Since the day Harry James Potter was born had he been unlucky. Not in the sense that black cats crossed his path endlessly or he'd accidentally walk under wooden latter's every step, no, but rather anything that could go wrong for him, did. For starters, Harry was an orphan boy, he was only a year old or so when his parents had died protecting him, they died at the hands of he-who-shall-not-be-named, because of you-know-who. Bloody Voldemort started the boys misfortune.
Ever since the fateful day Harry's parents were killed, the boy's life has slowly began it's trek downhill. What could be worse then losing your parents before you knew them? Not much could come close, but being placed at the doorstep of the Aunt and Uncle who already despise you would be quite bad. Damn Harry's bad luck to hell, that's exactly what happened to him. He'd been taken in by the Dursley's, the boys relative's, his mothers sister. He was only a year when he began to get mistreated.
Five years passed, Harry was six, His cousin Dudley was mean to him. How much could one child endure, no mother or father, even worse an Aunt and an uncle who treated the young boy like chopped liver, as if he weren't anything more than garbage.
The last day of July, Harry was six, Aunt Petunia grabbed the boy's arm without mercy and tossed him into the backyard. She slammed the wooden door behind herself and a clicking sound was made. He was locked out yet again.
Happy Birthday unlucky Harry Potter.
The young boy did what he usually did during the afternoon's he was locked from the house, He hobbled over to the garden and sqauted down in front of the growing Lily's. The flower always was his favourite for some unknown reason. Maybe it was the scent that drew in the curious boy.
He felt eyes on the back of his head but payed no mind to it, the Lily's seemed more fascinating anyways. The messy haired boy leaned forwards, his hands pressing down on the dark soil in front of the Lily's as his nose rested above the flower. He sniffed in the scent and smiled, something about the scent sent the boy at ease.
Harry reached a hand up to his cheek and rubbed it absentmindedly, rubbing dirt on the flushed cheeks of the boy. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep relaxed breath before realizing something; the air felt a little cooler then before. Harry cracked open an eye to see himself and his wonderful Lily's were covered in a shadow; one of a tall man, well tall in Harry's eyes.
The boy froze, He felt his heart beat increasing. Stranger meant danger and danger meant something bad. He tried to shriek but only a mangled squeak sounded. The boy grabbed a stick and quickly turned around, pointing the wooden thing at the stranger.
"G-Get away!" He squeaked. The sun glared behind the stranger, forcing his eyes to crinkle into a squint.
"Shh Harry it's alright, I wont hurt you. I just wanted to wish you a happy sixth birthday. You're a big boy now eh?" The stranger smiled as he squatted in front of the black haired boy who scampered backwards away, being careful not to hurt the Lily's.
Harry looked up at the man squatting before him with scared emerald eyes. Nobody had ever came into the backyard before, Harry had no clue as to how to react so, he kept the stick pointed, but lowered it a little.
"W-Who are you? How do you know my name!" The boy bit his bottom lip lightly as his hand which held the stick shook a tad. He hadn't known the man, yet for some reason he seemed so familiar. The way the strangers messy black hair stuck up at random places reminded Harry of someone, really everything about the stranger seemed to remind the boy of someone he had once known yet cannot remember.
The male shook his head and chuckled, it wasn't a chuckle, though, that deemed something funny. It was a sad chuckle, the stranger was sad that Harry didn't remember him. His smile remained though.
"My name is James. We've met before though I doubt you remember," 'James' watched the boy in front of him who seemed to be slowly lowering his defense stick. That action in itself made James feel a tad better, it meant that the kid slowly was trusting him enough to let his protection down.
"You're right, I don't remember you. How have we met I never go out other than in the backyard?" Harry tilted his head questionably as the stick made its way back to the ground. The boy stood suddenly so he was the same height of the stranger who knelt before him.
"When you were very young," The man looked behind Harry and saw the lily flowers the boy seemed to be protecting. A sad smile crossed his features but was quickly hidden."Those are Lily's? They're nice flowers huh?" James almost winced at the name, almost.
Harry backed up a tad, his arms fanned out, seemingly protecting the plant from James. "They're mine don't touch them I wont let you!" The boy didn't know why he was so protective over silly flowers which could be replaced, but he never questioned it. The Lily's were his to protect.
"I wont touch them, not unless you want me to," Black hair flew into the boy's face as he rapidly shook his head. The flowers were definitely important to him. James' heart broke at the sight of the boy so protective and flustered over the flowers, flowers which his mother was named after.
"No! Don't, don't hurt them," James nodded, completely understanding the boy.
"Alright kiddo, but I have something for you. A birthday present. Do you want it?" James put his hands into his pockets and pulled out a package that seemed far too large to fit into his pockets. It confused Harry slightly but his thoughts were erased from his mind as he hesitantly reached out and grabbed the package with small hands. He looked down at the colourful paper which wrapped whatever was inside. It had been Harry's first ever birthday present, well at least the first he remembered.
"T-Thank you sir.. you didn't have to you know...," Harry didn't meet the eyes of James as he kept his head low in shame. There he was being a rude little boy to a man who had visited him on his birthday, he being the only one to acknowledge it, and given him a gift.
"Of course I did! Anyways have a happy birthday kiddo, open it whenever you'd like," James' hand flinched as he was about to ruffle the boy's hair but decided against it, he didn't want to loose the little trust that he managed to gain from Harry.
"Thank you again..I.. uhm...," Harry looked around before his eyes settled upon a smooth stone that he had found a while ago in the grass. His thumb ran over the smooth stone before he handed it over to the man, sharing a shy smile. "A-As a thank you...,"
James made the same action with the stone as Harry had, gazing down at the stone that was Emerald green, almost like Harry's and someone else he knew's eyes. How the rock could be that colour, he didn't know, but anyhow James placed it into his shirt's pocket with a smile.
"Thank you, but it's you're birthday not mine kiddo," Harry turned red and looked down once again, his hands fiddling with the loose seem of his overly large shirt.
"I-I know but... no one has ever given me a present on my birthday, or ever even... and I thought...," The boy ended with a short shrug, obviously he didn't know what to say which James didn't mind any.
Before James could respond, though, the annoyed sound of Petunia's voice yelled at Harry to move his butt inside this instant if he wants to eat tonight. The male grit his teeth at the women's obvious lack of compassion for Harry but said nothing of it. They had to endure it for just while longer...
Harry looked up at James at shared a small, greatfull smile before hiding the present under his shirt and hugging it against himself, no matter what aunt Petunia wasn't taking the present from him, not his first one, then he scurried inside the house and the door slammed shut behind the small boy.
James stood from his kneeling position and used a quick cleaning charm to rid off the dirt which stained his pants. The male gnawed his lower lip painfully. It was much to endure only being able to watch Harry grow up and not be apart of the young boy's life. There's so much he didn't know, so much James wish he could tell him but he knew he had to wait until better times. For Harry's safety.
Harry managed to get passed Petunia without her suspecting him of anything. She had sent the boy to his broom closet under the stairs and he gladly complied, hurriedly dashing in and closing the door. Once his heart beat steadied and he couldn't hear anything other than his own breathing, Harry took the package out from under his shirt.
He placed it on his lap and ran his fingers delicately over the balloons which were floating up over the sky and into the clouds before disappearing. He had never seen moving wrapping paper before, never on one of Dudely's gifts. Harry smiled to himself, finally, something he had and Dudely didn't.
The boy carefully tore the wrapping paper from the gift, making sure not to rip it, before discarding it onto his mattress-bed neatly. He gazed down at the book in his hands before cracking it open, a pen falling out which Harry caught with one hand. Harry skimmed over the book, turning blank page after blank page. Maybe it was a colouring book?
The black haired boy took the pen and drew a lily on one page with a smile. Once finishing he lifted the pen and watched as the lily began to glow before it disappeared from the page. Huh? Harry wondered before his mouth dropped to the floor as a real life lily appereated above the book, floating over the once again blank page.
Harry gently took hold of the lily and ran his fingers along the stem, feeling slight moisture at the bottom. It was a real lily! A real lily appeared from his book. It amazed the six year old, what a gift that man, James, had given him.
Harry sort of wished that he would visit him again soon so he could thank the man once again for the amazing gift.
After several minutes of doodling small objects like rocks, leaves, flowers and such did Harry put the book and pen down on his mattress. He grabbed the moving wrapping paper and folded it before placing it into his book. No way could the Duresly's find them, he wouldn't allow them to take away such fun. The boy scanned over his 'room' before finding a nook behind a cracking wall board and placing the book well hidden behind the wood. Harry checked from all views; he couldn't see the book at all. Perfect.
Then, as if timed, aunt Petunia called Harry harshly to set the table for dinner amongst other chores.
The next day Harry was once again tossed out the back door, he didn't bother complaining. As he walked over to the Lily's he could feel the rays of sun piercing the sun burn on the back of Harry's neck but he ignored the pain, nothing was going to bring his mood down. All he did last night was lay on his small mattress, smiling up at the stairs/ceiling whilst thinking about the marvelous book he'd been given.
Once he was on his hands and knees before the lily's did Harry wish that James dropped by again to keep him company. Soon he vanquished the thought, no today Harry had work to be done. He had to weed the garden, water the plants, and cut the grass with a pair of scissors Dudely broke yesterday. It was going to be a long day.
The boy rolled up his long sleeves until they rested before his elbow then began pulling weeds from the soil, making sure the roots were pulled out as well. It took what felt like years to finish deweeding the garden. Then the boy went onto watering the plants.
Harry trudged over to the side of the house and began to unravel the hose before sliding it against the ground over to the plants. He bit his lower lip in thought for a second before coming up with an idea. The boy sprinted back over to the side of the house, grabbed a plastic contraption, then ran back to the head of the hose and attached it on. With a grin Harry turned the water on.
Looking over his shoulder at the water sprinkler, Harry's smile widened. While working in the hot sun, cold water would be spraying over himself and the plants, even the grass! What a brilliant idea, Harry thought to himself before getting to work on the grass.
He worked all afternoon with the scissors, cutting the grass to a shorter length, while water cooled him down. Without the water Harry thought surely he'd die of heat.
Harry discarded the scissors once finishing the lawn. He smiled at his work before looking over his shoulder. A figure seemed to just... appear out of nowhere. It was James, the man from before.
The boy moved his dripping fringe from his eyes and shared a shy smile to the male who walked over to him, getting sprayed with water in the process. Harry giggled some at the sight.
"Having fun there?" James tilted his head at the little boy who was covering up his giggles with his hand. Harry nodded before the giggles dissapeared. He had some thank yous to hand out.
"Oh uh thank you again sir for the book, it's amazing! I drew a lily in it then an actual lily just seemed to appear like... like magic!" Harry cheered, forgetting about the fact he barely knew the man who stood in front of him with a knowing look.
Of course,James thought, he doesn't know about magic, those muggles must've kept it from him.
"No problem kiddo, it's quite amazing indeed," James felt a drop of water drip down the back of his neck but ignored it, focusing his attention on Harry.
"How um does it work sir?" Harry, as what seemed to be a nervous habbit, toyed with the loose seem of his large shirt. James only smiled in response to the boy's cute shyness.
"Magic, but you'll understand more once you're older," The boy pouted slightly before waiting several seconds
"...I'm older, now can you tell me?" James only chuckled and shook his head, what a persistent bugger.
"Okay fine... so um sir I'm done with my chores... do you uh think you could play with me?" Harry looked up at the male with uncertain eyes then closed them and shook his head "never mind you've probably got things to do..."
"Of course I'll play with you kiddo!" The boy gasped in shock, did he just say yes? The news sunk in and the black haired boy couldn't help but grin, it was the first time he'd have someone to play with, even if he was years and years and years older. Who cared?
And so the afternoon rolled on, Harry splashed around in the water and James did as well, he did anything Harry liked him to. Harry giggled a ton and James laugh when he slipped on the wet grass and fell onto his arse.
It was fun finally spending time with his son. Yes, his son.
James Potter, the father of Harry Potter, survived Voldemort's attack, just barely. It was close, he himself thought he were dead. But he wasn't. And neither was his baby boy Harry.
The shriek of Petunia calling Harry inside for the evening stopped the boy's giggle fit. He frowned slightly before turning towards his new playmate. "Promise you'll come again, sir, it was fun playing with you..," Harry shared a smile before running Inside, totally forgetting about the hose.
James grinned at his baby boy before turning off the hose and drying himself off using a simple drying charm. He'd only wish that he remembered to do so for Harry because even from the backyard could James hear Vernon yelling at Harry for dripping all over the floors.
Weeks passed since James' second visit and he hadn't gone back to number 4 Privet drive again. Harry wondered why. At first he was sad about it but then he realized that it was never meant to last, nothing good that happened to Harry ever lasted so why should that?
Days rolled by, the sun got less hot on the bare flesh of Harry's sun burnt neck. Soon school began and Harry started kindergarten. The Dursely's drove Dudely to the school while Harry was forced to walk with a worn down bad filled with worn out school supplies. The only thing worth anything in his bag was the book James had given Harry weeks ago, it was still so very precious to Harry that he couldn't leave it with the Dursley's.
The boy entered the school and found his way to the classroom where most of his next year he would spend at. His bag was shoved into his cubby before the messy haired male tobbled into the classroom. Harry felt insecure.
All around him were coloured crayons, new bags, children who wore the latest clothes that actually fit them and wasn't four sizes too large like Harry's clothing were. Harry kept to himself most of the day, huddled in the corner during play time, his arms wrapped around his small frame.
Everyone in the classroom had already managed to make friends, everyone chatting away in little kid language while Harry just sat and watched, wished he had what they had. He had an idea, the book! It could make everything Harry wanted... but. It wouldn't be right, the boy thought before deciding against it.
Harry endured hours of colouring, playing and such by himself and felt quite lonely. He was surprised when the teachers sent them off to pack their bags, Harry didn't realize the time passed so quickly. He must've lost track of time while playing imagination with himself.
The boy made a leave for the doors but a arm stopped his travels "Where do you think you're going young man?" A sweet voice chimed at him, making Harry look up at her.
"Home," He tried to make his leave but got stopped once again.
"You have to wait for your parents to pick you up, silly goose," The boy nibbled on his lower lip, aunt Petunia told Harry that he was to walk to and from school, what was he supposed to do?
"My aunt told me I have to walk. She's uh... busy at work and can't take me home," The woman opened her mouth to say something but quickly shut it with a smile. A man came walking into the school, black hair messy like usual. He walked over to the young boy and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll be taking him home now, sorry I was late, traffic," Harry's gaze drifted over to the hand on his shoulder. Could that possibly be James?
"Is this you're father, sweetie?" The boy shook his head.
"My father's-"
"-babysitter. I'm just his babysitter. The name is James, "
"Yes well James you'll have to sign Harry out before you may make your leave," James nodded his head before grabbing the pen and signing James Potter, Harry shifted his gaze to the tile flooring.
"Come on then Harry let's go," James shuffled the boy out of the school and helped him into the back seat of his car without loosing his friendly smile.
"Why did you come to pick me up sir?" Harry toyed with the seat belt that cut into his neck. It didn't make sense to him, the man had dissapeared for a whole month right after he said he'd come back soon to play with Harry. Then he shows up again at his school to pick him up. What was the deal there?
"You're aunt and uncle left with their son to go to the zoo or somewhere right after picking in him up. They had me come to watch you,"
Harry blinked in confusion "They did?"
"Yes. So how about we go back to your house for a little snack then we can play a bit?" James buckled himself into the drivers seat and shifted gears into drive before zooming off towards Privet drive number four.
The world outside his windows was turned, flashing colours exploded outside of the car. Harry was yet again confused. Was that really how cars worked? The boy never exactly knew about cars or had been in one to remember but that seemed a little too unreal.
"W-What's happening? Why are we turning, where are we?" The male in the drivers seat only smiled as he pressed on, eventually the car sat on the driveway of number four.
James got out of the car and walked to Harry's side to help him out "So what would you like for a snack, little man?"
"I uh I don't mind sir, you don't need to make me anything if it's a bother..," Harry trudged inside the house with James close behind. The two made their way to the kitchen, Harry actually sat down on the nice chairs at the table for once.
"Grilled cheese then?"
"That's a snack..?"
"Indeed. Would that be okay?" Harry couldn't help but smile. He loved grilled cheese yet never had it for himself, only once had he managed to get a piece from Dudely.
"Definitely,"
Harry had to admit, that evening was the best of his life. He had never smiled so brightly or giggled so much in his whole life. Something about James had Harry feeling happy. He barely knew who he was anymore.
It was around eight pm that Harry hobbled off to his broom closet and came back with the book James had given him. He sat on the nice furniture and set the book onto his lap. The boy took out the pen and began to think of what to draw. He wanted to make something for James, something to show his thanks. All he could think of was a lily.
"James?" Harry looked up once taking the lily from the air above the book. A shy smile was plastered on his face as he jumped off the couch and padded his way to the kitchen where James was washing the dishes, something Harry would regularly do.
"Yea kiddo?" James turned towards the boy and dried his hands on a towel. He noticed the lily in Harry's hand. "T-This is for you!" Harry thrusted the lily towards James, his head low and eyes squeezed shut in embarrassment.
James paused for a second then smiled and took the lily from Harry. That one simple gesture meant something to James, Harry had given him something that the boy held dearly to his heart. He had shared something he was protecting from people. This overwhelmed James. "Thank you. Lily's are my favourite flower,"The young boy nodded.
"Me too,"
Harry Potter grew up not knowing where he belonged, he never belonged at his own home with the Dursley's, not at school where he had no friends. Not anywhere, except one place, this place wasn't exactly a place, it was James.
For the next four years of Harry's life he had the weekend's to look forward to. James always took him away from the Dursely's for the two days and they always had fun together. In the summers they went out for ice-cream then went swimming. In the winters they got hot chocolate and went tobogganing.
"Hey kiddo we need to talk about something," James said as they sat on a bench in the middle of a park. Ten year old Harry Potter licked away ice-cream that dripped down his hand before looking towards James.
"Alright, what's it about?"
"You need to know the truth about what happened to your parents," The boy stopped fixating on his ice-cream, forgetting about it completely.
"I know what happened James, they got killed in a car accident, the same one that gave me this scar," James shook his head as a saddend look creapt onto his features.
"You're Aunt and Uncle lied to about that. But I can tell you the truth, if you want," The black haired boy looked down at his lap. His parents were a sensitive subject for the orphan, nothing he could just brush off. Yet part of him was curious as to what exactly happened to his parents.
"Okay... please tell me sir I'd like to know,"
"It's a long story, things wont make sense but I can assure you next year it all will be clear," Harry nodded "Alright," "Up until you were around one year old you lived with your mum and dad. Their names were Lily and James. Both of your parents were wizards, great ones too. You were a happy family until one night the dark Lord Voldemort attack your house, he casted the killing curse on you but your mother Lily saved you with her love, so she died," James paused for a moment to get a good look at Harry who had his brows furrowed in concentration.
The boy remembered seeing a green light coming at him and a woman screaming, could that have been his mum?
"Voldemort dissapeared after that. People believed you defeated him, that he was gone for good. Everyone also thought that the Potter family had died, other than you. But you see, your father never died," Harry's gaze snapped up to James.
"He didn't?!" James could see a glimpse of hope shine through the boys eyes which made him smile sadly.
"No he didn't, he never stopped watching out for you, neither did your mother Lily. The reason why you're father let you live with the Dursley's was to keep you safe. He couldn't have you in risk of getting hurt. And Professor Dumbledore believed that if you lived with the Dursley's until you go to Hogwarts would make sure you're safe. So he sadly complied,"
There was silence for a long time. Harry felt his lower lip begin to tremble so he bit down on it roughly, not caring about the sharp pain. His father was still alive and his name was James. Harry looked up at James and saw something he hadn't realized before, the uncanny resemblance of them both.
"Dad...?" Harry breathed out, feeling a painful stab in his chest.
"I wish I could have taken you from those awful people Harry," Tears boiled in the eyes of both Potter's. Harry's wishes had come true.
In a blur of colour Harry had dropped his ice-cream onto the grass and hug his father tightly. He had a dad... something Harry could have only dream up.
James felt his heart break then repair itself as he hugged his son tightly against his chest. He had longed for so long to tell Harry about him, about Lily.
"I love you dad. Please don't leave me again with those people," Harry mumbled into the males chest. James rubbed soothing circles into the ten year olds back and leaned down to kiss the top of the boys head.
"I love you too Harry," From then to September James took Harry to the Potter house to live with him. James had his life back finally.
The only thing he had to worry about was sending Harry off to Hogwarts in September. Never again did he want to be apart from his baby boy, Harry James Potter.
The boy was beginning to think that maybe he wasn't so unlucky after all. But he never knew what was in store for him at Hogwarts, his life was only just starting. A whole new era of unluckyness was in store for Harry Potter. And maybe some luck too.
A/N: so this is my first ever Harry Potter fanfiction. Late to the fandom oops. But please may I ask you forgive me if the characters are OOC, I tried my best and I don't need upset fangirls up my sleeve haha. Anyways this is just a place where I'll post one shots for Harry Potter. Hope you enjoyed, bye for now.