AN: I do not own Harry Potter. All characters belong to JK Rowling. I may throw in an OC, but I'm not sure yet. Also the Dursleys' aren't exceptionally cruel, like beating him to a pulp or starving him for days on end. He is treated like a house-elf though, doing every single chore Vernon and Petunia could think up.
Chapter 1
Harry collapsed onto his bed, exhausted after the day of cores Vernon and Petunia had given him. First he had made breakfast as usual, then Vernon told him to repaint the storage shed. After that Petunia had him wees the flower beds in the back. Both chores had taken him until 5pm when he was called in to make dinner. Petunia let him have a sandwich and a glass of water before he started cooking for them. While the Dursleys were eating, Veron had Harry wash the car and prune the roses (he wasn't given gloves so his hands were now scratched up). Petunia then called him in to deep clean the kitchen. It was well past midnight when Harry finally climbed the stairs to the spare bedroom. Tomorrow he would be on his way to Hogwarts for his Fifth Year.
The next morning Harry was awoken by sharp rapping at his door. "Hurry up and shower, boy!" Petunia shrieked.
Harry blinked blearily as he rolled out of bed. Grabbing his towel and clothes, he headed out of his room and down the hall to the bathroom. He was allowed a 10 minute hot water shower once a week, the rest of the time he washed with the garden hose and a bar of soap. Stepping under the warm water after undressing, he sighed softly as the warm water fell on his shoulders. He washed his hair and body quickly so he could relax a little and turn the hot water up. He sighed again and peeked around the shower curtain to look at the click. Seeing his time was up, He shut the water off and pulled the curtain aside. Grabbing his towel as he stepped out of the shower, he towelled himself dry. Dressing quickly, Harry styled his hair. Grabbing his discarded clothes and towel, he took one last look in the mirror, then headed back to his room.
Harry gathered his things and packed them in his trunk, including the acoustic guitar he had been hiding all summer. Placing his school robes over his guitar, Harry closed the trunk and struggled to carry it down the stairs and out to the car. Harry was able to get his school trunk into the trunk of the car without incident. He hurried back upstairs to grab Hedwig's cage.
"Come on, boy! Let's go!" Vernon hollered. Harry ran downstairs and out to the car. Vernon was already in the car, so they peeled out of the driveway.
Time jump to the Hogwarts train
Harry started out the window at Mad-Eye, Tonks, Snuffles, and the other Order members as the train pulled away from the platform. Ron and Hermione settled in the seat opposite him. Harry turned to his friends smiling slightly as they caught up for the 2 weeks he had had to leave Grimmauld Place and stay with his relatives due to the blood wards.
I know this chapter is short, but I have plans for the next chapter and didn't want to reveal too much. Read and review please! They help my muse. Also I don't have a beta, so any grammar and spelling errors are my own.