Harry found himself sitting at the dinner table with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. He honestly couldn't remember if this had ever happened in his previous life. His head was spinning, he desperately wanted his wand within reach, and the fact that no one was talking made it all the more awkward.
"How…" Vernon started. "How was your year?"
"Me?" Dudley asked.
"Yes." Vernon nodded quickly. "And Harry too."
"Pretty boring." Dudley shrugged his shoulders. "The weather was shite through football season and there wasn't enough interest to get ruby going."
"Language, Dudley." Petunia gasped.
"Sorry, mum." Dudley blushed.
"What about you, Harry?" Vernon finally managed to look at him.
"Thank you for asking." Harry said carefully. "I know how much talking about magic makes you uncomfortable."
Vernon shook his head. "No, no. I asked about your year."
The man paused, seemingly shocked by his own words. Petunia and Dudley looked at Vernon as well.
"Harry." Petunia turned to look at him. "Something changed, hasn't it?"
Harry nodded. "I don't know how much you were told about the 'protection' that was placed around the house."
"Not much." Petunia whispered.
"I learned something new recently and was able to take a closer look." Harry explained. "There wasn't any sort of protection in place."
Vernon blanched; Petunia gasped.
"Instead, there were spells in place to compel anyone in the area to think being different was wrong, and that magic was evil." Harry explained. "There was something similar cast on me as well. Spells to make people focus on negative feelings around me and to doubt everything I said." Harry cleared his throat, trying to clear the lump that was forming. "Today, I was able to remove those spells."
Vernon sat back in his chair. Petunia wept openly. Dudley stared at his cousin.
"I can already see how you're changing." Harry continued. "You obviously can too."
"Harry Hunting. My friends and I…" Dudley said.
"It wasn't you." Harry whispered. "At least not all of it. The spells can't create something from nothing, but with how long you were exposed, even the littlest things would become so much more." He paused. "It wasn't just you. The spell cast on me affected everyone around me, the wards around the house served to amplify it."
"I broke your arm." Vernon choked out. "How many times? Four? No, more than that. I'm a monster."
"I smashed your hand with a pan." Petunia sobbed. "Your head, I left razor marks all over your scalp."
"This was magic?" Vernon looked up at Harry.
Harry nodded. A familiar feeling of dread began to form in the pit of his stomach.
"Who did this?" Vernon growled.
"Albus Dumbledore." Harry replied.
Petunia gasped. She sprang from her chair and wrapped Harry into a hug. He had no idea she was so affectionate.
"That was the man who sent you here." Vernon said. "I remember the note."
"He was the one who put the spells on me too." Harry continued.
"Why?" Petunia held him tightly. "Why would he do this?"
"The wizard that killed my parents." Harry's voice came out muffled. "We're connected. I'm the one who has to kill him. I think Dumbledore was setting me up to die while doing it. That way he'd get me and Riddle out of the way without having to put himself in danger."
Vernon stood. Harry tensed as the man walked over to him.
"This was a lot to take in. We can speak more in the morning." Vernon cleared his throat.
Harry watched as his uncle hurried out of the dining room. His aunt was still holding him in a hug.
"Mate." Dudley whispered. "Um… I… I am so sorry. I'll talk to my mates. You're my cousin."
"Thank you, Dudley." Harry smiled at him.
"Maybe we can talk more tomorrow?" Dudley asked. "This magic stuff sounds wicked."
Harry nodded. "Do you think you can get your mum to let me go?"
Dudley laughed. He stood and grabbed his mother gently by the shoulders.
"Come on, mum." Dudley said. "Harry needs to breath."
"Right." Petunia let Harry go. She placed a kiss on his forehead. "Right."
"I think we all need to get some sleep." Harry offered.
Petunia nodded.
"I'll put away the leftovers." Harry said.
"I can help." Dudley looked around the kitchen. "Where are the containers?"
"Cupboard beside the fridge, bottom shelf." Harry answered.
This sparked another sniffle from Petunia. Harry stood up. For the first time in his life, Harry hugged his aunt. She practically collapsed onto him.
"It's okay now." Harry whispered. "It wasn't you."
He let her go. Petunia hurried out of the room. He could hear her heading upstairs.
"Um." Dudley walked over to the table holding a couple of plastic containers. "I'm not really tired. Do you want to play some games? I got a Nintendo in my room."
"Sure." Harry nodded. "That sounds fun. You'll have to show me how to play though."
The containers disappeared from his hands, a moment later the fridge opened, and the pizza-filled boxes were set in place.
"Wicked." Dudley said. "Can you do that to my room? It's a mess."
"I didn't do that." Harry said. "Dobby!"
The elf appeared. Dudley let out a little yelp of shock and hopped away from the new arrival.
"Sorry." Harry chuckled. "Dobby this is my cousin, Dudley. Dudley, this is Dobby, he works for me."
"H-Hello." Dudley stuttered.
"Does Harry Potter need Dobby?" The elf asked.
"Thank you for putting away the leftover."
"Dobby is happy to serve." Dobby smiled broadly.
"It's a little scary for my family when you do it without them seeing." Harry continued. "When possible, please stay visible. To Dudley and Petunia, for now. We'll see how Vernon takes it and go from there."
"Of course, Great Harry Potter, sir." Dobby turned to the table and began tidying up.
"Did you still want to play some videogames?" He turned his attention to Dudley.
"Sure." Dudley whispered.
"Dobby, would you like to come with us?" Harry asked.
"Dobby doesn't know what these games are, but Dobby is very excited to learn." The elf hopped happily in place.
"We have to wait until tomorrow for my new bedding." Harry explained. "I'm going to be sleeping in my old room tonight." He paused. "I wonder if we could make a trip to Diagon Alley tomorrow too."