Disclaimer – I don't own this story or any of the characters.

Chapter 1

Harry lay in his bed that seemed as it was ready to fall apart at any moment. He had come back from Hogwarts only just last week and now he wished he had just let Voldermort have his way. It turned out that something big had happened while he was away at Hogwarts and his 'Dear Uncle Vernon' had begun the beating again with the 'no food for the freak rule'. So what ever had happened when he was at Hogwarts, things had gone back to how they were before he got his Hogwarts letter. A voice that was like nails on a chalkboard broke though his thoughts.

"Up, get up!"

It was his Aunt Petunia knocking at the door to Harry's room; Harry made a noise so his Aunt knew he was up. It seemed that Aunt Petunia had refused to come into his room anymore, with the headless mice that Hedwig brought back for him. To Harry it seemed like Hedwig was trying to fatten him up. He slowly and painfully got up and dressed and went out of his room, down the steps (they were broken because of Harry's Uncle and cousin weight) and into the kitchen to cook breakfast for his relatives.

After Harry had finished all the cooking and cleaning from breakfast time, his Aunt came up to him and without a word or even a single sign that he even existed, handed him his list of chores for the day with the normal threat that if he didn't do all the chores on the list then he would be in for another beating from his uncle.

With a sigh, Harry looked down at the list and wondered how ever he was going to manage all of this with his injures from the last beating that his uncle had given him.

Chores:

Make breakfast,

Clean dishes,

Mow lawn,

Weed garden,

Make lunch,

Clean dishes,

Dust everything,

Mop floors,

Paint fence.

'This isn't so bad' Harry thought with surprise and relief.

After that things went back to normal, his uncle went to work and his aunt and cousin went out to get Dudley something for some stupid reason. Things for Harry went well, that is until lunch time when his uncle came home.

"Glad I've mange to get half way though the list at least,' thought Harry, hoping that his uncle would just ignore him. Unfortunately for Harry, his uncle walked into the kitchen as Harry was making lunch and he had a big smile on his face that couldn't mean anything good for Harry.

"Boy, you are baby-sitting tonight and what money you make you will give to me." Vernon said while jabbing Harry in his bruised and sore ribs.

"For who?" asked Harry while rubbing where his uncle had just jabbed him.

"Why would they want Harry?" A shocked Petunia asked before Harry got a reply.

"Because they don't know that Harry lives with us and we could use the money. Add that to the fact that they will be here to have dinner with us." Vernon replied to his wife, ignoring Harry and his question.

"Who are they?" Petunia asked which she got an answer for which made Harry a bit mad.

"The Xanatos; they are very powerful and very, very, very rich." Vernon said with glee at the thought of money.

"Oh, well, then we will have to make them feel at home." Petunia said who was getting Uncle Vernon's thoughts.

Harry looked at his Aunt Petunia's face and he saw that it was a very dreamy look and she was smiling as if only good things could happen with the possibility that came with knowing the Xanatos family.

Dudley, who had heard his father as he had hoped for Harry to get what he deserved, his whole face lit up as he thoughts followed that of his parents. Uncle Vernon then went back to work in a good mood and Aunt Petunia started to plan what to have for dinner that night. Which would mean for Harry (or at least he hoped) he would not be beaten tonight and that he might be able to sneak some food to his room when he relatives wasn't looking.

When his Uncle Vernon came back from work at five, Harry's Aunt Petunia was all dressed up and made his Uncle Vernon and Dudley changed into their best Sunday suits. It seemed to Harry that his relatives were going all out to try and impress these people.

The door bell rang at six o'clock and Uncle Vernon answered it which was soon followed by a yell for Harry.

"Boy!" Vernon shouted.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked as he came into the hallway where his uncle was waiting.

"Come here now! The Xanatos don't know you live with us and you will not tell them, understood?" Vernon demanded.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon." Harry replied.

"Now, boy, remember: no funny stuff and don't say anything about that school of yours." Vernon said harshly.

Then when Uncle Vernon was sure that Harry understood the rules, he then answered the door.

"Mr. Dursley, I am here to pick up the baby-sitter for the Xanatos." Said a well dressed young man with a polite bow that you would expect a butler to do.