Chapter Text
The Dursleys knew he was a freak when they spotted him. Vernon wanted to throw him out, but Petunia kept the child. Partly out of fear of the wizarding world, partly because of the fact that he was all that remained of her sister. She may have hated her sister, and she may have hated all of her people, but she was not going to let a child die because of her hatred. No. The child would live in their house and once he was old enough, Harry James Potter would earn his living in the house. She would not ensure a happy childhood, but just as the letter asked, she would ensure him a childhood where he would be protected from the magical world.
Harry grows up, believing his parents died in a car crash, believing that he his a freak, but most importantly, believing in magic. His aunt and uncle let him stay in the cupboard under the stairs, and they don't give him blankets either. The just give him the bare minimum, but somehow, the cold has never bothered Harry. Cold is home. Cold is safe. He doesn't mind the chores he has to do or the way he goes to sleep hungry, for he hardly feels tired or hungry. He has a vague memory of a kind lady with brown hair and golden aura, in his memories, giving him a golden apple when he was about four or five and ever since, he hasn't felt much need to eat. Of course, when he does get hungry, he has a really big appetite, but apart from that, not much. His aunt Marge once tried to set her dogs on him, but the dogs cowered when he glared at them. Aunt Marge had been surprisingly silent around him since then. Dudley and his friends had tried to bully him, but Harry had fought back. He beat up all the kids except for Dudley and threatened to beat him up as well if he ever tried anything similar.
Harry had a way with words and lies that made anyone believe him. Harry was sure that if he told the librarian that the books were no longer written in English, she would believe him. He had once told the guard at the park that it was raining when it was actually bright and sunny and the man had believed it for a second before coming back to his senses. His way with words helped him get away with so many pranks, the only entertainment in his boring, ever-repetitive life.
He had once replaced the cream in the cream biscuits with toothpaste and had filled the toothpaste tube with the biscuit cream. Vernon came down the next day, telling Petunia how the toothpaste must have gone bad before biting into his biscuits and commenting on how the biscuits must have gone bad as well. He was never caught. He had also put hot sauce in one of Dudley's birthday cake secretly and the entire cake was thrown out, leaving Dudley crying that he had the worst possible birthday ever. Bastard, he at least got a Birthday celebration. All Harry got was a recycled card and more chores for the day.
Harry would have attempted the same this time as well, if were not for the fact that Petunia kept a close eye on the birthday cake, guarding it like a dog, not giving Harry a chance to meddle with it. He prepared breakfast on Dudley's birthday, feeling even more down than usual. Before, at least Dudley would also sit in disappointment with him, but today, there was nothing wrong with Dudley's birthday and there was nothing Harry could do to spoil it without getting punished for it. He sat, eating his breakfast as Dudley complained about the number of gifts he had when Petunia came back from answering the telephone.
"Bad News, Vernon," She said. "Mrs. Figg has broken her leg." Aww man, Harry liked Mrs. Figg. Maybe not her cats, but the woman herself was a sweetheart. "She can't take him."
Oh that news did cheer him up a bit. It meant that Vernon, who was afraid of Harry burning the house down, would take Harry with them to wherever it was that they were going for Dudley's birthday. Was it the Zoo that Petunia said? Cool, he wanted to see the snakes.
So with one stern warning from Uncle Vernon, Harry was seated in the back of Vernon's new car along with Dudley and Dudley's friend, Piers. It was beautiful Saturday morning and the Zoo was packed with families. Harry wouldn't deny it, he was a bit envious of Dudley, who had parents who loved him and friends who had his back no matter what. But... well, he was all alone. What was he to do? He followed the Dursleys and Piers through the zoo, having one of the best mornings in a very long time. After having lunch at the zoo cafeteria, they finally went to see the reptiles. He followed Dudley and Piers to the largest snake. The two boys quickly got bored as the snake was fast asleep and moved away, but Harry stood there, observing it. Harry wouldn't have been surprised if the snake had died out of boredom or loneliness.
The snake slowly opened it's eyes and looked at Harry, raising it's head to keep it in level with his.
"Hello." He said with a smile and the snake winked at him. It then looked at Vernon and gave Harry what he assumed to be a look of understanding. "I know." Harry said. "It's really annoying." The snake nodded vigorously.
"Where do you come from?" Harry asked and the snake Jabbed it's tail to a little sign.
Boa Constrictor, Brazil
This specimen was bred in zoo.
"So, you've never been to Brazil? Never knew your parents?"
The snake shook it's head in response.
"Me neither." Harry replied as a deafening shout behind Harry made him jump. It was Piers, calling for the Dursley family to look at the snake. Dudley ran towards them, punching Harry away to the side. Harry fell onto the concrete ground, sudden anger rising in him. He glared at Dudley and the next moment, the two boys leapt back in horror.
The glass was gone. The snake was uncoiling itself and slithered to the floor as people started screaming and running away. Harry sat up in astonishment as the snake slithered closer to him and hissed, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigo."
On their way back home, with a shaken up Dursley family, Piers suddenly brought up how harry had been talking to the snake. Uncle Vernon waited till Piers was out of the house before her sent Harry to the cupboard, telling him that he would have no meals.
The next time Harry was let out of the cupboard, was when summer holidays had started. Harry kept his distance from Dudley's gang. For once, even end of summer didn't sound too bad. Harry would be going to a different school than Dudley, who had a place at Vernon's old school, Smeltings. Dudley teased Harry about it, but he couldn't care less, anywhere without Dudley, meant that he could make friends. Having friends sounded nice.
"They stuff people's heads down the toilet first day at Stonewall." Dudley told Harry about the new school Harry would be attending. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"
"No thanks. The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it. It might get sick." Harry said and ran away from Dudley before he could comprehend what Harry had just said.
He woke up one morning and got to his chores as usual when Vernon made him go get the post. He picked up the bundle and walked back inside as he read the names of the senders and the receivers. He found one letter addressed to him. Strange. Who would write him a letter?
"Uncle Vernon?" He called out to his uncle as he held the letter addressed to him in his hands. "I have a letter addressed for me. It's from a friend from school. Can I read it?" He asked, hiding his excitement as he spun his lie and Vernon believed it. Vernon nodded in approval and Harry pocketed the letter and finished serving breakfast to the Dursleys before he ran to the cupboard and closed the door carefully behind him. He ripped open the letter and read it's contents, his smile slowly disappearing into an expression of confusion.
Hogwarts? Magic? Wizards and Witches? There was a school to teach people about everything he could already do? True, Harry knew about his magic and used it quiet regularly in his pranks. He made sure to do all of his magic stuff out of his relatives' eyes, for he knew the normalcy loving people that were Vernon and Petunia would hate anything remotely close to magic.
Harry shook his thoughts out of his head. Well, if there was a school for people like him, and he was being invited, he would love to go. So he picked up a pen and paper and wrote his reply back.
Respected Professor McGonagall,
I would love to attend Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but I do not know where to procure the items required for school. Also, my relatives aren't quite supportive of me attending a magic school and will refuse to pay for the school fees. Kindly inform me on what I must do to overcome my troubles.
Harry Potter.
Harry looked outside and saw the an owl waiting for him on Vernon's car. maybe he should give the letter to that owl? No other owl was awake at the moment as they were usually nocturnal creatures, leading Harry to believe that this particular owl was indeed the one to take his letter back to Professor McGonagall. He waited till Vernon was off for his work, when Petunia would eventually send him out to work on her garden, to deliver his response. He beckoned the owl to come closer and it did, tilting it's head curiously. Harry placed the letter in front of it and it continued to stare at him. Finally, it looked down to it's leg, where a little contraption was attached to allow the bird to carry the letter.
"Alright," Harry said as he attached the letter to the owl's leg and pet it's feathery head a few times, "go on now. Before Petunia or Dudley sees you." The owl trilled once in content before flapping it's majestic wings and took to the sky. Harry watched the owl as long as he could before he started working on Petunia's flowerbed.
The response letter arrived the next day and he silently pocketed the letter without telling Vernon anything about it. When he was allowed back into his cupboard, he opened the letter, reading the response and letting out a sigh of relief.
Dear Mr. Potter,
Not to worry, the Gamekeeper of Hogwarts will accompany you to buy your school appliances on July 31st, while your school fees are not something you should be concerned with.
We look forward to having you at school.
Deputy Headmistress
Minerva McGonagall
Harry grinned. This was going to be great. Vernon and Petunia would not send a guest away or deny their request, which meant the chances of Harry going to buy his school stuff was high. Plus, the Gamekeeper was going to come on July 31st, his birthday. Harry couldn't ask for a better birthday. He counted down the days for his birthday and when the gamekeeper would arrive. He hid his excitement and his happiness, using his magic discreetly to help him do his chores more perfectly so that Petunia would have nothing to complain about and staying out of the Dursley's sight so that they couldn't further pick on him.
Soon enough, it was his birthday. Harry had laid awake the night of 30th July, waiting for the clock to turn 12 and wished himself a happy birthday and a better year ahead before going to sleep. He was then awoken at 6 in the morning by someone banging on the door. Sleepily, he exited his cupboard, finding his uncle coming down the stairs to check on who the intruder was. It was a giant man, his face hidden by his shaggy mane of hair and beard and his black eyes looked around till he spotted Harry. Despite Vernon's resistance, the man walked in. He looked turned to the Dursley family, who looked at him, horrified.
"Could yeh make a cup o'tea? It's not been an easy journey..."
Harry grinned as the giant man walked in and sat on one of the couches. Harry, followed by the Dursley family, entered the living room as well. The giant once more looked at Harry. "Ah! Harry! Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby. Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes."
Harry simply smiled at the man. This is the first time he had heard anything about his parents. He had always wondered who he looked like. His dad, huh... maybe it was the hair?
Uncle Vernon made a noise before Harry could ask more about his parents. "I demand you leave at once, sir! You are breaking and entering!"
"Ah, Shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune." The giant said, before turning back to Harry, taking out a package from his big coat pockets. "Anyway, Harry, a very happy birthday to yeh."
"Thanks!" Harry said, taking the slightly squished package, listening to the man say how he may have sat on it a bit. Harry opened it and found a sticky chocolate cake with green icing writing 'Happy Birthday Harry' "This is the best!" Harry said, smiling up at the giant. "But who are you? Are you the gamekeeper of Hogwarts?"
"Ah, guess I never introduced meself. Yes, I'm Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys and grounds of Hogwarts."
"Ho-hogwarts!" Petunia almost shouted. "Lily's school?" She looked sharply at Harry. "When did- letter- who gave- when-"
"I got my letter a few days ago." Harry said brightly. "Remember that letter from a friend?"
Petunia almost fainted.
"You were not supposed to know anything about that darn school!" Vernon exclaimed angrily. Hagrid looked at the muggles in confusion.
"Not supposed ter know?" He looked down at Harry. "Yeh mean 'em Dursleys neve' told yeh of yer parents?"
Harry shook his head
"Harry- yer- yer-" Hagrid seemed to be at a loss of words. "Yer famous in our world. Do yeh even know how yer parents died?"
Harry had a feeling that the answer would be wrong, but answered it either way. "In... a car crash?"
"A CAR CRASH!" Hagrid roared. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world does."
Harry looked up at Petunia. "You knew all this, didn't you. You knew how my mum died. You knew I was a wizard. You knew everything." He glared and the temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees. "You knew and you never told me."
Petunia gulped and looked away while Vernon started arguing. "We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish, swore to stomp it out-"
"It's why you always call me a freak, isn't it?"
"Wizard indeed! There will be no freakishness in my house-"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Harry shouted. "HOW DARE YOU LIE TO MY FACE ABOUT MY PARENTS! HOW COULD YOU-"
"SHE WAS A FREAK AND SO ARE YOU!" Petunia shouted now as well. "You're just like my dratted sister, who got her letter just like you and went away to that- that school- and came home every holiday with frog spawn, turning teacups into rats!" Petunia shrieked the last part. "For my mother and Father, it was always Lily this and Lily that, so proud they were, of having a witch in the family! I was the only one who saw her for what she was- a freak!"
At that, a few windows cracked and so did the nearby teacups and teapot, with quiet a loud sound that made everyone go quiet. Hagrid looked down on Harry who was boiling with rage, glaring at his Aunt and Uncle, and decided it was best to take Harry away from them for the time being.
"Er- get dressed, Harry. We'll leave when yer ready."
"You're not going-" Vernon was silenced by another glare sent his way by Harry, who stormed by him a moment later to go to his cupboard. When the boy came out, he dragged Hagrid out of the house, not wanting to be in the presence of the Dursleys for a moments longer. Hagrid took Harry through the muggle way to London and on the way, talked about his parents, Voldemort and the school itself
The moment they stepped into the Leaky Cauldron, everyone went quiet, looking at him. Suddenly, one by one, everyone started introducing themselves to him. Professor Quirrell, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher came off odd to Harry. His stutter seemed fake and when he shook the man's hand, the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead burned ever so slightly. However, that interaction went out of Harrys mind after the amazing ride at Gringotts, both to his own vault and the little vault with only one small item that Hagrid visited, stating that it was for Hogwarts business.
They got out of Gringotts with lots of money to spare and bought all their appliances. Harry even met another boy who was set to attend Hogwarts, but didn't bother to ask the boy's name. He acted like Dudley, just wasn't as fat as him. They even had the same blonde hair. After getting his wand and his books, (plus his owl, Hagrid had gotten him a birthday present. Harry named the owl Hedwig), Hagrid sat him down at Paddington station, grabbing them both a burger before Harry had to leave.
"Silent lad, ain't ya?" Hagrid said as Harry bit into his burger. "Yeh didn' greet half the people back a' Leaky." Harry chewed the food in his mouth and swallowed before answering
"They didn't know me. They all thought they knew me, but... no one there does... and whatever it is that they do know, it must be false, because I never told them anything." Harry said, not looking up at Hagrid, keeping his eyes trained on the tray in front of him. He was a bit surprised when Hagrid laughed, but smiled when he realized that Hagrid wasn't laughing at him.
"That's good, Harry." Hagrid said, nodding sagely. "Yeh mustn't let other people's thoughts change how yeh thinks of yerself."
After paying for the burger, the two waited for the train and Hagrid gave Harry his Hogwarts Express ticket. "Train leaves sharp at 11 O'clock."
"Thanks Hagrid." Harry said as he took the ticket. "For everything. I enjoyed today."
Hagrid ruffled Harry's hair fondly. "Don't worry much. Yeh'll love Hogwarts!"
Harry got on his train when it arrived and waved to Hagrid as it pulled out, till the giant man was out of sight. He took out his ticket and looked at it with a wishful smile.
Hogwarts... Yeah, he hoped he would like Hogwarts too.
At least the last month leading up to Hogwarts was fun enough. The Dursleys gave him a room for himself and if Dudley ever tried anything funny, all Harry had to do was pull out his wand and pretend to read a spell from his countless textbooks.
Harry had finished learning a few basic spells such as the light spell, lumos, and the unlocking spell, alohamora. He had managed to turn a match into a needle quick enough and had learnt three potion recipes byheart. He had read his entire DADA text twice and was halfway through his History textbook. He had long since finished reading the books which were out of curriculum, books which would catch him up on what had been happening in the wizarding world in the past few years and he had poured himself over everything he could find about his parents and their deaths. Surprisingly enough, not much was said, seemed like everyone was just as clueless about the fall of Voldemort as he was.
Hedwig was such a good companion. She was such an intelligent creature and learnt to read the Dursleys just as well as him in a few days. She picked on Dudley when Harry was around and stayed out of Vernon's sight for most part. Petunia would be bothered if Dudley was unavailable. His snow owl would often go out in the night, bringing back some dead rats that Harry would end up burying the next morning in Petunia's garden. Luckily, that habit of Hedwig was stopped in a week and now, she just brought rubbish into the house, just to annoy him. She'd sit on his shoulders or on his head whenever he was reading from his text and would sleep silently in her cage in the mornings when he had to go out to do his chores.
One month couldn't pass soon enough.
But it would be worth it when he was standing in front of Hogwarts express on September first