Chapter Two

One fine evening in June, a happy couple walked hand-in-hand along the residential streets of Surrey. Sometimes the couple talked and laughed together and at other times they stayed silent, just enjoying the other's company. As they passed a park full of children, the woman noticed a dark-haired youth sitting silent and alone on a swing amidst the joyful noise. His head was in his hands, and the woman - who had a daughter the age of the boy - could tell he was in the midst of some inner turmoil. She stopped walking to gaze on the boy. Her husband stopped next to her to see what she was looking at.

"John, look at that boy. The older one, one the tree stump, there beyond the swing set. Do you think we might be able to help him for a moment?" She asked him.

"I'm sure it's nothing, my dear… just the usual teenage angst." John Beckley tried to comfort his wife. "Let's go, Catherine; we don't even know anything about him." He raised his wife's hand to his lips and kissed it gently, and began to walk again. She let herself be led away, resolving despite her husband's words to keep an eye out for that boy.

The next day, the weather turned rainy; Catherine Beckley could find no reasonable way to convince her husband to go walking, so she had to settle herself with contemplating the boy she had seen. She didn't know why she was so strongly drawn to him, but something about him had definitely attracted her attention.

o0O0o

"That new family down the way… have you heard? Their daughter – Samantha, I think, but she goes by some ridiculous boyish name – actually slapped young Piers! He was being friendly, and you know he's such a polite boy, and she slapped him! Most teenagers these days- you never know what they're going to do; they've no respect at all!"

Harry sighed… he could tell where this conversation was going to go. Aunt Petunia was talking with one of her gossiping friends, and it wouldn't be long until she was ranting on his own 'misbehaviors.'

"Why, thank you, dear… we've tried our best with both the boys, but I've almost given up on our nephew. We've done so much for him, but he's just…" Aunt Petunia sniffed delicately, attempting to sound on the verge of tears. It was a masterful performance, Harry thought. Any chance she had, Aunt Petunia had done her very best to ruin his reputation this summer.

Harry sighed again and left the room; he needed to get away from everything… He left the house by the back door, hoping that the park would be empty.

o0O0o

Petunia Dursley sighed as she hung up the phone. Hopefully, word would get around that her nephew was dangerous – a delinquent, even. He had come back from that school of his looking worse than ever before. He was thinner than ever and he bruised easy, too; Petunia did not want anyone to see and comment on it. Vernon was a good man, she told herself… he did his best to keep the boy in line. The last thing her family needed was Child Protective Services snooping around their home.

o0O0o

It was several days later that the weather was fine enough for Catherine to convince John to go walking again. They meandered through the neighborhood until they came to the same park where Catherine had previously seen the boy. She let her eyes scan over the children as they ran around and played.

"Remember when Sammy was that small?" She asked her husband. "It doesn't seem like it's been that long."

John smiled at his wife. "I remember. She loved to do everything differently- run up the slides, stand on the swings…"

"And that terrible old biddy from next door would complain that she was a bad influence on the other kids!"

The couple laughed together and continued to watch the children play. They were about to move on when Catherine saw the same dark-haired boy from before. He was walking towards the park from the opposite side, coming towards the Beckleys. He stopped for a moment when he saw the children playing, but resumed walking. He headed toward the swing set and sat on the same swing he was on last time.

Then Catherine noticed something that worried her a bit… as soon as the other parents had seen the young teen, they had started calling their children. Within minutes, the playground was deserted and silent except for the young boy. Catherine and John looked at each other, Catherine's eyes pleading with her husband. He sighed and gave in to her unspoken request.

"At least find out his name…" He requested. Catherine smiled and stood on her tip-toes to kiss her husband's cheek.

"Thank you." She said, and hurriedly walked after one of the mothers that was herding two young children down the street towards home.

"Wait a moment!" She called after them. She jogged to catch up to them as the mother turned stopped and turned to face her. "Just who is that boy?"

The other woman's face turned sour. "That's the Potter boy, and a right delinquent he is, too. He's a bad influence, and I don't want him near my children." The woman scrutinized her closely. "You're the new family with that teenage daughter, aren't you? A word of advice to you: stay as far away from the boy as you can, and keep your daughter even farther… you never know what that boy will do!" She leered at Catherine, her meaning unmistakable.

Catherine pasted a smile on her face and politely thanked the woman. She turned to walk back to where John was still standing, puzzled. There had been nothing in the boy's body language to suggest that kind of behavior…

"He's 'the Potter boy.' She said he's some kind of delinquent and implied that he'll corrupt Sammy to his delinquent ways if we don't keep an eye on her." Catherine was worried now. The more she thought about it, the more it didn't make sense. Nothing about him – except maybe his too-large clothing – indicated a propensity for trouble-making. If anything, she would suspect abuse.

John watched the dilemma playing out over his wife's face and looked again at the boy. As an elementary teacher, he was inexperienced with dealing with teenage boys, but even to his eyes, something wasn't adding up right.

"Catherine… I think you may be right…" He said quietly. "I think he might need some help."

He reached for her hand, and they slowly made their way to where the boy was sitting.

End Chapter.