Author notes: Dudley's and Harry's summer break while living at Hogwarts. AKA, the calm before the storm.

Warnings: Time travel, Redemption, Bisexual Harry Potter, Bisexual Dudley Dursley, Wizard Dudley Dursley, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Racism, WIP, Relationships will be added later on, The Dursleys are terrible parents, Based on a Tumblr post, updates will be random and without order, Unreliable Narrator, POC Harry Potter, POC James Potter, Indian Harry Potter, Indian James Potter, Liberties with Goblin Culture, FLuff and Angst,

Chapter 14: Summer Time Fun

The following days saw Dudley getting the grand tour of the Hogwarts grounds by an ever excited Harry. His cousin took him all over, showing him his favorite nap spot on the large grassy hills to the best place to see the magical creatures that their host cared for, the young boy having practically mapped out the areas near the hut.

Though he still had places he hadn't gone to, dragging an amuse Dudley behind him to explore.

For the three days that he spent in St Mungo's, Harry had been too restless to truly enjoy the change of scenery but he had kept busy with small tasks he assigned himself. Aside from drawing more than usual he also took lots of time to learn from Rubeus about the animals that Hogwarts keeps to teach on them, so far Harry's favorite was the Fire Crabs and the Hippogriffs.

According to Harry, Rubeus was an excellent teacher though the man needed to work on explaining a bit better since he tended to give them advice as they were doing the action and not explain beforehand.

A side effect of learning on the job perhaps? Dudley has become acquaintance with Buckbeak, a hippogriff, who did not like Dudley's blinking one bit only mere seconds after the man had told them not to blink when feeding the beasts.

He nearly had his face scratch open had it not been for the half-giant's quick reflect to drag him away from the outraged creature, swinging him upwards and stepping back quickly, the muggle-born shaking in his hold.

The man had nearly dropped him when Harry had released a screech of rage charging the large bird with a kitchen knife- something he worryingly has gotten into the habit of carrying around in his pocket but on the other hand at least in the war Harry will have a weapon?- for "daring to attack Ley" which Buckbeak was eager to meet head-on.

The poor half-giant had nearly tripped over his own feet in an attempt to grab the back collar of Harry's jumper pulling him away from the magical creature who was gearing up to charge. "Harry! Harry! Are you mad!? Get back here!"

"I'll cook that bird for dinner! I'll turn its claws into letter openers!"

" Harry James Potter!"

"But Ley-"

"No buts! Come here right now!"

"Not until I-"

"Young man you turn right back around.,"

After that, the half-giant took great care to give them a lecture before approaching the creatures. It did wonderful favors for his teaching, and Dudley secretly wondered if the man ever thought of doing this professionally, but he holds his tongue over the matter.

He hasn't learned why Rubeus isn't allowed to carry a wand and he feels it isn't his place to turn over stones. He doubts he would be allowed to teach without one though, no matter how much he wishes he could, so he does his best to be extra enthusiastic for whatever facts or proper care treatments for magical creatures the half-giant tells them about.

It's the least he could do after everything Rubeus has done for them.

Somehow, beyond all sense, Harry had gotten Buckbeak to forgive him and often rode the creature around and it still baffles both Dudley and Rubeus. He had a way with animals it seems as if Harry needed any more reason to be extraordinary.

Dudley can't help but puff out his chest every time Rubeus marveled at his cousin because yeah he was proud of Harry the boy was amazing and everyone should know it. Sort what if he was biased?

Rubeus allowed them to explore to an extent- they were not to enter the inner parts of the castle because "The headmaster will learn of them through the portrait's eyes". As far as Dudley could tell that meant Rubeus didn't want them walking under Hogwart's security cameras and that he could understand.

The man was forbidden from having people live with him, seeing as he lived on his work's land without rent, so him sneaking in a pair of children would land him in hot water faster then anyone can say I can explain.

Hogwarts castle was just like Harry's drawings but somehow much grander. In-person, he could see that while it did resemble the Disney Castle he could also see the original purpose of castles- they were once built to not be a show of wealth but to hold off any invading force.

In a way, the castles were the military base, with different walls that served different purposes. Sometimes Dudley would, pause just beyond the outer walls, look up at it, and wonder how many people had attempted to climb the bricks only to have magic rain down on them like burning lava. There were scorch marks here and there that pointed to battles not fixable by magic.

The hut where Hagrid live was a few years beyond the outer wall, closer to the edge of the Forbbion Forest. Harry had been delighted when Dudley pointed out the slanted ways the outer wall was built to the entrance of the castle and the holes inside the slight hallway between the gatehouses and the second walls.

"Since they are sideways if any invaders were able to break down the gatehouse door it would force them to change directions which allowed the knights defending to fire and kill them before they reached the actual castle. These holes here are where knights inside the walls would use to fire arrows- or I guess in this case spells."

"That's so cool!"

"History is fascinating isn't it?" Dudley has always enjoyed learning about it. Especially when it came to how people built things in the past or how certain events and inventions improved modern-day life. Even learning the history of certain words was fascinating to him.

Hogwarts was a haven for kids to learn magic, built in a time where witch burnings were the norm, so much so they would even be called Sunday entertainment. It would logically stand that the muggles would try to attack the one place where magical children gathered. How many attempts did they fight off before the muggle-repelling wards had been created?

He was fascinated by the possibilities as morbid as they were and he bowed his head in silence, sending respect to the wizards and witches who fell in their efforts to save their children. Harry copied his action once he caught on what the time traveler was doing.

That was how Rubeus found them for their lunch, with Dudley trying to recall any historical facts he learned in uni about castles.

"I do believe we may have a magical historian on our hands." Rubeus gives a hearty laugh. He looks down at Harry with a smile "And an Auror maybe?"

"What's an Auror?" Harry asks at the same time as Dudley asks "What's an Auror?"

They pause to give each other a slow look before smiling. Sometimes it was odd to have their voice echo other times it was amusing in a secret way only they could understand.

Rubeus hums "An Auror is the people in charge of making sure laws are followed, and if needed to arrest people."

"Oh," Harry says with great enlightenment "A police officer"

"I have no idea what that is."

Dudley laughs. "It's the muggle version of an Auror I suppose. Though do you want to be a police officer?"

"Not really." His cousin shakes his head. "I've never really thought about what I wanted to be when I grow up. Do you still want to be an accountant Ley?"

"Yes. Though a historian does sound tempting."

Rubeus rubs his beard. "I've never heard of a human accountant in the magical world. Sorry Dudley, but to get the goblins to let you in will be rather tough. Though I do know some Squibs are hired by muggle banks."

Dudley doesn't mention he never planned on trying to apply anywhere that wasn't a muggle establishment. "That's okay Rubeus I'll just try my best."

His cousin had even started a flower garden a little distance away from the hut they were staying at, claiming he knew how much Dudley loved his flowers and wanted something his cousin could look forward to when he was released from the hospital.

It was quite touching he had thought about it, seeing as tending to flowers is now a new hobby Dudley had discovered this lifetime. Having been helping his cousin with his housework over the years he had been introduced to the soothing feeling of dirt under his hands to make something bloom. He didn't believe he was overly good at it but it was satisfying to see the praise his roses get from guests.

Cooking and gardening. Hobbies he had never truly developed in his previous life but he enjoys having the skill. After seeing what life was like the first time something new and fresh was much appreciated. He half wondered what else he could learn, what new horizons he could explore.

Anything seems possible in this young body and youthful energy, maybe he'll learn a new language? He'd always wanted to learn French or even Sign Language.

At the bank he worked at, a married couple, both deaf, often came over and were forced to write what they needed on scrap paper since none of the tellers could sign. Dudley had helped them once or twice, though his own notepad of scribbles, but he thinks it would be nice to pop out of his office hands flying if he worked hard enough for it now. He added it to his Second Life Bucket List.

Sometime in the middle of the month, Harry had decreed they would be swimming in the Black lake and nothing Dudley could say would stop him.

It did his heart no favors each time the boy dunk his head underwater, even though he had signed them both up for extra swimming courses a few summers back. It was different in a pool, where he could see how deep the water is on the side of the wall while in the Black Lake he could barely even see Harry's body under the waves. He knows he worries too much but his cousin laked too much common sense and fear of death to not worry.

The sand on the lakeside was surprisingly soft, the water clean despite its appearance. Rubeus assured him it was that color due to the sand at the bottom of the lake and the stormy sky not because the water its self was ink black.

Harry testified for this by bringing up fist fulls of black shimmering sand that afternoon as Dudley sat on a nearby blanket watching the water-or more spesfically watching Harry's head go down and counting the seconds with barely contain breath. The weather is surprisingly nice today, gentle white clouds lazying about with the sun shining. Rubeus is somewhere on the main grounds of the school cutting the grass but since that would be within the portraits' eyes the boys stayed behind.

"Look at it! Do you think I can get Trox's dad to make me a dagger- I mean a reasonable letter opener with it?"

Oh Trox, in the last few days the pair of cousins have been going back and forth between the hut and the bank. Mostly to start up a new business account and check on the status of their other accounts.

Dudley had never run a business before but Gringotts had a goblin who was known for finical advice for these kinds of transactions - though she refused to give her name even to Harry- and together they agree on starting an importing potion company.

Since Sleekeazy Hair Potion was still vastly popular in the States he hoped to find some potions suppliers that would be willing to sell him products to then sell here in London. They had hacked over the final details of the shop, like location, pricing, funding, and employment not to mention the legal age of selling and permits needed.

Dudley was hoping to create something like a pharmacy with the potions, included potions used for cosmetics. Right now he was attempting to find any potions that he could sell without having a Potion Mastery. The Business Goblin assured him plenty of people also required this service but they had to track down a Potion master who would being selling a few bottles and thus made potions harder to find since they were by order only.

The business could either be a glorious success for its fit of supply and demand perfectly or a crashing tragedy if the people didn't go for a new type of store they've never seen before. According to Business Goblin, their best bet was to get a Potion Apprentice to sell some of their products to them in bundles even if they weren't the rare kind only a Potion Master could sell because that meant Dudley would undoubtedly have merchandise.

It was better than the people who had to not only find apprentices but also send them an owl and wait till the trainee have time to brew their order. If they knew a place that had them all ready to go straight from the shelves then that would be better in the long run to create some customer loyalty.

He attempted to contact some Potion Masters too about this plan but so far hasn't received a response from the Potion Masters that the Business Goblin claim she knew who could help or who might be interested in becoming business partners with him. He still worried about the laws and procedures.

They haven't gone to get the books he needed yet having mostly been allowing themselves to get a general idea of the plan, but Dudley wanted to at least have some income somehow.

If that meant selling what he can class as "Common" potions which were this world's version of everything not sold over the counter so be it. He's not sure when he will be able to open the store's doors just yet, but a rough draft should be done by either this year or the following.

Though based on how excited the Business Goblin's department is over this "groundbreaking" idea for a store it might be sooner. They had high hopes of success, and thanks to Dudley trusting they knew what they were doing, the goblins may have a building bought for him by this Christmas. From there it would just be getting the supplies and setting up the actual store.

Dudley refrained from explaining that it was called monopolizing and in many people's eyes, wasn't a good thing but if the wizarding world didn't want to learn the ways of the muggles and didn't have any built-in defenses against monopolizing then that was not his fault.

Besides, Dudley wasn't going to ruin anything. He knew how to keep the numbers right so nothing local falls under and he wouldn't allow himself to be like his parents consumed by greed. He certainly wasn't going to change the prices on a whim, no matter how much these people wanted to get robbed.

While Dudley managed all of that, having the time of his life outlining the financial plan for the business- maybe he'll switch into the business department this time around- Harry had been off bothering Trox. The two had learned that the son of the Head Goblin was just a few years older than them- well Harry at least- and had just turned thirteen this August thirteenth.

Harry had found out Goblins didn't celebrate the same way Wizards or Muggles do, instead the goblins had them advance in the Pit levels of difficulty in front of peers and family and then had a large feast.

Harry had gotten to see the Pit, an honor not many got to have, with his homemade banner cheering at the top of his lungs "TROX! TROX! FLY LIKE WAR HAWKS! CRUSH THEM LIKE ROCKS! TROX TROX!".

According to the Head Goblin, Trox never had a better battle, conquering his challenge with a flare that had the aged Goblin beaming in parental pride. His sharp grin had turned sharper as his son offered Harry the dragon claw dagger he won- as all winning challengers could select a weapon and according to Goblin's culture now officially belong to them- which Harry had adored, even if it was still technically considered Trox's by the goblin's culture.

Dudley hadn't been at the Pit but he did hear of it often. Either from an excited Harry who knew when the Pit would be in use after getting signed up to the newsletters that said the names of the matches and challenges feature or he hears it various times at the bank where all goblins seem to have one new update over it. Dudley wasn't sure how the Pit was set up as he wasn't allowed to go the celebration so he didn't know if they had a just had giant hole where they would throw challengers into or if it was a tournament type of thing on a stage.

Harry seemed apologetic but he explains that he swore he would not tell anyone about the Pit as the goblins asked him to. He didn't hold it against the boy, after all, Dudley knows it's just a different custom then he's used to, and at the end of the day, he had made sure Harry has grown with the understatement that he needed to respect other customs. Trox was more than happy to teach the young boy about them.

Thinking about Trox- who was going through some kind of hormonal panic when it came to Harry, which was just plain odd to think about- Dudely realizes he still has one thing he needs to do.

"It's some very nice sand. I'm sure Head Golbin would be interested in seeing if he can blacksmith for you but remember he has a busy schedule." The muggle-born says, then clearing his throat to stop his cousin from sprinting back to the water to get more sand he quickly adds. "Harry? Can I talk to you about something really important?"

Harry pauses, before flopping down on the blanket. "Sure Ley. What's it about?"

Taking a sit himself, the time traveler tries to organize his thoughts, searching for a proper delicate way he can start. He doesn't want to be too strong but he doesn't want Harry to think it isn't important if he is too nonchalant. His cousin leans back on his arms legs outstretched before him while Dudley carefully crosses his own.

A breeze brushes through their hair, reminding Dudley he needs to schedule them both a hair cut soon, preferably before the school semester starts.

While he was at it, he should schedule an appointment for Harry's glasses too. They were newer this time around, with a prescription that matched his cousin's needs but he couldn't be too careful. It has been a while since he last took Harry and he wanted to make sure the boy could see the board properly especially if they would be working with dangerous magical things. Then he would see about a visit to the dentist and a swing at the hospital for a physical.

If only he could trust a doctor with sharing the information Harry needed at said physical but he didn't want his cousin to clam up with a stranger and not ask the questions he needed to ask.

Alright, Dudley thinks while taking a big intake of breath through his nose, Time to put on my big boy pants and get this over with.

"Harry, I need you to pay as much attention as you can about this. Because it's really important, especially now that we are getting close to the age where things...change for us."

His cousin's green eyes turn weary "What do you mean?"

"Harry, your body is going to go through some changes-"

"What?"

"-and I need to explain them to you. Now, what do you know about your private parts?"

"...I know I don't like you asking about them."

Turning his gaze upwards, Dudley prays for some patience. "Harry, it's time to give you the Talk. The Sex Talk and about puberty"

"What?!" Harry's whole face turns red, the blush starting on his cheeks to quickly run down his neck into his collar bone and up to the tips his ears. He' looks so bamboozled but utterly embarrassed it causes a blush to appear on Dudley's face.

Thinking quickly he turns to the box of books he had brought with him, having placed them on the side of the blanket while Harry had ripped off his cap and shirt to run into the water a little earlier.

The last time the boys had gone to visit Trox, Dudley had requested to Rubeus if he and his cousin could go to the London Public Libary on the muggle side. The half-giant had allowed it and together the boys were able to get some new library cards within the hour.

It took a whole solid thirty minutes to convince the librarian to sign them up without a parent but after a while, the two were strolling through the book aisles once more in their elements.

Harry had gone off to the historical section to find books on castles while Dudley had collected these treasures.

"Here, these might help clear up any questions from our conversation." He places the box between them. From the face, Harry was making the blond might as well placed a hissing snake instead.

"What are these?"

"They're books...about changes in our bodies. Informative books." Dudley starts clearing his throat. He levels his cousin with a stern look after recognizing the signs that Harry was one hair second away from running. He knew he didn't want to talk about it, Godness did he feel the same way, but someone had to tell his cousin. "I've noticed that you were showing some signs that it already started, um, because puberty isn't just about the changes in your body but also the changes in how..you see people. Your reaction to Stunpick-"

"What reaction!?" Harry shouts hunching his shoulders and flickering his eyes wildly about. "I didn't react in any sort of way to him that could make you think I need to have this embarrassment!"

"Harry you talk in your sleep." He deadpans which causes his cousin to snap his mouth close so fast he hears his teeth clang against eachother. "You talk a lot in your sleep. We saw him twelve days ago and you still talk about him when you sleep."

"Oh."

"Yes oh."

"Well, so what? You like boys too!"

Dudley sputters at the finger his cousin is accusingly pointing at him with having sprung up from his leaning to get into the blond's space, pushing it to the side and away from the tip of his nose where it nearly rested on. "Yes- but that's different!"

"How!?"

"I know about puberty!"

"Good for you, I know the art of the blades, Trox has been teaching me all about sword combat!"

Dudley stops. "He's been teaching you what now?"

Harry stares at him with his wide green eyes, filled with just as much confusion as were reflecting in Dudley's blue. They had somehow gotten the blanket all scrunched up with the jerking movements they just made, the wind was still blowing gently and the two suddenly found themselves laughing like a couple of lunatics.

Harry leans forward letting his laugh roar from deep within his chest, until his head nearly touches the ground, while Dudley presses a hand to his side trying to stop his laughter to get to the conversation they needed to have but every time they started to wind down the two would look at each other and break into new rounds of giggles.

"You two are having fun, I see. That's good, I hope you can take a break from whatever is so funny for some lunch." Rubeus says strolling up to them with crackling eyes and a wide smile. In one of his hands, he's carrying a large pot with a handle, which Dudley now knew meant it was a stew kind of day.

His eyes catch one of the books within the box, and since the boys were too busy laughing they couldn't stop him from reach down and reading the title. "The Wonders of Growing Into Men: A Boy's Journey? Boys, what in the world are you reading?"

They hollered with new rounds of merry jest in response.

Thankfully, even with their new guest and two bowls of stew for each of them, Dudley was able to finish his conversation with Harry. They covered most of what puberty would change for his body, then the sexual aspects of it including diseases, with a good touch on sexuality and of course proper consent.

He couldn't cover all of it but he feels he gave Harry a much better foundation than most of the kids in his year would have which was good enough as a start.

Rubeus had seemed just as embarrassed as his cousin was over the topic but even he agreed it was good to know.

"Everything I learn I picked it up from the streets. Let me tell ya, Harry, that is not something you want learning from the streets." The man said as the blond nods his head in agreement. "Why that may be as bad as being sorted into Slytherin."

Dudley frowns at that. Over the last couple of weeks he notices the casual way Rubeus had put down the green-colored Hogwarts house, at first he thought nothing of it, but every time something went wrong it somehow seemed to be connected with the house of Slytherin, somehow they were to blame. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about that, especially after reading Rubeus's- admittedly out of date - Hogwarts a History.

Within the pages of the book, he was able to learn more about how the school was divided.

The house of the cunning, resourcefulness, and ambitious. It didn't sound that bad, and if he was honest, those traits sounded rather wonderful to him. Daisy had been a Hufflepuff- his little hard worker- but Dudley suspects Josh would have found a home with the Slytherins once he went to Hogwarts. His child was far too ambitious and resourceful to be placed anywhere else even at the tender age of eight which was the last time Dudley saw him.

He doesn't fancy the idea of his boy being bullied just because of the house he was placed in at school.

"Is Slytherin so bad?" He asks. "It's just a house."

"There hasn't been a single Dark Lord that hasn't come from Slytherin," Rubeus says gravely, right in front of his impressionable little cousin too.

"Okay how many Dark Lords have come from there?"

Rubeus blinks "Ugh two."'

"Two," Dudley repeats trying hard not to pull out his hair. If this was anything illogical argument like their bizarre economy he was going to walk into the lake for a few hours. "Two Dark Lords in the past, what, one thousand years since the house was created? Not to mention both of them being males?"

"What does both of them being male have to do with anything?"

"If you're going to condemn a whole school section just because two of the Dark Lords happen to be sorted there, then why not apply the same logic to all wizards being dark lords? Isn't that the same thing?"

Rubeus shook his head as if though it was Dudley who was being unreasonable. He pats the blond on the back and gives him a firm frown.

"No, Dudley it's not the same. Slytherins can't be trusted, most of You-Know-Who's supporters came from there, and even before that, they had all been dark. Most of the families that are sorted into the house are notorious for their Dark origins. The world would be better off without them."

For the first time since he has gotten to know the half-giant Dudley started to realize even someone as gentle and kind as Rubeus wasn't as all-loving as he thought.

It made his stomach twist in a way he hadn't felt since he left his parent's house and gotten away from the stiff remarks his parents made at the people sleeping on the benches in the parks or the snib remarks against anyone that was a person of color.

He tries to push the feeling away and focus on Harry who is babbling excitably about their upcoming stay in the Leaky Cauldron effectively ending the topic about the snake house.

To keep quite on their new housing arrangements, the three had hatched a plan where three days before the Hogwarts Express was scheduled to arrive the two would stay in the inn and enter the station separated to Rubeus.

That way it would appear as if though they were entering from the muggle side, with none the wiser, that they had not been living with the Dursleys for the past two weeks and a half.

It was a good plan.

One that held rather well when it was placed into action.

It would have been a great way to start the year for the pair of cousins, who Rubeus tearfully greeted at the boats on September first while herding them and the other first-years into the castle.

That was, if not for the Sorting hat yelling "SLYTHERIN" when it was placed on one of their heads.