The bell rang. Dudley Dursley walked towards the door from the kitchen, apron still on.

“Umm… Dudley? How’re you doing?”

“Harry? I’m… yeah, fine. Long time no see!” Dudley’s eyes grew wide with surprise. What was Harry doing here?

“Dudley… I have a favour to ask of you.” Harry seemed hesitant, uneasy. He kept fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

“What is it? Come on in, it’s cold outside!” Dudley opened the door wide. Harry stepped in, removing his coat.

The two made into the drawing room, where three sofas sat around a glass table. The heater was on, it felt warm inside. Dudley disappeared into the kitchen, with a quick “Wait a minute!”

Harry sat in the chair, head in hands. Dudley returned with two mugs of coffee. “Now, what is it?”

Harry sipped the coffee. “As I said, I have a request to ask of you.” When Dudley did not say anything, Harry continued. “Do you remember Luna Lovegood from your Christmas party, where you asked me to bring along my friends?”

“Umm… was she that bushy-haired woman who seemed to know everything?”

“No, that was Hermione. Luna was the blue-eyed blonde, remember?”

“Oh, her! She was the one who managed to convince all my guests she was crazy by smashing Mum’s favourite china, saying that it was possessed by… something?”

This was not going well. “Yep… that’s the one,” said Harry.

“Alright then, what about her?”

“She’s getting married this month to a certain Mr Rolf. And she…”

“And she what?”

“She wants a Mugg- non-magic wedding?” Harry braced himself for the worst.

“Why?” Dudley looked suspicious, and confused- if it is possible for one to look both these emotions at the same time.

“Apparently, because it is the winter, and the day of her wedding is a no moon night, magic is supposed to invite… Habzabs, or something, which cause bad luck.” Harry almost gave up.

“But… but that’s crazy! Is that even true?” Dudley looked really confused.

“I know, but that’s the way she is. You can’t change nature.”

“Well then, what has that got to do with me?” Dudley asked.

“Well… no body knows how a Muggle wedding is. Hermione would have known, only she’s on her Honeymoon with Ron in Ireland, and refuses to receive or answer owls, or telephone calls.”

“So?”

“So… Dudley, after your wrestling career didn’t get off the ground, you became a chef, right? Obviously all that time spent eating when you were a kid must have done you some good. Now… um… well, you’d have arranged food for a lot of weddings, right? So…”

“No way, Harry! I know what you are thinking, and I am not going to do it. I am not helping a crazy magical friend of yours arrange a… a… Mogle wedding!” Dudley looked stubborn, angry.

“Come on, Big D! Can’t you do me this little favour? After all the bad treatment you gave me when we were younger…”

“Harry, you can’t make me feel guilty! You can’t, and I am NOT HELPING YOUR MENTAL FRIEND!”

“Well, alright then. I’ll walk out of this door, still carrying the psychological scars of my childhood, knowing that their causer is not willing to do anything to redeem himself…” Harry had to grope into the deepest corners of his brain for the most intricate and long words that he knew, from one of Professor Binn’s dreary lectures…

“Aargh, Harry, okay! You know I was a git those days, and I feel bad for it! I’ll do it for you if you want me to so much! Even though I certainly do not look forward to planning sessions with a girl gone bananas… urgh!”

Harry smiled, mission accomplished. “Thanks, Big D! I knew I could depend on you! I’ll bring Luna over to meet you soon.”

And with that Harry closed the door. Dudley stood staring there, just realizing what he had promised to do.
***
Luna sat with her chin cupped in her hands, talking to a little gernumbli .

“He’s so wonderful, Guppy,” she sighed, looking down at the miniature man. “All that hair and those blue-grey eyes! And he didn’t even mind it when I drove the spirits of the Nargles out of his mother’s tea set. Most people look at me oddly, but he didn’t!”

Guppy nodded understandingly.

Luna sighed again, a bit sadly this time. “But he hates me, Guppy. I know it. I saw him glaring at me when I left the party where I met him. He doesn’t like me. And, either way, I am getting married to Rolf. But sometimes-” she smiled-“sometimes I think I might love him more than I love Rolf.”

Guppy shook his little head, covered with curly red hair, frantically. “You’re getting married to Rolf,” he bleated. “There’s nothing as can be done about that other chap now!”

“But Rolf is a brunette ,” Luna protested. “I wanted to get married to a blonde !” She continued to whisper, “What’s more, did you know that having brown hair is said to be a disease?”

Brown-haired Guppy looked at her indignantly, but continued. “So dye his hair,” he said exasperatedly. “Be serious, Loony-love. You are twenty one, and you are getting married to Rolf!”

“I know. And we are going to have a Muggle wedding! Imagine, Guppy! I asked Harry to go and ask him to help me with the arrangements. He’s a Muggle, you know,” she said excitedly.

“A MUGGLE? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? HOW ON EARTH DID YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH A MUGGLE ?”

“I told you! We were at Harry’s party, or whoever’s party it was. I had gone along with Hermione and Ron-they’re enjoying their honeymoon, you know-and then I saw him . He was adding some salt to the vegetarian dip they had there. He’s a chef, you know? Imagine, Guppy, a chef ! Isn’t that the most wonderful thing to be?”

Guppy rolled his yellow eyes.

“I went over to him and saw his mother’s tea set sitting on the counter. It was black glass with blue patterns. It was then that I knew that the spirits resided in that tea set. Nargles are attracted by black and blue things, you know. So I destroyed the set and went over to report the same to him. He didn’t seem angry…not very,” she winced.

“But that glare that he sent my way when I was leaving…it was so full of hatred. I’m sure he hates my very bones. But don’t you see, Guppy, I had to smash that tea set! If the Nargles would have invaded his house-he has a house of his own, you know, most impressive-he would have gotten stung! I couldn’t bear that !

“Once he even asked me to dance…almost. Lavender was standing right behind me, and he had been asking her , but I thought he was asking me, and I said ‘Of course’ but he didn’t notice and he and Lavender danced the whole night,” Luna said sadly.

“Forget that git, I says,” Guppy said indignantly. “Leave him be. Go and marry Rolf and-he’s a carpenter, ain’t he?-get him to make me a good house in your back yard.”

“Guppy, I love him! I cannot possibly marry Rolf!”

“Have ya lost it, Luna?” Guppy was getting angrier by the minute. “You. Are. Marrying. Rolf. Not. Some. Random. MUGGLE.”

“But he’s so wonderful! His jaw is so strong, so boldly set, and his voice-his voice!-his voice is so bass. ”

“I’ve lost her,” the gnome muttered.

“Luna! Hey-Luna!”

Luna ran out and saw Harry. “Hello, Harry!” She tried to sound bright to disguise her misery.

“He says he’ll see you. This Wednesday,” Harry said, grinning. “Now you can plan your marriage together!”

“That’s great!”

“I’ll leave now, shall I? I’m taking Ginny out.”

“Of course,” she said, hugging him briefly. “Good bye!”

As Harry Disapparated, Luna skipped back to the greenhouse where Guppy was waiting for her.

“He’ll see me!” She cried joyfully, picking him up and kissing him on the forehead.

Guppy pretended to gag. “Save it for Rolf. Now, just WHO is this ‘he’?”

“Why, Dudley Dursley, of course!”
***
Dudley looked at Luna with tired eyes. “Luna, would you rather have beige tablecloths or sepia?”

“I don’t know.” Luna hardly looked up from the ring she wore on her hand.

“Luna, I need you to tell me. Alright then, tell me what colour your dress is going to be. Maybe then I can ask Mother what colour would go better with it…”

“I don’t know.”

Dudley started to lose his patience. For the last few days, the woman had refused to cooperate with him, to answer anything he asked her properly. She just kept fiddling with her silver engagement ring, turning it over and over and over… “Look, Luna, I am not going to be able to plan your wedding without your help. Tell me, what food would you prefer on that day? Here’s my menu.”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? That’s all you’ve ever said for the last three days, every time I asked you something! Don’t know, don’t know, don’t know! It’s your wedding- not mine!”

Dudley stormed out. A week- yes, a week of holiday would be good. That woman… she infuriated Dudley. Why does she have to be so stubborn? he thought to himself angrily. And yet… yet a small part of him actually enjoyed being in her presence, especially before she became so quiet and withdrawn… The way her hair fell over her face, just a little bit… Her sparkling blue eyes... Her tinkling laugh… Her funny way of behaving… The things she said… Why did she now refuse to speak?

He shook his head. It’d not do to think of such things. He hated her- her and her stupid imagination, how she refused to help him try to arranger her own wedding…

He pushed his key into the car door and opened it roughly. He sat in, and stamped the accelerator. Anywhere, anywhere would do- he was driving in an attempt to soothe himself.

*

As usual, the recorder was on, and placed on the dashboard, for any recipe ideas that Dudley came up with on the road.

It was as Dudley had gotten out of the main road and into a less busy side lane was that he heard the voice first. It was smooth, powerful, and… coming out of the back seat of his car.

“Do not look back,” the voice said silkily. It was evidently a man. “Mr Dursley, I hear you are organizing the marriage of a certain Miss Lovegood, are you not?”

“Who are you?” Dudley was scared, and confused. Who was this man? How did her know? How was it that Dudley had not seen him in the back seat? Oh yes, Dudley had been in too much of a temper to notice who was at the back…

“My name is not necessary to you. I am here to discuss some business. And no, there is no point in reaching for your cell phone, you’ll find it broken. I had quite some time here…”

“What is it that you want?” Dudley’s heart was racing. He tried looking in his rear view mirror, but he could see nothing but the cars behind.

“Mr. Dursley, was it not a dream of yours to become a wrestler? However, after you had that little… spat with the manager, I hear your dreams were crushed? And now, look at where you are! Arranging a wedding? For a strong, brave man like you, I hardly think matrimony is a suitable line of work…”

Dudley could just sit, stunned. This… this man… how did he know?

“This is an exception. Other times I wrestle. In fact, I have a match that I am driving to right now!” Dudley tried to keep his fear out of his voice.

“Ah… Do not lie to me, Mr. Dursley. I am well aware of your… culinary vocation? A wonderful profession indeed for a man whose heart belongs in the wrestling ring… Wearing aprons and dancing about stoves…”

Dudley cringed. This man knew where to hit, and he hit hard.

“But I have a proposal for you! You see, there are these contacts that I have, stocks that I own inside of the Federation. How would it be if I kick-start your career for you…”

“What do you want in return?” Dudley’s tone was blunt. He could not, however, stop his hope from creeping into his speech.

“Ah, you caught me there. Well, I need an entry into Ms Luna Lovegood’s wedding.”

“Why?”

“I have some important business to sort out. Will you not think about it? After all, it’d pain me if your chance was brutally taken away from you… The chance, and your parents.”

Draco could take it no longer. How could the man threaten his parents? He made to turn back, but before he could, he felt something sharp jutting into his neck. “Tut tut, Mr. Dursley, all it’d take me is a single word to kill you right here and now. You will have to find me a way into the wedding. In return, I will leave your parents free and provide you with an occupation. Will you do this, or not?”

Dudley’s heart was hammering against his ribs. What should he do? This man was clearly dangerous- what would he do at Luna’s wedding? Something bad, no doubt. He started to say “No” but then he thought of his parents. His poor, helpless parents. How could he let them die?

Dudley had no choice now. Squeezing his eyes shut, he muttered, “I’ll do it.”

“Good. I see you have some intelligence in you after all. You will find instructions and a method to communicate me under your seat. Good bye.”

Dudley felt whatever that was pressing his neck ease and he immediately turned around. He could barely glimpse some blond hair as the man disappeared with a “Pop.”
***
Luna could hear the brass knocker banging against the wood. “Coming,” she had sung.

She had opened the door and there stood, to her great surprise and pleasure, Dudley Dursley, just half an hour after storming out of her house.

Yes, she had been very unresponsive, but that was what Guppy had instructed.

“Show that fag that you couldn’t care less, says I,” he had told her. “’S the only way you can get outta this.”

“Hello, Dudley.”

“Hey, Luna,” he had muttered, cracking his knuckles. Oh, how manly he had looked, standing in the light of her lanterns!

“So…did you forget something?” It would be best to remain unresponsive.

“Umm…no. I actually wanted your help on something,” Dudley had said uncertainly. Oh, that voice!

How could she say no?

“Of course I’ll help you,” Luna had chirped excitedly. This was a very ample opportunity to make friends again with him!

He had looked surprised. “But I haven’t even told you what it is!”

“Doesn’t matter! Come on in!” She had quickly ushered him inside and hurriedly put away the infusion of Gurdyroots that she had been drinking.

“Thanks!” He had smiled. That smile!

“Now, what is it you wanted?”

“Well, you see, it’s sort of complicated…”

All this had happened a few weeks ago…Dudley had not told her what he wanted, but had made clear that there would be an extra guest at the wedding.

She had been skipping on sleep- the word seemed alien to her now-pondering what his purpose was. Who was this secret guest? Was it a stray Death Eater? A vampire? Perhaps the Minister for Magic, Percy? But no, he would have contacted her himself! After all, weren’t she and Ronald good friends?

The mystery remained unsolved; she had not pressed Dudley to reveal the guest’s identity. But all the same, she was rather puzzled. How could she invite one more guest when she didn’t know who they were? All arrangements would have to be changed, one more Rotating Chair would have to be ordered for the ceremony, one more silk handkerchief, perhaps, if it was a woman who tended to be weepy.

Luna couldn’t believe herself, but she was almost wishing for a pardon from this muddle. This was not what she had hoped for!

Quite strangely, just as she was thinking this, an owl swooped onto her Venomous Tentacula, hooted loudly and dropped a thick letter onto the tentacles of the black plant.

Luna had some difficulty extracting the envelope, but when she opened it, it was worth the struggle.

Dear Miss Lovegood, it read.

We are pleased to inform you that your magazine, The Quibbler, has received the Strangest Writing of the Year award. We invite you to join us in London for the prize-giving ceremony, where you will be presented the SWY, along with a prize of one thousand Galleons.

Thanking you,
Samuel Scrimgeor,
SWY HQ, London.
***
There were forty-eight hours left for D-Day. Preparations were in full swing, with Dudley shouting out orders left and right, placing flowers and ribbons and chairs and all kinds of things, trying to make things into a manageable condition.

Dudley continued drowning himself in his work, trying to shut out everything that was happening in his life- it was all going too fast. The man had asked him to send an invitation to some address in Wiltshire… He had sent it. What was going to happen?

And Luna! She was to be married in another two days… Dudley and she had just two days left of having an excuse for spending time together… And then she was to be married, gone away for ever!

No, thought Dudley. I’m not going to think of such things. After her marriage is over, she’s going to go somewhere, and I’m going to the wrestling rings, for a life of glory!

*

Dudley woke up. It was the day! He got up, to dress himself in his suit, getting ready to go to Luna’s marriage- to throw rice, to wish her a happy married life, to watch her and Mr. Scamander kiss…

Dudley shook his head. It would not be possible for him to go there. Sure, he had programmed it, but there was no way he could be happy for Luna, when a part of him hated her for marrying that man… Or was it that he hated the man for marrying her?

He scribbled a letter, telling her that he was going, and jumped into his car. Revving the engine, he made to his house.

As he cruised along, he pulled out the little mobile that had been given to him by the man. Opening it, he discovered that there was no screen. He spoke into it. “Hello?”

The voice replied “Good work. I have received the invitation. You will discover a letter lying in your mailbox. Now, are your windows closed?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I suggest you open them and throw this phone out, because it is going to self-destruct in 5. 4. 3. 2-”

Dudley barely had time to chuck it out, as it exploded into tiny fragments. He felt under his seat, and found that the instructions had been converted into ashes as well.

Taking a moment to recollect himself, he drove on.

*

As promised, a letter from the Federation was there in his mailbox. But even that could not bring joy to Dudley, whose thoughts strayed, much against his will, to Luna.

With a heavy heart, he turned to cook himself breakfast. As soon as he opened the door, he found… a creature sitting on his worktop.

It resembled a potato, with short stumpy legs sticking out. Dudley slowly moved towards it, scared of what it might do. As he reached it, it sprang up, and with its small hand, laid a slap on Dudley’s cheek. Dudley recoiled, hand on cheek.

“What was THAT?” he shouted, and plucked the creature by its feet.

The creature screamed, hung upside down by Dudley. “You duffer! Leave me down!”

Dudley peered at it. “What are you?” he asked.

“Me? Ah, I am a gnome! And, mister, don’t look at me like tha’! I’ve seen what ya call a gnome, and that ain’t no gnome. That’s a bloody china Father Christmas! Tha’s about as much a gnome as… this spork is.”

Dudley retrieved the spork from the gnome. “Ok… Well, gnome what do you want? What do you mean by coming into my house, and hitting me?”

“Well sir-ee, what d’ ya mean by leavin’ tha’ poor girl alone and coming here?”

“What do you mean?”

“Tha’ girl, Loony Lovegood! D’ya know how sad she is tha’ you went? She... she’s crying, and’s not marrying! Aye! Not marrying Rolfy! You ol’ sack of potatoes, what do you mean by leaving her?”

“She… she’s refusing to marry? Why?”

“Ah, Gawd, can’t ya see, she ‘en’t loving Rolfy! She’s a loving you!”

The words hit Dudley like a sack of dumbbells. Love… She loves me! But he forced himself to think properly.

“Tell… tell Miss Lovegood that… that I love her very much. But tell her I’m asking her to become Mrs. Scamander- for my sake.”

“I en’t an owl, am I? Why should I do tha’?”

“Okay.” Dudley placed the gnome back on the work top. “Please, can you convey that to her?”

“Tha’s better. Now, tha’s not gonna make Loony happy, ya know? Aye, you’re a bad person.”

“I’m doing this for her.” Dudley looked at him with fierce eyes.

“Al’right, al’right! I’m a goin’!”

The gnome jumped out of the window and ran away.

*

Whatever Dudley did the entire day, he couldn’t help thinking of Luna. He’d made her sad…

At the end of the day, he was so guilt-ridden and sad that he couldn’t take it any longer. He made outside to go to Luna’s place, but before he could reach the door, the bell rang. It was his parents.

“Mum, Dad, thanks for visiting, but could you please come later? I’ve got to head elsewhere right now…”

“Dudley, we have something important to talk to you about. I can’t allow you to go anywhere till we have a talk,” his father said.

Dudley let out a sigh, and let his parents in. They sat on the sofa, sipping some coffee that Dudley had offered them. “What is it, Dad?”

Hardly had he spoken, when there was a crash. Petunia screamed. Someone came blasting into the room, crashing the door down. Something danced around the person’s legs.

They slowed down enough for Dudley to make out who they were. “Gnome? And… Luna?”

Petunia and Vernon were behind chair, hiding in fear. They watched, scared.

“Du… Dudley. Why did you leave? Guppy’s brother here told me that he’d asked you… I thought we were friends!”

“Yes… yes, we still are, Luna!”

“Then why did you leave?”

“Luna, you’re engaged to Scamander! You’re to marry him!”

“I didn’t.”

“What? I told this gnome here to tell you!”

Luna looked at Dudley strangely. “He didn’t tell me any such thing…” she said. “This wonderful little gernumbli here told me that you were angry with me, and wanted to meet me!”

Dudley stared at the gnome, shocked. The gnome twiddled its thumbs, head hung down. “Well, I might have changed a wee bitty things when I tol’ her yer message…”

“Dud… Dudley? I… I… don’t know what’s happening! I… I love you!”

Dudley moved close to her, and whispered silently. “I love you too, Luna.” He moved in towards her, and just as they met…

“DUDLEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?” Vernon had knocked the chair over in his haste to stand up, and was shouting at the top of his voice. “SHE… SHE’S ONE OF THEIR KIND! I ABSOLUTELY FORBID YOU FROM MAKING ANY KIND OF CONTACT WITH THIS PERSON FROM NOW ON!”

Dudley looked at his father, hurt. “Daddy… please understand. How does it matter if she’s one of their kind?”

“How does it matter?” Vernon let out a short bark of a laugh. “How does it matter? I don’t want you ending up with a freak for a wife, a freak for a child, like those freaks, the Potters.” He moved towards Luna. “And Miss Whatever-your-name-is, from this point on, you’re to forget of Dudley. He deserves someone better than you. If I ever find you two speaking or meeting again… you don’t want to know.”

With that, he literally pushed Luna out of the house.
***
Luna stumbled out with the little man still clutched in her hand. There she stood as if in a daze, reflecting rather calmly on the events that had just transpired.

It would be all right. Dudley loved her. Dudley loved her.

And she had been thrown out of his house.

But it was going to be just fine. She knew Dudley loved her, they had even almost kissed, if it hadn’t been for Mr. Dursley. But they loved each other, and she wasn’t going to marry Rolf anymore.

“I’m so happy, Gape!” She squealed, bouncing the gnome in her hand.

He looked a bit bamboozled. “Hate ter brea’ it ter ya, miss, but ya’ve jus’ bin thrown outta tha’ geezer’s house.”

“Dudley will come for me,” she said simply. And miracle of miracles, just as she said it, he walked out of the door and ran towards her.

“Are you all right, Luna?”

“Why? Is there any problem?” She did not like seeing him worried.

Dudley laughed sarcastically. “Of course not.”

“I don’t have to marry Rolf now, do I?” She was still wearing her yellow dress robes.

Dudley hugged her to his chest and muttered, “No, Luna. You don’t.”

Luna closed her eyes and smiled. It felt so wonderful to be here, with Dudley, and knowing that he loved her made all the difference in the world. It was just perfect-

“OUCH! You’re- crushing- ME!” Gape’s tiny voice floated from her hand. She immediately uncurled her fist and stepped away from Dudley.

“Sorry,” she said, trying to bite back a laugh. “Sorry, I’ll just put you down now.”

Gape rolled his eyes and scampered off. Finally, Luna and Dudley were alone. But now that they were, she didn’t really know what to say or do.

“What about your parents?” Looking up just in time to see a look of hurt pass over his face, Luna felt a pang of despair. She didn’t want Dudley to be sad.

Finally, he said softly, “They’ll survive. I’m an adult now, and I can make my own decisions. If they don’t agree, I can’t do much.”

“But are you just going to abandon them?”

“I’m not the one who’s abandoning!”

“Fine. So…what now?”

Dudley shrugged. “I don’t know. Let’s talk.”

“About what?”

“I don’t know…those things of yours…crumpled things?”

Luna beamed. “Oh, you mean Snorcacks. Well, yes, they prefer waltzes, and I was to have some shipped for the reception, but right now I don’t really care.”

With that, she stood on tip-toes and kissed Dudley.
***
After years, or was it seconds? Dudley broke away from Luna. His heart was racing, adrenaline rushing. “Luna…” he whispered conspirationally. “Shall we… run away together? I mean, my parents aren’t going to have a sudden change in heart, I know them, and your friends… They might not appreciate you leaving Scamander…”

Luna broke away, face convoluted. “My friends, will be behind me whatever I do.”

Dudley smiled. “Hey, don’t get your knickers in a twist… I want to be the first one to do that to you… If you say your friends are loyal, they are! I believe you. On to business, shall we flee?”

“If you’re going, I’ll come with you, Dudley…” Luna looked deeply into his eyes.

“See, what we’ll do is, we’ll go, pick up whatever we want, and then we’ll meet… at the willow tree there? Under the willow tree, in two hours. Okay?”

“Sure, Dudley…”

And so they parted.

*

Dudley shuffled slowly to his house. By no means did he want to be caught by his parents again…

In front of the door, he spied the old company car that his father drove. Swearing under his breath, Dudley looked to the only opportunity available: the window. Being the wrestler he was, he shimmied up the tree quickly until he reached the window. He stopped a moment to regain his breath, and then, closing his fist, he smashed the window open with a noise that would have surely carried downstairs to his parents, if not to the neighbours. He had hardly any time… he jumped in, scratching himself in many places. His hand was freely bleeding.

Ignoring the pain, he locked the door so that his parents would be unable to enter, and proceeded to sweep all his things into a bag. Clothes, photos, iPod… There was a pounding on his door. He opened a cupboard and continued throwing stuff into his bag- his old wrestling shirt, his first ever punching bag, the gloves signed by the Undertaker…

There was a loud bang, a crash, and Dudley turned to see the door fall down in a cloud of dust.

Oh no! They were here! With double the speed, Dudley took another bag, and stuffed his possessions into it. He saw his father looking at him, furious, ready to charge…

“Oh Vernon, look at his hand! It’s bleeding! Oh, Diddykins, what happened?”

Dudley bit his lip, tried to fight back his tears. He didn’t deserve the love that his mother’s voice contained… He had hurt them, all for a girl. hot tears stung at his eyes…

Without looking back, Dudley jumped out of the window, caught onto the trunk, slid down the bumpy surface, and disappeared into the darkness, leaving his parents, and his old life behind.

*

He sat under the willow tree, crying silently. He held in his hands an album, full of pictures of when he was young.There he stood proudly, riding his bicycle for the first time, with his father. There he was, wailing with a bruised and scratched knee, being taken care of ever so lovingly, by his mother. And there he stood, holding his first ever wrestling award, and gazing proudly at him were his parents.

They were his pillars of strength- they were always there when he needed them. Sure, he had grown away from the steadily as he grew older, but there were so many times when he just wanted his mother to look into his eyes and say, “Diddykins… It’s okay.” Or his father to punch him fondly on his shoulder and say, “Show them, Dudley! Show them.”

He had left them, made them sad, angry- over such a small thing… He could never live peacefully, knowing that his parents were not happy with him.

He was removed from his reverie by the arrival of Luna. She was carrying a rucksack, and smiling brightly. “Shall we go, Dudley?” She then saw his tear-stained face, and became grave. “Dudley, what’s wrong?”

“No… nothing. It’s just that my parents… I’m leaving them behind!”

“Come on, Dudley, you can see them afterwards! And you can always send Gape or Guppy with a message to them!”

Dudley smiled, imaging his parent’s reaction if they found a gnome in their home.

“Yeah, you know what? I’m probably overreacting. Let’s leave, shall we?”

They walked towards his house, and got into the car.

As Dudley ignited the engine, Luna looked at him curiously and said, “Dudley, why did you ask me to send an invitation to that man, Count Stylaghiyurtsaz in Wiltshire? That was something rather strange…”

Dudley stopped in the process of reversing the car, and stared at Luna with fear-filled wide eyes. “Luna… That was a man, who blackmailed me, wanted an entrance into your wedding… He said he’d kill my parents otherwise… Luna, now that you’re not having a wedding, do you think he’d go… and, you know, murder… my parents?”

“Dudley, how did this man look?”

“I don’t really know, I didn’t see him… He did have blond hair…” It was then that Dudley noticed the recorder lying on the dashboard. “I… I have his voice! What he said! My recorder was on, and what he said should have been recorded…”

He grabbed the recorder, and pressed rewind.

Nothing happened. “Shit!” he cursed. “Damn batteries are dead…”

“From what you said, Dudley, the man seems to be Lucius Malfoy, a follower of Lord Voldemort…”

The name Lord Voldemort seemed to ring some bells for Dudley .”Wait… wasn’t he the guy who… kind of… killed Harry’s parents?”

“Yes Dudley, he’s the one… If the man is Malfoy, your parents are in danger. Grave danger.”

*

After Luna’s persuasion, Dudley had turned back, and headed to her home, where Harry Potter, and her other friends were. They had all agreed to help her.

“Dudley, where would Aunt and Uncle be now?” Harry asked Dudley, assuming the role of head.

“Umm… last I saw, they were at my house… They might have left by now.”

“Alright, we’ve got to split up. Neville, Luna, you both head over to Dudley’s house, check if they’re there. Dudley and I will go to his parents’ house; I can take him by side-along apparition. Bill, Charlie, please take Luna’s brooms and check the path between Dudley’s and his parents’ houses. Look out for their car. Dudley, can you please give Bill and Charlie the specifics of the car? Colour, model, whatever. Whoever finds the Dursleys, please send along your Patronus.”

Within seconds, the people had regrouped, and went about on their different missions.

“Dudley, hold onto my hand. It’ll feel strange, we’re Disapparating… that is… We’re disappearing from here, and appearing back somewhere else.”

“What? Harry, that isn’t possible! It’s against all laws of Physics… Chemistry… Biology… Whatever!”

“Dudley, Dudley, calm down.” And before Dudley could protest anymore, Harry gripped his hand, and twisted.

Dudley felt as though he was being squeezed, so hard that all the air escaped his lungs, his ribs were getting crushed, and he was gasping for breath… And then they were released.

“Harry, while going back, I’m going to take a taxi.” Dudley said.

Harry looked around with distaste at the horridly familiar garden of Number Four Privet Drive. He lifted a finger to his lips, and looked pointedly at Dudley, as if to say “Be quiet.”

He then motioned Dudley to stay, and with a lit wand, walked into the door.

Dudley was angry at being left alone. What did Harry think, just because he couldn’t spew light from a stick, he was not good enough to go with Harry? He heard voices from inside, and noises. He crept towards the window, and looked inside, to see Harry, and the blonde man fighting, light flying everywhere. The glass in the window blasted right onto Dudley’s face by a deflected beam of light. Dudley recoiled.

He looked into another window. Harry seemed to be losing. Dudley was all ready to go inside and help him… when a silver car pulled into the driveway.

Dudley could have smacked himself. Of all the bad timings in the world, this had to be the worst.

He couldn’t let his parents in, they’d get hurt! He ran towards the car, and as soon as the door opened, he hugged his mother.

“Mum, Dad, I’m so sorry for doing that!” His father looked at him queerly, his mother gave him a look of pure love, and happiness.

“Look at my Diddykins! Being so brave, and apologizing! No problem, we understand!” She sloppily planted a kiss on Dudley’s cheek.

“Dad,” Dudley said, moving towards his father, “I’m sorry… I… I realize I shouldn’t have done that, it was just at that moment… Dad, I’ve decided I care for you more than… than some freak girl…”

His father broke into a smile. “That’s my boy!” he said, punching Dudley on the arm. “I knew you would come to your senses… What do you say to heading over to that new McDonalds for a burger?”

Dudley put up a façade of a grin, though he was scared, anxious and nervous inside. Anything to keep his parents away from the house…“Sure, Dad!”

He got into the car, and so did his parents. They were just on the road, when something swooped above them, and landed behind.

“What the devil was that?” Vernon asked, looking behind.

Dudley knew that it was those people on broomsticks. He tried to hide his father’s line of sight by sitting in the middle of the back seat, and covering the glass at the back.

“Nothing, Dad! What are you talking about?”

His mother turned towards his father and whispered, “Vernon… It was… It was two men… Two men… On…” She lowered her voice even further. “Broomsticks.”

“WHAT?” roared Dudley’s father. “Dudley, what is this?”

“I… I honestly don’t know!”

“Dudley, don’t lie to your father! Tell me, boy!” He got out of the car, and started towards the house. Dudley jumped out. “Dad, Dad! Trust me, don’t go inside the house!”

“TRUST YOU? How can we trust you, when all you’ve done till now is LIE TO US?”

Dudley had no choice. He jumped onto his father, and pinned him on the ground, with great difficulty. With a wooden stick on the ground, he hit his head.

His father fell, unconscious. Dudley whimpered, scared that something had happened to him. There was a pulse, thank goodness.

He looked up to see his mother run into the house.

He ran after his mother, desperately trying to reach her. Cracks, fizzes and bangs could be heard from the house.

He rushed inside, and he found Bill, Charlie, and Harry fighting against the blond man. They were winning. Dudley held back his mother, who was not moving anyway, dumbstruck.

“Hello Dudley,” said a familiar, tinkling voice.
***
Luna looked around curiously. Bill, Charlie and Harry were fighting. She wondered how Harry had time to send her his Patronus when he was currently in a headlock. Nevertheless, she joined Neville and got Harry out.

“SECTUMSEMPRA!” bellowed the tall, blonde haired man; in the process, his hood fell off, revealing him to be Draco Malfoy.

Suddenly a wave of rage swept over Luna. This was the man who had tried to harm Dudley.

“YOU! I’LL KILL YOU!” And she managed to Stupefy him.

There was a moment of silence. Then everyone started shouting at once- Bill was calling the Aurors, Harry was massaging his neck, and Mr. Dursley-

“DUDLEY DURSLEY! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?” Mr. Dursley’s face was turning purple by the second, and a vein was throbbing on his forehead. “WHAT IS WITH THE FREAKS?”

Luna was quite terrified, to be frank. To her alarm, Dudley was going red, too. “THESE FREAKS SAVED YOUR LIFE, DAD!”

“I- YOU- JUST- BOY!” Mr. Dursley rounded on a particularly alarmed Harry. “YOU’RE THE ONE WHO BOTCHED EVERYTHING UP! ASKING DUDLEY TO HELP YOUR FREAKISH FRIEND-”

“THAT’S ENOUGH, DAD!” Dudley’s chest was heaving, and only Luna noticed that his eyes were wet. “I WANT OUT! IF YOU CAN’T LIVE WITH LUNA, THEN I’M OUT!”

With that, he stormed out of the house.

Mrs. Dursley burst into tears. “Vernon, why-”

Harry broke in. “Right now the main concern is getting Dudley.”

Luna suddenly jerked back to life. “I’m going to look for him.”

“I’ll help- ” Neville started.

“NO. You lot take care for Malfoy, I’ll go get him,” Luna snapped, running out of the main door. She realised that none of them must have seen her snap in their whole lives. Smiling to herself, she called out “Sorry!” in her normal voice and ran after Dudley’s fading silhouette.

“DUDLEY! COME BACK!”

He looked around. His face was a mask of pain, and Luna felt a twinge in her heart.

“I’m sorry, Luna. Goodbye.”
*
Luna stared hollowly at the wooden ceiling above her bed in the tiny room that she lived in now. Feeling slightly cold, she pulled the blanket tighter around her.

It had been a month or so since Dudley had gone away. Since then, Luna’s life had been one painful day to another, thinking of him, sitting somewhere all alone…

It was a few days after he left that she decided to order that shipping of Snorcacks, after all. Snorcacks had healing properties which could even bond relationships. Perhaps Mr. Dursley and Dudley would have reconciliation?

Luna absently stroked the little animal beside her. The baby Snorcack would do best. It would remind both the Dursleys of the innocence of the past years, and would reignite the sweet love that they shared. And perhaps an understanding would be made.

Or would it?

How could it, when Luna didn’t know where Dudley was, and couldn’t contact Vernon? How was she to make them meet, how was she to make it all work out?

Tears came to Luna’s eyes and she hugged the Snorcack to herself. It purred and rubbed its little horn against her cheek.

She really missed Dudley…she wanted to be with him. But how?
*
Petunia Dursley looked around her shiftily and knocked on the door. After a minute, someone opened it. Petunia looked at the creature in disgust; it was the same one that had come to her house with Dumbledore.

“I’d like to see Mr. Potter, please,” she said, stepping into the warm household. The boy himself came running down the corridor.
“Yes, Aunt Petunia?”

“Well, er…H-Harry, I have a favour to ask of you,” Petunia said tentatively. “You see, despite that girl, I want my Diddykins to be happy, and only you can help me with that.”

“Fine, Aunt Petunia.”
*
Someone knocked on Luna’s door. It was Thomas, the manager.

“Courier for Ms Lovegood,” he sang, handing a little package to her.

“Thank you,” Luna said tonelessly. He walked out the door, banging it shut unceremoniously.

Luna tore the paper off methodically, and opened the box. It was a little silver pendant in the form of a half-heart.

Despite herself, she was curious, and she opened the letter that came along with it.

Dear Luna,

It’s me. Harry. I know where you are and I can understand how you’re feeling, so I’ve enchanted this pendant. You can press it anytime and talk to Dudley; he’s gotten the same one. I hope you both can work things out.

Love,
Harry.

PS: Oh, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville say hi.

Luna stared at the tiny half-heart in incredulity. This…this was going to help her contact Dudley!

Immediately she pressed it. There was a whoosh like wind, and then she heard that wonderful sound: Dudley’s voice.

“Luna? Is that you?”

“Yes,” Luna gasped. “Dudley…oh, Dudley, how are you?”

There was silence for a moment. Then: “I’m okay. And you?”

Luna pondered the question for some time before answering “I’m all right.”

She proceeded to tell him her plans about the baby Snorcack. Again, he didn’t say anything for a long time.

“Luna, no offense, but I really don’t think that a baby Snorcack is going to convince Dad…I think the only option left is to run.”

Luna felt a little disappointed, but immediately brightened up at the prospect of being with him again. “Whatever you say.”

“I’m coming over,” he said with steel in his voice. She heard the whoosh again, and put the pendant down.
*
Waiting was the hardest part. She was literally shaking in anticipation, but there was a bit of apprehension, too…what would Dudley be like after such a long time? Would he still love-

Now she was being paranoid. Of course he would still love her! Why, if he did not, would he drive all the way to where she was staying?

And just as she was thinking this, there was a knock on her door. They didn’t wait for her to open it.

Dudley strode into room and picked Luna up.

“It’s so nice to see you,” he exclaimed, twirling her around.

“You, too.”

After he set her down, she Summoned a chair from him, causing his eyes to go wide, and gestured for him to sit down.

“Okay, Dudley,” she said softly. “Stop this façade of yours.” It was paining her to see his forced smile and sad eyes.
Immediately his shoulders slumped and he put his face in his hands. Luna was quite alarmed, but put her arms around him and held him tight.

“You’ve been hurt, so you just cry,” she said. And he did.
*
“Everything’s set,” Dudley announced, slamming the boot shut with finality. “We’re ready to go!”

Finally, finally they were leaving. They were going to get their happily ever after!

Dudley started the car and looked at Luna, grinning. “We’re really going to do this, aren’t we?”

Luna smiled back. “Yes, we are.”

The Snorcack purred.

“I really like that little guy, you know,” Dudley said, stroking it with his fingertips.

And they set off.
*
The destination was Aunt Augusta’s, who, somehow, in a fit of generosity or insanity, had written her summer house down to Luna’s name in her will.

The hours were long, yet the day seemed short; before they knew it, sunset had taken over the sky and it was dusk.

And there were two figures standing in the middle of the road.

Two horribly familiar figures.

Dudley swore loudly and hit the brakes. Getting out of the car, they finally recognised the remaining Dursleys.

“Dad?”

“Ahem. Dudley-” Mr. Dursley began, but was cut off by Mrs. Dursley.

“Oh, Diddykins, never mind about the girl,” she sobbed, clutching Dudley’s hand. “We just want you to be happy!”

“Is this some sort of joke?” Dudley was looking at his parents as if they had gone crazy-which, Luna concluded, they probably had.

“Mr. Dursley?” Luna said in a tiny voice. “Mr. Dursley, is it really all right?”

His face went slightly purple, but he regained his composure and even managed a smile. “If that’s what he wants, we can’t do much about it,” he said gruffly.

Then he did something very unusual. He extended a hand.

Luna was surprised. Nevertheless, she shook it tentatively. He withdrew his almost instantaneously.

“Well,” Mr. Dursley said loudly, “this is goodbye, then, for now. We’ll see you at Christmas, son!”

Dudley embraced him, and then Mrs. Dursley.

After a few bittersweet moments, the Dursleys left in their car and Dudley and Luna were left alone.

The last rays of the sun cast a blood-red light over both the lovers. Dudley’s brown eyes were sparkling as he looked down at Luna. She smiled back and stood on her toes again to kiss him.

And the two lovers from worlds apart formed a bridge between worlds, united forever.