Ten year old Harry Potter, stood by the shopping cart utterly bored.
Uncle Vernon was at work and Dudley was with his friends, leaving him alone with his aunt Petunia.
Aunt Petunia had to go do some grocery shopping, and because she would rather die than leave Harry alone in the house ,dragged him along with her.
Harry leaned against the shopping cart staring up at the ceiling, they were currently in the produce section, and Petunia was having a tough time choosing between yellow, brown, or red potatoes.
Something to Harry felt off though, almost as if he was being watched.
Petunia went over to the cart and said, "I'm going to the bathroom, stay here next to the cart."
Harry nodded, he knew that if he left and she came back to find he wasn't there, he would be in loads of trouble.
Petunia turned and went to the bathroom, not far from the produce section.
When someone went over towards him.
"Hello," said the man."U-um h-hello." said Harry suddenly feeling extremely uncomfortable.
The man in front of him was normal, he was tall with blond hair and blue eyes.
However, his eyes were what creeped Harry out, they were looking at him hungrily, as if he were a slice of meat.
"I'm sorry sir, but my aunt says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." said Harry, hoping that would be enough, to dissuade the man from talking to him.
"Really?" asked the man.
"y-yes," said Harry nervously, at that moment, Harry wished aunt Petunia would Hurry up.
"I'm not a stranger, I'm a friend, my name is Richard." said the man offering Harry a smile, Harry turned away from him, and looked down at the groceries.
Richard leaned up against the cart, staring down at the boy with untidy dark hair and beautiful green eyes.
He 'd been watching this boy for awhile now…he was quiet, didn't ask too many questions, clever…..his favorite kind.
However, there was a hidden strength the boy had, a will power that would not be broken…..and he wanted to be the first to break it.
Richard looked up at the bathroom, making sure the boy's aunt wasn't back yet.
If he wanted to, he could've taken him right then and there but that wasn't fun.
The fun was gaining their trust, making them like him, and he had yet to do that with this boy.
"So have you got a name?" he asked.
Harry stood rigid, trying hard to concentrate on anything besides the man, who was staring at him with a strange glint in his eyes.
He felt dirty….like slime was covering him, and writhing against him.
He wished the man would go away
He wished the man would disappear…..
'Pardon me sir," said a second man, Harry looked up at him, he was particularly old, with half-moon spectacles, and a long flowing white beard.
The old man smiled at him, Harry didn't know why, but there was something about him that made Harry trust him immediately.
'Is there a reason you're bothering my grandson?" asked the old man, much to Harry's confusion, his grandfather, from what he'd seen in pictures, looked nothing like this man.
However, Richard seemed to be buying it, so he would play along.
'Y-your grandson?" asked Richard his smile still present on his face.
"Yes, my grandson, and if I ever find you talking to him again." The old man didn't finish his sentence.
But from what Harry could tell, he'd done something, because Richard's face had lost all color, and he'd quickly scurried away.
"Thank you sir." said Harry smiling up at the old man graciously.
"You're most welcome," said the old man, before walking away.
Albus Dumbledore, turned back to the boy with untidy dark hair and emerald green eyes, who was now in the company of his aunt.
Harry Potter wasn't his grandson, but he was important to him.
The old wizard had been working in his study, when he'd caught sight of the disgusting man talking to young Mr. Potter through the crystal ball.
Naturally, the old headmaster had decided to come help him out.
Yet, Albus would never care to admit it, …. He was reminded of years ago, when another magical child had met up with some disgusting men herself.
And in the end, lost more than her innocence.
Dumbledore, was not just protecting James and Lily's son, he was saving him from Arianna's fate,