CHAPTER 1

A trip to the mall brings its surprises

Harry Potter couldn't believe his luck. Everywhere he looked he saw colour upon colour in every doorway he passed. He was at the mall. Music blasted his ear every once in a while but not for long as he was going to fast to recognise it. Blasts and zaps could be heard in the distance from the arcade just ahead of him ... just out of his reach. One downside to this whole event was his Aunt Petunia, the long necked horse-like woman he was so called related to. She was a few steps ahead of him and seemed to be glancing in every direction. Most likely checking to see how many noticed him. Aunt Petunia wasn't very happy. You see Harry was being blamed for indescribable activities that went on throughout the house. Every time his fat four chinned cousin Dudley passed the toilet it would overflow. Harry didn't know how that happened and he couldn't explain why but he didn't do it. His Uncle Vernon; a purple faced, porky man wouldn't take any of it so Harry was sent to his room aka the cupboard under the stairs for 2 weeks. He wasn't even allowed to attend school (the one thing he did enjoy) and that's how his Aunt got mad. Today she needed to visit the mall to pick up a few items for dinner and some new video game for Dudley.

Harry would have loved it if he could stay at home. If he was lucky he would have gotten away with sneaking a chocolate or something sweet from the fridge and having sometime to watch the TV, but today of all days Aunt Petunia came to the conclusion he would completely destroy the house in her absence. Since she couldn't find someone to look after him like Mrs Figg just down the road she was brought down to the answer of that she would have to bring him along.

"Hurry up, you nasty boy" Aunt Petunia snapped at him as he started to lag behind. Yet who could blame him... he had only ever been to the mall once before today and a six year old could only take in one shop at a time. Harry picked up his pace so he walked right beside her. There direction seemed to be heading towards the bakery. Upon arriving there Petunia as well as Harry turned their eyes towards the fresh cream muffins that sat on the self just behind the glass. Harry licked his lips his imagination taking over. He could just taste the muffin on his lips, too bad he would never have one. Aunt Petunia was most likely going to buy one for Dudley for him to devour the moment he got home from school.

Harry's attention was drawn from the mouth watering muffins to movement to his left. Just a few feet away from him stood a girl his size holding a man's; most likely her dad's, hand. Behind her small fringe sat a set of the most intriguing grey/turquoise coloured eyes Harry had ever seen. She seemed to notice Harry was looking her way and she smiled. A few seconds later she had let go of her dad's hand and had skipped towards him so she stood just inches away from his face.

"Hi! "The girl spoke quickly

Harry who didn't have friends and was kind of shy held his head down and muttered "Hello"

"Who are you?" she asked quickly again.

"Harry, Harry Potter"

The girl pulled a face as she thought for a few seconds. Her smile only failed for a few seconds before it came back even brighter.

"I like it" She said "Well I am Lily, Lily Aarons"

Harry looked up sharply. That was his mum's name.

"Friends?" came the question that broke Harry out of his train of thought.

"Oh ummm Ok" and for once he actually slightly smiled

"What do you think you doing nasty boy?" hissed Aunt Petunia as she finally realised Harry had began talking to another person.

"Hello Miss" Piped up Lily "I was making friends with Harry"

Petunia shifted her gaze towards the little girl with ash tinged brunette hair that smiled up at her.

"Well I guess you better unmake friends this instant" Petunia snapped. "He is nothing but a horrible boy"

Lily became quite hurt at the woman that stood before her. She decided right there and then that she did not like this lady at all. She spoke really mean and didn't seem nice to her new friend at all.

"What seems to be the problem here Miss" a man's voice broke the silence.

All three people turned to see the man Harry believed to be Lily's father.

"Its nothing really, my nephew was just giving this girl a hard time pressuring her into a friendship she obviously doesn't want"

The man looked from Harry to Petunia and back again before looking down at Lily. Straight away he really saw what was going on here.

"Well we can't have that now can we" the man said "maybe to make up for his trouble he can come help me in the yard. We just moved into Private Drive and it needs some work"

"Oh so you're our new neighbours?" Petunia questioned. Of course Aunt Petunia knew there were new neighbours, she was such a nosy, sticky beak and that long horse like neck of hers was her lethal tool of looking over the fence into neighbour's yards. And it was true that people had just moved in down at number 8.

"Yes, Joe Aarons the name and this is my daughter Lily" the man introduced himself and the little girl.

Petunia stopped. Lily? What kind of name was that it isn't very common name? The last time she knew someone with that name was her sister.

"Yes, that seems fair, when will he start?"

Harry let out a small, muted moan. He knew what would happen if he didn't do the work right.

"It's settled" agreed Joe "Well tomorrow is Saturday so I guess I could use his help then"

"Alright I will make sure he gets there tomorrow morning" Petunia said

"Its settled I will see you tomorrow, oh umm ..."

"HARRY" Lily practically yelled

Lily's dad nodded and bid both Harry and Petunia goodbye. Lily followed her dad towards the door waving back at him till they were out in the car park and on the other side of the tinted doors.

"Get a move on you" snapped Aunt Petunia as she shoved Harry in the back to get him moving.

Harry sighed slightly and began walking once more alongside his Aunt as they headed towards the electronic gaming store to get the game wanted. He cried for the little time of around 5 minutes till both his parents gave in. Truth be told Dudley had only just discovered that if he screwed up his face and wailed he got what he wanted. And it was this tactic he used just this morning.

As they entered the store and began the search for the game Harry new today and all weekend was going to be a long one.

Saturday came way too fast for Harry's opinion and work wasn't exactly the most excited a six year old could do on a weekend but it was what he was sent to do.

He walked up the driveway and stood on the doorstep of number 8. Thinking perhaps he should just go back home and get his punishment instead of working in a yard all day. But before he could think about turning around and going home the door had opened and there stood Joe.

But Harry hadn't even knocked on the door.

"Ahh good" he smiled "I thought I heard someone come up the drive way, Come in"

Lily came bounded down the stairs with a big smile on her face. "HARRY!!" she giggled as she reached him.

"Hi" Harry slightly smiled

Harry turned to face her dad waiting to see what he would be doing today.

"well why don't you two go into the living room and watch a movie or play a game and I will bring some drinks and snacks in soon" he informed as he enter the kitchen

Lily nodded her head and grabbed onto Harry's hand as she pulled him towards the living room.

Yet Harry needed to know something.

"What about the garden?" he asked
Joe smiled. "Well we had to make your aunt believe you were doing something torturous instead of over here playing, otherwise you wouldn't be allowed back here"

Harry's face lit up fully for basically the first time in his life. Someone wanted to know him; someone wanted to be friends with Harry the freak. He knew right there that he was going to like this family.

A.N Ok There is my first chapter hope it was long enough it came close to 2 and a half pages long. Well tell me what you think. Any ideas of names just let me know. Plz R&R