Chapter -42.
"Hey, Dursley, you big oaf."
"I warned you I'd make you regret it."
Before Dudley could try to find out who was behind the insults, the main instigator stepped forward.
Malfoy strolled confidently out from the crowd, wearing a smirk that showed just how pleased he was with himself, still exuding that arrogant, slimy attitude.
While he hadn't said anything during the train ride—he'd been too embarrassed to speak up—he was certainly ready for a confrontation now.
Crabbe and Goyle were right behind him, joined by a handful of younger wizards from first through third years, all forming a ring around them. Not every Slytherin was cheering for Malfoy, but you can bet they weren't siding with Dudley either; they simply stood back, watching dispassionately from the sidelines.
Malfoy basked in the attention, feeling triumphant as a crowd of young wizards gathered around him while Dudley stood alone. He relished being the center of attention.
If Dudley had been in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff, things might have been tougher for Malfoy, but here in Slytherin…
Given the upper hand in both location and numbers, he didn't even know if he could lose even if he tried.
"I'm a very generous guy; if you're willing to be my follower, we can give you a little thrashing to let off some steam, and then we'll teach Potter a lesson together. I might even consider letting you off the hook," Malfoy declared, lifting his chin in a haughty manner.
Mentioning Potter caught the attention of a few nearby onlookers, their glances darting to Malfoy for a fleeting moment. The older Slytherins weren't back with the prefect yet, but they were undoubtedly keeping an eye on the situation.
Even with Dumbledore's explanation, many pure-blood wizards still firmly believed Harry was essentially a dark wizard, the one who had taken down the Dark Lord.
This belief had been passed down to their kids, resulting in a rather complicated attitude towards Harry among the Slytherins. If Harry had been in Dudley's position, it wouldn't mean every Slytherin would support him, but likely over 90% would at least choose to watch.
Until they fully understood how Harry managed to defeat the Dark Lord, siding with any particular person seemed risky.
So, with Malfoy stepping up, that was just fine with the others.
Calling Malfoy's proposition ridiculous would be an understatement. If Dudley rejected his offer, Malfoy could easily justify calling for a beating, saying, "Look, I, Malfoy, gave him a chance." Should Dudley agree, things would only get worse. Apparently, this was the best plan Malfoy could conjure up in his little brain.
Dudley, arms crossed and feeling confident in his muscular build, responded, "What if I don't?"
Malfoy glared at Dudley, vividly remembering the embarrassment of nearly wetting himself during their first encounter. "Then we'll give you a beating you won't forget."
The younger wizards exchanged mischievous glances, followed by a ripple of laughter filled with malice.
"And it won't just be today; we'll need someone to practice spells on," a voice called out from the crowd, dripping with spite.
Malfoy frowned slightly at the comment but held his tongue. To be honest, he hadn't thought that far ahead; he just wanted to teach Dudley a lesson and regain his lost dignity. Ideally, he could bring Dudley under his wing, which would give him the chance to really humiliate Harry, especially since Harry had chosen to socialize with that Weasley kid instead.
Dudley stroked his chin thoughtfully as a strange phrase popped into his head.
"Are you planning on bullying me?"
Back at St. George's Primary School, there were times when a group had surrounded him, claiming they'd give him an unforgettable lesson. But what happened? They all ended up on the ground after he put them in their place.
His reputation had taken flight from that moment.
And now, it seemed, history was repeating itself.
"I just want to keep things peaceful with my classmates and enjoy a simple school life," he declared.
In short, Dudley Dursley merely wished for a quiet existence.
"Anyone who doesn't want to get hurt can leave."
Dudley issued a warning.
Unfortunately, it was met with laughter.
"Look, he's just talking nonsense," the Slytherin kids snickered. "Does he think he's tough just because he's big? We're wizards!" They disregarded Dudley completely, treating his words like mere background chatter.
"Whoosh!"
A bright flash of green shot toward him, which Dudley skillfully dodged, fully aware of his surroundings.
It wasn't Malfoy but rather a spell cast by someone within the crowd.
"An ambush?"
A moderately sized hole appeared where the spell struck, clearly a dark curse.
"I really hate ambushes."
It reminded him of that incident involving a pig's tail earlier.
Dudley's expression grew colder, transforming his cherubic face into something much more intimidating as his muscles tensed.
This sudden change in demeanor sent shivers through the Slytherin kids, especially Malfoy, who couldn't help but recall their very first meeting.
Dudley's fierce gaze swept over the crowd, and no one was brave enough to hold eye contact for long. The moment their eyes met, they quickly glanced away.
If Harry had been there, he would have certainly gasped.
Dudley was furious.
At that moment, a sharp notification chimed in Dudley's ear.
"Four Houses Task Series: Rectify the house, turn Slytherin into a true Slytherin. Time limit: seven years. Task rewards: issued in stages."
Hearing the system's voice, Dudley's tense features broke into a smile: "You all started this, and you were the ones who threw the first punch."
"I was merely hoping to interact with you as a fellow wizard, but it looks like that's off the table now."
Suddenly, an entire 3D layout of the Slytherin common room appeared in Dudley's mind, crafted using his data magic eye. He had already mapped out several offensive and defensive paths, which was why he had warned anyone who didn't want to get hurt to step aside.
The first-year kids didn't really have any combat skills; most couldn't even manage a spell.
Dealing with them was similar to the times he handled the little ones back at St. George's.
The second-years had a bit of knowledge and could cast a few simple spells, but since they were only just now second-years, finishing up the first-year curriculum, they could be managed with care.
The real challenge came from the third-years.
Those third-year students had enough spell knowledge that they could potentially cause Dudley some harm.
The key was to take them out before they could react; the best strategy was to disarm them by grabbing their wands.
Dudley bent slightly, his muscles coiling like springs, and he launched himself like a cheetah ready to pounce on its target.
His first target was a third-year Slytherin student who was gripping a wand tightly.
The common suddenly room erupted in chaos.
Tl/N: If you want to read more [upto Ten chapters] while supporting me, you can join me on patreon.com/EmptyThoughts ;Thanks.
*****
Note : Guys, some power stones will be really helpful.
******
Upcoming chapters :-
43. Beating them left and right!
44. Don't come over!
45[Part -1] Big-D,The terror.