Harry Potter: Dudley From LOTM

A long silence stretched between them.

Dumbledore finally took a slow, deep breath. "Dudley," he said, his voice calm, "thank you for your reminder about the evil aura on Professor Snape. I have been aware of this for quite some time." He paused, his gaze softening almost imperceptibly. "There is indeed an evil aura on his left arm; he acquired it accidentally in his early years."

Snape stood rigid, his face a grim mask, but he said nothing.

"Is that so?" Dudley feigned surprise, though the revelation confirmed his earlier suspicions. The moment he had seen Dumbledore's knowing expression, he had understood that the Headmaster was fully aware of Snape's condition.

"However," Dumbledore continued, his eyes twinkling, "you have still proven your talent, which is truly remarkable. So, besides that, have you discovered anything else during your patrols?"

"Not for now," Dudley replied, shaking his head.

"Good. You are doing an excellent job with your task, my little Sheriff. Now, go back and rest. If you discover anything, remember to come find me anytime." Dumbledore smiled, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh, and if you find that the password to my office has changed, you can always try saying some candy names. You'll figure it out." He winked conspiratorially at Dudley.

"Okay, thank you, Professor," Dudley nodded. He spared a quick glance at Snape, then turned and left the Headmaster's office.

Once Dudley had completely vanished from sight, Snape's rigid posture slumped slightly. "You truly believe his words?" he sneered, his voice laced with indignation.

"As you can see, Severus, he possesses an undeniable talent in this area," Dumbledore said softly.

"That proves nothing! As long as he consults a few common resources, he can easily discover details of my past and subsequently guess about the Dark Mark on my arm!" Snape retorted, his voice rising in anger.

"We cannot rule out that possibility," Dumbledore conceded. "However, his instinctive detection of the dark-robed figure at Gringotts, and his discovery of the presence in the Forbidden Forest, all indicate a genuine, innate ability. Severus, we must not look at Dudley with prejudice, even if he comes from a non-magical family. And do not forget, his aunt was also an exceptional witch."

Snape's face stiffened, his lips twitching as if to form a furious retort, but no words came. He remained silent for a long moment, battling with his emotions.

Then, with a sudden, pained cry, he burst out, "She's not like them!" He flung his hand dismissively and swept out of the office, his black robes billowing behind him.

Dumbledore watched Snape's retreating back and sighed softly.

On his way back to the common room, Dudley passed the tapestry of Barnaby the Barmy. He paused, scrutinizing the bare wall beside it once more, but still found nothing. He made a mental note of the spot, intending to return and examine it more thoroughly when he had the chance.

As he walked, he encountered Harry and Ron, who had clearly snuck out of their dormitory. They were hiding like thieves behind a large statue, their faces etched with worry.

"What are you two doing?" Dudley asked, his voice laced with surprise. He had spotted them immediately.

"Oh, thank goodness, you're alright!" Ron breathed a sigh of immense relief, rushing forward.

"We thought you'd been beaten by older Slytherin students and were coming out to look for you," Harry explained, his voice still tinged with anxiety. They had been waiting for Dudley in the Gryffindor common room after classes. When he hadn't returned by his usual time, and as midnight approached, they had grown increasingly worried. They imagined the worst, perhaps Dudley beaten senseless and thrown into some deserted classroom.

"I'm fine," Dudley reassured them. "I just ran into a bit of trouble on the way back, and ended up at the Headmaster's office."

"Did something happen?" Harry asked nervously.

"Nothing serious, just…" Dudley began, but then he frowned, his head tilting. His ear twitched. He looked towards another statue nearby. He sensed a presence.

"Who's there?" Dudley demanded, his gaze fixed on the shadows.

Harry and Ron's faces instantly paled. Their sneaking out was a clear violation of school rules. If they were caught, the trouble would be immense. They had just been punished for a group fight; Professor McGonagall would surely "skin them alive" if she discovered them violating school rules again.

"It's me," a voice emerged from behind the statue, and Hermione, her curly hair a wild halo, stepped into the faint light.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, his voice a surprised whisper.

Dudley sighed. "Why did you sneak out, too?" He wondered if she had been looking for him as well.

"I saw Harry and Ron not sleeping late at night and felt like they were planning something bad again, so I kept an eye on them," Hermione explained, glaring at the two boys. "Then I saw them sneaking out. I originally wanted to stop them, but I didn't get the chance."

"Oh, Hermione, do you always have to be so nosy?" Ron groaned, exasperated.

"What do you mean 'nosy'?" Hermione retorted, her face flushing with anger. "You've just been punished; you can't make any more mistakes, or you'll really be expelled! I'm doing this for your own good!"

"For our own good? Who asked you to interfere?" Ron shot back impolitely.

Harry, too, frowned. "Dudley hadn't come back so late. Shouldn't we have come out to find him? What if he'd been injured by an older student from Slytherin?"

"I've already told you, you can simply inform Professor McGonagall about such things, and she will handle it!" Hermione insisted, her voice tight with frustration. "But you just wouldn't listen!"

"If Professor McGonagall could handle it, that incident on the Quidditch pitch wouldn't have happened!" Ron countered, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

Dudley listened to the three young children bickering over such a trivial matter, a wave of helplessness washing over him.

"Alright, let's go back and…" Just as Dudley was about to intervene, his ears twitched again. A familiar, soft sound.

"Meow!"

A soft cat's meow echoed from the corner of the corridor. Dudley's mind, for a fleeting moment, thought of his own pet, Big Orange.

However, what met his eyes was not his pet at all, but a scrawny, dull-furred cat. It was Mrs. Norris, Mr. Filch's cat!

Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed Dudley's gaze. Their expressions instantly froze, their eyes wide with terror.

"Let me see who's not sleeping at night, wandering around." Mr. Filch's raspy voice came from the other end of the corridor, carrying a hint of triumphant excitement. The air around them seemed to solidify, trapping them in place.

[Chapter Complete]

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