Bright Side
A/ N: Quick note, the title probably change because I still struggle to find the best one.
Chapter 1
Harry Potter hit nine-year-old that day. He was holding a snack bar and opening the wrap without a noise and try to savor the sweet flavor in his mouth. This was a very rare case where he treats himself. It was his nine birthday, not very important number but it was still a birthday.
He could hear his relative snore upstairs, he was so used to that sound it was becoming a white noise to him. Like the spider that crawling in the ceiling of his room or the mice that eating the crumb on his floor.
He finishes his chocolate and lay on his cot. His stomach rumble and Harry curl into a ball while holding his stomach. This birthday wasn't that bad, he eats chocolate, though his stomach probably appreciates something heavier such as a sandwich.
He has to look the bright side no matter how dim that bright side is. He has something in his stomach especially since this is the third day the Dursley had withholding the food from him.
Harry sigh and take the blanket to cover his body, his stomach finally stops from loudly protesting to silently reminding him that he needs to eat but he has to look at the bright side, he was in his birthday party with... with a spider and mice as his friend and one bar of candy.
"I mean it wasn't that bad right." Said Harry to the mice. "I mean... I should be grateful that they don't beat me." He said himself a bit sure than before, yeah it could be worse but then, this his nine birthday, it means he already lives in his cupboard for nine years and being his relative slave since he learns to walk.
That means he had nine years more living like this because he doesn't have a parent, he wasn't smart, he doesn't have money to become something more.
Harry move around in his bed, closing his eye trying to sleep but his mind becoming more convoluted thinking about the future. He feels so awful thinking another nine-year like this, then another and another. He couldn't imagine it, he doesn't want to because what happens if he still stuck here for nine more years, would he be so empty and weak he probably die once his relative ignoring him, would he become a criminal and drunk loser like his parent.
Harry doesn't want that, he grasps the blanket trying to forget about it, trying to forget he just grow his hair in his hair in one night and trying to forget all his sadness and when he finally asleep. It wasn't a peaceful sleep but nightmare that slowly eat him and plagued with fear about his future.
#
That evening Harry live change.
He wakes up seeing the same ceiling, groaning feeling nauseous, Harry knows he wasn't in his best shape, his stomach hurt, his head kind of buzzing probably because of overwork and his nightmare. His aunt was impatient with him to push him and his glasses fall off while he was trying to wear it and for the thousandth time, he has to find a tape to fix it and make it more ugly than before.
Then at school he was being chased and treat with the daily beating up from Dudley and his gang, he also had detention with his teacher because he forgets his homework probably because he was excited on his birthday and that lead to his Aunt berating him for coming home late and getting in trouble with the school before he sends Harry to another set of chore.
Harry wiped the sweat in his brow. He just paints the fence and grumbling how many time they want to change the bloody fence. He walks inside the house, hoping he could find some food or stole it but his aunt was looking at him with an eagle eye like she knows what he gonna do. Finishing cooking the dinner Harry turns to his aunt asking for a bite.
"This food for your uncle and cousin try not to be ungrateful."
"I am not ungrateful, how exactly I am ungrateful, I am the one who cooks, clean this house and take your son and husband shit, I am the one who fixes the thing if your son broke it, I just want a food. You-"
Slap. Petunia hand reflexively move and for a second she remembers it was her nephew who now lies on the floor. She scared that she went a bit too far and especially afraid if he would do his freakishness and infect Dudley with it.
But Harry didn't instead, she got a blank stare that made her soul flinch.
"I give up, Mrs. Dursley." Said Harry wiping the tear that falls on the corner of his eye. "I thought - if I am good enough(sob) may be smart enough, you guys would treat me like family but I was- *sob*." Harry stared at her Au- no, he stares at Mrs. Dursley then walk to his cupboard and takes all his belonging and when he realized all his possession didn't even fill the whole bag just made his resolve stronger.
He then slams the door just because he can.
"What are you doing." Said Petunia watching her nephew take all his thing including money they never give him but that wasn't really important right now. Especially if he was planning to run.
"Gone, I am tired of this place. At least if I go outside I don't have to think too hard when people hurt me because they were stranger, not my family who- supposed to take care of me."
"But you can't you have to stay."
"Why and why the hell should I care." He said slinging his backpack and walk outside.
It was also the time Vernon come out from his car and Dudley from Piers house. Harry looked both at their eye and said the summary of his feeling toward them.
"Hope you guys died of diabetes." He said adding a middle finger and walk away from Privet Drive.
#
Harry's knee starts buckled once he was outside the neighborhood. He kneels to the grass and starts vomiting what little in his stomach if it had any.
He didn't know if it is because of his hunger or the fact he just rebelling against them. It was so relieving but at the same time so heavy, his head seems to pulse. A small part of him wants her aunt to stop him, told him to stop but he has to accept it, even though it hurt too much. That his relative didn't really care or love him. The fact they just let their nephew who still in elementary to run away with nothing but cloth and bag already prove it.
Harry started to stand, the light street finally on. Shining him and made him realize he was alone and that there was darkness all around him, scary and maybe full of evil but he was grinning, it was refreshing to be out in the world, exploring the world without no one to stop him. Harry started to walk in darkness with confidence, so long he sees the bright side he will be fine.
#
"Hi." Said Harry cheerily to the boy beside him.
The older boy was crouching with his face in his knee silently sobbing. Harry wasn't really sure why the older boy was crying but if he had to picks a guess it was probably because they were behind a bar or is it a cage?. To be honest, that doesn't really matter, the cage was certainly bigger than his own cupboard though, there was some kind of bedding in the floor, with a pillow and some kind of cloth for a blanket.
He was barefoot like all the kid, their cage was the dark long hallway with another row of the cage in front of him. Unfortunately, the right and left side of the cage was a wall so he couldn't see or talk with his neighbor. Harry know his situation probably worse than before but he somehow still enjoying the fact his kidnapper treat him a lot of better than the Dursley. He just finishing a warm soup and meat and also he has a new cloth that fit him bedding so soft and bouncy.
He turns around and saw a black eye staring at him.
"Hi."
"Hi." Said the older boy, his voice bit of rough probably because he was crying too much, his voice sometimes crack like that.
Now Harry can see his cellmate, he was blond, a bit darker and messy not like him but like the boy was pulling his hair too much. There was a shadow under his eye, he also wearing the same white cloth as him and now Harry realized it was the same color as, the bed, the wall, and the blanket.
"Aren't you scared."
"I guess." Said, Harry. "It just better than my previous 'place'." Harry crawl closer to the older boy, he wants to be friend with him because no one knows who he was in here.
"Are you all right." Ask Harry trying to console the other boy when he tries to pat the boy's knee but a hand slaps his wrist.
"Don't. I mean." The boy sigh taking Harry hand and rubbing the spot he hit. Harry wasn't really minded the boy didn't hit him too hard and it was very nice for someone to touch him without hurting him even though it was very bizarre and quite frightening for him but he knew the boy won't hurt him, somehow.
"Do you want to play."
"Sure." Harry quickly nodded he was bored and he was tired of seeing kids with a sad face inside the cage. They play many games and somewhere when they are playing, The boy or Jamie start to talk. It was very long talk he wasn't even sure if Jamie cares if he listens or not but Harry was attentive even if he can't understand where the part Jamie try not to cry.
Jamie was taken the end of June, when he just visit his aunt home and when he wants to go home he misses the bus, too scared to ride the train, Jamie tries to go back to his aunt but someone captures him and he wakes up in the cage.
Jamie also an only child and excelled in being ordinary and normal. Average grade, middle-class economy, he has a few friends but no one close to call a best friend.
"So, I don't really have a little brother but I have a lot of cousin from my mom side, I was the oldest you know. That means you don't have to worry about me." Said Jamie, chuckling at the thought small kid like Harry would worry about him.
"But what wrong with me being worried about you." He asked, widening his eye like a baby doe.
"Because of you just a little kid."
"But you also a kid." Said Harry offended being called a kid.
"You're seven, you shouldn't really thinking about that."
"I'm nine." Said Harry puffing his chest, nine was a lot of numbers, especially because Dudley can't count to nine yet.
Jamie sigh, pulling his hair trying to end the discussion. "What I mean is. I'm fine you don't have to worry, see I'm smiling." Jamie did smile, Harry, know it was genuine even though Jamie look tired.
He probably still frowning if Jamie didn't smoothly distract him with another game.
It was fun he thought, he also wondered if this how it should be if Dudley didn't bully other children to stay away from him.
"I don't really know how long I am here, though there was some kid with German name, he put a mark every day in the wall but because-" Jamie suddenly stopped from showing him how to make shadow puppet, crawling slowly in front of the cage like he await something then he dashes back taking the cover and put it across his body.
Harry wants to ask what happened but then he heard a door opened. His heart beat faster, he never really saw the person who put them in here but he knew it wouldn't be nice. He was silent under the cover, trying his best to be brave.
"Don't move or made noise." Said Jamie pushing him to the corner and by his silhouette, he can sort see Jamie seem trying to hide him. Harry was frowning he want to ask what exactly he was doing but Jamie told him to stay quiet and silent and he didn't want to disobey him.
Then he heard the cage opened and he heard protest far from them, he didn't really sure if it was a girl or a boy but he could only hear the cage close again and faint sobbing that went far away. He pulls the cover to check Jamie, he was still in front of him and he wants to ask what going to happen and many more.
"Jamie?"
"Is it okay. He won't get you." Said Jamie smiling and put the cover back.
"No-"
"Shh, it came." Harry stay quiet, he really wants to ask why. It's troubling him that someone wants to protect or maybe Jamie didn't mean that maybe if you get noticed by the captor something good happened but then why the kid was protesting and crying. He was so focused on trying to find out why someone wants to protect him, he almost yelp when he heard the creature voice.
"Didn't we have new a supply." Harry shivered to hear the creature voice both by being referred as thing and by the creature voice, it was very clear as it filled the air and it also hard to guess if the voice is a man or woman, Harry knew it was neither but Harry feel better if push the thought that voice actually belong to something so unknown that his instinct could tell him right away.
Harry feel Jamie tensed like a stone, in fact, he thinks that what happened if not for Jamie furious heartbeat. Another cage door was opened and Harry sure it was theirs. He wants to move, not only because it became hot but he scared Jamie will get hurt.
"Don't move Harry." Harry was closing his eye, he wants to cry and when he heard a scream he becomes more upset. He saw from the shadow Jamie was fighting the creature.
"You can't have him." Harry can't stand it, he tosses the cover at the same time Jamie body start to fall back.
"Jamie." He tried to speak and check Jamie, he didn't see any wound on his friend but he didn't wake up to greet him. A cold hand suddenly holds his neck. Harry want to scream at the creature to let him go, he wants to scream his frustration and he wants to scream at his friend.
"He just sleeping, little one." Harry squeak trying to free himself, he didn't like it, the creature hand wasn't normal, it hurt him and weaken him somehow and he also carried like bloody a cat. The creature then closes the cage continue to the hallway. They were finally outside and Harry breath in relief when the creature top touching his skin but hold him through the cloth. He lifts his head trying to see the Creature face.
"Don't see the Face, pet. It wouldn't good for you." Harry gulp when the creature pushes his head down and now caressing his hair like a spoiled pet. He was now looking down and realizing a fact that the Creature was floating. He keeps staring at the floor, trying to see the wire, a device but he sees nothing between the creature robe and the earth. It starts to hit Harry hard, that there was, maybe something else in the world. Another side normal people didn't see and Harry realizing the fact that magic probably real and he realized that in the hand of a thing that see him as a pet and could kill him on a whim.
"No." He struggled again, wishing he was back in his cell, he missed that they got inside another room and he had to adjust his eye when he saw a giant round glass in the middle of the room, it was filled luminous liquid all in different color and it hurt Harry eye when they kept clashed with each other, exploded in a myriad of color. The jar reminds him of wilder and bigger lava lamp and circling it was with few kids was strapped in there and twitching for every second like they had a seizure.
Harry became more panic but the creature put him in the chair and he was laid face down while his wrist and waist were locked on the chair and the creature bought a mask to his face. Harry went full panic when the mask put into his face, the light was had gone, so was the noise and he feels everything about him taken by the same cold hand.
#
Harry body was thrown into a cage he gasps when he feels a warm hand touching him.
"J-Ja-me."
"It's me." Said Jamie taking the boy to his lap.
"Jamie." Said Harry clenching Jamie shirt with all his might. "It's cold."
Harry keeps saying he was cold, it was like there was something missing from him. His body keeps shaking and shivering as he thought his body would break into pieces and he feels like he had the worst fever ever in his life, there was nothing straight in his mind when he feels his tongue bulging ready to explode from his mouth then he would scream when his skin grazed the cloth he wears.
"I'm sorry Harry."
Harry couldn't really hear those word, he was trying to bask his himself in Jamie warm, it may be just a mere minute or countless hour but Harry finally himself to sleep. Harry was dreaming, floating like the creature or was it flying, he sometimes dreams of flying a motorcycle and a broom and many more. At least he wasn't tired, or hungry. Right now he feels just fine to fly.
#
Jamie wakes up with a cramp. Especially in his back and leg, he also felt something weighing him and he moves his head and sneezes when fluffy hair tickle his nose. He scratches his nose and yawn and trying to lose the stiff on his back. He was surprised he sleep while still holding Harry but he can't really let the boy go especially after he fails to protect him.
The boy sleeps like a baby and Jamie wants to pinch the boy's cheek, he looked adorable like all his younger cousin. Which is probably why he wants to protect the boy so bad, that and he wants to ignore his own problem. Jamie sigh, he wishes he was home and more so he wishes Harry never enter that room. He knows how it feels, how horrible to be in that awful chair, they would like to feel nothing but also so hypersensitive they would cry because a wind touches them.
"Morning, buddy."
Harry only yawn and getting comfortable in his lap again. It was funny how fast Harry comfortable with him but he guesses it was work both way, he didn't notice how much he misses simple human interaction until he talks with Harry, it was just relieving, to have someone to talk even touch is something to be held on the close and dark hallway. It sort made sense in how the Creature treats them, it was like the high-quality cow from Japan. They were giving good food, a warm bed and company so they didn't break too fast.
"It's breakfast time." He said trying to inject some cheerfulness in his voice. Harry soon stiffen his body and jump from his lap, standing straight and like a soldier ready to take the order. Jamie wants to chuckle seeing how ridiculous, soldier Harry is with his nest bird hair, the sad glasses and the stupid face kid do when they don't really awake.
He flicks his hand in front of Harry face and the boy blushes and cleans the boogie out his eye. He put the breakfast in front of Harry. It was a simple breakfast, a muffin scrambled egg and steaming tea and milk. Harry fidgetting in front of the dish he was.
"It's normal food, I know after last night you didn't want anything with It but you have to eat." He eats first trying to encourage Harry. Though Harry, still staring at his food.
"I steal your food if you don't eat it." He jokingly trying to snatch Harry's muffin but his hand instinctively back when he heard a growl. For a second he saw Harry eye it was different, it was like staring into a beast. Like a wolf who silently watching, planning, then it would snap your neck. Jamie holds Harry neck, holding firmly then start to press Harry muscle until he relaxes then looking him right in the eye.
"Eat," Jamie said with a firm voice. Harry instantly eat.
'That was something.' He thought, like what just happened. Harry a boy, not a dog. His behavior just so different.
"When I met your relatives. I will break their bone." He said.
Harry just stared at Jamie and shrug.
At the same time, they finish the breakfast, their cage door was opened by an automatic system. Harry quickly jump to him like a scared mouse, He would laugh at the boy if he wasn't shaking so bad.
"It's bath time." Harry frowned at him but he still followed him when he was walking outside their cage. He walks at the opposite door where the Creature normally came, it was a green door with a modest bathroom inside equipped with a bathtub, a shower, a mirror with a stall and the toilet.
He kneels to the floor so it was easier to talk with Harry.
"If you want to do it. Do it fast." He said pointing at the toilet. Harry blushing, he hopes Harry wasn't one of the modest kid, He means there was some kid who would run in undies without care and there some who probably won't swim without full cloth and of course kid just want to run.
"We have to hurry." He said simply, and he starts looking at the upper corner of the bathroom, the mirror and finally the door. He knows Harry get what he means when he starts to pull his shirt and short and trusting his glass to him. Jamie walked to the shower facing the other way to give the boy privacy as much as he can.
He knew bubble bath would be infinitely better but just because there no camera doesn't mean the Creature didn't watch them.
Harry was snuggling with he didn't really mind but he wishes the Creature give them some toy. It would be nice but then again, he didn't really want to be too comfortable inside here.
"We need to escape." Said Harry, he almost didn't catch it if the cage wasn't so quiet. He fixes his position so Harry could curl on his neck and he opens his eye and ear so the Creature didn't catch them planning an escape.
"I thought about that." He said, telling the boy there no way.
"And now you have me." Said Harry standing on the cage, he was grinning and widening his hand and keep walking back until.
"Oww." Harry rubbing his head after he knocks his head on the cell bar.
"What are you doing," he said glaring to the boy while making sure he wasn't bleeding or bruised.
"It's accident." Which he totally didn't believe. "It hurt Jamie." Jamie wants to roll his eye but he let boy hug him. "I want to test it. Guess we couldn't break it."
Jamie takes a deep breath and holds himself not to whack the boy's head. "You – could – use – your hand." He said as quietly and slowly as he can.
"That would be too suspicious." Jamie just nods and let it slide, Harry may be right or not but they need to think about their escape.
"Could we play with other kid."
"No."
"How about playing outside." Jamie pursued his lip, he shakes his head they never allowed to gout except when thing bought them to the room with the flashy thing or when they have to bath.
"Only bath time and..." He shivered and trying to not to remember the session.
"And the thing, will it come again." Said Harry widening his eye and climb to his lap. He suppresses a groan, he didn't want another cramp.
"I don't know, it- come randomly sometimes when you still bath, sometimes when you asleep. I don't really know Harry."
Harry nod start to hide in the crook of his neck. "Tomorrow, when it's bath time, you should tell every kid not to go inside their cage then once the cage is all opened we run away." Jamie impressed with the boy, asking their routine with innocence question and pick the most probable time.
"That's a good plan but- someone had to hold the Creature and I think. I can do it." Jamie hissed when Harry digs his nail into his arm, It was obvious how the boy feels about his suggestion.
"Harry, look at me. Someone had to hold him." He tried to say but the boy presses his face on his chest pretending to be asleep.
"Don't tell me you think the Creature will just let us escape."
"Yes, It would magically be busy while we escape. Now, quiet I want to nap."
Jamie keeps shaking the boy trying to make him listen. "Harry Listen."
"To what. You're the just spoiled kid who scared to ride train alone. You can't hold him."
Jamie laughs at how true it was. "I know." He said. "But I can, no listen-. MY uncle is a lunatic, he looks like someone who will kill you for no reason. He told me about magic, he shows me the other side of the world but I didn't trust him."
"Why."
"He is crazy okay. Nobody really sure what his job and you saw the thing, I still hard to believe it and My Uncle wasn't the best person to confirm something like that or maybe he was the best."
"I guess I would be the same through my own Uncle keeps preaching magic didn't exist."
"Oh, well-" Jamie said scratching his head. "He kinda provides an evidence."
"And you didn't believe him." Harry said with a blank look.
"It's not that I don't believe him but it's a-"
"So you're a pussy."
Jamie flick Harry mouth.
"Owww."
"Language. The thing is, he taught some trick and I can hold him, and you have to escape. You and the other kid." He holds Harry's shoulder, the boy didn't like it, he even try puppy of all thing, quivering his bottom lips, his eye start to glistening but he was immune to that with how many time his cousin try that trick and then they would break chaos and he would be blamed because he was the oldest apparently.
"No." He said. Harry sniff and scrunched his nose like he was just insulting all his ancestor with one word.
*Sigh* "I can run very fast an I know how to picklock," Harry said lastly then start to treat his body like a bed and fall asleep in there.
The process, of course, wasn't smooth as they like, some kid seems like to stay in their cage but Jamie takes care of that. He was grumpy and his mood wasn't better when another kid complaining when they will run and of course, they can't run right now, they have to wait for all the cage to open but Harry was impatient, he still angry with Jamie, he couldn't fight the Creature, he proved it last night. He takes a hairpin from one of the girl's hair and starts to open the rest of the cage.
He heard some whispering from behind. He was jittery, the Creature wouldn't be so foolish to not put some watcher on them or was the thing underestimated them.
"Quiet." He snaps and trying to hear the sound, it was hard enough, with all the whining, he probably couldn't hear a footstep but then he remembers the Creature didn't walk.
Nobody was behind, his ear didn't hear anything and his instinct told him nobody behind the door.
He put the pin, inserting it into the key door and his hand was moving up, down, opening the key latch.
*click*
"It's there a problem with bathroom, children." Harry froze in his spot, there was nobody in the hallway which mean-.
"Harry run." Harry did, He was leaving the chaos and the cold behind him. A piercing shriek echoing the hallway, it wasn't human, somehow Jamie hurt the Creature Harry didn't dare to run, he has to trust Jamie, he almost stumbles when he saw the door, it was a red one and he knows exactly what inside it.
Harry want to abandon them but his heart wouldn't allow that. He gets inside, the luminous jar still disturb him, there were three children in the chair, Harry first look around and he saw a computer system, he was bit surprised the Creature use a computer but he knew you used it to control thing. So if he destroys it he probably frees the children.
"Well, that was easy," Harry said standing from the broken CPU and shattered glass. He put the chair down and open the door so other kid would help the one inside he have an important task. He finds another door this time it said exit. Harry take the hairpin and unlock the door, he almost falls when he heard the click. The door was so bright, he closes his eye, it was so warm and it feels so good.
He keeps the door open and runs back to Jamie, he hopes nothing bad happened to his friend. He encounters several children and he sighs in relief some of them had free other kid even if they still can't walk yet.
Harry quickly digested the information he had when he arrived. The Creature clearly never used to fight directly and so was Jamie as he wielded the spear without a grace only in brute and desperation. The spear seems to put him ins advantage in closed space but more and more he began tired and getting closer to the other side, he knows if he didn't help, Jamie would be caught which why he started snaked behind the Creature.
"Turn your head down." He said and start pulling the Creature's hood, he knew it was his weakness but at the same time, he didn't want Jamie to look at the Face for fearing something might happen.
He surprised when he heard a rip, he tosses the hood and runs with Jamie. Once outside some of the kid had gone but the majority was standing outside unsure what to do after their long imprisonment.
Harry want to growl to made them go away but Jamie seems interested to make them calm down. Harry still didn't feel safe, they also in some of the far of London just beside the river and very few people around.
"Why are you running my pet, Didn't I treat you nice, feed you with the best food and warm bed and all I ask your little bit live force." Said the creature as he simply appeared and floating in front of the group.
Jamie didn't bother with replying he just run forward with his spear like a gladiator. He feels the air chilled a bit when the Creature turn it's head to Jamie. He let out a small scream when he feels his energy drained, Jamie was also stumbling but he still going. Seeing his friend Harry also push himself holding Jamie spear.
Both of the boy look at each other and put both their effort and start running and screaming with rage to the Creature. They kept pushing ready to thrust the spear to the Creature heart and their spear disappear.
Both of them slack their jaw, their mind didn't want to believe it, they just lost their weapon and the creature head fall off, it was so sudden as Harry watch the head roll into his feet and he somehow saw his own face beneath the hood.
A/N: I hope Harry edginess appropriate with his age. I mean you can't expect he wasn't a little edgy. Okay, I stop saying edgy and goodbye.