both smiled at that. "Well, remember when my uncle came here with us the first time? You said you'd see us three days after Dudley got his cast off. You even said the correct day. The doctors said that his arm shouldn't have healed that quick. How did you know?"

Their Sensei thought for a moment. "When you've taught this class as long as I have, you tend to develop a sixth sense for, hmm, I guess you could call it, 'life energy'. When Dudley did his punch, I could sense the energy flowing through his arm. Very little of it went the wrong way into what would have been the broken bone. Both of you have a lot of this life energy in you; enough that you probably helped yourself heal quicker Dudley."

An awed look swept both boys' faces. "You mean I made myself heal quicker? Can you do that? Could I do it even faster? Like if I broke my arm again, it would only take a week to heal? Is that possible Sensei?" The rapid-fire questions coming from Dudley brought a smile to Uzuki's face.

"Yes, a bit, with enough training, possibly, and yes to your questions in that order. Now I think you two need to get going, as it looks like your ride has been waiting on you." Uzuki pointed out towards the door out of the building, where Vernon was sitting on a bench, with a somewhat amused smile on his face.

"Thank you Sensei. May we be excused then?" Harry asked as they both stood up.

"Yes you may." Dudley and Harry bowed to him, and ran out to meet Vernon.

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Later that night, Vernon, Petunia, Dudley and Harry sat at the dinner table in what had almost become a ritual after one of their classes. Dudley would talk excitedly about what had happened while his parents would listen and Harry would sit there quietly. Occasionally, Petunia would direct a question about the day to Harry and he'd answer with just as much energy and enthusiasm as Dudley had.

"And while we were taking a break because of one of the advanced students was trying to break a whole bunch of boards and Sensei Uzuki had to help him set them up, we heard that it was the most he'd tried to break by like three or four. There had to be like eight boards stacked together. He paced around a bunch, and then walked up to the boards and then walked away again. He paced some more and then came back up to it again and he took a deep breath and then yelled really loud and punched the boards. He broke all of them too! It was really cool! His hand didn't even look hurt or anything like that, and it didn't seem like he hurt himself doing that. I can't wait until I can do that too. Sensei won't let us try to break more than one board at a time." This was all rushed out as Dudley seemed to be bouncing in his seat explaining what had happened.

Petunia smiled indulgently at him. "You're not even nine yet Sweetums. Your Sensei doesn't want you to hurt yourself trying to break that many boards. Do you want to have to wear a cast again if your break your hand trying to do it?"

At this, Harry spoke up. "But Dudley wouldn't have to wear it for very long. Sensei Uzuki said that we've both got a bunch of life energy that would help us heal faster. He said that it's possible that if Dudley broke his arm again, he might only have to wear a cast for a week. That'd be really cool."

Vernon sucked in a deep breath, and turned towards Harry. "What did you say?" His face was slowly starting to turn pink.

Harry, scared because he hadn't seen his uncle like this for almost a year now, tried to shrink into his chair. "S-S-S- Sensei U-Uzuki said we both have a bunch of life energy that would make it easier for broken bones to heal quicker." He managed to stammer out.

Vernon looked to Petunia, who shook her head slightly. He let his breath out in a loud 'Whoosh' and got up from the table. "I'm going to go read the paper." With that, he walked out of the kitchen and they could hear him sit in his chair.

Harry looked to his aunt. "What did I do wrong Aunt Petunia? How'd I make Uncle Vernon mad? I didn't mean too." Both Harry and Dudley looked about to cry. "He's not going to take us from our class, is he?"

Petunia pulled them both into a hug. "No, he won't. He just doesn't like anything strange like that. I'll make sure that he doesn't keep you out of your class, alright?"

She received a pair of teary-eyed nods at that, along with big smiles. "Now is there anything else fun that happened today that you want to tell me about?"

Dudley nodded. "Yeah. Sensei Uzuki suggested that Harry help me with my schoolwork."

"That's a good idea. But Harry, don't let your grades suffer either to help Dudley. If it gets too much, ask me and I'll try to work with the both of you. Although, I'd probably hold both of you back with my bad math skills." She smiled and both boys laughed a little. "Now you two go upstairs and work on your homework. I'm going to talk to Vernon."

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Whatever Aunt Petunia said to Uncle Vernon worked. Harry thought as they went back to class for their next session. We didn't even have to sit out one class while she talked to him.

That day, Sensei Uzuki took them aside again, but this time right before class was supposed to begin.

"I had a very interesting phone call from your Dad. He asked me some of the strangest questions. Told me to quit putting nonsense into you two about life energy and such. Then you mum got on and shouted at him and apologized to me. Any reasons why?"

Harry paled, and Dudley didn't look much better.

"Uncle Vernon doesn't like strange things. He wants things to be perfectly ordinary. I guess the life energy thing we told him you told us was strange to him. We didn't know it would make him that mad Sensei."

"I'm not blaming either of you. I just wanted to hear your side of the story as well. Alright then, go join the rest of the class."

Both ran off and joined the class, as Uzuki walked behind them chuckling. I was right, I guess. At least one of the adults in that house seems to have an open mind.

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Six weeks passed, with Harry and Dudley both pushing as hard as they could to get to the rest of the class's level. They had finished with the Tai Chi and were being slowly introduced to the basics of Karate, Judo, and Aikido.

Dudley rushed into Uzuki's office, waving a piece of paper. "Sensei, Sensei, I did it! I did it!"

"Oh, and what have you managed to do?" Uzuki asked.

"I got good grades! Harry helped me study and showed me how to do the work a different way and I managed to get good grades!"

"And what did your parents have to say?"

"They were really happy for me. Dad called me a chip off the old block, and Mum said we could have whatever I wanted for dinner tonight. Dad even sorta smiled at Harry for once!" Dudley seemed to be bouncing around.

"I take it that is your report card?" Uzuki asked and Dudley nodded. "May I see it?" Dudley grinned and handed it to him. "All B's but one A. Congratulations are in order Dudley."

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The months passed as Dudley and Harry went to school and their evening classes at The Dojo. They progressed through the lessons they were taught, absorbing as much as they could as quickly as they could.

Before they knew it, a little over a year had passed and Dudley was turning ten.

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June 23 - Dudley's Tenth Birthday

It was a quiet birthday party, as most of Dudley's friends were gone for summer vacation.

"So, what do you hope that you got for your birthday Dudley?" Harry asked as they practiced outside.

"Hope I get a new punching bag! It's hard to practice my moves on you since you won't stay still long enough for me to hit you." Dudley laughed as he replied.

"Hey, I'm not about to stand still for your punches. Sensei just let you try breaking two boards last week and you did it without even scratching yourself. No way you're getting any free hits on me." Harry grinned at him.

Stopping and turning towards Harry, Dudley smiled. "Oh yeah?" He leapt at him, throwing a kick out trying to hit him. Harry dropped to the ground underneath the kick and tripped him. Dudley fell and rolled backwards to get up. The boys started to circle each other, looking for an opening.

Petunia came out of the backdoor and saw the two of them. "DUDLEY DURSLEY! HARRY POTTER! Both of you get inside right NOW! DON'T RUIN YOUR CLOTHES OUT THERE!"

Both boys stopped immediately, and turned. "Yes Sensei Mum!" "Yes Sensei Aunt Petunia!" They grinned and ran inside.

Shaking her head, she followed them in. "You two ought to have known better. Those are good clothes you're wearing for your party this afternoon. If you don't want to be standing in your underclothes while those wash, then don't get them dirty."

Smiling at the blush both boys had, she laughed. "Just change next time; that's what you have those ratty clothes for, ok?"

At their nods, she continued. "You two don't look too bad, so just go wash up."

They ran upstairs and Petunia turned to Vernon, who was sitting at the table. "I'm telling Harry on his birthday." He just grunted. "He needs to know ahead of time dear." Another grunt. "You know, Dudley could get the letter too." Vernon looked up, startled at this. "If there was one in my family, there could be more. I doubt it, and so does he, but it could happen."

Vernon shook his head. "My boy will not be going there. End of story."

Petunia sighed. "Vernon, if he gets the letter…"

"Well, we'll decide then. I still say no, but you've changed my mind before. Don't think you'll do it this time though." With that, Vernon would say no more on the subject.

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July 31

"Happy Birthday Harry."

Harry looked up, startled. "Oh, hello Aunt Petunia. Thank you." He hadn't even expected that much from her. Dudley had told him that morning, and that had surprised him as well.

She sat down on his bed and looked at him. "Do you mind if we talk for a few minutes Harry?"

Harry nodded, and put his book down. "Yes Ma'am?"

Petunia was quiet for a long moment. "Harry, we've always told you that your parents died in a car wreck, right?" He nodded. "They didn't. The night before you were given to us, they were murdered."

Harry gasped. "Who?"

Petunia shook her head. "I'm not sure. But it's part of the story I'm going to tell you." She then went on to explain what she knew about the Wizarding World. When his mother got her letter in the summer of her eleventh birthday, and what little she knew about his dad.

"Nothing good ever came to my sister because of that magic stuff. Except maybe her husband. I didn't like him, but he treated her as if she walked on water. She grew up going to that school, and died before she should have. We never really got along, but we never did have a chance to make things up."

"Do you think I'll end up getting that letter, Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked.

"Probably. You've done a few things over the years that are most likely magic."

"But what if I don't want to go? If bad things happen because of magic, I don't want it."

"Harry, not all bad things come from it. The magic people were at war at the time. Think about it for a while. I don't want you to make up your mind right now. If you want to talk, just come get me. Just don't do it when your Uncle is around. He can't stand even the thought of it." She pulled him into a hug. "You're a good boy Harry. Even if your Uncle still doesn't really like you. I couldn't get you a present, but I hope the truth about your parents and everything else is enough."

Harry was crying by this point. "Thank you Aunt Petunia." He managed to get through his tears.

She got up. "You're welcome Harry." She unlocked the door, walked out and closed the door behind her.

There's Chapter 4. Please. If you're reading this, review it. Chapter 3 had about two hundred views, but only two reviews.

Beta'd by Dr. Gero. Great guy.