Authors note: By request, this is a cross posting of my story from AO3 which can be found here ( works/ 4360925/ chapters/ 9893984). For some of my notes, and a more timely updates, go there.

Freak's lungs burned, his legs pumping as fast as he could as he sprinted across the school yard. He was not going to make it, he could hear the shouts of Dudley's gang close behind him, almost feel the pass of air as their hands reach out to grab him. If he could only get around the front of the school were the he had seen the teacher on duty… Freak knew this won't stop the boys from getting him, but it will mean the beating will end quickly. That is if the teacher was like Petunia, who hated it when Freak bleed everywhere, making a mess. So there was chance the teacher would stop the beating quickly. But to do so he had to get around to the end of the yard, and that was so far away, and the gang was too close.

He's not going to make it.

Then, the sun glinted off the bins outside the school kitchen. Maybe, he realised, he can hide behind the bins. This is a bad idea, the other part of his brain argues. If he's found the beating will be so much worse. But he needs to get away! And the edge of the building was just too far away.

So Freak did another lap of the play equipment and bushes and darted left instead of right, jumping quickly behind the bins. Hopefully, the equipment and the kids on it will be enough to hid his direction for the seconds needed to get into place. And then Freak was tucked as close to the wall and and as small as possible. He slapped his hand over his month in an effort to silence his gasping breaths. Freak had been so happy when Petunia had pushed him out the door that morning telling him he got to finally go to school because 'Number 17 had stuck her nose in where it didn't belong and asked why he wasn't going to school yet.' Dudley had been going to school for 2 years already, and Freak had really hoped that maybe he could make a friend. The morning had started horribly, with the teacher insisting his name was Harry, and calling him a liar when he said it was Freak. Then everyone had laughed at him. Still, Freak had hoped some of the other kids, not in his class might be his friend. Now, at recess, with Dudley looking for him after shouting that anyone who talked to the Freak would also taste his fists, those hopes had been dashed. The shouts of the boys seem to echo loudly, but he was beyond hopeful when they seem to get further away. It made the horror of Dudleys next shout even worse, "The Freak couldn't have gotten so far! The little rat must have tried to hide! Look around!"

No no no no no please no, Freak pleaded to any god listening. Why did Dudley have to think for once right now?

Freak pushed himself as far back into the wall as possible.

"There! The bins!" Piers shouted.

Freak whimpered, and kept pushing back. The stone of the wall behind him seemed to give, or his bones are turning to mush in fear, he couldn't tell. All he could think was no no no let me get away! I have to get away! And to Freak's amazement, the wall gave, and he fall backwards into darkness.

Dudley's gang ripped the bins away, to find absolutely nothing. The small boy whose name was actually Harry Potter, was gone.