Harry stood outside the bedroom that Dobby had put Dudley in the night before. His hand was poised to knock on the door and he had been standing in that same position for several minutes, nerves halting his hand from actually knocking. Memories were flooding his mind. Endless rounds of "Harry Hunting," nights spent trying to ignore the grumbling of his stomach from not eating, mornings spent flicking spiders out of his clothes before putting them on and any number of slights, abuses and neglect from years past.
Finally Harry screwed up his Gryffindor courage and knocked on the door. The two men greeted each other awkwardly and Harry waited for Dudley to put on his shoes before they headed to the kitchen. Harry found himself blinking in surprise at the sight in front of him. The kitchen was packed. Every Weasley, including the spouses and children had shown up that morning. They were all looking at Harry with concern and Dudley with hostility and suspicion.
Harry found himself standing in front of his cousin in protective mode. His housemates all stood off to the side. Only Hermione showed any sign of possibly intervening. Severus and Draco on the other hand were smirking and looking towards the twins with blatantly hopeful expressions. Something Harry never thought he would ever see.
"Er, I guess you all heard that Dudley is staying with us for a while?" Harry asked tentatively. He wasn't reassured by the silent nods. When even the two year old twins of Ginny and Colin were being silent. Idly, Harry wondered if they had been charmed or something, those two monsters were about as quiet and calm as Fred and George, which, come to think of it, were being suspiciously quiet as well. Musing over their appearance, he silently poured two cups of coffee and handed one to Dudley. Finally, he again turned to the group congregated in the kitchen.
"Why don't we all go to the dining room? I don't think the kitchen table is big enough for everyone and Dudley and I haven't had breakfast yet," he said with a sigh.
It was a silent group that paraded into the dining room. Dudley was sticking rather close to Harry and eyeing Fred and George with nervousness. He thought he had recognized the guy last night that had given him the piece of paper but today, in the light he knew he did. It was those two who had 'given' him the candy that made his tongue grow. He remembered Harry saying something about Weasley Wizarding Wheezes and wondered if they were the one he was referring to.
Soon everyone was ensconced at the table. Dobby popped in and within minutes food was overloading the table. Harry paused for a moment, wondering when the diminutive elf had fixed all this food. He watched as Dudley sat beside him not moving to help himself to anything.
"Dudley? You want anything?" Harry broke the silence.
"Um, yeah. Is it…okay?" his eyes still hadn't left the twins.
Laughter broke out around the room. Dudley started and looked at his cousin with confusion.
Harry snickered. "Yes. The food is safe. Fred, George, your reputation precedes you."
Harry looked at the twins with a grin. They beamed back at him with pleasure.
"Don't worry Dudley. The question you asked is VERY common when those two are around. We are just laughing because you haven't even really had a chance to get to know them and already know to ask that particular question," he snickered.
The ice having been broken, the questions started coming rapid fire. It was obvious to the visitors that something had happened between the two cousins but they were clueless as to what. Harry ate his breakfast slowly before finally giving in to the curiosity.
"OKAY! Enough! Everyone listen because I really don't want to try and explain this more than once," he set his fork down and took a sip of pumpkin juice.
When the uproar had settled, Harry began his explanation, telling how the group had gone to a Muggle bar the night before. At this he had to pause, waiting for the twins to finish complaining about not being invited along, Ron to wonder how Harry convinced "The Ferret" to go (even after so many years, Ron still refused to give up the nickname), Molly was fussing about them going out drinking on a Monday night, and Arthur was asking questions about what a Muggle bar looked like and how was it different from a Wizard bar.
Harry sighed and rubbed his temples. This was going to be a long morning. It had taken him 10 minutes just to tell that they went to a bar. He relaxed slightly when he felt Draco reach over and rub his leg. With a gentle smile at his lover, Harry continued his story.
Finally, after many stops, questions and laughter later and conveniently leaving out certain parts of the story involving other peoples' tongues, he was finally able to finish the tale. As he finished up, Dudley looked at him with a look that Harry was not able to identify.
"Um, if I can?" Harry nodded, curious.
"I was thinking last night. Well, actually, I have thought about it a lot. But I just wanted to apologize again. To everyone really. But, Harry, you are who you are because of how you were raised. I don't mean to make things sound better. They really weren't, and there is no excuse for how my parents treated you. But I was who I was for the same reason," Dudley felt like he was babbling but he knew he had to get it said. "It isn't a good excuse but I was a kid. I didn't know any better. By the time I did, well, I didn't really have a good experience with magic, like you did. I was sore for two weeks because of the surgery to get the tail removed!"
Harry winced. By all rights, the Ministry should have reversed the tail. Or some other wizard or witch. Instead, Dudley had a surgery. As an adult, Harry contemplated all the things that could have gone wrong. As well as the fact that Dudley had probably been treated as a scientific oddity for suddenly having a pig's tail.
"I guess I really started thinking about it when that…that….whatever it was in the long black cloak that had no face attacked us," Dudley froze, stunned at the loud gasps that were echoing in the room.
"Dudley!" Harry exclaimed. "Did you actually Isee/I the Dementor?"
Dudley had a look of confusion on his face. "Of course I did! The thing was leaning over me."
The other occupants of the room were exchanging confused looks. Muggles couldn't see Dementors. Even Squibs were not able to see them, only wizards could see the form although everyone was able to feel the effects. The implications of this innocent revelation had the room stunned.
"Er, Professor Snape?" Harry stuttered out, looking at the older man with a question in his eyes.
"I have no idea Harry," he did however, notice the formal manner that the other man addressed him, assuming correctly that it was because Harry was relying on his profession.
"Did I say something wrong?" Dudley asked, concerned.
"Not exactly, Dudley. It's just, well, you shouldn't have been able to see them." Dudley's eyes widened.
"See son," interjected Arthur, his first comment. "Dementor's are magical beings. They aren't really animals, or human, they are…magic. Only someone who is magical should be able to see them. In other words, only a wizard."
Dudley felt himself gasping for breath. His mind kept repeating, 'Only a wizard' over and over. He saw spots flickering in front of his eyes and suddenly felt two hands on his shoulders, shaking him.
"Dudley, it's okay," his eyes snapped into focus to see the brown-haired man, Remus, kneeling in front of him. His eyes were gentle and concerned. Behind him stood Harry, looking at him with shock and anxiety.
"We will figure this out. Severus will talk to Albus when he goes back to Hogwarts today. Arthur will see if there is any precedent for this at the Ministry. And for today, we will go and get the rest of your stuff and let you relax here. Get adjusted to everything and settle in. Everything is going to be fine," Dudley felt the soft tones soothing him. The words were washing over him. Slowly he nodded.
"Does this mean that I am a… that I can do…magic?" he stuttered over the words, hardly able to believe that they could apply to him.
"There is a very high probability Mr. Dursley," Snape commented from the end of the table. "The big question at the moment is why it has never manifested itself. Every child has outburst of magic. It is how our Muggleborns are identified."
"You mean like when you landed on the roof that time?" Dudley looked at Harry who nodded slightly.
The twins who had been listening with avid curiosity had obviously decided a distraction was needed.
"Okay Harry! Spill! Tell us about the OTHER terms of this bet. It must be something if it can get these three out in Muggle clothes and into the Muggle world," Harry blanched. He saw Hermione and Remus' eyes also go wide.
"It's nothing. Really," Harry muttered.
Draco and Snape snorted in unison and Pansy was giggling.
"It is the only thing that keeps me playing this stupid game. The knowledge that ONE day I will see you in Diagon Alley, leash, sign and everything," Draco commented, a smirk gracing his face.
The twins' eyes were nearly popping out of their heads in shock. Ron had managed to spray the pumpkin juice he was drinking on the table. Harry and Remus groaned.
"Oh do tell all!" exclaimed the twins in unison. Harry buried his face in his hands while Hermione and Draco explained the complete terms of the bet. Colin's eyes grew wide and he a look of understanding crossed his face. Fortunately, he didn't say anything but now he understood Hermione's questions about wizarding photography.
Harry stood up and left the room, explaining that he would be back in just a few moments. He darted up to his room and grabbed the bags in the closet filled with the things they had purchased for the Weasleys. When he returned to the dining room, the twins had looks on their faces that said Christmas had come early. Snape was smirking in a manner that did not bode well. Remus, well Harry couldn't see much of him, but his ears were a bright red and given that the werewolf generally didn't blush, Harry didn't feel that was a good sign.
He shook his head and unshrunk the bags. He was passing out all of the goodies that they had been holding on to and amused himself with the giggling Hermione and Pansy were doing. Slowly he walked over and wrapped his arms around Draco, slipping into his lap.
The twins were enthralled with the Muggle prank products, including the cinnamon gum that was actually extremely hot, the whoopee cushion and the blood capsules. Arthur was playing with the flashlight and exclaiming over the ingenious ways that Muggles made due without magic.
Dudley watched everything with interest. He couldn't get over how all the things that were stupid and ordinary were so fascinating to these people. And yet there were all the things they took for granted, waving the wand and having lights come up or the way food seemed to just appear on the table or how they did that "popping" thing and just went from one place to another. He wondered if there would be a time that he would be like that. The thought didn't frighten him as much as he thought it should.
Just the past couple hours with this group had made him more comfortable. Even thought there were a lot of people and all the kids that had started out so quiet were now running around the house. The group was so affectionate and loud. They really seemed to care about his cousin and were even willing to forgive him. Dudley found himself wanting to be a part of it.
Snape stood finally and excused himself, saying he had to return to Hogwarts before his afternoon classes. This seemed to trigger something as Arthur also said he had to return to work. Colin worked as a photographer doing freelance work and Ginny stayed with the kids most of the time, so they were settling in for some time. Molly disappeared into the kitchen where Harry knew she was going to be talking with Dobby about different recipes. Bill and Charlie both excused themselves to return to work, leaving their wives behind.
By the time everyone had left that was leaving, the house was still crowded. There was Ron, who was on the Chudley Cannons but was currently in the down season, his two kids, Ginny and Colin and their four kids, Molly, Fred and George who had never married, and Charlie's wife Angelina and their two kids.
The day was hectic and fun filled. The group went outside after lunch for a game of Quidditch. Ron was elected the referee, Harry and Draco were of course team Seekers. Fred and George were split onto different teams and, along with Ginny and Angelina, given a handicap so the kids could all compete. The pitch was a special design so the hoops could lower. They stood only a few feet off the ground so if any of the children fell, they wouldn't be hurt badly. The snitch however, was the only thing not charmed to stay in the specially marked ranges. It had the full pitch range since the Seekers were not children and could give them a greater challenge.
Dudley sat with Colin and watched the game with fascination. Slowly the two boys began to talk. Dudley was shocked at all the things he learned that day about his cousin. Colin had blushed as he confessed his stalker-like behavior during his childhood admiration of The-Boy-Who-Lived. When asked about that, the other man gave Dudley a shocked look and launched into an explanation that left Dudley gaping in astonishment. His cousin did all that?
It was an information overloaded young man that went in to dinner that night. If he was especially quiet during the meal, it went unnoticed by the largely overactive group that was left.
The news Snape brought back from Hogwarts was confusion. For some reason, either the magical signature of Dudley, which had yet to be identified, was so close to Harry's that it had been mistaken for the more powerful and younger, known wizard or Dudley had never had any accidental magic. The second seemed to be the most likely as even the twins had magical signatures that were different enough to be identified individually.
When they talked about it, the discussion seemed to confirm it. Due to the Dursleys extreme dislike for Harry, Dudley was spoiled to such an extreme that when he wanted something, he got it. There were no strong emotional outbursts of a true nature to prompt the magical bursts. Dudley had perfected the staged temper tantrums and fake tears by the time he was three, knowing it would get him whatever he wanted, even if what he wanted was Harry's. Or perhaps, especially when what he wanted was Harry's.
When the next Saturday game night rolled around, Harry was amazed at the group that had gathered for it. The twins decided it sounded like great fun and brought their newest line of products, inspired by their gift, of False Flavored Food. There was the chocolates that tasted like well, quite literally, shit, the hot pepper gum they were trying to replicate, Liver Lollys and the one Harry loved the most, lemon drops that tasted like lemons…without the sugar. Snape smirked and bought a bag full from the twins. He had special plans involving a meddlesome, twinkling old man.
Ron had decided to join the group as well. Without practices, he was getting bored around the house and the kids were driving him crazy. While the whole bet and the game sounded too strange to him, it was better than listening to Lavender scream at the kids. He dearly loved her but she was so much easier to tolerate when he was gone most of the day.
Arthur was the last to join the group. He had snuck out leaving a note for his wife. The temptation to watch a Muggle game being played was just far too great. Plus he hoped to be able to play with some of the electronic things the others had mentioned buying.
So it was the large group of people was sitting watching a board game being played. Fred and George were having a ball, shouting out answers not paying any attention to teams, and never getting a single one correct. Dudley sat biting his tongue, trying to not contribute and laughing at some of the answers that the Slytherin team was giving. He had to give them credit, for the pureblood group that they were, they tried very hard. He did have to wonder if they were aware that dragons were considered a myth in the Muggle world. It was no surprise to him that Harry's team won again. He wondered where they were going next time and if perhaps the cute twins would be going with them and if he would be included in this outing.
A/N- No, I am not going to be focusing on Dudley being a wizard. If there is enough interest, maybe a sequel or companion piece later. This is just a plot device to make him more comfortable in the wizard surroundings.