Harry Potter: Dudley From LOTM

Under Dudley's control, a small cart of dung was easily transported to a large pit dozens of meters away. He then pushed the cart aside and peered into the shadowy depths of the Forbidden Forest.

"Let Harry and the others shovel dung for a while longer," he muttered to himself. "I'll go into the Forbidden Forest and take a look." He glanced back at the edge of the forest. From his position, the dense jungle obscured any view of Harry and Ron, and they certainly couldn't see what he was doing.

Dudley slowly walked deeper into the Forbidden Forest. This ancient wood occupied a considerable area, teeming with unseen magical creatures. While his curiosity had previously been tempered by caution, today, feeling the fresh surge of power from his newly digested Beyonder characteristics, he decided to indulge in a brief exploration. After all, if Hogwarts dared to assign them a task here, the immediate vicinity was likely deemed safe.

After penetrating about a hundred meters into the forest, the light dimmed considerably. The towering trees formed a thick canopy overhead, almost entirely blocking out the sunlight. All that met the eye were wildly growing plants, and massive trunks that would require more than ten people to encircle. Though faint paths crisscrossed the ground, they were overgrown with weeds, snagging at his clothes with every step.

Dudley stopped. Despite his curiosity, he dared not proceed further than a hundred meters. The atmosphere here had become strangely oppressive, a profound sense of pressure emanating from the environment itself. Standing amidst such ancient, untamed growth, he felt incredibly small.

"This Forbidden Forest is truly extraordinary," Dudley mused, gazing into its impenetrable depths. "It gives me a feeling of pervasive danger."

Without venturing any deeper, Dudley turned and walked back out.

"Took you long enough!" Harry complained, seeing Dudley push the empty cart out of the treeline.

"It's all branches inside, very hard to walk," Dudley said, a hint of truth in his voice. "How about you guys go deliver the dung, and I'll shovel it here?"

"No way!" Ron quickly interjected, eyeing the dark forest with apprehension. "That forest looks terrifying no matter how you look at it. I wouldn't dare go in." The last time he had been near the Forbidden Forest, he had seen a monstrous spider, a memory that still sent shivers down his spine. He would not enter alone.

Dudley left the empty cart and pushed another fully loaded one back towards the Forbidden Forest. After entering its depths, he repeated the process: a whispered Levitation Charm, and the cart floated towards the dung pit, emptying its malodorous contents. Just as he was about to leave, he frowned slightly, turning to peer into the forest's shadowy interior.

Is something spying on me? he wondered. The gloom within the forest was too deep, obscuring any clear view, even with his spiritual vision activated. Dudley didn't linger. He floated the empty cart back out.

In the hours that followed, the three boys toiled tirelessly, their efforts slowly but surely reducing the mountainous pile of dung. The malodorous heap gradually dwindled, its contents transported into the Forbidden Forest.

"Only three more carts left," Harry suggested as dusk began to fall. "Let's do them together to make it faster."

"Okay," Dudley agreed.

Ron was still reluctant to enter the Forbidden Forest, but with Dudley accompanying him, he reluctantly assented. The three of them pushed the last three carts of dung into the encroaching darkness of the forest.

"Damn it, this path is too difficult to walk," Ron began to complain the moment they stepped inside. The path was indeed treacherous, littered with branches and overgrown roots, forcing them to be incredibly careful to avoid getting dung on themselves.

"It's only this section that's hard to walk," Dudley said. "It gets better ahead." As he spoke, he looked into the depths of the Forbidden Forest again. He still felt as if something was watching him from within, a persistent, unseen gaze. Yet, he sensed no ill intent, no immediate danger.

By the time the last three carts of dung were emptied, Harry and Ron were almost collapsing onto the ground, utterly exhausted.

"I can't believe I spent a whole day shoveling dung at Hogwarts," Ron groaned weakly. "This must never get out to Fred and George, or I'll be mocked for the entire summer."

"I'm afraid the smell clinging to you won't hide the fact that you spent a day shoveling dung," Dudley said, a faint smile on his face.

Ron quickly sniffed himself, his face scrunched up. "Do I smell?" He had become numb to the stench. Just as Dudley had said before, one eventually got used to it.

"The three of us are pretty much the same," Harry admitted, sniffing his own sleeve.

"Let's go," Dudley said. "We can head back." It was completely dark now, and through the gaps in the dense canopy, glimmering starlight could be seen in the night sky.

Clip-clop, clip-clop…

Suddenly, the distinct sound of hooves echoed through the silent woods.

"What's that sound?" Dudley was the first to react, turning to look into the trees. Harry and Ron nervously looked behind them as well.

"No need to be nervous," a faint voice carried through the air. Immediately after, a very tall Centaur emerged from behind a massive tree, slowly walking towards them.

"A Centaur!" Ron almost shrieked, his eyes wide. Harry was equally shocked.

Dudley's expression, however, remained calm. He stared at the Centaur, recognizing the intelligent gaze. This was undoubtedly the being who had been subtly watching him in the Forbidden Forest earlier.

This Centaur was strikingly young, with flowing white-blonde hair and the powerful body of a silver-maned horse. He radiated a quiet dignity.

"Hello," Dudley said politely, stepping slightly forward. "May I ask if there's anything?" He knew of the Centaur community; they were a proud, reclusive race in the magical world, known for their disdain for human affairs, save for their dedication to astrology. Many Centaurs resided in the Forbidden Forest, rarely venturing to its outskirts or leaving their territory.

"Hello. My name is Firenze," the Centaur replied, his voice calm and melodic. His gaze swept over Dudley and Ron, finally settling on Harry. "You're the Potter boy, aren't you?"

"Yes," Harry replied, a bit puzzled but nodding nonetheless.

"I apologize for disturbing you all," Firenze said. "I came here only to give you some warnings and advice." He glanced at the sky above, his eyes fixed on a particular point. "Mars has been unusually bright recently."

Dudley and the other two exchanged bewildered glances, not understanding the Centaur's meaning. Dudley, for all his unique abilities, did not possess any talent in astrology, nor was it part of his Beyonder pathway.

"The trajectories of the stars foretell the future," Firenze continued, his gaze still fixed on the heavens. "We can glimpse a part of fate's secrets within them." He lowered his head, his deep eyes now focused entirely on Harry. "I know you've come to this school, and I know of the difficulties you face, but recently, some… changes have occurred."

"I do not know what you have encountered, Harry Potter," Firenze said, his voice now tinged with a solemn awe. "Your destiny is undergoing drastic changes. The original star paths are already blurred and unreadable. Even those among us Centaurs who are most skilled in astrology have been unable to discern your fate. In fact, in the most recent astrological reading, they suffered severe damage and are barely clinging to life."

[Chapter Complete]

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