I don't own Harry Potter.

Sorry for taking so long in getting the next chapter up, been busy with real life and planning NaNoWriMo, since I am Co-ML this year.

Enjoy!


Harsh Reality

Day Two – The Morning

Harry woke up slowly; he blearily opened his eyes and looked around. He couldn't see anything clearly so grabbed his glasses from where he had put them last night and put them on. He could see the curtain in front of him and it took him a moment before he could remember that he wasn't at the Dursley's, tucked into his cupboard underneath the stairs. But at Aunt Marge's home, on a stone cold floor, with only a thin rug protecting him.

He sat up and put the t-shirt he had used as a blanket back into his bag. He wiggled his toes a little, noticing that he could barely feel his feet. It was nothing he hadn't felt before, but he did hate it when feeling came back. He hated the pins and needles he felt as they came back to life. He put on his too small trainers, as he had no socks, since the last ones had fallen apart on him a few days ago.

Harry crawled out of the little hideaway and stood up. He could see that the sun was shining brightly through the windows. It was nice to be able to see the sun without having to wait until a screeching Aunt Petunia let him out to do breakfast. He was only able to do toast, but he was learning how to cook eggs and bacon as well. He wondered briefly what he should be doing, should he go back to the hideaway or do what he normally did while at Privet Drive.

He thought for a moment and realised that he should follow the rules and make breakfast. He wandered into the kitchen and looked around, he remember Uncle Vernon mentioning that Aunt Marge only liked toast and marmalade for breakfast, she didn't like anything to heavy to start the day with, she had work to do before she got a good hearty meal.

He looked around and noticed a bread bin and toaster to one side, he would have to find the marmalade though. He went over to the small dinning area and pulled one of the chairs to the side with the bread and toaster. He climbed up and set up the four-sliced toaster.

He heard some movement from upstairs and knew he better start soon, he didn't want to be punished for not having breakfast on the table ready for Aunt Marge to eat. He put the bread in, four slices and pushed it down. Harry climbed down from the chair and pulled it to another side, climbing up to look in the cupboards. He knelt on the side as he looked in one side and then the other. There was nothing but dog food in them, so he went to the next one and smiled when he saw what he was looking for. He picked up the marmalade and then placed it down on the side. He scooted around a little to get back to the chair and started to climb down.

He put one foot down and then started putting the other down on the chair; he wobbled a little and then slipped and fell to the floor. He gave a small cry of pain as he landed on his back and bottom; he was still sore from the punishment he had received from Uncle Vernon just before they left Privet Drive. He whimpered a few times as he stood up and pulled the chair back to the toaster. He went back with a limp and grabbed the marmalade. He placed it on the side with the toaster and then pulled his chair over to the counter with the kettle and started it up after he climbed up. He needed to start a drink, though he wasn't sure what Aunt Marge would like, coffee or tea, he didn't want to get it wrong, and Uncle Vernon hadn't told him what she liked.

XxXxX

Marge woke slowly; she stretched and sat up in bed. She looked to the side of her bed and saw Ripper still asleep in his basket. She climbed out of bed and gathered her things for a quick shower. She would have to do herself and Harry some breakfast soon, as it was seven in the morning. If Harry was anything like Dudley, then he will be moaning for his breakfast soon, and he would eat a lot, all children do.

Within twenty minutes she was out and dressed. She went over to the bedroom which now Harry's and opened the door. She frowned when she saw that the bed was made and the room was still tidy. She had expected the four year old to make some mess. She looked around and realised that he wasn't in the room. She frowned and walked out, Ripper ambling slowly from her own opened bedroom door.

"Where is the runt?" she grunted to herself as she started down the stairs, only to stop on the second step down.

She could smell something coming from downstairs, it took her a moment to realise that it was toast and marmalade, as well as the smell of strong coffee. She rushed down the stairs afraid that the boy has done some mischief, or had hurt himself. She almost ran into the kitchen in her panic.

She stopped at the doorway as she saw that the table was set with toast and marmalade and a mug of coffee sitting next to it. She looked around and noticed that there was a chair near one of the counters. She moved into the room further and saw Harry standing still and quiet near a corner of the room.

"I made breakfast Aunt Marge," he told her quietly, in his hand was a small glass of water, it looked partly empty, "I hope it's okay, Uncle Vernon told me you liked toast and marmalade for breakfast, I don't know if you like coffee or tea, so I made coffee, but I can make you some tea if you don't like it." He babbled nervous when she didn't say anything and just stood there looking at him.

Marge stood there and shook herself out of her shock, "Thanks boy," she said as she went over to the table and sat down.

She ate quietly, contemplating Harry and his behaviour. He wasn't like what she had thought, she had expected him to be boisterous like Dudley, and instead he was quiet, helpful in a way. She also expected him to cause some kind of mischief, or trouble, but he hadn't, he was more well behaved that Dudley. She ate the four pieces of toast and looked towards Harry. He was standing quietly with the almost empty glass of water in his hand; he was over by the window this time.

Harry was looking out towards the kennels. He was watching two of the dogs that were walking around outside of their kennels. He gave a smile when he saw the two playing together. He drank the rest of his water and went over to the sink and washed it up, drying it on a tea towel. He grabbed the chair he had been using and pulled it over to where the cupboard was with the glasses in and put it back.

Harry gave a glance over to Aunt Marge and saw that she was finished with her toast and was now just drinking her coffee. He went and took the plate, brushing the crumbs into the bin and washed that up as well. Drying it he was ginning happily to himself, he like watching the dogs, and wondered if he would have chance to meet them. He had noticed that Ripper wasn't too friendly with him, he growled a few times whenever Harry went near.

"Boy, want to help me do all the dogs this morning?" she asked him; she had noticed how he was looking out at the dogs in the large oversized backyard.

Harry turned to face her, his eyes lighting up, "can I really help you?" he asked a little unsure whether she would really let him.

"You may as well, I could always do with an extra pair of hands." She grunted as she finished her coffee and stood up. She washed her own mug and put it away, she liked to keep her kitchen tidy.

She went over to the cupboard that held the dog food and bowls and brought them down. Going over to a counter with her arms full, she had to make three trips to gather everything she needed. She waited for Harry to bring the chair over so he could reach the counter. She placed down the bowls and grabbed two dog forks and two knives.

"Right, we have seven adult dogs that we need to feed," she told him as he climbed up onto his chair, "watch how I do it first, then you can try." She instructed as she opened the tin with a tin opener and emptied it into a red bowl with the name Ripper on it. She cut it up into chucks, just right for Ripper to eat. She then added a handful of dog mixer and mixed it all together.

She then looked down at Harry, "right, your turn, I'll open the tin, then you'll do the rest." She said gruffly.

Harry nodded and waited for her to open the tin. She did and handed it to him, reminding him to be careful, since there were sharp edges. She watched Harry closely as he emptied the tin, making sure to avoid the edges of it. He cut it up slowly, trying to do it just like Aunt Marge. When he had done that, he looked up at Aunt Marge for approval. Aunt Marge nodded her head and put in a handful of biscuits, knowing that Harry only had a little hand. Harry gave her a smile and went back to work mixing it up.

When he had finished, Marge looked it over and nodded, "good enough. Now, I'll open the tins and you can do another two and I'll do the rest." She told him as she began opening the remaining tins. "Just ask when you need the biscuits, and I'll put them in, you only have a small hand."

Harry nodded and waited for her to finish opening the tins. The two worked in near silence, only being broken when Harry asked for a handful of dog biscuits.

"Right, now we have to take everything outside." She said as she looked down at the boy, "You'll need a coat, didn't you bring one with you?" she asked him.

Harry looked up at her and bit his lip, "no ma'am, I don't have a coat."

Marge frowned at her brother's carelessness, "well, I've got an old jumper that you can use for now, it's going to be big on you, but it'll have to do." She said as she went out of the kitchen and up to her bedroom, to get the old jumper. It was nice and thick and would keep the boy warm when he went outside.

She went back downstairs with the lilac jumper and into the kitchen, "Here, this will have to do until I can go into town and get you something warmer." She groused annoyed at her brother.

Harry took the jumper and felt how soft it was, he smiled at it and then looked up, "thank you Aunt Marge," he said as he pulled it on. The sleeves reached the floor as did the rest of the jumper, but Harry didn't mind, the jumper felt soft and was already warming him up.

Marge knelt down and pulled the sleeves up so that Harry could use his hands. She got up and went over to the sideboard and opened a drawer where she kept her belts. She took out one that she had brought a while ago and had never used, since it was to small for her hefty form. She went back to him and put it around his thin waist, it was to large, she got up and went and got a sharp knife from the drawer, she made a few holes so that the buckle would be able to fasten and knelt back down to Harry. She put it around his waist, smiling to herself when the new holes lined up right. She pulled the jumper off the floor and fastened the belt around him, so that it would be around his calves and not his feet.

"Thank you," Harry smiled at her.

Marge couldn't help but smile back, she shock herself, putting a scowl on her face as she stood up and went over to the food bowls. She picked up two, stacking them together and handing then to Harry, "you have these two and I'll take the rest," she said as she then grabbed Ripper's bowl and put it down for her prized dog.

She stacked the other four bowls and went to the back door, she unlocked it and opened it up. She went and grabbed the stack of bowls and indicated for Harry to follow her.

They walked outside and went to the pen with the Collies in, Harry could see that the female was tubby. Aunt Marge opened the gate and the two walked in. The male collie came over and sniffed at Harry, wondering who was invading his territory.

"This one is Benji," Marge said indicating the one sniffing Harry, "the mother to be is Smudge, as you can see she has a smudge on her nose." She added.

"Hi Benji," Harry said as he looked at the dog, who came to his shoulders.

"Harry, you can put the bowls down for these two." She told him as she showed him where to put them down.

Harry went over, the two dogs following him. He put down the bowls and was almost tripped over when the dogs rushed forwards to eat. Aunt Marge showed him the other two pens and the dogs, tell him what their names were. She also told him and showed him the Labrador puppy's, when he asked what their names was, she told him that they wouldn't be names since they would be going to other people and that it was their job to name them.

XxXxX

Harry spent most of the day sitting in the living room watching the T.V. He had kept quiet and out of the way. There had been a little trouble over lunch when Harry said he wasn't hungry and refused to have something to eat. It was now six o'clock and it was time for dinner, Marge stood up and looked down at the thin boy, sitting once again in overly large shorts and t-shirt. He wasn't wearing his trainers and was sitting barefoot. She could see some sores on his feet, some looked as though they had been bleeding as well.

"Harry, its dinner time, and you better be eating this time," she growled at him.

Harry turned frightened eyes on her and shook his head, "no, please, I'm not hungry, honestly." He said, he was trembling, scared of breaking the rules.

"You've nothing all day, I don't even know if you had something for breakfast, you need to eat. I don't want you getting ill." She said to him.

Harry thought for a moment and broke a rule, "but I did, I did have something to eat this morning, before you got up," he lied, hoping he wouldn't be caught out; he didn't want to be punished by Aunt Marge and Uncle Vernon when he found out.

She watched him closely. She knew he was lying but she didn't know why he would lie about having something to eat, when it was clear to her that he hadn't. She sighed, she didn't know how to deal with a young boy reluctant to eat, the only little boy she knew other than Harry was her nephew, Dudley and he would jump at the chance to have something to eat.

"Fine, you can go to bed, now." She told him, anger lacing her voice.

Harry scrambled to his feet and ran for the little cubby in the utility room. Aunt Marge didn't even hear him run up the stairs, but was to busy thinking of ways that she could try and get the scrawny child to eat.

Harry sat in the cubby and cried silently, he had tried to be good, but he knew that Aunt Marge was angry with him. He didn't know why and was scared that she would come and punish him for something. He took out the t-shirt and covered himself up, and cried himself to sleep.

XxXxX

Aunt Marge cooked herself some steak, chips, mushrooms and fried onions. She sat down to eat at the table and frowned. She was tempted to go upstairs and bring the boy down and make him eat. But there was something in his eyes that worried her; she just couldn't put her finger on it. She ate her dinner, not enjoying it like she normally would have.

She went back into the living room, after she had washed up the dinner things. She turned on the T.V and sat and thought. She needed to make sure that the boy had something to eat tomorrow, she would have to wake early it would seam. She noted that morning that Harry rose early and was already dressed when she had come downstairs at seven.

She did her nightly rituals, of feeding the dogs at ten, and at half eleven she went to bed. At the top of the stairs she had to force herself not to look in on Harry, since she didn't want to wake him, and she was still a little angry over him not having anything to eat. She got into bed, reading another chapter of her book, and enjoying the characters of it as the writer pulled her into a very magical world.


Well, there you another chapter, sorry for taking a while. Please read and review.