Boom!
Dudley waved the wand, and the target in the distance was smashed into pieces.
Boom!
He did it again to test the accuracy and consistency, the two biggest enemies he had. He knew the spells just fine but couldn't perform them according to his desire. He knew by now that he wasn't magically gifted like Harry or the others. If he were to battle a Death Eater or even a Hogwarts senior face-to-face, he'd lose.
"Much better now. Nine out of ten times I can hit the target." Dudley took a short break from his training and grabbed some water. He didn't use the Arithmancy classroom this time; instead, he utilized the Room of Requirement, which provided him with moving targets and privacy.
Furthermore, he'd made a lot of changes to Professor Vector's research and made it better for himself. No matter how much he liked that Professor, he didn't want to share his advanced research with her.
He focused on a few spells for now. Most are aimed at defense and offense. It was important to stay alive in order to win the game completely.
"Can't repeat the mistake." He muttered, and got up again for a second round of training.
The second task of the Triwizard Tournament was close, so he had plenty of time alone while the rest of the school acted all excited and focused more on bullying Harry.
Boom!
He tried to close the gap. Not nine out of ten. He wanted nineteen out of twenty. More consistency.
It's working, at least.
####
Lily J. Potter hated many people. Not just the Death Eaters but also her previous allies. Wizards of the Order decided it was best to leave Harry in the hands of the Dursleys, who abused him and would have continued if not for Dudley.
As much as she felt thankful to Dudley, she loathed the likes of Dumbledore and McGonagall. She used to trust them the most but now, she knew how naive she'd been. And then there was Severus Snape, the man who betrayed her and James. The man who was directly behind the attack as he shared the Prophecy with the Dark Lord.
And now, she had to see his face often. The man tried to find her alone and speak to her on occasion, but she always ignored him. Yet, she kept her eyes on him.
And as she'd hoped, her suspicions were right. On the night of the Yule Ball, she saw Igor Karkaroff corner Snape outside near the carriages. And then, the words they exchanged about something happening again.
It was enough to be alarmed.
Yet, she lacked allies. She had friends who she couldn't trust, she had mentors who'd disappointed her. Inside Hogwarts, she felt there was only one ally. So, every night she went to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom in hopes Dudley would have left some hint.
Each night, she returned empty-handed.
The closer the second task came, the more she felt worried. She's studied everything about Harry from his first year and knew very well that he was specifically targeted. That dragon getting loose in the first task couldn't have been a coincidence, so she already expected something to go wrong in the second task.
Who is doing all this, and why?
Desperation ate at her thoughts. Protecting Harry was her only reason for being alive.
Why is Dudley avoiding me now?
She tried to find Dudley alone in the school. Each time, she failed to do it. And since she wasn't a faculty, she couldn't linger around the school every day. Only in the name of surprise inspections could she enter one or two times a week.
####
She's not in the school today. That's good.
Dudley knew well how desperate Lily was. But he had nothing to share with her yet and constantly hearing her maternal appeals was annoying. In his eyes, she was doing more damage than good. On top of that, he wanted her to be more desperate so she was easier to control.
Not for those reasons. But so he could keep things from going too out of hand and unpredictable. The only advantage he had wasn't his money but his future knowledge.
"Mr. Dursley… my classroom is no place for you to doze off."
Dudley shook his head and looked back at Professor Snape. "I'm done brewing the Pepperup potion, Professor."
Snape plainly gave him a glance and checked his potion, finding it perfectly brewed as always. "Five points from Hufflepuff. Competence in brewing does not grant immunity to indiscipline."
Dudley nodded and started walking around to help others brew the potion. It was one of the things that Snape had ordered him to do. It made the Potions Professor's job easier.
Of course, Dudley took the liberty to touch his girls in unholy ways while helping them. But still competent, he slowly helped everyone finish brewing their potions without any sudden blasts or failures.
With that, the last class of the day came to an end. One by one, they gathered their tools and started leaving.
"Aren't you coming?" Susan paused seeing him by the cauldron.
Dudley handed her his books instead. "I'll see you two at dinner. Just have a bit to talk over with the Professor here."
Susan and Hannah eyed Snape in the distance at his table and then at Dudley. They didn't know what Dudley wanted to discuss, nor did they wish to know. They already knew their shared lover was much more than what meets the eye.
"See you later then." Susan shrugged and left.
Hannah gave him a worried look. In her head, everything related to Snape was bad. "Be careful."
Dudley smiled at the concerned blonde. No matter how much self-confidence she'd gained, she remained a cautious girl. Especially when it came to him.
He watched the classroom become empty and eventually the door shut. That was when Snape looked up from his teacher's desk and noticed Dudley.
"Class is dismissed, Mr. Dursley. If you have inquiries about potions, save them for tomorrow."
Dudley smiled warmly and straightened his back, his chest out. No more he stood there like a simple Hogwarts student. No, this was Dudley Dursley, the owner of D&D Capitals, the richest Wizard in Europe.
Hands behind his back, he strolled closer to Snape's table all the while avoiding looking into his eyes. He knew his current Occlumency level couldn't save him from him.
"It must be burning," Dudley murmured—just loud enough to be heard, but quiet enough to sound harmless.
With a deep frown, Snape looked up at the boy. "I have neither time nor patience for your childish riddles, Mr. Dursley. Leave—unless you wish to forfeit more points."
"Hm…" Dudley murmured, wandering over to the window. The sunlight was bright out there. "Not many people get a second chance after mucking things up so badly. After hurting the ones they care about. After turning their back on their own."
Take the bait! Take the bait, Snape.
Dudley did his best to maintain a calm and mysterious demeanor.
At last, the sound of a chair screeching on the floor echoed. But Dudley didn't look back at Snape.
"I would choose my words wisely, Mr. Dursley. Do not overstep your boundaries."
"Ha! Boundaries? Thought they were meant to be tested, weren't they? If I'm allowed to study potions from a marked Death Eater, I don't see why I can't have a bit of fun now and then."
Play the game, Severus Snape. I know you want to.
Finally, Dudley turned around and focused on Snape's hand that held a wand, albeit not pointed at him. If the Potions Professor decided to use magic on him there was no way he'd win. Of course, he'd ruin Snape later if he did that. Lily's hatred for him needed a simple spark to turn into full-fledged bloodthirst.
"I'd be careful with that wand, Professor. Hurting a student won't do you any favors." Dudley gave him a gentle nudge. "You know… Aunt Lily saw you and Igor talking that night. She heard what you said. And now—well, she probably thinks you're still working for You-Know-Who."
"What do you want, Dursley?"
"The truth—I need to know where you stand. Whose side are you on? Is that Dark Mark on your arm there out of loyalty… or was it just a way to feel like you belonged? Because if it's the latter, I can offer you somewhere far more important to belong."
Snape sneered, a cruel twist to his mouth. "And where might that be? Under your command? Your wealth, while impressive—for a Muggle-born—is of little consequence in the wizarding world."
Dudley let out a low chuckle at that. "Come now, Professor. I reckon you know I'm not that daft. You're a potions genius—probably why You-Know-Who wanted you on his side. I understand money's not really your concern. With your skill, you could make a fortune easily enough. But you stayed on here, just a professor at Hogwarts. Makes me wonder… is it a bit like the Dark Mark? Wanting to belong somewhere? To have a purpose?"
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