Disclaimer: The Harry potter series belongs to J. K. Rowling. The only profit I gain from this story is the enjoyment and experience of writing it.

Un-betaed

++Chapter 10: The Supernatural Club ++

The next few days after Dudley's misadventure with Columbine. Piers kept asking him were he had been that night and why he looked like he had gone to hell then spat back out.

"Have you been sleeping at all?" Asked Piers looking at him over breakfast. Dudley was cradling the cup of coffee he had stolen from the kitchen with reverence. He took another small deep drink and gave a small smile.

"A little… really Piers don't worry about me… I'll feel better in a couple of days." If he was honest the whole event with nightmares included would probably be ingrained into his mind. Not for day but for week maybe months from now. He rubbed at the shadows under his eyes as he took another sip of coffee.

Piers looked unconvinced and turned back to his breakfast decided that was enough of that topic for the day.

"Well, I have something to cheer you up!" Leo said loudly from behind him making him jump. Thankfully Dudley only spilled a little of his coffee. He still caused a dark look at Leo when he sat on the bench beside him. Leo was waving a couple of papers around with a triumphant smile. "These," He said pushing dishes aside to clear a space to set them. "Are all you need to fill out for that club you wanted to start."

"You going to start your own club!" Piers shouted. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"I'll explain in just minute." Dudley said quickly trying to hush his best friend. "When do you need this back?" He asked Leo when he was sure that Piers was going to start shouting again.

"Tonight if you can. I'm assuming you already know what sort of club your starting…" Leo said trailing off to look at him expectantly.

"Yeah, I do." He drained the last of his coffee quickly and stood up snatching the papers from the table. "I'll see you later." He said to Leo and hurried out of the dining room, Piers close on his heals.

"Why didn't you tell me." Piers asked again a hurt look on his face.

"Look," Dudley started and pulled Piers into a quiet corner off the hall. "I didn't tell you because it's just to get Leo of my back."

"What do you mean?" Piers asked frowning.

"I'm going to start a supernatural club."

"You mean like ghost, ghouls and goblins?" Piers asked one finger digging in his ear.

"Yeah…" Dudley said nodding.

"But that's-"

"-Weird… yeah I know." Dudley said a smile betraying his amusement.

"But no one is going to go to a club like that…" Piers said frowning, "I mean not when they can be doing other stuff…"

"Right, which means it will just be me." Dudley said nodding, Piers frowned harder. "Can keep doing what I have been doing for the last month and then in… lets say another month. I will shut down the club down and tell Leo some sob story how it all didn't work. Then he will feel so sorry for me that I won't have to join another club." Dudley said brightly liking his plan the more he talked about it.

"But… won't you be upset that your club fail?"

"Piers… are you not listening?" Dudley snapped crossing his arms. "The whole point is that it is going to fail!"

"Maybe I should-"

"No, don't skip the stuff your doing just to attend my club."

"But- I'm your best friend won't people think it odd that if I don't go.

Dudley sighed and rubbed his nose. He could feel a headache forming from the lack of sleep and irritation. "Piers, since you haven't noticed your my only friend." Dudley quickly raised his hand as Piers opened his mouth. "BUT no one is going to think twice about you not attending my dumb club. Besides it's not like I'm going to be announcing this in front of the whole school."

"But won't Leo expect you to make a notice or something."

"Yeah, this." He dug out his bag a small piece of paper barely bigger then his palm:

Want to find ghosts, ghouls and goblins?

Join the Supernatural Club in Classroom 38.

"Classroom 38? Were is that?" Piers asked.

Dudley laughed, "Good that means no one will be able to find it either."

"When is the first met?"

"Friday after class." Dudley said with a shrug. "I going to finish the book I've been reading the last few weeks. Maybe do some homework."

Piers was watching him, that worried frown had yet to leave his face. "Don't even think about it!" Dudley snapped as he turned had headed towards their first class for the morning.

"I didn't!"

"Then stop thinking too!"

"DUDLEY!"

—

That Friday he made his way to Classroom 38 slowly. He wasn't worried about being late. Classroom 38 was on the top floor. Crammed in the corner of the building it hadn't been used for an actual class for years. Shelves empty of books and chalkboard hanging off the wall. One of the tables had a large crack down the center. One good whack could break it clean in two.

But the reason Dudley had picked it was because of the nice view that over looked a large portion of the school's grounds. You could see the gardens and conservatory below as well as the path leading off into the forest.

He open the door and froze on the threshold. There were people sitting at the tables.

Columbine and her side-kick Archie Hughes as well as a girl that Dudley did not recognize. There was Philips sitting in the very back of the room nose buried in a book. Berg was sitting on the table next to the window looking out. And of course Piers who Dudley had told not to come, was sitting close to the door.

Dudley squared his shoulders and stepped into the room he closed the door with a loud snap to get everyones attention. He walked over to the front of the classroom and heaved himself up onto the teacher's desk to sit.

"So…" He started then stopped. "I hadn't really expected anyone to show up." He admitted. He was acutely aware that everyone was staring at him. He cast a glare at Piers who shrugged.

"I knew it! I told you!" Hughes shouted flashing a smug smile at Columbine. "He's faking all of this to get Leo off his back!" He casted Dudley a changeling look as if daring him to deny it.

Dudley looked back at Hughes unbothered, he was right after all and Dudley wasn't going to deny it. "I didn't think anyone would barking enough to show up." He said, "So why did you show up?"

Hughes scowled and looked over at Columbine. "She wanted to come."

Columbine smiled at him and nodded. Dudley swallowed eyes doing a hit and run with hers. "What are you doing here?"

"I was curious if you really believed in magic."

"Why!" Dudley snapped, "So you can ridicule me after you stabbed me in the back!"

"You what!" Piers said hands hitting the desktop as his gaze jumped back and forth between the two.

"That was…" She pause lips pressed thin, "That was just a joke!" She laughed and waved her hand dismissively.

"I could have died if Professor Gaunt hadn't found me!"

"I would have come back and let you out."

"Right." Sneered Dudley "After how long?"

She shrugged, "In the morning."

"Hilarious…" Dudley said flatly. His grip on the desk so tight he could feel the wood creak under the strain. He wanted to get up and wipe that smug superior look off her face.

Philips was the one to speak up though. "You did what?"

"He is fine!" She snapped whirling are to look at Philips. "And what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off licking Leo and the rest of the councils shoes!" Philips faces turned scarlet.

"ENOUGH!" shouted the other girl. Everyone stop and glanced over at her. "Look as… horrible as that is. That is not why we are here." She gestured between Columbine and Dudley. "Columbine did ask if you believed in magic. Do you?"

"Who are you?" Interjected Philips.

"Sorry, names, Diana Bell." She introduced herself with a smile before turning back to Dudley. "So do you?"

"Yes!" Dudley said quickly. Then he regretted answering so fast. He didn't just believe he knew magic existed. But if he had just said no then this whole thing would be over and done with. "Do you?"

Diana nodded, "My uncle told a stories about magic." Hughes snorted in a halfhearted attempt to hide a laugh. "Well, if you don't want to do this no one forcing you to stay."

"No, I'm staying as long as Columbine stays. There is no way I'm leaving her alone with you lot."

"Why? She has already proved to be the monster." Berg said.

"I am not a monster." Columbine protested. "You just can't take a joke." Looking at Dudley like it was his fault.

"Your right… your missing the tail and scales." Berg said a smirk sliding across his face he added. "They would look good on you."

Columbine's face turn red and her eyes narrowed to slits. "Are you calling me ugly!" She hissed out like a snake, Dudley could see her coiled ready to strike.

Berg leaned forward the smirk still playing across his lips. "Don't have to." He breathed. Columbine shriek and lunged but to Dudley's surprise Hughes stopped her. "It's not worth it!" He said hand on her shoulder as he pushed her back into her chair.

"B-but he!" She spate livid with rage.

"We are getting of topic again!" Diana said her voice high with nerves as she tried to bring them back to neutral grounds. Piers and Philips were both breathing hard with laughter.

"And here I-I thought nothing would make you loose your cool." Philips said hiccuping.

Columbine huffed bowing her ruffled curls out of her face. "Shut it, Prewett! There are times I wonder you can think at all with a head that small."

Philips stopped laughing and his face turned a even deeper scarlet from before. Dudley tensed wondering if he would need to stop Philips from strangling Columbine.

"Berg, do you believe in magic!" Diana said loudly seething the moment of silence to derail yet another fight.

"Oh, yes." Berg said no doubt in his voice as he leaned back.

"Philips?"

"Yes…" Taking a deep breath he repeated with more confidence, "Yes, I believe in magic."

"Alright," Diana started to rub her has together excitedly as she turned to Piers. "And what about you?"

Piers looked a bit terrified to be suddenly addressed and hastily squeaked out. "O-Of course!" Glancing over at Dudley for reassurance. Dudley couldn't meet his friend's eyes and found the wood of the table quiet fascinating. He had never told Piers about magic in all their years of friendship.

To be fair there were times were even Dudley forgot that magic was real. Those long school years were he had no contact with his cousin. It had been easy to pretend that the world was just an ordinary place.

"Well that's good!" Diana said. "Since we all already believe then-"

"Your not going to ask me!" Snapped Columbine looking throughly offended.

"I don't think she thought you were staying." Berg said coldly rolling his eyes.

"I am!" She casted a glaring look at Berg, then turning her back to him. She continued, "And I do believe magic is real."

"Like we cared…" Muttered Berg.

"Right!" Diana said quick. "Now that that is out of the way-"

"Wait- I don't-" Hughes started but both Columbine and berg said. "Shut up!"

"As I was saying. Now that is out of the way. Our next order of business is to find something magical!"

"Are you saying we need to find a ghost?" Asked Dudley the hairs on the back of his neck started to stand up at the very thought.

"No… Not a ghost just something magical. I mean how many of us have actually seen something like that?" Dudley hand shot up in the air before he could stop himself. To his surprise both Berg and Philips had raised their hands as well. "Well…" Diana look at bit taken a back. "That's three out of the seven of us. Not a bad number I should say."

"What did you see?" Sneered disbelief dripping of Hughes' words.

"Not telling." Dudley said flatly. Hugh's turned towards the other two. Philips shuffled and eased himself lower in his seat as if he was trying to disappear below the table. Berg on the the other hand was as confident as ever.

"I'll tell you when your older." Berg cooed as if he was a mother talking to her child. Hughes snarled and Dudley could tell he was inches away from slugging Berg. Dudley was actually shocked that Hughes hadn't already. "I think you're lying." Hughes said at last through clenched teeth. Berg shrugged and leaned back with a knowing smile.

"Whatever." He drawled looking over at Diana. "So any ideas to hunt down this magical event?"

Diana bit her lip and shook her head. "Not yet. I'll need to do some research."

"Yeah, look for old places or things that are to neatly explained."

"Right…" She glanced around the room at everyone. "Me, Columbine and Hughes will look into the school. Piers and Philips can see if they can dig up anything about the forest and-"

"Me and Dudley can look at some abounded houses in the area maybe we can spook a ghost." Berg said quickly.

"Wait!" Dudley said loudly. "None of you are suppose to be here remember. This isn't suppose to be a real club!"

"Well that's to bad cause it is." Diana said and laughed.

Dudley sighed, it was just his luck. He had unwittingly started a club with only one out of the six he ever wanted to see. "Curse my luck."

Author Notes

Surprise! I got my computer to a place with internet early! Hope you guys enjoy the rewrite so far.