Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 78: 31st October
Hearing Dudley promise made Harry feel a little better. Even though they were the same age, there was something about the way Dudley spoke that calmed his heart. It was as if Dudley wasn't a teenager like him, but an adult—no, more like Dumbledore, someone who always had a plan, always had a way out of every dark situation.
"Okay," Harry replied, nodding quietly.
"Just remember to relax and enjoy the day, but stay alert," said Dudley as he turned his gaze to Ron and Hermione. "Harry might have trouble sleeping tonight, so make sure to keep an eye on him and remind him to rest."
Ron nodded with a cheeky grin. "Don't worry, Dudley. If he refuses to sleep, I'll tell Cho Chang that he likes her."
"What? You still like her?" Dudley asked, smirking.
"No…" Harry denied quickly, glancing at Dudley and then nudging Ron. "I don't like her anymore."
"You don't like her anymore?" Ron teased, pretending to be surprised.
Hermione rolled her eyes and gave Ron a light smack with her book. "Ron, don't tease Harry. And yes, we'll make sure he gets some rest."
Dudley smiled, satisfied, then gestured for them to head back and relax in the Gryffindor Common Room.
---Midnight Attack---
Dudley didn't sleep that night. Midnight passed as he sat in deep thought, reflecting on the changes his presence had already caused in the timeline. The butterfly effect was real—he had altered events in countless ways. He couldn't help but wonder, would Dumbledore still die at the end of Book 6? Would events still spiral as they had in the novels he once read? So many things had changed, and the future was now uncertain.
Suddenly, a stag Patronus burst into the room, its silvery form glowing gently in the dark. Dudley recognized it immediately—it was Harry. The Patronus suddenly produce a sound and spoke in Harry voice:
"Dudley, this is me. You were right, he came to attack but it is not me, it is Mr Weasley."
As soon as the message ended, the Patronus vanished. Dudley stood up in an instant, grabbed his robe, and ran as fast as he could toward the Gryffindor Common Room.
Before he could even speak the password to the portrait guarding the entrance, it opened from the inside. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stepped out, faces pale and serious.
"Tell me exactly what you saw," Dudley demanded.
"I saw Mr. Weasley…" Harry said, his voice shaking. "He was being attacked… by me. He's injured—at the room full of orb."
Just moments earlier, Harry had been questioning whether he was becoming a monster. The vision had shaken him deeply.
"I understand," Dudley said, his eyes now fixed on Ron. "That means your dad is in danger. We need to act fast. Ron, go gather your siblings. Hermione, if Ron can't do it, take over. Bring Ginny, Fred, and George. Meet us at Professor McGonagall office. If we're not there, go straight to Dumbledore."
Without waiting for a reply, Dudley grabbed Harry arm and dashed toward Professor McGonagall office. Hermione, realizing she had no other choice, pulled Ron back into the Common Room to alert the Weasley siblings.
As they ran down the corridor, Dudley suddenly remembered something important.
"Harry, do you still have Sirius's mirror?"
Harry patted his pockets. "No—I think I left it in my room."
"Don't worry. I've got this," Dudley said calmly. "Kreacher!"
With a soft pop!, the old house-elf appeared before them.
"Yes, Master Dudley?" Kreacher said happily.
"Tell Sirius that Mr. Weasley is in danger. Whatever mission they were on—it's failed. He's been injured badly. Ask him to go help immediately. We'll inform the professors here."
"As you command, Master," said Kreacher before disappearing again.
"Dudley… do you think I'm a monster?" Harry asked hesitantly, his voice barely above a whisper.
"No," Dudley replied without hesitation. "Do you remember last year, when you saw Voldemort kill someone?"
Harry nodded.
"What you saw now is probably something similar. Voldemort likely transformed himself—or maybe possessed the snake and attacked Mr. Weasley. You're not a monster, Harry. You're the savior."
"Really?" Harry asked again, desperate for reassurance.
"Yeah. That scar of yours—it's more than a curse. It's a connection. And through it, we can spy on Voldemort movements. That's an advantage no one else has."
Harry looked visibly relieved. Just minutes ago, he felt like a monster. But now, with Dudley's words grounding him, he saw things differently. This connection could help them, not destroy them.
Before long, they reached Professor McGonagall's office. But before Dudley could knock, Kreacher reappeared.
"Master Dudley," Kreacher said, "Sirius says not to worry. They're already going to help Mr. Weasley."
"Good," Dudley replied. "So, today was one of his scheduled duties at the Ministry?"
"Yes, under Professor Dumbledore's orders," Kreacher confirmed.
"Excellent. Thank you, Kreacher. You may return to Grimmauld Place."
The elf vanished once more.
Moments later, Professor McGonagall arrived, still in her nightgown. She looked at the boys sternly.
"Dudley? Harry? Come in and tell me everything," she said.
Harry recounted the entire experience, including what he saw in the vision. McGonagall listened intently, then stood up sharply.
"This is serious. We need to inform Professor Dumbledore immediately."
Even though it was late, Professor Dumbledore was still awake when they reached his office.
"Minerva," he greeted McGonagall, then turned to the boys, his expression unreadable. "Harry, please repeat what you saw earlier?"
Harry repeated the vision again. Dumbledore didn't respond immediately, but it was clear that the story had captured his full attention.
Then, without a word, Dumbledore walked to one of the portraits on the wall, most likely to alert the Order.
"You don't have to worry, Professor," Dudley said. "Sirius already knows. He's gone to help."
Dumbledore and McGonagall exchanged surprised glances.
"What do you mean?" McGonagall asked.
"Sirius gave Harry a mirror—a two-way mirror," Dudley explained.
"Quick thinking," Dumbledore commented, a rare note of approval in his voice.
"We've also sent word to the Weasleys and Hermione," Dudley added. "They should be arriving here shortly."
As if on cue, a knock came from the door.
Dumbledore raised his hand, and with a wave, the door opened.
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-Chapter 107: Amelia In Danger
-Chapter 108: Escape
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