Chapter 4

Dumbledore left, leaving the other two slightly speechless and smiling to himself he continued out of Hogwarts to the edge of the perimeters of the castle, nearing the Forbidden Forest which just happened to be where Hagrid lived in a little cottage. He knocked and was not surprised to be ushered in. A huge man, Rubus Hagrid lumbered towards Dumbledore and his dog Fang jumped up, slobbering all the while in welcome. The two misfits seemed to suit each other: Hagrid was a friendly half giant with dark massive amounts of hair, and stood at least six foot three. He was as gentle as can be and known for being loyal; he seemed to defy what everyone thought about giants. Quite a few disagreed with him having a job and were bewildered that Dumbledore would have him on staff but whatever his reasons were for keeping him around nobody knew. Fang his dog was a big slobbering softie. He loved people, and Hagrid with the same intensity and he proved to be a good guard when called upon by his master. Both were very intrigued by the visit of the Headmaster thus they were both listening attentively as they both expected Dumbledore to announce something important.

And he did. "Hagrid, I need you to help me with my little mission here," Dumbledore spoke softly and motioned to the sleeping Harry. "I would be honoured to," Hagrid agreed although his voice told of more than a few unshed tears. Quickly grabbing a coat and the keys to Sirius's motorbike the unlikely duo left the cottage and headed on the bike towards the gate of the castle; baby Harry still fast asleep the events of the night sure to have exhausted him. "Drive," Dumbledore commanded and Hagrid did as he was told which would probably be humorous since it was after all a half giant, an older man, and a young baby on a motorbike going a considerable speed.

Dumbledore whispered a few words of magic and suddenly the bike was spinning off the road and in mid air it seemed. Apparation generally gave one an odd sensation but since both of them were used to this feeling, neither noticed. The arrived on Privet Drive with a crash and the engine roared to a stop. Minerva McGonagall let out a sigh and she became human. "Being a cat is rather boring when you have to sit on a brick wall on day," she commented. "This family is rather proper and boring to be frank," she added, "I wish we had somewhere else we could send the poor tyke." Pulling out some sweets from her pocket, she offered them to her fellow companions who politely declined them even though she had proclaimed them as simply divine. "There is no other way Minerva," Dumbledore said as he sighed. The other two slowly followed him in a sombre procession, their hearts sinking with each step they all took. Carefully wrapping him in many blankets and having leaving a note with his little basket he lay there sleeping so peacefully. The other three took their leave back to Hogwarts, Harry Potter on their minds.

Having had a rough day to say the least, Harry James Potter slept soundly through the night, unaware of where he was, how he had got there and how his life was about to drastically change and become a new version of hell at the hands of his own relatives. If the milkman's arrival at 7 am was any indication, Privet Drive was slowly coming to life and Harry was the one out of place. Henry had been delivering the Dursley's milk for three years now and the appearance of Harry on their doorstep had him scratching his head in curiosity. No one for gossip on a street already having more than its fair share, he just set the milk down, tucked in Harry's blankets and went to finish his rounds. Now the doorstep of number four Privet Drive had a couple bottles of milk, a baby with a note and blankets, and their daily newspaper. An hour and a half later Petunia Dursley stepped outside her door as was her morning routine. She then let out a cry of surprise and alarm.

Petunia Dursley was very different from her sister Lily and had always been that way. Her hair was brown and her eyes were as well contrasting her sister's red hair and green eyes. She was reserved and less social whereas Lily was vivacious and very outgoing making friends easily always having more people to see than her sister. Not that Petunia minded being plain, but her parents had always compared the two girls and for this, Petunia held a special bitterness towards them. But the biggest difference between them was the fact that Lily was a witch and she was a normal or a "muggle" as was the term in the wizarding world. Her sister showed signs very early and was accepted to the wizarding school of Hogwarts – requiring a train to get there and the two didn't see each other except in the summer which suited Petunia find since she found her sister abnormal and frowned upon who she was and had become. The girls had grown apart, and were only civil to each other because they had to be. Petunia lost touch with Lily after she had graduated from Hogwarts and married her long time love, James Potter. Hmmph, thought Petunia. I never really liked him anyways, she deserved better and the two of them were too sickeningly cute together. What kind of name is Harry for a child? He will probably be ordinary and stupid she decided wondering why oh Why couldn't she had been the one with the sensible sister?

The last thought she had thought many a time as they had observed each others lives. She never knew after that where Lily was living or cared to ask about little Harry. She grew indifferent to her sister and her marriage and as the distance had separated it allowed her bitterness at her sister, at their past and at their family to fester. She hadn't thought about the Potters in ages on this crisp first morning of November and as she made her coffee, she went to the door to get her paper because a coffee and a paper make one's morning perfect naturally. Her hair in pin curlers, wearing a fluffy purple housecoat, she opened up the door and let out a yelp. Grabbing the paper and the milk she slammed her door and methodically put the milk away and the paper on the table next to her hot coffee. When she was calm again, she went outside, quickly retrieved the basket and shut her door fiercely. Her face turned from very pale to rosy within a span of 10 minutes in which she had read the note which was from "that lot" and deducted that she had been given the short end of the stick.

After feeding her son Dudley, and finishing the paper and her coffee, Petunia now attended to Harry who was now under her care. He was crying but she being the proper mother of Dudley, had ignored Harry and was all false sweetness when she gave him some milk and stuck him in a cold corner of the room. The bitch of a woman then promptly "forgot" about him unless he was crying or needed to be changed. She immediately phoned up her husband Vernon and after loudly and vividly complaining about Harry's arrival to him, they both thought it best to discuss the future of the newest member of their house when Vernon got home from work at 5 o'clock. She took Dudley out for an afternoon walk and left Harry all alone and when he woke up crying no one was there to comfort him. His future had been decided before Vernon got home. The had made their cellar into Harry's new room; an unfair situation compared to Dudley's comfortable arrangement. Petunia had determined that the best way to treat Harry was with hatred, fear and contempt. All her bitterness at Lily she unleashed in cruelty on her unfortunate nephew. Harry's live was filled with misery, pain and shame. He hated his life at the Dursleys and wondered many a day, if anyone cared about him and would be willing to free him from this hell?

Don't forget to review guys that would be much appreciated! P.S This might be as far as I go with this one, any ideas on if I should stop?