"What could you possibly plead for me?" Dudley laughed, touched by Harry's concern despite himself.
If this situation truly required his expulsion to resolve, then even Harry's intervention would prove useless.
"I... I could at least speak on your behalf or help shoulder some of the responsibility so you wouldn't get expelled," Harry said earnestly.
"Forget it. If I really did get expelled, I'd simply leave Hogwarts. It wouldn't be the end of the world," Dudley replied with casual indifference.
Harry's face went even paler. "Were you actually expelled?"
"No, the matter has been completely resolved," Dudley assured him. Seeing Harry's worried expression, he patted his cousin's shoulder reassuringly. "Although we've broken numerous school rules along the way, even violated some laws, it's all within the acceptable parameters of the system. Do you understand?"
Harry shook his head in confusion.
"Let me explain it differently. If we hadn't broken those rules, this entire incident would have been far more difficult to handle. We actually helped Professor Dumbledore solve some serious problems. If he were to punish us now, he'd have to acknowledge his own mistakes, which would make everything even more complicated," Dudley simplified.
"So that's why he claimed the fire dragon was something he had you and Hagrid raise?" Harry said with dawning comprehension.
"Exactly right." Dudley nodded approvingly.
"I think I understand what you mean," Harry said, though certain details remained unclear. What mattered most was that Dudley was safe.
"Let's head back," Dudley suggested, starting toward Gryffindor Tower.
"Wait!" Harry quickly grabbed Dudley's arm, then rushed back to retrieve the Invisibility Cloak from the ground, covering both of them beneath its silvery folds.
"What's wrong?" Dudley looked at Harry strangely.
"Professor McGonagall wouldn't let me leave, and she's already announced your story to everyone. Now the entire school wants to find you to learn about this whole dragon knight situation. If you show yourself now, you'll never escape the crowds," Harry explained.
Dudley imagined the scene of being mobbed by frenzied classmates and gratefully accepted Harry's thoughtfulness.
Protected beneath the Invisibility Cloak, they made their way slowly toward Gryffindor Tower. Along the route, Dudley witnessed countless excited students frantically shouting his name throughout the corridors.
Even without knowing the complete details, just the fact that Dudley had ridden a fire dragon into battle against a dark wizard was enough to set all of Hogwarts ablaze with excitement. In every student's imagination, this represented the ultimate in coolness, something beyond their wildest dreams.
If they had accomplished such a feat themselves, they would undoubtedly boast about it for the rest of their lives.
Anyone who hadn't known the name Dudley Dursley before certainly knew it now. His reputation had spread to every corner of Hogwarts, and even the ghosts were chattering about his exploits.
"Actually, this is quite wonderful," Harry said suddenly.
"What do you mean?" Dudley asked.
"From this point forward, when people see you, they won't think 'Harry Potter's cousin' anymore. They'll know you by your own name. Eventually, when they see me, they'll say, 'That's Dudley's cousin,' haha."
Harry's joke carried genuine warmth.
Since entering the magical world, Harry had always lived with fame, which brought both honor and burden. No matter where he went, eyes followed him constantly. Many things that would pass unnoticed if accomplished by ordinary students attracted far more criticism and controversy when the famous Harry Potter made mistakes.
The higher others elevated you, the more painful the fall became, and some people delighted in kicking you while you were down.
Now that everyone's attention had shifted to Dudley, Harry felt considerably more relaxed. Initially, he might not adjust well to the change, but over time he'd discover it was quite pleasant.
"I don't think so. After all, who in the wizarding world doesn't know Harry Potter? If there really is someone unfamiliar with your fame, I'd suggest they read 'Modern Magical History,' 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts'..."
"Stop, stop!" Harry quickly prevented Dudley from continuing his recitation.
"Hahaha..." Dudley chuckled quietly.
Harry joined in the laughter.
As they approached Gryffindor Tower, the corridors finally grew less crowded.
"Harry, honestly, do you resent me for how I treated you before, and my parents too?" Dudley asked, his voice carrying unexpected vulnerability.
"Hmm?" Harry looked startled, then realized what Dudley was referring to.
"You mean those things from our childhood?"
Harry's expression grew thoughtful.
"Honestly, of course there was resentment. You basically used me as a punching bag for ten years. Do you have any idea how I survived those years?" Harry glanced at Dudley with a mixture of old pain and new understanding.
Dudley bit his lip and didn't dare respond.
"But after coming to Hogwarts, I gained a different perspective," Harry continued. "You might not have treated me well, and you certainly bullied me, but you didn't let me become homeless, and you didn't send me to an orphanage. Although I didn't eat fancy meals, I never went hungry either. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon would discipline me, but usually only when I'd done something genuinely wrong."
"I had school to attend and clothes to wear, and I could even secretly play your game console when you weren't around. Life wasn't good, but it wasn't terrible either. Much better than those truly abused children you see in the news."
Harry spoke while organizing his thoughts.
"There's something else you don't know. I discussed all of this with Ron before. After hearing my story, he shared his own experiences too. His family's financial situation isn't very comfortable. He's always used his brothers' hand-me-downs: old robes, old wands, and even his pet was something his brother didn't want anymore. His parents discipline him when he misbehaves, but that doesn't mean they don't love him."
"Ron also had me consider things from a different angle. If the relationship between you and me had remained like before, full of mutual hatred that carried into adulthood, and one day you were suddenly killed by someone, and then your child was placed on my doorstep, what would I do?"
"I have to admit, I probably wouldn't adopt that child," Harry said with brutal honesty.
"I don't know what happened between Aunt Petunia and my mother, but I think their relationship probably wasn't completely awful. Maybe just some misunderstandings that never got properly explained. Otherwise, she probably wouldn't have taken me in at all."
At this point, Harry suddenly smiled and turned to face Dudley directly.
"You know what? I once thought you were the most detestable person in this entire world."
"And then?" Dudley asked, bracing himself.
"Until I met Malfoy!"
"Hahaha..."
Both cousins burst into laughter, their voices echoing through the corridor. The sound was too loud, attracting attention from several students nearby. They had to run quickly under the Invisibility Cloak's protection to escape the area, their shared laughter creating a bond that years of hostility had never managed to break.