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"Oh, you two are going to enjoy this!" Dudley said, his voice warm as he led his parents toward the Quidditch Stadium's top box that he had booked. Unlike the rest of the fans, he didn't feel the need to set up camp and stay overnight. After all, he was only there for the finals.
Furthermore, he had no plans of staying there afterward since the Death Eater attack was going to take place later that night. The last thing he wanted was for his parents to loathe wizards just when they had started liking them.
The cheering of the crowd was ear-shattering. Irish fans and Bulgarian fans, as if competing who could destroy their vocals first. Eventually after the fireworks, the enchanting Veelas performed their display.
"Oh—I quite like this," Vernon commented, much to Petunia's dislike.
Dudley chuckled and looked around himself. He could see the Minister's cabin from where he was, Draco and his family were in the same cabin, and as he expected, the boy was vengeful, staring at him.
Then, looking in the other direction, he noticed some foreign guests, likely government representatives. In fact, the only reason he got that prime seat was because of his absurd wealth, that was it. However, he had to go through Goblins to get it. The bastards were masters of inflating prices.
Boom!
"It's starting!" Dudley pointed at the players. "That's the Golden Snitch. If a Seeker can catch it, they win 150 points and the match ends right away. But it's absurdly hard to do it…"
Dudley explained all the rules to his parents while enjoying the action-packed, high-speed gameplay. Although he and his parents didn't support any team, they simply enjoyed the magical nature of the game.
Eventually, food was also served in his box. As he'd expected, Vernon loved the Butterbeer.
"Dear boy, make sure you bring a box of these for your dad," Vernon requested, more into the drink than the game.
"You will do no such thing, Dudley." Petunia refused. "Look at him. Your father will burst like a balloon if not stopped."
At that, he had to agree.
Woosh!
As a broom flew by near them, they focused on the game again.
Slowly, time went by and the score rose. In the end, Ireland defeated Bulgaria and took the World Cup home. The skies lit up with fireworks as the closing ceremony ended.
However, Dudley didn't wait and led his parents down through the steep staircases. He didn't want to get stuck in the crowds or, worse, with the Malfoys.
"That was wonderful!" Vernon declared, a bottle of Butterbeer still in his hand. "I had no idea the wizards had such fine creations… I mean sports."
"Hah, it's probably the only decent thing to come from the wizards, Dad," Dudley said with a light chuckle and eventually neared the lowest floors. "How about we head back to London and go to that restaurant you used to take me and Harry to?"
"Sounds like a plan." Petunia agreed and caringly grabbed her son's arm. Words weren't enough to tell how proud she felt of her son.
Grrrrr…
All of a sudden, Dudley felt the metallic stairway under his feet shiver.
"What's goi—"
Boom!
Just as he looked behind, he noticed explosions across the inside of the Quidditch arena. The explosions were randomly spread where the spectators sat. And in reaction, people in thousands were trying to run out of the arena.
"Mum! Dad! Run!" Dudley grabbed his father's hand behind him and dragged him along while pushing Petunia in front of him. "It's gonna be a stampede!"
Why? Why so early? The attack is still hours away.
"Faster!" Dudley shouted and took out his wand. If it came to it, he had no qualms about using it. "Dad, please run!"
Vernon had already thrown away the bottle and tried to keep up with his son. But while Petunia was able to run, Vernon couldn't be as fast on the stairs.
"Aaaaa…"
And just then, the first wave of the crowd came running from behind Vernon. There were thousands of people and all tried to push forward and get out of the arena. Vernon got pushed forward by that wave. But Dudley quickly shoved his shoulders in front of Vernon to keep him from falling.
"Keep moving, Dad!"
In a real sense, it was a stampede. The crowd went crazy, some trying to jump over him as Vernon's large frame caused a pileup behind him. The wizards who knew how to apparate left at the same time.
"We're almost there!" Dudley finally saw the end of the staircase, Petunia waiting for them there. "Almost."
By then, he was practically lifting his father. But even as he came out of the arena he couldn't rest. The main target of the Death Eaters were muggles.
"Keep running!" Dudley looked behind at the crowds pouring out of the arena. The staircase was still filled with people, some getting stepped on as they fell. The mess was far worse than what he remembered from memory.
Lucius? He noticed Lucius Malfoy waving his wand and magically lifting and pushing away the fallen people, making way for himself and others behind him.
And just then, for a minute second, their gaze met.
No! He felt malice from that exchange. Deep, unbridled malice.
"Run! Run faster!" He pushed Vernon forward again. "Run towards the trees."
But Vernon was panting already, barely staying upright. Even Petunia tried to give a shoulder.
BOOM!
The explosions had already spread out by then. The tents were getting uprooted and set on fire. Some muggles were seen being thrown in the air and played with for amusement of some sort.
Screams, desperate cries of all dulled down even Dudley's shouts.
"Dad, you have to keep moving. It's not safe here!"
"G-Go… I'll follow." Vernon pushed Petunia away.
Boom!
An explosion blasted right beside them. Dudley found himself thrown forward, falling face-first into the dirt from the impact. Petunia also fell right beside him.
What the fuck is going on?! Why are they attacking so viciously?
"Mum! Get up!" He quickly got up and helped his mom. Then he turned back to his dad. "Dad, are yo… Dad?"
Witches and wizards bumped him as they continued to run around him. He looked left and right on the ground but there was no sign of Vernon anymore.
"Dad!" He shouted, wondering if he had gone elsewhere.
Boom!
The attack was still ongoing.
Seeing no sign of Vernon, Dudley quickly grabbed Petunia and ran with her towards the trees. Just like the crowds, he tried to hide from the Death Eaters and wait out the attack.
"Dudley, where is Vernon?"
Petunia kept asking him. But he had no answer. He just hoped that Vernon would get away and hide somewhere safe.
"Hisssss!"
Right then, the sky suddenly lit up in a green hue and a massive, cloudy figure of a skull appeared with a snake coiling around it, hissing audibly.
Dudley waited for the Dark Mark to slowly vanish and then made his way back towards the campsite with Petunia behind him.
It was a burned wasteland by that point, ruined beyond measure. Smoke still rose from a few burning logs, but for the most part, everything was charred.
"Dad!" He shouted, his wand out as he tried to return to the stadium. His eyes darted left and right on the floor. He found no bodies despite how devastating the attack was. Even when he reached the arena staircase, he found no dead.
"Dudley! L-Look!" Petunia suddenly clenched onto his shoulder from behind.
He followed her hand and looked further away in the distance, opposite of the direction where he had fallen back then. There, in the middle of ruined tents on the dirt, a lone, large figure was visible.
"Dad!"
No, no, no… this is the opposite of what I wanted.
Dudley ran at speed and the closer he got the clearer it became.
No!
"Dad!"
He fell beside the body and quickly checked for the pulse. The entire body was covered in ashes, but not burned. There was no bleeding wound on the body either.
"Dudley, what happened to him?" Petunia tearfully fell beside him.
"Ha! Ha!" Dudley quickly started administering CPR. "Wake up!"
There are no wounds on him.
His forehead covered in veins, Dudley frantically gave chest compressions.
"Ha! Ha!"
What happened to him?
"Ha! Ha!"
He's not waking up.
Petunia's cries slowly overpowered all his thoughts as he slowly accepted the reality.
But he kept giving chest compressions hoping for a miracle.
He kept at it, unaware of how much time passed. His mind was numb to all thoughts, and he only stopped with a jerk when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Madam Bones! We need a healer!" He jumped to his feet at the sight of the woman. There were multiple Aurors behind her.
"Mr. Dursley, gather yourself."
Seeing Amelia Bones shaking her head, Dudley slowly woke up from the shock and looked back down at Vernon's frame. Petunia was crying, her head on Vernon's chest.
Why did this happen?
More anger than sorrow, he looked left and right for clues. But instead of clues, he saw a face far in the back behind the crowd of Aurors.
Long blonde hair, a sneer, and a proud smirk.
I was blind… I caused this.
______________________
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