Second Chances [The Dudley Story]

"Shhhh… Shhhh…. Let's have a talk, Dursley."

Dudley felt something knot up in his belly and knew his kidnapper had apparated away with him. The air suddenly felt icier and the noises around died down. It felt damp just by breathing, and there was something magically ominous.

He tried to remain calm, however. It wasn't that he was used to being kidnapped, but the mere realization that the kidnapper was a wizard made fighting futile. He wasn't as powerful magically or proficient yet.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Nothing more than a few words, Dursley."

Sounds too hoarse. Dudley tried to find the man's identity. A bit insane too.

"If you're curious about my bank balance, you could just ask the Goblins. Honestly, I've lost track of the exact number myself." Dudley lightheartedly joked and tried to blow his breath, wanting to somehow take off the sack on his head.

"I don't want your gold, boy! I have enough of that rotting away! I want the truth—a name! You're a Seer, aren't you? Then tell me—who betrayed the Potters?"

Dudley froze, his brows creasing in an angry frown. He felt furious since being a Seer was a mere excuse. An excuse that not many knew either. Someone had ratted him out, and all he wanted to know was the name now.

"Sirius? Aren't you Sirius Black?" Dudley blurted the name. At that point, it was too obvious.

Woosh!

The sack over his head was instantly removed.

Dudley wheezed for a long breath and looked around. It was almost dark all over. Still, he could see the face of his captor. His unkempt hair, dirty clothes, and insane-looking face gave it all away. The man was clearly out of his mind.

"Tell me, Dursley! Where is he? Where is Peter?! He's the traitor, isn't he? You know where he's run off to, don't you? Spit it out, now!"

Dudley didn't answer and instead asked another question. "Who told you I'm a Seer?"

"Doesn't matter, boy! Just give me the place—tell me where he is! I'll let you go, I swear. Least you can do after all your rotten bullying of Harry!" Sirius went fully unhinged and grabbed Dudley's shoulders, shaking him. "Where?"

There's only one person who could have told him.

"It was Lily, wasn't it? Did she tell you about this? Did you both come up with this plan?" Dudley coldly interrogated. "Even though I was ready to help, she still went off and had me dragged off like this?"

"Listen, boy!" Sirius shook him harder and growled with his foul breath. "She had nothing to do with this! Where's Peter? Tell me—tell me now—or I swear, you'll wish you had!"

"And what? Prove the Ministry right? And Lily has everything to do with it." Dudley didn't budge from his position. "If you want me to talk, take me to Lily."

"She has noth—"

Sirius stopped speaking since he faced Dudley's defiant, resolute gaze. The boy wasn't going to talk no matter what, he realized.

Too desperate and out of his mind, Sirius didn't even think for a moment and grabbed Dudley's shoulders before apparating away. It was instantaneous, and in the blink of an eye a modest living room, brightly lit by lights came into view.

Clank!

A metallic utensil sound came from the kitchen side, and there stood Lily at the kitchen entryway. Frozen in her place, adorned in a simple, long brown skirt and a red checkered shirt, sleeves folded. Her hair was tied in a bun as usual, but her face seemed to have lost all emotions.

"D-Dudley? Sirius? Why are y—"

"You!" Dudley stormed towards Lily, her slender, curvy mature frame minor before his tall height. As he reached an arm's length from her, he looked down at her face. "You broke my trust and our promise. I told you I'd help, but you went and told him? This unstable bastard? You sent him to kidnap me?"

Horrified, Lily stepped closer to Dudley and tried to gently land her hand on his chest. But she failed as Dudley stepped away from her.

"Dudley, please listen to me. Sirius came to my house and pleaded for help. The only clue I had was from you. I didn't tell him more than—"

"You told enough." Dudley interrupted her. "You broke the deal. I didn't want to be directly involved in any of this. I had found out some clues, and I was going to share information with you anyway. But no more. I don't care anymore!"

He looked at Sirius then and felt more annoyed. At the same time, he felt the need for protection. Seeing how easy it was for Sirius to grab him, what was stopping anyone else?

Thanks for giving me an excuse to get away from this mess. I can help Harry from the sidelines without any of you.

"You self-centered bastard," he snarled, his voice sharp and frantic. "My life doesn't matter to any of you, does it? Isn't that true, Sirius? As long as you and your friends get what you want, nothing else matters?"

"Dudley, please…" Lily tried to step closer to him again.

But Dudley didn't let her get closer. No matter how beautiful she might be, his desire for self-preservation reigned supreme. No beauty was worth stepping into the mud that was Harry Potter's life. Just by being the boy's cousin, he was at risk already. He didn't want any more.

"Never approach me again." Dudley declared and headed towards the door. He knew this wasn't the end of it. But he finally had a lifeline to rub against Lily's face in case she asked for too much.

"Stop right there, Dur—"

"Let him go, Sirius!" Lily growled at Sirius. "You have done enough."

But after Dudley left, Lily was in pure panic.

She remembered Dudley telling her that Peter was close already. But now, Dudley refused to get involved any further. Knowing that it was all her fault annoyed her even more.

She should have kept her mouth shut. Sirius wasn't a sane man even before Azkaban, so trusting him like that was a mistake. Kidnapping Dudley was nowhere in her plans.

She couldn't sleep that night, and it ate her up. She wanted to do something, but she felt helpless. She felt alone, unable to trust Dumbledore after what happened with Harry.

But it was a fact that something had to be done. She felt anxious the more she stayed away from Harry.

"I'll join Hogwarts."

Sirius, still hiding inside the house, stared at Lily like she was a bigger lunatic than him. "How? There's no bloody open position for teachers! And it's almost the end of term, for Merlin's sake!"

"No, I won't join as a teacher. There are other ways… but I'll need your help."

####

It was an annoying day since Dudley had to return to the station and get his luggage before finally returning to his home. He ate dinner with his mum and dad and finally retreated to sleep in his room.

He felt slightly worried that someone might have seen him and Sirius together, even if it was a kidnapping. He truly didn't want to be involved with the dark side or the light side. All he wanted was to make money while preserving his life.

I need to find protection. I hope Professor Septima's research bears fruit.

Eventually, he fell asleep, having too much planned for his two-week-long holiday. This time, he wanted to dedicate his attention to the magical side of his business. Mainly the bank. Finding fat-pocketed investors wasn't going to be easy as a Muggle-born.

Though, in his dreams, he found some excitement as a certain redheaded woman warmed him up well. Surprisingly, it wasn't Susan, nor a young one, but rather one mature magical woman with green eyes.

When the morning came and he woke up, he felt the firm, saluting erect pole in his pajamas. Slightly annoyed by not having someone to help him, he pushed himself under a hot shower and did what the average lad in Hogwarts did—Hand Practice.

He felt fresh after the self-care and ate breakfast with Vernon and Petunia. The big, fat Vernon was living his best life now, having found relaxation in the mere fact that his son was a billionaire and a wizard. Heck, the man even went to the gym, not that it was helping. As for Petunia, the woman seriously got into cooking as she could afford a top-of-the-line modular kitchen now.

For Dudley, it was a win as he faced almost no bitterness in the family now. As if the Dursley couple from a few years ago was totally different from the current one.

"I'll be visiting on Sundays," he informed his parents. "Got a lot of work in London."

"Don't worry about it, pumpkin. Your father and I fully support you." Petunia instantly chimed in with complete agreement.

As long as I keep printing money, right?

"I'm so proud of you, son."

Who said money can't buy peace and happiness?

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