Redemption (Dudley Dursley)

XVII. Trouble.

It seemed like no time at all had passed but in reality almost a month had. The sun was beating down at incredible rates causing everyone who wasn't used to such heat to sweat considerably. This was good though for economic and tourist reasons because a lot of people were visiting from all over the world to see the famous city with their own eyes. This was a reason why Dudley had opted to not actually live in the centre of city but in the suburban areas. Of course he could easily have lived further away from the centre since there was direct public transport on almost every street.

Instead he purchased a large home in one of the closer suburbs. The past week or so he has been given not much of a choice but to go into work for meetings from other businessmen seeking an alliance of some form concerning their business'. He always refused because he is not interested in the money but a lot of people in this circle don't understand that. To them money is everything and they want more and more of it. He stood out a lot but at least he now didn't stand out in a way he used to.

Overweight, spoiled, and ungrateful.

Ever since his revelation of having to forgive himself he has been tortured by memories of his childhood upbringing. It was completely out of his control but he could have at least learned how to take 'no' for an answer. A lot can change in a few years. There was no way he could ever have become the person he is now if it weren't for Harry. If his cousin hadn't gone out of his way to ensure their protection (despite them not deserving it in the slightest bit at all) he probably would have been sitting behind a desk studying a drilling manual.

Things must really do happen for a reason because now everything had completely turned around. Ever since Petunia and Vernon's divorce had been finalised, his father had not had any contact with him. To an extent he was glad for this but he also couldn't deny that he was a little upset at it. After all, family is family. It may not always feel like it but at the end of the day family should protect each other. Not be disgusted by each other. It wasn't Dudley's fault- well, maybe it was- but it was his father who was being extremely selfish and childish. Much like he used to be.

If Dudley hadn't responded to Harry's first letter though he wouldn't have been able to bury the hatchet. If he didn't bury the hatchet, he would be living in constant guilt. If he hadn't then Petunia wouldn't have realised just how toxic her marriage actually was. Speaking of his mum, she had settled very easily into her new home and her son visited her every weekend along with his wife. It wasn't a long journey to Little Whinging from Fulham so it was very convenient for the trips.

Over the last fortnight too, Petunia had finally started to open up about Lily. He could always see it in her eyes just how much it hurt Petunia to speak of her deceased sister seen as she herself had never gotten closure. Which was why on the last occasion Dudley had met up with Harry he asked where his parents were buried. Harry had simply replied Godric's Hollow which he had been to momentarily before when his cousin showed him the ruins of what was his house.

He knew the village wasn't accessible simply by a muggle but if the muggle was with someone who was magic they could get in. So he had suggested to Harry that maybe Petunia could finally get the closure she desperately needed in order to let go of all of her unanswered questions that never would be answered. Death is irreversible despite a lot of people not wanting this. There are people who just see death as the start of another great adventure but Dudley and Petunia had never been religious. Neither was Felicity or her family despite her home village predominantly being roman catholic.

He never looked down on people for it though. To him, it was their beliefs and no one else's. Nobody should ever be told how to live their life and instead should be allowed to live their life the way they want to live their life. Of course there are times when there isn't an option but the majority of the time this is not the case.