Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 119: The Hero
But before they could return home, Dumbledore and the other professors were already waiting to escort them back to Hogwarts.
"I'm sorry, Professor, but after that traumatic event, we just want to go home," said Dudley.
"Yeah, Professor, we'd rather relax with our family," added Harry.
Dumbledore expression was a strange mix of warmth and concern. He wanted to ask Dudley about what he had said earlier, the way the boy spoke made him suspect that Dudley might already know Harry was a Horcrux.
Though he didn't have any proof yet, his only clue is Tom Riddle diary but still what he suspected was always right. In the past when he suspected Peter Pettigrew is Death Eater, he didn't dare to check it by themselves and he believed with the friendship of that four gryffindor but later that thing was the truth and it was too late to fix anything.
Before Professor McGonagall could respond, Dumbledore spoke first.
"I'm sorry, but you are still our students and it is our responsibility to ensure your safety at Hogwarts," said Dumbledore gently.
Hearing this, Dudley looked taken aback, then decided to roast Dumbledore instead and he was expert to roast the professor for example Snape.
"Professor Dumbledore, you really should consider getting married, because after nearly getting killed by that noseless freak, the first thing any sane person would want is to go somewhere safe and peaceful, which is our home. And besides, our parents have more responsibility for us than Hogwarts does," said Dudley firmly.
Dumbledore was left speechless. Even McGonagall and the other professors hadn't expected Dudley to speak so bluntly. For a brief moment, Dumbledore remembered his own sister, Ariana, his father, who had died in Azkaban and his mother, who perished when he was still a teenager.
Unknowingly, he found himself agreeing to let Dudley and Harry return home to be with their family.
So Harry and Dudley were given permission to return home by Professor Dumbledore but they are only given one day and need to come back the next day.
They agreed and return home with Amelia Bones, Sirius didn't follow them to privet drive because he was one of the professor and he need to sleep at Hogwarts.
By morning, the entire wizarding world was buzzing. Rumors spread like wildfire and owls could be seen flocking across Britain, carrying the latest headlines.
At first, many believed that Amelia Bones herself had fended off the Death Eaters and even the Dark Lord. The people spoke of her unmatched skill, her powerful magic, and how she had stood alone against an entire army.
But soon, a new version began to circulate. This time, the public insisted that Harry Potter had fought Voldemort and survived yet again. Harry, The Boy Who Lived, had somehow repelled the Dark Lord a second time, at least, that was what the headlines said.
The truth, however, was far from what the Daily Prophet dared to print worrying about the backlash.
Dudley Dursley, a supposed muggleborn and Harry cousin, had actually been the one to face Voldemort directly. Not only did he survive, he had slain many Death Eaters in the process, forcing the Dark Lord to retreat in humiliation.
But for many in the pureblood community, that version of the story was too much to accept. The idea that a muggleborn, a Dursley, no less had overpowered the Dark Lord was an insult to everything they stood for.
So the rumors twisted.
In this "official" retelling, Harry Potter was once again the shining hero who bravely repelled You Know Who ambush. Dudley name was barely mentioned, reduced to a footnote. Just a helper in the shadows. A side character in history.
But Dudley didn't seem to care.
When he woke up that morning and opened the newspaper, he simply laughed.
"Let them believe what they want," he said calmly as he sipped his tea, as if the world wasn't rewriting the real story around him. "At least we're alive."
Harry frowned. "But it's not fair. You were the one who fought the hardest..."
"Harry," Dudley interrupted softly, putting the cup down. "You're the symbol they need. Not me."
Harry looked at him, unsure of what to say. There was something in Dudley tone, not bitterness, but quiet acceptance. The kind of acceptance that came from surviving something most people could never comprehend.
Outside, the sun crept over the horizon, bathing the room in soft golden light. It felt peaceful, too peaceful for what had happened the night before.
"Why are my parents still asleep?" asked Dudley as he glanced at the clock.
Madam Amelia were still passed out from exhaustion, while he and Harry had woken up automatically at 6:30 a.m. With nothing better to do, they decided to go downstairs for breakfast.
As Dudley looked at his wristwatch, the sleek, silver one Harry had given him last Christmas, the clock already read 7 a.m. Suddenly, he heard footsteps, then a gasp. His mother stood in the doorway, eyes wide with shock.
---Meeting Parent---
Petunia couldn't sleep the night before. Something felt wrong, a mother's instinct clawed at her chest. But exhaustion from her pregnancy finally won when Vernon insisted she rest. Reluctantly, she fell asleep around midnight.
Aaaahhhhhh!
"What happened, Petunia?" Vernon voice echoed through the hallway. He had lost a lot of weight compare to last year, he moved surprisingly fast now, sprinting toward the sound of his wife scream.
But he wasn't met with danger instead it was a surprise seeing her son had returned.
"We're back, Mum," said Dudley with a grin, standing by the stool.
Vernon breath caught. It was really her son and he feel confused why Dudley is here during this time.
"Dudley… why are you coming back now?" whispered Petunia, her voice trembling with worry and relief.
She was happy her son had returned home, but coming back this early, without warning, suggested something was wrong, something big enough to shatter her uneasy sleep and she was right.
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