Second Chances [The Dudley Story]

"Mr. Dursley," Charles continued, "You are suspected of unfair No-Maj trade practices by using magic to gain an advantage."

Dudley frowned. The accusation came out of nowhere. "Unfair? What do you mean by that?"

"Using magic to invest in businesses that you know are going to succeed. You have amassed immense wealth in the span of a few years, and it's unnatural. You're most certainly a divinator, a seer who knows events before they happen." Auror Charles accused, though his tone remained calm and respectful.

Dudley chuckled openly and gestured for them to take a seat while he did the same for himself. He gave Tonks a deep glance until she finally took a seat.

"I'm not a Seer. I'm an Arithmancer. I don't magically see things, I calculate the probabilities based on multiple variables. It's a bit like what they do on Wall Street, isn't it? Don't the folks there study stats and graphs? And the hedge funds do the same thing, right? Bet on businesses by analyzing market reports. What I do is a bit like that, really—using Arithmancy and Muggle mathematics to figure out risks and trends," Dudley explained in a way that made sense and at the same time hard to follow.

"Are you suggesting that even without magic you can do it?" Auror Charles inquired.

Dudley shrugged. He was already doing that, after all. "Of course, I can. I already am, actually. You don't need to be a genius to handle money. And just so you know, Arithmancy wasn't even a thing for me until my third year. So, how do you think I managed before that?"

Charles looked at Tonks at that response. Dudley had given a legitimate reason and excuse for himself, and trying to push him into a corner further was pointless.

Tonks finally broke the silence and shifted forward in her seat. She noticed Dudley's keen gaze on her face. "Sorry about this, Mr. Dursley. The Ministry had its own doubts about your recent investments, but the Minister decided it's not our place to meddle. MACUSA just asked us to have a word with you, that's all."

Dudley waved his hand and smiled at her. "No worries. I get why there'd be doubts. Someone my age coming into money so fast—it's natural to ask questions. But there's always a reason behind things, and this was no different."

In fact, Dudley thanked this random probe by MACUSA. He desperately wanted to gain a footing inside MACUSA since the United States was simply a larger market be it on the Muggle side or the magical. Auror Charles was an opportunity, not an investigator.

"If you talked to my Arithmancy Professor, she'd probably say there's not been anyone quite like me in her class. Arithmancy isn't something most wizards dive into, but I've got a bit of a gift for it, really. It's all about numbers, but when you add magic to them, they sort of come alive. It's helped me with potion-making too—I'm ahead of most of my classmates there. Even Professor Snape might grudgingly agree. You can use Arithmancy for all sorts of things: predicting the weather, understanding how people and animals act, and even figuring out stock markets. It's fascinating stuff."

Dudley threw the bait openly. He just needed to lead the man to take it now.

"There are thousands of ways Arithmancy can help." Dudley took out a business card from his pocket and slid it towards Auror Charles. "Figuring out if someone's lying without using Veritaserum? Or even working out if a wizard might go dark—the possibility of a dark wizard being rehabilitated. It's all doable with dynamic formulas and numbers."

As much as Charles, Tonks was intrigued by his suggestions.

"That's… too much. It sounds too good to be true," Tonks blurted. "If all that was possible someone would have done it already."

"Then why do we still hear about new potions being discovered, new spells being made in the Daily Prophet? Magic is a field as vast as deep space. There's all these little things that have to line up just right for anything to work. I guess I'm just lucky, being good at Arithmancy and numbers—and, well, being a wizard too."

Dudley focused his attention on Charles. "Give my regards to Madam President. If she's interested, I'd be thrilled to one day meet her and share the wonders of Arithmancy."

He took the shot. There was no harm in trying, he reckoned.

"You're willing to share the formulas?" Charles asked.

Sure, but not for free.

Dudley had his limitations. There were things he would never sell for any price as they could harm him too.

"Well, Muggles drew the borders, not us Wizards. We're all friends, aren't we?"

The MACUSA Auror smiled and nodded firmly. Finally, he pocketed the card and stood up. He extended a hand towards Dudley. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Dursley."

Dudley got up and shook his hand. "Likewise."

What the!

Dudley felt something in Charles' hand pressed into his palm. Feeling Charles' gaze burning on him, he secretly took whatever Charles was handing him and sat down without letting Tonks see the exchange.

"I'll get going, Mr. Dursley." Auror Charles buttoned up his coat. "I will share what we discussed with Madam President. Ms. Tonks, you should stay. You seemed excited to meet him."

"Me? What? No, I wasn't excited. I was just… We're from the same House and…" Tonks's hair color changed to bright pink. The woman truly had no defense.

Dudley chuckled and let the man leave. At the same time, he unrolled the small paper underneath the table and took a look. His heart was heavy, and once he read it, his doubts became a certainty.

Careful of the 13.

That was what the small paper said. Dudley sighed and tiredly reclined back in his chair. He already knew what that '13' meant. It was the thirteen most powerful wizarding families in the United States. As the numbers suggest, they went as far back as the thirteen colonies. He didn't know much about their current status since they were more secretive than the British equivalent Sacred Twenty-Eight.

Fuck! It was better to just be a Muggle with a wizard cousin.

Yet, he was mature enough to not let bad news ruin the moment. He already knew his rise wasn't going to be as smooth after a certain point. So, he focused on the pink-haired woman in front of him.

He truly admired her beauty as well as her natural talents. A rare human among all humans. Though he silently agreed that her parents fucked up when naming her. Adding 'Nymph' to a name was just inviting trouble.

"Should I call you Tonks, Auror Tonks, or Senior Tonks?" Dudley playfully asked.

"Just Tonks," Tonks replied as her confidence returned. She was still an Auror, after all. "It's great to see Hufflepuff in the news once in a while."

Dudley crossed his arms on the table and focused all his attention on the beautiful witch. She was shorter than him with a slender frame but from the looks of her fashion, pretty curvy around her waist and small hips.

"Really? Do people in the Ministry also talk about me?"

"A lot, Mr. Dursley. It's not often that your type of success story comes out. At your mention, many Muggle-borns puff out their chests a bit, y'know? Even heard Madam Bones singing your praises. You've met her, haven't you?" Tonks sang praises, "You're bigger than most purebloods already."

I'm bigger in all places, I guess. Dudley joked internally.

"It's almost lunchtime. Are you free, Tonks? I was thinking of checking out a new place and thought it'd be nice to have some company," Dudley asked, trying to sound casual. "Oh, and just call me Dudley."

"Lunch?" Tonks quickly looked at the wall clock in the office and hummed. "I expected the meeting with Auror Charles to go much longer. I think I can spare an hour."

"Brilliant! Let's get going then." Dudley stood up quickly, a bit eager, and made his way around the table. He offered his hand with a surprising bit of charm. "I'd really like to hear your Hufflepuff stories."

Tonks giggled and took his hand. Although it was her job to meet new people due to law enforcement, it wasn't often she met people in that manner, let alone join someone for lunch.

"Stories I got plenty, Dudley."

####

France,

With some free time at his disposal, Dumbledore left Hogwarts and arrived in France to meet his old friend who was on the last leg of his life. A legend who had lived for centuries and could have lived for more. Yet, he chose to stop.

"All of them agreed?" Nicolas asked, resting in his bed.

Dumbledore nodded, stroking his beard as he sat beside Nicolas' sick bed. "Mr. Dursley's suggestions are viable and profitable. Opening a Hogwarts Investment Fund will secure the school's budget for years to come. Only your approval is left now."

Nicolas weakly licked his dry lips to soothe them. His skin had wrinkled beyond humanly imaginable. Not much time was left for his life. "Umm… The boy is bright for what he's done. But… I heard about his other activities."

Dumbledore sighed, a trace of weariness in his expression, before offering a slight shrug. "He's a boy at the height of his virality. So long as it remains neither crude nor contrived, I see no cause for concern."

"What?" Nicolas Flamel stared at his old friend, his old eyes wide in shock. "Is this truly Dumbledore I hear speaking?"

"We all had our adventures in youth, Nicolas," Dumbledore remarked, his eyes twinkling with humor. "I suspect yours were rather extraordinary in your day. As for Dudley, well, I might occasionally look the other way. He is… gifted, in his own peculiar fashion. Uncaring of blood status, uninterested in battles, solely focused on creating wealth and uplifting others. He even faced the Basilisk to protect his schoolmates, irrespective of their House. In his own way, he is a rather remarkable young man."

"But still… letting him…"

Dumbledore didn't back down. "It's entirely consensual. And surely, isn't it better this way? After all, the wizarding population has already seen its numbers dwindle after the last war. To prevent such connections, such bonds, would be most counterproductive."

"Ah, you're persuading yourself, aren't you? That's how it sounds to me." Nicolas weakly laughed. "Astonishing, truly… yet if it's you, I shall place my trust in you, my friend. I consent to the Hogwarts Investment Fund. But see to it the boy exercises restraint—and bears the weight of his choices, should… well, you know."

"I'm certain the boy isn't that foolish, Nicolas."

"Only time will tell."

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