Harry Potter and the Last Year

Level 1.1: The Last Summer on Privet Drive

Harry Potter lay on his back on his bed in the smallest bedroom of number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. It was 6:00am, July 31st. It was Harry's birthday, and the sun was shining brightly through his window. Harry was smiling brightly as well, because this would be his last birthday at number four, Privet Drive. He was determined that it would be his best as well.

Last month, when he had returned from Hogwarts, Harry had faced his aunt and uncle with a calm reason of which he still felt extremely proud.

"Look," Harry had said. "I know you're not fond of me. I think we know I'm not particularly fond of you either. However, you did take me in instead of leaving me at an orphanage, which was kinder and more helpful than you realized. And like it or not, we are family. So, thanks for letting me stay all these years."

The Dursleys looked at Harry in silent shock. It had been a long time since Harry had thanked them for anything. It had been a long time since they had given Harry anything to be thankful for.

"Now, as far as I'm concerned this is my last summer here. When I graduate Hogwarts in September, I will be able to live on my own. I'm sure that will make everyone happier.

"Also, after my birthday I'll be able to use magic as much as I like, and since I'll be out from the restriction of under aged wizardry, anything that happens this summer will still be fresh on my mind. So here's the deal. I will do my best to stay out of your way, and you do your best to stay out of mine."

He had actually been very surprised that his aunt and uncle stayed so still and silent while he spoke. The Dursleys must have been thinking similar thoughts, because they usually interrupted or sneered at everything Harry said.

"And I'm going to have a birthday party this year."

This had snapped the Dursleys back to their normal selves. "What?" Uncle Vernon roared. Aunt Petunia made a gasping sound and looked like she might faint.

"I'm inviting some of my friends from school, only a handful really," Harry had continued calmly.

"Not in my house!" Uncle Vernon was turning red.

"We will eat cake and spend the afternoon together. I promise nothing too wild. They'll all leave by eight."

"I'm not spending money to feed those people!" Vernon was going purple.

"I figured that," Harry said. "But I won some money at a contest at school, so I'm paying for refreshments and any decorations myself."

"Not in my house!!"

"Until the end of the summer, it is my house too." Harry had resisted shouting, but he let some edge seep into his voice. "I can't go anywhere, for reasons you probably wouldn't want to understand if you could, so I am taking my one day and enjoying it."

Uncle Vernon had developed a slight shake as if he were about to erupt. Harry had narrowed his eyes, which created a more chilling effect than even he realized. "If you would like to go out so you don't have to be around them, that would be fine."

Uncle Vernon had looked like he was going to choke on his own fat, puffed neck, but Aunt Petunia put a thin hand on his arm. In a very small but very clear voice she said, "I think that might be best, Vernon. There are more incidents when the boy gets angry."

Some combination of Petunia's voice and the hand had deflated Vernon. Instead of exploding, he had pointed a thick finger at Harry. "I'm warning you boy. You break anything; you'll pay double for it. If you don't, it'll be out on the street with you. I don't care what the neighbors or those people say."

"Agreed," Harry said. He had given up on the Dursleys ever being kind or even tolerant of him by their own free will. Just as he had given up on them saying "wizard" instead of "those people". At this point, he was happy to have them submit however grudgingly to his phantom threats. He doubted he would ever make good on any of his threats even if the Dursleys did do something awful. Bad as they were, he had met worse people and bigger threats that made the Dursleys laughable by comparison. They were only muggles after all.

Harry did not think he was asking anything unreasonable from the Dursleys. Other than a small birthday party, all he wanted this summer was a little peace.

Because dark things were coming...

Dark things were coming for Harry specifically. After this last year at Hogwarts, Harry would no longer have the protection of the school. He would no longer be directly under the watchful eye of Professor Dumbledore. He would no longer have Hagrid's hut to retreat to or McGonagall's stern but steady guidance or Snape's venomous protection. Actually, Harry was sort of looking forward to being rid of Professor Snape, and he was sure Professor Snape felt the same way about him. He and Snape shared a mutual hatred that only seemed to deepen with every term.

But even darker than Professor Snape's venomous gaze was the Dark Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

Harry knew Voldemort would try to kill him this year just as he had every year since Harry's eleventh birthday. He just prayed that he could have the summer off.

So far, Harry's prayers had been granted. The only shock he had gotten this summer had been from Dudley.

Harry's cousin Dudley had been waiting on the stairs when Harry had finished dictating his terms to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Dudley had been unusually quiet on the way back from the train station, and Harry had wondered if he was sick. He was still a very large boy, wide enough to make the stairs impassible by standing on them, but he seemed to have dropped thirty or forty pounds since Harry had last seen him.

Harry had looked at Dudley impatiently, wondering how long he planned to block the stairway. Dudley had stared back at Harry with a nervous but steeled look as though he were about to do something very brave.

"Can I-" Dudley began in a voice that was barely audible. "Can I come to your party?"

Harry jerked back, not sure what to make of the question. History advised that Dudley was making fun of Harry or was plotting some disaster for the party, though that level of cunning was a bit of a stretch for his cousin. However Dudley's voice was carrying a tone Harry did not think he had heard before, not from his cousin, not directed at him.

"I'll think about it," Harry said, and Dudley had moved aside to let Harry go up the steps.

Harry had thought about it. He had decided to let Dudley come for two reasons. One, Dudley had his aunt and uncle wrapped around his thick little finger, and they were less likely to object to the party if Dudley wanted it. Two, Dudley had been acting very strange. He was being polite to Harry, even kind. Harry had kept checking his sneakoscope, a very useful device Ron had given him that went off around untrustworthy people, but it was not reacting to Dudley's new behavior.

Dudley had even given Harry his old television. He had held his birthday party early that year for some reason, before Harry had returned from Hogwarts. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had bought Dudley a new, larger television for his room. Harry was used to getting Dudley's old things, but it was rare that he got them in fully working condition. And Dudley had never given him something as nice as that television. Harry had never been a huge fan of TV. Normally one the Dursleys kept control of the remote, usually Dudley, and Harry often did not share Dudley's taste in programs. But the television had provided some nice distractions from his very boring life on Privet Drive.

His aunt and uncle, as disagreeable as they were, had not required Harry to stay at home all day. He was allowed to wander as far as his legs could take him, but more than once, Harry had been attacked by dark wizards or other things under Voldemort's influence during his neighborhood wanderings. He still had to wait for his birthday before he would be out from the underage wizarding ban and able to fight back without getting an owl from the Ministry of Magic. Harry had made a few enemies at the Ministry during the last couple of years, some of whom would be all too happy to snap his wand. He had decided to play it safe and not leave the house unless it was necessary. Within these walls, he was protected by blood magic, a shield the Dursleys unintentionally created by taking him into their home.

Dudley was staying unusually busy this summer. Normally he spent his timing watching TV and roaming the neighborhood with his gang. This summer, however, Dudley visited the gym everyday and prodded Uncle Vernon to give him driving lessons on the weekends. Dudley seemed very anxious to learn how to drive, which Harry guessed was a normal interest for a normal seventeen year old boy. Harry had no interest in cars. After riding his broomstick, he thought driving a car looked extremely boring. When Dudley was not at the gym, learning to drive or with his friends, he locked himself up in his room. Harry had finally figured out that he spent this time on the telephone, but Dudley had not volunteered who he was talking to.

Dudley made a few attempts to spend time with Harry, which was extremely unusual as well. Normally, he spent his summers avoiding Harry as much as possible. He still did not seem completely comfortable in his cousin's company. But he had spent one evening in Harry's room watching television and nervously asking Harry to explain Quidditch. Dudley was not able to completely grasp the concept. The golden snitch in particular confused him, but Harry enjoyed talking about his favorite sport anyway. Dudley had even invited Harry to join him at the gym one day, but Harry excused himself.

Harry was completely baffled by the change in Dudley, and a little frustrated that his cousin had not started acting this human sixteen years ago. He got his first clue as to the reason for this change last night. Dudley had knocked on Harry's bedroom door. He had a shy expression, which looked absurdly out of place juxtaposed with his large frame.

"Um, Harry," Dudley said in quiet voice. "Do you think I could bring a date to your party?"

"You've got a girlfriend?" Harry was only partially successful at suppressing his laugh. Dudley's face had gone pink. Harry punched his shoulder playfully. It was the first time he had ever felt safe doing that. "Good for you, Big D." Dudley turned red. Harry hesitated a few minutes before agreeing that Dudley's girlfriend could come. It would mean another muggle at the party, and his friends would need to guard their conversations. But Harry thought that was better than risking Dudley's ire, and he was a little curious to see what sort of girl would willingly date a lump like his cousin.

****************

And now, it was Harry's birthday. That was not the only reason he was smiling brightly. His Hogwarts letter had come last week, and it had been hard not to smile after that.

Around 8am, Harry got tired of lying in bed. He got up, dressed, brushed his hair and teeth, and ran downstairs for a spot of breakfast.

Around 10, Dudley's girlfriend arrived. She had volunteered to help with set up. Dudley introduced her as Judith. She was a tall girl, taller than Harry. She was thickset but healthy looking. Her hair was reddish brown in tight curls. She had pulled it back into a ponytail that fell just past her shoulders. Harry would not consider her pretty exactly, but she was pleasant to look at. Far too good for Dudley, and Dudley seemed to know it.

"Hello, Harry," Judith said, taking his hand and giving it a firm shake. "I've been wanting to meet you."

Judith greeted the Dursleys' in the kitchen. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia seemed uncertain about her, but unable to find any objections to her solid normality. Harry doubted she would have paid much attention if they had objected to her. She stood at the counter and discussed food for the party with Harry and Dudley. During the discussion, Harry learned that she was a fan of Dudley's boxing, which was how they had met, and that she was on a girls boxing team. Judith had lost her cousin in a car accident earlier that year and thought that Dudley and Harry were incredibly lucky to have been able to grow up together. Harry guessed this was the source of Dudley's changed attitude towards him.

Around 11, Judith learned that they did not have enough appropriate food in the house and took Dudley to walk her to the nearby market. Harry worried that she would ask him to go as well, but she told him to stay put and relax since he was the "birthday boy".

Around noon, Judith and Dudley returned with bags full of snacks, sodas, candy, and cake mix, and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon left to "eat and run errands". Judith set up in the kitchen to bake the cake, leaving Harry and Dudley to decorate.

"I'm not quite sure how things should go," Harry said. "I've never had a proper birthday party before."

"You never what?!" Judith exclaimed, looking truly scandalized. "But Dudley told me his mother spoiled him rotten on his birthdays." She must have assumed this applied to Harry as well. Dudley looked guiltily and pleadingly at Harry.

"I mean I've never had to decorate for a party before," Harry amended. Dudley's improved attitude this summer had left him feeling generous, even if it all had been to impress his girl.

Judith rolled her eyes. "Boys," she said, and proceeded to give them directions on where to place everything from the kitchen. There was a box full of left over balloons and streamers from one of Dudley's parties stored in the cupboard. They dusted it off, and Dudley and Harry blew up balloons until Harry felt light headed. The smell of the cake baking from the kitchen revived him. They taped up the streamers, while Judith spread the frosting.

At 1pm exactly, the doorbell rang. Harry opened the door. Dean Thomas had arrived with Hermione and Seamus Finnigan. They had come in Dean's car. Harry had asked everyone to come muggle style so as not to upset the Durselys.

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Hermione said, flinging her arms around him. Dean and Seamus simply shook his hand and handed him wrapped boxes.

Harry led them into the kitchen and set the gifts on the table. "This is my cousin, Dudley," he said. "And this is Judith."

"Is that your girlfriend, Harry?" Judith asked.

To Harry's surprise, Hermione blushed. "No, we're just friends." Hermione extended her hand to Judith. "Hermione Granger. This is Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. We go to school with Harry."

Judith looked puzzled. "I thought you went to an all boys school, Harry. St. Brutus's wasn't it?" Dudley looked panicked again.

"Um, yeah," Harry said, looking for a creative explanation. "It used to be, but we integrated."

Judith accepted this and encouraged them all to grab snacks, and Harry sat down with Hermione on the couch. "I didn't realize you were going to have muggles here," Hermione whispered.

"Well, I didn't plan on it," Harry said. "But Judith's all right. I can't believe Dudley's got himself a girlfriend."

"He doesn't quite seem to fit your description of him," Hermione said.

"I know," Harry said and told Hermione about Dudley's new behavior.

He caught part of the second conversation in the room. "Yeah, Harry's the best player on the team," Seamus was telling Judith. "Well, when he can stay on. He hasn't got the best luck on the Quidditch field."

"The what?" Judith said, and Harry's alarms went off.

"He means the football field," Dean came in with a nice save. "Some old guy named Quidditch donated funds to the team."

"Oh," Judith said with great interest. "Dudley never told me you played football, Harry."

Dean who was still an avid football fan launched into a discussion about professional teams that distracted Judith from asking further questions.

An hour later, the Weasleys arrived in a cab. Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny spilled in through the front door. They overwhelmed Harry with "happy birthdays" and packages. He felt like he was swimming in a sea of red hair. Before he could warn them about Judith, she came to the door. "Egads, there's muggles!" exclaimed Fred.

"What!" Judith exclaimed.

George elbowed his twin. "Don't mind him. He got the looks. I got the brains. Oh...wait a minute."

There was a fresh slew of introductions, and the group flowed back into the kitchen. As time passed, Harry felt less anxious. Judith looked at home, though Dudley seemed slightly anxious to have so many wizards around. Fred and George were resisting the urge to muggle bait them. Harry could tell it was hard for them and felt very grateful. Judith became very interested in their joke shop, and they spent their energy concocting appropriate muggle answers to her questions.

"Is that really your cousin?" Ron asked Harry. "I thought he was bigger."

Harry smiled broadly. "Now that everyone's here, I want to show you something. Look what came with my Hogwarts letter!" He reached into his pocket and held up the shiny badge.

"Well done, Harry!" shouted the twins.

"Wicked!" cried Ron.

"Congratulations, Harry!" shouted Ginny.

"You're Head Boy?" Hermione gasped.

"Oh, good job, Harry!" Judith beamed at him. Dudley gaped. The Dursleys never asked Harry how he did at Hogwarts, and they probably assumed the worst of him. Dudley would certainly never make Head Boy.

"Anyone know who Head Girl is?" Harry asked glancing at Hermione.

He expected her to smugly pull out her own badge, but she looked glum. "Padma Patil."

"Rotten luck," Harry said. "You deserved it."

"Thanks," Hermione said, comforted a little and trying to look noble. "But Padma's really an excellent girl, you know."

"That's not what you said in the car," Dean announced from across the room. "Hermione griped about it all the way from London."

"She wrote me an essay about why Padma shouldn't have got it," Ron added. "Pigwidgeon almost passed out from exhaustion carrying the scroll." Hermione glared at them both in turn.

Ginny patted Hermione's shoulder sympathetically. "Well, I think you deserved it. Padma's a bit too stuck up already."

"Anyway, congratulations, Harry," Hermione said to shift the attention off herself.

Harry was glad to take it back. Dumbledore had not given Harry the prefect position because he thought it was putting too much of an extra burden on him. He had assumed this would extend to the Head Boy honor as well, but Dumbledore seemed to think Harry deserved some recognition for all he had done. Fred insisted Harry wear his badge on his shirt instead of returning it to his pocket.

Hermione managed to forget her disappointment and got some punch that Judith had conjured out of ice, fruit juice, and ginger ale.

****************

Around 3, Judith lit the candles on the birthday cake. It had "Happy Birthday Harry" written on it in green icing. Harry made a wish, a very big one, and blew out the candles. He almost hated to cut the cake, but that was supposed to be part of the experience.

By 4, Harry was ready to declare his party a success. His guests were full of cake, conversation was buzzing, and the Weasley twins had stuck to deflating Harry's balloon in the nosiest way they could find, instead of pulling out the magical party favors that he was sure they had stuffed in their pockets.

At 5:17, everything fell apart. A car horn blew three consecutive blasts from outside. Dudley went to the window to look. Harry lay back in the recliner, watching Ron and Hermione debate the merits of cats over owls and visa versa and blissfully unaware of the danger approaching.

"Oh, no," Dudley said. "It's Aunt Marge."

"What!" Harry exclaimed. He jumped to his feet to look out the window with Dudley.

"And she's got Ripper," Dudley continued. "I hate that dog!"

Harry hated that dog too, almost as much as he hated Aunt Marge. "Maybe we can pretend that we're not home," he suggested.

"Too late," Dudley said. "She's seen Dean's car."

Harry smacked his fist against the wall.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"It's my Aunt Marge."

"We don't like Aunt Marge?" Judith asked.

"She's got a suitcase!" Dudley exclaimed in disgust. "She didn't even call!"

"We could dispose of her," Fred and George offered rolling up their sleeves. Judith watched them apprehensively.

"Better not," Harry said. The doorbell rang. "You better get it Dudley. If you don't, she'll have the police out."

"Mom's gonna be furious," Dudley muttered. He went to the door, Judith at his heels. The rest of the guests waited quietly.

Marge burst in when Dudley opened the door, Ripper trotting eagerly at her feet.

"Um, hello, Aunt Marge," Dudley began.

"Oh, my Duddly-poo! So good to see you boy. I'm in an awful state. Where's Vernon?"

"He's not home," Dudley told her. He tottered slightly as she thrust the suitcase into his arms.

"Not home?" Aunt Marge said indignantly. "Who's car is that then?"

"It would be mine," Dean called from the kitchen.

Marge's face fell. "What's that darkie doing here?" she muttered to Dudley.

Dudley looked very embarrassed. Even some of the boys in his old gang had been black. Harry just felt angry. His fists clinched, and he hoped Dean had not been able to hear Marge. Judith's mouth was wide open. Dudley looked to her for a diversion. "Um, this is my girlfriend, Aunt Marge," Dudley said.

"Oh, hello dear," Marge said in a tone that was almost pleasant, then she caught sight of Harry. "What are you still doing here? I thought you'd moved out!"

"That's next summer, Aunt Marge," Harry said, trying to control his rage. The Ministry of Magic had erased Aunt Marge's memories of being inflated and bobbing across Surrey. Harry could not afford to blow her up again. He needed his magic for bigger enemies.

Aunt Marge growled. "Well, the guest room's still open, I'll assume. Take my bag up. Where's Petunia?"

"She's out, Aunt Marge," Dudley said. Judith looked at Harry with eyes as wide as saucers. Seamus was pulling out his wand. Harry motioned at him to put it down. Seamus narrowed his eyes but laid the wand on the counter. Harry stepped forward to get the suitcase. Maybe if he could persuade her to go upstairs and lie down...

"What do you mean, she's out? What's all this?" Aunt Marge finally took in the decorations and the crowd gathering to stare at her from the next room.

"I-I'm having a party," Dudley said.

Marge shoved her way into the kitchen. "A party!" Marge huffed. "Without your parents? Who's chaperoning?"

"They went out to dinner. They thought I was old enough..." Dudley tried.

"Nonsense," Marge barked. "This is the age where you lot get in the most trouble." She waved a fat finger at Hermione. "You're all in heat. Girls at this age don't have any sense." Hermione glowered at her in return. Ginny looked slightly amused to see someone accuse Hermione of not having sense. Judith was clenching her fists. "Well, good thing for Vernon that I'm here! You can carry on Dudley, but I'm keeping an eye on things." Ripper growled at their feet as though to say he was keeping watch as well, then he trod into the kitchen after Marge.

Harry worked very hard to control his anger. He tried to focus on the small comfort of knowing that everyone else hated Marge too, even the other muggles. It was just like her to ruin his party, but maybe if they continued to let her think it was Dudley's...

"What's this?" Aunt Marge said, picking up Seamus's wand. She made a "humph" sound and tossed it to Ripper as though it were a common stick. Ripper pounced on the wand happily and began to chew it.

"Hey!" Seamus cried. Her tried to push his way around the counter to get his wand, but Aunt Marge blocked him with her bulk and pushed him back.

"Don't shove me, young man," she said in a warning tone.

Ginny let out a yelp. They all turned to look at her and then followed her shocked gaze. Where the dog had been, there was now a black robed man down on his hands and knees, twitching and growling like a bulldog. Judith let out a surprisingly high-pitched scream and clamped her hands over her mouth. Harry rushed back into the kitchen. The man got to his feet, taking Seamus's wand in his hand. He was tall and robed all in black with a tall black hat. He was thin with scraggly black hair and a sneering lip. He reminded Harry of Professor Snape, only Snape had better fashion sense. Unlike Professor Snape, the man's skin was tanned a dark brown and covered with nasty looking black tattoos, and he looked and smelled like he hadn't had a bath in weeks.

"Well, that's better," he said in a voice like a bulldogs growl. "Do you know I've been stuck as dog for nine years?" He pointed at Aunt Marge who was white and stone still, her head squished back into her neck rolls. "Bitch was supposed to give me to you as a birthday present, Harry. Decided to keep me for herself instead." He took a few steps towards Harry, smiling nastily. "Can't say no harm done, but it's good to see you, boy."

He reached out and grabbed Harry by the neck with one hand and shoved him against the wall. With the other hand, he held the wand up. "Pity we missed the party," he snarled.

"Expelliarmus!" the Weasley twins shouted, their own wands out and raised high. The dark wizard was knocked back into the kitchen. Seamus's wand flew out of his hand, and Seamus lunged for it. The dark wizard scrambled to his feet to make another lunge at Harry. Judith stepped through the door and gave the wizard a lovely right hook that sent him to the ground. "Stupefy!" Fred cast the stunning charm on the prone figure. George kicked the dark wizard. When he didn't react, the twins each took one of his arms.

"Sorry to run, Harry," George said.

"But I think we should get this bloke back to the Ministry," Fred finished.

Then they both Disapparated, vanishing along with the dark wizard.

"Eww, it's covered in dog drool," Seamus grimaced and looked about for something to clean his wand.

"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked.

"Do you think that was a Death Eater?" Ginny squealed.

"Well, he's definitely a wannabe if not a full fledged member!" Ron shot back at her.

"What the devil is going on?" Judith asked Harry, and everyone fell quiet. Dudley looked like he might be sick.

Harry rubbed his sore throat. "I don't exactly go to St. Brutus's."

****************

As they waited for the Ministry representative to turn up to erase Aunt Marge's memory again, Harry tried to explain things to Judith. She continued to look very confused, but she had enough presence of mind to move and ask questions. Aunt Marge on the other hand remained frozen in shock. Harry wondered if she had had a heart attack and died standing up, but he did not want to dig his fingers into the fat rolls on her neck to check. Ginny claimed Marge was still breathing. The Ministry representative appeared and performed a memory charm on Marge. Harry recommended that she be taken to the guest bedroom and given a sleeping potion. When the representative finished with Marge, he turned to Judith.

"Are you going to erase my memory too?" she asked.

Harry felt very guilty. He liked Judith. She was a pleasant sort of muggle, but he also understood the need for secrecy. "Do you mind?' he asked.

"Well, I suppose not," Judith said. Her face said that she did mind but understood there were more important things at stake than her memory. "But just blot out the magic part, if you don't mind, not the whole afternoon."

"I'll do my best," the representative said. He preformed the charm on Judith and Disapparated.

Dudley hovered over Judith worriedly. They all did. After a moment, Judith blinked and looked at them strangely.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked.

"You looked like you were going to faint," Hermione said.

"I'm all right," Judith said, rubbing her forehead. "Maybe a little woozy." Dudley brought her a glass of water, and she sipped it. "Where are the twins?"

"They had to run," Harry said, feeling very disgusted with himself.

His friends stayed until after seven, but the spirit of the party had died down. Judith seemed to think her dizzy spell was the cause and guiltily insisted she was fine. When Dean decided it was time to go, Hermione asked Harry if he wanted her to stay.

"No, go ahead, your parents will worry," Harry told her. "Besides I told Uncle Vernon everyone would be gone by eight."

Hermione looked very concerned. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Oh yeah," Harry said. "Just wouldn't be summer vacation without someone trying to kill me."

Ginny and Ron squeezed into Dean's car as well. They could get home from Dean's house by floo powder.

"See you soon, mate," Ron said as he stepped out the front door. "You can come stay with us if you need to."

Harry nodded. He felt safer at Ron's home. At least, he had never been attacked there. Maybe this blood magic stuff had worn off, since he turned seventeen. He decided to send a message to Dumbledore for instructions. Judith called her parents and left shortly after the rest. Dudley waved goodbye to her and turned to Harry.

"So what do you think of her?" Dudley asked.

Harry gave him a tired smile. "I like her. I think she's good for you, Big D."

Dudley blushed and smiled, then the smile melted into a frown. "Why was that weirdo after you anyway?"

"Same reason everything else comes after me," Harry said. He didn't feel like explaining his entire history. Dudley must not have been too curious, or maybe he was simply overwhelmed. He excused himself and went to bed.

Harry went back into the kitchen to put away the left over food and clean up the balloons and streamers before Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon got back. It hit him as he slid the left over punch into the refrigerator, that he was SEVENTEEN. He was no longer underage and could do magic as much as he pleased. He cleaned up the rest of the mess with a variety of magic spells, which made the work loads more fun. He left the kitchen and living room so sparkling even Aunt Petunia could not complain.

All in all, attack by dark wizard included, it had been Harry's best birthday ever.