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Author: GhostWriter Story: Through the Looking Glass Rating: Everyone Setting: AU Status: Completed Reviews: 13 Words: 28,060
"NO!" Dudley shouted as the image of the chamber faded, and the mirror resumed its normal obsidian appearance. "Show me! Show me what's happening!" he roared. But the mirror didn't as much as flicker and no image appeared. Dudley let out a cry of frustration and began beating on the smooth dark surface until his knuckles were raw. Nothing happened. He seized the mirror by its edges, as if to fling it to the ground but couldn't budge it a whit. Dudley let out a scream and kicked the mirror with all his might, much like he had that night back on Privet Drive when he'd put his foot through the screen of his first telly. But this time, nothing. The mirror seemed to mock him with its blankness. Nursing his aching toes, Dudley sat down on the ground, leaning his back against the mirror. His parents stared at him in wonder. Finally, Vernon recovered. "What's got into you, boy?" he demanded. "Why are you so concerned about what that lot is up to, eh?" Dudley stared up at his father for several seconds and then spoke. "I… I just… I just need to know what's happening." "What's happening," snarled Vernon, "is that we're stuck in this wretched place. Now look here. If you know what's good for you, you'll stop worrying about what those freaks are up to and start helping me figure out a way to get us home." As Vernon launched into yet another monologue about the injustices his family was suffering at the hands of the wizarding community, Dudley drew his knees to his chest, stared down at the ground and began massaging his temples. Vernon's words faded as Dudley's mind began to drift back through the years – the memories unspooling like a movie in his head. Dudley had recently turned six and he was engaged in one of his favorite games – Harry hunting. He chased the skinny, mop-topped boy around the living room at Privet Drive, landing pounding blows on his back and shoulders whenever he got close enough. Harry was growing tired of the chase and beginning to slow. Dudley put on a burst of speed and gave his cousin an all-mighty shove, sending him careening into an end table by the sofa. The lamp on it teetered for a moment and then hit the floor with a resounding crash. "What's all this!" Vernon roared, bursting into the living room. Harry's face turned white and he scrambled to his feet. "Uncle Vernon, I'm sorry. Dudley pushed…" But Dudley immediately interrupted. "Dad, Harry was running in the house again and broke Mum's lamp." Vernon's eyes narrowed. "YOU!" he shouted, striding forward and roughly seizing Harry's arm. Dudley grinned widely as his father dragged Harry from the room, shouting down the small boy's protests. A moment later, cries of pain drifted from the hallway… The picture changed… Dudley was now eight years old and had just received a new racing bicycle for his birthday. He and Piers and Malcolm were racing down Privet Drive together, laughing maniacally. Ahead of them, Harry was sprinting as fast as his knobbly legs would carry him. Dudley peddled furiously and held out his arm like a cricket bat as he came up behind Harry. The force of the blow to the back of Harry's head sent him plowing into the street face first. Dudley and his friends skidded to a stop and looked back over their shoulders, laughing as Harry slowly rose. His glasses were broken, and grit or sand had gotten into his eyes. His lower lip was already beginning to swell… The scene changed once more… Another Christmastime had arrived. Dudley surveyed the huge pile of presents around the tree with glee. The new 21-inch telly peaked out from behind several boxes on the right. On the other side was the racing bike he'd been demanding ever since he'd wrecked his other one. Dudley ran forward and eagerly tore the paper off one of the packages as Vernon and Petunia settled themselves onto the couch. "Atta boy, Dudders," Vernon chuckled as the boy ripped open a box containing a new computer. Petunia smiled contentedly as Dudley worked his way with gusto through the enormous heap of presents. Neither of the adults spared a glance at Harry as he slipped in from the kitchen and leaned against the wall, staring at the presents with a mixture of sadness and jealousy. Spotting his cousin, an evil grin flashed across Dudley's face. From under a pile of discarded wrapping paper, he whipped out a spring-loaded toy rifle. "Stick 'em up, Potter!" he shouted, pulling the trigger and firing several hard plastic pellets at Harry's head. Vernon snorted appreciatively as Harry ducked out of the room without saying a word. A new image appeared. Dudley was now nine, and he and his gang were strutting around the school yard during recess. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Harry sitting forlornly on a bench. Wonder of wonders, someone was talking to him. It was the new transfer student, Jimmy Andrews. Dudley grinned to himself and nudged Piers in the ribs. Piers glanced at his leader, and Dudley nodded in the direction of the bench. The group slowly began sauntering over in the direction of the bench. Andrews was chattering away at Potter, trying to lure him off of the bench and out onto the playground. "Fancy a go on the swings?" he was saying. Harry seemed to be considering the offer when he glanced up and saw Dudley's gang headed his way. A look of resignation crossed Harry's face, and he turned to Andrews, shaking his head vigorously. "C'mon," Andrews said, not aware of the threat slipping up on him. "All you ever do is sit on this ruddy bench or stand around in a corner of the school yard. Don't you ever actually want to do anything?" At that moment, Dudley clapped a meaty hand on Andrews' shoulder, as Piers mimicked his voice. "Yeah, Potter," he sneered. "Don't you want to do anything? We could all do with some exercise today." A hard look suddenly settled on Harry's face. "Dudders here doesn't know the meaning of the word," he spat. Dudley's grip on Andrews' shoulder tightened, causing the small boy to cry out in pain. Dudley fixed his piggy little eyes on Andrews for a moment before speaking. "You want to stay away from this freak," he said, squeezing even harder. "Now beat it, we got business with Potter here." Andrews cast a look of mingled terror and sympathy at Harry before sprinting for the far end of the school yard. Dudley's crew closed in around Harry, cracking their knuckles threateningly… Dudley drifted out of his reverie. An altogether new sensation was bubbling up inside him – white hot guilt. It had never occurred to him to think of his cousin as truly human. His earliest memories were of his father shouting at Harry and dealing him the severest of punishments for minor infractions before tossing the boy into the broom cupboard beneath the stairs. Vernon had repeatedly, in no uncertain terms, made it clear to Dudley that Harry most assuredly was his inferior. But now, after everything he'd seen in that mirror, after his talk with Lily – Dudley knew there was no way he could keep up that attitude. He was still astounded at the lengths Harry had gone to in order to protect his friends and his girlfriend. Once again, a stab of jealousy welled up in his heart as he thought of the fierce loyalty of Harry's friends. Almost immediately, a fresh wave of guilt smothered that feeling. Why had he spent so many years piling on his cousin? Years they could have spent as… friends? Dudley suddenly laughed bitterly to himself. It was too late for regrets. He supposed he'd have eternity to ponder that and other questions. At last, Dudley shook his head and slowly stood. He turned to face the mirror, reaching out and gently caressing its dark surface. "Please," he said quietly, "show me what's happening to Harry." The mirror glowed for an instant, and then an image began to form. Harry lay spread eagled on the floor in an area identical to the one the Dursleys now inhabited. He was clad in a loose white tunic and trousers. For a moment, Dudley glanced around wildly, half expecting to see his cousin lying nearby. But there was nothing, save empty white space and the floating mirrors. Dudley turned back to the looking glass in front of him. Harry appeared to be stirring. He groaned, sat up and began taking in his own surroundings. As had the Dursleys, he approached one of the mirrors, peered into it and began running his hands over the surface. As he did so, Sirius Black stepped from behind another of the mirrors. "Hey, kiddo," Black said softly. Harry stiffened for an instant and then slowly turned and stared, his face showing a mixture of pain, joy, love and sadness. "It's good to see you, Harry," Sirius said, smiling. "It's good to see you, too. Is this real, Sirius?" "Is what real, Harry?" Sirius replied. "Are you real? Am I dead?" Harry whispered. "I am dead...you are not. Not yet, anyway," Sirius said. Harry's clear craving for affection and guidance from an adult made Dudley realize for the first time just how alone Harry had been all his life. Dudley glanced over at his own parents, now both sitting in the armchairs that had been provided for them. They had never been ones for talking much, and Dudley supposed they had never spent a whole lot of what his teachers called "quality time" with him, but they certainly had been there whenever he needed them – usually to buy him the latest electronic gizmo. In any case, he never doubted that they loved him. Once again, Dudley winced as he thought about Harry's isolation all those years on Privet Drive. No one to talk to, no one to confide in. Nothing but want and despair. Dudley squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and then glanced back at the mirror. Harry and Sirius were now gazing into the mirror closest to them. It seemed to be showing what was going on in the Chamber after the big battle. Dudley perked up at this, almost pressing his nose to the mirror he was using. He was very keen to see what had happened to the folks from the fight – who had lived and who had died. It appeared that several of Harry's friends were lighting their wands, which revealed the extent of the damage to the Chamber. A large portion of the ceiling had collapsed. Dark water and a greenish slime oozed from enormous fissures in the walls. Several red-headed wizards were now moving about, frantically searching for survivors. One of the twins unearthed his other half and Ginny Weasley. He began slapping both of them roughly, and they groaned and slowly came around. Harry watched the events unfold with a stoic expression, until he blanched when he saw the open sores on one of Ginny's arms. The group continued searching frantically – finally unearthing Harry's two closest friends. Ron appeared to be in a bad way – bleeding heavily from the puncture to his abdomen. The bushy-haired girl managed to patch him up just enough to keep him alive. Suddenly, there was a loud pop, and a sullen-faced man dressed in black appeared, clutching the tail of the beautiful bird that had swooped around the Chamber during the battle. He carried what looked like a doctor's bag, from which he drew several vials of evil-looking liquids and began issuing a stream of orders to the group. He handed something to the bushy-haired girl, and she and Ron vanished. Now the group began hunting for Harry in earnest. Dudley was surprised to feel his hands clenching as the search for Harry grew increasingly frantic. He still didn't understand the mindset behind that Voldemort fellow, but he couldn't hold down a feeling of satisfaction that the creature who had murdered his family had been put down. Now Dudley wanted nothing more… than for his cousin to survive. He snorted to himself. He'd have never thought such a thing even six months ago. A shout drew his attention back to the mirror. The red-haired wizards had moved aside several large chunks of debris to reveal two motionless bodies and the remnants of a third. Dudley ground his teeth together in sympathy as the greasy-haired, sallow-faced wizard began ministering to the Harry's shattered body. He watched in suspense and then shock as the lumbering giant he remembered from so many years ago forced his way into the Chamber, and in quick order had transported Harry to the hospital wing. The view in Dudley's mirror then shifted. Harry's spirit was talking quietly with Sirius Black. "No, kiddo, you're not dead – but you're not really alive, either," Black was saying. "This place...this room...is neither here nor there. You've been given the chance to decide which way you'll go. There aren't many who are given that choice, so you'll have to really think about it before you answer." Anger welled up inside Dudley. He hadn't been given any such choice. Suddenly he felt a bit less sympathetic toward his cousin. As Dudley was reflecting on the unfairness of it all, his attention was drawn back to the mirror. "… was staring into your father's incredulous face," Black was saying. "He gave me quite a tongue-lashing for leaving you there, by the way, not to mention what Lily had to say. No one has ever been really told off until they've been told off by Lily Potter. Then again, that was nothing compared to what she had to say to your aunt and uncle when they arrived." "The Dursleys are here?" Harry asked curiously. "They're around in certain places," Black replied. "Where you are allowed to go depends upon the life you led. The Dursleys have to pay a lot of penance. James's new hobby is to play a prank on your uncle at least once a day. Lily doesn't even scold him for it." Dudley glanced hastily over at his parents, who remained seated in the armchairs Lily had conjured for them. He really didn't want them to overhear this part of Black's conversation with Harry. Dudley didn't think he could stand another rant from his father or more shrieking from his mother. He frowned to himself. If Harry got to make a choice to live or die, which way would he go? Dudley knew from years past that perhaps Harry's deepest desire was to see his parents. But would that be enough to permanently tear him away from his friends and his girl? Dudley was started from his musings by a now-familiar voice from the mirror. "Harry." Harry turned from the mirror in front of him, and gazed at Lily and James Potter – tears beginning to spill down his cheeks. "Mum, Dad," he said hoarsely. Lily rushed to her son, enveloping him in the tightest embrace possible. "Budge over, Lily. Don't squash him before I even get a good look at him," James said, gently pulling her shoulders back. "You're so grown up," she said to Harry. "What happened to my baby?" Dudley felt his cheeks redden, and he dropped his gaze to his shoes, wondering if he should be intruding on this obviously private moment. He was surprised to feel a slight catch in his throat as he listened to the reunion unfold. A choking sound suddenly made him glance behind him. There stood Petunia, watching Lily and Harry embrace, tears trickling down her face. Dudley stared at his mother open-mouthed before the conversation in the mirror drew his attention once more. "Harry, what I regret most is not having a will clearly stating that you were never to go to Petunia," Lily said, pulling him into another embrace. Harry gently put his arms around her and hesitantly patted her back. "It's all right. It's over now," Harry replied, obviously struggling to keep his composure. "It's not all right. It was never all right," Lily said fiercely. "I've let both Petunia and Albus know exactly what I think of the decisions made on your behalf. I only wish I could have done something when you were little. It nearly killed me to watch the way they treated you. You deserved so much more than that." Dudley tried to wrestle down a feeling of shame that suddenly engulfed him. He glanced at his mother, who was staring at the mirror, her expression a mixture of regret and anger. "Harry," Lily was saying. "I've talked a bit with Dudley since he's been here." "Oh," Harry said tonelessly. "I've tried to show both him and his mother how Petunia should have treated you. My differences with Petunia have nothing to do with Dudley. "He was sincere before he died, Harry. He was beginning to see you in a new light and realized that maybe he was the one who'd been wrong. I wish you'd had the chance to really get to know each other. He was very touched that you thought of making certain that someone told Veronica about his death." Dudley drew a deep breath as he heard those words. He watched closely as his cousin struggled to decide whether to go back or stay with the family he'd never known. The thought crossed Dudley's mind that perhaps he'd have the chance to make some things up to Harry if he stayed. But no, Harry's parents and Black were showing him the life he'd leave behind if he chose to stay with them. Dudley watched as Harry gazed into the mirror at the image of Ginny Weasley, and had no doubt what path his cousin was about to choose. Harry was embracing his parents and Black one last time. "Tell Dudley… tell him we're okay," he said, as Lily kissed him on the cheek. "How do I get back?" Harry asked. "Just state your intentions, kiddo," Black replied with a grin. As if in a trance, Dudley reached out and touched the mirror – trying to make some contact with his cousin. "I want to live," Harry said softly, and he vanished. The mirror faded to black. Dudley cursed softly and leaned heavily against the cool glass. He slid slowly to the floor and sat down, his back against the mirror. Petunia had re-joined Vernon in the armchairs, a vacant expression on her face. Dudley's thoughts turned back to Harry. Once again, he felt regret – the forward edge of a wave of guilt that surged through him. If only there were some way to… to, apologize. As much as went against everything he'd ever been taught or felt during his all-to-brief life, Dudley knew he owed his cousin an unending stream of apologies. Not that he'd ever get the chance. That Voldemort fellow had seen to that. He sighed. He apparently would have plenty of time to think of all the ways he should be apologizing to Harry. How long would he be trapped in this mind-numbing wasteland? Dudley buried his head in his arms as he envisioned unending tedium. "Dudley," a voice said softly. Dudley started and looked up. Standing before him was Lily. Her eyes were filled with a mixture of pity and joy. Lily stepped closer and knelt before Dudley. "How are you?" she asked in a concerned voice. "Okay, I guess," he replied quietly. He hesitated for several seconds before looking her in the eye. "I saw what happened with H-Harry," he said. "What?!" Lily gasped, her face flushing. "In the mirror," Dudley said hastily. "It showed me what happened in that chamber, or whatever it was. Did he really… Did he really scotch that mad wizard bloke?" Lily's eyes closed for a moment, and when they reopened they were filled with a gleam of triumph. "Yes," she said in a trembling voice. "He got rid of that filthy bastard forever." "Good!" Dudley exclaimed, his chest suddenly heaving. "That bullock killed all of us. I'm glad Harry won." In instant later, a thought occurred to him. "Is that guy going to show up here?" he asked. An evil smile played across Lily's lips. "Oh no," she replied. "I can assure you, the Guardians already have a special place set up for him and his ilk." The two of them lapsed into silence for a moment, which was broken by a grunt as Vernon sat up in his chair and took notice of Lily. "You!" he shouted, rising and lumbering toward her, Petunia hot on his heels. "Just where the devil have you been?! What do you mean running off and leaving us to rot here. I've had all I'm going to stand from you lot! Now I want you to get busy and…" "Dad, give it a rest," Dudley interrupted, shocked at his own cheek. Vernon's face turned purple. "What did you say to me, boy?!" he roared. Dudley swallowed hard, but scrambled to his feet, glaring defiantly at his father. Vernon swelled indignantly. "I don't know what's got into you, but I don't like – not even a little bit," he shouted. "You need to stay away from this riff-raff and…" But Lily suddenly cut him off. "Zip it, Dursley," she said, casually waving her hand. Vernon's lips instantly transformed into a zipper, which promptly closed itself. Petunia screeched and rounded on her sister. "How dare you…!" But Lily shut her down with a fierce glare. "I've had all I'm going to take from the pair of you," she said, seeming radiate power. "You're both pathetic. You not only abused Harry, you found another way to abuse your own son – by twisting his mind and trying to make him hate others. What came over you, Petunia? Mum and Dad never raised you to be this way. Since James and I got here, I've never told them any of things you've done because I didn't want to break their hearts. I haven't even told them you're here because they'd want to know why you're stuck in this particular spot." Petunia seemed to shrink at these words, casting her eyes to the ground. Lily turned back to Dudley. "Dudley, I had a talk with Harry…" "I know," Dudley interrupted. "I saw it in the mirror." Lily's eyes widened at the knowledge someone had witnessed her fleeting personal moments with her son. "I'm sorry," Dudley said quickly. "I just… I had asked the mirror to show me what happened to Harry. It showed me that big battle, and then it showed him somewhere around here talking to you and your husband and that friend of yours. I-I didn't mean to eavesdrop." Dudley hung his head as Lily reached out and gently patted him on the shoulder. "It's all right," she said soothingly. Dudley looked up, his eyes suspiciously bright. "Look," he said in a thick sort of voice, straining to get out any words. "About – everything. I'm… I'm s-sorry about what I did to Harry. It was just, too easy to do it, y'know?" A mixture of emotions crossed Lily's face – anger, disgust and finally… acceptance. She drew a long, shuddering breath and once again patted Dudley on the shoulder. "That's all in the past now, Dudley," she said, tears filling her eyes. "Thank you. I know saying sorry is one of the hardest things any of us can do. I'm proud of you." A grunt of anger erupted from Vernon, who was struggling mightily to unzip his mouth. Lily glanced at him and once more waved her hand, restoring his lips to normal. Petunia had been working herself and up and appeared ready to blow, along with her husband. But before either of them could speak, a plain wooden door suddenly appeared a few feet away. All three of the Dursleys gazed at it in wonder. After a few seconds, Vernon shook himself from his trance and strode over to it. "About time you lot did something useful," he barked over his shoulder to Lily. "C'mon Petunia, Dudley, we're getting out of here at last." He seized the door handle and gave a mighty tug, but nothing happened. Vernon turned and glared at Lily. "What sort of rubbish is this?" he said. "Perhaps, you're just not pulling hard enough, Dursley," said an amused voice. James Potter appeared next to his wife. An expression of pure loathing crossed Vernon's face before her turned back to the door and began pulling with all of his strength. It didn't budge. As Lily and James watched with widening grins, the big man pushed and pulled and pounded and kicked the door. He walked around it to the other side and tried it all again. Nothing happened. Finally, exhausted, he flopped down on the floor. "Bravo, bravo," rang out the voice of Sirius Black, who was now leaning against one of the mirrors and clapping enthusiastically. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Petunia screamed. "Open this door for us! Let us out of here now!" A sad expression suddenly crossed Lily's face. "Petunia," she said softly. "Only someone who is worthy can open that door." A silence hung heavily in the air as all eyes suddenly came to rest on Dudley. Lily approached her nephew. "They've sent this portal for you," she said, gesturing to the door. "The Guardians have read your heart and seem to have decided you were sincere in apologizing for how you treated Harry." Dudley stared at her in amazement. "Where does it go?" he asked. "Gateways like this usually transport the user to some place where they feel secure. Some place that brings them comfort," Lily replied. "Dudley, I meant what I said when I told you I was proud of you. You've taken your first step into a larger world." Dudley gazed at the door, a look of longing creeping over his features. He then turned back to Lily. "Can Mum and Dad come with me?" he asked. Lily dropped her gaze for a moment, then looked up and shook her head sadly. "Not now," she said. "They have their own issues to work out. Neither of them has shown any sorrow for how they treated Harry. Until they do, they're stuck here." "No!" shouted Vernon and Petunia, both stepping forward to grab Dudley by the shoulders. Petunia had begun to sob. "You can't leave us, Dudders," she said. "You've got to help us. Make Lily understand, we can't bear to stay here forever like this." Vernon had begun once more to shout, hurling invectives at all of the wizards present – as though he no longer even knew his wife and son were in the room with him. As Petunia clutched at him, Dudley slowly turned back to Lily. "I can't just leave them," he said in a pleading voice. Lily smiled slightly. "You don't have too," she said. "If you choose to stay here now, the door will reappear whenever you are ready. And even if you go through, you can always come back to be with your parents." Lily hesitated, then added, "Remember, Dudley, this is just your first step. You've still got a lot of things to think about and make amends for, but you're moving in the right direction. It's up to you to choose how to use this new freedom." Dudley glanced back at his parents. Petunia had collapsed to the floor in a heap of misery. Vernon was striding about waving his arms and shouting, occasionally kicking one of the floating mirrors for emphasis. Dudley walked over to the door and hesitantly placed a hand on the knob. It twisted easily, and the door swung open with a slight squeak. Dudley found himself gazing at a comfortable sitting room. A fire blazed in the hearth. The walls were lined with massive shelves packed with all manner of books. Reading had never been a favorite pastime of Dudley's. Still, there were worse ways to spend eternity. His eyes lit up as he noticed a tea set and a plate of biscuits atop a small table next to a plush armchair. An overwhelming sense of yearning filled Dudley's heart. He wavered at the threshold of the door. "Boy! Get back here!" Vernon roared. "Don't you even think of leaving us!" Petunia cried. Dudley squared his shoulders and stepped into the sitting room, and the door closed behind him with a click. Fin A/N: Well, it's finally finished. To all of you kind enough to read and review, my apologies for taking so long to get the last update to you. A combination of Real Life and the lazies kept me from getting the final chapter written until this past weekend. My thanks to Arnel, my superb beta who's been more than patient with the delays – as well as a kind and gentle mentor. Thanks also to Melindaleo, whose brilliant fic, "Curse of the Damned" was the inspiration for this piece. The images Dudley witnessed in the mirror are slightly re-written versions of events from Chapter 30 of that story. And, of course, a big "Thank You" must go to JRK, who made all of this possible. Bless you for enriching all of our lives. Thanks to all of you who've been so supportive. I couldn't have done this without you. Is this my last stab at fan fiction? I don't know. I've enjoyed the experience tremendously, and Arnel is pushing for something else from me. In the meantime, let's all go forth and enjoy whatever twists and turns JRK throws our way.
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