"Boy!" The shout rang through the house. Slowly the ragged form of Harry Potter pulled himself upright, his hands were trembling but he hardly noticed. He had passed the point of pain and now he was just numb and unfeeling, he was just going through the motions, to get through the day one step at a time until he would be sent back to his cupboard and he could finally relax slightly and allow himself to feel again. "I'm coming Uncle Vernon," he muttered as he dragged himself back into the kitchen where his uncle was waiting for him. As he entered the room his uncle grabbed the front of his shirt yanking him forwards. With a yelp Harry fell forwards, hitting the floor, "Get up," snarled his uncle, "You worthless freak stand up and cook our lunch."
"Yes sir," Harry replied dully as he stood again. His uncle just sneered and slapped him round the face,
Discover morecookingScience Fiction & Fantasy FilmsChildren's BooksE-BooksRegular stories"And that's for not getting here fast enough." Harry didn't reply knowing that if he said anything or contested the punishment his uncle would just hit him again, and that time he would hit him harder. Blinking back the moisture that had sprung into his eyes with his uncle's slap he set about collecting the variety of ingredients he needed to cook the lunch. For the first few days cooking had been an absolute torture, there was food in front of him and he could smell it clearly but he couldn't reach out and take even the smallest morsel or his uncle would beat him. The sight and smell of cooking food had made his body demand food and had strengthened the constant ache which had accompanied him for those days. But gradually his body he learnt that no matter what food it could sense was available it would get nothing and the aches had gradually subsided so gradually he had started to look forward to the times he had to cook. It was one of the few times in the day he knew he was safe from his uncle, he wouldn't get hit when he was cooking because both his uncle and his cousin were so keen to get their lunch they would not do anything to endanger it, so he was safe from their fists but not from their words.
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"What are you boy?" his uncle demanded,
"A freak, Uncle Vernon."
"And what are freaks?"
"Worthless, Uncle Vernon."
"And what don't freaks deserve?"
"A normal family like yours Uncle Vernon."
"And what will freaks never be?"
"Loved, Uncle Vernon."
Harry answered each question flatly as his uncle repeated the questions again and again. He knew the answers by heart and he knew that no matter how much it hurt him his uncle was entirely right. He was a freak even in the Wizarding World and he didn't deserve a family. His parents had died for him, he had killed them, even though Voldemort had cast the curse if he hadn't been there they wouldn't have died. It was his fault, it was always his fault. Although he longed for a family of his own he knew he would never get one and if he did he would destroy it. Everything he did, everyone he touched ended up hurt, Hermione had ended up Petrified because he hadn't worked out what he was hearing, Ron's wand had been broken and he had received a Howler because the barrier wouldn't open for him, Professor Lupin had resigned because he had been out in the grounds because of Harry, his parents were dead because he existed and Sirius had nearly received the Kiss because of him. He was a freak and didn't deserve Sirius, he didn't deserve somebody who cared for him because he was a freak and worthless.
As soon as the meal was finished he was given a glass of water and sent out of the room with instructions to completely clean the sitting room, as "Dear Yvonne is coming for the afternoon tomorrow." Mechanically he set about the task making sure everything was absolutely spotless, if there was still any obvious dirt after the 6 o'clock news he was guaranteed extra hits from Uncle Vernon, maybe even with the belt.
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Discover moreScience Fiction & Fantasy BooksBooksFoodFan FictionScience Fiction & FantasyHe was dusting the china figurines when the news reports caught his interest. "New evidence that has been brought to light has proved that the notorious mass murderer Sirius Black was in fact framed for the crimes which saw him spend twelve years behind bars before his shock escape last summer, he has since received a full pardon and his freedom. The public is informed..."
Harry heard nothing more. Sirius was free, Sirius was free, the thought was beating around his head getting louder and louder with each passing moment. His godfather was free. His mind flashed immediately to the conversation he had had with Sirius on his way out of the Shrieking Shack, Sirius had offered him a home and he had wanted Harry. He had said that once he was free Harry could come and live with him. Would he remember he had said that? Would Sirius come and take him away? Harry knew he didn't deserve to have someone that cared for him but he vowed if Sirius came for him, if he actually cared for Harry despite the fact he was nothing more than a worthless freak, Harry would be so good that Sirius would never have any worries about him, he would do all the chores for him and make himself really useful so he would never be sent back to the Dursleys and maybe, just maybe Sirius would care for him in return and look after him.
His uncle's voice broke into his thoughts, "Worthless freak, I bet he paid someone handsomely for his freedom. Look at him, he's up to no good, he'll never come to anything I'd bet my life on it." Something inside him snapped.
Suddenly Harry was enormously angry, he didn't care when his uncle told him he was worthless, he knew it was true but his uncle was sitting here saying that Sirius, his godfather, the only person who had actually been kind to him was a worthless freak and it wasn't true, it would never be true. How dare his uncle sit there and say that when Sirius Black was ten thousand times the man Vernon Dursley would ever be. "He isn't!" The cry was torn from Harry before he even realised he had spoken.
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Discover moreAuthor resourcesCreative writing coursesMobile app subscriptionFan fiction booksWriting forum accessHis uncle stood slowly, towering over the slight figure of the boy in front of him. "He's a worthless freak just like you," he thundered, "And both of you will rot in hell, worthless creatures that you are!" The anger rose higher and higher, at the edge of his consciousness he registered that the ornaments in their glass cases were starting to rattle as raw unadulterated magic surged out of him. "He's not worthless," he yelled, his fury was so high it consumed him, dominating his every thought and movement. His magic lashed around him, soon the whole room was shaking, "You are, you're the freaks. Each one of you. You're worthless, you're ugly, you're foul. I hate you! I hate you!" He screamed.
Uncle Vernon's face had been growing redder and redder as Harry had continued, letting all his feelings out for the first time in his life and eventually his uncle's rage broke through his fear of magic. With a roar his hand came up and he struck Harry square across the face. Harry reeled backwards his arms coming up instinctively to protect his face his body curling into a foetal position, waiting for the next blow to land. Hands sunk into his arms digging into the skin as Uncle Vernon roughly yanked him upright, dragging him through the hall and throwing him bodily into the cupboard. The sound of ten locks clicking shut followed shortly after. As the final bolt shot home he heard his uncle's voice, "Tomorrow you will with you had never been born boy."
The darkness surrounded him but this time it provided little comfort. His eyes stung from the bright light of the sitting room and his face and arms throbbed where his uncle's blows had landed. More than anything he wanted Sirius, he wanted someone to come, to tell him everything would be alright, to tell him he was safe. For the first time that summer he was frightened. Frightened of what his uncle would do in the morning, frightened Sirius had forgotten him, frightened Sirius would never come, frightened he would never make it back to Hogwarts in September, frightened for himself.
The tears came then and he couldn't stop them. Alone in his cupboard, Harry Potter wept.
Sirius Black couldn't prevent the wide smile that spread across his face, he was free and he was going to get his godson. Soon his godson would be safe, safe with him and Harry would never have to go back to those monsters ever again. But as he apparated to the corner of Privet Drive his elation faded and worry took its place, Harry had spent nearly three weeks with those people, what if they'd done something, what if Harry was hurt? His pace quickened and within a few seconds he was striding into the garden of Number 4 Privet Drive. Not prepared to waste any more time he raised his hand and knocked sharply on the door. A thin bony woman with a pinched face whom he recognised as Petunia opened the door, the moment she caught sight of Sirius she screamed and tried to slam the door in his face but he caught the edge of the door and held it open.
"Vernon..." she gasped, "Vernon," The large burly man shouldered his way into the doorway and stared at Sirius with undisguised hatred,
"Clear off," he growled, "We don't want any of your lot here. Yet going." To the dog animagus the growls were distinctly unimpressive and he just stood in the doorway glaring; almost of his own violation his wand appeared in his hand. "I want my godson," he growled in reply letting a little of Azkaban colour his voice. He was pleased to see Vernon blanch and take a step backwards, clearing enough space for Sirius to enter the house and shut the door behind him.
"I..I don't know what you're talking about," he squeaked but Sirius was not in the mood for playing around. Bringing up his wand he pointed it straight at Vernon's eyes,
"Where. Is. Harry. Potter?" Vernon had taken several more steps backwards and his eyes were locked on Sirius's wand.
"You..you're one of those...those FREAKS." Sirius just glared dangerously,
"I won't ask again Dursley, WHERE IS MY GODSON?" The man glanced away guiltly but Sirius followed his eyes, it was then he noticed the ten dead-lock bolts affixed to the tiny door of the cupboard under the stairs. With a roar of fury Sirius slashed his wand downwards and the three Dursleys found themselves in the full body bind lying on the kitchen floor. With the Dursleys out of the way Sirius turned on trembling legs to face the cupboard, now the hall was quiet he could hear the soft sound of sobs coming from the cupboard. Forcing the fury down he reached out and slowly slid back the bolts, he could rant and rave in private but right now Harry needed him and Harry would always take priority.
Harry lay shivering in his cupboard, he could hear raised voices, shouting and he curled up tighter. Uncle Vernon was mad and he knew that this time his uncle would not be content with just bruises, he would bring out the belt and he would bleed before the night was out. The voices were getting louder and louder but it was getting harder and harder to hear them, they crackled like a badly tuned radio but amongst the jumbled sounds he thought he heard his godfather's voice calling for him, asking for him. But that was impossible, Sirius wouldn't come, no one ever did. And then suddenly the silence fell, more awful than the shouting that had preceded it. Harry pulled himself as far back into his cupboard and sobbed in pure terror. His uncle was coming for him and all he could do was wait. Then slowly, terribly he heard the sound of the bolts being pulled back.
The door was flung open and the light stabbed at his eyes. The pain was so intense he screamed, the figure leaning towards him jerked backwards, but quickly recovered, the figure said something but Harry couldn't hear anything over the ringing in his ears. A hand reached in and automatically he shrunk backwards, "Please Uncle Vernon, please don't hurt me," he begged his voice cracking. Through watering eyes Harry saw the figure jerk backwards as if stung but Harry didn't waste any more time staring. Screwing his eyes tightly shut to reduce some of the pain he pulled himself into the tightest ball he could and tensed waiting for the first blow.
Sirius couldn't believe his eyes as he pulled the cupboard door open, inside it was filthy and pressed right against the back was his godson, even though it had only been a few weeks Harry seemed so much smaller and his emerald eyes that stared at Sirius were clouded and filled with terror. His scream was filled with an agony so strong Sirius recoiled from the sheer force of it and the sound sent a knife straight into his heart. And when he leaned forward once more the sight of his pup flinching backwards and the terror that laced his voice as he pleaded with his uncle caused Sirius's already bruised heart to shatter into a million tiny pieces. For a moment he just stared at his pup whilst thoughts of elaborate revenge on the Dursley's ran through his mind but the sight of Harry cowering in the corner of the cupboard, waiting for a blow to fall snapped him out of it.
Harry needed him and he had already let him down once and he would not let himself do so again. Hesitantly, praying it was the right thing to do he leaned forward so he was almost inside the cupboard then reached his hand towards Harry and placed it very gently on the teen's hair. He could feel Harry stiffen the moment he touched him but he didn't remove his hand and very very softly he began to stroke the boy's hair, murmuring reassurances as he did so, trying desperately to calm him.
Harry tensed at the touch waiting for the inevitable blow that would follow but to his complete and utter surprise instead of hitting him the figure ran their fingers through Harry's messy black hair murmuring as they did so. Even though he couldn't hear the words that clearly the tone was unmistakable, the voice speaking to him was full of love and kindness and the fingers that were still carding tenderly through his hair showed the care more clearly than any words could convey. Unconsciously he began to relax as hope sprang to life inside him burning more brightly than it had ever done before. There was only one person who had ever shown him that level of affection and only one person he had ever expected to come for him. "Sirius?" he whispered brokenly.
"Yes pup it's me," Sirius's voice trembled with so much emotion Harry wanted to reach out towards him and comfort him. Slowly, braced for the pain he opened his eyes, wincing as the light stabbed his irises but doggedly keeping them open as he stared at the face of his rescuer. Sirius's face was wet with tears and his eyes showed a deep sorrow but at the same time the love was so obvious in the clear grey eyes. And still Sirius's hand was stroking unerringly through his hair. He couldn't remember a time before when he had felt so loved and he desperately wanted to feel he belonged with this man, his godfather, he wanted to feel that he was loved and secure.
As if he had read his mind Sirius reached out with his free hand and drew Harry towards him, gently pulling the child into his arms and pressing him into his chest. Harry didn't fight him, just relaxed in his arms burying his face into Sirius's shirt to hide the wetness that was pricking in the corner of his eyes. Never before had he felt so safe, so loved and he relaxed against his godfather soaking in the love and affection that surrounded him.
Sirius smiled through his tears as he wrapped Harry in an embrace and held him close not minding the wetness that started to soak through his shirt. Slowly, to avoid startling his pup he stood, pulling Harry up with him. As he regained his feet he felt a thin pair of arms encircle him in a desperate grip, almost instantly in response Sirius tightened his own hold, "It's okay Harry, you're safe now," he murmured over and over again until the desperate grip slackened somewhat although he noticed Harry never actually let go.
"Is all your stuff in the cupboard?" he asked quietly, and he felt Harry nod against his chest. With a single flick of his wand the trunk and all the other belongings were shrunk and placed in a pocket of his robes. "Now shall we get the hell out of here?" Another nod. Sirius reached up to ruffle his hair, "Lets go then."
Ignoring the Dursleys who were still bound on the kitchen floor Sirius, still keeping a tight hold on Harry headed for the door but they had not gone more than three steps before Harry crumpled against him. Instinctively Sirius responded, keeping a tight grip on the teen he swung Harry up into his arms, cradling him against his chest. To his shock he realised Harry was now extremely thin, he couldn't have weighed more than a young child. He was certain that when he had last seen Harry the boy had so much more weight than he did now. "What have they done to you?" he murmured as he strode out of the house carrying his godson securely. Worries assaulted him from all sides, he was now positive Harry had been beaten and judging from his weight he had been starved as well, and then he had collapsed, but even before that he was in pain. He had to get home immediately, his arms locked around his godson as he apparated, he could only hope he wasn't too late and those monsters had done something he would never be able to undo.