Chapter One
"POTTER, YOU GET DOWN HERE IMMEDIATELY!"
The loud shout jolted Harry from his sleep. "What a way to wake up." he thought distastefully before realizing that someone just woke him up. "Oh no, I'm so dead." Harry groaned before sighing and quickly getting dressed. He ran down the stairs and slid to a stop before calmly entering the kitchen through the closed door.
"Good morning Aunt Petunia." Harry mumbled. "Don't 'Good Morning' us boy, we are ready for the day and you aren't even up making our breakfast. Do you expect my son to starve?" Vernon snapped at the boy. "No Uncle Vernon, of course not. I'll get started right away." Harry mumbled weakly. "Good. Of course you know this means no food for you for the rest of the week, right boy?" Vernon said smirking.
Harry bit his lip and nodded, a small 'yes' escaping his mouth. "After we are done with breakfast and you wash the dishes, you will be going to the market. There are things that you need to get." Petunia said not even looking at the boy. Harry sighed internally. "Yes Aunt Petunia." he responded quietly. Dudley smirked and chucked an apple from the table at Harry causing him to stumble forward in shock, right onto the stove burner. Harry sunk his teeth into his lip to keep from crying out in pain. He quickly served the food, bowed and ran from the room.
Once Harry was outside he grabbed the hose and turned the water on. He let the water run over the burn on his arm. Harry stared at his clothes, they now had burns on top of the wear and tear already there. He sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be getting any new clothes, not until it was plainly obvious how low he was on the scale. One thought crossed Harry's mind. 'When I reach 18 in a couple of months, I can leave and I will never have to return. My inheritance is waiting for me.' He smiled softly at that, he'd be free and have money for clothes and food and anything else he would need.
He turned off the water and went inside. The Dursley's were no longer in the kitchen, only dirty dishes, a list of supplies he was to get at the market and the money to cover it. Harry did the dishes, grabbed the list and money and left the house.
Harry reached the market and pulled out the list.
Eggs
Milk
Cheese
Bread
Beef
Vegetables
Fruits
Harry glared at the list. "Food, thats all? They only care about food. Well that's all they send me out to get anyways. The other things are too important for me to get." he sighed. "Why so glum Harry?" a soft voice asked from his right. Harry turned to face a girl with long bushy brown hair pulled into a ponytail and laughing brown eyes. Hermione Granger, she was a servant, only she got treated fairly. She even got paid, she occasionally gave Harry a little of her money to help him.
"Hey Hermione." Harry mumbled. She studied him for a second before reaching out and pushing his raven hair behind his ear and stared hard into emerald eyes. "Dursleys. What did they do this time?" she asked. "Dudley threw an apple at me and I burnt myself." Harry said quietly. "Bastards." Hermione grunted. "Hermione! You shouldn't use that kind of language!" Harry admonished.
Hermione snorted. "Harry James Potter. I may be a lady but I am a servant, we can get away with that type of language easier, you should try it. It releases stress." she said matter-of-factly. Harry smiled softly at her. "So what did the Weasleys send you for this time?" Harry asked as they moved into the market. "The usual. Basic supplies, you know that they don't like spending much money on trivial stuff. I use my pay to sneak some in occasionally though." She said laughing gently.
"Harry! Over here!" a gruff voice called out. Harry's smile grew. Harry ran in the direction of the voice, Hermione hot on his trail. Harry leaped into the man's arms. "Remus! How are you?" Harry asked as Remus put him down. "Good, I almost have enough money to bail Sirius out. I can't believe that they convicted him like that. He didn't even do it." Remus responded getting a far away look in his eye. "I know Remus. The royal family, didn't even give him a chance to speak. If I ever meet one of them, they will be getting a piece of my mind." Harry grumbled.
"Now is your chance Harry." Hermione said pushing Harry away from Remus. Remus followed behind seeing where Hermione was headed. "Hermione, you have a good head on your shoulders, so you should know this is a bad idea." Remus whispered. "No it isn't, besides, no one can say no to Harry, he is just so cute." Hermione answered laughing. Harry, now seeing where Hermione was pushing him, panicked. "Hermione! This is crazy. The royal family? You know what they'll do to me! What the DURSLEYS will do to me?" Harry whimpered at the thought.
Hermione scoffed. "They can't do anything just because you are telling them how you feel." she said right before they stopped. The two men looked at them, as the guards stepped forward. The blonde waved his hand and the guards stopped advancing. Hermione nudged Harry forward. Harry bit his lip and he bowed to the men. Harry knew these two men well. They had both attended Sirius's trial. The tall blonde was Draco Malfoy, Prince Draco Malfoy and the towering raven was Severus Snape, royal advisor.
"As much fun as it is watching you bow boy, we don't have the time, so just say what you need to and let us get on with our day." Severus snapped. He was very irritated, Harry noted. "Severus be kind, we must talk to our people, isn't that what you, yourself told us." Draco said putting his hand on the man's bicep. He turned to Harry and smiled. "What can we help you with?" he asked. Harry rose slowly from his bow.
"I would like to talk to you about... about..." Harry lost his courage at the scowl on Severus Snape's face. Draco must have noticed the cautious look that Harry was sending Severus because he stepped between them. "Talk about what?" Draco prodded gently. The boy looked so delicate and scared, he looked just about ready to flee. "Huh?" Harry looked confused for a second before his eyes widened. "I wish to ta...talk to you abou..about Siri... Sirius Black." Harry whispered.
Severus snorted. "The mutt in jail? This isn't worth your time Draco, let us go, you mother is expecting you home soon." he said turning away. "Wait Severus. Sirius Black. Oh, yes, I remember the trial. He was accused and convicted of stealing from the Dursley family." Draco said looking thoughtful. "He didn't!" Harry cried out before covering his mouth. Severus glared at Harry. "How dare..." he started only to be cut off by Hermione. "What is with you! Harry is trying to talk to you and you treat him as if he wasn't a even servant but an animal!" she snarled. Harry looked at her. "Hermione. We should stay out of this." Remus stated gently.
Severus's glare turned to him. "So you're letting a child fight your battles?" he said mockingly. Harry glared at him. "I am not fighting anyone's battles! And don't talk to him like that!" Harry growled out. "Silence! All of you!" Draco snapped. Everyone looked at him. "I am going home now. I do not wish to keep mother waiting." he said and turned away. "Wait, please!" Harry called out and reached out to grab Draco's arm. Suddenly he was thrown to the ground and swords were pointed at him.
"Do not touch him!" One of the guards hissed. Harry finally broke and he started crying. Draco had spun around at the yelp the boy had made on impact with the ground. "What are you doing?" Draco demanded. "He was going to touch you my lord." The guard said. Draco rolled his eyes. "Let's just go. Mother doesn't like to be kept waiting." Draco started walking away again. Remus and Hermione had run to Harry's side. "He didn't do it." Harry whispered. "Prove it." Severus growled and followed Draco.
Remus held Harry as he cried. "Its okay Harry, there was nothing you could do. The Malfoys and Snape don't ever think that they are wrong and they put people like us down to do it." Hermione said softly. "This is your fault. I was just saying that I would give them a piece of my mind, I didn't mean it. I got to go. I'm late as it is." Harry snapped. He pulled away from Remus, ignored everyone's whispers and stares, and left.
Harry reached the Dursley's house and braced himself before entering. "What took you so long boy!" Vernon yelled. Harry flinched but didn't say anything. "Go to your room and don't come out!" Vernon snarled. Harry nodded, put the basket down and ran up the stairs.
Draco walked into the grand hall and bowed to his parents. Severus right behind him. "Mother, Father." Draco said. "Why are you late?" Lucius demanded. "I got stopped by some servant. Wanted to talk about Sirius Black. Claimed he was innocent." Draco responded. Lucius looked at Severus for conformation and Severus nodded. "Who was it?" Lucius demanded. Draco shrugged and moved to his mother. "Ready for tea?" he asked. She smiled and the two walked out of the room.
Lucius glared at Severus. "The Potter brat." Severus stated.
He did not notice the outrage on his friends face.