"Okay, so tell Percy what you told me," Charlie said, after Dudley had mentioned something that he had thought was the typical thing to Charlie, he said they should ask Percy. Percy was one of smartest people Charlie knew besides Hermione, whoever that was.
"I'll go make some tea then" Oliver Wood, Percy's fiance said and Dudley nodded.
"That would be nice, thank you," he said "it's um, I thought it was normal" he admitted to Percy.
"You should go a bit more depth into this than just that, what exactly do you see?" Percy asked, giving him a smile, the fact that Percy and Oliver were dressed in normal, or muggle, clothing helped Dudley relax a little.
"I see like this colored mist around people, it comes off wizards like waves. Only people with magic, I always assumed everyone could see it or at least people like me and my parents who know about wizards" Dudley said.
"Dudley, I need to take a deep breath and then let it out," Percy said and Dudley did as he told a few times. "It's fine, you didn't do anything wrong," he said gently. Percy's mist was a nice burgundy, calm and languid. His mist formed these curling shapes that furled and unfurled.
"I know, I just… donwannabeafreak" Dudley mumbled.
Percy frowned then Oliver set their tea down in front of them as well as a tray of honey, milk, and sugar. "Thanks, love," he said to Oliver then turned back to Dudley "that'd be your parents talking. That's what they called Harry, right? A freak."
Dudley stared down at his tea, watching it steam "I know he's not a freak, wizards, and witches, they just are. I am one and I'm good with that, really I am now that I've had time to think. But…"
"I'll stop you for a second there," Charlie said "if you think that because of some special ability that makes a freak among wizards, think again. There's a lot of wizards who have extra abilities, a metamorphmagus can change their skin and hair color at will for one. It's cool" he said.
"He's right, plus in our family, it's like a requirement" Percy laughed "but I don't think I've ever heard of people being able to see magic, at least that's it sounds like. What does Harry's er magic look like?" he asked.
Dudley considered this "bright green but a black stripe" he said.
"Black stripe?" they all mimicked.
"Yes, Harry's usual magic is green like the color of his eyes and tends to spiral off him and when he's angry the spiral will coil like a snake meant to strike. But that black stripe felt like… like it was alien to the rest of him, it didn't feel like anything, just would drift. It felt like a dying part of him or something. To be honest, I was terrified of that blackness, if most magic is mist then that black part was more like ink" Dudley said crossing his arms over his chest.
Charlie and Percy locked eyes with each other with a look of revelation "Dudley could have known all along that Harry was a Horcrux" Charlie said.
"What?" Oliver and Dudley asked, confused.
Percy hesitated then said "that's Voldemort's secret to why he stayed around even after he was actually killed, he made himself 8 Horcruxes, splitting his own soul into 7 pieces and placing them into things like a snake and a locket. Harry was an accident though because when it rebounded a piece of Voldemort went in him anyway. When they fought, Harry was killed but survived, effectively killing the Horcrux that was it in him" Percy explained.
"So your saying that black ink was part of Voldemort?" Oliver asked, shocked.
"Yes," Percy nodded "and keep that to yourself? It's um a family secret kind of thing" he said. "And considering what you've been able to see, I'm not surprised you were terrified of magic once you realized what it was," he said.
Dudley shook his head "I can't say that kind of thing, I can't justify what I've done, the kind of person that my parents had shaped me to be, I knew what I was doing. I made my own dark path" he said.
Charlie felt like he'd known Dudley longer than just 2 days, it was rare to meet someone and know their history but not know them. But Dudley fell into place like a puzzle, he was slowly understanding what he was like and he liked him. Dudley didn't hide behind technicalities, he made no excuses and Charlie was drawn to that type of attitude like a moth to a flame.
"Sounds like whatever you've done is past tense, your obviously an alright person from what I can tell and we just met" Oliver commented and Dudley smiled.
"Why don't you speak to Harry? I told him that I met you and gave you your wand" Percy said.
Dudley shifted "I don't think he wants to see my ugly mug again," he said.
"If your ugly, I'm a dancing green banana," Charlie said and Dudley laughed looking at Charlie.
"I wasn't fishing for compliments but I appreciate it, it's an expression" he shot back.
"Well it sucks, it's woefully inaccurate, try again," Charlie said.
"Point is, I don't think Harry's interested in seeing me again," Dudley said.
Percy laughed at the irony "no, I don't think that's true, I was talking to him earlier and he was extremely curious how you turned out after everything that's happened" he said.
"He even asked us if we were trying to have a laugh when Percy mentioned what you looked like now. Couldn't believe it" Oliver said "I can see why though, you don't look like how I pictured," he said.
"Yeah, I've lost a lot of weight even when I was in hiding," Dudley said and Charlie wanted to have the chance to remove the doubts about his looks. "Um, then I guess I wouldn't mind seeing Harry. Get the chance to apologize. I actually did try to send him a letter but the ministry files his mail so unless I'm on a list of people they wrote back asking my relation and business with Harry. I… I kind of chickened out" Dudley explained, flushing a bit.
"Oh, I completely forget about that, they do that for Hermione and Ron's mail too. Anyone with enough fame to perhaps send unwanted threats and things like that. I don't think he knew you'd ever warm up to the wizarding world so" Percy shrugged.
"I didn't think I would either, I'm not completely used to it either, I know a lot of the things Hestia and Daedalus have told me but that's all" Dudley explained.
"Maybe you should speak to Ron, he explained things to Harry when they were 11," Percy said.
"He kind of intimidates me," Dudley said flushing a bit.
"You've met?' Percy, Oliver, and Charlie asked.
"Kind of, once when he and your family visited to come get Harry. Then I um saw him and uh a girl with bushy brown hair trying to get into Diagon Ally. I think he recognized me or he couldn't quite place me because he kept staring. The girl was really nice though as she tapped the brick wall so I could get in" he explained.
Percy laughed "it's likely Ron recognized but hadn't a clue from where and the girl with him is Harry's other best friend, Hermione Granger," he said.
"Oh," Dudley said. Charlie smirked, he had no clue how on earth anyone could be intimidated by Ron although it did fit slightly. Ron was very tall, taller even than Bill and since his third year of school he'd filled out with lean muscle.
"Speak of the devil," Oliver said as a tiny little owl flew in through the window carrying a letter.
"Hello Pigwidgeon" Percy greeted as he untied the letter on his foot, the little owl flapped around excitedly for a second before Percy held up a treat which settled him instantly as he ate happily. Dudley smiled and reached out to stroke the cute little bird and the owl practically purred.
"Ron wants to know if we want to have dinner at Grimmauld Place, Hermione, Ginny, Harry, Luna, and Neville," Percy said.
"Luna" Oliver perked.
Percy rolled his eyes "who's Luna?" Dudley asked.
"One of Harry's friends, Oliver likes to talk her, she's his favorite person" Percy explained.
"She's not, you are my favorite person" Oliver replied "but she's is a favorite, she's a delight, loves Quidditch and fantastically bizarre" he explained.
"Percy's just a little jealous and Luna confuses his analytical brain" Charlie explained.
"I'm not jealous," Percy said, his back straightening and his words turning prim and proper.
"Right," Oliver said then "I love that you turn back into a ministry official when you're trying to hide your emotions. It's cute" he commented.
Percy mouth open and his whole body went slack, Dudley covered his mouth to stop from laughing out loud. Percy's face turned as he worked to reply but then covered his face. "As sickeningly adorable as you two are, send Ron a reply. Ask if he doesn't mind if I come with a guest" Charlie said.
"Ron getting to cook for even more people? He'll go absolutely overboard" Oliver said.
"Let him, if Ron wasn't so focused on Auror work, he'd be an incredible cook. I'll have to go on a diet after I eat whatever he's planned for dinner," Percy said.
"Ron's cooking has become even more legendary than mum's ever since he discovered the uh internet I think he called it. Hermione has a comforter or something" Charlie explained to Dudley said.
"Computer" Dudley corrected "well I guess I can afford one cheat day," he said.
"You on a diet, then?" Charlie asked.
"I'll just go send a reply then," Oliver said then pulled a recovering from embarrassment Percy toward the living room.
"Um kind of, I don't eat meat and bread when I can help it. It cuts my calorie consumption in half and I stick to small meals. I gain weight really easy" Dudley said.
"I do too but I tend to burn it all off at work, it's really hard work in the reserves" Charlie explained "but that's because I take after mum, Ron and Bill though are tall and lean with bottomless pit stomachs. Super high metabolisms, bloody unfair" he said.
"My friend Piers was like that, I envied him when I had to go on a grape fruit diet when I was in school" Dudley said.
"Ugh, what's that?" Charlie asked and Dudley began to explain.