Authors note: Here's my second chapter, we finally get to see Harry and Dudley in action. I do intend to have Dudley and Harry be slightly more intelligent than the normal 10-11 year old but hopefully not much so.

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It had been nearly 10 years since that fateful day when Harry was left on the doorstep of number 4 Private Drive. Much had changed in the Dursley household. The photos of the baby Dudley had been replaced by photos of two scrawny brothers, playing in the park, eating ice-cream, on a tour of Scotland, and even one of the two boys sitting on the floor looking over a book describing the Apollo moon landings.

The living room now sported a small TV wedged into a corner next to the fireplace. Harry and Dudley were sitting in front of the TV watching a show science show about Newton's Laws of Motion. Petunia walked in just in time to hear Harry jibe Dudley, "To bad this doesn't apply to daily life Dudley, then you wouldn't have gotten the snot beat out of you by Billy, equal and opposite reactions and all."

"Shut up Harry, you didn't do much better! You ran off before he even had a chance to hit you." Petunia sighed. Dudley and Harry had picked a fight with Billy Welby the neighbor's spoiled son. Billy had been a little overzealous in his self-defense but his parents would hear none of it.

"Hey, I don't know how I ended up on top of the roof." Petunia kept her face calm at this. Harry was beginning to show signs of Magic. There had been incidents occurring with fast increasing frequency that kept screaming magic. She had hoped he wouldn't show signs and would be able to live a normal life, a safe life, or at the very least that he wouldn't show signs before he went to school for it. That was how Lily had done it, she had showed one sign that Petunia could remember and then next thing we knew she was invited off to learn how to become a full witch. "Next time, I say we bring bats!"

"Harry Dursley what do you think you are saying?" Petunia exclaimed shocked out of her reminiscence, "And you as well Dudley, we do not provoke people into fights. We also," she emphasized, "do not bring weapons to fights! Do I make myself clear?"

Dudley and Harry both stiffened and jerkily nodded a quick "Yes mum." They had both been on the receiving end of one of her punishments and neither wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon scrubbing the bathroom until it sparkled.

Petunia eyed them carefully for another moment, letting them sweat, "Now, turn that TV off and come have your lunch." The boys visibly relaxed. Harry got up and turned the TV off. "And after you eat, you're going to go play outside." She quickly cut off their groans, "You've been inside long enough and you need your exercise too. Why don't you go around to the park and play on the swings, I'm sure you'll have a great time."

The park was a small thing on the corner of the street. It had some old swings that squeaked every time they swung. There was a slide and some other odds and ends, all worn with time. Along the side of the park not bordered by the road was an area of tall grass where water collected during heavy rains.

Harry gave her a look that said all too clearly that he thought of swings as for children but he didn't say anything and entered into the dining area closely followed by Dudley. Quickly they both downed ate their food, thanked Petunia for the food and headed out the door. Petunia smiled as their backs turned to go outside. They were both well-mannered and it wasn't incorrect to thank her, but it was so cute when they tried to act as adults.

Dudley pulled the door closed behind him. As it shut he looked up and down the street and seeing nobody glanced back at Harry, "So are we actually going to the park?"

"Yeah," harry replied, "I don't see why not."

"I never asked, but what's the real reason you ended up on the roof?"

Harry sighed, "I really don't know. I intended to just get behind Billy. When he tried to punch me I just wanted to not get hit so badly and suddenly I was on the roof. I still can't seem to get it under control, sometimes I go where I want to, sometimes I go places I didn't expect to. It's so odd it's like there's not enough focus. What about you, still haven't managed to do it?"

"No." Dudley grumbled. "It just doesn't make sense. I do what you told me to. I put all my emotions into this little imaginary box all compressed down like a spring. But when I let the emotions fly out nothing happens."

"That's not all. You don't just let the emotions out you have to funnel it to a specific need. Let your emotions all tunnel into your need to be home and then it should work."

"I do that, it just doesn't work for me." Dudley said dejectedly, "Perhaps I'm missing something." Dudley kicked a rock on the road. "I won't be able to keep up with you Harry."

"Are you ceding the race to be Minister then?" Harry goaded. Harry and Dudley had long decided that they would be the future leaders of Britain. They would bring Britain into the next age; fix the schools, stop all bullies, and make Britain a superpower once again except this time with space and rockets. "Honestly, do you really think even if I manage to figure out how to control it, moving from location to location would make you less fit than me?"

Dudley mulled that over. They silently headed down the street, finally crossing to get to the small park with a small set of swings. He spoke up, "No I guess not. It's just disappointing to incapable. I've been able to catch up and even beat you in our academics. You now you've done something I am incapable of doing, you're special Harry."

Harry rolled his eyes, "You know perfectly well neither of us is really special. This is probably some stupid quirk we will work out when we are older, maybe genetic or maybe it's just a way of thinking. We put in a lot of hard work and effort to know what we know. We didn't just one day become intelligent." Harry paused for a moment, thinking and then continued, "We've worked hard to please mum, and then once we decided we wanted to be leaders, we worked hard for that goal as well."

They had stopped on the sidewalk right beside the park. Harry looked over at Dudley staring at the ground. Reaching out he put his hand on Dudley's back, "You know, even Einstein was not special, not until he found something for which he was uniquely suited. He worked hard. He had some intuition yes, but his work was not the magic many now seem to believe, and after he found it, he shared it with all so that it wouldn't be unique to one individual. You will find your own problem to solve, your own intuition that even I will not be able to match. Together with our own abilities we will be that pair that brings this country to power again."

Dudley looked up, eyes hopeful, "Do you really think so?"

"I know so. We are not bound by any fate except that of our own effort. With your diligence, you will be great Dudley." Harry looked at the park, "Now what are we possibly going to do here?"

"Let's just go sit by the grass. We can work on plans to get back at Billy." The thought of making Billy pay for hitting them and getting them in trouble was a little too good to pass up. They headed over to the tall grass and sat down, seated across from each other they started to plan, making small diagrams on the ground for each of their plans. They questioned each other on whether the plan had flaws, and challenged each other to come up with reasons the plan would fail. When they did come up with a reasonable failure, they erased the plan and came up with a new one.

After ten such plans, Harry was at the point of giving up. "These are just too impractical Dudley. He's more than two years older than us, stronger and simply put crueler." Harry picked at the grass, breaking it into small pieces.

"Humansss…"

"What did you say?" Harry questioned.

"I didn't say anything." Dudley responded.

"I heard you say Humansss"

"Nope, I didn't say anything. Let alone hiss, what are you on about?"

"Thisss humansss can ssspeak?"

Harry hadn't seen Dudley's mouth move at quickly looked around, trying to see if anyone had managed to sneak up on them. Seeing no one he asked Dudley, "Do you have any idea where that voice came from?"

Dudley gave him a quizzical look. "Harry, no one said anything."

"No no, someone definitely said 'Thisss humansss can ssspeak'"

"I am down here humansss." Harry looked down, searching. "Humansss are alwaysss ssso blind, I will come to yousss." A grass snake slowly came out of the long grass, slithering up to Harry's leg.

"Yousss were the one talking?" Harry asked, puzzled. He extended his hand down to the snake.

"Yesss, you do underssstand. Humansss can be ssso cruel to usss but yousss may be acceptable" The snake spoke. It slithered up on to Harry's arm speaking, "Will yousss be able to bring me to a better place? Thisss grassss home hasss become too sssmall for me."

"Harry…" Dudley asked anxiously, "what's going on?"

"Isn't this amazing Dudley, this snake is speaking to us!'

"No Harry, you're both just hissing." He gave the snake a quick glance, "It's just a grass snake but maybe we should leave it here and go home."

"We can't leave it! It wants to live in a better home. We can bring it somewhere with more grass and room to move around, there's that another, larger park near the bridge where we can let it go."

"Fine," Dudley acquiesced, "but I'm it bites you I'm telling mum this was all your idea."

To the snake, "We ssshall bring you to a new home. Stay on my shoulder we will be on our way in a moment."

Dudley got up, "You just did it again you know, that was all hisses. Come on, let's get this over with and go home. I want to finish watching that show."

"I was just telling the snake to stay on my shoulder. Was I speaking another language?" Dudley nodded. Harry looked at the snake, now curled around his upper arm and resting on his shoulder. "Do you ssspeak to humansss often?"

"Neversss," the snake replied, "I wasss sssurprisssed to hear you ssspeak. I wasss a little hasssty in ssshowing myssself but I wasss interesssted and you could help me."

Dudley had started walking off, "Hmm," Harry got up and jogged to catch up with Dudley, "this snake says it doesn't usually speak to humans."

Dudley just gave him a look, "Honestly Harry. When was the last time you heard of someone actually talking to snakes, or even talking to any animal for that matter? It's not normal Harry, they tried with Dolphins, and it didn't work. It's another one of your special traits I suspect, another thing I can't compete with." He thought for a moment, "Though, all those politicians are basically snakes, you'll be able to speak their language." Chuckling, "Oh yes, you'll be able to tell them off when they get on your bad side, 'HISSS and don't come back HISSS.' They'll be running screaming."

Harry groaned, "Just another thing if anyone finds out about, I'm going to be dragged into a lab to be studied. I wouldn't mind so much but I want my freedom"

"Don't forget the prodding you with sticks. You might even…" he cut off. Billy had just become visible on the street ahead of them. Dudley quietly kept walking. Harry was hoping Billy wouldn't turn this way. They didn't need another run in with him. No matter what they told Billy's parents or how many more bruises he and Dudley had, Billy's parents would always blame Dudley and Harry for causing Billy to act badly; that Dudley and Harry were the bad influences.

Harry watched as Billy turned his head and saw them. Billy immediately changed his direction of travel, walking towards Harry and Dudley. "Not my day." Dudley cursed.

Harry looked at the snake, an idea forming in his head. "Would you be able to act mean and aggressssive to that humansss approaching? I wisssh him to think you are venomousss and mean."

"I can bite him, but I am not venomousss. Humansss will not know the difference, I'll make it hurtsss" The snake uncoiled slightly and gave itself room to move, "Jussst get me clossse."

"The snake said it'd help us," Harry whispered quietly, "if we get close enough for it to bite him. We just have to make Billy think it's venomous, do you have any ideas on how we can do that?"

Dudley grinned, "I'll take care of that."

"Two beansprouts out for an afternoon walk?" Billy called out when he was closer, "Why did they let you out, who knows you might end up falling down and bruising yourself again."

"Hi Billy," Dudley said back, jovially, "We just found this snake and we are going to try selling it to the pet store. We might be able to get five quid out of the deal!" Harry startled, was Dudley nuts? That was just going to make Billy want the snake for himself. "We might even make twenty quid if it happens to be a missing pet, just think of all the candy we could buy!"

"Twenty quid…" Billy was obviously interested in the prospect of money, "Why don't you give the snake over and go home. I can take it the rest of the way to the store and see it safe."

"Well I don't know Billy, what if it's poisonous? The snake is pretty calm right now but if we start moving it around it might get worked up. If it was a pet… who knows how fast the poison could spread. It could be hours of agony at the least. That's the other reason we're going to the pet store, they can probably get the snake off without Harry getting hurt." Billy gestured at Harry. "We don't want Harry to get hurt do we?"

Billy grinned, "Oh no, of course we don't. I've had experience with snakes before though, I can get it off him safely, and then you could go home. Tell you what, I'll even give you have of whatever the store gives me, just stop by tomorrow or something and pick it up."

Dudley visibly paused looking as if he was seriously considering the offer. Harry was dumbfounded. This was complete and utter bullshit but Dudley has managed to not only give Billy an incentive to take the snake, but to also plant a seed of doubt that the snake was poisonous. "How about you take the snake, but Harry and I come with you to the shop so we know you didn't cheat us out of our half?"

"Fine, fine," Billy quickly agreed, "have it your way you can come." He stepped close to Harry, hand extended towards the snake. "Now let me just take the snake."

In a motion so fast that Harry felt it from the sudden pressure on his shoulder more than actually seeing it happen, the snake lunged off his shoulder at Billy's hand, clamping down hard as Billy's shout of surprise and pain rang down the street. The snake immediately released the hand and curled back up on Harry's shoulder, hissing. Billy quickly backed up holding his hand, "It bit me!"

Dudley ran up close to Billy, "Oh no, no, no, I knew this could happen. Let me see your hand, it's not looking bad is it?" He took a moment to look at the small bit of blood pooling on Billy's hand. "The wound doesn't look to bad, but does that look a little more green than usual around the edges? Could it be that the snake is venomous? Oh no! Billy, hold your wrist as hard as you can, you need to stop venom from spreading! You need to go get that checked out right away! If they can't stop it fast enough you might have to lose an entire arm! Hurry, I'll stay here with Harry and try not to anger the snake more. Get some adults quickly so they can save Harry!"

With a curse, Billy ran away, tightly clasping his wrist. As soon as he was out of sight, Dudley chuckled. "Well that worked better than expected. We should get going so we're not here when he gets back. I'm sure he's going to be furious when he finds out the snake wasn't actually venomous."

Harry spoke then, his voice a little awed. "That was brilliant! He is a gullible fool. I mean that story was full of holes, what pet shop would actually buy a pet from off the street?" Shaking his head, Harry pointed out, "It worked though, and that's what we wanted. Let's pick up the pace." With that Harry started jogging along, "Sssorry for the bumpy ride, we need to get out of here."

Harry and Dudley were an odd sight, running down the street with a snake attached firmly to Harry's arm. It wasn't long until they had arrived at the area under the bridge and let the snake go into the bushes surrounded by tall unkempt grasses. "Thank you humansss, I will not forget your kindnessss."

"It appreciated us bringing it here." Harry explained to Dudley, "It said it'd remember us."

"Good, now we just need to get home without running into Billy again."

Carefully they worked their way home, steering clear of the streets leading to the pet store, and arrived back at home without much trouble. Upon opening the door, Petunia yelled, "Where have you been? I get told you have a poisonous snake and that you attacked their son with it. I didn't believe the Welbys' story for a moment but I did decide to go check up on you at the park." Harry and Dudley gulped. This wasn't going to be good. "You were not there! You're grounded until further notice, and you are going to be doing double chores. Now both of you go sit quietly on the couch until I talk to you, I have to call your father, he went out looking for you."

After she had called Vernon and told him the boys had returned home, Petunia was standing in the kitchen trying to organize her thoughts before she talked to the boys. What would she say, how could she make them understand the terror of not being able to find her children? She heard from the living room, Dudley softly say, "Next time, have the snake bite him harder."

She shook her head. It was beginning to get out of hand. Harry had to be partially responsible for this. Harry was learning about his world on his own too fast, too early. Harry was almost eleven, the same age Lily was when they invited her off to their world. He needed to learn what she couldn't teach him. "Albus Dumbledore, is it yet time?" No answer. She hadn't expected any really, who knows that their world looked like now. Perhaps even Albus Dumbledore, whoever he was, was long dead.

She stood straight, straightened her shirt and steeled herself. After a moment, she walked in to the living room, "I thought I told you to be quiet until I came in! Now, what is this I hear about snakes?"