Chapter 2:
Harry woke slowly. He felt like he was lying in the most wonderful fur blanket. His sleepy awareness wasn't sure what to make of this, since the cupboard under the stairs didn't have a fur blanket. He concluded that waking slowly must mean that he was still dreaming since Aunt Petunia always woke him up to make him do chores. He turned to go back to sleep but before he could the fur blanket under him shifted. Harry opened his eyes and stared at a clearing in the middle of a forest. He gently picked himself up and noticed that he wasn't lying in a fur blanket, he was lying on a large black fox creature, which was starting to stir. Harry jumped up and backed away hurriedly blurting out "I'm sorry I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you please don't eat me". The creature got up, stretched and looked at him with what harry swore looked like concern, but he didn't think it was since no one would be concerned about a freak like him. He heard a voice in his mind, "Are you alright? I didn't mean to wake you." Harry stopped stammering and said curiously, "Are you talking to me?" The voice replied, "Yes I am talking to you via telepathy".
Zoroark couldn't seem to figure out why her son, though he didn't know he was that yet, looked so terrified. Even seeing her form shouldn't make him this nervous. "Are you hurt?" She asked, and he shook his head. "Why are you so nervous?" she couldn't help but ask. Her son looked at her more thoroughly and said: "You're the black fox from my dream" and with that he visibly calmed down. Zoroark thought to herself, "so we both had dreams about each other" and said, "Yes. Your mother's final wish was that I adopt and care for you. Do you have a name?" The boy replied, "Harry Potter, but my Aunt and Uncle call me 'boy' or 'freak'" Zoroark replied, "My name is Zoroark" and then she noticed that harry looked sad. "Is something wrong?" she asked. He replied, "Nothing's wrong, it's just that my aunt is going to come and wake me up soon. This is such a nice dream and it feels so real. I wish it would just go on forever." Zoroark replied, "I don't expect you to take my word for this, but this isn't a dream. Don't you humans have some way of telling when you're not dreaming?" Harry replied, "The kids at school say that you pinch yourself and if you feel the pain, you're awake." She gave him an expectant look in response. Harry pinched the skin on his arm and winced slightly. Then his expression changed back to being horrified. "Harry what's wrong?" she asked. Harry replied, "Please you have to go." Zoroark said, "Why would I abandon you?" Harry nervously replied, "I've done something freakish again, my Uncle is going to kill me!" Zoroark had suspected throughout the whole conversation that Harry hadn't been treated well but this was far worse then she'd expected. "Reflexively she got in front of him and said, "He'll have to go through me first! No one harms my kit" and showed her canine teeth as she said the last part.
For the first time he could remember, Harry felt a spark of hope. This giant fox creature, "Zoroark", he mentally corrected himself, offered to protect him from his Uncle. Harry started to smile as Zoroark said, "I want to you to live with me out here instead of going back to those horrible relatives of yours". Harry replied, "Really?" Zoroark nodded so Harry ran up and gave her a big hug.
Over the next week Harry and Zoroark got to know each other more. Harry felt like a huge burden had been lifted not only because he'd escaped his situation at the Dursleys but also from being able to confess his troubles to Zoroark and having her there to support him. Zoroark felt pleased about being a mother again and was happy to care for Harry. Harry talked about school and how he wished that he could get better grades then his cousin without being punished for it. Zoroark decided that she would be sure that Harry continued to learn and to encourage his learning. Despite the pleasant turn of events upon meeting Harry, one thing still bothered Zoroark. The more she heard about Harry's life at the Dursleys the more she wanted to make them pay. She's contemplated physical harm and decided that the result would be either insignificant or too severe for her to be satisfied with. After Harry mentioned his Uncle's job and lamented about one of Dudley's birthday parties, she had an idea.
Zoroark walked toward the front door of Grunnings disguised as Vernon Dursley. Her illusion of him was made to be unkempt and unprofessional looking. Once she arrived, she made her way to the senior manager's office and barged in through the door. The senior manager looked up from his paperwork and gave a confused stare. "I want a raise now!" She intoned with Vernon's voice. "What?" The manager replied incredulously. "You heard me, the only thing that keeps this company running is me so pay up!" The manager replied, "I know your work is important, but we can discuss this next month when performance reports are due." Zoroark decided to channel Dudley Dursley for the next part. She stomped her foot and said "I want a raise now you cheapskate!" in her best impression of a spoiled child but with Vernon's voice. The manager had had enough. He replied, "Get back to work now, or else." Zoroark replied, "Not until you give me the raise I deserve." The manger responded, "If you want more money so badly you can get it somewhere else because you're fired!" Zororak replied, "You'll be hearing from my lawyers about this!" and her illusion appearance stormed off, though inwardly she was satisfied.
Vernon Dursley had been having a bad morning. He'd gone to bed last night happy that the freak hadn't been seen in a week. The police had questioned him the day before, but he'd assured them that the boy had gone to school one day and never returned and that he'd had nothing to do with it. His good mood had vanished when he'd left the house for work only to find the tires on his car had been slashed to pieces. He told Petunia to call the police as soon as he'd left and angrily called a cab. Little did he know that tire damage would be the least of his troubles that day.