If Things Were Different: The Sorcerer's Stone
Chapter One: Different Surroundings
Summary: What if Harry left the Dursleys behind? What if he grew up far from Privet Drive? What if he wasn't a Gryffindor? What if he had different friends? What if he wasn't the golden boy that they wanted him to be? AU first year. NOT slash. R/R
A/N I know that its been done before, but hopefully mine will be different. The plot is mine and it is intended to be original. However, keep in mind that there are thousands of fics out there, so don't be offended if you run into a small similarity or two. Also,remember that this is just thestart of the series, so there may be some similarites with the books,however as time goes on these will be come less and less frequent.I very much hope that all of you READ and REVIEW this story and give it a chance! Thank you.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and perhaps a couple original characters that I see the need to introduce. So don't sue, unless you want all...$11.50 that is in my wallet.
A/N pt. 2: Since I started this fic over 2 years ago and I've only recently came back to it, I've decided to go back and start fixing many spelling and grammatical errors that I made when I first started writing it. Later on I may go back over the story and make more major revisions (nothing that would drastically change the story line).. I just thought I would let you know.
A young boy with jet black hair and crooked glasses sat crying behind a well-trimmed begonia at 4 Privet Drive. He was hiding from his obese cousin's gang, who were having fun playing their favorite game. Harry Hunting.
The seven year old Harry Potter wiped a tear away from his blacking eye and held in a sniffle as he heard his cousin's friend, Piers Polkiss yell out, "There he is, in your mum's flower bed!" Harry knew he would have to run, he was outnumbered six to one - not to mention any one of the other boys were at least twice Harry's size. The scrawny boy moved to stand, but was caught off guard when his left leg cramped up, sending him sprawling back to the ground.
Harry's unexpected fall gave Dudley's gang great delight as they all burst into very repulsive sounding laughter. "Look, scar-face can't even stand right! Maybe I'll tell dad that the bastard has gotten into his gin!" Dudley called out before once again collapsing in laughter, no doubt at his own comment.
'I hate them. I hate them. I wanna go away. Anywhere but here. Anywhere!' Harry couldn't take it anymore. He felt something deep inside snap and energy like he had never experienced before began pushing its way to the surface. It felt like he might explode.
Dudley's gang all went silent as they stared at the boy as he slowly began to levitate off the ground. "ANYWHERE! I HATE YOU! I WANT TO LEAVE!" The other boys began to back off as the boy was now levitating at least a foot off of the ground. And then in less then a blink of an eye there was a very loud POP! and he was gone.
Suddenly Dudley came back to his senses and did the only thing he could think of: he screamed.
Several hundred miles away, in a large, magnificent castle Minerva McGonagall rushed into the office of an old wizard.
"Albus! Albus he's gone!"
"Yes Minerva, I know."
"What will we do, we have to find him."
"We will do no such thing."
"Albus Dumbledore, how can you say such a thing. We must send out search parties!"
"We will do no such thing. The boy will be found Minerva, but only when he is ready.
3 Years Later - Daytona Beach, Florida, United States
Beep. Beep. Beep...Crash. Harry Potter lazily opened his eyes and cursed as he realized that he had just smashed his alarm clock. 'Needed a new one anyway. That one was losing time' He thought as he stood up and made his way towards his shower.
That's right, his shower. Even after three years Harry still found it hard to believe that he was able to con his way into renting his own apartment, despite his age.
Flashback
Harry stared around in awe. Mere seconds ago he had been being humiliated by his cousin's gang, and now he was on a beach in the blistering hot June sun. It didn't take him long to realize he was far from Privet Drive, and a good listen in to the conversations of the other people on the beach told him he must be somewhere in the U.S. judging by the accents.
He looked around and soon spotted many apartment buildings and large stores not far from the beach. He was beginning to gain attention as he was fully clothed in jeans and a large shirt. Not exactly you typical beach apparel. So he quickly headed towards what appeared to be the city, where he would no doubt draw less attention.
Several hours later the young boy found himself signing papers for a small apartment in an old, run down building. He had told the landlord that he and his mom had just moved in from England and that she had told him to take care of paying for the apartment as she was already out looking for work. The landlord was rather old and senile and quickly bought the story. Harry quickly paid the man with some money he had recently pick pocketed while walking the streets and headed up to his new home, hardly daring to believe his luck.
End Flashback
Harry stepped out of the shower and tossed on some stylish black shorts and a dark blue shirt with 'Rage Against the Machine' printed in white letters on it. He sub-consciencely tousled his dark hair, whose tips were dyed blue, giving it a stylish messy-punk look that many people worked on for many a long minute to perfect.
Harry glanced at his image in the mirror and decided that he was quite mature looking for an eleven year old. For today was his eleventh birthday. He had lean muscles and a good tan, which he had acquired during his job as a helper on a construction team. For the most part he just did the odd jobs that the skilled workers didn't wish to waste their time with, like caring planks back and forth or cutting boards to the right length.
The team that he had got on to was made up of older guys who had taken Harry under their wing when they discovered his situation. They paid him under the table so he wouldn't be found out, and even signed him up for school so that people at his apartment complex wouldn't get suspicious.
Harry was rather proud of himself. After all, how many other kids out there could manage to do well in school while also hold a job and live on their own, renting their own apartment and buying all their own food.
He grabbed several knives off of a small, beat up desk next to his bed and stashed them in various hiding places on his body, you could never be too safe after all. He had just finished putting in his contacts, which he had gotten shortly after his arrival to Florida, and was searching his compact refrigerator for a drink when he heard the mail slot click.
He gulped down his glass of milk before heading over and grabbing his mail.
"Lets see..." He muttered to himself as he shuffled through his mail. "Junk...junk...bill...junk...bill..ju.. what's this?" He asked himself aloud as he came across a thick, yellow, parchment-like envelope. He turned it around and examined the official looking seal, a large H in the center, surrounded by an eagle, a badger, a snake, and a lion. "Hmm...that's strange." He muttered before flipping it back around and examining the address, written in an emerald green ink.
Harry Potter
Apartment 76 Ocean Paradise Apartments
South Windward Street
Daytona Beach
He slowly sat down on his small bed and broke the seal with his index finger. He pulled out a couple folded up pieces of parchment and read
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,Supreme Mugwamp, International Cofed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all nexessary books and equipment.
Term Begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerley,
Minerva McGonagall
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Harry gaped at the letter. What did all this mean? Witchcraft and Wizardry? Order of Merlin? Was this some kind of sick joke? Await your owl?
"...no later than July 31. Well, today's the 31st, so I don't guess I can reply, which is what owl means I suppose"
"Ah, but that is where you are wrong, all you must do to reply is turn around."
Harry gave a great yelp of surprise and jumped up, already with two knives in his hands. He had not heard the door open, but standing there in his apartment was a very elderly looking man in quite strange apparel, flanked by a very severe looking women and greasy haired man, both dressed similarly.
"Who the hell are you?" Asked a very confused Harry in a strangely calm voice.
"I, Harry, am Albus Dumbledore, and I am here to bring you home."
A/N: There you go, the beginning. I hope you enjoyed, but if you didn't that's cool... you should keep reading anyway, it will get better. R/R please.