Our story starts with five-year-old Harry in the kitchen do the dishes after dinner. In the living room, a very large man is watching the telly. This man is Harry's uncle, Vernon. Now Vernon wasn't always this large, he was once rather thin compared to today. As Harry dries up after finishing the dishes, he walks over to Vernon on the couch to announce that he is finished, but before saying anything, Harry becomes entranced by what is on the telly. Vernon turns his head around to Harry just standing there.
"What do you want boy?" Vernon screams at Harry. The volume alone made Harry flinch. "Ss-sorry," Harry stammers out, "I've finished the dishes, sir." Vernon nods and says, "Go to bed then." Harry doesn't move. "Are you deaf boy!" Vernon yells. "Sorry, but what are you watching on the telly uncle?" Harry timidly asks. Vernon turns back around to the telly to see two welterweight boxers go into their ninth round before responding, "The noble sport of boxing." Harry stares in amazement at the telly and asks, "Could you teach me boxing, uncle?" Vernon glares at the boy before talking, "You want to learn boxing? Could you handle the tough training and all the hard work?" Harry simply nods. "Go to the garage," Vernon says gruffly.
Harry complies and starts walking towards the garage. Very rarely does anyone ever go to the garage. The family always parks the car outside. Neither Harry nor Dudley, Harry's older cousin, has seen the inside of the garage. As Harry peaks in, he turns on the lights to reveal weights scattered on the floor, a heavy bag hanging from the ceiling, and shelves decorated with trophies. Harry steps in and feels like he has just been granted access to heaven. Slowly a smile decorates Harry's face. Harry steps toward the heavy bag and his fingers dance on the leather. Harry walks over towards the weights and picks up a five-pound weight. He puts it down and moves towards the shelves. He stares at the trophies with wide eyes of amazement. Vernon makes a gruff grunt to notify Harry that he's there.
"Put these on," Vernons commands as he tosses some 10oz boxing gloves towards Harry. Harry quickly does as commanded. "Face the heavy bag in a fighting stance," Vernon tells him. Harry quickly assumes a southpaw stance with his right hand as the lead hand. Vernon looks at the boy confused, but doesn't question it… yet. "First you want to bring elbows in and your guard up to your cheek and remember to breathe when you punch," Vernon instructs the younger of the two. Harry does as told. "Now throw a jab," Vernon says. Harry stares at him with sort of a deer in the headlights look. "A quick punch with your lead hand," comes the short explanation. Harry throws his right hand and hits the bag directly, but the bag doesn't show any sign of having been impacted at all. "Throw a straight," Vernon commanded. Harry's left-hand shoots his left hand forward and quickly brings it back to his side. " Put your weight into the punches boy! Twist your hips and push off your foot," comes loud command. Harry does a jab again this time pushing off his back foot. The bag gives slightly, and Harry quickly follows up with the left cross, twisting his hips and pushing off his back foot once again. The bag gives again. "You have speed, but no power to back up that speed. Take the five-pound weights and do three sets of thirty reps. Tomorrow wake up at 6:15 to run. Be back by 7:30. After school, you will finish your homework and then head to the garage and use the weights to exercise until I get home. After you finish with the weights today, do ten push-ups and then go to sleep. This is your training regimen." Vernon says gruffly.
-6 years later-
It is Harry's birthday. The birthday boy himself is now a staggering 4'9, which is a rather decent height for his age. Harry is in the garage punching mitts with his uncle. Vernon has grown rather fond of the boy. Their relationship improved through their shared love of boxing. His relationship with his aunt isn't as close, but it certainly is closer than before. Dudley is practically inseparable from Harry except for training. It has been this way ever since Harry used boxing to protect the two of them from older bullies when Harry was 8.
The garage now has more items for Harry's training. Now there is a weighted jump rope, a reflex bag, a speed bag set up, and a double ended bag in addition to everything else. At age 11, Harry had a well-defined body compared to many other kids his age.
"Stop," Vernon says, "even with the new extra padded mitts, my hands still sting from your punches." Harry proudly smiles and says, "So today is my eleventh birthday." Vernon nods and interrupts Harry, "And we've gotten you tickets to a world heavyweight title match." "Not that I don't appreciate it, but can we sign me up for amateur boxing matches yet?" Harry asks. "Of course Harry. Now go play with your cousin, he has been waiting for three hours," Vernon says to Harry.
Harry runs inside and greets his cousin. Petunia, Harry's previously mentioned aunt, goes to pick up the mail. She sees one letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry addressed to Harry Potter. "Vernon!" She calls out to her husband. "Yes, Tuney?" Vernon asks. Petunia shows Vernon the letter from Hogwarts. "Harry, come here," Vernon commands sternly. Harry shows up, "Yes?" "You've got mail," Vernon responds as the letter is handed to them. "Is this a joke?" Harry asks. "Sadly no," Vernon responds. "But there is no such thing as magic!" the boy exclaims. "There is. Your father was a wizard and your mum a witch," Vernon says in a downcast tone. "Well, let's just decline," offers Harry. And they did.
-3 days later-
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock, and Supreme Mugwump, sits in his office. Minerva McGonagall strolls into Dumbledore's office and sits down in front of him. "Albus, we have a problem. Harry Potter has declined our invitation to attend Hogwarts," McGonagall says. Dumbledore pauses what he was doing and slowly looks up, "What?" is all that is able to come out of the headmaster's mouth. "I said," McGonagall started to say but was interrupted by Dumbledore. "I know what you said, but surely you can't be right," says Dumbles. "Here read for yourself," McGonagall said. Dumbledore's face soured as he read. "Minnie please go and make sure that Harry ends up attending here. We need him to be able to defeat Voldemort. You have permission to bribe him with whatever you feel is needed," Dumbledore says.
A/N: This is my second fanfic. If you don't like don't read. Review, please.