Henry Potter snuck down to the kitchens at half ten at night to obviously get something to eat. He was hungry and he hadn't eaten in a few days. Henry was practically drooling at the thought of the biscuits he'd be eating in delight.
Henry was munching on a chocolate biscuit when someone came into the kitchen.
Damnit.
"POTTER!" Henry's evil stepmother, Georgia, shrieked. "I told you four days ago that you weren't to eat anything!"
Georgia took hold of Henry's arm and dragged him upstairs to the attic and threw him in.
"I TOLD YOU POTTER! NOW YOU WILL GET YOUR PAYMENT!" Georgia shrieked.
"No... No... PLEASE!" Henry cried.
"CRUCIO!"
Henry's torturous screams filled the attic and Georgia shrieked with laughter at the thirteen years old's screams. Henry tossed and turned, his screams growing louder every minute.
"I'm done teaching you Potter." Georgia sneered. "Now I'm going to punish you. CRUCIO!"
Henry's screams filled the attic once again and Georgia cast the curse on Henry not one but five times!
Henry whimpered as he staggered down to his bedroom. He waited until he could hear the slam of a door. That was when Henry staggered off his bed and began throwing some clothes into an old rucksack. He packed some cheese he'd saved in case he was locked in his room for a little longer then he hoped. Henry plucked a blanket and a pillow off his bed and shoves his wand into the rucksack. He yanked on a jumper and walked over to the window with a few crumpled pieces of Muggle money in his hand.
Next stop: Isobel and Robert McGonagall's house.
Henry walked down the lane towards the Potter Manor gate. He reached the wall and wriggled through a small hole. It wouldn't be big enough for a normal thirteen year old but Henry was an exception after being starved for almost a month.
Henry walked down the muddy hill, not taking a backwards glance at Potter Manor. He then realized he'd forgetten to get shoes but instead was wearing rather soggy slippers. Henry invited the soggy feeling in his feet and the regular jabs of pain at his too small body. Henry turned a corner and realized he was almost at the Muggle town.
Henry started to run the all night Muggle cafe and reached it. He opened the door and walked in, breathing in the fresh smells of food.
Henry walked up to the counter and clicked the bell. Someone (a Muggle most likely) came to the counter.
"Good evening, what's your order?" She asked. Henry smiled.
"How much for a toasted bacon and cheese sandwich?" He asked, putting the money on the counter
"I'll be back in a minute." She said, taking some of the money. While she made the sandwich, Henry drew the blanket tighter around himself, shivering violently.
"Here you go." The lady said, handing Henry the sandwich. She frowned momentarily.
"You alright there?" She asked. Henry nodded as he put the sandwich in his bag.
"M'fine." Henry said. The lady reached behind the counter and brought out a little bar of chocolate.
"Take that there." She said. Henry's eyes widened.
"Are you sure?" He asked. The lady nodded.
"I'm sure. You look like you need it." She said.
"Thank you so much!" Henry said happily. The lady smiled.
"You're welcome." She said.
"Goodbye!" Henry said, walking out the door and breathing in the fresh air. He walked towards the bus stop, his slippers soggier then ever.
Henry sat down on the bus stop bench and drew his black-grey blanket tighter around himself. He shivered.
The bus pulled into the stop. Henry ran up to it and jumped on. The bus was half full and people were peering with curiosity at the muddy, tear streaked and soggy child.
"Are you going anywhere near Oakgram?" Henry asked the bus driver. The driver nodded.
"We're going to Inntoon. That's about an hour and a half away from here." The driver said. "Go sit down and have a kip. You looked knackered."
"Thanks so much." Henry said softly as he collapsed into a seat and closed his eyes. The driver smiled and started the bus.
Henry felt the bus rumble beneath him and he snuggled into the blanket, feeling the weight of his rucksack against his back. He soon fell asleep, the comforting noises and smells around him pulling him into the world of dreams.
Someone was shaking Henry's shoulder hard.
"Kid." Someone said loudly. "Get up."
Henry jotted awake to find someone hovering over him.
"We're in Oakgram." The man said. Henry yawned and scrambled off the seat. He went over to the driver with a handful of Muggle money in his hand.
"Here." Henry said, giving the money to the driver. "I know it's not much but take it anyways."
"No, it's alright, kid. Keep what little you have." He said sadly.
"You sure?" Henry said. The driver nodded.
"I hope you get to wherever you're going." He said.
"Thanks. For everything." Henry said. "What's your name?"
"Jack." The driver nodded.
"Thanks again Jack." Henry said as he jumped off the bus and ran up the road
Three exhausting hours later, Henry found a mossy sign and leaned against it, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Some of the moss slipped off the sign and Henry read.
Welcome To Oakgram!
I'm here, Henry thought. I'm here at last.
Henry gritted his teeth and truged onwards, with only one thought in his mind.
Get on with it.
Henry reached a hill and gulped in the cool morning air. There, amongst the hills, stood Robert and Isobel McGonagall's house.
Henry ran down the hills and reached the front door, all of his energy vanished. He knocked on the door, clutching his aching ribs, rubbing his filthy blood splattered feet.
Someone answered the door. Henry's heart kept, it was Isobel.
"The old Minister's house?" Henry asked. Isobel screamed. "Mind if I stay a while?"
Isobel lept forwards and pulled her little brother into a tight hug, both Henry and Isobel sobbing their hearts out.
"Robert!" Isobel shrieked. "Come here!"
A scratch from the end of the hall and Robert McGonagall came into the hall.
"What is it Izz- oh shit." Robert swore.
"He's never going back to the evil stepmother. He's never going back." Isobel sobbed as Henry went limp in her arms. Robert nodded and picked up Henry's rucksack.
"I'll light the fire." The Muggle Born wizard said sadly, walking into the living room with his wand and Henry's rucksack in his hand.
"It's alright now, Har bear." Isobel whispered to her unconscious younger brother, using her old childhood nickname for Henry. "You're never going back to her. Never again."
"Not while I walk this earth." Robert said.
Henry let out a cry of pain in his sleep. Isobel sobbed again and picked Henry up and brought him into the living room. She laid Henry down on the couch and three black-grey blankets appeared on top of the unconscious Henry. Isobel turned around to see Robert was standing there, smiling sadly.
"I think we should cancel my parents coming around today." Robert said while Isobel performed all sorts of Healing Charms on Henry.
"It's alright. Harry will be asleep for the rest of the day, if not more." Isobel sobbed quietly. Robert scooped Henry up.
"We'll bring him upstairs to one of the guest rooms. Soon enough, once we decorate it, it'll be his room." Robert said. Isobel knew Robert must have a soft spot for Henry.
"I'll take him upstairs." Isobel whispered, taking Henry in her arms again. She walked up the stairs and into one of the guest rooms. She laid Henry down on the enormous bed and pulled the blanket over the limp body of Henry Potter.
"Get some sleep." Isobel whispered softly, kissing her unconscious younger brother on his forehead.
Henry shifted in his sleep like unconscious state and he turned over in bed. He groaned as pain shot up all over his body. His eyelids fluttered open to see the loving face of his sister.
"Morning sleepy head." Isobel said. Henry smiled groggily.
"Morning Izzy." Henry mumbled sleepily.
"Are you in any pain?" Isobel asked, stroking Henry's unruly jet black hair. Henry shifted in the bed again.
"A bit." He admitted. Isobel hovered away from Henry's sight range and came into view again with a Potions vial.
"For the pain." Isobel said, answering Henry's unasked question. "Drink up, little brother."
Henry gulped down the cool liquid, grateful for something to ease his throbbing head and throat and pretty much everything.
"Harry." Isobel said. Henry looked at Isobel.
"Mm? Yeah, Iz?" Henry asked drowsily. Isobel sobbed quietly.
"Do you mind." Isobel began. "Telling me and Robert what that sick bitch did to you?"
Henry squirmed uncomfortably as tears leaked out of his dark, deep, intelligent blue eyes.
"Alright then."
"THE WHAT?!" Isobel shrieked. "THE CRUITIAS CURSE?! SINCE YOU WERE TEN?!"
Henry nodded, tears streaming down his face like a waterfall. Seeing that Henry was crying, Isobel pulled him into a tight hug.
"And Daddy didn't help?" Isobel whispered as she rocked Henry backwards and forwards, just like when he was little.
"No. But I told him not to. Once, he even helped her." Henry choked out. Isobel was furious
"You were a child." She said angrily. "Stu-"
"Izzy, it's fine. It's over now." Robert said.
"Robert. My father tortured his own flesh and blood!" Isobel hissed.
"Once." Henry added. Isobel glared at him.
"Still bloody happened." She growled.
"Jesh, alright, calm down." Henry said, raising his arms in a surrender motion but gasped with pain.
"I'll not bloody calm down." Isobel said.
"Izzy, Dad only cast one curse at me. And even then I could see the disgust and regret in his eyes. I swear I could see it." Henry said, chewing his lip anxiously.
"Were his eyes vague?" Robert asked. Henry looked surprised by the sudden question but answered.
"Yeah, they were all funny looking. Like he was day dreaming." Henry replied. Robert's eyes widened.
"I'll be back later." He said and ran out of the room.
"Get some sleep, Har bear." Isobel said softly. Henry flopped against his pillows and closed his eyes. Then he was asleep before he could say another word.
"Oi! What're you doing here?" Robert said to someone very familiar looking outside the door, with the same stormy grey eyes as Isobel.
"Please Robert." Alexander Potter said quietly, raising his hands in the air. Robert gripped his wand tightly.
"What?" Robert snapped. Alexander looked resigned.
"I just want to see Harry and Izzy." Alexander said.
"You tortured your own son. An innocent child. And don't think for one minute that I'm letting you never Izzy." Robert spat. Alexander looked confused.
"What?" He asked. "Robert, I swear on my life, I didn't touch Harry."
"Don't fool me Potter!" Robert's voice rose to a shout. "If you love Harry and Izzy, if you truly love them, like I do, then you wouldn't let your sick bitch of a wife torture your son. And you wouldn't leave Izzy in the dark."
"I love them!" Alexander said, almost sobbing. He hadn't tortured Henry, he hadn't neglected Izzy. Robert realized that no imposter could act out the pain, sadness and torture hidden in Alexander's eyes. This was no joke.
"Come in then." Robert said.
Alexander could only be grateful.
"Thank you." He said. "Thank you."
Robert smiled.
"Izzy. Wake Harry up!" Robert called up the stairs.
"What do you mean, wake Harry up?" Alexander panicked.
"He's been slipping in and out of consciousness ever since he ran away." Robert said, walking up the stairs, Alexander behind him. "Because of that fucking sick bitch."
"I don't remember anything about torturing Harry." Alexander said as they reached the landing.
"I believe you." Robert said as they walked to the guest bedroom. "I believe you."