Polar Light
I. Finding Refuge
He had to get away.
He really, really had to get away.
It had gotten worse this summer. So much worse...
When Vernon had been informed, by the order of all people, at the station of all places that he should be especially nice and supportive to Harry this year he had been enraged.
He didn't care at all that Harry's godfather had died. He didn't care at all that Harry was devastated because of this. He just cared about the fact that freaks had talked to him at a public place, where someone he knew could possibly see him.
He had taken out his anger on Harry once they were "home", and not just verbally. He had taken to beating the crap out of him. Harry was pretty sure that the whale that was his uncle didn't know his own strength and the fact that people needed more than one meal every other day to survive.
Or he wanted to kill Harry. Sadly that thought didn't seem too implausible...
It had gone on like this the past two weeks, which were also the first two weeks of the holidays, and Harry was sure he wouldn't survive until he was fetched to spend the rest of his holidays with the Weasleys.
If only he could do the same Sirius had done to flee from the Dementors... if only he could somehow get away from here.
He wasn't stupid. Even with his brain fogged from the pain he knew that even if he fled he would be turned in again. People knew him. They knew he lived with the Dursleys. What they didn't know was that his relatives were having a lot of fun beating the crap out of him.
They'd just turn him in again. Most likely they'd tell his family that they should take care of him because of the wounds. That would be his death sentence. He couldn't risk that.
But he had to get away.
He really... had to get away...
A shrill scream woke him up from his slumber.
He idly wondered what had happened for such a commotion to start this early in the morning... he hadn't even been let out of his cupboard yet...he opened his eyes slightly, still sleepy and realized that his door stood open.
How strange... he peaked his head out to see what was going on. Maybe he was supposed to do chores again? Or he would get something to eat. He hadn't eaten since the day before yesterday and his stomach grumbled promptly at the thought of food.
But it wasn't food that came with his aunt but a broom. Why did she have a broom? Oh, chores it was then... but she held the broom in a distinctly weird way. With both hands and the brushes were above her head... Harry cocked his head to the side confusedly at the weird picture she made when suddenly the broom was brought down heavily, nearly hitting him and making him jump.
'OUT!' she screeched 'Get out of my house you vile creature!'
Harry backed away frightened at that. What was happening? And how was he supposed to get out? The door was closed and he wasn't able to reach the handle!
The broom was brought down again, actually hitting his back and he jumped out of the cupboard and darted as fast as he could into the living room just barely escaping being hit with the broom again.
What was going on? And why was he so small?
'Vernon! Vernon come down here! Help me!' she screeched as Harry darted under the couch quivering. He was the one needing help at the moment! It wasn't like his aunt was chased by a broom, suddenly and without any forewarning.
He heard his uncles thundering footsteps coming closer as he asked his aunt what the matter was
'It's under the couch! I don't know how it got into the house, but we have to get it out!'
The footsteps grew even closer and he could see his uncle's feet right in front of him. He bent down with a huff and his beady eyes met his. He got up again really fast and thudded to the door, opening it. Harry really wanted to just dart out, but his uncle was in the way...
'Pet, give me that broom... I'll take care of this monster,' he rumbled making Harry frown.
Monster? He wasn't a monster. He was maybe a freak, or useless, he was used to these kind of hurtful words, but monster? That one was new.
Suddenly something poked him from behind making him jump and hit his head on the couch.
What the...
The thing came again and he realized with a start that it was the blunt end of the broom. But... now both his guardians were behind the couch... the way to the door was free. He could run. He could flee really fast, and maybe make it to Diagon Alley and then he could hide there, anything to get out of here.
That decided he sprinted to the open door, ignoring the pain in his wrist as his paws hit the ground, he ignored the pain in his ribs and the pain from all of the bruises and his empty stomach and just ran, as fast as his legs could carry him the picture of the leaky cauldron clear in his mind.
He just had to make it there, and he would be free. He just had to somehow reach London and he would be save.
As he went around a bend of the street he suddenly felt a curious sensation and heard a pop and was gone.
His ears hurt. There was a really bad pressure on them and he felt really disoriented. His wounds hurt really bad too, it was worse than before... maybe he shouldn't have run like that he thought as he slowly opened his eyes – when had he closed them? – and took in his surroundings.
His eyes widened. This couldn't be. Somehow he was in London. Really close to the leaky cauldron. He felt his body relax with relief, when he suddenly heard a startled scream from behind him.
A woman, she was really elegantly dressed, was pointing at something close to him, a scared expression on her face
'A fox!' she screeched, hurting Harry's ears. A fox? There was no fox anywhere. He opened his mouth to tell her that, but only something resembling a bark came out of it, making both him and the woman jump.
He looked around frantically. More people had gathered and they were somehow really big. They were closing in on him, saying something, but he couldn't hear them in his rising panic.
What was going on?!
Before he could really think it through he ran again. Darting through the legs and feet of the people around him. he could hear his heartbeat thundering in his chest.
He had to reach the leaky cauldron, and then Diagon Alley. He could rest there. Someone would explain what was going on there. After all, people knew him. Some witch or wizard would surely help him! he would never have thought that he'd once be happy for being known.
The pub, unseen by everyone but him, came into view and he was lucky that the door opened and a man stepped out just as he came in.
He went through the pub unseen, panic had gripped him and he was just trying to get away. It was all just too much this day. He just needed to get away from it all.
He was lucky yet again as someone had gone through the entrance of the Alley a few moments ago it seemed. The bricks were closing again, but he was able to barely slip through a small gap in them.
He ran on, slipping around people and some hands that tried to grip him mechanically now.
He was exhausted. He felt like he would fall asleep any moment now... he really needed rest. But he couldn't sleep on the street. Especially not the most crowded one in magical Britain. He needed to find a quiet place, somewhere he wouldn't be disturbed. There he could sleep and then he could find out what was going on.
He didn't realize that he had already left Diagon Alley and was now in Nockturn Alley. He just realized that there were less humans he had to avoid. His concentration dwindled and he stumbled several times, but he still went on.
He still ran as fast as he could, when suddenly he bumped into something and fell down exhausted. But he needed to get up again! But it was so nice to finally rest. His heart was bumping so fast, and his breath was erratic. He just wanted to sleep...
He felt something grip him at the base of his neck and startled awake again as he was lifted up. He started struggling weakly, all of his energy seemed to be gone, but the grip held him tight.
Someone said something in an annoyed voice – Was it directed at him? – and he came face to face with light grey eyes and silver-blonde hair. His eyes widened as he looked at his rival from school and he tried snapping at him, but only gained a startled exclamation from the aristocrat as he held him a bit further away from him. It was weird being looked at without hospitality in the others glare, but he wasn't sure if he like this analysing and calculating gaze more than the other.
He for his part tried his best to glare at the other, though it didn't have the wished for effect. He didn't think it would. He was far too tired to keep his eyes open for a long time, let alone glare.
If only he could sleep... but he couldn't not with Malfoy around! Who knew what would happen to him!
Malfoy glanced to the side and exchanged some words, Harry was too tired to listen to what was said, with someone, he could care less with whom, and suddenly his world went black.
Blissful sleep...
~oOo~
Draco left the bookstore with his father and several purchases on Dark Magic he had made – it wasn't like he didn't have enough of them already, but you never knew – when suddenly something bumped into his legs.
He looked down and saw a furry, black... something. It didn't seem dangerous, but rather very exhausted, and, against his better judgement, he leaned down and gripped the thing at the base of its neck, lifting it up.
It started struggling weakly at that moment, 'Stop struggling, you stupid...' he started annoyed, but it was obvious that it didn't have the strength to break free so he just left it at that.
He looked at it and realized with mild surprise that the thing in his hand was a small black fox.
It had a lighter tail though, and really thick fur, making him suspect that it came from some cold region. What was a fox like that doing in Britain. Maybe it was some runaway pet of a rich family?
'Woah,' the thing suddenly snapped at him and he held it away in a more secure distance. It didn't seem to like him as it glared weakly at him. Well, he supposed he wouldn't like someone that lifted him up like that either, but... the animal was pretty rare – at least in Britain – and he could really do with a pet like that... once it was taken care of that it.
It seemed pretty ruffled and beaten, it's right paw was standing in a slightly unusual angle and he was sure that that was blood at some parts of its fur...
'Father?' he simply asked, knowing that it was obvious what he wanted.
The other man took a good look at the animal in his hands. He wasn't disgusted but he wasn't thrilled either. That was as good as could be.
'Do what you want, but keep the house clean. I don't want you to forget your responsibilities either,' he stated and Draco nodded at that. As good as it could get.
He looked at the exhausted animal in his hand again, that seemed to refuse sleep and just glared at him tiredly and he sighed. He cast a mild sleeping spell on the fox and it succumbed to sleep at once.
Well, it seemed he had something to do now. He would need to clean the animal and take care of its wounds if he wanted a decent familiar.
~oOo~
First chapter of my new story! :D
Tell me what you think of it. What do you think will happen now? How will Harry react, once he found out that he is with Malfoy of all people? Write it in your review!