One

I do not own Harry Potter.

If I did, none of the adults would have allowed the Dursleys to abuse him.

So, if you want to sue me, at least leave me enough for my cigs.

"Boy!" Five year old Harry Potter cringed, lowering his head in an attempt to hide his face with his fringe of black hair. "This is the last straw! How dare you hit Dudley!"

Harry fought the urge to point out that Dudley had been hitting him first. After all, that didn't matter did it? Dudley could do no wrong, and he was just a Freak. "I'm sorry, Uncle Vernon."

He tried not to scream as Vernon grabbed his injured arm and threw him into the cupboard. He wasn't sure why his arm was hurting so much more than usual, but he had a vague memory of a snapping noise when Dudley had stepped on it earlier. As it was, he couldn't bring himself to do more than carefully roll himself off of it when the door slammed shut and locked.

He shook his head and curled up after a little while, listening to the sounds of the house around him. He could hear his Aunt Petunia offering "Duddey-kins" more food. He could hear Vernon huffily stating that he didn't know why they kept the freak around. He could hear the spiders in the cupboard playing…. Come to think of it, his hearing did seem a little more acute than normal.

He sighed and scrubbed at the tears with his uninjured hand. "I wish I was anywhere but here…."

The shade of Voldemort, somewhere in Eastern Europe, screamed as it felt like something ripped inside of him.

Harry landed with a bit of a thump and a slight whine as his arm was jerked around again. He was not so self-absorbed that he didn't realize he'd landed on someone's legs, and that the blonde girl – Woman? Girl? – was looking at him oddly. One delicate eyebrow rose and she carefully extracted her legs from beneath him. "Is there a reason that you're in my bed?"

He scrambled off, slipping on the green silk sheets, and started stammering apologies.

She shook her head and climbed out of the bed, her clingy satin nightgown leaving no doubt that she was a woman. She walked over to him and he shrank back, wondering what she was going to do it him. Gentle fingers pressed under his chin, forcing him to look up at her. "You can't be more than a child…. How did you get in here?"

"I-I don't know."

She knelt next to him and gently took hold of his arm. "It's appears to be broken, and I know that you didn't hit me with that much force." She examined his face. "Nor did your face impact any point on my body. Who did this?"

He looked away, and she took in the cast-offs he wore. She had no doubt that the glasses were probably the wrong prescription, too. "I can fix it, but it will hurt a little." At his nod, she forcibly straightened his arm and focused on it.

Harry let out a yelp and then blinked when the pain vanished. "Thank you."

She smiled, sadly. He was too polite for a child so young, and she had more than an inkling why. "What's your name?"

He lowered his head again. "Freak, ma'am."

His head jerked up when she laughed. "Now I doubt that. Though, I do believe you when you say that you believe it. Now, where are you from?"

"N-number 4, Privet Drive." The way he was looking up through his lashes was rather cute, she decided. "In Surrey, ma'am."

She smiled. "No more of that, call me Al." She scooped him up carefully, and settled him back on the bed. "You can stay right there for the night, I'm going to go check some things out and I'll be back."

He was too shocked to do more than stare as she grabbed a robe and left the room.

Once outside, Alyssa turned to the red robed guard outside her door. "Captain, you will let no one in my rooms until I return. I have a very young guest who appeared unexpectedly and I suspect that he needs sleep."

She imagined that he blinked, though it was hard to tell under that red mask. "Guest, your highness?"

She nodded. "I'm going to go inform my father now. If he does decide to stick his head out, offer him some food….. I have no doubt you can handle the possible misadventures of a five year old, Kanos."

"Yes, your highness."

She hated her father's throne room and was glad the child arrived in the middle of the night, as it gave her an excuse to report to his rooms instead. She wouldn't have thought twice about interrupting when he was holding court, but her father's advisor gave her the creeps. If she was honest, the man gave everyone the creeps.

So, she padded silently down the corridor and nodded to her father's guard before tapping on the door. "Come in, Alyssa."

She entered, paying no mind to the expensive carpet or the antique furnishings. "I felt a disturbance in the Force, child. What happened?"

"I had an unexpected guest teleport himself into my rooms, Father." She sat down at his gesture. "He is a young child and resembles someone I knew."

"Oh?"

"Yes. If I may, I will leave him there to sleep and go investigate this matter. I should be back by dawn."

The Emperor eyed his daughter. "Are you sure you don't want me to just toss him out?"

"If I am correct, the boy is now my responsibility."

"Very well…. But, what about your friends?"

She smiled. "Ari and Ny won't be over until this afternoon, so I should have time to get a nap in."

"What are you wating for?"

She laughed and stood, "Going, father…."

It was quiet in Diagon Alley when the portal opened next to Gringott's bank. No one was awake at this time of morning to witness the hooded figure exit the swirling maelstrom of magic and enter the building. Al was grateful that it was night here in the UK. She was also glad that the Goblins kept the bank open all hours. Not that a few words in Jareth's ear wouldn't have gotten her admittance, but it was a little less… showy … this way.

She walked up to the teller. "I am here to see the Director." A flash of the ring on her hand and she was being escorted into the Director's private offices faster than she could say 'hyperspace.'

A teller ran and woke the Director and he came running. "My Lady, are you returning to us?"

She shook her head, "Not today. However, I want you to tell me. Are James and Lily all right?"

He swallowed. "My Lady, Voldemort killed them four years ago…. We were waiting for you to come. Dumbledore forbade the execution of their will and sent their son to the Dursleys."

Her slender eyebrow rose. "Oh. He did, did he?... Well, I am hereby requesting the execution of the will."

Ragnok nearly danced as he pulled the will out of one of his desk drawers.

Harry woke to the sound of the bedroom door softly closing. He jumped up. "Yes, Uncle Vernon, I'm ready." He looked up into the girl's face and sat down again. "It wasn't a dream."

She shook her head. "No, Harry, it wasn't. That is your name, by the way. You are Harry Potter, the son of James Potter and Lily Evans Potter."

He blinked at her in shock, and she smiled. "Wanna know a secret?" He nodded. "You never have to go back there again, if you don't want."

"H-how…"

She settled on the bed and held up a piece of parchment. "Lily was an old friend of mine. She died to save your life, but most importantly she died after James. He left you to a man who can't take you in, for various reasons, but since he died first Lily's will is the one that determines custody. Because her will named me as your guardian, you can stay with me and no one can take you away."

His jaw slowly dropped. "Really?"

She nodded. "That's right, munchkin. Now, scoot over. I need a nap."

Alyssa woke to Harry staring at her. She quirked an eyebrow and he cringed. She sighed. "Harry, you do not need to worry about that sort of thing anymore. No one here is going to beat you, starve you or in any way injure you."

She stood. "I need a shower and you need a bath." She pointed to a door. "Do you know how to bathe yourself?"

She smiled when he headed into her bathroom, and she headed into the bedroom that adjoined hers. After her shower, she would have to have this room redecorated for him.

As she washed, she debated. He didn't seem to manifest any of the house traits, yet. But, she had only known him for a few hours. Her rooms were decked out in Slytherin colors though and he didn't seem to mind being there…. She shook her head. She'd just ask him what his favorite color was…. Ari had some catalogues for children's furniture…..

Making up her mind, Alyssa dried herself hurriedly and dressed. The black tunic and pants weren't exactly court gear, but they were functional and she was going to be spending the day painting it seemed. She walked into her room, noting that Harry was wrapped in a towel and sitting in a corner.

She raised an eyebrow. "That's right, the clothes you had on aren't exactly clean, are they?" He shook his head. "Hmmm……" She walked to the door and asked Kanos to have someone bring an assortment of children's clothes in different sizes, then came back in the room and smiled at Harry. "Sit tight, we'll have clothes for you in a few."

Alyssa settled behind her desk and opened a com channel. It took mere moments for an older woman with mismatched eyes to appear on the screen. "Yes, your Highness?"

She smiled. "Ysanne, I hope I'm not interrupting anything…. When Ari comes over, could you have her bring over those furniture catalogues she is always looking at?"

Both of Ysanne's eyebrows rose. "Pregnant, your Highness?"

Alyssa nearly fell over laughing and Ysanne waited patiently for her to regain control. "Director Isard, do you really think that I would be stupid enough to get myself knocked up and not take the next shuttle to Tattooine before my father killed me?" Both women smiled. "Seriously, a friend made me guardian to her son in her will and I need to set up a room for him."

Ysanne frowned. "Do you need me to do security checks?"

Alyssa shook her head. "No, he is not from anywhere the Rebellion would have found him…. I will need identification for him however." She saw Ysanne grab a datapad. "In the name of Harry James Potter, age 5, born July 31st 1980. He has black hair, green eyes and is unfortunately very underweight. I'll take care of that soon enough. A few meals at Dex's should do the trick."

Ysanne nodded. "Are you all right?"

Alyssa deflated. "Other than finding out my best friend and sister by blood ritual has been dead for four years? Sure, I'm fine."

Ysanne frowned. "Alyssa, you're only eighteen. Are you sure you can handle this?"

"I'll have to, won't I?" She didn't give Ysanne time to comment on the despair she knew she was showing before she ended the transmission.

With Harry properly dressed in pint-sized pants and a shirt, Alyssa led Harry to the kitchens. He was promptly welcomed and being coddled by the staff. His manners and shy behavior won them over quickly. So, it was a well stuffed boy that Alyssa led to her father's throne room.

Spoiled nobles of every species eyed her as she was announced, especially when the child was announced simply as 'Master Harry Potter.' She ignored the disgusted looks of the aristocracy for what they assumed was simply a peasant. At her father's gesture, she approached the throne and curtsied.

"Father, may I present my ward, Harry Potter? His late mother left him into my care and I would – with your approval – like to adopt him as my son and heir."

"Look at me, boy." Harry slowly raised his green eyes to meet the Emperor's stare. The man held his gaze for several long minutes before nodding. "I approve."

The Emperor turned his gaze on the court as they began murmuring. "Did anyone else have anything to say?" He smiled when none would meet his gaze.

Harry blinked as Alyssa led him back to her quarters. He couldn't quite understand this, but it had felt like someone had been in his mind poking around while he was looking at the Emperor. "Um…. Al?"

She looked down at him, smiling. "Yeah, kiddo?"

"That was strange…. I felt something in my head…."

She nodded. "Father was just making sure you didn't have any dangerous affiliations before he let me keep you."

"Oh….. How?"

She settled on the couch in her room and pulled him into her lap. "Much better. Now I don't have to kneel and you won't strain your neck…. As for how, there are many ways to do it. But, my Father uses the Force."

"It's an energy field that flows through all of the universe, living and non-living. It is the field to which the energies in our souls return when we die and the field that creates or reincarnates souls when we are born. With me so far?"

He nodded. "Like heaven and hell?

"Not quite. Only our energies join the Force. Our consciousness goes on to reward or punishment." He nodded after a second. "Now, that is just one of many energy fields that pervade existence. There is another that is referred to simply as magic. Where the Force touches and there is no magic, there is no life. No plants or trees grow there.

"The force is the energy used in creation and destruction and magic is the… I suppose you could call it the binding ingredient. It provides that spark that all living beings need to exist. It's hard to understand now, but I promise you'll get it when you're older."

Harry tentatively leaned his head on her shoulder as he listened. "Now, people can – to varying degrees – control these energies. My Father and I both are very good at manipulating the Force to do what we need. However, my Father cannot use magic where I can… Magic is sentient, Harry. She chooses those who are allowed to wield her."

He frowned. "Can I do either?"

"From what I feel from you, kiddo, you can do both." She turned her head as there was a knock on the door. "But, now you're going to meet my friends and I think they'll like you…. Enter!"

The first one through the door screamed "Al!" and nearly dislodged Harry when she threw herself into a hug. The second person just walked in at a more sedate pace, laughing.

Alyssa disentangled herself from the manic girl. "Harry, this ball of energy is Arianna Gabriella Isard. She's one of my oldest friends."

Harry blinked as he took in the pink babydoll dress and Mary Janes the woman was wearing. Her blonde hair was up in pigtails and she looked a bit more childish than he was used to seeing in an adult. Her most striking trait, however, was her mismatched eyes: one blue and one red.

Al didn't give him long to take in the appearance of her friend. "And, the quieter one over there is Nyssia Hortence Sienar. The three of us attended our first boarding school together."

Ny winked a silver-grey eye at the boy before tucking her black hair behind on ear. Her clothes were black leather, including the corset that left her shoulders bare.

Al stood, still holding Harry in her arms. "Now, I asked Ari to bring some catalogues over because we are going to be decorating your room." She opened the adjoining door and Harry gasped at how large the room was. "What's your favorite color, munchkin?"

He managed to recover slightly. "G-green?"

She laughed. "I wish…" Suddenly the walls turned a light green shade.

He looked at her. "Was that magic?"

Ny shook her head. "No, kiddo, that was Al using her Mother's powers…."

Al cut her off. "I'll explain that one when you're older. In the meantime, let's get shopping!"

Albus Dumbledore was in his office when the alarms went off. Harry Potter was no longer at Privet Drive. Dumbledore had wasted no time gathering his allies and sending them looking for the boy, but even his guardians hadn't known where he was.

Worst of all, Minerva McGonagall was asking some very pointed questions about why the boy was sleeping in a cupboard when Dudley had a room – a full room – for his toys and there was a guest room in the house. That squib – Arabella Figg – had even had the nerve to tell the Transfiguration professor that Dumbledore knew about it. He hoped she'd calm down soon. He'd hate to have to fire her.

When she left, he leaned back behind his desk and sucked on a lemon drop as he played with a few strands of the boy's hair… He'd know where the brat was very soon.

Wow - over six pages according to Word and a hair under three thousand words... Don't worry, I'll explain Alyssa's attachment to Lily more as the story goes on. (I can't wait for Harry to get to Hogwarts when he's eleven!)