Welcome back to my Slytherin!Harry and friends. A quick look at the highlights of years past with my Slytherin!Harry and friends:

1st year: Harry saved the stone from Quirrell/Voldy;

2nd year: Harry destroyed the diary

We're about to embark on 3rd year. Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

Mothers

Harry Potter's staggering steps ended abruptly at the bus stop that was two - or was it three? - blocks from Number 4 Privet Drive. He dropped the end of his trunk, set down his owl's empty cage on top and thought about his next course of action. He sat on the trunk and sighed heavily. He looked around at the darkness, the stormy clouds over head and the eerily quiet play park he passed on his left. His voice was soft and reflective. "Way to go, Potter. Now what are you going to do?"

He'd send a note to one of his best friends - Jason Vaisey or Blaise Zabini - but Hedwig was off hunting and there was no telling when she'd be back. The Leaky Cauldron was an inn as well as the entryway to the wizarding world, but it was all the way in London. Harry was directionally challenged so he couldn't just walk to London and he had no Muggle money to pay for a taxi.

Running his fingers through his hair, Harry heard a rustle and whipped around, wand in hand and pointed at the bushes. Aurors should be sorting things at the Dursley home. None would be lurking in the bushes. Maybe running out like that wasn't exactly his brightest move.

Harry took a step back and peered at the bushes. He saw something shimmer or shine gold - or was it green? - and were those eyes staring at him? A thread thinned voice wheezed in the moonlit night behind him, "Harry!"

He whipped around towards the voice, wand still raised, staring at the large figure moving surprisingly fast towards him. Even though he lowered his wand, he didn't feel safe enough to put it away. Harry glanced towards the bushes behind him, but he no longer saw the eyes that glowed at him. Maybe it was his imagination after all. "What are you doing out here, Dudley?"

"I…" Panting, his cousin - Dudley Dursley - waved him off. "I just… she's wrong…" Hands on his knees, Dudley took deep breaths or tried to at least, "Blimey, I need to get in shape."

Harry smirked at his cousin's observation, not bothering to disagree because the boy really did need to get in shape. Or a different shape, one that wasn't round. "She's wrong," Harry murmured in his bemusement. Turning his attention back to Dudley, he spoke louder for clarification, "You aren't angry then?"

"Hell no." Dudley sucked in more lungs full of air before stating, "the bint was wrong to talk about your mum like that." Dudley finally stood, glistening with a thick sheen of sweat that rolled down his red, pudgy face.

"I thought you liked your Aunt Marge."

"Not really. She's just rich and gives great gifts. She doesn't like Mum much either, but she won't say so because of Dad." Dudley scuffed his shoe along the walk and sighed heavily. "I'd have trouble keeping my temper if she talked about my mum that way."

Harry looked down the road behind Dudley, reflecting on what he just heard from his cousin and realized it did make a bit of sense. Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister and wasn't overly nice to Aunt Petunia, but she was usually so busy making Harry's life miserable he hadn't taken much notice before. "Speaking of your mum, won't Aunt Petunia notice you're gone?"

"Dad was still busy with Aunt Marge. She was bouncing on the ceiling causing Mum fits." Dudley snorted, "Her shoes were scuffing the ceiling."

The boys laughed together, which felt so alien to Harry. Harry closed his eyes and an image of the events that took place earlier played back in his mind. Aunt Marge and her bloated face with three chins wagging, as she waved a sausage finger at him. She sneered in true Slytherin style and went off about his mother, how worthless she was and it was her fault that Harry was who he was today. His temper had flared and she inflated like a balloon even larger than she already was and floated to the ceiling.

With a soft sigh, Harry opened his eyes and faced his current situation. He ran away with all of his earthly belongings and stood at a bus stop with his cousin. "So, erm… why are you here?"

"Good question. Not sure myself. This week with Aunt Marge has been hell and then to end like this..." With hands on his thighs to balance him, Dudley eyed Harry. "You off to your friends then?"

"Not yet. With Hedwig gone, I can't get a message to them. So I will have to head to London first, there's a hotel for wizarding folk I can go to." Harry looked around the dark gloomy night and his shoulders drooped. "Not sure how I'm getting there yet, but that's where I'll head first."

Dudley gave him a long look with a blank stare and suddenly nodded as if coming to a conclusion. "I have some money. I can call a car for you. Not sure if it's enough to do the job, but it would get you closer."

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with my cousin? You see, my cousin hates me and would just as soon beat me to a bloody pulp then have a conversation with me, let alone help me get to London." Harry felt his stomach squirm with anxiety and tightened his grip on his wand. Could someone have used polyjuice potion? It was possible, but for what purpose?

Dudley shrugged. "Ya, well, I never really hated you. You just made it too easy to pick on you and then my parents… they aren't exactly fond of your magic. I don't think it's personal, Harry. I think it's just all this magic business."

"They make it feel pretty personal."

"I think it's Mum and her feelings about your Mum. Not sure how that all works out in the wash, but there ya have it: it's a sister thing." Dudley looked towards the direction of his house on Privet Drive to ensure his folks weren't looking for him. "Can I tell you a secret?"

He peered at his cousin then shrugged, "Sure."

"I met someone. One of your lot." Dudley gave up and planted himself on the curb. He dropped his head into his hands and took a steadying breath. "She was at the park and some of my friends were having a bit of fun when she pulled one of your stunts."

Harry took a seat as well, "Accidental magic?"

Dudley nodded, "Mmhmm, by the time I got there, she was shaking and I don't know how, but I got her to calm down. There was a couple of pop sounds, thought it was a gun. Scared me a might, only it was some guys showing up in maroon dresses-"

"Maroon robes, they're Aurors." When Dudley squinted at him, Harry explained, "Like a wizarding version of a constable."

"Oh, okay then. Well two of them showed up, and was surprised when I wasn't afraid of what happened with her, that I was more concerned for her. Then I surprised 'em more when I told them I even know about magic. They asked me how I knew. So I told them you're my cousin and go to that wizard school." Dudley peered then at Harry. "Did you know you're some kind of famous?"

It was Harry's turn to shrug. "I'm not really. It has to do with how my parents died. I didn't do anything but survive."

"Oh." Dudley paused and squinted at Harry, "What a weird thing to be known for." He then got that far off look again, that time with a goofy grin on his face and Dudley continued. "Two days later I was walking home when I saw her at the park all alone." Dudley looked at Harry expectantly, "Sally-Anne Perks is her name. Do you know her? Sally-Anne is just the prettiest thing. She goes to your school said something about Huffy Poofs, I didn't pay much attention to that bit."

"Hufflepuff, it's one of the four Houses." Harry didn't laugh at his cousin, but he did grin. Who would have thought Dudley's first crush would be with a witch? "You know your parents won't like her."

"Don't much care if they do." Dudley decided, "She's the first girl to be nice to me. I'm gonna see her next week, and then she'll be gone again at the end of August. Your lot are going back to your school and me, I'll be going back to Smeltings. She asked me to write, but I don't see how I can."

Harry pondered that dilemma briefly and nudged his cousin. "If I can get you a bird, you can write to her. They're sure to have other birds than owls. Maybe if I got you one that didn't stand out so much, your parents wouldn't notice?"

"After everything I've done, you'd do that for me?" Dudley peered at Harry, "Why?"

He laughed, "You'd make a right good Slytherin, Dudders." Harry waved him off before he could start a new round of questions. "Another of the four Houses I mentioned. Hufflepuff is one, Slytherin is another. I'm in Slytherin, they're cunning, ambitious, shrewd and strong leaders."

"Slithering, I like that." Dudley grinned and nodded, satisfied with Harry's description. "What about them Huffy Poofs?"

"Hufflepuff is known for their loyalty, being friendly, honest and fair minded. That's what they value in people most, so when dealing with Perks, be sure to be as true to yourself as possible, okay?" Dudley rumpled his dirty blonde hair, frowning, "She won't judge you too harshly. Just don't mention the beatings you gave me, talk about other things. Life in general, I guess."

"Okay, I can try that." Dudley stared at his hands. "So back to why you're doing this for me…"

"You're willing to help me get to London." He pushed his glasses up on his nose, "Because we're thirteen this year-"

"Blimey, Harry." Dudley groaned. "Today's your birthday and it was forgotten again. Did your friends at least remember you this year?"

"Yes," Harry blushed, catching Dudley's attention. "It's nothing. There's just this girl…"

Dudley nodded, "They're special aren't they? Make you want to be a better person."

"And you've only known Perks for two weeks. I've known Hermione for two years."

"You've had a girlfriend for two years?"

Harry smirked and changed the subject, "So if I get you a dove or pigeon, or something less obvious than an owl, you'll be able to write to her." Harry thought to include himself in the list of people Dudley could write, but decided not to. What would he have to say to Dudley anyhow?

He nodded, "That's a fair trade, then."

Laughing, Harry nodded. "Yes you are most definitely a Slytherin. Money to get to London for a bird to write to your… well, your bird."

Dudley stood and snorted, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

The rustling in the bushes came again. Harry jumped up and whipped his wand out, his eyes wide. "Did you hear that?"

"Probably just a cat or somethin'." Dudley peered into the dark, but Harry wasn't convinced.

"Can you hurry then?" Harry pointed towards the house, "If we can get someone here to take me even halfway to-"

There was a loud deafening bang and a blinding light. Harry leapt out of the way almost knocking over Dudley. A purple triple decker bus came to a stop with bold gold letters on it announcing it as The Knight Bus. From the back hopped a young man - large ears, excessive pimples, wearing a purple uniform that matched the bus - stared at a card in his hand and started reciting on autopilot, "Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike and I will be your conductor this eve-"

Stan looked at the boys at this point and frowned. "Yer not a wizard." He scratched his belly and glanced nervously over his shoulder. "Ya can't take 'im with ya. He shouldn't even be around ta see us."

"He's my cousin, it's okay. I live with them when I'm not at school. So you can take me to London then?" Harry asked quickly before the bus could leave without him.

"Well ya, where is it you wanna go to then?" Stan peered at Dudley who kept looking over his shoulder at the bushes. "Are ya sure he's okay? He seems a bit jumpy."

"He's fine, just… how much will it cost?" Harry tugged at Dudley who turned to stare again at the bus in awe.

"Eleven sickles, for thirteen you can have 'ot chocolate and fifteen ya can 'ave a 'ot water bottle and even a toothbrush wif yer choice of color." He stole a glance at Dudley again.

"Hey, Dudley."

"Ya?"

"You should head home before Aunt Petunia comes looking for you."

"Oh right. Okay then. Send me that bird still?"

"You got it."

Dudley made his way behind the bus and disappeared into the night. Harry dug in his trunk for his coins and produced eleven sickles. Stan now peered at Harry, his eyes flicking to the boy's forehead. "What did you say your name is?"

"I didn't. Does it matter?"

"I don't suppose it does…"

Harry's mind tried to think of a half-blood he could trust and only one came to mind. "The name's Vaisey, Jason Vaisey."

AN: I'm trying to get my mind back into this world I created by editing them year by year. I hope that by the time I reach the end of 5th year I will be able to move on with the last of my trilogy seeing how it has stalled yet again.

2nd Edit 01/08/2020