Learning to Understand

by ADuskWithoutDawn

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter 1) I'd wouldn't need to write an AU 2) I'd be rich. 3) One of my friends would call me the goddess. None of those are true... Therefore I don't own Harry Potter.

THIS IS AN AU STORY. THEREFORE IT DOESN'T FOLLOW SOME THINGS IN THE BOOKS. IF YOU DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ.

Chapter One: Fire and Air

Harry sat in his cupboard humming to himself, trying to be content. At least this punishment was not as bad as the last one. 'It's an improvement,' he thought. 'Be thankful it's only two weeks instead of something like four.' Harry wished that it could be a little warmer in his cupboard. Harry could never as for something like that though because then Uncle Vernon would get mad.

When Harry turned six, according to Uncle Vernon "his bones can heal themselves." Harry felt all the "pain" he put on his 'family.' "Worthless freak!" and "Useless worm!" his Uncle would yell as a paddle or whip would find its way to Harry's back. It was in those moments that he would wonder why his parents passed away in the car crash and why he couldn't have come with them. But Harry was not mad at the Dursley's. Oh no. They had taken some care of him. It was better than what Uncle Vernon said of the streets.

Feeling kind of bored, with one week left of punishment, Harry stared at his palms and wished for light. He missed the sun so much. Harry would have rather been working in the Dursley's garden all day rather than locked up in this tiny place. Suddenly, Harry was startled out of his thoughts. There was a small ball of fire in his hand.

He stared at it in amazement. He had never seen anything so beautiful. Harry reached his hand over to the fire and tried to pinch off a bit to see what would happen. A tong of fire broke off and settled into his other hand 'Wow!' Harry thought lightly. 'This is so cool!' Harry wanted to see if he could do it again so he wished the fire to be out. Through squinted eyes, he saw it extinguish.

Harry called outto everything higher being he had heard of, hoping that he would be able to bring the fire back. He closed his eyes and then felt the warmth in his hand that he had felt seconds before. Harry wanted to get up and dance in joy.

The final week of his punishment, Harry tried to find out all the things he could do with this new power he had discovered. By the end, he found he could make the fire different colors and he could make different shapes. He made little people and animals out of his fire and played with them as if they were toys. Harry gave them names and sometimes he could swear they would speak to him. Harry could also summon bigger amounts of fire than he did the first night he discovered what he had the ability to do.

Harry sat in the blistering heat of the day pulling weeds. During the time he was unable to attend the garden, it had certainly gotten out of control. Harry wanted nothing more than a breeze. And then it was there.

Harry thought it was his imagination at first, the heat was getting to him. Then it became stronger. The wind was picking up and cooling off his sweaty body. 'Is this like Fire?' he thought, absolutely baffled. There had been no wind for the past hour and a half he had been out there... why would it pick up now?

'I'll test it out later like I did for Fire,' Harry determinedly thought. 'I don't want to get in trouble though, so I'll finish the garden.'

Dudley went outside with the icecream his mom had just given to him. He was making sure the 'freak' was actually working because his dad told him told him to. Dudley didn't really hate Harry, but he didn't want to be at the end of his father's anger. Dudley did little things to 'show' his dad he 'didn't like Harry' to make sure that his dad didn't know about his true feelings about Harry's beatings. Slowly though, he was finding he didn't mind it as much. He had found that it was nice to have someone to take his anger out on around the house. Blaming Harry for every mistake Dudley made.

Harry was sitting in the garden with sweat falling off his cheeks like a flood. Dudley felt a small stab of sympathy toward Harry, but seeing his father at the door, waiting to see what Dudley would do, quickly changed his thoughts.

Dudley grinned cruelly. He knew just what to do to impress his father.

To be continued

So what do you think. Is it worth continuing? Let me know your opinion by pressing the review button.

I don't have this story planned out... Therefore I ask questions. Please don't answer g on the poll.

Should Harry have another power?

a) Water

b) Earth

c) Shadow

d) All of the above or two of the above (specify)

e) Something else (specify)

f) None of the above

g) You're the stupid author... I'm just hear to read the story