Disclaimer: I do not own harry potter, etc, blah, blah, blah . . .
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Chapter 1
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It was a bright sunny day in Hogsmeade when Harry Potter emerged from Godric's Hollow in his trademark red cloak with black fur lining the edges.
He was heading off into town to visit the bookstore and to do his Aunt, Uncle and Cousin's chores, since they were unable to afford a maid to do them instead.
As he entered the town everyone began to emerge from their houses nodding to anyone they passed.
On entering the town square Harry approached the baker and gave him three sickles for his daily amount of bread, six loaves. Harry thanked him and went to Ollivander's store across the square.
As he entered the an old man appeared from behind a bookcase mysteriously, when he noticed Harry he grinned and began to head towards him, tripping over a book on the floor and sending him flying into a large pile of books in the corner.
"Do you need any help with that sir?" Harry said a large grin on his face.
"How many times, Harry, call me Ollie, everyone else does. Besides 'sir' makes me sound old. Do you want to come over and help me out later?" he asked as he accepted Harry's hand to pull him from the pile of books, Harry nodded bashfully as Ollie smiled at him kindly.
"Now Harry, why don't you let that young fire fox out, you know the one. The last time she was out was several weeks ago and she doesn't like me as much as she likes you my dear boy, so, go on," Harry nodded and approached a giant cage at the back of the store and quickly opened the cage, catching the fiery streak as it jumped for freedom.
The small fox in his arms wriggled a bit, thrashing its bushy tail in an attempt to escape, it then settled down when she looked up and saw Harry's green eyes staring into her own amber ones.
"So, Ollie, can I come over at noon to help out?" Harry mumbled as he stroked the now calm fox cub.
"Of course Harry, you can come over and help whenever you want to, there's no need to ask for permission," Ollivander smiled at the now beaming boy; looking at the fox in his arms he got an idea. "Harry?"
"Yes Ollie,"
"I was wondering, since our little fox, Lily, here seem to be very protective of you and you're the only one she'll put up with apart from me, would you like to keep her? Free of charge of course," Harry's face lit up and the fox looked at Ollivander incredulously, as if she understood him perfectly.
"Are you sure? I mean I'd love to, but are you sure you want me to look after her?"
"Of course, you're more than capable and as I've said she likes you better than she likes me . . ." he was silenced by the hyperactive and extremely happy bundles of Harry and Lily jumping on him.
"Arghh, mind the books!" the two got off of him sheepishly, Lily jumping back into Harry's arms.
Ollivander chuckled at the sight they made, before he began to usher the two out of the store.
"Now be off with you two, I've got to clean up and that uncle of yours, Harry, won't like it if you're late." Harry nodded and left the shop placing Lily on the floor and letting her walk alongside him.
They crossed the square only to pause as a loud bang went off, Harry looked around before spotting something, then turning away in disgust he started walking again, only pausing to pick up Lily and let her curl around his shoulders.
A Fwooper fell from the sky, in a flurry of lime green feathers, and was hurriedly grabbed by a boy with ginger hair and freckles all over his face, who placed it into a bag that was sound proof for safety and ran back to a figure hidden in the shadows of a building.
"Gee Victor, you never seem to miss do you, you're the greatest ever, except for . . ." he was silenced by the wand pointed in his face, the end sparking threateningly.
"What I mean to say is . . . um . . . you're the best ever, no one stands a chance against you," he said nervously, and when the wand returned to its holster he continued more confidently, "You'd have no trouble getting any of the girls, or guys for that matter, from this village,"
"It's true Ron and I've got my eyes set on that one." he pointed to Harry's disappearing form through the crowd, as they watched him Harry turned around and glared at them before turning and walking faster.
Ron scowled in confusion, scratching his head questioningly.
"The Dursley's nephew? You sure? Because to me he seems to really hate you," again the wand was in his face threateningly, "but then again, it may just be his secret passion for you trying to get through without anyone else realising," he said quickly, not making much sense, but breathing a sigh of relief as the wand was once again replaced.
He took a deep breath before looking at Harry's retreating head, "But he's a . . ."
"The only one I want and the one I'm going to get," was his reply as he glared at Ron. With a sigh he placed a hand on the boys shoulder as he attempted to explain himself, "Now Ronald . . ."
"Ron," was the automatic reply but was silenced with a glare.
". . . how long have we been going around together? Hmmm? Three years right?" Ron nodded knowing better than to respond verbally.
"And in all that time have you seen me pay any attention to any girls in this village?" a shake of the head was his reply.
"Exactly, my point being that I find them all, somewhat, too . . . what's the word . . . prissy for me. Continuously moaning and groaning about this and that, with their high pitched squeals," he shuddered at the thought.
"Oh, but why him? You could have any other guy here!" Ron said with a frown.
"Exactly, I could have anyone and yet he's the only one, who ignores me, it's a challenge I am willing to uptake..."
"What challenge is that?"
"To get Harry James Potter to agree to be my wife, his family would readily agree, but I want him to accept first, so let's go talk to love of my life," he smiled and looked up from Ron, only to find Harry's form missing from the square, looking around he failed to spot him until Ron tapped his shoulder and pointed in the opposite direction to where Harry was making his way down an alley way, the fox around his shoulder.
Victor quickly left Ron and ran after Harry.
As he tried to leave the square he was jumped by a group of squealing girls.
He winced as they all tried to talk at the same time, and fighting with each other over who would get his attention first.
A girl with bushy brown hair shoved forwards and practically screamed over the others.
"Hi Victor my name's Hermione, I'm so in love with you, you have to go out with me please!" she was quickly shoved aside by a black haired oriental girl.
"Oh Victor don't listen to her, she's a stupid bookworm. I'm sure you'll want someone like me, very active and ready for anything," she looked at him seductively which just caused him to turn green and look about ready to barf, "my name's Cho. Cho Chang," she fluttered her eyes at him coyly.
Victor looked around frantically and seeing his escape route ran towards the pub, he quickly entered and ran to the boy's bathroom, before entering he jumped behind a pillar and waited.
Sure enough the hoard of girls ran straight into the toilet, when the last had entered he ran forward and locked the door.
He walked out of the pub and down the alley way he was heading for previously.
Victor managed to eventually catch up with Harry on the outskirts of the town, but found that the black haired boy completely ignored him in favour of the golden bundle draped around his shoulders.
Harry was trying to stop the cub from attacking his hair and was failing miserably as the small fox kept trying to catch it with her claws, ending up getting them tangled in Harry's wild hair.
Harry chuckled, before gently removing the offending appendages; Victor politely coughed to show his presence, startling Harry.
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't see you there, blimey you gave me a fright," he said placing a hand to his chest to calm himself. He smiled at the darker haired boy in front of him. "Can I help you at all Krum?"
"Now, now Harry, call me Victor, no need for the formalities on such a lovely day, my, my who is this little beauty then?" he asked reaching out to Lily who growled and spat a small ball of fire at his fingers. Harry tapped her nose in punishment as Victor quickly withdrew his hand.
"She's called Lily, she a rare fire fox, Ollie gave her to me since as you saw she doesn't really like many people, now I really must be going, I need to help my uncle . . ."
"That fat oaf? He doesn't need help he's a genius enough," piped up Ron who came running up with the moving Fwooper bag over his shoulder. Victor nodded in agreement.
"He is not a genius; he's a stupid idiot who can't think for himself!" Harry fumed angrily, Victor whacked Ron around the head and glared at him, neither of them noticing Harry turn and walk off and into his house until the door slammed shut.
"See Ronald . . ."
"Ron,"
"He's gone now and it's your entire fault, why can't you just keep your fat mouth shut for once," Victor fumed before turning and storming off into the village, already formulating his next plan to get Harry.
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Harry quietly entered the house and placed the food on the kitchen table before sneaking off into the barn, he was quickly greeted by his three other companions, the hybrid horse Prongs, bred with a unicorn as a father and a Friesian pureblood as a mare, the great black shaggy guard dog, Padfoot, more commonly called Sirius, and the grey wolf Moony, or Remus as he preferred to be called.
Harry smiled and lowered Lily to the floor to allow her to properly meet the others, he watched in amusement as she nuzzled noses with Sirius and Remus friendly before turning to Prongs, she tilted her head to one side before jumping up to his face level and staring at him intently, which he returned in favour.
Harry chuckled causing them to turn and stare at him
"Lily meet Prongs, Prongs meet our newest member Lily, now stop staring at each other like you've seen a ghost and . . ." he never got to finish what he was going to say before he was interrupted by a thunderous roar that echoed through the whole house
"BOY! WHERE ARE YOU WHEN YOU'RE NEEDED! GET YOUR ARSE DOWN HERE NOW BOY!" Harry sighed sadly and with a small smile to his friends he turned and left.
As he did so he failed to see all four of his friends turn into humans and watch him leaved sadly, Sirius was the first to speak
"He'll be sleeping in here tonight and with another set of bruises to boot I bet," he said sadly, Remus nodded slowly and moved to sit in Sirius' lap with a small sigh
"It's good to see you again Lily, your son might cheer up a bit now that both his parents are around," he said with a smile in their direction
"I hope so, he always looked so sad whenever he walked into the shop, only cheering up when he was working with the animals, I'm glad you've looked after him so well," she sighed, James, aka Prongs, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a hug, his head resting on her shoulder
"I'm glad your back love, it's been difficult these past fifteen years, he's sixteen tomorrow and we're pretty certain that Krum's gonna propose to him," he said, unhappy about the choice of boy trying to get his son. "I only wish there was some way of finding someone better suited for him that's all, these Dursley's will just sell him to the highest bidder, and he deserves much better," he said slightly angrily, a frown marring his face, Lily looked thoughtful for a second before she clicked her fingers in glee
"I've got just the answer, there's and old castle a few miles from here, there was an old legend that 20 years ago the great wizard Dumbledore cursed a young arrogant boy there that if he didn't learn to love another and earn their love in return by his 21st year as a beast he would remain one for all of time, now most of the reason I've been missing is because I went to check it out, and might I say that the boy may be arrogant but his human form was gorgeous, now he was 18 when it happened and the castle's covered in a time stopping spell as well, so time passes normally but no one ages inside it's four walls until the spell is broken, so he's still technically 18. It's perfect, we just need to get Harry to go there and stay there, but how . . ." she sank back into thoughtfulness and so did the others, silently agreeing with her plan.
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Meanwhile Harry made his way through the house towards the cellar where his Uncle's voice had come from, grumbling under his breath all the way about stupid Uncle's always messing with stuff they didn't understand.
When he reached the cellar door he was met by a red faced Vernon Dursley, covered in soot and bits of wood and metal, Harry desperately tried not to laugh at the scene in front of him, as Vernon fumed
"THAT BLASTED CONTRAPTION OF YOUR WON'T WORK, FIX IT NOW BOY! IT NEEDS TO BE READY FOR THE FAIR TOMORROW AND BY GOD IT'S GOING TO WIN US MONEY AGAIN! DO YOU HEAR ME BOY!" he yelled into Harry's ear who winced in pain
"I hear you Uncle Vernon, sir, I'll get to it right away sir," he said giving his Uncle a mock salute to which he received a smack to the back of the head, sending him tumbling into the room and into a table.
"That's for cheeking your elders boy," Vernon said calmly his face deflating and turning back to a normal shade now that he had got Harry to work.
Harry didn't answer and just set to work fixing what his Uncle had done, which usually meant making the whole thing again but thankfully today his uncle had just snapped a piece of the working so it was easy enough to replace, when he was done he stretched tiredly, cracking a few joints in the process.
"Well boy, what is it called and how does it work?" he asked impatiently, when Harry failed to answer he gripped his arm in a vice like grasp and picked him up out of the chair. "Answer me boy! I asked you a question!"
"It's an automatic clothes washer, all you do is stick the clothes into the compartment, connect the pipe to a water supply, add soap and twist the handle a few times, it sets off a chain reaction that starts to turn the clothes, mixing them in the water and soap, effectively cleaning them, it does that for half an hour before you take your clothes out and hang them up to dry, it doesn't have a name yet," he cried out as Vernon twisted his arm painfully, bruising the already sore skin there.
"Good, we'll call it the Dursley Washer, well done boy, now go and make our dinner, it's to be on the table in an hour." As he released Harry's arm from his vice like grip he spoke again.
"Oh, and Harry?" Harry turned to him fearfully
"Yes Uncle Vernon sir?"
"This had better win first prize at the fair tomorrow, or you know what'll be happening boy," Harry paled and quickly nodded his head before running from the cellar to make a start on dinner, knowing that the same would happen whether it won or not, just that one would be more violent than the other.
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Wow I actually managed to rewrite this, sorry about the wait but I decided to rewrite this story since it was pointed out to me that it was too similar to the Disney version of beauty and the beast, hopefully now it's much better thanks for reading, hope you'll review thanks flamers welcome too, the fire extinguishers ready lol