Harry Potter does not belong to me.
Harry trudged on; it was poring down with rain. But he had picked the perfect night as far as he was concerned. It was Halloween night and the rest of the school were celebrating, the fact that he wasn't there would hardly be noticed, with exceptions to Ron. Ron was perhaps part of the reason why Harry was moving as fast as he could and keeping to the shadows. He didn't know exactly how he was going to get back to the Dursleys, nor did he know if he had the determination to go back when it came down to it, and that was the part that Harry most feared. He pulled his coat tighter around him, a cool wind wiped at him, hindering his Journey, 'don't go!' the winds cried 'don't go!' But still he pushed on, slipping on newly formed puddles, skidding in mud, filthy and wet and cold. The journey grew more difficult the further he went. The teardrops from his face mingled with the raindrops. His blood shot eyes telling a story of lack of sleep and distress that the invisible tears could not.
"Out for a night time stroll I see Potter"
Harry turned around but was unable to see anyone, it was dark and think trees surrounded him. But the hiss of sarcasm in the voice told all.
"Leave me alone!" Harry screamed as he hurried his step
"I hardly think so, I gave up a rather large opportunity to make sure you didn't coarse yourself harm in your usual stupidity" the voice replied seemingly un-hindered by the quickening wind. The wind that seemed to want to warn Harry of something.
"I'm not going back!" he screamed and began running tripping on the undergrowth and bumping into trees. A hand reached out of no were and grasped his arm, he swung around to see the face of Professor Snape.
His lips in a sneer, which reminded Harry of the day he had first meet Snape whilst in the dungeons.
Harry swung out with his other arm, kicked Snape in the shins, Snap a little surprised that Harry would try using physical force let go but quickly stunned Harry from behind who landed to the ground with a horrible thud.
When Harry awoke he was in the potions classroom in the chair in front of Snape's desk where Snape was just lowering his wand.
Harry stood in anger but was speechless, propelled by anger but slowed by fear. His hands in fists his body trembling.
"Running away Potter? A bit cowardice for a Griffindor?"
"You can't stop me" Harry replied trying to keep his voice even.
Ron sat at the Griffindor table scoffing down his favourite foods; he wondered where Harry was but figured, as he wasn't a big eater and had a tendency to wonder around by him self and that that would be exactly where he was. The fact that Harry was missing wasn't what was nibbling at his conscious, it was Herminie. She had been acting stuck up in their charms class and had shown off again! Ron had made fun of her and she had over herd and run of crying. It didn't worry him too much initially only she still wasn't here and it was hours later. He tried to assure him self that he didn't do anything wrong. But it was making enjoying the feast just that much harder.
As Ron was half way through a leg of chicken the doors to the great hall were thrown open and professor Quirrell came rushing in white with shock.
"Troll! In the dungeons!" he yelled
Then more quietly "just thought you ort to know"
He turned and looked blankly for a moment before fainting.
The effects of what he had said where instant and all the students when into panic to be quickly quietened by professor Dumbldore, whom gave out instructions for both students and teachers to follow.
The gryffindors were following their prefects to the Gryffindor common room, but Ron could not see Hermione anywhere. As they passes an empty room Ron silently slipped inside and waited for the hall to become silent before heading back in the direction of the girls toilet where he had over herd some girls saying Hermione was crying.
As he approached the door he could her sniffing inside, "Hermione" he whispered.
But there was not response "Hermione!" he tried louder.
"What?" she asked through the door.
"We've got to go back to the common room there's a troll in the castle"
"What?"
"There's a troll in the castle!" he said louder.
The sound of large feet came to his ears; he looked down the hall where the shadow of something very big was appearing. He rushed into the bathroom.
"Hermione!" he said and almost ran right into her.
She looked at him surprised, "your not supposed to be in here!" she said
"Shhhhh" he said graving her arm and pulling her into a cubical and shutting the door.
"What?" she whispered getting the hint that something was going on.
"There's a troll in the castle, and I think its just out side" he said.
"It was your parents wish that you come here, or are you so ungrateful for the sacrifice they made for you that you would disrespect there wishes" Snape said watching the boy who stood before him.
"I don't know what your talking about, my parents made no sacrifice for me. I here all these roomers about them dieing for me and Michel, but I'm not stupid sir, I wont fall for all the lies. My parents died in a car crash, they were drunk and they lost control killing an innocent family. They hated me any way and I was sent to live with my uncle and aunt while Michel who it seems they loved got to come here."
There was a silence that seemed to echo through the empty classroom. Snape sat there staring at the boy.
"Your relatives tell you many interesting things potter most of which are untrue. What interests me the most though is that if you felt that they sent Michel here because they loved him and you to your relatives because they did not, why then when you are brought here are you in such a rush to pass judgement and leave, if this is indeed the place you wish you'd been sent as a baby"
Harry stared at Snape. And very slowly he slipped back into his seat. He knew that through Snape's question he was making a very good point.
"Things are different to how they would have been if I had grown up here, I believe different things" he said
"But those things would have been alright had you grown up here? I had hoped that you had a little more intelligence than that… unless this is just another part of your ridiculous façade."
Quirrell looked at the stone in his hand. He had thought that perhaps Snape had been on to him… but here he was out side of the Hogwarts grounds replacing the philosophers stone safely back into his pocket. He took one last glance at the grounds before he apparated. Snape had indeed missed out in an opportunity, but he would be rewarded for his efforts in the long run. Harry Potter was after all very important to the out come of the war, both he and his powerful brother.
The troll swung only missing the tops of their heads by mere inches. They quickly crawled away to the other side of the room as the great monster continued to pummel where they had been just seconds before. They lay huddled just meters form the door waiting for the right moment to make a move for it. The troll swung again taking out another cubical and they made a run for it out the door and down the hall. At the sound of the foot steps the troll looked up confused then turned to see the back of a clock disappear through the door. In a rage he turned and stumbled after them.
Rushing around a corner they nearly collided with Professors Mc Gonagall and Flitwick.
"Professors!" they both yelped, "troll!"
"Everything would have been different! I would most probably have fitted in here, I might have been even happy. But that wasn't the way it was. Why? Well I'm not completely stupid. He's the 'boy who lived' he defeated 'he who must not be named' he got taken here because he held worth. He's worth more than me, I was just a nuisance to get ride of. Both of us were separated form each other, but he got to live here. Now I'm here but I'm different to him, I don't fit in here, and although I wish id been brought here like my brother, I wasn't. And now I want to go home, it may not be here, but it's where I do belong."
"Im going to make it my personal business to see that you stay" Snape said after a moment in what seemed like deep thought.
"That's ok, you can't watch me the entire time professor, I will be returning home" he said, he was determined. And he knew he was right, no one could keep a constant watch on him.
Snape stared at him.
"I suggest you don't try again, you might not like the consequences"
Albus stood along side his godson in a meeting with the teachers about the incident tonight, which had been disastrous. Nothing like this had happened to concern him at this magnitude since before Voldemort's downfall. Tonight not only had a troll been in the castle, but more importantly the philosophers stone had been stolen. Michel wasn't even 11 yet, he wouldn't be properly starting his education until next year and Dumbledoer seriously wondered how long the war would have to last for Michel to be ready. He looked at the boy, he was powerful yes, but was he powerful enough? His intelligence wasn't in question, nor that he was talented because he certainly was. But was he as talented as he needed to be. Of course the prophecy meant that he would be even if he wasn't now.
He had just sent several of the teachers on missions to round up the old crowd. The order of the phoenix would be reforming. And very soon Voldemort would be back. Hagrid had just set out on a mission to the giants, now he only had to ask Snape to return to the nightmare that had ended for him years ago. Dumbldore looked at him, Snape was waiting for him to ask, no one else could tell but Dumbldore himself, but Snape was afraid.
"Severus, you know what I ask of you," he finally said
"Yes" and with out another word Severus Snape stood and left the room.
Michel sat still fidgeting with his clock. Voldemort was back. The man who murdered his family, back. The man who he had to defeat. The man he had to kill, or who would kill him. He stared out the window at the sky. Everything seemed so calm out there. And right then he made a wish, 'let me be normal' he thought, 'I cant do this, I don't want to do this. Id even give back the fame if I could just be normal'. And un-known to the rest of the occupants he quickly wiped a tear from his face. No one could see him cry, he had to be strong, he was the boy who lived.
Authors note:
Firstly thank you to all the people who review this story. It is very encouraging that so many are enjoying it as much as I am. I have a good plot, well at least I think so, which I hope you'll all enjoy. As long as I can keep it up at least it's not always easy to find time to write, as many of you will know.
Secondly I have dyslexia so my punctuation and spelling will not be as good as other wise. I spell cheek and make sure all the red and green squiggly lines are gone before I post. I also proofread through my writing 3 times before I post it. Proof reading and spell cheeking can take longer for me than writing it. I apologise for any troubles you have with reading my story. Just be aware that I am aware I make mistakes in my writing and am always doing my best to make sure there are none when I post.
