It was impossible to verify if the charred letter had truly been for Dudley unless he could ask the sender. Given his current situation, that was an impossibility.
"Get out! All of you, out of here!"
After the last of the letters had been consumed by the fireplace, Vernon struggled to regain his composure. But the frantic way he was pulling at his mustache betrayed the turmoil raging within him.
"We're leaving. We're leaving within five minutes! Go pack a few things, now! No arguments!"
His expression was more serious, more stern than Dudley had ever seen it. This was a side of Vernon Dursley he had never witnessed before.
"I will not," he roared, his voice shaking with a mixture of fear and fury, "let my family have anything to do with that damned nonsense!"
Soon, the four of them were crammed into the Dursleys' car. Vernon drove in a tense, determined silence, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. Beside him, Petunia kept her head bowed, her lips moving in a quiet, desperate prayer. Dudley could just make out the words, whispered over and over again: Shake them off, shake them off. The atmosphere in the car was suffocatingly heavy.
As they drove, Dudley's mind began to race. The current situation mirrored the original story perfectly; the family was on the run, "taking refuge." But he had never quite understood this part. If the Dursleys truly disliked Harry so much, why not just leave him at home? They had to know that the letters were only for Harry Potter, not for them. Yet, they had brought him along.
They drove for the entire day, finally stopping at a dreary hotel on the outskirts of a large city. But wizards, with their Apparition, Floo Powder, and Portkeys, were far more efficient than Muggles in a car. A fresh pile of letters was already waiting for them at the hotel reception.
Dudley could see that his father was on the verge of a complete breakdown. And for the first time, he felt a hot surge of resentment towards the wizards. When they needed someone to care for a child, they had dumped him on the Dursleys' doorstep. They had neglected him for eleven years, offering pity from a distance but never once visiting or lending a hand. Now that he was of school age, now that the wizarding world had a use for him, they thought they could just snatch him back with a letter?
They completely disregarded the guardians' opinions. What did they take the Dursleys for? What did they take Harry for? A toy to be summoned and dismissed at will? Couldn't they have sent a single person to have a proper conversation? Was it fun to torment Muggles? Was this the behavior of the high and mighty wizards? The arrogance was staggering.
"I've found the perfect place!" Vernon announced, bursting into the hotel room. His eyes were bloodshot; he hadn't had a proper night's sleep in days.
The place he'd found was a desolate rock out at sea, home to a dilapidated two-story shack that looked like an abandoned lighthouse. There was no electricity, and cooking would have to be done over a wood fire.
Night fell, and the exhausted Dursleys tried to rest. Soon, the smell of food wafted from the small kitchen. A few simple dishes and a bowl of longevity noodles were placed in front of Harry.
"Happy birthday, Harry," Dudley said, his voice full of apology. "With the ingredients we have, this is the best I could do. I'll get you a proper gift when we get back." He brought out a simple cake made of flour and eggs, with no cream or even honey to sweeten it.
But Harry was beaming. His cousin had never once forgotten his birthday. "Thank you, Brother D." He slurped the noodles loudly, a happy smile plastered on his face.
After he'd finished, he suddenly grew serious. "Brother D," he said quietly, "if their target is only me, just let them take me. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia haven't been well lately. I don't want to see anyone get hurt because of me."
Dudley patted his head. "Don't worry. As long as you don't want to go, no one can take you." The wizards' contemptuous actions had hardened something in his heart. A golden spark of Ripple energy flickered at his fingertips. In the pouch at his waist, various potions were neatly arranged. He didn't like violence, but he never shied away from it.
Soon, a sleepy Harry wrapped himself in a thin blanket. Dudley, however, sat cross-legged, conserving his energy, entering a state of meditative calm. His unique breathing rhythm began, circulating blood mixed with golden arcs of electricity through his limbs.
Sometime later, a creaking sound came from outside, but they dismissed it as the wind. Then Dudley's eyes snapped open, his gaze fixed on the door like two sharp swords. He felt it. Someone was coming.
BOOM!
A tremendous force slammed against the door, shaking the entire shack. Harry was jolted awake, sitting up in his blanket, his eyes wide with terror. Vernon, in his pajamas and clutching a rifle, stumbled down the stairs, Petunia following close behind.
With a deafening crash, the door flew off its hinges, landing on the floor with a cloud of dust. Standing in the doorway was a giant of a man, so tall he had to stoop to enter. His face was almost completely hidden by a tangled mass of long hair and a thick, matted beard, but his eyes, like black beetles, gleamed from within the mess.
He squeezed through the doorway, casually picked up the fallen door, and propped it back in its frame.
"Could I get a cup o' tea?" he rumbled, his voice like distant thunder. "Bit of a long journey." He strode over to the sofa and sat down with a thud that made the springs groan in protest. His eyes found Harry. "Ah, there yeh are, Harry." He let out a booming laugh. "Last time I saw yeh, yeh were only a baby."
He held up a thumb and forefinger, making a tiny gesture. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad. But yeh've got yer mum's eyes."
"You knew my parents?" Harry started to ask, but Vernon's panicked scream cut him off.
"I demand you leave at once, sir! You are trespassing!" He aimed the black muzzle of his rifle at the giant.
The giant just chuckled. "Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune." He casually reached over, grabbed the rifle, and with a gentle twist, tied the barrel into a knot as if it were made of rubber.
"What are you going to do?" Vernon cried, spreading his arms to shield his family like a mother hen protecting her chicks. "I will protect my family!"
***
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All
My Fanfics!!] [www. [email protected]/meowthtl]
[+300 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]