Elemental Genesis

Chapter Five: Late Regrets and a New Chance

Dudley Dursley stared at his ceiling in the very early morning hours of July 30th in his spacious bedroom on number 4, Privet Drive. Hundreds of toys and gadgets surrounded him, but barely looked at them anymore. They just reminded him of how selfish he had been during his short life. It was too bad he couldn't leave his bed except for a few brief exercises. Those said exercises were shorter than they should be because his mother. She didn't want him to overexert himself.

He wasn't going to delude himself. The only person at fault for this position was himself and he was paying the price. True, his mother and father never discouraged what he did, but he could have said no. They just wanted to make him happy. Worse, he wasn't even grateful for all they had done for him over the years. No, he just reached and wanted more. And when he did get what he wanted, he never appreciated. He just had it and that was that.

I wonder how Harry's doing? He made a face. Dudley doubted that his cousin was doing well. When they came home from the hospital, his father was adamant that his scrawny cousin was the cause of this dilemma. If anything, Harry tried to help him in a way: before, he always had to run after the faster boy and he rarely caught him. No matter how hard he tried to persuade his father otherwise, Harry was still to blame. Vernon's large face turned purple with rage after he had asked that Harry receive all his old stuff as a last request. The huge man started bellowing of 'that nonsense', claiming the wizard had put him under a spell. He had the distinct feeling that Harry didn't fare too well from that first encounter.

His mother was growing increasingly worried about this as well. She tried to get into the room, but then his father started standing sentinel at the door of the smallest bedroom, preventing her from giving him food or medical attention. It was Petunia's fear that Harry was going to die that kept her looking for a way to help his cousin. Privately, she had told him that had she spent most of the day looking through phonebooks for the "Weasley" family instead of searching for a job like she told Vernon. She even started keeping an ear out for the whereabouts of Sirius Black, Harry's convict godfather. "He's still my sister's son! I can't leave him to this! No, I just can't," she sobbed to him a few days ago while Vernon was out. He couldn't blame her. Harry was left as her responsibility, the only living legacy of her dead sister. It would be inhumane to continue to let him be "punished" for something he had no part of.

Out of all the things he felt bad about now, how he had treated his cousin Harry Potter was definitely ranked top on the list. All he had done to him was taunt him, beat him up, and make sure that absolutely no one befriended him. Then he went to that magic school (Hogwarts?) and had plenty of friends. Imagine his shock when he heard that his thin, weak little cousin was famous! He had those red-haired friends who got him out of the house every summer, who worried if he didn't write back or anything. All he had were his "faithful gang" that abandoned him as soon as they found out he was poor. Some friends. Harry was really the only person who challenged him to treat him as an equal. They could've been friends. He was sure that if that had been the case, Harry would've stuck by him.

That wasn't what happened though. There was no point in wishing for things that now can never be.

His father passing by his bedroom door in the hallway jolted him out of his musings. Judging from his attire, he was going out. What did he need to do at three in the morning?! He heard him mutter, "Eyes...go away...eyes..." Eyes? His father kept on mumbling about eyes lately. He also mentioned them with Harry, saying he brought them with his 'hocus-pocus'.

Petunia was visibly on edge. According to her, Harry had suddenly disappeared about two days ago. Since then, Vernon couldn't sleep and always came home looking like a deer caught in headlights. He had confessed to her that he was being hunted and wherever he went, they followed him. She was actually considering taking his father to an institution to be tested, but she wasn't sure how to do this without getting hurt in some way. Wherever you are Harry, I hope you're okay. Petunia had said that the owls might come tomorrow because it was Harry's birthday. She had a note to send if they did, explaining what was going on. Hopefully, they could get to him, wherever he was.

Dudley chuckled to himself. If things were normal, he would not even consider thinking to himself these sorts of things. Dying must have something to do with it. To no one in particular, he said aloud into the silence of his room, "Harry, sorry for everything. Hope you forgive me."

For the second time this night, he was startled. A mysterious, otherworldly voice had suddenly spoken to him. "Do you really mean what you say?" His mind was racing wildly. Was it Harry? No. That voice was definitely female. I must be dreaming or hallucinating or something.' His doubts that this was one hell of a dream were slashed when the voice reiterated its query. Who cares anymore? Dad's going nuts, Mum's going to have a nervous breakdown soon, and I'm dying. I might as well join the club. "Yes, I do."

"Then how would you like a second chance?" The darkest shadows of his room ran like water to one spot near the side of his bed, merging together. In a matter of moments, Dudley could easily make out the dark shape of a woman, silhouetted by a faint silver aura. Her eyes shown out and pierced his soul: gold and silver specks in midnight blue. He would bow to her if he could, for she was evidently a figure of timeless power. He didn't need magic or anyone to tell him that. It was instinct. He somehow knew this woman and was aware that to her, he was as dispensable as the soda cans he used to drink so much of. He should be honored that she chose to speak with him. He choked out, "I would love to have one if I could."

She gazed directly into his eyes for what to him seemed like forever. It could have easily have been only a few minutes. Dudley didn't care though, not while she judged him as someone worthy of her notice. Subsequently she said, "Then Dudley Dursley, because you truly desire a second chance to redeem yourself, you will get one." Dudley felt the urge to dance for pure joy. "However," she continued. "There are prices to pay."

He didn't mind. He would do anything. Anything so that he could live a productive life as a decent, respectable human being. He waited with bated breath for her next words.

"This time, you must be a good person. Have an open mind and heart. Be kind, polite, and friendly to everyone. Well, not everyone. If you do not consider them as honest people worth knowing, then you don't have to be. And most of all, do not become the kind of man your father is." Dudley smiled, seeing his chance. The woman was telling him that his tasks for his redemption were the very things he was planning to do anyway. "I accept the terms," he replied.

"Go to sleep, Dudley and everything will be okay. One last thing, your cousin is alright, do not worry, I will make sure he is safe from harm..."

Whatever she said next Dudley did not hear, for he fell into a deep healing sleep.

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"I don't believe it! It's a medical miracle! Your arteries have been almost completely unclogged!" The doctor stood in the sterile, white examining room with his mouth wide open in shock after looking over the new test results taken that morning. It had only been a few hours since she had come. "Your heart rate is now on par with normal teenagers your age!"

Petunia, the only one with him since Vernon had left during the night, shakily asked, "Will he live then?"

"Surely, madam! He is now in no danger whatsoever, but he is severely overweight."

Dudley broke in with a smile. "Don't worry, doctor, I'm planning to start a strict exercise program." Yes, he did intend to get in shape. This was his second chance at life and he was going to make damn sure to live it to the fullest. He was going to exercise, learn what he had to, get a job to support the family, and be an all-round nice guy. He will never forget the day of July 30th, when he received this blessing. He owed everything to the woman he called the 'Shadow Goddess' and indirectly, Harry.

<><><>

Dudley was running in the nearby park around seven in the evening that same day. He found a promising job in a construction company that he was excited to start at in a few days. It was amazing that he found one in the first place. No doubt it had something to do with the Shadow Goddess. Now he needed to undo fifteen years of damage to his body. It was hard, but Dudley found it oddly satisfying to push himself to his limits. He'll keep his promises; he swore it on his healed heart. And he'd treat Harry like a brother if they ever met again.

Too caught up in his thoughts, he accidentally ran into someone. Both of them hit the sidewalk hard. Slightly dazed, he lifted himself off the ground. Then he saw the other person hadn't gotten up yet. Remembering his manners, he helped them up and apologized. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

He then noticed that the person was a girl, about his own age. She wasn't dazzling, but she was nice-looking. She possessed a plump figure, but Dudley decided that she looked nice anyway. The girl smiled at him, braces metallically glinting in the fading light. "It's my fault too, you know. Don't worry about it. Say, I haven't seen you around here. Do run often?"

Dudley laughed good-naturedly. "Does it look like I do? No, I'm just starting. I'd never thought I'd say it, but it's fun."

She nodded. "I know, it is. I started because I hated all those girls in my class making fun of me."

"They must be real losers. You seem to be nice to me, so it shouldn't matter."

A faint line of pink tinged the girl's cheeks. "Thanks, I guess. Oh, I never introduced myself. I'm Alyce. Alyce Whitbaker. Want to run together? I'd like the company."

"Sure. By the way, I'm Dudley Dursley..."

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