Bold and italics text = parseltongue

Chapter 2

Harry lasted a week before he had to escape the house and the presence of his relatives. In that week he'd alternated between doing chores and holding up in his bedroom pretending he didn't exist until he couldn't stand it anymore. His books weren't locked up this year so that was something but there was only so much homework he could take at a time. On the seventh day, he decided to try gardening to get some fresh air and still make his relatives think he was 'earning his keep'.

While gardening, he noticed several owls fly around the house at a strange distance which made him think there was a barrier they couldn't get through. He supposed that as long as Hedwig was capable of passing through it all was well. Though now that he thought about it, he hadn't gotten any letters from his friends and he'd spoken to Dobby about messing with his mail so he was fairly certain the elf wasn't up to his old tricks. The idea of going for a walk solidified in his mind as he eyed an owl in the neighbor's tree that seemed to be looking directly at him.

He put the gardening tools away and went inside. After washing his hands and face with cool water Harry made sure he had his wand and headed out but he was interrupted as he reached for the door knob.

"Where do you think you're going, boy?" Vernon called from his position on the living room sofa.

Harry sighed. "For a walk. I'll be back in time to make dinner." He heard his uncle muttering as he closed the door but couldn't be bothered to ask what he'd said.

When he reached the nearby park and realized that it was empty, he was happy. Nobody would see him with an owl and wonder. Nobody would ask his relatives questions they didn't want to answer. He walked over to a bench and looked around to be sure he wasn't in sight of any houses. After he'd been sitting for a few minutes, the owl he'd seen in his neighbor's tree landed on his shoulder. As soon as he'd untied the letter the bird flew off giving him the confirmation that there was a ward on either himself or his house to control his mail. This wasn't good.

As he broke the wax seal on the letter in his hand, he realized it was the Gringotts insignia.

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are writing to request a meeting due to an irregular development with your vaults - specifically, vault number 687. Please appear at our location in Diagon Alley on or before July 14th. Contact us as soon as possible if you need to reschedule. Thank you for your time.

Korlag

Potter Estate Manager

A problem with his vaults? That would imply more than one. He had an estate manager? He had an estate to manage? Harry didn't really know what to make of that so he resolved to ask Vernon to take him to London the next day. He folded the letter and sat down on a swing sighing in frustration. It was hot and he could barely feel a breeze so, when no other owls dropped by, he was forced to accept that his friends were not going to contact him anytime soon. He'd just about had enough of the whole situation and was working up the motivation to go back to Privet drive when Dudley and his gang chose that moment to pass by laughing. He didn't have to be a certified seer to predict the next few minutes.

Harry thought to himself that he might as well get it over with and called out. "Hey there, Big D. Beat up another ten year old?"

Dudley and his friends smirked at each other and then looked at him. "This one deserved it, Potter!"

"Yeah." Piers sneered.

"Five against one. Very brave." Harry said hoping Dudley could hear the contempt dripping from his words.

Dudley took a few steps toward Harry and glared at him. "You're one to talk. Moaning in your sleep every night. At least I'm not afraid of my pillow." He glanced back to the other boys and laughed.

"What a freak!" One of Dudley's friends chimed in.

"Not afraid of squirrels either, am I?" Dudley guffawed. "No, squirrel! You can't do that!"

"Shut up." Harry whispered harshly, hating that he still dreamed of his old teacher turning to ash in his hands.

"He's going to kill me, mum!" Dudley went on taunting his cousin. "Where is your mum, Potter? She dead?"

Harry's hands shook slightly as he took a breath to try and calm himself. It didn't work.

Harry stood up and pulled his wand, pushing the tip into Dudley's chin. "Shut up!"

Suddenly the heat drained away. Wind began to whip through his hair and clouds rolled in to cover the sun. As Harry looked around he felt his anger drain just as quickly.

Dudley looked up into the sky as well and started to get scared. "What are you doing, freak?"

Harry shook his head. "It's not me. I'm not doing anything!"

Harry vaguely heard Dudley's gang disperse, yelling that they were out of here and that Dudley should go with them but he didn't.

Getting an eerie feeling he took off running towards Privet Drive. Dudley obviously followed close behind because Harry could hear his cousin's heavy footsteps not to mention breathing.

They ran down the road and into the long alleyway that led from one end of the neighborhood to the other. Harry paused and flung his arm out to block Dudley. It was slowly getting colder here. His breath was visible and growing even more so. He looked back the way they'd come but felt a chill creeping in from that direction too. He knew what they were facing now. He'd felt this way only once before. It scared him enough then to become his boggart and he refused to make the mistake of letting it overwhelm him now. "Run, Dudley. Run and don't stop til you're in the house."

Dudley looked at him and took as deep a breath as he could before taking off at a flat out run. He'd never done what Harry told him before but he could see how grim his cousin's expression was. He'd never seen Harry this way and knew that this was what the magical world saw in him.

Dudley heard Harry yell something so he glanced back to see his cousin held halfway up the wall. He was swinging his stick around directing a huge blur of light and that's when Dudley tripped and landed on his arse.

Seeing Dudley go down hit Harry like a bolt of lightning. His cousin may not be among his favorite people in life but no magical creature was going to suck out his soul on Harry's watch. He swung his wand toward Dudley and strengthened the resolve behind his magic enough to direct his stag to fight the dementor off Dudley first and then himself. He caught his breath and made his way cautiously to Dudley's side.

"Dud? Are you okay?" Harry shook his cousin's arm. "Dud, c'mon. I need to get you home."

Dudley was completely freaked out. He felt so totally shaken up by this experience that he couldn't make coherent thoughts.

"Do you have any chocolate on you, Dud?" Harry asked urgently.

"S'all melty." Dudley mumbled. "It's why I was goin' 'ome."

Harry barely understood what the other boy was saying but pulled him up to a standing position. "I can't carry you. You have to help me get you home. I have to get some chocolate into you. It's the only way to treat someone who's been attacked by a dementor."

Dudley held tight to Harry's arm as he led the way to the Dursley house. Hurrying up the walkway, Harry noticed that the car was gone and frowned. He was supposed to make dinner soon and his uncle didn't usually leave the house once he was home from work. He pulled Dudley's key out of his cousin's pocket and opened the door rushing into the living room to drop his cousin on the couch. He bent over to look in Dudley's eyes and saw a wildly unfocused look. "Chocolate, Dud. You need chocolate and you know they hide it from me. Where is the chocolate?"

"Fridge." Dudley blinked at Harry and tried to process what he was saying. "Black pudding. Know you won't touch it."

Harry gritted his teeth but grabbed a blanket and threw it at his cousin as he ran for the kitchen. Ripping open the refrigerator door he swiped the cover off the black pudding container and pulled out the chocolate bar. He took a chunk for himself and handed the rest to Dudley who cowered on the couch. "Eat. You'll feel better in a bit. I don't know where your parents are but I'm not cooking until they're back."

After a few bites of the chocolate, Dudley looked up at Harry with new eyes. "What was it?" He whispered glancing at the door and back at Harry.

Harry walked over to the window and shifted the curtains to look out. "There were two. They're called dementors. Muggles can't see them but they look similar to the pop culture version of Death. They guard the wizard prison." He racked his brain. "There's no reason for them to be in Little Whingeing. Unless the Ministry's lost control of them..."

"Your lot has a Ministry?" Dudley asked in a daze.

Harry smirked in mild amusement. "Yeah, Dud. We've a Ministry and a Minister of magic. We have a lot of things muggles do. It's just that ours are magic. Have I blown your mind yet?"

Dudley directed his eyes to the floor. "What blows my mind is that you saved me... I didn't deserve it."

Both young men fell silent.

Then the door slammed open cracking the window beside it.

Harry's wand was out in the next breath and he dreaded seeing aurors at the other end but it was only Vernon and Petunia so he lowered it quickly.

Vernon's fat face was red and Petunia's lips were pinched as they stared down at Harry.

"Where did you go?" Dudley asked them knowing they'd never answer if Harry asked.

"We were looking for him." Petunia glared at Harry. "It's late and he didn't come back when he was supposed to. Dinner will be late. Then he got a letter from one of those stupid birds and we decided to go find him."

"I got a letter?" Harry asked startled.

"Here." Vernon shoved it at him. "Dudders, why're you wearing a blanket in summer? Why're you shaking?"

Petunia blinked at her husband and took a step toward her son.

"WHAT did you DO to him?" Vernon snarled at Harry.

"What?" Harry's eyes widened as he watched his uncle advance on him. He tried sidestepping to his right to avoid the older man but he wasn't fast enough.

Vernon's meaty hand caught Harry's arm and squeezed hard causing Harry to yell in pain.

He vaguely heard Petunia rush to Dudley's side and start asking questions but couldn't break free of Vernon's hold.

Dudley on the other hand got angry. "Mum, stop! It wasn't Harry's fault. It was a creature." He got up, dropping the blanket to the floor. "Dad! Dad, stop! You're hurting him!" He pushed past his mother and started pulling at Vernon's arm and bashing at his hand. "You'll break his arm!"

Breathing heavily, Vernon elbowed Dudley. "Get away! I'll kill him! Nobody hurts my boy and gets away with it!"

"It wasn't him, Dad! Get off him!" Dudley insisted and pulled Harry's arm away from his father.

Harry cried out in pain again and held his left arm close to his chest.

"Shit. You alright, Harry?" Dudley asked, wincing in sympathy.

Stepping into the hallway for a bit of space, Harry experimentally moved his hand, wrist and elbow. "Yeah, Dud. It isn't broken, just badly wrenched."

"What's gotten into you, Dudley?" Vernon scowled at the boy. "You're going to defend the freak? I don't even know you anymore!"

Petunia reached out toward her son. "Dudlikins, come with mummy. I'll fix you up...make you something to eat while dad and Harry talk. Yes?"

"No need to talk, is there?" Vernon aimed a smirking glance at Harry before looking at his son. "He's put us all in danger from creatures and other freaks like him. I won't have him here any longer! The freak has endangered us and corrupted you. He'll have to leave."

Harry stared at his uncle. "You're kicking me out?"

"That's right, boy. Go pack your things. I want you gone by midnight!" Vernon commanded with a cruel smile.

Harry looked at his aunt and cousin before nodding slowly. He turned to go upstairs but whirled around when he heard Dudley clear his throat.

"If Harry goes, so do I." Dudley said quietly.

Vernon was shocked to say the least. "Don't be ridiculous, Dudders. You're not going anywhere!"

"No, dad. Harry saved my life tonight...and this is how you repay him?" Dudley shook his head sadly. "He clearly values me more than you do. If he's not welcome here then neither am I. C'mon, Harry. Let's get out of here."

Petunia sat on the couch and began to cry.

"No. It's too dangerous, Dud. I can't let you do this. You're safer in the muggle world." Harry said, holding up a hand as if to immobilize him.

"I'm safer with you than without you, Harry. I also have a lot to make up for." Dudley held out his hand. "Please let me?"

Harry sighed at the look on his cousin's face and couldn't say no. He shook Dudley's hand and thought back to a movie he'd seen. "Alright. Let's travel light. I'll send Hedwig to my friends with my trunk. They'll let her stay for a few days and hold my trunk for me. The rest can go in my rucksack. You pack the big duffle bag - a couple changes of clothes, some chocolate, maybe a bottle of water for each of us. Anything you don't think you can live without - but we can't be weighed down by a bunch of luggage."

"Got it." Dudley grinned and hurried off.

Harry was hot on Dudley's heels. As soon as he was alone, Harry opened his letter. It was from the Ministry telling him they'd detected his use of magic in a muggle area but as no muggles were present this was a warning.

No muggles were present... Harry looked up as the door opened.

"You ready, Harry?" Dudley asked.

"Just about. I hardly ever take my things out of my trunk so a bit of shuffling around will only take a minute." Harry said grimly.

He slipped the confusing letter into his rucksack along with the letter from Gringotts and pulled a set of robes out of his trunk along with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. His trainers were on his feet and the socks he was wearing were clean when he put them on that morning. He rushed to seal his trunk with magic and threw his clothes into his rucksack. Then he remembered that his homework hadn't been completed and decided to simply shrink the trunk rather than send it to Ron. A swish of his wand had the trunk small enough to put in his pocket and one more swish did the same with Dudley's duffle bag. Freeing up both their hands, just in case. Hedwig was nowhere in sight so she must've been out hunting. So he shrunk the cage and added it to his rucksack.

"I hope the Knight Bus is willing to pick us up." Harry muttered, pocketing his wand as they walked down the stairs.

Vernon glared as they closed the door behind them but both boys seemed to sigh in relief when that moment came.

"We have to get out of sight of muggles. Then I can summon the bus." Harry looked both ways and pointed. "That way looks good."

Dudley looked around nervously but followed Harry closely.

They had only gotten a few feet when Harry heard something from a bush.

"Help...?"

Harry stopped and looked around.

"What?" Dudley wanted to know. "What's going on?"

"Did you hear something?" Harry asked quietly.

Dudley was shaking his head but it came again.

"Please help me?"

"Someone is calling for help." Harry watched his cousin's face. "You don't hear it?" Another head shake from the other boy solidified his eerie gut feeling. He sighed. "That means it's a snake."

"S-s-snake?" Dudley stuttered.

"Yes." Harry nodded absently as he began searching for the source of the calling voice. "I can talk to them...and understand them. It's not something everyone can do, so please don't talk to anyone about it."

Dudley made a twisting movement in front of his lips.

Harry smirked at the childish gesture that resembled the turning of a key but accepted it as a promise to keep his secrets. "I'm going to call out to the snake. You won't understand me."

Dudley just nodded.

"Hello? Do you need help?" Harry hissed quietly.

"Please!"

"Keep talking so I can find you!" Harry called out. He lit his wand and went deeper into the trees.

"Ha-Ha-Harry? There's a man over here!" Dudley called softly and Harry could hear the fear dripping from each word. "He's not moving and there's lots of blood!"

"Shit. That's all we need." Harry muttered. "Don't panic, Dud. We'll figure it out. Where are you? Are you hurt? I can't see you."

"You are beneath me, young speaker."

Harry looked up to see a long snake hanging from the branches of the tree next to him. Thinking quickly he used Wingardium Leviosa to lift the snake and lower her down to the ground.

"She's hurt badly." Harry murmured as he checked the snake's body for injuries. "I don't know much about healing but I'll do what I can." He wiped away the blood and tried the only spell he knew for healing small cuts and breaks. "Episkey." When it worked, he continued until he had healed all the cuts. "Was the dead human hunting you?"

"No, young speaker. He was among the group who were hunting a large spiked feline creature. I was with them but only that human and I survived. He was wounded and, when the magical device dropped us, I landed in the trees but he mustn't have been strong enough to live through the fall."

"I see." Harry thought for a moment. The creature the snake was describing sounded like a nundu. He wondered why someone wanted to hunt a nundu in the middle of a war. "Dudley, did you check for a pulse or ID?" Dudley looked terrified so Harry sighed. "This is why I didn't think you should come, Dud. I'm right smack in the middle of a war...or soon will be. There's danger and death around every corner. If you can't handle it... well, I'll have to find a safe place for you to stay while my friends and I fight."

Dudley shook his head and looked Harry in the eye. "I'll just have to get a thicker skin. How do I do what you asked me? The pulse thing?"

Harry took his cousin's hand and showed him where to find the pulse on his own neck. "This is what it feels like when the person is alive. If you don't find a pulse, put your hand in front of his mouth to feel if he's breathing. Then check for identification or a wand."

Nodding grimly, Dudley approached the man and did as Harry had instructed. "He's not breathing and I don't feel anything at his throat. Where would I find his wand if he had one?"

"One of his sleeves or a pocket. Go through his pockets first." Harry told him. "Any coins will be useful."

"Wand!" Dudley called out. "Looks like a small pouch...I hear jingling...coins! A bunch of silver ones and a few gold."

"Good. Put the pouch in your pocket. I'll tell you about them later. Did you find anything else in his pockets?" Harry wondered, turning back to the snake. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, young speaker. Now that the bleeding has stopped, I am slowly getting stronger."

"Where were you going?" Harry asked the snake. "Would you like to stay with us for a while?"

"Thank you, young speaker. If you do not mind I would like to gather my strength before attempting to return to my home."

"I don't mind at all." Harry smiled at her as he stroked her scales. "Dud? Wand? Anything else in the pockets?"

Dudley nodded silently holding out a broken wand and a small leather sack slightly larger than the coin pouch.

Harry took it and looked inside to find nundu spikes. He tied the sack closed and pulled out his trunk. He made quick work of enlarging it and dumping the contents of his rucksack into it before placing the sack in the pocket of the rucksack. Then he held it open for the snake to enter easily. She was silent as she settled in.

"I'll try not to jostle you too much." Harry whispered as he closed the flap. He turned back and cast the shrinking charm. As he slid the trunk into his pocket, Harry lifted his wand and pointed to the street. A few steps forward and he heard it - the sound of the Knight Bus as it rattled to a stop.

Stan Shunpike opened the door. "Welcome to the Knight Bus - emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. My name is... 'old on a tic. I know this one's face, I do!"

"Nevermind that, Stan. I need to know something before we board. You do transport squibs as well as witches and wizards, don't you?" Harry asked.

"Course, but only if they're accompanied by a witch or wizard." Stan looked him over and then switched his gaze to Dudley.

"Good. Dudley, come on." Harry motioned for his cousin to follow. "We're expected at the Leaky Cauldron, if you please, and if you can keep it quiet that I was traveling...just for a day or two... it would be helpful."

"There's the small matter of the fee... Mr. Longbottom?" Stan smirked.

"Right. Eleven sickles, wasn't it?" Harry asked digging into his pocket. He looked down at his eight sickles, ten knuts, and one galleon. "Dud, how much is in your pouch?"

Dudley pulled the coin pouch out and counted quickly. "Sixteen silver coins and five gold."

Harry handed his coins to Dudley and told him softly. "Give him eleven silver sickles for each of us. Give me the gold. It's best to split it between us anyway." He pocketed most of the gold coins but, in a slight of hand move that any muggle magician would envy, two galleons slid down his pants leg to land on the floor beside Stan.

"Leaky... didn't you say?" Stan's eyes widened as he bent to pick them up.

"Yes, please." Harry replied with a nod.

"Take 'er away, Ern!" Stan yelled as his hand disappeared with the coins into his pocket.