Harry Potter: Dudley From LOTM

After leaving Professor McGonagall's office, Harry's initial euphoria began to fade, replaced by a gnawing anxiety. The more exhilarating the fight had been, the heavier the potential consequences weighed on his mind.

"Will we actually get a severe punishment?" Harry asked, his voice laced with worry. "Like suspension, or even expulsion?"

"Probably not," Dudley replied, completely unconcerned, his eyes scanning the portraits in the corridor. "The law doesn't punish everyone. If they wanted to expel all of us, Hogwarts would lose half its new students in one go." Besides, he reasoned, the Slytherins had started it, and with so many witnesses, Malfoy's lies wouldn't hold up. In the chaos of a full-blown brawl, it would be impossible to pinpoint individual responsibility.

"Do you think Malfoy will be okay?" Harry couldn't help but ask, a flicker of concern for his opponent. "You hit him really hard."

"He'll be fine," Dudley stated, his voice firm. "I controlled my strength." He had, after all, only recently advanced to the Barbarian Sequence. If he had unleashed his full power, Malfoy's pampered frame wouldn't have stood a chance.

A subtle shift in his aura caught Dudley's attention. He checked the digestion of his Beyonder characteristics. A wide, satisfied smile spread across his face. The Barbarian characteristic was digesting far faster than he had anticipated, even surpassing the Sheriff characteristic, which had been progressing steadily.

Could it be that I really am a Barbarian by nature? he mused, a flicker of dark amusement in his eyes. He thought of his childhood, his inherent bullying tendencies, and his love for physical dominance. Perhaps it's just my natural inclination. It makes sense. If he could maintain the uninhibited, brutal state he'd been in during the fight, the Barbarian characteristic might just instantly digest itself.

Dudley's palpable delight did not go unnoticed by Harry. "You seem very happy?" Harry asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Yes, I'm quite happy," Dudley retorted. "I finally gave Malfoy a proper beating. Aren't you happy?"

Harry pondered for a moment, then a wide, genuine grin broke across his face. "Now that you mention it," he burst out laughing, "I really am quite happy!"

"Let me tell you, I was amazing back then…" Harry launched into an excited, slightly embellished recount of his own role in the brawl, describing how he had grappled with Malfoy, throwing left hooks and right hooks.

When Harry and Dudley finally returned to the Gryffindor common room, a thunderous cheer erupted, engulfing them instantly. Almost all the first-year Gryffindor students were gathered there, and even many older students, including Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George.

"We heard everything!" Fred shouted, pushing through the crowd. "You guys were amazing! Especially Dudley! You are our Gryffindor heroes!"

"Big D is mighty!"

"Big D is awesome!"

Cheers rose and fell like a tide. Many of the first-year students sported cuts and bruises, but they jumped and cheered with unbridled excitement, seemingly oblivious to their injuries. They all knew that several Slytherin students were still in the Hospital Wing, while not a single Gryffindor had been seriously hurt. This time, they had truly achieved a great victory!

And at the heart of that victory was Dudley. His swift, decisive actions had set the tone, laying the foundation for their triumph. And by personally delivering the main culprit, Malfoy, to the Hospital Wing, he had solidified his position as Gryffindor's undisputed hero. The title "D-Ge" had been fully cemented into the school's burgeoning legend.

The cheering and celebration lasted for nearly half an hour before everyone reluctantly dispersed, their voices hoarse, their faces flushed with pride.

"I can't believe all of this is real," Ron sighed, collapsing onto a plush armchair.

"Alright, don't celebrate too soon," Dudley said, effectively dousing their excitement with a splash of cold realism. "We probably still have some trouble ahead."

"Didn't losing points settle it?" Ron asked immediately, his face falling.

"Losing points is just one aspect," Dudley explained. "Do you think Hogwarts only has point deductions? There are other punishments, like cleaning duty or detention. Though more severe punishments have largely been abolished, we did break tradition. It's hard to say what they'll do."

"What?!" Ron, Harry, Seamus, and a few others looked utterly dismayed.

"Hahaha, just kidding," Dudley laughed, seeing their panicked faces. "I imagine they'll just make us clean something. It won't be too severe."

"By the way, where's Hermione?" Dudley asked, changing the subject. He hadn't seen her during the celebration, nor was she in the common room now.

"In the dormitory," Ron grumbled, "hiding. No one wants to talk to her. Why didn't she fight? She just kept trying to break us up!"

"We can't blame her, after all…" Harry began, trying to be fair.

"Forget about her," Ron interrupted carelessly. "Everyone's probably just angry for a while. It'll be fine after some time."

Dudley glanced towards the girls' dormitory but didn't press the matter.

In the evening, the Gryffindor common room was buzzing with nervous anticipation. After dinner, Prefect Percy and a few selected first-years were summoned to provide testimony about the afternoon's brawl. Dudley and Harry were notably absent from the summons; their presence would have inflamed the Slytherins, and the school wanted to de-escalate the situation.

At nine o'clock, Percy and the chosen witnesses finally returned, their faces solemn.

"Alright," Percy announced to the hushed common room. "All first-year students who participated in the group fight are sentenced to labor in the Forbidden Forest for one month!"

A confused murmur spread through the room. "Forbidden Forest labor? What's that?" "Has that ever happened before?" "What kind of punishment is that?"

"To be precise," Percy clarified, "you will have to spend two days a week helping out in the Forbidden Forest. The specific arrangements have been entrusted to the caretaker, Mr. Filch, and the gamekeeper, Hagrid. You will receive notifications then."

He paused, then added, "Additionally, Slytherin House will receive the exact same punishment, and you will be performing this labor alongside them."

"Oh, no!" Ron wailed. "Why with Slytherin again?" He sighed. "Good news: Slytherin is punished with us. Bad news: Slytherin is punished with us."

Dudley, however, nodded slightly. "It's not too bad. This outcome is within my expectations."

Percy then turned to Dudley and Harry, his voice lowering. "Dudley, Harry, your punishments might be a bit heavier, mainly because Malfoy's injuries are too severe, and his father, Lucius, is very firm about it, so…"

[Chapter Complete]

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