This is an older story of mine. It still has errors in it so bare with it. I have fourteen chapters done and will finish it.
I don't own Harry Potter.
Chapter One — It Can't Get Any Worse Than This, Can It?
It was an ordinary day on Privet Drive, well as ordinary as a day could be when you have Harry Potter living under your roof. For Vernon and Petunia Dursley, at Number 4, it was their greatest desire that everyone knew how ordinary and normal their lives were, even though that wasn't always the case. It was unknown to the neighbors that odd things kept happening around their small, black-haired, ten-year-old nephew; many had no idea that he even lived there. Harry denied that these 'accidents' were his fault but they didn't believe him; no one ever did. Even his teachers thought he was a bit unusual.
But not even at school, could Harry escape the terror of the Dursleys. Their rotund and bullying son, Dudley, was in Harry's class and he made a point that everyone should stay away from 'Freaky Potter' if they knew what was best for them. When they didn't obey this rule they were found with Piers Polkiss holding their hands behind their backs. None of the teachers had any idea that Dudley was the cause of Harry's shyness or that he was Dudley's favorite punching bag. Harry was one of the brightest in the Fifth Grade class but he only participated when required, much to the teacher's dismay.
Needless to remark, his Aunt and Uncle weren't too happy about Harry being so intelligent. He was punished for his good marks by being locked in the cupboard under the stairs for two weeks; only to come out to prepare meals that he wasn't allowed to eat. Sure, he ate but it was the bare minimum so he could do his chores once his punishment was over. When he woke up that first Saturday by his Aunts piercing voice, he found a list of chores that needed to be finished by the end of the day; it included preparing meals and cleaning out the attic and garage.
Harry was unaware of the presence that seemed to help him with finishing his tasks. The slightly graying man was sent to see if the young boy was being taken care of. But what he saw the past two weeks caused the man to break his promise of secrecy to Professor Albus Dumbledore; he would approach the malnourished boy in order to tell him of a better world. He wanted to tell Harry of the world that he and his parents grew up in. The stranger released a sigh of pain and regret as he thought of the boys dead parents. Lily and James Potter were two of his best friends but he knew had to stop thinking of the past and focus on their suffering son. But even looking at Harry was painful for him. Unfortunately, for him, his uncle came out demanding that the boy stopped lollygagging and finish preparing his tea. The man took the opportunity to finish cleaning the garage for him. It took him only the flick of his wrist for everything to be in its rightful place.
The man took a chance to peek into the house. What he saw disturbed him even more. The tiny boy was carrying a roast almost as large as he was! Harry looked as though he about to drop it when an invisible force helped him balance the tray he was holding. The man outside knew that the boy held powers that no one could ever dream about. He made his choice, tomorrow, Harry's eleventh birthday; he would tell his best friends' son some of his history of before he was sent to his Aunt and Uncle. He believed that Harry deserved to know the truth. The next morning when he was clipping the hedges, he took the risk for first contact.
"Harry, my name is Remus Lupin. Please don't be afraid but I need to talk to you. I promise that your chores will be finished on time and you won't be punished. Well first, I guess I should wish you a happy birthday. I'll be sure to get you something later in Diagon Alley. But that's not why I'm here. Harry, did your family ever tell about your parents? Have they ever explained to you why you're not like them?"
Harry snorted. "They never tell me anything. I'm not allowed to talk about my parents or the accidents that they think I cause. Why did you know them? Do you know the real cause of their deaths? Aunt Petunia told me they died in a car accident but something didn't seem right. I never told this to anyone but sometimes I have flashes or dreams and I see this weird green light. I know that has something to do with their deaths. Please tell me what happened."
"Harry, when your uncle gets home I'll explain some things. Right now, I need to tell about the world that your parents grew up in. Your Mum was a witch and your Dad was a wizard. They had powerful magical abilities that they passed down to you. They went to a school called Hogwarts and I was sent to give you your letter of acceptance to that school and convince your family to let you go. Please Harry, will you tell about your life?"
"I don't know why but I trust you; I have a good feeling about you. My life with the Dursleys is horrible. They push me around; force me to work all hours of the night. I have to prepare meals that I'm not allowed to eat. They let my cousin bully me. I can't tell you how many haircuts they gave me. All of my clothes are a least five times too big. I want to go to Hogwarts even though I don't know anything about magic."
"Harry, I don't want you to scare you but I have been following you and I have seen you use your magic in amazing ways. Once you are trained you will be able change the world."
"Can you tell me little about yourself, Mr. Lupin?"
"Of course, well, I'm 30-years-old. My Mum was a Muggle-born witch." Remus saw a confused look on Harry's face. "A Muggle is someone without magic. A Muggle-born is someone with magic while their parents are Muggles, such as your Mum. My Dad was a pureblood. They died in my Fifth Year. I went to live with your Dad after that. His parents were very accepting of who I am. While at Hogwarts, I was fourth in my year after your parents. I'm an expert in Defense Against the Dark Arts. And I hate being called Mr. Lupin; it makes me feel old."
"Aren't you old?"
"Merlin, you are a mini-James. He said the same thing to my parents when he stayed at my house before Third Year. Not only do you look at him; you behave like him too. Your professors are going to have their hands full with you. Wait, I think I hear your uncle."
"Oh, no, I haven't finished the garden. Remus, he'll kill me. Please, I don't want to want to go back into the cupboard."
"Harry, everything will be alright. I can finish the hedges in seconds. Go inside and make sure your uncle doesn't come out here. I'll be inside soon. Nothing will happen to you."
Harry ran into the house as Remus pulled out his wand. He finished the hedges, trimmed the grass, and vanquished the weeds. When he was done, he could hear yelling from the house.
"Boy, you had better have that garden done or you won't be eating for a week." At that, Remus walked into the house. When Vernon saw him, he let go of Harry's neck. "Who the bloody hell are you?"
"Mr. Dursley, I am Remus Lupin and I have been sent by Albus Dumbledore to make sure that you are properly taking care of Harry. From what I have seen these past two weeks, I can say that you have not. That child doesn't even know where he comes from; he didn't know the truth of his parents' death."
"His parents were worthless fools and I don't want someone like them in my house," Vernon screamed at the wizard.
"Get over it, I already told Harry that you were lying to him all these years. I will be coming back in half an hour. I have to send a letter to his headmaster at Hogwarts. When I come back, I want Harry to be packed and ready to leave. If it were up to me, he would never have been sent to live with you in the first place."
With a crack, Remus was gone. When Vernon recovered from his shock, he grabbed Harry by his neck again. With all of his strength, he backhanded Harry across the face. Amazingly, Harry was still awake. Vernon dropped Harry so that he was in a ball on the floor. Vernon tried to kick Harry but he was able to put a shield around himself. But the shield was draining Harry of any strength that he had. Soon he was semi-unconscious and the shield was gone. Vernon picked the boy up and threw him against the wall as Remus came back. Remus pulled out his wand to try to protect Harry.
"Stupefy!" Vernon fell to the ground unconscious. Petunia walked into the room and screamed at the sight of her husband in the floor and because there was a stranger holding the nephew she loathed. "I'm taking Harry to the hospital. Then I will be going to the police to file charges against you and your pathetic husband."
Remus was debating were to take him. Finally, with a crack, Remus and Harry were outside of a Muggle hospital. He knew that if he took Harry to a magic hospital Harry would be in all of the newspapers. He took Harry to the closest doctor he could find.
The doctor called for orderly to get a stretcher and sent Remus to the front desk. The nurse gave Remus some forms to fill out. After he read the questions, he saw he couldn't fill them out.
"Ma'am, Harry is an orphan and was just pulled out of his aunt and uncle's care. In fact, it is his uncle's fault that he's here. He has no insurance and I only met Harry today except for when he was a baby. So I can't fill out these forms."
"Alright, can you just give some back ground info? First, do you know his full name?"
"Yes, it's Harry James Potter."
"What is your name?"
"Remus Lupin."
"Okay, what day was he born?"
"July 31, 1980." The nurse winced because today was the 31st.
"Does he have any allergies to any medicines?"
"I don't know."
"Well, that's all I need to know. Would you please sit down? The doctor will be out as soon as he has any information on Harry's condition."
Remus paced in the waiting room for what seemed like days. He barely heard the doctor when he called his name.
"Mr. Lupin, Harry is stable but he is still unconscious. I understand that his uncle beat him up. I also did some tests that showed that he is malnourished. I have to know that when he is released he'll have a place to go."
Remus had to think fast. "He'll be living with me until September 1st, and then he will be going to school in Scotland. Will he be all right while I go fill out some police forms? I know that when he wakes they will want to question him."
"Just leave your phone number with the receptionist before you leave so we can contact you."
"I don't have a phone. I promise I won't be gone long."
He walked out of the hospital and with a pop; he appeared outside of the police station. He nervously walked in. He spoke to the office behind the counter.
"Excuse me; I have to report child abuse."
"Alright, what are the child's name, the alleged abusers name, and your name?"
"The child was Harry Potter. He was beaten up by his uncle, Vernon Dursley. And I am Remus Lupin; a friend of Harry deceased parents. They live at number 4 Privet Drive, in Little Winging. Harry is at a nearby hospital; he is still unconscious."
"Why were you at the Dursley residence?"
"I wanted to check up on him. After his parents died, I lost contact with Harry. I had a feeling that something wrong with Harry. Even though we haven't seen each other since he was one he trusted me and told me some disturbing things that his uncle did to him."
"What kind of things?"
"He told be that if didn't finish his numerous chores he was locked in a broom cupboard for long periods of time with no meals."
"Alright, fill out these forms and have the hospital call us when Harry wakes up."
Remus went back to the hospital and gave the receptionist the card.