Chapter 1

Harry was nine years old, a pocket watch clasped in his hands as he sat on his small little bed with only a dying light bulb granting any sort of light.

He didn't think much of the pocket watch, nothing major in any case since he couldn't open it. But he did like to look at it, liked tracing the circles and stars on the old fob watch. It had been his father's, James', before his parents died in a car crash.

Harry had been found, dropped off at his Aunt and Uncle's house with the watch on a small chain that was draped around his neck.

"Harry!" A sharp, rasping knock pounded on Harry's cupboard room's door. "Get out of there! You need to do the dishes!" The young boy sighed as he sat the watch and book down.

Someday, he'll escape from here. Escape from his Uncle's abusive language and his aunt's neglect. Leave Dudley's, his older cousin's, bullying fists. Someday, he'll leave.

"Hurry up!" The voice shouted, threat dripping in the tone.

Harry hoped at least.

Most kids enjoyed getting ready for summer and leaving school behind. Harry was not one of these kids. He didn't want to go back to the Dursley's for the summer. He would be much happier to stay here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry than going back to an abusive home.

He had finally made friends! He felt normal and happy here and he was cursing the fact that he would have to leave it for three months.

"Hey, Harry!" Harry heard his name called from outside the boy's dormitory. His two best friends, Hermione and the Boy-Who-Lived, Neville Longbottom, came through the door. "Just got word from Gran!" The Boy-Who-Lived, the only person known to survive a killing curse, took a spot on Harry's bed, making the bed dip a little. "You can stay with me this summer if you want."

"And my parents gave permission as well." Hermione offered with a kind smile. Harry felt the corners of his mouth turn up as he looked at his friends, grateful to have them in his life. The summer would be so much harder without them, he was sure.

His entire world had changed less than a year ago, on his eleventh birthday, he had received a letter from the school, declaring him a wizard and a little bit later, a friendly groundskeeper clarifying the death of his parents.

His parents had been murdered at the hands of Death Eaters wanting revenge for their Master's death, not one of a car crash like he had been told and believed for his whole life.

So much of his life had been a lie and Hogwarts had been full of so many amazing surprises and adventures. Why just in his first year he had helped Neville save the Philosopher's Stone from being taken by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

"Why do you keep this watch Harry? Fairly old fashioned by the look of it." Hermione asked as she picked up the boy's fob watch that was just sitting on his side table as Harry was packing his trunk.

"It was my Father's."

"How do you know that?" Harry paused. How did he know? Aunt Petunia never did tell him.

Shrugging Harry continued to fold and put away his clothing. "Don't know. A feeling I suppose."

"Open it! I want to see what the watch looks like!" Hermione extended her hand to her friend. The dark haired boy ignored the hand.

"Tried and can't." Harry folded some pants and placed them into his trunk. "I can't find the locking mechanism and I'm not breaking into it."

"Well if looks anything like it's casing, it's going to be beautiful. Look Neville! Look at the designs! So, intricate."

Neville ignored Hermione's remarks about the watch, giving his full attention to Harry instead. "So will you come over?" Neville's rounded eyes stared at him, hoping he would say yes, Harry was one of the few people that Neville confided to about how alone he felt at home with his relatives always poking and prodding him, wanting to see him to do better because he was a Longbottom and the Boy-Who-Lived. He was an only child and having someone else living with him that was his own age had always been a silent fantasy of his.

Harry smiled and placed a warm hand on his best friend's shoulder, "Yes! I get to finally meet your Gran and all the rest of your crazy relatives I've been hearing about all year. Oh yeah I'm coming."

"That's assuming we're still friends by the end of the first week and you hadn't runoff by then." The two boys laughed and continued to talk about what they were going to do this summer as Hermione stayed quiet, looking and holding the fob watch in her hand. Something was truly odd about it. It felt almost like it was alive.

"Harry?" Hermione interrupted, moving herself so she could stand beside Harry. "Open it, please." Harry was about to repeat his words of not being able to open the device when he noticed where Hermione's thumb was. A small lip in the casing was now visible to Harry's eyes. How had he missed it before?

Taking the watch into his hands he pushed the lid open. Harry just noticed the gold smoke leaving the watch when he felt his world go black.

And far away from Earth, in a completely different time period the Doctor straightened up. The watch, the watch had been opened!

A/N: Wow I am so surprised, absolutely floored, at the reaction I got for this. Was not expecting so many new followers for this story. It really does warm my heart to see the stats showing that people are actually interested. Thank you, thank you so much. I just hope my story will actually be worth it in the end.

So please let me know what you guys think. Do you like the idea of Neville being the Chosen One? Harry completely bypassing Dursley's to stay at Neville's place? Oh and yes Harry is still on the Quidditch team! ;) Hope to talk to all of you guys in the review section! I would love to hear about what you guys think of this so far and any guess about what the rest of the story might entail.

Love you guys! Thank you!

Hpswst101