Chapter One
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fanfiction as I am not J. K. Rowling in case you hadn't already figured that out.
Slap! The boy's head snapped back from the impact of the hand on cheek. A kick sent the young man into the wall, knocking his jet-black hair covered head onto the bars of his window.
'At least he didn't use the belt this time,' thought Harry, he shuddered.
It was going to be Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts and he was currently "home" for the summer. His Uncle Vernon didn't like the threat that the Order of the Phoenix had issued at the beginning of the summer and had been beating him since he had entered the door to that horrid house. Harry's relatives had abused him since he was only three years old but had stopped when he entered Hogwarts.
The Dursleys fed him well though and always checked the letters he wrote to the Order. The beatings had slowly become worse as the middle of summer peaked. Harry couldn't stand the thought of spending another month with his relatives. 'Only one more year and then I'll be free…or dead… well I guess it's true; "Life's a bitch, then you die."
Suddenly something snapped in Harry when he saw the clock, it was his birthday and he had just turned 16. He decided then and there that this had to stop. He would go find a job in London for the summer so he could support himself after he finished school (not that couldn't already) if he was still alive.
The next morning Harry woke up, collected his keys and put on the darkest clothing he owned. After hiding his wand in a small pocket on the inside of his jacket Harry ran outside to the awaiting Knight Bus.
The raven-haired teen pulled his hood up so that Stan, the conductor, couldn't recognize him. Harry sat down in the back waiting to arrive at the Leaky Cauldron.
Two minute later he was getting off the bus and walking into the pub/restaurant/inn. After a quick greeting to Tom, Harry made his way to the back of the building and then through the brick wall to Diagon Alley.
Harry made sure his hood was still covering his face before making his way to Gringotts. Once he entered the bank Harry took his hood off. Looking around he spotted an empty teller.
"I'd like to make a withdrawal please," said Harry to the particularly ugly goblin behind the counter.
"Follow me," replied the goblin before leading him to a cart.
After collecting his money and converting it to muggle pounds Harry left Diagon Alley for muggle London.
While walking down a street Harry saw a particularly interesting store; it appeared to sell music and clothing. A sign in the window read "Help Wanted Apply Within". Harry smiled this day was getting better and better.
The bell rang as he stepped into the shop. A girl with many piercings, dark make-up and clothes appeared in front of Harry.
"Hello my name is Amy, welcome to Morbid Death. How may I help you?" Up close the teen could see that this girl "Amy" had ice blue eyes and brown hair streaked with purple.
"I saw your sign and I'm looking for a job so I thought I'd check this out." Harry replied evenly.
"Alrighty then I just need to give you a quick interview and if all goes well you're hired. Follow me." Amy led Harry to a back room, interviewed and hired him.
"Now there's a question I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind Amy?" seeing Amy's nod he continued. "Will help me pick out new clothes and make-up. I like the idea of going dark and I need a new look. I already know that I want my tongue, eyebrow and ears pierced."
"Alright that's fine with me, all employees get a 25 discount on anything in the store. Come on we'll go pick your clothes out first, I know a friend who can do the piercings you want and we can stop at the near by mall for the make-up."
At the end of their shopping trip Harry was wearing a tight black shirt, baggy black jeans and black combat boots; he had heavy black eyeliner and an earring in his tongue, left eyebrow and as well as three on each ear.
"Thanks for all your help Amy. What time do you want me at work tomorrow?" Over the day Harry and Amy had become friends and were fairly close now.
"Be there at 9 o'clock ok?" said Amy.
"Alright, see you tomorrow then." He replied. 'That'll give me enough time for breakfast, dishes and a shower. Boy, are the Dursleys going to be surprised… And I'm going to stop this abuse once and for all, I won't let them treat me like that anymore.' Thought the black-haired male.
Harry walked into an alley beside 'Morbid Death' and called for the Knight Bus. Pulling his hood back on again.
"Number 4 Privet Drive please." His tone of voice left no room for questions even from the ever-exuberant Stan. Harry took a seat on one of the beds in the back of the bus.
As soon as Harry walked out onto the street Vernon stormed out o the house soon followed by Petunia and Dudley. They all stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Harry. He looked very dark and ominous against the setting sun in his black outfit.
"B-b-boy where have you been?" questioned Vernon trying his best not to squirm under his nephew's intense glare before straightening up as if remembering he was talking to scum.
"Out." Was Harry's short and simple reply, walking past his 'relatives' and up the stairs into his room.
"Hey Hedwig… Hedwig?" he looked around trying to spot the bundle of white feathers that was his owl. It didn't make sense to him she couldn't get out because of the bars the window and he was sure he had closed the door…
'Oh god no!' Harry ran down stairs to the kitchen where he found his 'family'.
"Where is she?" Harry's eyes were blazing red and his family cowered before him like a pack of beaten dogs. Dudley finally raised a shaking finger and pointed to the door, which led to the backyard. Harry ran outside and heard something moving in the shed.
He ran and opened the door to the small building and froze in his steps… there was Hedwig tied up and dying… her head was a mess, a shovel near by confirmed his suspicions. They had crushed her skull. Tears slid down his cheeks as Hedwig's life faded away.
He was numb. He couldn't feel anything. His eyes stung as more tears escaped and Harry was suddenly filled with an indescribable rage.
His Aunt Petunia screeched as he burst through the door.
"How could you?" By now he was shaking with anger. "How dare you?" The table cracked in half and the dishes in the sink shattered.
"Boy! That's enough!" Vernon yelled and then recoiled as Harry turned his intense gaze on him.
"You're right that is enough. I've had it!" He ram to the cupboard that used to be his room and collected his trunk. He picked it up and put it outside the door before going upstairs and getting what he thought was the last of his belongings.
He didn't even bother covering his face as he walked on to the Knight Bus for the third time that day. However the conductor, seeing that Harry was angry merely asked where he wanted to go not bothering with the hot chocolate.
"The Leaky Cauldron please." Harry replied, he may have been upset but he wasn't about to take it out on someone who didn't deserve it.
Harry got out as soon as possible not even waiting for the vehicle to come to a complete stop and ran into the pub.
"Hey Tom! I need a room for the rest of the summer and could you help me with my trunk please?" Yelled Harry.
"Of course Mr. Potter, right this way sir." Tom scurried forward and led the other man up to a room and helped him put his trunk away, leaving right after.
"Well, I'm going to have to look for a place to stay. I can't go back to the Dursleys and I can't go to Grimmald Place…" He sighed. 'I miss you Sirius. Why did you have to leave?' Harry felt tears falling down his cheeks and brushed them away.
"No use in crying over spilt milk… If only it were that simple.' He gave an exhausted sigh before falling into a troubled sleep.