INNOCENT WISHES AND REACTIONS

Summary: AU, starts before canon (again) – Young Harry suffers from his familial environment, but something will happen, and he'll be taken away. Some people won't like it, though, and will presumably react strongly.

Will be Action/Adventure/Romance... possibly. I'm quite sure it won't be Angst/Drama/Tragedy, though.

Rating... I don't know yet. Pairings also undecided. Length... unknown yet.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you might recognize. It is the short version to say that the Harry Potter universe belongs to its owners, and I'm not one of them. This story is written only for enjoyment; as such, I may own the plot and some non-canon characters and locations, but that's all. I also just realized that many many stories already have the "wish"-like title. This one might cross over their plot or situation, for all I know.

Warnings: Possible spoilers for the official books. Some facts and characters are taken from them, and sometimes adapted to my needs. Forgive me also for not researching real-life events like I do with The Hunt.

Reviews are accepted, encouraged, praised, thanked... you got the picture.

Chapter 1 – Troubles
posted August 7th, 2005

"It's my fault."

It was convinced of that. Six years of belittling, insults, and other mistreatment had made sure that he'd think like them. He was an ungrateful brat who should be thankful that they offered him a place to stay.

It wasn't their fault that he had now skipped a whole week of meals. Skipping a meal because his relatives felt like it wasn't an uncommon happenstance in his short life, but it had never reached that length before.

It wasn't their fault that his pale and frail body had welts coming from his uncle's belt, dating from the day before.

Some of the teachers at school had remarked his drawn state and a nurse had even alerted the principal once about his scars, but his uncle had visited the man and nothing happened afterwards. Except a thorough beating.

He wasn't allowed to show better grades than his cousin – a difficult task in itself – unless he wanted to skip more meals.

Some of the children in school ignored him. Some pitied him. Some joined his cousin in beating him. He was the outcast. And he had always thought that it was normal.

He stirred in his half-conscious state. The wave of heat of this midsummer 1987 was particularly strong, and he hadn't been given water for a full day. By now, he was in a desperate state, mouth parched by thirst, his hunger keeping him awake and delirious, and unable to get out because of the locks. He had already realized that, if nobody came soon, he would die.

Nobody was home, though, his relatives having taken a day out at the nearest swimming pool. His aunt was certainly sunbathing in a recliner, reading her favourite book for the umpteenth time. Her significant other was probably floating in water nearby, his significant belly allowing him to float. And their son, his cousin, was probably terrorizing little kids in the small pool.

Harry Potter didn't know that, though.

"I..." he croaked. "I wish someone would help me."

To be continued in next chapter: Guardianship...

That was a short beginning,
Not much was said, wasn't it?
However, there is one thing
Driving the story, a bit.