The First Great Fan- An Epilogue

Chapter Twelve: Dudley Takes a Stand

AN: This has been neglected for too long. So, here is an update, and a long one. I couldn't find a place to cut it, so I just let it run. Enjoy!

At eighteen years of age, Dudley Dursley had undergone a dramatic series of changes.
First off, he had reconciled with his cousin Harry and given his parents hell about the years of abuse they had initiated and encouraged their son to join in.
He didn’t forgive himself so easily, either.
Dudley’s personal penance was a strict diet, loads of exercise and an abundance of social services.
Secondly, he decided to change his name.
Really though, Dudley Dursley was a wretched name, after all.
Now, Harry Potter’s only cousin, was called Duke Dursman and he stood six foot tall weighing just under 230 pounds and his soft sandy hair was trimmed neatly in a style rivaling Gilderoy Lockhart. His smile could win awards, also.
But, Duke rarely smiled.
He had taken a job, to his father’s dismay, at a local hospital while he attended college.
Duke Dursman was an orderly and working his way through med-school was a costly thing. His grades in high school had not been great, so scholarships were not thrown his way and he refused his parent’s aid.
Duke roomed with a couple of guys from his school in the middle of London and refrained from most of their partying. His marks in class improved and he was a model student in many ways.
But, Duke had outside interests; oh yes.
Thanks to the assistance of a certain ministry of magic, Duke Dursman had in his possession a very special pet.
A barn owl.
Most thought Duke was showing an eccentric nature by keeping this owl, but once a week, when Duke let his pet out to hunt, an envelope was attached to its leg addressed to Harry James Potter and when the owl, affectionately called Hooters by Duke, returned it was replaced by another addressed to ‘Duddims’.
This year, as the school term began, Duke sent off his usual boring list of news, only to receive back a surprise letter.

“Hey, Duke

Looks like I’ve finally figured it out and you’re not gonna believe this.
The Savior of the Wizarding world is gay.
And he’s in love with his long time rival.
Go figure, huh?
Are you still coming to visit for Halloween?
I’ll send Kreacher to fetch you, if you like?

Harry.”

Dudley, er Duke was shocked.
“Wow,” he said to the owl. “I always knew he was a little wimpy, but a poufter? I guess I can live with that, what do you think?”
Hooters refrained from comment.
“Feel like another little trip?” Duke asked as he scribbled a quick acceptance to the Halloween invite and tied it to the owl’s leg.
Again, Hooters held his response and just flew off to deliver his note.
After this, the owl found a couple of stupid field mice and a slower than average shrew to feast on before returning to his cage to sleep.
Duke had gone to sleep, leaving the window open for his pet to enter as usual.
Hooters shook his head patiently at the sleeping man before climbing into his cage, burping up a bit of fur and closing his eyes.

By Halloween, Harry and Draco had become settled in their relationship and those around them had become accepting and, in some cases, supportive.
Ginny, Ron and Molly were the only hold-outs and both Hermione and Arthur kept claiming they’d come around, but it was a dark shadow in the sunshine of Harry's happiness.
As if in answer to the need, visitors came to Grimmauld Place in the form of Charlie Weasley and his reluctant beau, Viktor Krum.
The Bulgarian seemed nervous until Harry reminded Charlie that Draco would be arriving that evening and that he would be thrilled to see them both.
Charlie blushed brightly, remembering the failed attempt Hermione had made to arouse the blond and his own part in it.
“Is sumping about dis Draco I should be knowing?” Viktor asked with a scowl.
“Naw. He’s a big fan of yours, Viktor. At one time, his father considered sending him to Durmstrang.” Harry explained wrapping an arm around the confused Bulgarian’s shoulders to lead him into the house. “Plays Quidditch, too. Seeker just like us.”
“Is he being good?” Viktor asked and Harry smiled.
“Yes.” He answered smoothly, “But, he only plays with me, now. We have an agreement.”
Charlie guffawed at the expression on Viktor’s face before coming around to slide his arms around Viktor from the back and rest his chin on the Bulgarian’s shoulder. “I’ve a feeling that Harry is teasing you, Luv. And you’re quite adorable when you blush, too.” he said.


Halloween wasn’t Harry’s favorite holiday, but it promised to be interesting this year.
Witches and wizards rarely dressed up, but they did like to ring-in All Hallow’s Eve with a flair.
Kreacher had outdone himself with the decorating and Harry was wide eyed as he roamed from room to room.
Along with Charlie and Viktor, he had invited his cousin Duke, George Weasley, Ron and Hermione, Andromeda Tonks along with his baby godson, Teddy and well, Draco and his family.
They would arrive at around 6:00 P.M and Kreacher would serve them an amazing dinner of leg of lamb, crookneck squash and baked potatoes. For dessert they planned a special pudding that he was sure he’d have to guilt Duke into eating.
Harry was so happy, he had decided to give out presents like it was Christmas and they were all wrapped neatly in his bedroom, waiting.
Yes, this was going to be the best Halloween ever.
A sound behind him made the dark-haired wizard turn sharply, pulling out his Holly wand.
Kreacher stood in the doorway to the dining room, looking frightened.
“Oh, sorry Old Man. Guess I’m a little jumpy.” Harry said, sliding his wand into his jacket pocket. “What is it?”
“Kreacher was about to fetch the muggle for Master Harry.” the elf said barely controlling his animosity toward Duke. “He was wondering if he might invite a guest of his own, sir?”
“You want to have a guest? Certainly, invite anyone you want, but you are responsible for their behavior in my home and to my guests. I won’t have anyone treated poorly here.” Harry said and Kreacher smiled.
“Oh, no sir. Kreacher’s guest is very well behaved.” the elf said disappearing.
Harry laughed at the empty space before heading up to his room to brush his hair one more time.
Twenty minutes later, Kreacher returned with an awe struck Duke in tow, three bags of luggage and a caged barn owl in hand.
Harry took the cage as Kreacher disapparated with the luggage to a guest bedroom.
Duke would be staying for the weekend.
“Hello Hooters.” Harry said to the owl as he smiled at his cousin. “Come on, Duke. Let’s get you up to your room.” and he led the way up the stairs.
Once there, they settled onto the beds and talked for an hour about things in general.
“So, do I get to meet this long-time rival you’re buggering?” Duke asked teasingly.
“Draco’s coming tonight.” Harry admitted, shyly. “You alright with all that?” he asked.
“Don’t bother me.” Duke said. “Lot worse things than being gay. You could be a wizard and all.”
Harry laughed as Duke snickered.
Life had certainly changed them both.

Six o’clock rolled around and the guest began to arrive.
Charlie and Viktor were already there, having returned from a shopping trip and Harry sent their things upstairs with the house elf as he led them to the parlor where Duke was. “You’ve met my cousin, haven’t you Charlie?” Harry asked, “Duke, this is Viktor Krum, the greatest Quidditch player ever.”
“What’s Quidditch?” Duke asked and Viktor looked shocked.
Harry didn’t hear the Bulgarian’s explanation as he rushed to answer the door.
He was never so grateful to Malfoy for the birthday present that had removed Mrs. Black from the wall and sent her off to Malfoy manor as when he opened the door for George, Ron, Hermione and Angelina Johnson.
“Harry! You don’t mind that I brought a date?” George said pulling the girl in behind him.
“Naw, how could I? There’s an interesting discussion on Quidditch going on in the parlor you might want to help with. Viktor Krum is trying to explain the game to my cousin.” Harry said, bringing a twinkle to the surviving twin’s eyes.
“Muggles never understand Quidditch, without seeing it first hand. We’ll have to take him to the next Chuddley Cannons game, right Ron?” he said, making the younger Weasley smile and Hermione smirk.
“Any excuse to go to one, right George?” she responded.
“Don’t need one, Mione. But, it’ll take one to get you to let Ronald go.” The last twin said.
“Let them go, Hermione. We can go shopping that day.” Angelina said, nudging the younger girl. “They are doing specials and ‘Wrongnat’s Little Witches and Warlocks’ and I intend to spend a great deal of George’s money.”
George looked shell shocked for a second before grinning from ear to missing ear. “Oy, forgot to tell ya, mate. Angelina’s got a bun in the oven.” He announced receiving an elbow to the gut. “Sorry, she’s expecting a little Weasley.” he amended. “In May.”
“Congratulations, Angelina. I think this calls for a celebration. So, let’s go celebrate.” Harry said, guiding his guests into the parlor.
Viktor looked frustrated and Charlie amused as Duke asked ridiculous questions about the wizarding sport.
George and Ron came to their rescue.
“No, all of the players are on brooms and the bludgers are menacing magical balls.” Ron said.
“The beaters are the one’s that hit the bludgers and the keepers watch for the quaffle.” George added.
“It’s the snitch that earns 150 points,” Angelina added, also.
“Oh, okay. I get it.” Duke said. “So, who is the chaser?”
A collective sigh went through the group as Harry heard the door again.

Watching his parents closely, Draco took out the slip of paper from his pocket.
Houses shifted and stretched and number twelve Grimmauld Place came into focus for the wizard family.
“It galls me that your family house is blocked from you this way, Narcissa.” Lucius was griping.
“It was, Luc. Now, we are welcome again. Come along, let’s not be too fashionably late.” Narcissa said sliding her arm under her husband’s in a practiced way.
Lucius turned a knowing eye her way as he asked, “You haven’t told him yet, have you?”
“Perhaps tonight, Lucius. Perhaps.” she said with a glance at their son.
“Come along, Draco. Don’t dawdle. Mustn’t be rude to your boyfriend.” Lucius smirked as they strode purposefully up to the door and knocked loudly.
“At least Auntie Walburga won’t be screeching at everyone for the duration,” Narcissa said as she listened to the reverberations “I like the new location of my dear aunt.”
“No one goes near that part of the manor. Her and her precious elf heads will never be bothered.” Lucius said, smiling.
Just then, the door swung open and they were face-to-face with Harry.
“Draco! Mr. and Mr. Malfoy. I’m so glad you could come. Please, come on in.” he said, reaching for Narcissa’s hand and pulling her into the entry.
“First, Just promise me that the Weasleys aren’t here.” Lucius scowled.
“Only, Charlie, George and Ron, sir. Arthur and Molly couldn’t make it. And Bill is busy with the new baby on the way.” Harry explained, leaving out that the senior Weasleys refused to come to any party where men would be with other men in any way even if, or especially if, one of these men was their second child.
He also refrained from mentioning either Percy of Ginny and their reasons for refusing the invite.
“Well, that sounds agreeable.” Lucius groused.
“Go on, Father. The worst that could happen, is you might have fun.” Draco said, pushing his parents past Harry so he could steal a quick kiss.
There were some tense minutes before Andromeda arrived, with baby Teddy.
Narcissa rushed to her sister and the two women huddled together for half of the evening as Angelina and Hermione took over the care of the small son of the late Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks Lupin.
Finally, Harry noticed the snacks being refilled more quickly than seemed possible and he peeked into the kitchen.
There, gathering plates full of pretzels and pitchers of punch onto a platter was little Winky, dressed in what looked like a child’s dress of pink ruffles with a crisp white pinafore over it.
“So, this is your guest, Kreacher. Good plan Old Man.” Harry called out, getting a half hearted scowl in return. “You’re a guest, Winky. Don’t let him overwork you, Okay?”
The little elf blustered about being happy to help and Harry just winked back.
Then, he returned to his party, before he was greatly missed.

By the time dinner was ready to be served, all attempts to explain Quidditch to Duke had been abandoned and instead Angelina was telling him about the joke shop while Viktor and Ron were comparing stories about brooms and their flight capabilities.
Ron had taken a job at the ministry handling the new models of brooms approval and working with the various Quidditch teams to test these meant he was familiar with all of the members.
Teddy was dozing in a travel bed that Andromeda had brought, George and Lucius were debating the whole over-debated ‘Pureblood vs. Muggleborn’ issue in a corner.
Hermione shyly approached Harry where he stood in front of the tall blond, letting Draco hold him to his chest and breathe into his unruly hair.
“Erm, Harry . . .Malfoy?” She began, looking at anything but the two. “I just wanted to apologize for . . . .well, you know, for all that foolishness when Ron and Ginny were missing.”
Harry felt a quick vibration across his back just before Draco spoke.
“You needn’t bother, Granger. I’m actually fine with it. Rotten bloody situation, but at least it ended well.”
“We still don’t know that. You know,” Hermione countered. “Even though I assume no one’s dick is shriveling up, right now, there’s still a spell or potion out there, waiting to do its worst. . . .or best. I feel guilty about my part in that, too.”
“Shriveling up? Is that the ghastly spell you were talking about, Harry?” Draco asked, turning the brunet in his arms. “I don’t like the sound of that!”
“If it were going to happen, it would have started by August. The sample wouldn’t have lasted that long.” Hermione said, going into lecture mode. “Ron and I discussed it and we think that it was probably the pregnancy potion that was used. So, if there is a little baby on the way somewhere, what are you going to do?”
Harry held tightly to the hand that was flat across his lower abdomen as he felt it clench.
“If the child born is a Malfoy, my father will take the steps necessary to obtain it at that time.” Draco stated, rather blandly. “Don’t give me that look, Granger. I don’t care about the feelings of a girl that could go to those lengths to steal my child and if my father can thwart her, even better.”
“I know that, but what about the baby?” she said looking weepy-eyed.
“Spew-type alert,” Harry whispered and Draco instantly countered.
“In the care of my mother, the Malfoy child will have everything it needs.” Harry winced at the coldness in his word and the building up of moisture in Hermione’s eyes.
“What about love?” the girl said, her voice choked.
“Ever heard of a little muggle thing called a rape baby, Granger? How can I love a child that is part of someone that forced me into something that I found repulsive?” Draco began. “The only reason I’m not actually searching for this girl, is because of Harry’s part in it and because I know she’ll try to play her hand, eventually. That potion is highly illegal under ministry guidelines, especially when used without both party’s knowledge. That little mother-to-be is likely to go to Azkaban. Then, where would the child be if not for my family?”
“Hermione, that sample I delivered wasn’t pure.” Harry broke into Draco’s rant. “My sperm was in it, also. If it turns out that the child is mine, I would take it from her, too. She doesn’t love it if she got it the way she did. But, I don’t know how I’ll feel about the baby either.” he admitted.
The angry retort the two men expected never came to fruition and Hermione reached out to wrap them both in a warm hug. Then, she pulled back, tears glistening in her eyes.
“If you can’t love it, Harry. Consider letting Ron and I try? We found out that I can’t have a baby, just this month. I could love any child, now.” And her tears broke free and fell down her cheeks.
“Master Harry? Dinner is served.” Kreacher broke in at Draco’s elbow. Harry and Hermione both jumped.
“Oh. Thank you, Old Man.” Harry recovered. “Ahem. Dinner is ready. If everyone would follow me.” He called to the rest of his guests.
Hermione made a quick stop in the restroom, refreshing her make-up before following them to the dining room.