Most would consider Harry a calm child, if a little thin. Most would never see what goes on inside his home, inside his head. Most magicals would consider him their saviour, not even bothering to look past the vibrant green eyes into the darkness left because of the torment he went through. Most would never truly know who Harry James Potter was, but he was able to. He was able to see through the lies and cover-ups that Harry created to deal with the pain. He was special, seeing people for their true nature. He was the only one that Harry could call an equal. They first met when Harry was six.
Harry walked into class quietly, trying not to draw attention, before walking to his seat in the back of the class and hunching down in his seat. The teacher walked in as Harry was sitting there, leading along a kid that Harry had never seen before.
"Good morning, class," the teacher drawled out as he sat at his desk.
"Good morning, teacher," most of the class replied in a dull tone, the ones not replying were the gang that Dudley led around.
"Today we have a new transfer student. Please welcome Andrew Sin for the rest of the year," The teacher said, a sigh building in the back of his throat. "Come on, introduce yourself."
Andrew stepped forward before bowing down to his waist. "I'm pleased to meet you all. I hope that we can get along."
Clearly someone who was raised well, not someone that he would associate with unless in the most extreme of circumstances. Harry turned his attention back to his desk as the class went on.
"Now who can answer this question?" The teacher asked as he wrote a maths problem on the board. "Let's see, Potter!"
The calling of his name pulled Harry out of his thoughts. Turning to look at the teacher, Harry replied, "Yes?"
"Can you answer the question on the board?" The teacher asked him with frustration clear in his voice.
Harry turned to the board, his head held low. It was a simple question, one that Harry could have answered if he wanted to. But he thought of his home life, how his relatives would beat him if he was better than their 'Duddykins' at any point in time. Harry turned back to the teacher, putting on a face of slight stress. "I'm sorry, I can't answer the question."
The teacher replied to that statement as he usually did. "If you can't answer it, then why are you not paying attention to my class?" This being said quite loud, probably in an attempt to get Harry's cousin in line. Harry thought that the teacher would continue in the same way as he usually did, continue the class so everyone else could learn. This was proven false when the teacher turned back to him. "If you can't bother to pay attention, then why not just forgo school altogether? Or better yet, get out here and live how you want. I bet that is why none of you pay attention," This comment caused Harry to flinch. The first part he could tell was a sarcastic comment meant to help the teacher deal with students not really trying, but the second part hit home to Harry, as he did want to learn, he just had to do it secretly, as he would be beaten otherwise.
Harry focused all his attention back on the teacher, who was turning towards the board again, filling it up with problems that would no doubt be the homework for the day. Harry focused on the strange sensation that he knew he possessed, but didn't know how he possessed it. He brought it to the forefront of his mind, his very being, and then sent it to his teacher. Harry watched, fascinated as his teacher's hair, which was apparently a wig, turned blue, disregarding all laws of physics. He watched as the teacher started freaking out, finally noticing the state of his wig. He watched with such attention that he noticed the eyes of his new classmate had landed on him. The only thing that he was able to feel of it was that of something cold latching on the the back of his neck and not letting go. Harry quickly turned his head wildly, trying to find the source of the cold feeling, but he didn't see a thing in the time that it took for him to look around, as the feeling left almost immediately after he started looking. After that, school ended for the day, and Harry left with only a question left in his mind: 'what was that cold feeling'? Unbeknownst to Harry, Andrew watched from the doors of the school, following Harry's path with a smile on his face.
Harry reached the Dursley's house relatively quickly, even though he walked at a sedated pace all the way back. When he walked through the doorway, he walked straight into his uncle's fist going into his face. Harry stumbled back a couple steps before his uncle pulled him inside and shut the door.
"Dudley told me all about it, boy," Vernon spat at Harry, his face an incredible magenta and going even deeper. "He told me about how something freakish happened around you. The teacher's wig turning blue, that's something freakish, and it happened after he insulted you. Now, you know the rules about freakish things." and with it left like that, Vernon reared back his fist and threw it with incredible force into Harry's stomach. Harry nearly threw up his breakfast (as he was not allowed lunch) before he blacked out from a blow to the head.
When Harry awoke, he found himself in his cupboard. Harry tried the door after collecting himself, but found it was locked tight. Harry couldn't check the time, as he had no watch, and the lights were only operable from outside the closet. Harry consigned himself to being unable to see the outside world until his uncle thought to let him out. Harry turned back to his cot, barely any springs on it and the mattress was hard, laid down, and fell asleep. His dreams were those of magic and ability, a hint of darkness creeping through.
Harry was awoken the next morning by his aunt's shrill voice calling out to him to come out and make breakfast for them. He tried the door, to find it open and walked out to his aunt coming and bustling him into the kitchen to make breakfast for the rest of the family. After said process, Harry was then bustled straight back into the cupboard, making him know that he wouldn't be going to school today. Harry used the time after he was bustled back in to check his wounds, see if they were going down. To his relief, the most visible of the bruises, on his face and his arms, were about halfway healed, though the one on his stomach was still swelled largely, though it was better than he assumed it would have been last night. Harry stripped out of his dirty clothes, the ones he was wearing yesterday, and changed into his pajamas before settling into his cot and falling asleep.
Harry woke at what he assumed was night, nearly starving due to not enough food. Harry turned to the door, fully expecting to not be able to open the door, before feeling that pulse like when he turned his teacher's hair blue come out and enter the door. Harry waited a second, before he heard a click, like his lock opened. Harry tried the door, and was surprised that he was unsurprised that the door opened. He snuck down the hall, knowing that even though Vernon and Dudley slept soundly, Petunia would wake easily and come down if needed to find what caused the noise. As he reached the kitchen, he turned towards the fridge and looked inside, hoping to find something that would help his hunger. He grabbed some fruit that wouldn't go missing considering what Dudley and Vernon were like, as well as some bread to fill him up. He then snuck back into the cupboard with his prizes and willed the feeling to the surface again, this time to close the lock on the door. Harry again heard a click, and settled down with the food to fill himself up. Once the food was gone, Harry turned over to his side and fell asleep.
The morning came again and Harry was let out of the cupboard, again to make breakfast. Finishing it rather quickly, skilled from having to do it for about a year, he brought it to the table and expected to be sent back to his closet, and was surprised when he was told to sit down at the table and was given the scraps left over. Harry was sent back to his cupboard after eating his scraps and changed into clothes for the day, noting that his visible bruises had faded to almost imperceptible and the bruise on his stomach was nearly fading, just a sickly yellow left.
Harry walked out of the closet and grabbed his bag, ready to go to school for the day. He walked to school that day, using his hands to cover up the bruises that were still just slightly visible from others that would notice. He entered the classroom and quickly walked to his desk to prevent people from seeing the bruises by hiding his arms behind his desk. As class went on, Harry felt the same cold feeling from before throughout the class. This time Harry ignored it, knowing now that it was just observing him for weaknesses. Harry zoned out part way during class, taking accurate notes but going through it mechanically, his mind focused on something else. It was a surprise when the bell rang for lunch, which meant that Harry would have to hide from Dudley and his gang when they got out to the play yard. As Harry got to his most fool-proof spot for hiding from Dudley, he was surprised to see Andrew there, and even more surprised by what came out of Andrew's mouth.
"I've been waiting a while to meet you, you know Harry Potter? Those bruises look quite painful, how about I heal them?"
