Cubs and Kidnapping
Harry shook his head and stared at the house. Harry was certain the edging and pruning only wrapped around the sides of the house and the back was a mess. He guessed one could take the chore boy out of the yard but not the yard out of the chore boy. Or something. A chill raced up his spine and he hesitated at the front gate.
“Harry…” Severus Snape said.
“I know,” Harry said softly, adjusting the battered blue ball cap on his head. “I know I don’t have to. I know there’s other ways. But…damn. I need to see him for myself.”
Let us go in with you, Fleur’s plea came down the mate bond for what had to be the third time.
“No. Not unless I call you. You’re close, right?” Harry asked, also for the third time, as he adjusted the battered jean jacket, knowing that his incredible veela was half shifted, perched in a nearby tree, wearing his invisibility cloak.
I’m near, Harry. The slightest hint of need, and I will come for you.
“I know. Thanks, Fleur.”
Fleur sent a wave of love and that still managed to catch Harry off guard. Severus squeezed his shoulder and opened the gate for him.
Harry made his way up to Number 4 Privet Drive and for the first time, knocked.
There was a cacophony of barking dogs and Harry rolled his eyes and cast another round of protegos over himself.
“Get the door, boy!” A grating voice yelled and Harry flinched violently.
Harry?! The loving concern of his mates flooded him, and he shook himself.
It’s fine. It just. Sounded like Vernon.
Fury and protectiveness and intent.
I’m alright. Promise. Everybody breathe, he thought, including himself in the statement. He had just drawn in a calming breath when the door opened.
“Can I…?” A deepish voice began. Watery blue eyes blinked at him and his mouth fell open. “Harry?”
Harry stared at the tall wide-shouldered boy he had remembered as huge, hulking. “Oh, God, Dudley…” Harry whispered. “What has she done to you?”
Dudley’s clothes hung on his frame, which was still tall, and if properly nourished, would have been lanky at the least. Resembling Neville after his latest growth spurt, maybe. And while Dudley was still big boned…Harry should not be seeing their outline. Very little muscle. Not an ounce of fat. Dudley was skeletal, sunken-eyed, clavicles sticking out above the collar of his t-shirt, almost through his skin. His once glowing pink skin was grey, and he was swaying on his still-big feet.
“Harry?” Dudley said again, squinting at him in disbelief.
“Well, who is it, boy? No churches or charities or salesmen! If he ain’t delivering the new telly send his arse to the curb where it belongs!” Marge’s voice rang out.
“Right,” Harry said. “They sent me ahead of the telly, ma’am!” He called out, pulling his hat low, turning up the collar of his jacket, striding through the door, sidestepping Dudley’s frantic, flailing hands. “You wouldn’t believe the people what orders a nice big telly and can’t fit it through they doors, would you now?” He leaned into a strong East End accent. “Where you plannin’ to place it, oh, blimey, that’ll be nice, won’t it? Just lovely. Alright, an this strappin’ young man of yours? He’ll be on hand to wave me lads to your door? Must say I went to the wrong ‘ouse earlier. Wouldn’t do to…yes, alright, my lad…just step out here with me, I’m to meet them just down a ways but I’ve got me own load to…” Harry bowed and scraped his way through the house and then half dragged Dudley out the door.
“Harry…” Dudley said, mouth hanging open, still shaking. Harry wasn’t sure how much was from fear and how much was from malnutrition.
“Yes, it’s me of course.” Harry whipped off the ball cap and gave a dramatic bow. He tucked the hat under his arm. “Now, I know you used to have loads of stuff. I want you to think about which of it you really like and really need. Favorite books and toys are fine, of course, and I hate to tell you the electronics may never work properly, so keep that in mind. I’m gonna walk you over here…”
Harry put a guiding hand on Dudley’s shoulder, ignoring the boy’s flinch, as he shuttled him toward Snape. “And I want you to think about what you’ll need. May I have the bag, Sev?” Harry asked the man who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere on the sidewalk. “Dudley, this is Sev. He’s lovely.”
“He…stole you.” Dudley muttered.
“Sure, Duds, but I needed stealing, don’t you think?”
“I think he…I think he broke my parents,” Dudley gasped.
“Yes, maybe, but can we truly say they were all there to begin with?” Harry asked, “Now, I want you to stand here with him and really focus on what you want from this house. I can get you basically whatever, but it’s important to have…”
“I don’t want anything,” Dudley said. “If you’re…if you’re talking about…” His eyes were huge, terrified, but longing. “If you’re talking about leaving. About taking me with you. Then…yes. Yes please. And I don’t…I don’t need anything.”
“Now, don’t be afraid to speak up.” Harry said gently. “You might want something sentimental. Hell, your clothes or a toothbrush…”
“I’ll pay you back,” Dudley said, reaching for his wallet. “I can pay for my own stuff. There was a fund…a fund that they left me that she didn’t know about. If we can go to the bank, or I could write you a check, but please. Can we…can we go?”
Harry glanced at Severus who was shaking his head with a fond smile.
You ready Fleur, love? Harry asked down the mate bond.
Yes.
“Let’s go home.” Harry looped his arm through Dudley’s. “Sev, potion us please?”
“Muggle version,” Severus said, handing a vial to Dudley. “Wizard version,” he handed a vial to Harry.
“Seasick potion,” Harry said in answer to Dudley’s panicked look and threw it back. “For teleporting. Which we are about to do. Drink up, Duds. It’s gonna suck. Not the taste, the teleporting. It’s fast and it’s awesome, but it’s gonna suck. The potion will help. I promise, you don’t want to do this without it.”
“Okay,” Dudley said, and threw back the potion. Harry smiled at Severus and vanished with his cousin.
Harry strolled through the front door of Grimmauld, arm still tucked through Dudley’s. “Now, we can probably get your room set up quick, or you can have my bed for a while, and I’ll take the couch. Oh, and I can’t stress this enough, but you can use anything I have, it’s fine, but the TV and video game systems Do. Not. Work. Because, you know. Magic. But hey! I bet you could get them working, Duds, you were always good at that stuff! Any of us magical people touch things and it’s destroyed…”
Fleur stepped around them to cup Harry’s face. “Harry, love, get him settled and then get ready to come down to dinner. Molly’s been here all afternoon getting ready.”
“Sure, Fleur,” Harry said, unable to help smiling as he blushed a little. Fleur kissed him on both cheeks, smiled deeply into his eyes, and gently patted Dudley’s shoulder as she walked by.
Dudley stared after her and then stared at Harry. “Who…who did you say she was?”
“She’s my…well. Duds, I have soo much to catch you up on…” Harry laughed a little, rubbing the top of his head.
“Harry, shall I ask Kreacher to set work on a room for Dudley, or do you want to keep him with you for a while?” Severus asked, hand settling firmly on the back of Harry’s neck. Harry closed his eyes for a brief second and then shook himself.
“That’s up to you, Dudley.” Harry said with a smile. “I don’t want you to feel either crowded or lonely. My room is big, and it’s connected to a living room. You can have the bed, and I can take the couch. Or we can set you up in the room next door.”
Dudley stared at him, open mouthed.
“Maybe we’ll set you up a room? Just so you have it? And you can make the call on where to sleep later tonight?” Harry offered, leaning in to rest his head against Severus’ shoulder.
“I…sure?” Dudley asked.
Severus kissed the top of his head and squeezed his neck before sending Dudley a quick nod and then striding off down the hall.
“I’m kind of scared to ask…” Dudley began.
Harry sighed and steered Dudley to the left. “I introduced Fleur and Severus, right?”
“Yes, but…but that seemed…I don’t actually know…” Dudley sighed, and Harry nodded sagely, upset by the fragile feel of Dudley’s arm.
“Yeah, I’ve got a lot to explain to you. Just be patient a little while. We’re going to my room so I can show you around, then we’ll go down to dinner. We start off in this little room off the library - hey, so you know how catapults used to be a thing?”
Dudley sank down on the huge couch, holding a bottle of water in one hand and a sandwich in the other as Harry brought out three shirts, three pairs of trousers, and two pairs of shoes, and draped them across the couch for Dudley’s inspection.
“Okay, so you liked this one…?” He held up a baby blue button down with subtle white pinstripes. “For like, dress up dinners. Which I guess is tonight?” Harry made a face. “Morgramma likes fancy dinners like once a week. Former queen, you know. What can you do?”
“Harry,” Hermione sighed. “You realize you keep saying things like that and never explaining. Dudley, you like that one, right?”
“What? Yeah, sure. It’s nice. Harry should wear that one.” Dudley said, clutching a throw pillow and his water bottle like a lifeline.
“Now, I know we explained that part, Duds,” Harry sighed. “These are not for me, they’re for you. We’ll go shopping in a couple of days, probably, but we’re trying to get you through the next few days.”
“I…what?”
“Why do you think we have the projection of you going, mate?” Ron asked with a sigh, squinting a little at Dudley as they pointed to the transparent model of Dudley in something like a tight-fitting tracksuit that was floating over the coffee table.
“I…I thought you had like, scanned me or something. Because you thought…I was a spy or something. I don’t know…” Dudley mumbled.
“Right, Hermione, can you transfigure this shirt and the navy trousers and the brown shoes? Reckon the socks’ll work.” Harry said.
“Of course,” Hermione said. She floated the shirt to the Dudley-model and began carefully guiding the shirt to fit the model. Which was amazing and cool, and Harry utterly loathed the fact that even the model looked sickly.
“That’s amazing,” Dudley breathed.
“Yeah, Hermione’s incredible. She and Ron are my best friends. I did explain them, right?” Harry asked, suddenly worried.
“Yeah, you…you did. And I remember you talking about them a little. Before. Harry, I need to talk to you…”
“Yeah, well, Sev’s been trying to teach me a good healing diagnostic, let’s see if it’s gonna,” Harry waved his wand with a careful motion and the holographic diagnostics began running above Dudley’s head. “Hell yeah!” Harry returned Ron’s offered High Five with gusto.
“You’re…what are you doing?” Dudley yelped.
“Oh, I should’ve…nah, screw it. You’re a minor; we kidnapped you, we’ve got to see how you’re doing medically. That’s the law of the jungle.” Harry stated, turning to rummage in one of his cold box refrigerators and turning back to put a small meat and cheese plate on the couch beside Dudley.
“I…” Dudley shook his head. “Does that thing say if I’ve gone mad? Because I believe it.”
“Nah, mate, that’s another one. Probably get Draco’s mum in here to run that on you eventually.” Ron nodded sagely. “She’s a mind healer. She’s right good. We all mostly see her or some other bloke. None of us are all there, you see.”
“Ronald, I honestly don’t know if you think you’re being comforting or not but stop it.” Hermione sighed, levitating the blue shirt to Dudley. “Put that on over your T-shirt, Dudley. If you like the way it fits, I’ll transfigure the others to those measurements.”
Dudley took off his outer shirt and pulled the blue button up over his t-shirt. “I…it’s nice,” he said, and Harry could hear the small break in his voice. “It…it fits nice. You don’t have to…”
“I’m pleased to do it, Dudley. Please don’t be concerned. You can wear that down to dinner. I’ve added some stain-prevention charms, which I tend to do for my own clothes, because I can never enjoy eating when I’m worried I’ll ruin something new.” Hermione said and it was Harry’s turn to feel a little choked up, because Hermione had a truly kind heart.
“Oi, ‘Mione, that’s brilliant,” Ron said. “Say, could you…”
Hermione sighed and waved her wand over Ron’s shirt. “There. And I’ll do more for you later if you read our textbooks to me as I go. My time is valuable, you know. This is for Dudley as a welcome to the family.”
Harry’s forehead scrunched a little and then he had to smile. “Oh, Dudley, did I tell you I’ve been adopted? It was just after the kidnapping.”
Dudley stared at him. Hermione shook her head and set to work on the pair of trousers.
“So, my dads are Sirius and Remus Black, they’re wonderful, this is Sirius’s family home. Severus and Fleur…I’m not gonna talk about them yet, because we’re supposed to go down and eat in like fifteen minutes, but they’re the best and I love them. And let’s see…who else…who’s here?”
“Lord Grandfather, Lady Morgana, Narcissa, Bill, Tom, Regulus, and Celeste of course,” Hermione said, sending the trousers Dudley’s way.
“I don’t really know how to explain any of those people, Duds, except Regulus is Sirius’ brother and so my uncle, and Lord Grandfather’s…a relative. And Lady Morgana is his wifeish? I think that was official?”
“Mate, please. Let him try on his trousers,” Ron shook his head.
“Right, right, go through to my bedroom, Duds. There’s a bathroom by the head of the bed if you want to lock a door.”
“Okay.” Dudley muttered, shaking his head and walked shakily to the bedroom.
“Bill and Narcissa aren’t that hard to explain,” Hermione chided gently.
“I guess not, compared to the reanimated souls and the snake lady.” Harry sighed. “Even though Draco is a little old to be Bill’s kid…”
“Harry,” Dudley caught him as they were following Ron and Hermione down to dinner. “Please. I’ve got to tell you…I had a near-death experience with the dementids and I saw what an utter git I’ve been to you and I am so so sorry.”
“Oh,” Harry thought for a long moment. “Yeah, that’s fine, Dudley. It was a shitty house to grow up in and I’m not mad at you. Sure, you did some things, but you thought I was a little…I’m not allowed to say the f-word here…but you know. You thought I was maybe not human? Or something. And that’s not your fault. And yeah, you were awful. But like, you were taught that was normal. I forgive you, if that helps. Let’s go eat. Also, eat slow, okay? We’re gonna have to build you back up to some healthy portions but do it gradually, okay? It took a while for me to balance back out. Also, do you want to take the stairs or the catapult…?”
Celeste kissed Harry on both cheeks as he came in and bowed deeply to Dudley. “An honor to meet the cousin of my slayer and savior.”
“Oh, um. Pleasure,” Dudley said to his credit, bowing back.
“Harry, hon, ain’t healed a good dragon in months, I’ve missed ya, kid.” Tom wrapped him up in a hug and Harry had to laugh a little because one, he loved Tom, and two, poor Dudley.
“Tom, meet my cousin Dudley. I’d like to explain Tom to you, but I can’t quickly enough. For now, we’ll say that he is going to teach at my school. And Celeste is his…his wife?...and she’s going to go and be an assistant to another teacher there, Hagrid. Who's like…the first friend I ever had, really. And, oh, Lord, I forgot he might not have the most pleasant associations for you…”
“Hey there, Dudley,” Hagrid bent and offered his hand to Dudley. “I lost me temper and I shouldn’t have. Hope ye weren’t hurt.”
Dudley put a shaking hand into Hagrid’s huge one. “I…I was an arse.” Dudley said softly. “I was bloody hungry but…Harry never had anything. I shouldn’t have ate it. I was…I was a pig.”
“No, you know what? We’re banning the word pig along with freak.” Harry declared, giving Hagrid a hug and then pulling Dudley along. “Clean slate, okay?”
“Okay…” Dudley breathed out and sank down beside Harry at the huge table.
“Hey, Pup,” Sirius plopped down beside him and slung one arm around Harry’s shoulders, extending the other one across Harry to Dudley. “Sirius Black, Harry’s dad. Welcome home, kid.”
“I…thank you, sir. Should I…”
“Sirius, Siri, Pads, Padfoot, I answer to most things,” Sirius said with a grin as Dudley shook his hand. “This handsome gentleman is my husband Remus, the distinguished gent beside him is our dear relative Orion Black, whom we affectionately call Grandad, and his lovely partner Lady Morgana.”
“Your family is…nobility?” Dudley whispered to Harry under his breath.
“Well, yeah, I guess. But like…wizardingly.” Harry chuckled. “Siri and Grandad are both Lords, and so is Remus through marriage, and Regulus is by blood too, but…I think he’s legally dead so I’m not sure what his status is on that.”
“Regulus?” Dudley said and then gawked as Harry pointed to the handsome young man who had just sat down between Celeste and Tom and then kissed them both.
“Um, yeah. That’s my Uncle Regulus. Sirius’ brother. He’s a lord, technically. I guess.”
“But…didn’t you say Tom and Celeste are married?” Dudley whispered, placing his napkin in his lap.
“Yeah, but it’s fine. Reg is their husband, too.”
“Okay,” Dudley said and took a long sip of water.
“Hang in there, Duds,” Harry said, patting his knee. “You’re doing great.”
“Yeah, okay,” Dudley said faintly, as the table began filling itself with food.
“Have I introduced everyone?” Harry asked as the phenomenal meal started up in earnest. “Anybody I’ve left out?”
Dudley was taking small bites of food. He looked at Harry with tears shining in his eyes. Harry instinctively put his hand at the base of Dudley’s neck and gave a firm and gentle squeeze. And Merlin, was he thankful when Dudley didn’t panic, but relaxed.
“Just keep eating, Duds. Slow and steady. Hell, if you end up throwing up, that’s okay. We’ll work you into this.” Harry took a bite of his own food and then a long sip of water. “It takes awhile, you know? For it to feel normal again. Eating properly. But you’re being very brave, Duds. And Narcissa is a… a wizard doctor. A bloody good one. And Sev is…a sort of pharmacist. He’s the best there is. They’ll get you fixed up, Dudley. They helped me. They’ll help you.”
“Okay, Harry. I don’t…I don’t think I can eat any more.”
Harry glanced at Dudley’s half-finished plate. “That’s great, Duds. You’ve done so well. Are you okay to sit awhile and visit or are you ready to go back to our rooms?”
“I can stay awhile. But. Our rooms…” Dudley breathed out. “Harry, I don’t want to be alone.” Dudley admitted softly.
“I figured. Stay with me tonight. Heck, as long as you want. I don’t really do well being alone anymore and I usually end up asleep on the couch with a bunch of other people.”
“Okay. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to intrude.” Dudley muttered.
Harry gave Dudley’s neck a light squeeze. “Dudley, I think you’ve misunderstood the situation here. Kidnapping means we grabbed you on purpose and you don’t have to apologize for anything.”
Dudley laughed a little, a soft release of breath. “Done a lot of kidnapping, have you, Harry?”
“More than you’d think,” Harry nodded sagely. “Hell, I helped kidnap Neville twice. Haven’t I, Nev?”
Neville grinned at him, leaning out from between his parents, who tended to spend their days in a happy knot with him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Harry. I’m right here with my parents.”
“Ah, Nev, you’re ruining my street cred. Draco, mate, back me up. I kidnapped you, right?”
Draco Malfoy snorted. “Poor bit of kidnapping that was, Potter. Took me straight to my favorite person in the world.”
“That’s so sweet, son.” Narcissa gushed, wrapping an arm around him.
“Oi, he meant me. Or Georgie. Didn’t you, Drakykins?” Fred Weasley teased.
“Now, those two you haven’t introduced,” Dudley said, wide eyed.
“Fred and George Weasley. Two of Ron’s older brothers. I know them apart, but I have no idea how.” Harry sighed. “Siri, you’re my kidnapping partner. Please back me up, here.”
“Harry, my sweet son, I fear I have no idea what you’re talking about. Pudding?” Sirius asked, passing a tart Harry’s way.
“They’re acting like there are aurors at the table or something.” Harry sighed. “Um, wizard police.” Harry explained to Dudley, offering a small slice of tart.
“Oi, I’m literally right here,” Tonks groused but sent Harry a wink.
“Oh, I totally missed Tonks, somehow. She’s a cousin and very cool. Pudding?”
Dudley shook his head but looked regretful, so Harry put the slice on his own plate and offered Dudley a bite. Dudley ended up taking three small bites of the tart and Harry tried not to do a celebratory dance. A vial lumped in Harry’s pocket, and he cautiously pulled it out to look at it. He glanced at Severus, who nodded subtly to Dudley. Harry opened the small vial and rested it against Dudley’s knee.
“Drink it, please. It’s for…”
Nutrition and digestion. It’s muggle safe. Came down the mate bond.
“It’s for digestion and nutrition. It’s safe for you. It’s like a vitamin supplement, sort of. Drink it, please.”
Dudley nodded, taking the small vial. “Gotta do what the kidnapper says.”
“That’s the spirit.” Harry encouraged with a grin as Dudley downed the potion. Thank you, Sev.
Of course, Harry. Anything you need.
I’ve got to do better. Harry thought. This is all so one-sided. Sev and Fleur take care of me all the time and what do I ever do for them?
Give us a reason for living?
Give us a home and a future?
Give us a smile on our darkest days?
Damn, I’ve got to learn to shut this thing off. Harry muttered but broke into laughter.
Dudley squinted at him, then at the couple down the table who were chuckling. “I…did I miss something?”
Harry gave his cousin a pat and a squeeze. “No, we’re just being weird. I’ll explain that bit later. It’s really, really complicated.”
“Like Tom?” Dudley asked quietly. “And Reginald and Celeste?”
Harry sat stunned. “I mean…it’s Regulus. But otherwise…yeah? Sort of? Except Tom is maybe the most complicated person at this wild table.”
“Harry, I’m hurt. Am I not even a contender?” Grandad grinned at him cheekily.
“Oh, shit, yeah…yeah I guess you would be Grandad.” Harry sighed.
“And I?” Morgana asked. “Is my tale not at all compelling?”
“And mine?” Celeste asked.
“It’s not a competition, guys,” Harry sighed. “Please do not harass Dudley with all your craziness on his first day.”
“But he could arbitrate!” Celeste giggled, leaning on Regulus with a delighted expression. “He knows nothing of our histories and could thus be impartial in his judgments as to our claim to the strangest tales.”
“No,” Harry declared. “No epic story swaps for at least a month. Dudley deserves to settle in before finding out all the family drama.”
Dudley stared at his plate, eyebrows tickling his hairline, and Harry knew he was trying to school his features before facing the rest of them. After all, two husbands and a wife in one relationship, and Harry maybe dating in a similar fashion wasn’t dramatic enough? Not to mention Lords and Ladies and people being declared dead and possibly kidnapped? Yeah. Best leave out the resurrections and the creature changes and…oh shit.
“Dudley,” Harry said slowly. “There is a little bit of drama that you probably should know before you spend the night in my room…”
Harry finished explaining to Dudley as they sat on the couch. “And so…I might end up a baby dragon before the night’s over. Just so you know.”
Dudley stared at him, eyes wide. “Harry,” He said, but didn’t seem to be able to continue.
“Yeah, that’s fair, Dudley. If it’s any consolation, my fire hasn’t come in yet, and I’m a baby in dragon form so all I really want to do is sleep. I can understand you fine and I really just want to cuddle. Grandad might need to warm me…oh, Grandad is a dragon, too. Like…I got it from him. Even though I’m adopted. I was blood adopted. Wild, I know.” Harry said and sat, rubbing his temples. “Also, Sirius might come and hang out with us. He is sometimes a dog. Okay, I think you’re caught up for the moment.”
Dudley’s eyes were huge. “What do you mean, your dad is sometimes a dog?”
“He’s an animagus,” Harry said softly. “If a witch or wizard wants to turn into a dog, or well, an animal in general, they can go through a long series of rituals over a period of time and unlock their animal form. Siri is a big black Grim called Padfoot.”
“And…and is that how you became a dragon?” Dudley breathed.
“No, I was blood adopted and then healed a dragon and touched it’s blood - really gross, I guess, I hadn’t really thought about it - and then offered to help the dragon and when you have dragon blood in you, and on you, and you heal a dragon and offer to help it in the future…I don’t know…it’s not super usual. I…things usually aren’t with me…”
“But but what happens if a…if an animaniac…” Dudley began.
“Animagus, go on.” Harry said gently.
“What happens if they…if they bite you. While they’re a dog. Or whatever…” Dudley asked, swallowing.
“I…nothing, as far as I know. They’re a person, so they wouldn’t normally bite without a good reason. But if they did, it would be the same as if a regular dog bit you. Probably a little more sanitary, even.” Harry laughed a little. Dudley did not.
“Are there…are there other...other creatures?” Dudley asked slowly. “Like. Like almost a dog or wolf but…but weird?”
Harry stared at Dudley, head cocking to the side. “I…yeah, Dudley. There’s loads of magical creatures. Are you…are you asking about a werewolf?”
“I thought…I thought that was a…a muggle story?” Dudley asked, sounding almost desperate. “I thought that one we had…we had made up?”
“No, they’re real.” Harry said. “I...Dudley, have you seen a werewolf?”
Dudley shuddered. “I…yeah. I think so.”
“Like a…a turned werewolf?” Harry asked. “You didn’t just see a normal looking bloke with eyes that glowed occasionally?”
“It had the glowing eyes,” Dudley said. “It…it was huge. And it just…looked mostly like a wolf. I was out trying to fetch the dogs from the back garden. And it…was just there. Staring. And there was a rat. And I…turned and ran…but it jumped me.”
“Dudley…”
“You shouldn’t have brought me here, Harry.” Dudley said, tears leaking slowly down his face. “This just happened like…a few weeks ago. I don’t know how to be a werewolf. I’ll eat everybody. I don’t…the moon is in like a week. Just…I don’t know. Shoot me or something.”
“Dudley,” Harry gripped his cousin’s hand. “Hey. Can I…can I see?”
Dudley sighed, still weeping. He untucked his new shirt and t-shir and lifted up. On the pale skin, near where every rib was visible, glared the red glistening marks of huge teeth.
“Dudley, I…a lot of muggles don’t survive,” Harry heard himself say. He shook himself and managed to smile as Dudley lowered his shirt. “You’re a fucking badass, mate.”
“Yeah, well,” Dudley smiled a little through his tears. “I’m a badass who's going to eat your whole family, so we’d better do something before the moon is full. That is how it works, right?”
“Yeah, Duds, yeah. But you’re not going to eat anybody. You could not have come to a better place…”
Harry couldn’t stop smiling and of course, crying a little, as Remus Lupin knelt in front of Dudley and showed him his scars.
“It’s going to be okay, Dudley.” Remus said gently. “You survived the bite, that means that you’ll survive everything else. We’ll fix up a nice spot for you in the basement, Severus will make you some perfectly disgusting wolfsbane, and you won’t hurt anybody, not even yourself.”
“Are…are you sure?” Dudley asked, shaking. “I just…you’re so nice and calm. Are you sure you’re a…” Remus flashed his golden eyes and Dudley gasped. “Whoa.”
“You are not alone with this, cub.” Remus said gently, but in a gravelly voice that Harry had never quite heard before. The golden eyes flashed and then faded. Remus smiled kindly and his voice was normal when he spoke again. “Sirius will ward you up a nice spot in the basement next to me and you’ll keep your human mind thanks to the wolfsbane and you’ll just turn into a wolf and mostly sleep. There will be some pain, because of the transformation. But you’re going to be fine. Okay, Dudley? Do you hear me?” Remus asked, gently holding the boy’s face.
Dudley, as was proper, burst into tears. And as this was a Koala household, Remus bundled him into his arms and held him, soon to be flanked by Sirius and Harry on either side on the couch. As was also the custom of the day, Kreacher flooded them with blankets and chocolate.
“That was…that was fast…” Dudley said, teeth chattering slightly. “And efficient.”
Kreacher gave an elegant little bow. “The Master Duddys is being kin to Master Heir Harry Potter Black and is now being a baby wolf to Master Lord Wolfy. Chocolate is protocol.” He gave another elegant bow and vanished with a spin.
“I…I didn’t get his name.” Dudley muttered into Remus’ shoulder.
“Kreacher. Kreacher the House Elf. He’s the boss.” Sirius said.
“I believe it.” Dudley muttered and was asleep in Remus’ arms in minutes.