Piers wasn't quite eighteen yet, so he'd be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure for murder. Her Majesty would surely understand the extenuating circumstances wherein Piers' best friend was a braindead, insensitive prick who deserved the shallow woodland grave Piers would give him. Your Piers is such a masterpiece. Utterly believable. Touching in a tough guy way.
And you do a great job showing how difficult the magical surroundings must have been for Dudley.
I just tupped you on a bed of bluebells. I'm the Dark Lord of Romance. And so he is.
Stories like this are the reason I'm such a hopeless beholder-fangirl!