Episode 12. Part 4

Episode 12. Part 4

***

Neville couldn't sleep. He couldn't get the conversation with the True Boy Who Survived, the real hero, out of his head. Yes, Longbottom knew he was no hero, no matter what Dumbledore said. And he never believed to the end that the wacky cousins could cheat... everyone. Both were thieves. But Harold was also a murderer. He couldn't believe that a withdrawn and distrustful as he was, but unlike his shy, confident self, Potter could kill a professor for the Philosopher's Stone. Poor Quirrell! Defended a great artifact and died in the line of duty. Harold wanted to steal the stone, but apparently Quirinus somehow found out about it, wanting to prevent... Though why Harold would steal the stone if he was already a descendant of the great alchemist and could simply ask - Neville did not understand. That it was really Harry Longbottom who had killed Quirrell was not in doubt, for Dumbledore had given him very ample evidence. But Neville understood that he did have a huge debt to Potter. Of course, Harold must have used the stolen Philosopher's Stone to get his parents' minds back. There could have been no other remedy, because he and his grandmother had tried medical practices all over the world. So why did he help Neville? Probably just a conscience for murder and theft thus made itself felt. And yet... There was a convulsive sigh from behind the canopy in the next bed. Ever since Harry had been expelled, there had been five beds in the boys' bedroom of their course, and Longbottom happened to be Dudley's roommate. He didn't seem to be sleeping either, unlike the others. Neville thought that Dudley wasn't so bad, and knew a lot, if not everything, about his brother, and could help dispel doubts. He decided to try, so he asked quietly:

- Dudley, you know something about your cousin that he never told us, don't you? You know he's dark, don't you? Why do you communicate with him?

- Dudley remained silent, though he was surprised by the question. What was he supposed to answer? He knew almost everything about his cousin, and he wasn't dark. Neither of them had long ago divided the world into evil and good. They both knew there was something dark and something light in every man, in every man's actions, even in every man's thoughts. But there was no point in explaining that to wizards. So he didn't defend his brother this time, instead, after thinking about it for a second, Dudley realized that this was his opportunity to clarify a little bit about why his friend was suddenly hesitant about his brother. So he answered neutrally, answering only the last question, "He's my cousin. He's my cousin, and I have no one else.

- You said you had an aunt," Neville recalled, and imagined Dursle shrugging his shoulders in an indifferent tone. "She despises everything but her dogs. It's like she doesn't exist.

- But he's a Dark One," Longbottom repeated grudgingly, realizing that this would not dispel his own doubts. He got up from the bed and unceremoniously yanked back the hero's cousin's bed curtain.

"But he's a brother," Dudley repeated, confidently, looking his friend in the eye. - I will not turn my back on him and betray him. Who else is going to help him if not me?

- Do you think he can still mend his ways? - Neville asked doubtfully.

- I know," he muttered back.

The curtain on the bed next to Neville's swung open and the redhead whirled across the room, ending up on Dudley's bed.

"He's blackmailing you with something, isn't he? - Ronald Weasley asked ingratiatingly, as if begging for the answer he wanted. He had overheard the conversation from the beginning and suddenly realized that this was a chance to mess with Potter even more and help Principal Dumbledore, which had always had a positive effect on his family's budget. That's why he, clearly aware of what needed to be done, said: - Dudley, leave Potter before he drags you into the darkness too. And if you want family, we'll be your family! - He proclaimed solemnly, as if he were offering to be king, no less. Both Dudley and Neville could have sworn they saw triumph in the eyes of the youngest Weasley son at that moment. Dursle squinted...

***

- So, Ronald, are you saying that Dursle has doubts about Potter? - Dumbledore asked Dumbledore thoughtfully to his favorite and most obedient, though a little greedy, puppet. Fawkes watched his master carefully. The portraits were peacefully snoozing, pretending not to have heard the nightly report of the redheaded visitor who had been frequenting lately.

Albus was digesting the information he had received. He had no doubts about its authenticity. He hadn't noticed Dudley's particular desire to indulge his cousin and participate in his ventures before. After all, he hadn't gone for the stone, hadn't gone to rescue Ginevra, hadn't been seen with Black in public. But how could that help him? How could it have helped his plans? Simple. Dursle knew a lot, if not everything, about his brother. With his help, it would have been easier to smear the unsettled hero. Of course, Dudley himself would not agree to help. But he could be used so that he would help the plans without his own knowledge.

Besides, there was the matter of the new hero's vassalage to the old one. Who knew, maybe Potter's cousin could help resolve this, very bad and unpleasant for his plans, moment too!

- Yes, Principal Dumbledore! - joyfully exclaimed Ronald, answering, in fact, the rhetorical question.

- Well, it's worth taking advantage of that and separating them," Albus smiled at the student, noting how proud Weasley was to see his real face instead of the mask of the kindly grandfather. The face, though, was the face, but the redhead never realized that the illusion of trust was what he was manipulating him with. And since he was still trying to stay true to the image of the great light wizard, Ronald trusted him. - Otherwise, Dudley might go the way of Harold...

Ronald, I want you to understand: I'm not asking you to break them up. But Dudley must be saved from the corrupting influence of his cousin. He's a good boy, which Potter is not. And, oddly enough, it's Potter we have to thank for keeping Dursle from his dark side until now. Do you understand?

- Yes," replied Ron, somewhat embarrassed, who trusted the great wizard unconditionally. - So I shouldn't turn Dursle against Potter. Dursle should be disappointed in his brother himself.

- That's right, my boy. That's right! - Dumbledore smiled rather smugly as he unpacked a new pack of lemon wedges and was glad that only he had noticed Ronald's cleverness and managed to make use of it.

- Only... Running out from behind the gargoyle, which guarded the entrance to the Headmaster's apartments, Ronald Weasley, excited by the trust and the new task, never noticed the wave of silver hair, which barely managed to hide behind the corner of the girl...

***

- Hey, Dred, don't you think our cousins are fighting? - George said, looking thoughtfully at Harold as he handed something to Dudley. Both of them continued to watch the action unfold.

Dursle, in front of them, looked guiltily at his cousin, yanked what appeared to be a book out of his hands, and muttered something evidently not very affectionate. Harold shrugged his shoulders back, squinting suspiciously, maybe even resentfully. But he didn't say a word. Dudley, without looking, slipped the book into his backpack and headed further down the hall, catching up with Neville and Ronald.

- "Oh, come on, Forge, everyone's noticed that," snorted Fred, watching as Potter leaned his shoulder against the wall and sighed heavily, glaring at his cousin's retreating back.

- Do you think they're serious! Or were they planning something to circumvent the plans of the Pied Pipers? - George Weasley asked. And both twins flinched when a tinkling female voice said:

- It didn't sound like it. - The twins turned around, but all they saw was Daphne, crossing her arms over her chest and clearly watching the action from the start as well.

- This scene had no other interested onlookers but us. Ron and Neville didn't even seem to notice that Dudley was approaching his cousin. There were no professors other than Harry in the hallway. No windows through which, theoretically, one could peek or eavesdrop, either. Only the students, who don't give a damn about their cousins. The juniors and seniors, they don't even know each other.

They only talk to each other when it's absolutely necessary. They don't say a word to each other, as if they were avoiding each other. That's suspicious..." "Ron left the Headmaster three nights ago," Terrence Booth interjected, also making the whole group shudder at his appearance. They looked at him questioningly, and he explained, "I was called home, so I came back to school late that night through the fireplace in the Dean's office. I was in the dean's office, and Fleur was studying with Flitwick late at night, so we saw him together on our way back to the bedrooms..." "I can't say for sure, but I think they did have a fight, and it was probably the headmaster's fault..." Daphne stated. All four of them mutually agreed to keep an eye on their cousins. None of them wanted Dumbledore to win the confrontation and have their best friends disappear from their lives...

***