A/N: Content warning for physical abuse in this chapter
One summer's day, Harry was ordered by his uncle to get the post. This was not unusual. He was used to being ordered around, and he knew that compliance was the safest route. Therefore, he abandoned his breakfast without hesitation.
Harry was in for a surprise, however. For the first time in his life, there was an envelope addressed to him! Thinking quickly, he tucked the envelope under the waistband of his jeans. The Dursleys would surely take it from him if they saw it. He then brought the rest of the post to his waiting uncle, handing it to him without making eye contact. Never show a trace of defiance to Vernon Dursley.
All would have gone well, save for one problem. As he turned to return to the cupboard under the stairs that he slept in (his cousin Dudley had stolen the remains of his breakfast), the envelope addressed to him slipped from the waist of his oversized jeans and fell to the floor, right at his uncle's feet.
Harry froze at the sound. Running away from the confrontation would only make it worse later.
"What's this, boy?" Uncle Vernon said in a quiet, dangerous voice.
"I don't know, but it's addressed to me." Harry replied, turning to face his uncle, but not meeting his eyes. Out of the corners of his eyes, he saw Uncle Vernon pick up the envelope and read it, his face turning purple. That was a bad sign.
"PETUNIA, SEE THIS!" Uncle Vernon called to Harry's aunt. White faced, hands trembling, Aunt Petunia left her breakfast to look at the envelope over his shoulder. She gasped and fainted when she saw it. Uncle Vernon rounded on Harry.
"YOU ARE AN UNNATURAL CREATURE! YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BORN!" He roared. And with that, he swung his arm and slapped Harry hard across the face. Stars, falling to the floor, and then nothing.
Not to say that he passed out, or that the beating was over. Harry simply floated away into a place far away from the kicks and slaps that his small, ten-year-old body was now being pummelled with. Separate from all that, he found himself able to process what had just happened. His uncle had mentioned his "unnaturalness", and had begun beating him, right after seeing the envelope. This was the first time he'd been beaten for anything other than an unnatural occurrence. The letter, therefore, surely had something to with his unnaturalness. This raised more questions than it answered. How did the letter sender know? His family did a good job explaining away the strange things that happened around him. The only way they could be sure was if... no, there couldn't be others like him. But there must be. Was there an explanation for the things he'd been beaten for since he was five?
Harry could not muse any longer, as he was coming back to reality. It was his sense of touch that returned first. He could now feel the cold hard floor under his aching body, which effectively distracted his train of thought. Next, he heard. Uncle Vernon was yelling at him to get up. As he did, the dining room came into focus, and he became aware of a pain in his head. He felt dizzy, but he didn't show it.
"Into your cupboard." Uncle Vernon hissed. The vein in his temple was pulsing, and it looked as though he was barely containing himself. Harry didn't hesitate, but he didn't rush either. Not that he could have, in his current state. Once in his cupboard, lying on his bed, he heard his uncle go out to the garage. When the heavy footsteps returned, they stopped right in front of the door. This was followed by a pounding sound, and another one, and another. With a sick feeling, Harry realized that he was nailing the cupboard shut.
"You'll come out of there whenever I see fit." He growled menacingly.
With nothing to do, Harry slept his bruises away.
