The position of Hogwarts governor was always in Dudley's sights. It wasn't just about the title—it came with real influence. With that role, Dudley could have a voice in the Ministry of Magic.
After all, who doesn't have kids or relatives?
There are only a handful of magical schools in Europe. If you're not sending your kids to Hogwarts, where else are you going?
Plus, securing the governor spot only cost Dudley a bit of pocket change.
He's got no shortage of that. Whether it's pounds or Galleons, he's swimming in so much money he can't even keep count. In the Muggle world, his business ventures are booming—he's bought up properties all the way to the other side of the globe. In the wizarding world? Forget about it. His Dragonlance Chronicles books have him raking in gold, and his wizarding card game is a steady cash cow. Oh, and the venom from those Forbidden Forest Acromantulas? One ounce goes for a hundred Galleons. He's rich enough to never worry about food or drink again.
Now, he's gearing up to upgrade the wizarding card game and bring The Lord of the Rings from the Muggle world to the wizarding one. It's his work, after all. And in Dudley's plans, there's another game-changer on the horizon.
Next step? Movies. Merchandise.
Dudley comes from an era obsessed with entertainment, and he knows the kind of impact it can have.
Time to give these bored wizards, who are starving for fun, a little shock and awe.
So, logically and emotionally, the head governor spot is a must for Dudley. The British Ministry of Magic might be a mess, but it has its perks. With enough money and status, doors open wide.
Of course, Dudley hasn't forgotten about helping Harry reclaim the Potter family's shampoo empire. That's part of the plan too.
The Potters practically monopolized the wizarding shampoo industry. How could they only have a tiny vault of Galleons?
That piddly amount wouldn't even cover what Dudley makes in a week.
So, the question is… where's the money? Where'd it all go?
By the way, Dudley's already started house-hunting in the wizarding world. He's picked out a spot right near the old Potter family estate.
It's a bit of a personal obsession—whether in the wizarding or Muggle world, he's gotta have at least one house.
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Outside Hogwarts Castle, near the Forbidden Forest by the gamekeeper's hut.
With the Chamber of Secrets issue fully resolved, Hagrid was back from the Ministry. Right now, he was hauling a massive crate and plunking it down in front of Dudley.
"Dudley, here's what you asked for," Hagrid said, giving the crate a hearty pat. His massive strength made the thing creak loudly.
"Catching these slimy, slippery buggers wasn't easy. They nearly wrecked my vegetable patch—ruined countless cabbages and pumpkins. I tried all sorts of ways to get rid of the little pests, but nothing worked."
"They keep coming back no matter how many you kill."
"No natural predators either. Even goblins, who'll eat anything, won't touch 'em."
Hagrid rambled on, spilling details about the crate's contents—habits, quirks, precautions. Problem was, his thoughts were all over the place, jumping from one thing to another, leaving Dudley a bit dazed.
Inside the crate? A wriggling mass of carnivorous slugs. Or, more accurately, carnivorous flobberworms.
These critters exist in both the Muggle and wizarding worlds.
In the Muggle world, carnivorous slugs eat earthworms and other slugs. They're a bit bigger and more colorful than your average slug but harmless to humans. Wizarding carnivorous slugs, though? Whole different story. They're much bigger, with a broader diet that includes small magical creatures like Puffskeins. And they're not exactly friendly to humans either.
Their teeth are about as sharp as a piranha's.
Plus, they're not picky eaters. They'll munch on just about anything, including Hogwarts' vegetable gardens. Hagrid even bought a special potion to drive them off, but the results? Meh, not great.
The real issue is their toughness. These things are nearly indestructible and breed like crazy.
Yup, breeding as fast as a Veela's charm.
Hagrid, curious, asked, "So, what do you need these things for?"
"Some experiments," Dudley replied curtly, lifting the crate's lid to check on the slugs.
The carnivorous slugs Hagrid caught were huge and in top condition. They were already gnawing at the crate, trying to chew their way out.
Those teeth were seriously sharp.
"Potions, right? Gotta be potions," Hagrid said. "Only that class would use these gross, troublesome critters. But I heard carnivorous slugs aren't stable enough to be proper potion ingredients."
When it came to magical creatures, Hagrid could talk your ear off all day.
Seeing Dudley focused entirely on the slugs and not responding, Hagrid scratched his head awkwardly and fell silent for a moment.
"Dudley… I heard from Dumbledore. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have gotten out of trouble so fast. You solved the Chamber mystery. You found the truth and took down the culprit."
Hagrid stumbled over his words, hesitating. When Dudley glanced at him, he finally managed, in a clumsy tone, "I… I just wanna say, thanks."
"I… I treated you and your family so badly before. And you still helped me. I… I don't know how to repay you."
You could tell he wasn't used to thanking people.
"No big deal, Hagrid. It was just a small thing," Dudley said with a wave of his hand. Helping Hagrid was honestly just a side effect.
But the more casual Dudley acted, the guiltier Hagrid felt.
Hard to believe Hagrid and Voldemort were at Hogwarts at the same time, classmates even.
They didn't look it either. Hagrid's rugged face made him seem, at most, forty.
In reality, Hagrid was pushing seventy.
Same with Voldemort.
Seeing Hagrid squirm uncomfortably, Dudley paused and said, "Actually, there's something I could use your advice on."
"Really? For real?" Hagrid's eyes lit up, then dimmed. "But I don't know much. You're so talented, so brilliant. I heard people say you might be Hogwarts' best student. I mean, I probably can't help you."
"Don't sell yourself short," Dudley said, waving him off. "Everyone's got their specialty, and you're way better than me in this one."
"Really? I'm that good?" Hagrid thumped his chest, the sound like a drumroll. "Tell me what you need, and if I can do it, it's done!"
"How do you crossbreed different species of magical creatures?"