A/n: Hi everyone! Welcome to my first ever fanfic, just thought I should make you aware that I have no idea what I'm doing and that tips are most welcome. I also gotta tell you, that I'm still in school and that despite our dearest friend corona, I've still got a bunch of exams, but I'm motivated and I really want to write this (just tell me if I'm posting too much, because it's likely that I'm meant to be studying *nervous laugh* Cough maths homework ) okay, warnings: child abuse, (I doubt there will be much bad language, but maybe a little), I'll update as I go along please tell me if you think I need to add anything else, I'm very sorry If I miss a point and trigger something, please tell me so it won't happen again there won't be any slash (uhh, what defines as slash? there's not gonna be like, you know, that kind of pairing, my mind and heart won't be able to handle it) I may also change the title, this is all I've got so far, so don't be alarmed. Harry Potter does not belong to me in any way shape or form, that honour goes to jk rowling, I gain nothing from this except writing experience thought I should mention that this isn't betad too :')

To Be Lost In The Sands Of Time

Chapter One

1985,

"Boy!"

Said boy recognised the screeching noises of aunt and jerked out of his sleeping position, only to instantly regret it. 2 days ago,his uncle said that he'd been bad and that bad boys didn't deserve to eat with the Dursleys. He had no idea what he had done, only that he deserved it. Maybe he could ask? Then maybe he would know to never do it again. No, questions weren't allowed, then he'd be in even bigger trouble with the Dursleys. The Dursleys were his family, albeit a not very nice family, but his family had normally fed him and didn't always make him sleep outside, plus he didn't know much better. His Aunt Petunia was right outside of his cupboard door screaming at him to- "Get Up! Now!"

Feeling a little dizzy, he carefully got out of his bed but sat immediately back down. He didn't want to make his Aunt mad, so he tried again, but miserably failed. Petunia had had enough. Instead of acting like she would with her beloved Dudley, she slammed open the cupboard door and grabbed him by the collar

"Vernon wants breakfast, up! don't burn anything or you won't be eating until next week."

Struggling in her grip and not daring to look her in the eyes, he let a weak and feeble nod pass, then turning, he ran straight into the kitchen. at the table sat the boy's considerably larger cousin. Despite there being very little age gap between the two, Dudley was almost three times the size of the little boy from the cupboard. Dudley always got more food, which is because Dudley was their son and his aunt and uncle said he deserved it. Harry didn't.

"Freak, make me my coffee, quickly, hurry up, I'm going to be late otherwise."

"Y-yes Uncle Vernon" He squeaked and stuttered at the harsh words, but

Breathed a sigh of relief. Coffee, he could do that, coffee isn't too hard. He grabbed a kitchen chair to stand on, he was much too short to reach the countertop alone. Mug, check. Coffee beans, check. Did Uncle Vernon like milk? Or was that tea? There's no way he'd be asking, way too risky. He'd have to chance it. Harry almost managed to fill his uncle's mug with the freshly boiled water, except it suddenly became too hard to lift and too heavy to keep the boy upright. In a matter of seconds, Harry found himself splat on the floor with a broken mug and an excruciating, burning pain, which seemed to spread absolutely everywhere in his body. He couldn't move, His entire body was stuck fast, imprisoned within the shivers, coursing through him.

"That's it you little runt, you're going back into that cupboard of yours and you're never going to see the light of day again! "

With a sharp tug of his hair and a second accompanying hiss off pain, he found himself being dragged to his cupboard. What had he done this time? He didn't understand why they hated him so much, he was in so much pain and they didn't care one bit. It wasn't going away, normally bigger cuts and bruises started to get better by now, but then again, he wasn't hurt like normal. This time it was his fault, he'd been bad and now he had to pay for it.

With a slam of a door he found himself hitting the ground with an almighty force strong enough to break anything, especially him, with the state that he was in. He collided with the small bed with a whimper and a loud cracking noise sounded. Oh no, he'd done another bad something. Whether he'd broken himself or anything else, he couldn't tell. His small body was already in pain enough as it is, what did it matter if more was added to it, how much worse could it get? He also couldn't find his glasses and the light wasn't turned on.

Ah, he'd found them. After brushing his hand unintentionally against a shard of glass, he'd come to the conclusion that they'd been shattered he couldn't find the frames, how would they be fixed otherwise? What was that? He brushed against something unfamiliar this time. Was that sand? Aunt petunia would have a fit if-

But before he could finish the sentiment, he was interrupted with an enormous rush of energy, followed by a huge flash of light and an ear-splitting bang. He felt his body surge upwards and then down again. The motion repeating, He felt as if he were being pulled and stretched through a tiny tube, with many many turns. It made him feel sick. His blood rushed to his head and he could feel it pounding vigorously in his ears, but it all happened so quickly. Over before it had scarcely begun, Harry found himself, once more, colliding with the cold ground.

However, something was different this time. Instead of solid like rock, it was soft and slightly bouncy. Then, instead of smelling like rot and dust, it smelt fresh and clean.

He hazarded a glance, only to find himself staring at long thick green grass. What had he done this time? He ached all over, but it was getting better. Uncle Vernon said that he healed way too fast and that it was abnormal and freakish, but Harry thought it was a good thing. At least that way, he didn't have to hurt all the time, how could that be bad?

It was then curiosity that took a hold of him. He opened his eyes fully after sitting up ever so slightly, in fear of it hurting more. He could see that he was in a field, at least that's what he thought. He'd never been allowed to go outside, they said it would cause too much attention and ruin Vernon's 'public image.' He didn't understand what it meant and they wouldn't tell him if he had asked. No means no, after all.

He didn't want to move. He liked it here, it was comfortable and his relatives weren't there. He could wait a little? But he had suddenly noticed that the sky was darkening. That was odd, wasn't it breakfast time? H-how long had he been out? He had to get back, if not, the Dursleys would do something really bad to him. He'd broken the rules.

Stifling a sob, he heaved himself off of the soft ground and started walking. He ignored the fast approaching dizziness and took a bearing of his surroundings. The green-grassy place spread very far and for a little while, he thought he would never get back. That was until he spotted a playpark a little way to his left. A park! Dudley had described the one nearby gloatingly, and it fit the description. There was a slide and everything! Maybe he could go on it? They wouldn't find out after all. He ran to the gate and willed it to open, he didn't think it would, how could it? Magic didn't exist. Yet, the lock just clicked open. How cool is that!

"Wha' do you think you're doing outside alone this late?"

Harry whirled round to face a short man with some kind of apron, not quite like the one his aunt wore, but an apron all the same.

"S-sir, I was just, just walking" the boy stuttered.

He didn't look convinced, so he continued.

"How old are you? Lost your parents 'av you? You gotta be no more then 3 or 4 years old, look a' the size of you. Parents mus' be worried half to death "

Harry just stared. should he answer? He couldn't think. He'd never met another adult before. What should he do? He could walk away, but if he did that to uncle Vernon, he would normally be punished. Better not risk it. Instead, he decided it was best to attempt to converse.

"S-sir, I think I am lost, but but I don't actually have parents, so they couldn't have lost me or be scared, so -so...?"

It all came out rather fast, but the man didn't look angry, he just continued to stare, Harry followed the man's eyes to his feet, and then up to his arms and then finally to his forehead. He looked concerned. Oh no, had he done something bad again? He's going to-

"Right… right then, best find somewhere for you to stay then."

Harry let out a breath he hadn't noticed he'd been holding and turned to follow the man, who had started walking.

"Do you know where you live?"

"Well I have a cupboard, but I don't know where that is. My name is Harry, by the way, at least I think it is. I've only been called it once or twice and once being in a dream. What's your name? "

Harry froze. He'd asked a question, that wasn't allowed. oh no oh no oh no.

"Charles, I'm a greengrocer for the locals down the road. What d'you think you're doing"

The boy in question was a fair few metres behind, stuck with his feet fast to floor like a startled stoat. Snapping back to reality, he made his way over, having to jog to catch up, especially with his tiny legs.

"I-I.."

"Never mind, Come on, We need to get going, it's getting late"

The man ushered him along and after a little bit of conversation, Harry had discovered that the nice man sold vegetables and he had a wife and a little girl about his age, although he seemed shocked when harry had told him that he was almost 5, he even asked if he was lying, saying he was awfully small.

"Nope, definitely 5, my birthday is the 31st of July, but I don't know what year it is"

Harry had no idea, he never got to look at his uncle's newspapers long enough before he got caught staring. Maybe the man could tell him if he could do maths. Harry couldn't do maths, Aunt petunia said that lessons would be wasted on him.

"Well, that would put you at the 31st of July 1926"

"Thanks sir, I'll try to remember"

The boy beamed up at him, the man hadn't hurt him yet, he was ecstatic and had forgotten about his injuries, plus the man's staring, entirely.

"Well, this is where I leave you, well I suppose I better come in with you, wouldn't want to you ter get lost again "

Harry's smile faltered. The man was going to leave him here, but this didn't look like the Dursleys? Where was he? He thought- he thought the man actually liked wait, he was an adult. Adults don't like freaks. Well, whatever he was leaving and he didn't want to see the man again.

"In you come"

Harry reluctantly followed, scowling slightly, he thought this was someone he could trust. Apparently not.

"Where am I"

He didn't care about his questioning, Charles, had already hurt him and what was a little more pain? But the pain didn't come like expected, instead he got a stern reply from a tall woman from behind a large grey desk.

"Welcome to Wools orphanage, what can I do for you?"

A/N: hope you lot enjoyed, I can't believe I've actually got round to writing something. I'll update this when I have a better date set for uploads :)