Harry opened his eyes and looked around him. He was incredibly disorientated and nauseous and was unaware of where he was. He bent down and searched for his broken, battered glasses and shoved them on his nose. His first reaction was disappointment, for one incredible second he thought his wish had come true.
He had felt like something had changed but obviously it hadn't, he was still in Surrey, England at his horrible old primary school. On second thought, maybe his wish had changed something. While, he had been unconscious Dudley and his gang seemed to have fled, letting Harry avoid today's session of 'Harry Hunting'.
Harry didn't think he was out of trouble yet, he may be safe from Dudley and co. but judging by the setting sun Harry had been unconscious for several hours, causing him to miss several chores and subjecting him to his uncle's wrath. Harry was walking towards the gate when he noticed it was locked. 'That's strange' he thought, Mr. Jenkins nearly always forgets to lock it.
Harry turned on the spot and headed towards the hole in the fence round the back. A place he was very familiar with after his many run-ins with 'The Gang'. Harry was halfway through the hole when he realized how tight a fit it was.
'That's weird there's never been a problem before' thought Harry. As he was standing upright on Winston Walk he heard a sharp voice call out to him. "What are you doing lad. Ain't you a little young to be out and about by yourself at night." Harry looked up, taking in the appearance of a middle-aged copper with brown kind eyes and a stern look on his face.
Harry stared at him for a full 10 seconds before he realized where he was and focused. He didn't know this police officer, which was strange in itself, Harry had been sure his uncle had had all the local cops on payroll. Harry knew they had all been told to ignore his 'freak of a nephew' and any inexplicable bruises that might appear or any nighttime wanderings that may occur.
Maybe, this cop was new, he thought. That would explain it except for the fact that the police officer looked like an old veteran performing his usual rounds and the uniform he wore was most definitely NOT the Surrey Police department uniform yet looked authentic all the same. The same voice interrupted hi thought process, the copper was peering at him and was saying in a suspicious tone
"Who are you? I haven't seen you around before. Where are your parents?" Harry opened his mouth to reply that he lived around the corner at Privet Drive but suddenly stopped. All his instincts were screaming at him not to say this, so he instead replied to the second question.
"I haven't got any parents, sir." He replied rather sullenly.
"I'm an orphan" he added.
This seemed to shock the police officer who introduced himself as Brett. "Well son, surely you've got SOMEONE who takes care of you?" Brett said, sounding rather foolishly hopeful in Harry's opinion.
"No!" Harry stated flatly and it was completely true, the Dursleys had never taken care of him. "Well you better come with me then." Brett the cop said as he absently tousled Harrys hair. Harry hesitated, the Dursleys had never been big on installing child safety, probably hoping that he'd get himself killed, but one thing he did remember from school was the rule, 'Never, ever get in a car with a stranger'.
Harry got in though because his instincts, which had never lead him wrong, were telling him this was what he needed to do. He knew this was his only chance to get away from the Dursleys who were certainly not his family, besides he had this inexplicable feeling that he couldn't go back. That something had changed.
5 hours later it had become apparent that no 'Harry Potter' existed yet the boy insisted that this was his name and looking into those innocent green eyes, the police were inclined to believe him. Harry had been shocked at first to find out that he didn't exist but had decided to adopt the attitude that he would just go with the flow.
After all this was all just an idyllic dream. Everything was to different yet the same in a way that only dreams can be, after all there was no other way he could be escaping from the Dursleys. Very soon, his aunt would be banging in his cupboard to get up for school, in the mean time he decided to listen to what the police were saying.
He caught the words 'abuse' and 'orphanage' and for a second he was frozen with panic but then he remembered that it was just a dream and nodded at whatever anyone said. He was feeling incredibly tired, it had been a very, very long day. His last memory was being placed in the backseat of a car and hearing someone saying
"sweet dreams, little fella. And good luck, it looks like you'll need it."
It was the nicest thing anyone had said to him since that tragic Halloween Night.