A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. Hope y'all enjoy this! Thank you so much to those who left such nice reviews! I love you all!

Again, constructive criticism always welcome!

~The Ace of Spades

Harry still grew up as Dudley's punching bag, and yet, it wasn't the same. Just as strange things happened with his hair and his clothes when he was upset or angry; whenever the Dursleys were at there worst, a cat with peculiar markings around its eyes would show up.

The first time he could remember seeing the cat, was also the first time he could remember being punished by the Dursleys. He couldn't have been more than four years old, when he decided to ask Aunt Petunia why he had a scar shaped like a lightning bolt. First, she had screamed at him for asking stupid questions when he knew it was from the car accident that killed his parents. Then, she had locked him in his cupboard without supper, although it wasn't the first time he'd gone to bed hungry.

Harry could remember how he had cried, face stuffed into his pillow, when all of a sudden, there was a quiet meow.

"H-Hello?" he sniffled at the darkness. The reply consisted of another meow.

Reaching out towards the end of the bed, his hand brushed across a warm furry object. He quickly retracted his hand and pulled out his tiny flashlight he had snuck out of Dudley's second bedroom. Upon illumination he found a cat, sitting stoically at the end of the bed, next to a plate of food. He wasn't sure how either the cat or the food had ended up in his cupboard, but it helped to stop his tears, and after he ate, the cat snuggled him as he hiccuped quietly.

The next morning both the cat and the empty plate were gone.