I don't own Harry Potter, just playing in JKR's sandbox. Please like and review. let me know if there any formatting issues. Enjoy:)Chapter 4: A Day with Magical Creatures
The clearing behind Hagrid's hut was bustling with excitement. Families gathered around the large paddock, their chatter mixing with the rustling of leaves and the occasional low growl from the nearby forest. Dudley stayed close to Harry, his hands stuffed deep into his jacket pockets, glancing nervously at the group of people and the looming Forbidden Forest beyond.
"Why do you have classes out here?" Dudley muttered. "Why not, I don't know, a classroom with walls?"
"Because it's Care of Magical Creatures," Harry replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Hard to keep a hippogriff or a blast-ended skrewt indoors."
Dudley blinked. "A what?"
Before Harry could answer, Hagrid's booming voice cut through the chatter. "Alright, everyone! Gather 'round, gather 'round! We've got a real treat fer yeh today!"
Families shuffled closer, and Dudley found himself being nudged forward by Harry. Hagrid stood in the middle of the paddock, beaming, with a large wooden crate behind him. Whatever was inside made faint scratching noises, and Dudley's stomach churned.
"This here," Hagrid said, patting the crate with one massive hand, "is somethin' special. Thestrals. Beautiful creatures, they are. Come on, now, don't be shy!"
Hagrid lifted the lid of the crate, and Dudley strained to see—but there was nothing there. The group murmured in confusion, some craning their necks for a better view.
"Where's the… uh… creature?" Dudley asked hesitantly.
Hagrid grinned. "Ah, thestrals can only be seen by those who've seen death. Fascinatin' creatures, really. Even if yeh can't see 'em, yeh'll feel 'em soon enough."
Harry, standing just behind Dudley, glanced toward the paddock, his expression shifting slightly. His green eyes followed the movements of the creatures only he and a handful of others could see. As the skeletal, winged horses moved through the clearing, Harry's gaze instinctively tracked them, his attention focused on where they were.
Dudley noticed immediately. "Wait," Dudley said slowly, narrowing his eyes at Harry. "You can see them?"
Harry hesitated for a brief moment before nodding. "Yeah. I can."
Dudley's stomach twisted uncomfortably. "So… that means you've… seen someone die?"
Harry's jaw tightened, but his voice remained even. "Yeah. More than one."
For once, Dudley didn't know what to say. He looked away, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I didn't know," he muttered finally.
Harry gave a small shrug. "It's not exactly something I bring up at dinner."
The silence between them grew heavy, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Dudley glanced back at Harry, a flicker of something like understanding crossing his face before he turned back to the paddock. For the first time, he began to see Harry not just as his freakish cousin, but something else
Dudley's eyes widened. "You mean there's an invisible… thing… walking around here?"
"More like a herd," Harry muttered, barely suppressing a grin.
Before Dudley could protest, Hagrid reached out and gently took Dudley's hand, guiding it forward. "There now," Hagrid said softly. "Give 'im a pat. They're gentle as lambs if yeh treat 'em right."
Dudley's hand hovered in mid-air, shaking slightly. Then, to his utter shock, he felt something solid and warm beneath his fingers. He yanked his hand back immediately. "There's something there!" he exclaimed, his voice a mixture of panic and wonder.
The surrounding students and families laughed, and even Harry let out a small chuckle. "Relax," Harry said. "They're harmless. Hagrid wouldn't bring them out if they weren't safe."
"Safe? It's invisible!" Dudley hissed, still holding his hand as if it might be bitten.
Hagrid let out a booming laugh. "Yer doin' great, Dudley. Brave lad, yeh are. Most people run screamin' the first time they feel one."
Dudley wasn't sure if that was meant to be reassuring, but he stayed rooted to his spot, watching as others reached out and marveled at the invisible creatures.
Harry found himself watching Dudley more than the thestrals. His cousin's usual bravado was gone, replaced by a mix of fear and curiosity. For the first time, Harry saw Dudley looking truly out of his depth—and not in the unpleasant way he remembered from their childhood. This was different.
"You alright?" Harry asked quietly, stepping closer.
Dudley glanced at him, his expression a mix of annoyance and something Harry couldn't quite place. "This is the weirdest thing I've ever done," Dudley muttered. Then, after a pause, he added, "But it's… not as bad as I thought."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "That's probably the nicest thing you've ever said about magic." He glanced briefly toward the thestrals again, his voice softening. "They're hard to explain, but once you see them, you don't forget. It's like… they remind you of what you've been through, but not in a bad way."
Dudley shrugged. "Well, it's better than getting a pig's tail, isn't it?"
Harry couldn't help but laugh. "Fair point."
As the lesson wrapped up and families began to disperse, Dudley lingered by the paddock, watching the empty space where the thestrals grazed. Harry stood beside him, neither speaking for a moment.
Finally, Dudley broke the silence. "So… do you ride those things?"
"Sometimes," Harry said. "They're amazing once you get used to them. Quiet, too. They know their way through the forest like nothing else."
Dudley nodded, then hesitated. "Harry," he began, his voice quieter than usual. "Look… about everything back home…"
Harry tensed slightly, unsure of where this was going.
"I didn't make it easy for you. We didn't. Mum and Dad… they're never going to admit they were wrong, but… I know we were. I know I was." Dudley's words came out haltingly, but they were steady.
Harry looked at his cousin, searching for any hint of sarcasm or insincerity. He found none.
"Thanks," Harry said finally. "I appreciate that. Really."
Dudley nodded, kicking at the dirt. "This place… it's not what I expected. You're not what I expected."
Harry frowned. "What do you mean?"
Dudley shrugged. "I just thought you… I don't know. But you're not some weirdo. You're… normal. Well, sort of normal. For someone who lives here."
Harry smirked. "Thanks. I think."
Dudley laughed, and for the first time, it felt genuine.
As they started toward the castle, Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, brightly wrapped package. He held it out to Dudley, who looked at it warily.
"What's this?" Dudley asked, eyeing the golden foil.
"A chocolate frog," Harry said, a faint smile on his face. "It's kind of a classic here. Thought you might like to try it."
Dudley hesitated, then took the package, turning it over in his hands. "Does it… actually look like a frog?"
Harry chuckled. "It does. And it might hop a bit when you open it. But it's just chocolate. Nothing weird."
Dudley frowned but tucked the package into his pocket. "Thanks," he said gruffly, though there was a hint of genuine appreciation in his tone.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the paddock, Harry and Dudley began walking back toward the castle. For the first time, the silence between them felt comfortable.
"So, what happens next?" Dudley asked, glancing at Harry.
"Next?" Harry repeated.
"You know," Dudley said, gesturing vaguely. "After this. After Family Day."
Harry thought for a moment. "We go back to normal, I guess."
Dudley nodded slowly. "Yeah. Normal."
But then, almost hesitantly, Dudley added, "Maybe we could, you know, write or something. Just once in a while."
Harry blinked, surprised. "You'd want to write to me?"
"Well, yeah," Dudley said, looking slightly embarrassed. "I mean, this whole world of yours… it's not as bad as I thought. And, I don't know… I think I'd like to hear more about it. From you."
Harry gave a small, thoughtful smile. "Alright. Letters, then."
"Yeah. Letters," Dudley repeated, the word sounding foreign but not unwelcome. For the first time, normal didn't seem so far away—maybe even a new kind of normal.