Harry was scared. He had done it again! The freaky stuff! Now he was in an alley! Oh, when his uncle found him he was doomed...

All he knew was that he had been cleaning his relatives home, when out if nowhere, his cousin Dudley had started to beat him. He had kicked Harry to the floor, and slammed him with his gusts repeatedly.

It had hurt so bad. He wanted it to stop...So seconds later, Dudley was sent flying into a wall. Uncle Vernon had happened to walk in. The look on the man's eyes were so scary all Harry could think was that he wanted out. And now...he was here.

The alley was wet, and the area didn't look like any place he knew...it was cold out, the wind only adding to Harry's discomfort.

It was September. A chilly, rainy day. And Harry didn't like it. At least his cupboard was warm!

He looked around the alley he was in. There was a dumpster at the end of it, a really smelly one...

He sniffled and buried his face in his knees. He stayed in the alley...

He hid from sight of other people by hiding near the Smelly Dumpster. He didn't want to get hurt... The nights were the hardest. Everything was pitch black, and WAY colder...

However, one night, he found his very first friend...He had been curled up, trying to sleep, when a tiny meow sounded near him.

He had shot up, whipping his head around in fear. It was still dark, and his eyes were only kind of adjusted to the new lighting.

He had then felt something leaning on his leg. He let out a whimper and covered his eyes. Then he heard the meow again.

He peeked an eye open. And he saw two eyes...cats eyes. Was a kitty...playing with him?

He looked to see a small kitten. It was a Calico, not that he knew that, with big green eyes. It was looking at him curiously.

The Boy who Lived was extremely worried...did Animals hate him like people did? Did it want to eat him? Harry decided the only way he could find out was by reaching out and petting it. So he did...and he rubbed it's ears. The kitten didn't mind it at all, and in fact nuzzled into the touch. Harry smiled, for the first time in a long time. He actually felt happy, having met someone who didn't hate him.

"Hi kitty..." He said softly, petting the tiny cat's head. It was really fluffy...

Much to Harry's delight, the kitten crawled into his lap and curled up there.

In the cold of the night, it was amazing to have such a warm friend to hold. Harry eagerly wrapped his arms around the tiny thing and pulled it close up. "A-Are you my friend..? I-I've never had a friend before..."

The kitten licked his cheek and nuzzled him. He giggled. The kitty was super smart...

He stayed awake, petting the small kitten for a while before he drifted off into slumber.

The kitten purred as it snuggled closer to the boy. It's ears perked up as it heard the boy's stomach growl.

The kitten looked up at the boy, it's head tilting. The malnourished child smiled sadly, shrugging.

"That happens...I think it's because I'm hungry..."

The kitty knew that he was hungry...and she started to feel bad.

She let out a soft mewl. She knew what it was like to be hungry...She had been a stray since birth, and she had to find her own food. She had thankfully gotten the hang of it...

She decided to go find her new friend something to eat. She struggled out of Harry's grip and bounded off to go find a less smelly dumpster.

The next day...

Harry's eyes opened when he heard a soft mewl. He looked to see his new kitty friend was sitting next to him, playfully swatting at him with her paws.

He smiled again, and grabbed up the Kitten in his arms.

"G-Good morning...Kitty..." He whispered.

The small cat purred and snuggled closer to the boy. He giggled and stroked her ears gently.

He laughed once more, feeling the happy emotions flutter around in his chest. He gave the kitten a small kiss on the top of her head.

She responded by licking his cheek and nuzzling him. He was SO happy.

The kitten moved out of Harry's arms suddenly. Harry was confused, but then the kitten looked at him expectantly.

Harry tilted his head. "What is it, kitty?" He asked softly.

The kitty just pawed fowards him and Harry felt inclined to move. So he followed the Kitten, on his hands and knees, and saw a small bag. He blinked.

"What's that...?" He asked softly. The kitten picked it up in her mouth and placed it next to him, meowing expectantly.

"You want me to...look at it?" Harry asked, still confused. The kitten meowed yet again.

"Oh...You want me to...open it...?" He squeaked out. The kitten mewled her approval.

Harry reached out and lifted up the bag. He slowly pulled it open, and his eyes widened at the small arrangement of food that was inside. He looked at the kitten, then at the bag. Then back to the kitten again. Inside the bag was a portion of a sub sandwich, a half empty can of soup, and some fish bones.

"How...?" He asked softly. The kitten mewed in response.

Harry realized that he didn't speak kitten, and shrugged. However, he reached out and grabbed the kitten again, giving her a tight hug.

The small cat purred in his arms. She was VERY happy.

She hadn't met a nice adult in a while, but children were always kind to her. And now she had her own human child to play with! It was perfect! The child's stomach growled again, and the kitten nuzzled the bag again after escaping his grasp.

"You...want me to eat...?" Harry squeaked out softly. The kitten almost rolled her eyes.

She nuzzled the bag again, making Harry blink before he reached in and grabbed the sandwich, awkwardly holding it. He wanted to shove it into his mouth...chow it down in a mere couple of bites...

But he was scared. Scared that if he ate it, his Uncle would show up and try to hurt him again. The thought of it made him start to breath quickly.

He was snapped out of those thoughts by a soft mewl. He gave his kitty a glance. Then he took a deep breath...

And he bit down on the sandwich. The bread was stale, the meat was dry, and the lettuce was far from crisp. Any person who took food for granted would have spit it out immediately, but to Harry... This was the greatest thing he'd ever eaten.

The kitty looked incredibly proud of herself. This had been her best find yet! Harry was close to tears...

He attacked the food, chewing it down with vigor. Soon it had disappeared in his mouth and down his throat. Then he grabbed the can of soup and poured it into his mouth, ignoring the sour and rather disgusting taste.

He stopped when he got to the crackers. "...You have some, kitty." He offered.

The kitty mewled and moved closer. Harry held one up to her mouth, and watched her eat it down happily. Seeing the cat happy made him happy.

They shared the rest of the crackers and the small cat climbed into her friend's lap. Harry hugged her.

"Thank you kitty..." He whispered tenderly. The calico licked his face again, tickling him and making Harry giggle. They stayed like that, enjoying themselves with each other's company for the rest of the day.

Three months had passed since then. Harry and his friend were insperable. The kitty was practically raising him by getting his meals. But winter was coming...And that...was a serious problem.

The days were frigid and the nights were colder. Harry had found a cardboard box in the dumpster that had some defense from the cold. It was a refrigerator box, and very spacious for a child of his size. His feline friend tried to keep him as warm and well fed as possible...when she realized Harry was very sick with a fever.

It was the middle of the night, and the kitten, now a big bigger than when she had started out, had seen Harry rolling around and groaning. She stepped close, concerned for her friend.

The small cat climbed on the boy and curled up on his chest. This was bad...If only someone could help him... Wait...That's it! She could go out and look for some help!

She had tried to do this dozens of times, but no one had paid attention. But now, it was really REALLY important he got help. She couldn't have her best friend...die. She gave him one last lick, and moved out into the streets. Snow was beginning to fall, icing the ground in a thin, but heavy-promising sheet. She began running, off into the night.

The small kitten padded along the streets, looking for ANYONE to help. But no one seemed to be interested! They would just brush her off as an annoying stray cat...

Until she approached a particular woman. Said woman was wearing a brown cloak to protect her from the cold, as she wasn't quite equipped for the weather. The kitten padded over to her hurriedly and pressed her paws against her leg, mewling.

Her brown hair was short, and scraggly. She had 3 whiskers drawn on her face, and she had a headpiece that showed off fake cat ears. The woman looked down at the kitten, confused...but then her eyes exploded in hearts, and she squealed. This was Milliana, the Feline Wizardess of Fiore.

"KITTY! KITTEN!"

The cat mewled urgently and jumped out of the way as the woman tried to grab at her. "Nooo! Come here, kitty!" The cat looked back and was pleased to see the woman was following her. If she could just get her to see Harry...

The woman was fast, but the kitten was determined. She dodged her swings and ran faster and faster. The snow began to weigh her down, slowly but surely. She could see the alley up ahead...

"Come back kitty! I have treats!" Milliana cried.

Just a little more...Just a liiiiittle closer...And...The kitten jumped into the box where Harry was.

Milliana crouched down next to the box and poked it. Why was the kitty running away? She was nice! She poked the box again, feeling the slippery and wet cardboard on her fingertip.

"Kitty? C'mere cutie!"

She blinked when she heard something. Not a meow...But a human cough, followed by a whimper.

It was an extremely pitiful sound, and she froze. She leaned her head down toward the entrance, and inside, she could see a tiny, TINY figure laying in the box. The Cat was next to him, nuzzling him repeatedly, and Milliana then realized everything.

"Oh wow...Kitty..." She breathed. She frowned at the boy. She knew what she had to do...

She reached out and took him into her arms. He was extremely warm...hot even. The poor thing must have had a fever! Oh, this was bad, very bad. She couldn't let him get worse!

"It's okay." She said. "You're okay..."

"K-Kitty..." The boy mumbled.

She gently shushed him, and then looked down at the cat, who was walking out of the box in concern. Milliana then put two and two together.

"Oh...so you wanted me to...good kitty!" she complimented, grinning. She reached down and picked up the cat, and pressed him close to the boy. The child hugged the kitten tightly

"Kitty..." Harry said softly, stroking his kitten's ears. "Good...kitty...Love you...kitty..."

His words were slurring, probably a side effect of his feverish brain. Milliana made a break towards her house, whispering encouragement to the boy in her arms.

"It's okay. You'll be better soon. Be tough." She assured him gently.

"Love...kitty..." Was all he was getting out at this point. Milliana kept rushing, rounding a corner and making her way up the street. The snow was sticking to her feet, slowing her down.

She let out a hissing sound. "STUPID SNOW!" She exclaimed. "I hate it!"

She rounded a corner again, then spotted her house. It was a townhouse, built int a building. She thought she left her door unlocked...

She rushed forward to get inside. She was so grateful to see the door swing open... It was so good to be home.

Her house was filled with cat accessories, and she had painted it multiple different colors. Pink, green, blue, each one adorned a wall. But Milliana needed MEDICINE. Where did she keep her medicine?

The bathroom cabinet! She hurried to her cabinet to collect the medicine. She threw said cabinet open and searched wildly.

"Kitties..." The child mumbled again, reaching out towards her cat shaped soap on the sink. Milliana found it, and grinned.

"Success!"

The kitten in Harry's arms mewed happily. She was so relieved...Her friend would be okay.

Milliana moved and gently set the child down on the couch, using both hands to pry open the pill. She held it in her palm, and moved to the kitchen to get water. She could hear him in the next room, muttering about how he was really hot, and that he loved his kitty.

He was clearly delirious from his fever...The small kitten walked into the kitchen and mewled appreciatively at the young woman. She smiled at the small cat.

"You just wanted to help your master, didn't you?" She asked, petting the calico, "That's a good kitty! Very good kitty!"

The cat meowed and looked rather smug, clearly proud of herself. Millianna giggled. "Let's go make your little master AAAAALLL better."

Mar 8("Little boy...? How did you get to such a place...?")

She moved towards the Living Room, and looked at Harry, who was hugging her pillow like a teddy bear.

"hot..."

She sighed. "Poor thing...How long were you out there...?" She asked softly.

He rolled over on the couch, groaning. He mumbled out, "dunno..."

"Well, you won't be out there anymore." The woman said with a cat-like grin.

Harry groaned and hugged the pillow. He was muttering stuff again, and Milliana had to lean in to hear him.

"Hate it...c-cold..."

The woman nodded. "I know. I hate the cold too. But do you know what I LOVE? Curling up by the fireplace!"

Harry shook his head at The mention of fire. He was too hot to go there... He wanted to be cold again..but he also didn't... Harry groaned as his head flared in pain.

"Little boy... Open your mouth dearie."

"Aaaahhh..." Harry said softly as he obeyed.

She out the pill in, then grabbed the water cup and held it to Harry's lips. The boy drank the water greedily, swallowing the pill as he did so. This was enchanted medicine however, and Harry was washed in a warm glow before it faded.

He felt...much better now! He was cooler...He wasn't coughing as much...

Harry thought she was extremely pretty...and she looked really really nice. So Harry whispered out,

"T-Thank you..."

Millianna grinned. "You're welcome!" Harry smiled, before frowning.

"Kitty...?" He called out softly.

On command, his feline friend jumped up to the couch and nuzzled Harry's leg. The boy smiled at the feeling.

"Kitty!" He cheered, picking her up. The kitten purred and curled up on his lap.

Milliana giggled at such a scene. It filled her with so much joy to see two cute things interact.

"Is this your kitty? She's very nice."

Harry smiled. "Yeah. She's been a really good friend...And she's soft..."

Milliana started to pet the cat as well, stroking it's ears gently.

"I really love kitties..." She sighed.

"Me too." Harry agreed shyly. "They're nice and cute and good friends..." He smiled at his friend as he petted her.

Milliana booped his nose.

"Say...you're just about as cute as a kitten yourself!" She complimented.

Harry's face turned red. "Me...? Really...?"

She nodded and gave him an even bigger grin, which made him grin in turn.

"Yup!"

"But I'm ugly..." He replied. "A stupid freak..."

Her grin disappeared.

The cat-Wizardess looked at him in shock for moment, before she put on a concerned face.

"Who told you that?"

"Everyone I know..." He squeaked. "They all hate me...Except Kitty..."

As he said this, he reached under his baggy shirt and winced, before pulling his hand away. Milliana looked extremely concerned, and she gently grabbed Harry's shirt and pulled it up.

She could have puked right there. "Little boy..." She said with her hands over her mouth.

The scars...there were so many of them... Old bruises, gashes, damaged skin...it was so revolting she wanted nothing more than to never let him go and just hold him forever. Someone had hurt his poor little dear...

Kitty was looking at the injuries too. She hissed angrily when she saw them. She wanted to claw out the eyes of whoever was responsible.

Harry looked extremely nervous, and on the inside he felt self conscious. He didn't want them to see his injuries! So he quickly tried to cover up his skin.

But he knew it was too late. They already saw it. He felt uncomfortable with this knowledge...

"Who...did it?" Milliana spoke, all but growling out the question. Harry bit his lip and rubbed his arms, feeling dread well up inside him.

"It...It's okay...I deserved it..." He replied timidly. "I was a bad freak...He had to make me hurt so I'd learn..."

Milliana felt hot tears well up in her eyes. She had experienced a kind of torment on this level when she was a child but...seeing it happen on this scale made her want to cry for eternity.

"No. It's wrong. All wrong, all wrong..." She chanted this, her voice growing softer by the second.

Harry gazed up at the woman, no longer self conscious. But, he was extremely confused. Why was she denying it? Why did she say it was wrong? He felt a weird dreadful feeling in his stomach, and he hugged himself.

"What's wrong?" Millianna sniffled. "Are you okay...?"

Harry just bit his lip again and refused to speak a word. Milliana adjusted him again so he faced her, and looked at him in the eyes.

"Well?" She questioned. Harry stayed silent again... "Little boy, I...I'm a wizard, and it's my job to help people. So I want to help you."

He sniffled. "I...I.." He stuttered, struggling to speak.

He shut his eyes and gripped the sides of his head. He wanted answers, but he didn't want to speak!

Millianna was upset and confused. What was wrong with the poor thing...?

He started to take quick, rapid breaths, while struggling. Milliana knew what this was immediately. He was hyperventilating!

"Oh no!" She began to panic. She knew how hard it was to calm someone down when they were hyperventilating...Most of the children at the Tower of Heaven had done it when they first arrived...

She quickly gave Harry some breathing room, and whispered some soothing words, trying to let him get some air.

"Shh...you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, shh..."

His breathing gradually calmed as he held Kitty close like a teddy bear. The small kitten mewled in confusion and concern before nuzzling his chest. He began to feel better.

He eventually stopped. When Milliana saw tears welling up in his eyes, she instantly moved her arms out and gave him another hug. Then...he started crying.

The woman stiffened. Oh no...Now he was crying...Now what was she gonna do?!

He felt hot tears press into Milliana's cloak, making it wet. The woman began to stroke his back, slowly.

"It's okay..." She said softly. "You'll be okay...I promise."

Milliana knew...she had to keep him. She couldn't possibly give him to anyone else anymore. Why? Well, she was probably one of the first people who had ever been nice to him. She'd also healed him, hugged him...leaving him would be cruel.

She smiled slightly. He WAS a little cutie...And he DID have a kitty... So maybe having him around wouldn't be so bad.