Conquering Privet Drive

"Harry, wake up!"

Harry opened his eyes slowly as he heard Ron calling to him.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"We're pulling into Platform 9-3/4. You might want to wake up before the aurors search the train." Said Ron.

"The aurors search the train?" Asked Hermione with a look of skepticism on her face.

"Yeah. My gran told me about how a kid years ago tried to stay on the train expecting to go back to Hogwarts." Said a new, but familiar voice.

"I can sympathize, Neville. Hogwarts is bloody brilliant." Said Harry as he stretched.

"Either way we need to get out of here soon. Plus, I don't want to give Fred another way to take revenge on me." Said Ron who was looking around the coach trying to spot anything he might have dropped.

"Fred wants revenge on you. Don't you normally get pranked all the time by them?" Asked Neville.

While the others talked as they pulled down their trunks. Harry grabbed his own trunk. He pulled it down with a frown.

"What's itching my leg," Thought Harry.

He reached into his pocket as he followed the others out of the coach. He pulled out the paper that Professor Lupin had left him.

"I will be able to tell you about your parents when I'm out of Hogwarts. If you have questions about your family at Hogwarts, ask Professor Flitwick. He knew your grandfather, Fleamont. But be careful how you ask him and don't let anyone else know. Especiall-"

Harry looked at the paper with a look of shock on his face. His grandfather's name was Fleamont? Why didn't Professor Flitwick or anyone us tell him for that matter?

He put the thought out of his head with a single thought, "I'll save that for later. Focus on business first."

"Hey, do you all want to get together later this Holiday?" Asked Harry.

A pregnant silence followed.

"What." Said Neville.

"Do you all want to get together later this Holiday?" Asked Harry a second time.

"I'll have to check with my parents. I can't imagine they would say no. But doesn't Dumbledore want you to stay at Privet Drive?" Hermione reasoned.

Ron and Neville made a similar argument before Harry answered. "Dumbledore hasn't actually told me not to leave. So, I won't be actually getting in trouble because there is no reason for me to be in trouble."

The others looked a little perturbed by Harry's reasoning; however, they agreed to meet with him after they got an answer from their guardians.

Harry smiled and waved as they walked through the barrier of platform 9-3/4. Questioning gazes directed back at him.

Harry immediately turned left following a group of families making their way to a line of fireplaces on the wall. He grabbed some Floo Powder he had "acquired" from Snape's lab last night.

He waited till he got to his chance to throw the Floo Powder into the fireplace before speaking, "The Leaky Cauldron."

Three Days Later

Harry quietly made his way through number 4 Privet Drive. He smiled as pulled open the door to Dudley's room. All it took was one piece of tape over the bolt of Dudley's door every evening to make sure he could get in even when Dudley had locked the door for the night.

He had been sneaking into Dudley's room the past few nights. Every time leaving a piece of chocolate from his hoarded candy from the school year. Like clockwork Dudley had been eating the chocolate not even questioning where it was from.

Tonight, would be different.

Harry looked over at his cousin who at the best of time resembled a baby walrus. Before leaning over and shaking him.

"Mommy?"

Harry rubbed his forehead in disgust. Before shaking his cousin again.

"Mo- Fre-Harrry!" Spluttered Dudley at his cousin pointing his flashlight at him.

"Be quiet Dudley. I'm not going to hurt you. Unless you hurt me and if you did that. You would have my crazy uncle who's out of wizard's jail paying you a visit. Remember?" Harry calmly spoke as Dudley's eyes bugged out. Ever since he had gone back to Platform 9-3/4. He had mentioned Sirius to them.

Uncle Vernon had been ready to strangle Harry after making them wait for ten minutes during his jaunt to Diagon Alley. He smiled at the memory.

"Boy! What are you doing making us wait all day. I have half a mind to-

"I was saying goodbye to my uncle. He's an escape prisoner out of wizard prison where he was being held for Murder. Anyway, he told me if he didn't get a letter from me or if he Sees me injured, he would be happy to pay me a visit to see how I'm doing. So, Uncle Dursley do you think you could give me a good punch so I could see him sooner? Beside I want to figure out how he's watching me without my knowing."

Since that time, he had been ignored and quietly feared by the Dursleys. They had in fact been treating him quite well, albeit by using some invisible threat that "His Lot" couldn't handle. But now would be the first time he would make active use of said threat.

"Okay Dudley. Here is the situation you act like a victim even though you are the biggest bully in ten miles. Meanwhile you run the house. Because Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon will do anything to keep you happy. Here is what you'll do. Tomorrow you will ask Uncle Vernon if the two of us can out. I will take you to a tavern where you can order whatever you want to eat and I will pay for it." Said Harry taking a breath before continuing.

"If we are allowed to go out. I will pay you ten pounds for the day and will give you more chocolate as you earn it per night. If you betray me and I get hurt by Uncle Vernon. My Uncle Padfoot will show up to find out whatever has happened to me. Personally I don't want to have that happen to either of us. Do we have a deal?"

Harry held out his hand as Dudley considered what he had just been told and offered. Dudley rubbed his eyes, looking for all the world like he was going to go back to sleep.

"Am I going to have to say all of that again!" Thought Harry with outrage. He was offering Dudley every penny he had hidden from the Dursley's. He felt something soft grab his hand. He looked down to see Dudley's fat hand holding his.

Both boys instinctively shook hands. Dudley already spending the offered money. in his head while Harry was thinking two words.

"CHECKMATE, Dursleys."

It only took one outing for Harry to get the tools he needed. The opportunity provided by Dudley and paid for by himself. He approached Uncle Vernon with Dudley the following day. Dudley asked for an opportunity for both of them of them to get a summer job for with two separate reasons.

For Dudley the opportunity to make his own money which elicited cries of, "My little man and he's a chip off the old block." After fifteen minutes of excessive cooing over Dudley, Harry pointed out that if he made money, the Dursleys would actually save money instead of feeding him for nothing.

Between their love of Dudley and their greed, Harry got the permission to get a summer job as long as he got the gardening chores done every morning.

That night Harry grinned. The quick quotes quill he had bought spat out Uncle Vernon's signature and permission. Uncle Vernon's speech providing a variety of potential faked legal documents whenever Harry needed them. The tape recorder he had bought the first time Dudley had helped him get out proving itself invaluable.