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Chapter 3

Harry was pacing his living room now. Up and down, up and down, up and down. Ron and Hermione were sat on one sofa, silent, while Ginny was sat with Andromeda, murmuring to her. Whatever she was saying seemed to be calming the woman down, and she was no longer crying.

Then again, maybe she'd just cried herself dry.

Harry felt like sinking to the floor, crawling into a corner, and just hiding away. It was strange that after everything he'd faced, having people he loved die, fighting the most evil wizard who ever lived several times, it was this that made him feel unable to fight anymore.

Maybe it was because he'd never expected anyone to happen to Teddy. Maybe it was because he'd thought all the bad stuff in his life was over, that he could be happy and relaxed without having anything bad to worry about. Maybe it was just because Teddy was young, innocent, wasn't trying to fight anyone. Maybe it was because Harry was used to losing people he depended on, but had never lost anyone who depended on him.

Misery and despair were evident in the room, and Harry couldn't breathe properly anymore. He walked into the kitchen, and found that he didn't feel any better in here, either.

Teddy was only six. Just six years old. They'd celebrated his six birthday only last month. He'd been so happy, smiley, the way that kid always was. Despite the tragedy of his begining, Teddy was so...bright. He just lit everything up, made you smile when you didn't think you could.

Harry remembered the party clearly, because he been wondering how that party would be if Remus and Tonks were there. If it would be different. Tonks would have probably knocked stuff over, he'd thought. And they'd have been having the party at Tonks and Remus's own house, instead of at Harry and Ginny's. It would have been Tonks who'd brought in the cake and candles, instead of Molly Weasley.

Actually, it might not have been exactly safe to let her carry the cake.

Six years old. Harry remembered thinking at the party that Teddy was growing up so fast, but now six didn't seem all that old at all. It seemed young, really, really young.

Teddy was a little bit small for his age, too. Just an inch or so below average, but still, as Harry stood in the kitchen that seemed to make it worse...Teddy was only little.

He wasn't breakable though. He'd proved that, time and time again. The kid was resiliant, never seemed to injure himself no matter how hard he fell.

"Hi." Ginny was stood in the kitchen doorway, just looking at him. He didn't know what to say, what to do, and so just looked at her in silence.

She crossed the room and hugged him.

"I don't know what to do." He whispered. "I can't help him. I can't bring him home."

"I know. It sucks." Ginny murmured. "He will come home. Maybe you can't be the one to bring him back, but he will be brought. And then you can help him, because he's going to need some help to get over this."

"I know. OK." Harry breathed, and then sighed. "I can't stand him being used to get to me."

"We don't know that's what it is." Ginny replied, and when he looked at her, she sighed too. "OK, so that's the most likely, but still."

"Harry." Hermione's voice, higher than usual, carried into the kitchen. "Harry, there's someone at the door." Something in her tone put him on edge, but she didn't sound scared. More shocked.

Harry and Ginny both ran out of the kitchen and into the hallway, where Ron and Hermione were stood, open-mouthed, gazing at the person on the front step, while Andromeda hovered nearby, looking confused.

Then Harry realised who was at the door, and his jaw dropped too.

He was maybe a few inches taller than the last time Harry had seen him, possibly a few pounds lighter, but he couldn't be sure. He was definetly older - seven years older, in fact.

Dudley Dursley was stood on his doorstep, looking nervous and clearly regretting ringing the doorbell.

"Dudley?" Harry croaked. It couldn't possibly be - he hadn't seen his cousin, or aunt or uncle, since the day he had left number four, Private drive forever, the day Hedwig and May-eye had died, before he'd even started looking for the Horcruxes...

It seemed a lifetime ago. Dudley was from a different life. And yet, here he was.

"Hi, Harry." Dudley said awkwardly, his face pink with embarrassment.

"I told you." Ron hissed to Hermione, but Harry barely heard.

"Why - what - why are you here?" Harry asked.

"I..I just...I saw that guy who looked after us - for that year - the w-wizard guy. You know, when we had to go into hiding." Dudley said, in a rush. "He - well they'd told us when you'd beat that - that man - let us go home and everything - and we hadn't seen them since we'd gone home - and he - I saw him in the street and he came over - he said hi to me, told - told me you'd got married." Dudley's colour deepened, and he cast an eye over the people staring at him, as though scared them might suddenly curse him. "He was really surprised that I didn't know, and gave me your address...said I should drop by and - and say hi and I thought - well - I never did - uh, I should have congratulated you, shouldn't I, when you beat that man..." Dudley trailed off, smiled weakly. "Well done...and congratulations on getting married..."

Harry was silent for a moment, trying to take in the words through the stammering and get the meaning.

"Oh." He said finally. "Well...hi, then. I...I guess you should come in." Stunned, he stepped back, and, awkwardly, Dudley stepped in.

"I won't stay long." He said quickly. "I just...I shouldn't have come really..."

"It's OK." Andromeda said brightly, as no one else seemed to be speaking. "Go sit down." She said, and Dudley walked nervously into the living room.

"Blimey, Harry..." Ron muttered, and Harry couldn't think of any reply.

"We recognised him." Hermione siad faintly. "Well...I never expected..."

"Me neither." Harry said.

"Who is he?" Andromeda asked curiously.

"Harry's cousin." Ginny said. "Harry, I can get rid of him if you want -"

"No, no, it's OK." Harry said.

"He wasn't exactly nice to Harry while they were growing up." Ginny explained to Andromeda.

"We were only kids, though." Harry said, wondering vaguely when his voice would get stronger. "And...the night I left, well..." He twisted his face into what could have been a pained smile. "He did say he didn't think I was a waste of space." He remembered how embarrassed and touched he'd been.

"It's not a great time though, is it?" Ron said. "With Teddy and everything..."

Harry filled with guilt. In the shock of seeing his cousin, he'd momentarily forgotten about Teddy, other than the nagging pain at the back of his head.

"You're right. OK." He walked into the living room, and saw Dudley by the fireplace, lookingaround the room, clearly finding the differences between a muggle home and a wizard one. Harry actually loved his house - he loved the clutter, the way the house was almost messy, the way it looked...well, lived in. With magical instruments scattered around it, Teddy's toys, bottles of potions on the shelf on one wall, it was the complete opposite of the house Harry had grown up in, and, if he was honest with himself, he'd made sure it was that way.

"So, ah, how've you been?" Harry asked awkwardly.

"OK." Dudley muttered. "I'm working with Dad now, at his company.

"Still living at Privet Drive?"

"No. Well, I've moved ito my own place now anyway. But we moved out of Privet Drive a little after we went back."

"Why?" Harry asked blankly. He'd always thought his aunt and uncle would never leave that house.

"Oh, well, see, there was always a lot of...your kind...hanging around out front."

"What?" He asked quickly. "I thoughts you'd be safe, all the Death Eaters -"

"It wasn't like that." Dudley tolod him. "They...well, Dad went out to ask them why they were hanging around, and they said...they wanted to see where Harry Potter grew up."

Harry flushed. "I-I'm sorry - I didn't know -"

"So we moved away." Dudley shrugged.

"Right. Um, are your parents OK then?" Dudley nodded, and Harry wondered if he should feel guilty about not caring about his aunt and uncle. He was asking because he felt he ought to. Silence fell, and Harry found himself wishing for his cousin to leave. They may have just been kids once upon a time, and Dudley may have tried to make amends the last time they'd seen each other, but some wounds ran too deep.

He couldn't forgive the boy who'd made his life a misery, who'd brusied him, made him isolated. It wasn't like he dwelled on it. He'd forgotten it all. But seeing Dudley here just reminded him of how helpless he'd been as a child, and that didn't help his present situation. Dudley turned away, looked at the photo's on the matel.

"Is this your son?" He asked, incredulously, turning round and holding up a recent picture of Teddy.

"My godson." Harry corrected. "Ah, Dudley, the thing is, Teddy - my godson - he's - he's..."

"He's been kidnapped." Ginny said, taking hold of Harry's hand to support him.

"What?"

"So I'm sure you understand, this isn't a great time." Ginny said carefully.

"Oh. Right." Dudley said, blushing again. "I'll go, then."

"You're, ah, welcome to come again." Ginny told him. "It's just...obviously...we're a bit preoccupied with Teddy..."

"Right. Sorry. Um...I hope you get him back." Dudley muttered.

"Thanks." Harry said, finding his voice again. "Ah, really, Dudley, you could come over again..."

"It's OK. I mean, I don't know why I even came...I...I'm glad you got rid of that guy - Lord thingy. And congratulations again on getting married."

"I'd've invited you." Harry siad awkwardly. "But I didn't think you'd've come..."

"I probably wouldn't." Dudley said, edging towards the door. "I wouldn't have known anyone there and well...See you, then."

"I'll see you out." Hermione said, and she and Dudley walked to the hallway.

"That," Harry said, when he heard the front door shut, "was one of the biggest surprises of my life."

I've been actually thinking of doing some kind of one-shot where Harry met Dudley again, but couldn't think of anything to actually happen...so I slid it in here...