PERFECT

By: Brianne Pitt

It was an ordinary day in the Potter household. Lily was in the kitchen preparing lunch, ten year old Jason was outside playing and fifteen year old Harry Potter was sitting on his bed being yelled at by his father.

Harry was confused as to why he was being yelled at, he had been in his room all day, his father sent him there and he told him as such.

"Don't you lie to me." James spat. "You should be in Slytherin! You are a disappointment to this family! You shouldn't even be allowed to wear the name Potter! Anyways I know you did it so stay in your room and don't come out until I say so."

That was another normal thing for the Potters. Harry would be blamed and yelled at for no reason. His father just hated him because he wasn't like his younger brother Jason.

Almost ten years ago when Jason was one and Harry was six Lord Voldemort came to the Potter residence. Voldemort had put Lily and James into an enchanted sleep, to relive their worst memories and dreams and then wake up to see their two little boys dead. It didn't go as planned though. When Voldemort set the killing curse on Jason it rebounded and since then he became the boy who lived.

Ever since then Jason was loved and got all the attention while Harry stayed in the background unloved and neglected no matter how hard he tried to get his parents to notice him. After a while he just gave up. Nothing would get his parents to love him again. He was always yelled at, punished and grounded by his father, his mother was nice to him but she still ignored him. Harry laid on his bed for a long time, wondering if this was ever going to change. Harry snorted. 'Not bloody likely.' he thought.

For the next two days Harry was left in his room which meant he didn't eat. Harry was more than happy to leave his room on the third day. He went down to the dinner table and ate with his family. He saw his father sneer at him but just ignored him and continued to eat.

"I can't wait till he's out of here, then we won't have to put up with him. He's such a…"

And on and on James went. Harry was used to having his parents talk about him as if he weren't there. After a while he just left and went back upstairs to his room. He sat down on his bed and laid there looking out the window.

SLAM!

"You think you can just walk away, you ungrateful, unimportant piece of sludge!" James yelled from the door way. He entered the room and closed the door. He looked at Harry for a moment before grabbing him and pulling him up. He let loose a series of blows to Harry's stomach before dropping him on the ground and punching him anywhere he could until his knuckles hurt.

"Well that should teach you a lesson" said James looking satisfied. He left and shut the door.

Harry lay in the floor barely conscious. He slowly got up and looked in the mirror to see the damage. He could see bruises already beginning to form everywhere. He was stunned beyond belief. This was the first time this had happened. 'And it's never going to happen again' Harry thought. Harry went to sleep thinking of what he could do.

He woke up the next morning and was relieved that the pain was minor although he still had a lot of bruises. He stayed in his room all day going over his plans. He was going to run away and never come back. He had enough money of his own to buy a place to live( his family never gave him money from the Potter vault, Harry had to work to pay for everything he needed including school).

Harry packed up his things that he would take with him and left a goodbye note and a silver orb. The silver orb was like a tape recorder, it recorded your voice. On the orb was a song he wrote for his father to listen to.

When he was sure that everyone was asleep Harry grabbed his trunk and carefully walked towards the front door. He walked to the sidewalk and turned around to face the house. "Goodbye. Forever." He said and continued down the sidewalk never looking back.

The next day Lily was in the kitchen making breakfast. She down with her family until she noticed someone was missing. Harry.

"Jason go get your brother and tell him to come down for breakfast or he gets no lunch." Lily said.

Jason got up and went up the stairs only to return a few minutes later. "He's not there, I found this note and silver orb on his bed." Jason said.

Lily grabbed the note and read aloud.

Dear Family,

Wait to be family you have to love each other. I'll try again.

Dear Potters,

If you haven't figured it out yet I ran away. The reason will be later but first I'd like to tell you about myself. Now that I have your attention.

My name is Harry James Potter. I am 5 foot 9. Black hair and emerald eyes. I got to Hogwarts ,Gryffindor, and am about to enter my sixth year, incase you didn't know. I am a seeker on my house team and was the youngest seeker in about a century. I made the team my first year. Also in my first year I saved the Philosopher's Stone from being stolen. In my second year I fought and killed a Basilisk to save my best friends sister. In my fourth year I was entered in the tournament as a joke but I was chosen as a champion and competed. Even though everyone was three years older I still won. My O.W.L results came the other day and I got O's in everything, even Potions.

Also by my fourth year I learned to be an animagus with my best friend Ron, I'm a red and gold phoenix. I also have healing powers. I've been working with Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing since fifth year and this year I'll be starting Healer training so by the end of next year I can become a Healer like I always wanted to be. Well that's about it. Now, my reason is you dad and I think you know why after everything I've been through last night was the worst in my life. On the silver orb is a song I wrote for you when I was 13. Just say play to hear it.

Anyways goodbye forever. Mum, dad, I'll never see you again. Jason good luck at Hogwarts, I'll see you there, but I can't guarantee that I will talk to you.

Harry James Potter

P.S. I tried so hard for you guys to realize I was your son and to love me and be proud of me, but now, I just don't care anymore.

James finished reading the letter and just thought over what he had just learned about his son. 'Wow a Basilisk.', 'He made seeker first year.', 'A phoenix animagus.'

He looked up and saw his wife nearly in tears. He comforted her. "We should have paid attention to him. I never knew he did all those things. W got too wrapped up in this Boy-Who-Lived thing and we forgot about our first son and now it's too late. We'll never be able to get to know him." Lily said finally letting her tears escape her eyes.

"No hunny. It's my fault. I'm the only one who hated him, you loved him I know you did. I actually hated him over something that not even Merlin himself had control over." James said.

He picked up the orb and said play. Music and Harry's voice instantly filled the room.

"Dad this is a song I wrote for you.

Hey dad look at me
Think back and talk to me
Did I grow up according to plan?
And do you think I'm wasting my time doing things I wanna do?
But it hurts when you disapprove all along

And now I try hard to make it
I just want to make you proud
I'm never gonna be good enough for you
I can't pretend that
I'm alright
And you can't change me

'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect

I try not to think
About the pain I feel inside
Did you know you used to be my hero?
All the days you spent with me
Now seem so far away
And it feels like you don't care anymore

And now I try hard to make it
I just want to make you proud
I'm never gonna be good enough for you
I can't stand another fight
And nothing's alright

'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect

Nothing's gonna change the things that you said
Nothing's gonna make this right again
Please don't turn your back
I can't believe it's hard
Just to talk to you
But you don't understand

'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect

'Cuz we lost it all
Nothing lasts forever
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect
Now it's just too late and
We can't go back
I'm sorry
I can't be perfect"

When the song finished James couldn't help it anymore, he burst and cried for what seemed like forever. 'My son ran away because of me and the last thing I did was abuse him' with that thought James cried even harder.

"I'm going to find him Lily. I'm going to find, and try to make everything right again." James said regaining his composure. He was going after Harry and no mater it took, he was going to find him.