Harry Potter: Dudley From LOTM

Harry immediately tensed up. "Are we going to receive any extra punishment?"

Percy shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure about the specifics, but from the final decision, your punishment should be a bit heavier than the others. Someone will notify you then."

"Thanks," Harry said, his voice dejected. "I understand."

"This is already the best outcome Professor McGonagall could fight for," Percy added, his voice lowering with a note of admiration. "You don't know, in Dumbledore's office, she argued so fiercely. I've never seen her like that, arguing until her face was red, all for a few students. So don't be discouraged. At least, from her reaction, she is on our side. Don't resent her."

"Thank you, Percy," Dudley said, his voice calm and appreciative. "We understand." It was remarkable that McGonagall had gone to such lengths for them. It was only because Slytherin had instigated the fight that she had been able to argue their case so fiercely.

Percy nodded and turned to leave.

"I hope our punishment isn't too outrageous," Harry said, his worry returning.

"Hogwarts' punishments, no matter how severe, won't be that bad," Dudley reassured him. "Don't worry." He wasn't worried at all. In fact, a part of him was even a little excited. The accelerated digestion of his Barbarian characteristic was a significant reward, one that far outweighed any potential punishment. Still, the incident had caused such a stir that he wouldn't dare to orchestrate another one so soon. He had likely benefited from his connection to Harry this time; any other student would have almost certainly been expelled.

The fighting incident slowly faded into the background. In the following days, Dudley kept a low profile, attending classes with Harry and the others as usual.

As he had predicted, Hermione was isolated by the Gryffindor first-years. Her refusal to join the brawl, however well-intentioned, was seen as a betrayal. No one spoke to her proactively anymore. In the corridors, they treated her as if she were invisible. Dudley could see the sadness in her eyes, her confusion as to why her hard work and dedication to Gryffindor had earned her nothing but ostracism. He still chatted with her, but he didn't offer any advice. This was a lesson she had to learn for herself. Harry and Ron, influenced by Dudley, also remained civil, but a clear distance had formed.

During that week, Malfoy was conspicuously absent from their shared classes. Rumor had it he was still in the Hospital Wing, refusing to leave even though his physical injuries had healed. The other Slytherin students, without their rabble-rousing leader, were much more subdued. After all, they were scared of getting beaten up again.

News of Gryffindor's "glorious deeds" had spread throughout the school. Students from other houses now looked at the Gryffindor first-years with a newfound respect, a touch of admiration, and a healthy dose of fear. The message was clear: don't provoke Gryffindor, because they are truly full of martial virtue. And at the heart of that reputation was the boy named Dudley Dursley. He was ruthless and spoke little. He usually appeared polite, almost like a gentleman, but when he fought, he was simply not human. In just two weeks, he had beaten Malfoy twice, the second time so badly that the boy had taken refuge in the Hospital Wing for a week. And yet, Dudley was fine, attending classes as if nothing had happened, often seen wandering the castle corridors during his free time.

This led to much speculation. Many knew of Malfoy's powerful background. For a Muggle-born to so thoroughly humiliate him and face no repercussions was unheard of. The only connection they could find was his relationship to Harry. Other than that, Dudley Dursley was a complete mystery.

Friday afternoon, after classes had ended, Dudley prepared to leave the common room for his now-customary patrol of the castle.

"Are you going to wander around the castle again?" Ron asked, a note of concern in his voice.

"Yes," Dudley replied simply. "I like walking around the castle."

"Fred asked me to remind you," Ron whispered, leaning closer, "it's best not to wander around for a while. There might be trouble."

"What's wrong?" Dudley asked, his interest piqued. Harry leaned in as well.

"He said that some of the older Slytherin students are angry about you beating up the first-years," Ron explained softly. "They want to get revenge on you. So, he said, It's best to just go back to the common room after class."

Harry's face immediately grew nervous. "Their advice is right, Dudley. Don't wander around. Come back with us."

But as they watched Dudley, they saw no fear in his eyes. Instead, there was a flicker of something else. Excitement. An almost undisguised, predatory smile.

"Is that so?" Dudley said, his voice laced with a strange, eager energy. "That's great."

Ron and Harry exchanged a look of pure bewilderment. They both thought Dudley had gone mad. These were older students, wizards who knew magic they couldn't even imagine, who were bigger, stronger, and more experienced. No matter how good Dudley was at fighting, he couldn't possibly beat them.

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked, a bad feeling rising in his stomach.

"Nothing," Dudley replied with a light chuckle. "If they dare to come looking for trouble, I'll definitely let them know what I'm capable of." He was just worried that the digestion of his Barbarian characteristic was a bit slow. And now, someone was delivering themselves right to his doorstep. That was great! He finally had a chance to play the Barbarian again.

"Dudley, Professor McGonagall has already warned us," Harry reminded him urgently. "We can't violate the school rules again, or we might really be expelled."

"Don't worry," Dudley said, a confident, almost arrogant smile on his face. "I know what I'm doing. There won't be any problems." He turned, his steps light and purposeful. "Besides," he called over his shoulder, "rules are meant to be broken, aren't they?"

He left Harry and Ron standing there, their faces a picture of disarray, the wind whipping around them.

(End of Chapter)

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