Dudleys

The evening was heavy with anticipation as Harry descended the stairs, finding his aunt Petunia standing in the middle of the now eerily empty house. The home, which had once been filled with the hum of normalcy, was now silent, every echo bouncing off bare walls as the Dursleys prepared to leave.

Petunia: [her voice tinged with both anger and sorrow] "I've lived in this house for twenty years, and now, in one single night, I'm expected to leave it all behind."

Harry: [calmly, but firmly] "They'll torture you if they think you know where I'm going. They won't stop at anything."

Petunia: [her face hardens, but her voice trembles] "Don't you think I know what they're capable of, Harry? You think you're the only one who lost someone that night in Godric's Hollow?"

[She looks away, blinking back tears.]

Petunia: "I lost my sister too."

Harry, caught off guard by her sudden admission, remains silent.

Petunia: [after a pause, softer now] "If I truly hated you, Harry, I wouldn't have raised you. Don't forget that."

Without waiting for a response, she straightens her back, grabs her purse, and walks out the door. Outside, Vernon and Dudley are standing by the car, the tension between them palpable.

Vernon: [gruffly, avoiding eye contact] "This isn't just goodbye, boy. It's farewell."

Dudley: [confused] "I don't understand... isn't he coming with us?"

Vernon: [snapping] "Who? Him? Absolutely not."

Dudley: why not? .

Vernon : [persisting] "Why not? Well—because you don't want to, do you, Harry?"

[He turns to Harry, seeking confirmation.]

Harry: [with a small, resigned smile] "Absolutely not. Besides, I'm just a waste of space, remember?"

Vernon: "Come on, Dudley. We're off."

As Vernon moves toward the car, Dudley hesitates, then turns back and walks toward Harry. Before anyone can react, Dudley pulls Harry into an awkward hug.

Dudley: [quietly] "I don't think you're a waste of space."

Harry: [touched, smiling] "Thanks, Big D."

Later that night, the quiet of the house was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Harry opened it to find Hagrid towering over him.

Hagrid: "Hello, Harry."

Harry: [taken aback] "All right. Wow."

Ron followed closely, pulling Harry into a bear hug.

Hermione: [stepping in, smiling warmly] "Hello."

Hagrid: "Yer lookin' fit."

Moody: [grinning wryly] "Yeah, absolutely gorgeous. Now, shall we get undercover before someone decides to murder him?"

The house suddenly felt crowded as more people filed in.

Harry: [to Shacklebolt] "I thought you were looking after the Prime Minister?"

Shacklebolt: [with a smile] "You're more important."

Bill Weasley: [stepping forward] "Hello, Harry. Bill Weasley."

Harry: "Pleasure to meet you."

Fred: "He wasn't always this handsome."

George: "Dead ugly."

Bill rolled his eyes but joined in the banter.

Bill: "I owe this mug to a werewolf named Greyback. Nasty git got me when I was to Ministry . Bad day."

Fleur: [holding Bill's arm] "You're still beautiful to me, William."

Lupin: "Just remember, Fleur, Bill takes his steaks on the raw side now."

Tonks: [playfully elbowing Lupin] "My husband, the joker."

The room brightened further as Sirius strode in.

Sirius: "Where's my godson?"

[Harry rushed to him, enveloping Sirius in a tight hug.]

Moody: [gruffly interrupting] "All right, enough cozy catch-ups. We've got to get the hell out of here."

The room grew serious as Moody took charge.

Moody: "Potter, you're underage, which means the Trace is still on you. If you sneeze, the Ministry'll know who wiped your nose."

[The group chuckled nervously.]

Moody: "We're using transport the Trace can't detect: Brooms, Thestrals, and the like. We pair up. That way, if anyone's out there waiting—and I reckon they will be—they won't know who's who."

The group nodded, the gravity of the situation sinking in. 

The tension in the dimly lit street was palpable. The seven Harry Potters, each sitting on their respective broom or magical creature, were lined up, ready to take flight into the uncertain night. The only sound was the occasional crackle of a distant lamppost and the faint whisper of the wind. Every pair had a "Harry" impersonator, thanks to Polyjuice Potion, and the real Harry sat nervously with Hagrid on a massive enchanted motorbike.

Harry: [glancing at the Harry beside him] "Any news of Jason?"

Hermione: [with her jaw set, looking straight ahead] "No."

Hermione's voice betrayed none of her inner turmoil, though her clenched fists around the broomstick handle told another story.

Hagrid: [attempting to lighten the mood] "I brought you here 16 years ago, Harry, when you were no bigger than a Bowtruckle. Seems only right I should be the one to take you away now."

[He gave a warm, slightly melancholic chuckle, his eyes twinkling even as his massive hands gripped the bike's handlebars.]

Harry nodded, grateful for Hagrid's loyalty but still distracted. 

Moody: [stepping forward, his magical eye swiveling as he scanned the dark sky] "Right, listen up! Head for the Burrow. We rendezvous there. No stopping. No dawdling. And for Merlin's sake, keep your wands ready!"

The group nodded solemnly, each understanding the gravity of the task. The Death Eaters wouldn't let this escape go unchallenged.

Moody: [gruffly, raising his wand] "On my count, hold tight!"

[The air seemed to thicken with anticipation.]

"One... two... three!"

As the count reached three, the quiet street erupted into motion. Brooms kicked off the ground, Thestrals flapped their great wings, and Hagrid's motorbike roared to life, spewing flames from its tailpipe. The sound shattered the stillness, and in an instant, the group was airborne, rocketing into the night sky.