Hogsmeade Business
The morning sun streamed through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the bedroom. Dudley lay on his back, his arms wrapped protectively around Chloe, whose brown hair lay sprawled over his heart. They had each other, and there was a promise of a new beginning.
Chloe let out a contented sigh, "I love this place," she murmured into him, her voice still heavy with sleep.
Dudley smiled and rubbed her back. "Me too. It already feels like home."
Chloe and Dudley woke up. Chloe made to move closer to Dudley, but he stood up from the bed and said, "We should get started."
Chloe rubbed her eyes. "Can that wait for some more time?"
Dudley offered his hand to her, "Sure, but, later. Today, we have a lot of work. First, we have to meet Sheldon. Sheldon and I will meet George in the village, and together we need to look around. I have to start selling the joke products, right?"
Chloe audibly yawned. Dudley continued, "We have bills to pay. Not to mention Lynn is very particular about rent."
Chloe reluctantly nodded and took his hand, "I want to come with you."
"Certainly! You'll have to look for a job too! You and me both run the house!" Dudley said, as Chloe stood in front of him and met his gaze with determination in her eyes.
"We can do it, Dudley!" She said.
"That's the spirit!" Dudley encouraged her. "Now, go and have a shower. After I finish, we will go to meet Sheldon."
Chloe and Dudley found themselves joining Sheldon in 50 minutes' time.
"Ah! I see you're early!" Sheldon jovially said "I'm hoping you have eaten?"
Chloe shook her head, while Dudley looked embarrassed.
"No problem. I have some toast ready anyway!" Lynn said, levitating two pieces of toast each into Chloe and Dudley's hands.
"Thanks!" Dudley said.
"Really!" Chloe gave a grateful look.
"Eh! Don't do this!" Lynn brushed it away.
Their first stop was the Hogsmeade Post Office. Chloe wrote a quick note that she and Dudley were settling in Hogsmeade. She quickly duplicated the note and sent owls to Luna, Ginny, and Hermione. Dudley wrote a longer note. It was for his parents, explaining why he was at Hogsmeade, his new house, his job, and everything that had happened till then. Finally, he also completed his letter and sent an owl.
"How much?" He asked the man at the counter. He pointed at a woman inside a cabin. When Dudley moved forward, Sheldon stopped him.
"Don't be silly! I will pay!" Sheldon cheerfully declared.
"But..." Dudley stammered.
"No ifs and buts!" Sheldon insisted and kept his bag of Silver Sickles on the counter.
"How do you know the cost?" Dudley asked.
"I live here! And besides, if you go to the manager," he pointed at the woman in the cabin, "it will take longer! Might as well get going now!"
Dudley and Sheldon met with George at Zonko's Joke Shop. This was for Dudley to look around and observe the products and the sales at a joke shop that's been successfully running for years.
"Where do you live, young lady and young man?" A clerk asked Chloe.
"At my house - for rent!" Sheldon answered cheerfully.
"Oh! That is a solid 30-minute walk from here!" She calculated.
"You have been there before?" Dudley asked.
"Why, yes! Lynn and I sat together in Potions! Professor Snape taught us. You must have heard of him!" She said.
"We have!" Dudley said.
"Where do we set up the shop, then?" Dudley asked George.
"For now, there is a small space I have rented at the corner of your street. That's where the merchandise will be loaded, and you can begin your sales." George said. "Let us head to your place."
Dudley and George went inside the shop, and Chloe followed Sheldon back home. She would sit with Lynn.
As Chloe and Lynn enjoyed their second cup of tea, George and Dudley came back.
"Oh, let me get you some..." Sheldon began from inside.
"No. It is quite all right. I must leave now. I'll drop by some other time." George cheerfully said. The loss of one ear had not impacted George's mood, behavior, or attitude. He was still the same George Weasley—just older and wiser, and lacking both an ear and his twin.
Dudley looked at Sheldon, "Just one more help, Shelly. If we could find a job for Chloe, it'd be helpful. We are starting out now, you see. The expenses..."
"Course! I understand!" Sheldon said.
"Lunch time! You'll need to take your pills, uncle." Lynn announced.
They quickly enjoyed their meal. Chloe and Dudley patiently waited for Sheldon to finish eating by sneaking looks at each other. Lynn was tactful enough to pretend to check some Transfiguration notes.
Soon after, Sheldon retired for his afternoon siesta, and Lynn accompanied him. Dudley and Chloe simply walked around Hogsmeade, walking as far as the road leading to Hogwarts.
As the ruins (to Dudley) and the majestic castle (to Chloe) drew nearer, Chloe's eyes watered.
"You miss Hogwarts?" Dudley asked. He had previously heard of his cousin, Ginny, Ron and Hermione expressing the same thing.
"Hell no! This was the place I was lonely - faraway from my parents and friendless if it weren't for Luna. This is the place that changed my life forever, thrusting me into a war we neither knew of nor wanted any part of! My best memories of my time at Hogwarts are, ironically, outside that castle. I miss my best friend and wish I was in this village last year." Chloe sighed.
Nodding, Dudley put an arm around her. Chloe had indeed told him that she was glad to have finished five years at Hogwarts and no longer wished to study or go there. Too many unpleasant memories. Not everybody wanted to return to Hogwarts after the war, and clearly, Chloe wasn't the only one who made such a decision.
"I told you mine is an unpopular opinion!" Chloe chuckled as she and Dudley made their way back.
But Chloe was never the kind to mock, insult, degrade, insult, or laugh at someone for missing Hogwarts or wanting to go to Hogwarts. She was kind and patient. In fact, she could easily empathize with and understand why Petunia so desperately wanted to go to Hogwarts. Dudley knew it.
The next thing Chloe knew or remembered was that she found herself in a moonlit forest, surrounded by towering trees that seemed to whisper ominous secrets.
"Dudley?" She called out. Her voice was trembling.
As she stepped cautiously, a bone-chilling breeze sent shivers down her spine. Suddenly, from the shadows emerged masked figures, their faces obscured by sinister Death Eater masks. They advanced towards her, their robes billowing ominously.
A dementor seemed to be giving the Kiss to someone sprawled on the mud.
Chloe's heart raced as the masked figures closed in, their hollow eyes gleaming with malevolence. She tried to scream, but her voice was trapped in a strangled whimper.
In the distance, a sickly green light illuminated the sky, revealing the unmistakable Dark Mark, a symbol of doom. But the masked figures looked mockingly at her and left her. They summoned the dementor. A suffocating grip of fear engulfed her, and she ran, heart pounding in her chest, until she reached the spot directly below the Dark Mark.
She froze upon seeing the figure lying there. Her long, silvery-blonde hair was matted and disheveled, and her eyes that always gave the impression that she didn't know how or why she turned up anywhere, was now replaced by a vacant and dull look. Luna Lovegood lay still and motionless, lost somewhere in the woods, her face pale.
"No! No! It can't be!" Chloe trembled harder than ever. She dropped down by Luna and shook her shoulders. But Luna did not move.
Chloe suddenly woke in a cold sweat, tears streaming down her face. "LUNA! L-Luna!"
"Chloe?" Dudley's sleepy but concerned voice came up from beside her. The lights turned on, and Dudley sat up against the headboard. "What happened?" He turned towards her, looking shocked.
Chloe's head dropped into Dudley's chest, her shoulders shaking madly, her muffled sobs still being loud enough across the room, her face sinking deeper into his massive chest with every sob and gasp.
"LUNA!" Chloe sobbed hysterically. "Something's happened to her!" She felt Dudley's arms holding her, as though shielding her from the masked monsters. It obviously took a while for Dudley to comprehend what was happening as he fondled her hair.
Rubbing her back with his other hand, in his soothing voice, Dudley calmly said, "I am sure Luna would be fine, dear. She is an adult witch, a war veteran, and one independent woman. You have written her a letter, have you not?"
The rhythmic rise and fall of his chest pressing against her face comforted her. Eyes still streaming, Chloe snuggled further into Dudley and sniffled into his chest, which was now all damp. Chloe's eyes had turned red and puffy. Dudley never once let go of her. Slowly, the room slipped back into the drowsy silence from earlier.
Chloe lifted her head from Dudley's chest as the morning sun streamed through the curtains, as though to repeat the previous day. It had been a long night. yet shorter than she'd have liked as she was in Dudley's arms making use of his chest all night. Her looking up awoke Dudley too. He and Chloe stared at each other, the latter stifling a sob.
Dudley wiped away the tear tracks on Chloe's face. "Bad dream?" He asked. Chloe pressed her forehead against his chest and moaned, "I want to do nothing today." Her voice was muffled.
"Fair enough." He rubbed her back.
There was a tap on their bedroom window just then. Chloe jumped and ran to open the window. "It's an owl!"
The owl glared at her as her shaking fingers shook the owl more than taking out the letter attached to it. Without giving a second glance at the owl. Chloe quickly read the contents of the letter and sat on the bed.
Taking the letter from her, and sitting by her side, Dudley read the note with his arm around her.
"It's Luna! See, I told you she would be fine! She has reached South America and is now considering taking up magi-zoology. Whatever that means! She has asked about us." Dudley said. Chloe nodded.
"I see that the dream has shaken you badly." Dudley said. He led her downstairs and made her sit on the couch. Chloe sat on the couch exhausted.
"Matter of fact, I know how to make tea!" He gladly announced a few minutes later. He gave the first cup to Chloe and began sipping his own cup. Chloe could only manage a grateful look.
There was a second tap on the window, making Chloe's eyes fill up again. She had grown pale.
Dudley brought the new owl and the previous owl to the table. He fed them some nuts and opened the new letter.
"Harry and Ginny. They are of the opinion that maybe bringing my parents here would help us become more comfortable. Ginny invites us to Grimmauld Place some time. Harry has written something about reading our mind - I don't understand."
"He knows occlumency and legilimency. Learnt it from Professor Snape." Chloe supplied in a shaky voice against his shoulder. "I'd say your cousin is right." Chloe seemed to have relaxed.
"Exactly, I will send an owl right away and make arrangements to bring my parents here." Dudley said. "Harry saw us two days ago and already knew we would need help. But he waited for our letter to voice his thoughts."
Chloe nodded against him. He held her for a while before he got up. "I am going to the post office."
"Don't forget Sheldon. Or Lynn. They know the place." Chloe weakly said.
Dudley nodded. "You rest." Chloe, too, nodded.
Dudley spent most of the day by Chloe's side after returning. "I have asked them when they'd like to come here. I'll make the arrangements then." He had told her.
"I am fine!" She would insist. But he would not withdraw his arm from around her and she would lean against him.
"You okay?" Lynn was concerned. She looked between Chloe and Dudley.
"Yeah, nightmares from the war. She will be fine." Dudley said.
"Take care of her, and yourself. It is important." Lynn nodded.
The day went by with Dudley alternating between setting up his shop and checking up on Chloe. At night, Chloe was able to sleep on her own at her side of the bed. Looking at her happily as he entered the room, Dudley switched off the lights and slept.
The following morning, Sheldon had exciting news.
"So I spoke to Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, and guess what?" He pointed to Chloe, "You can report on Monday. Be sure to drop by today and introduce yourself!"
Chloe jumped with excitement, and Dudley profusely thanked Sheldon.
"No, dear. First buy yourself and your girlfriend some robes from Gladrags Wizardwear." Sheldon jovially thumped him on the back. Dudley managed to smile despite the pain due to the unintentional rough force Sheldon thumped his back with.
After Sheldon left, Dudley turned to notice that Chloe had gone into the house. He found her on the stairs by herself. She looked at him and stood up.
"Congrats! You should be happy; why are you sitting here all alone?" Dudley held her shoulders.
"I was always an average student, a muggleborn too, Dudley. Added to that, no friends to call my own. Until Luna actually took pity on me. Even then, I refused to meet her friends. You know - Hermione and Ginny, Ron and Harry, and of course, Neville!" Chloe said.
"That does not determine anything about you, Chloe." Dudley assured her, sitting beside her "And besides, you now have me!"
Lowering her head to his shoulder, she continued, "Then the war started. My parents, Luna's dad..."
"Hey, it is all over now!" Dudley held her tight.
"I didn't wish to continue studying, much less at Hogwarts. Not even now! And I don't know how good I will be at the job." Chloe pressed her head against him.
Dudley held her close, "I know you will do it. You have it in you. If you can fight in the Battle of Hogwarts as a minor, these things are barely even a challenge!"
"Do you think I should accept the job offer?" Chloe's nervous voice sounded muffled. As an answer, Dudley lifted her chin with his free hand and looked her straight in the eye, "You know the answer. It's within you."
Chloe gave a determined nod.
"Then it's settled. We will celebrate this happy occasion this afternoon!" Dudley cheered her up.
Dudley and Chloe stepped outside into weak sunlight. Term had begun at Hogwarts. A slight chill made Chloe press her face against Dudley's shoulder as he smirked.
"What's so funny?" Chloe demanded. Dudley took her in his arms. "Want to see?"
"Oh no. I don't think I want to." Chloe blushed into Dudley's chest as he laughed.
Together, the couple made their way down the path, mirthfully greeting Lynn and Sheldon.
Dudley and Chloe ate at The Three Broomsticks in relative silence.
The bar was sparsely crowded. Their section was practically empty. Chloe sat by the wall and leaned into Dudley's collarbone as his arm went around her. They sat comfortably in silence like that for an hour.
As evening drew nearer, Chloe looked up at Dudley, "I think it's time."
Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop and Gladrags Wizardwear seemed to materialize like clouds in a fairytale to Chloe. She gracefully introduced herself and Dudley to the shopkeepers and the owner.
"Good. I expect you at nine on Monday morning. A lot of witches and wizards start coming by ten."
Chloe nodded and joined Dudley entwining her hand around his arm.
"Welcome, young lady and young gentleman! What can I do for you today?" Mrs. Gladrags greeted them.
"How about a witch's robe and a wizard's robe?" Dudley looked at Chloe who nodded excitedly. And so, they took their measurements and designed a set of typical clothes witches and wizards wore.
When Dudley saw Chloe come out of the dressing room, his jaw dropped to the floor. She gracefully walked up to him and put her arms around his neck, "Your turn, love!"
Dudley shook himself to avoid ogling at her and went inside. When he came out, Chloe looked at him with awe, her eyes watering. "You're MY wizard! My man! So handsome!"
Pink in the face, Dudley thanked her for the compliment. The clerk packed his and Chloe's new robes. Chloe collected the bags as Dudley paid the bill. Hand in hand, they walked out as the shopkeeper encouraged them to keep visiting.
"Been shopping, eh?" Lynn asked as Chloe walked inside the house.
"Not much! Just getting some essentials, and spending time." Dudley said, and entered the house.
Chloe kept the bags in their bedroom and raced down, "Let's continue!"
"Continue? Where?" Dudley asked.
"Our walk!" Chloe said. She looked at him with puppy eyes, "I want to go!"
"Okay. Okay, I'll take you." Dudley sighed.
"Yay!" Chloe ran out as Dudley made to follow her after locking the house. He saw Chloe approaching the Shrieking Shack.
