The Situation
I don't own Harry Potter
I was with the class, practicing our "Olympic Trials," when Harry Potter (age 8)came into my
classroom and asks to stay with me. This was around 3:10PM. I assume that he meant that he
wants to stay my class and I explain to him that he could not because everyone has to stay with
their own class. He then told me that he wanted to stay with me after After-School "Just until
4:00," he said and I told him that I couldn't because I was still working at 4. He then said that it
was okay because he would just stay with me in the school. I ask him if he wanted me to stay
with him because there wasn't anyone picking him up and he told me that his aunt was going to
pick him up but his aunt and uncle beat him and make him work. I then ask him if he had told his
parents, and he told me that his parents are dead. He then pleads with me to let him stay with
me, but I refuse by explaining that he would have to have someone's permission for him to stay
with me. He then asks if he can use the school phone to call his aunt who would be happy to not
have to see him. I ask if he has a baby-sitter. He tells me that he does but the baby-sitter was
only used when his family went on vacation without him. At this time, he is still asking for me to
stay with him so I tell him that he'll have to ask for his guardians' permission. I ask him if its okay
for me to tell Laura, my supervisor, and I explain that if we tell Laura that the authorities might
then be called in. He tells me that it's fine if we tell Laura because he just does not want to go
back to his aunt's house.
I take him with me into the office where Laura is and explain that we have something to tell her. I
explain that Harry does not want to leave the school because his aunt and uncle beat him. Laura
then asks Harry if he has any bruises, he says no. Laura asks him where they beat him and he
responded by making motions toward his head, Laura asks him if they hit him in the head, and
Harry said that they did. Laura then says that we're going to go up to the Main Office to tell the
principal.
Harry, Laura, and I go to the Main Office, at around 3:30, where we proceed to explain the
situation. Harry then explains the situation to the principal by himself, when he is done he asks
for me to stay with him as we wait for his aunt to come pick him up. he tells me that his aunt
won't give him the other shoes he owns and makes him wear old shoes, which are visibly falling
apart and that his clothes are given to him after his cousin grows out of them. At around 3:40, his
aunt comes to pick him up. Harry is standing next to me near the door when she arrives, and as
soon as he sees her he begins to squeeze my hand and whisper "Don't make me go" repeatedly.
I then move him to the area behind the counter and next to one of the school aides/secretaries.
He begins to cry and to tell us that he doesn't want to go with her. We take him into another
room and calm him down by explaining that we will deal with this situation by speaking to both
his aunt and uncle. At this time, he becomes nervous that he is going to get in trouble for telling
the school, but I try to reassure him. I ask him if its alright that I leave and he says that it's okay.
Laura and I leave the building.