Here we go! Second to last chapter. Hope you like it!

After that exciting match, Harry, Dudley, and all the Gryffindors returned to the common room to celebrate. Slowly, the students filtered out of the room, smiles on their faces. Eventually, the common room was left completely empty, except for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Dudley. With a yawn, Harry glanced at his watch. There would be a train leaving for King's Cross at 11:00 p.m., and it was already 10:30.

Dudley saw Harry's gaze shift to his wrist, knowing full well what that meant. His heart sank. He didn't want to leave—at least not yet. There was still so much to see. He hadn't even gotten a full answer as to why Harry was so well-known! There had to be more to it than school Quidditch.

"I wish I could stay longer," Dudley said with a sigh. "Privet Drive—and, well, the rest of the world—seems so mundane compared to here."

Harry thought for a moment. "Well, as long as you're sure your mum and dad won't wonder where you are, you could always stay the night at the inn in Hogsmeade. Then we could hang out more tomorrow."

"No, I wouldn't want you to have to pay for me. If anything I should be paying you," Dudley replied, looking down at his shoes rather than into Harry's eyes.

Harry could see how conflicted Dudley was. He was surprised to find that was not eager for him to leave either. The past day had felt almost like a dream—like Dudley was the brother he had always wanted him to be—and if he left it would be like it never happened. Plus, he understood how it felt to not want to leave Hogwarts and the Wizarding World.

"You could stay here," Harry said suddenly, drawing Dudley's attention.

"Really?" Dudley said, surprised.

Harry nodded, liking the idea more and more each second. Sleepover in Gryffindor Tower, staying up till the early hours of the morning talking and showing off some magic for Dudley, falling asleep in front of the fire with the comfort of knowing that he would have a friendly face at Privet Drive… It sounded wonderful.

"That could be fun," Ron said, clearly thinking along the same lines as Harry. "I'll go get some pillows and blankets from our dormitory. Hermione, are you in?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, but agreed, smiling at how comfortable Harry was with Dudley already.

Soon enough, Ron had returned from the boy's dormitory with an armful of blankets and pillows, which he dumped on the floor next to Harry and Dudley. Hermione joined them soon after, accompanied by a thick book, which she promptly laid aside.

The three friends and Dudley spent hours talking about the Wizarding World and asking questions, playing Wizard Chess, and of course, demonstrating their magical abilities. The three wizards had gotten quite good at the levitating charm, raising and lowering objects with the words "wingardium leviosa" as Dudley told them what to lift next. They even invented a game in which Dudley threw an object toward one of the three wizards, and they were tasked with catching it with a spell before it hit them. Hermione, as expected, was in the lead, but Harry wasn't doing half bad. Watching his cousin do magic was incredible. All those years he had thought him a freak, yet here he was casting spells like it was the most natural thing in the world. This really was where he belonged.

"Hey, Harry?" Dudley interrupted, causing a pillow to fall out of the air and smack Ron in the face, "you don't have to come back to live with us after the school year's over, do you? I mean, it's not that I don't want you there it's just that… well, you know." Dudley trailed off. Harry knew what he meant. Privet Drive wasn't the happiest of places. He'd have been much happier surrounded by magic and wizards and chocolate frogs, not endlessly doing chores for Petunia Dursley.

The mood in the room darkened. "The thing is, I don't really have a choice." Harry said somberly.

Dudley was confused. "What? Why?"

Harry pulled a blanket over himself, laying down and turning so that he could stare into the fireplace. "Something about protection, security. It's the safest place for me to be, according to Dumbledore."

"Protection from what?" Dudley asked.

Harry sighed. "Not tonight, Dudley. I'm tired," and with that he ended the conversation, letting the heat of the fireplace and the crackling logs lull him to sleep.

Ron laid down as well, and Hermione informed them that she was going to her dorm to sleep so as to get a better night's rest. Dudley laid awake, staring at the vaulted ceiling and thinking about Harry's answer—or lack thereof. Did this have something to do with all of his admirers? Did he need a security detail to protect him from his fans? Nothing was making sense.

That was when Dudley noticed that Hermione had left her book on the floor by one of the chairs. He had to admit, he was curious. A quick glance at the title told him that it was called "A History of Magic." Dudley didn't usually read books; instead he opted for movies and video games, but he would have to make an exception. He'd never read a magical book before. He gingerly opened it to the first page, then flipped through it, coming across a page marked with a bookmark.

'Chapter 498 - Section 32: The Downfall of Lord Voldemort

One of the most incredible events in recent wizarding history occurred on October 31, 1981. It was on that day that the most powerful dark wizard, known as Voldemort, was vanquished by none other than Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter of Godric's Hollow…'

Dudley looked up from the book in shock. This textbook had a chapter devoted to Harry Potter? Had he read that correctly? His cousin, no older than one, had killed an evil wizard? It didn't make sense. He read on.

'Most agree that the Dark Lord's death was due to the killing curse rebounding, but it is unclear as to how this happened. After making quick work of both Lily and James, Voldemort turned his wand to young Harry, and was struck down immediately, fulfilling the prophecy that had been previously spoken [see Chapter 498 - Section 31].

Harry Potter is known throughout the wizarding world as a great hero, and can be recognized most easily from the lightning-bolt-shaped scar left on his forehead from his encounter with Lord Voldemort. Since that fateful night, he has been living life peacefully in an undisclosed location.

[Sidenote] Although the world celebrates Potter's victory over Lord Voldemort, some theorists say that he is not gone for good. Whether or not he survives (in some way, shape, or form) is up for debate, however, wizards and witches alike have lived the last decade in relative peace and quiet, all thanks to Harry James Potter—The Boy Who Lived.'

The book slipped from Dudley's hands and landed with a thud on the common room floor. Harry was famous… Not just 'quidditch' famous, but famous for killing an evil wizard! Every wizard and witch in the world praised his name and had Harry to thank for their lives, all the while the Dursleys had treated him like dirt.

Dudley's heart was racing. How many times had he made fun of Harrys "ugly scar?" How many times had he called Harry's parents "no good drunks?" Suddenly his apology that afternoon did not seem sufficient. That scar showed that Harry, just a baby, had survived an encounter with perhaps the most evil wizard of all time. His parents had died trying to protect him, not in a drunken car accident.

Anger at himself, anger at his family, anger at the world filled Dudley as he lay down, trying to fall asleep on the floor by the fire. But the boy sleeping next to him would not leave his mind. There was something else that troubled him, as he thought over the information he had just read. Something about the fact that this Voldemort guy might still be alive caused a nervous feeling in the pit of Dudley's stomach. If he was alive, Dudley worried for his cousin's life.

Visions of evil wizards and lightning bolt scars filled his mind as he finally drifted off to sleep.

Woo, that chapter was a little heavier. But not too bad, right? Dudley learned some important things.

Please take a few moments out of your day to leave me a review. I love to hear what you all think of what I write. It helps me our on future stories.

Until the very end. (Get it, cause next chapter is the last? Haha)

~Gryffinclaw99