Dudley Dursley

Hermione:

When Hermione went to retrieve Harry from his game, his expression was grim. "I didn't pass out," he said. "But I did take a trip to Malfoy Manor. It wasn't pretty."

Hermione's heart sank into her stomach. "Don't tell Rosalie," she said. "She took it pretty hard last time."

"Took what?" Ginny asked, looking up from the game.

"A murder," Hermione said. "We… heard about someone the Dark Lord killed. And Rosalie just didn't have the stomach for it."

"He's called the Dark Lord," Ron retorted, clearly confused. "Did she think he was spreading rainbows and sunshine?"

Hermione shrugged. She supposed Rosalie had, being in other wizarding cultures, not been exposed to the bubble of fear that Lord Voldemort had created in Britain. She wasn't sure, still, if Rosalie had been on mainland Europe or across the pond. If she had been in America as she claimed… perhaps the American magical community was more peaceful than the Muggle community. Hermione figured all children growing up in America were hardened because of all of the school shootings and the after effects of 9/11.

She had thought several times about simply asking Rosalie to explain her life to her, but Rosalie never wanted to say much.

Hermione sat down behind Harry and put her legs to his left side and left her hands hang over his shoulders. Like she was his blanket, she put her head on his shoulder. "What's happening in this campaign?"

Her lips were close to his ear. His hair smelled nice. She took a breath, as inconspicuously as possible. But she had a feeling George noticed because he raised his eyebrows at her several times.

Well, piss off George. She wouldn't say it aloud, but she'd think it. She'd been dating Harry for months – she could act like it.

"We are defeating the Dark Lord," Harry said. "As if I don't get enough of that in real life." He took her hands and kissed one, and then she wrapped her arms around his neck. Harry gestured to the board. "Ron's the Mage Overlord. We're defeating the Dark Lord Sisyphus and are currently battling our way through an army of man-eating bats."

"Sounds fun," Hermione said. "Are my character sheets still working?"

"We've improved them," Fred replied.

"Don't be offended, Hermione. You've been busy." George winked again. Goodness, he was acting annoying.

"I'm not offended." Hermione gave the character sheets a cursory glance. "You're the one marketing it. I only expect a percentage for the foundational spells."

Fred and George both considered this. "Valid," Fred said. "We probably owe Rosalie for her help on the snackboxes too."

Hermione's mouth fell open. "Her wot?" she gaped.

George burst into laughter and fell back into his back. "Oh, your face!" he exclaimed. "That was priceless!"

Harry turned his head to kiss her cheek and patted her arms to remind her to move them. "We've got to go, right?"

"Right." Hermione glared at the twins as she stood. She hoped they were just messing with her, but had a feeling they'd been serious. That was the thing about Rosalie. She just wanted to learn things and figure things out. She'd probably happily volunteer information to the twins so that she could have the opportunity to learn with them. Ravenclaws… they never thought about the damage the information could do.

In some ways, Hermione was finding herself acting as both a restraint and a focus for Rosalie. "Rosalie, why are you studying this anyway?" "Rosalie, how about we focus on this first?" "Rosalie, we don't need to build pipe bombs with the enhanced acid."

Rosalie had already gotten herself into so much trouble with her insane thirst to just know. And Hermione had not yet found a limit to how much she wanted to know in general.

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked, folding her character sheet for a future round.

"Dumbledore's asked Rosalie and Draco to give the teachers a training on what cell phones are. A few students have begun bringing them in." Hermione extended a hand to Harry and pulled him to his feet. "We're going to translate for the two of them in case they become too…" She trailed off and looked to Harry for the right word.

"Excited?" he suggested.

"More or less." She smiled.

"Oh. Well, have fun," Ginny said and waved.

"Bye, Ginny. Bye Ron, Fred and George. Stay out of trouble!"

Hermione glimpsed Fred acting wounded and George making a romantic gesture at her before she and Harry walked towards the entrance of the library, where they'd been playing. "You think they'll approve phones for everyone?" Harry asked.

"I'm wondering," Hermione admitted. Hogwarts was changing very fast. "Rosalie is fighting Madam Pince for the right to put a printer in the library."

"Oh my lands." Harry put a hand to his forehead. "Sweet Merlin… can you imagine typing an essay versus handwriting it? It would chop homework time in half!"

Madam Pince was listening as they left. Hermione could not deduce her opinion from her expression. She hoped she wasn't offended at Hermione's description of Rosalie battling her.

"Are you going to get a phone?" Harry asked as they exited.

Hermione was nodding before they finished. "And a laptop. I've already made arrangements with my parents."

"Oh," Harry said. "I suppose I'd better begin looking into one, so I'm not the only person without."

"You're the only member of the group who can make a fully formed patronus," Hermione reminded him, nudging his arm. "You don't need to text."

Harry wrapped an arm around her waist. "Have I told you yet that you look fantastic today? Your hair looks amazing."

Hermione's spirits brightened. She pulled on a curl. "Thanks," she said. "I think I'm getting the hang of shaping them!" Today, it had taken about eight minutes, and she was extremely proud.

"You look lovely, sweetheart."

Harry was looking straight ahead now, skimming the halls for any students, and did not immediately notice Hermione looking at him quizzically. "What?" he asked when he noticed.

Hermione smiled. "You've never called me sweetheart before."

"Do you like it?" he asked. "I guess I didn't really ask."

"It's… cute. Sweet."

"I've been thinking for a while that I could try nicknames with you. But your name is so… you, y'know? But I was thinking Sweetheart, or Love." He looked at the ground somewhat shyly and scuffed his foot.

"Do not call me baby," Hermione said. "Please. I cannot-"

"I thought you wouldn't like that," Harry interrupted. "It's so… I mean, it's a word for an infant. You're a whole entire woman, and-"

Hermione began to laugh and did not hear the end of what he said.

"You know what I mean! You're a grown woman and you're very intellectual and-"

"Exactly, exactly," Hermione agreed. "Right, here's the staff room. Feels a bit odd to be invited in, right?"

"Right."

Harry opened the door to the staff room for her and she smiled as she passed by. For as uncertain as she had been about dating him before, she felt pretty certain now. Their relationship was comfortable and felt as if it were a natural progression of their friendship after all these years.

They were the last to arrive, and Dumbledore and McGonagall had started the meeting without them. McGonagall was in the middle of saying, "about the possibility of Muggle cell phones now working here…" when they entered as quietly as possible and tip-toed to where Draco and Rosalie sat beside two empty chairs.

Snape looked very displeased to have them sitting in on this meeting. Hermione had half an idea why. Though they were not considered staff in and of themselves, they were a part of Hogwarts utterly out of control of anyone with a human body. Snape had been displeased with the fact that these four – though they rarely did it – could take and give house points and got their own private rooms to meet in.

Hermione sat down in a chair with her name placard in front of it and her fingers began to tingle and a spell of dizziness came over her. She glanced around, but neither Rosalie, Draco, or Harry seemed affected. Interesting.

"Welcome, Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said. "You've only missed us discussing the absence of a Headmaster."

"Oh," Harry said. "Sorry we're late."

"You ought to be," Snape drawled.

Well, he is, Hermione thought.

Professor McGonagall flapped a parchment a little and continued on, only looking slightly annoyed. "We will then dismiss the four students and discuss a few other matters of running the school that they need not be involved in. Let's go to that point."

"Right," Professor Sinistra said. "Obviously Delores Umbridge cannot be allowed re-enter the grounds. Having her here was a nightmare and Professor Dumbledore is a far more competent teacher."

"Quite right!" said Madam Hooch, who was taking notes with a quill with a snitch emblazoned on it. Hermione examined the quill and thought it might be a nice gift for Harry for his birthday, but he was preferring pens now. They all were, and the trend was beginning to spread.

"Will Albus continue to perform the duties of a Headmaster, until the Ministry and Board of Education appoints someone who can actually come onto the grounds?" Professor Sinistra asked.

"I suspect they could appoint people until they were blue in the face," Dumbledore said in a very merry tone, as if it were his birthday and he was eagerly awaiting the cake. "Professor McGonagall and I have agreed to balance the paperwork between us for now, but the castle itself has begun removing the role of Headmaster. Indeed, when I went for my morning walk today, I noticed that the Headmaster's tower is shrinking into the castle!" He chuckled, but this was astonishing news for everyone else.

"But… what will we do… forever?" Professor Flitwick squeaked. Goodness gracious, his voice was perfect for that question, Hermione thought. It conveyed all the hesitation and fear she had.

"Well, I suspect that the Founder's rooms and the Headmaster's chambers are meant to be interchangeable," Dumbledore said. "Once the rooms appeared, the castle began to, shall we say, turn off the need for a Headmaster."

"Albus," Professor McGonagall said, quite severely. "We know that the castle is somewhat sentient. But I think we all agree that we need a plan for whom, exactly, will lead the school forward."

Dumbledore nodded as if he were in agreement with this statement and then said, "I think we need to wait a little longer to have that conversation."

Hermione suddenly had the urge to cough. She turned her head and tried to stifle the sound into her elbow. No one jumped or really paid much mind to the sound except for Snape, glaring at her for the first time since she'd been a Gryffindor, and Professor McGonagall, who still treated her as if she were a Gryffindor cub. The old woman looked her up and down, as if to make sure she was alright, and then glanced down at the parchment she was both reading off of and taking notes with.

Rosalie must have sensed something coming on, because she brought out her cell phone and placed it on the table. Hermione realised she had her bookbag behind her when she twisted in her seat and brought out a charger, a laptop, and some papers.

"Right," Professor McGonagall said. "Ms. Spinks, are you ready?"

"Yes, Professor McGonagall," Rosalie said with a bright smile.

Professor McGonagall frowned and narrowed her eyes. How many Transfiguration classes had Rosalie skipped at this point? Professor Flitwick also did not seem very impressed to see her addressing them either, though not many of the other teachers seemed to have the same disdain.

Rosalie put her fingertips together. "Muggleborn students make up about twenty percent of our student body. These students and a number of Half Blood students who live in the Muggle world often use devices called phones while at home. These devices have taken the place of many spells that wizards can use and devices Muggles have invented. For example…"

Rosalie lifted her phone and turned the torch on. The light shone from a spot underneath the camera. "Lumos," Rosalie said, and the phone did indeed resemble a torch.

She turned off the light and flipped the phone to show the screen. "This is a notepad. Muggles can write onto the screen, erase anything they write without having to cross it out, and then print it onto a paper. Once printed, all handwriting issues are done away with. Here's an example." She set the phone down and passed one of the papers she had to the left and one to the right. Draco passed it to Hermione without a glance – they all knew what a typed page was. Hermione did pause just to see the content Rosalie had written. Lorem ipsum… oh bugger. The basic filler text. She passed the paper to Harry.

Professor Dumbledore was on Harry's other side and he made a pleased sound when he was passed the paper. "It would be nice to read this instead of having to decipher handwriting," he said, and passed it to Professor McGonagall. Across the table, other teachers were nodding.

Professor Snape glared resolutely at the paper before passing it. "It would make forgery easier," he said.

"Simply have each student sign the bottom, signifying that it's their work," Rosalie said. "Easy enough. I'm getting a printer in the Founder's Room, which I'd be happy to open up to other students, and I've suggested to Madam Pince that the library could also do well with a printer."

"Which would surely eat into our school budget," said Professor McGonagall with a frown.

"The school budget will be spent one way or another," Rosalie reminded her cheerfully. "And we don't pay for electricity with our generator, and we can duplicate speakers and outlets." She held up the phone again. "Students can also record lectures – either with pictures or sounds. Here is a video I took while walking here today." She pressed play and Hermione could hear some general chatter and saw the walk past the Great Hall. "This could allow students to replay what was said or done so that teachers don't need to repeat themselves as much."

It would also, Hermione thought, make it easier to prove when certain teachers were being unfair. She glanced at Snape, wondering if he would also see this issue, but he did not react.

Rosalie showed a calculator, which Professor Vector looked extremely pleased with, a timer Hermione had hoped Snape would be impressed with but at which he only sneered, and did her best to explain that the phone could anticipate the weather as well. Then, she began to explain the idea of texting. She and Draco went to opposite sides of the room and sent each other messages. Rosalie had her alerts turned on, so you could tell when she'd received a message, but Draco turned his off, giving the teachers an idea of the potential for discrete distractions.

As they explained, Hermione's skin began to itch in several places. Along the back of her spine was the worst, but she also began to itch the insides of her legs with her feet and her arms as discreetly as she could. Had someone put itching powder on her seat?

"There's also the potential for games to be played on phones," Rosalie said. "It's hard to explain, because our games in the wizarding world are physical, but the Muggles have developed games that can be played on phones without needing anything else. We – I mean – they also have music and earphones, as you've heard from the students. These earphones are discreet and could be hard for teachers to catch."

"How hard?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"I've been wearing one this whole time," Rosalie said, and turned her head so they could see the tip of a rose-gold earpiece. "I was wondering if one of you would ask what it was before now. It's not connected to anything, though."

"Mine is," Draco said, startling everyone out of their focus on Rosalie. He tapped his ear and then pulled the little white thing out of it. The white peg of the earbud had been completely hidden under his longer hair. "I've been listening to music this whole time."

"You mean you haven't been paying attention to me?" Rosalie asked.

Draco replaced his earbud nonchalantly. "I always pay attention to you," he said.

"And sometimes-" Rosalie rolled her eyes "-you even listen."

Draco suppressed most of a smile and hid the rest of it by interlacing his fingers and propping his arms on the table so his mouth was behind it hands. Rosalie gestured to him. "But he did prove a point. Hogwarts professors will have to adapt to students sneaking headphones."

"You're assuming we allow these devices into the school," Professor Snape sneered.

"They'll come whether you allow them or not," Rosalie said. "Now that the castle isn't destroying the technology, students have already begun writing for them. And if you ban them, I'm sure Fred and George Weasley will smell an opportunity."

Professor McGonagall humphed down the table.

"Well, then, I propose all students either have short hair, or tie it back, so we can tell," Snape said.

"After you," Harry said from Hermione's right side. Snape glared at him and Harry glared right back.

"I think we need to expand our horizons, here," Rosalie said. "Now that the technology is here, people are going to begin using it. And if they can get it to work at Hogwarts, then it's only a matter of time before the Muggle Borns take over the Ministry with it."

Harry laughed, as did Trelawney, but most looked oddly at Rosalie. "That's an… interesting thought," Professor Sprout said, "But I think the Ministry will always prefer magic."

"Well, when Hermione's minister for magic, I'm sure she'll let me install whiteboards and speakers."

"Ms. Granger for Minister?" Snape drawled. "That's certainly ambit-" He cut himself off suddenly, looking as if he'd swallowed a lemon.

"It is ambitious, isn't it?"

For a moment, Hermione wasn't sure who had spoken. The voice was deep and masculine. Then, Harry, who had been holding her hand, jumped away with a shout. "Oh, what? A little warning next time?" He looked terrified out of his mind.

Half of the professors across from her leaped to their feet and drew their wands. Snape's swallowed-a-lemon expression grew into something more akin to I-just-swallowed-a-lung. Professor McGonagall broke the quill she'd been taking notes with.

"Sorry, sorry, pardon me," Hermione heard, and she dimly recognised the voice of Salazar Slytherin. "I'm late to the meeting. It takes an awful lot of It takes an awful lot of energy to project myself into the physical world. But I'm here now. Hermione here is an excellent host. But I've learned you can't trust her with compliments. I told her privately that she probably has more ambition than me, and she went and told all her friends."

Hermione attempted to move her hand and found she could not. But everyone was staring at her. Her lips were not moving, but sound was coming from her vicinity.

"Salazar Slytherin," Dumbledore murmured. "My, the founders have certainly been active recently."

Harry had tipped over his chair in his jump away and now righted it with shaking hands. "Is… Hermione okay?" he asked.

"Yes, she's fine. A little confused. I'm just using her body."

He was what?

Her hand moved of its own accord and Hermione glimpsed a much tanner hand than she was used to, with hair on the back of it. "It's been a long time since I had any sort of physical form."

"You're shorter than I thought you'd be," Harry said.

"Yes, well…"

"Humanity is getting taller over time," Rosalie said. "More beautiful too."

Hermione felt her face tidy into a frown and felt the brush of a beard in different places on her face. "I don't like you." He waved her aside. "But you're smart, I'll give you that. Unfortunately, you're probably correct about all this newfangled… yeah. Hogwarts Castle is still figuring out how to work with the technology, but the inter-house unity is helping."

The teachers across the table were slowly returning to their seats. Rosalie offered Professor McGonagall a pen with a clicky end, shooting a very sour look towards Hermione.

Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair and righted his glasses on his nose. "Well, Salazar, while we have you here, perhaps you could enlighten us as to the Headmaster situation?"

"Yes, of course, Professor Dumbledore. And thank you for your service as Headmaster." Well, as you said, we are in the process of getting rid of the Headmaster's tower." Hermione picked up a pen in her left hand and brought it up to her eyes. "Extraordinary. Anyway, until these four graduate, we founders are planning on popping in periodically for the various Headmasters activities. At that point, these four ought to be trained enough to be Headmasters. If none of them want the job, then we may pick a new one or let the Board of Directors fight it out amongst themselves. But all these four, for the rest of their lives, the school will recognise them as Headmasters over whoever the ministry picks."

There was a general outcry, but Hermione's eyes felt as if they were spinning in her sockets and she couldn't focus on anyone's faces. "Now calm down!" Salazar shouted. "I didn't say they were Headmasters now. Goodness, I taught students for years – don't you think I know how hellish that would be? No, no, they can still lose house points. They can still be expelled! Though, I wouldn't recommend it… no."

Salazar set the pen on its side and spun it. The trajectory was off and the pen spun off the table. "Oh!" He moved too fast and hit her elbow that looked like his on the table. "Ow! Oh, sorry Hermione. I really ought to – well, sorry. He summoned the pen with a little wandless magic and set it down. "These four are Heads-in-Training because they perfectly – perfectly – exemplify the traits we focused on. Ms. Granger – I'm going to call her Hermione, sorry. I've been watching her since she first set foot on the Hogwarts Express. She's easily the most ambitious person to set foot in the castle. More than me, as I said. More than Merlin. I mean… don't take this as an insult, Hermione… but she's more ambitious than… what's he called now?"

Harry was still very low on colour, but still answered. "Lord Voldemort?" he asked.

"Yes! Thank you. I only know his real name and I'm aware-" Salazar snorted and calmed down. "Anyway. Hermione's more ambitious than he was – and he was my heir. Sorry, by the way."

"You have so much energy," Rosalie whispered.

Hermione's facial muscles again moved against her will. She frowned and furrowed her brow. "Shut up."

"Salazar!" Hermione managed to wrangle control of her own mouth for a moment. "Be nice!"

"I don't have to like her! She's Rowena's brat."

"Salazar…"

Salazar sighed. "You always learned so fast. Rowena really, really wanted you, but you were too ambitious. Course, she's perfectly happy with who the prophecy delivered to her. Can't say I agree, but…" he put her hand on the table. "The chamber of secrets, by the way, is freezing. That snake is still down there, not decomposing, and would probably be worth a lot of money. And would be an invaluable advanced potions lesson, if you catch my drift." Salazar put Hermione's hand on the table in Snape's direction, then switched directions and leaned to Professor McGonagall. "And the money could pay for a printer, some computers… Rowena's brat hasn't even begun to explain how Muggles keep information in the air and you can pull it out with a cell phone. Tell Madam Pince she can expand the library a thousand times over with a single computer."

He coughed into his elbow and Hermione watched her robes and his robes flicker interchangeably for a few seconds. His hand and her hand switching positions.

Then Salazar came back for air. "Harry knows the password, and if Hermione goes then I can help her open it up too. She'll learn parseltongue fast, I think. The room might be a good defence classroom too. You never know."

"In the girl's bathroom, Salazar?" Professor Vector demanded. She was the first teacher to say anything, which took some guts in this situation.

"Right, well, it wasn't always. And like I said-"

But he coughed violently and Hermione took a massive gasp of air. She slumped back into her chair, and blurted out "What the hell?" Then, she clapped her hand over her mouth. No one seemed to care that she'd said such a remark in front of the whole staff of Hogwarts.

Harry carefully reached out and patted her arm. "Is it over?" he asked.

"I don't know. Did… did I look like him?"

"Yeah." Harry's face was a little white. "Except for that coughing fit. I just looked over and you were… a man."

"At least you were just holding her hand," Draco said, looking very cross again. "You could have been kissing Salazar."

"I wish you wouldn't put that image in our heads," Hermione said. She also wished he wouldn't sulk. But that was harder to request. Her chest constricted and she fell into coughing fit.

Dumbledore looked very concerned. He removed his glasses while Hermione coughed. When she had caught her breath, he cleared his throat. "Mr. Potter, please take Ms. Granger to the hospital wing. I'd like for Madam Pomfrey to give her a look over. I suspect that was Salazar's first time attempting that, and I want to make sure she wasn't harmed in the process. Ms. Spinks, Mr. Malfoy, unless you have anything else to say, you are dismissed."

Hermione saw Draco leap to his feet. He was probably worried he would be next. Though she suspected it was just her for today. Harry helped her to her feet and they departed the staff room without a second thought.

On Saturday, Harry knocked on the Slytherin door until someone came to wake Hermione up to let her know. She came down, rubbing her eyes, and opened the door to catch him mid-knock.

"Morning," she yawned. "Nightmares?"

"Good morning. Sort of. I was wondering… well, my aunt and cousin are cleaning house to move today."

Hermione's whole mood soured. "Oh?"

"Snape's going," he said. "He, er, is helping them move. I'm not sure why." Harry rubbed the back of his head. "Draco said I shouldn't go, but that he knew I was going to anyway, and-"

"Of course," Hermione interrupted. "It's part of your personality. You have to face the situation. Can't ignore it."

"Yeah," Harry agreed, and paused. "Would you come with me?"

Hermione had been expecting this from the beginning and nodded. "Let me pick an outfit and fix my hair," she said.

Snape waited outside the Slytherin common room for her with Harry, not looking terribly pleased with his company, but not insulting him. When Hermione appeared, he did not look at her, which continued a week of teachers treating her oddly. She supposed that was to be expected when a 1000 year-old man possessed her in front of them.

Snape led the way to the wards and apparated them away. They landed in a backyard, which Hermione was concerned about until she realised that the Dursley's probably had others helping them move.

Snape had taken his cloak off and rolled his sleeves up to his forearms. Hermione figured that was about as casual as he would go. He walked up to the back door and opened it into a bustling busyness. Two women and a man were cleaning out the cabinets, laying the china into boxes and wrapping wine glasses for a journey. Snape held the door for them, but glared and said, "Get out. You'll set off the Trace."

Hermione couldn't see what magic he could perform in front of the Muggles until he began to shoo them away as well. She and Harry disappeared into the hallway. Harry paused, flush against the wall as the other three passed, and then looked through the grate underneath the steps.

Ah, yes. Harry had mentioned living in the cupboard under the stairs.

Hermione yanked on the handle and a thin door opened, made of plywood painted white. She saw a chain hanging from an exposed lightbulb, and yanked on it as well. Inside was a collection of little action figures on an exposed crossbeam and a mattress that was more pad than mattress, covered by a little blanket.

Hermione took it in, then looked at Harry. "Not a word," he said. "I can read it all on your face."

"Want anything from here?" Hermione asked.

"No. Probably better clean it out before questions are asked though."

Hermione glanced to the kitchen, where she could hear the swoosh of silverware flying into boxes. She exchanged a glance with Harry, who shrugged. "Professor?" she called. "Professor Snape, when you've got a moment…?"

He appeared in the door. Hermione gestured to the cupboard. "Can you… vanish everything in here? It doesn't need to be saved."

Snape stalked over and glanced in. There was a pause. "Done," he said, and closed the door to shoo them away. Hermione made to step away and almost ran straight into a wall of flesh.

Dudley Dursley was behind the cupboard door.

"Erm, hi," he stammered, looking at her hair. His face was scarred, with stitches in a few places. But he seemed to have no issue talking.

"Out!" Snape called, and the three – Dudley, Hermione, and Harry - jumped out of the way. They jumped into the living room and narrowly avoided being squashed by two men carrying a loveseat out.

Harry looked at a loss of what to say. He and Dudley stared at each other for a moment. Then Dudley said, "You came."

"Erm… yeah."

"And…" Dudley gestured to Hermione. "Who's she?"

"She's Hermione. My girlfriend. She, uh, covered for you so we could get you out."

"Oh." Dudley stuck his hand out to Hermione. "Thank you." Then to Harry, "She's beautiful. You're very lucky."

I'm right here, Hermione thought. But she didn't say anything.

"You, uh, weren't hurt? Either of you?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, then back to Dudley. "I… wasn't. Hermione…" Harry trailed off, gesturing to her.

Hermione had just barely stopped wearing bandages on her arm that week and today was in an elbow-length shirt. She hesitated, then pulled her sleeve up to show the two. "Er, the lady… basically did to me what she was going to do to you."

Dudley's hand went to his face. "Mudblood?" he asked. "What does it mean?"

"It's a racial slur," Hermione explained. "For a magical person who doesn't have magical parents."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

And he did look very sorry. Harry also looked very sorry and very angry. It was the first time he had seen the scar.

Dudley swallowed and looked to Harry's feet. "I… I've been doing a lot of thinking. Since you left in the summer. Those… whadya call em?"

"Dementors," Harry and Hermione supplied at the same time.

"Right. Demebors. I've been thinking for months about that and when the attack happened-" Dudley paused as the two men returned to pick up the loveseat and carried it away. "It's been… making me think…" Dudley looked very sick suddenly. "We never treated you well. Dad most of all, then me… and mom."

Harry was extremely uncomfortable. "Where is Aunt Petunia?" he asked.

"Upstairs, cleaning out. But, uh…" Dudley reached deep into his pocket. "Listen… Harry… I want you to have this." He withdrew out of his pocket a massive wad of cash. "I pulled it out of the bank… hoping you'd come. I know it can't make up for your shoddy childhood… losing your parents… everything else. But… I was hoping… it could be part of an apology."

Hermione had never seen such an impressive roll of money. And it wasn't single notes. It looked like a roll of twenties just a little less thick than her wrist. She looked at Harry, who had wide eyes.

"And you don't have to accept it!" Dudley said. "The apology, I mean. I hope you'll accept the cash. But I know… if you never forgive us, then we'll deserve it." He reached out his hand and made to hand the roll to Harry. Harry took it hesitantly, looking like he'd had Colin Creevey's flash camera go off in his face. "Buy yourself everything, right? All the ice cream sundaes and the video games and-"

"Dudley," Harry said. "This is… a lot. Emotionally and the money. Also, the money won't work in the wizard world." He made to give it back.

"Oh." Dudley's fat shoulders dropped. "Is there a way to exchange it? I'd be happy to-"

"Dudley," Harry said, "I just came to see if you were okay. And… cause you asked. You don't need to pay me."

"This isn't me paying you," Dudley said, and the big guy choked up. "Harry… there's so much stuff. I never even used it for more than a week. That second room up there… all my broken things… you could have had so much more. There was always room for you."

Dudley began to cry and Harry and Hermione were left exchanging cautious glances. "The demebors…" Dudley took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. "They showed me me, but as you. All the things I did to you. All the things I took from you. So I counted it all out… this is all my allowances that you never got. And more, for all the stuff you should have had. Just clothes and such. I want you to have it so you can have a better life than you had with us." He took a deep breath. "I can exchange it into Wizarding Money so you can use it. But please, take it."

Harry looked to Hermione. Hermione held her hands up, then looked to Dudley. "There's a way to convert it," she said. "But are you sure? Won't you need it later?"

Dudley shook his head. "No, no. My mom's got me. And Dad's life insurance. Really, this is just fair. And Harry, you can have anything else in the house, really. I'll just tell mom I broke it. I know that the TV's and the phones won't work."

"Actually, we're running experiments to get them to work with magic," Hermione said. "We've begun getting them to work at school this last month."

Dudley looked at Harry. "You've not got a phone. I'll get you a phone." He handed Harry that big, huge wad of cash and then turned and dodged the two men, who'd come to begin hauling the giant couch out of the room. Snape appeared, having finished the kitchen and the cupboard, and waited until they got out the door before following them out and closing the door. Hermione suspected their load was about to get a lot lighter.

Dudley returned, huffing and puffing, and with a brand-new iPhone case in his hand. He held it out as he finished his jog and almost shoved it into Harry's gut. "Here! It's brand new. Dad got me a new one and I hadn't switched over yet. Newest model. All yours."

"Dudley," Harry said slowly. "You don't need to do this."

"The charger's in it," Dudley said. "Do you want a TV too? We've got this one here-" he pointed to the one in the room, "One upstairs in mine… I think the one in the kitchen is getting binned anyway."

Harry's hands were fumbling the phone and the cash. He looked too lost to decide. "Rosalie might like those," Hermione suggested. "And we could show movies to everyone who's never seen them before."

"They've never seen movies before?" Dudley asked. "We have DVD's. And the player! All ours are on the cloud now – you can have them all. What about a laptop? I've got a new one."

Hermione finally put a hand on Dudley's shoulder. "If you're sure – absolutely sure – then tell Professor Snape outside. He can help us out."

"Severus?" Dudley asked.

"You know his first name," Hermione observed. "Yes. He's our professor."

"Right, yes, I know him. We're going to be staying in his home while he's at your school," Dudley said.

This was news to her and seemed to be news to Harry as well. Dudley went to the front door and interrupted Snape in the middle of a shrinking spell. He quickly stowed his wand. Dudley explained the situation to him and Snape looked at the ceiling, obviously fighting his distaste for Rosalie and her Muggle contraptions. But he nodded and followed Dudley upstairs.

Dudley and Snape had scarcely disappeared when Aunt Petunia descended from above with a bag of clothes. She paused on the final step when she saw Harry and observed the phone and money in hand. She also examined Hermione beside him. "Harry," she called, and her voice was scratchy. "There's jewellery upstairs if your friend wants any. Watches for you if you'd like. Take what you want."

Hermione would be the first to say that it didn't make up for the insults, the lost chances, the bars on the window, the cat flap, or the cupboard under the stairs. But they walked away with several hundred pounds, watches, necklaces, earrings and other finery, the three TV's, speakers, and a new laptop and phone for Harry. And she recognised that the Dursleys were making an effort.

The next chapter will be called Nagini's Break for Freedom and is one of my favourite action scenes I've written.