Author's note. This story was inspired by 'Arm's of a Dark Angel' and 'Harry's new Home.' I hope everyone enjoys it and please review if you do.

I do not own any of the characters from the Harry Potter books, JK does.

Seven year old Harry Potter was bored. He had to sit still and quiet while his aunt chatted loudly to some friends on a bench in a park. His cousin Dudley was playing with some other children in the park's play area. Harry wasn't allowed to play with them as his "aunt" wanted to keep an eye on him. She wasn't his real aunt; his real aunt was on holiday with his uncle. His uncle had called it a business conference but Harry was old enough to know what this really meant. It meant an hour's business in the morning then enjoying the rest of the day before having dinner with some other businessmen. The "aunt" he was with now was his uncle Vernon's Sister Marge. She was in charge of Harry and Dudley while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were away. After Dudley for an ice-cream, they had gone for a walk in a park with two of Aunt Marge's dogs, Ripper and Maverick.

Both dogs hated Harry but thankfully he hadn't had to walk them as Aunt Marge didn't trusthim to properly handle her "babies". Dudley had just started to whine that he didn't like walking when Aunt Marge had spotted some old friends and sat down to chat with them. Dudley had enjoyed a rest before running over off to play on the swings. When Harry had tried to join him, he had been snapped at to stay put. Marge had then had a conversation with her friends about disobedient brats. Harry really hoped the summer holidays would get better than this.

Eventually the friends left and Dudley waddled over to complain he was hungry.

"Don't worry Dudder's, I'll take you into McDonalds for a quick burger" She said beaming jovially at him. "You" she snapped at Harry. "Stay here until we get back."

She took Dudley by the hand and led him and the dogs out the park, across the town square and into a shopping centre. Harry was left sitting forlornly. After ten minute he started to get desperate for the toilet. He knew there was a public toilet in the park and it wasn't too far away. He glanced at the shopping centre but Dudley was bound to take ages having seconds so surely had time to quickly run to the toilet.

Harry stood up and ran as fast as his little legs could take him. The toilets were out of sight of the bench but only just, so he should be fine. After he had reached and been to the toilet he was just going to run back but there was a street performance that caught his attention. The performer's were juggling and doing all sorts of wonderful tricks. Their antics enchanted Harry and he stood with other park walkers to watch them in their brightly coloured costumes. It looked so difficult, yet the performers did everything with practised ease. Just like magic. Harry smiled; his aunt and uncle hated that word and always got jumpy if Harry ever used that word.

Suddenly he realised that he had been watching for half an hour. His heart thudded, he was going to be in so much trouble. He raced back to the bench and leapt onto it, but thankfully his aunt didn't seem to be back yet. Slowly he relaxed and waited. And waited. Half an hour went by. Then an hour. And then an hour and fifteen minutes. After an hour and a half had passed, Harry started to get nervous.

His aunt and cousin had been gone two hours. Of course Dudley would have taken ages stuffing his face and Aunt Marge had probably then taken him to a video store or something. It would be like Aunt Marge to keep him waiting. And so he waited.

The sky started to darken, not just with the onset of evening but with rain clouds. Harry didn't want to get wet so he decided that maybe he could wait in the entrance to the shopping centre where he could easily see the park and square in case they came form another direction. So he got up, went through the park gates, crossed the square and walked up to the shopping centre entrance. It was locked.

Harry stared in horror at the door. He desperately thought that maybe it had only just closed and his aunt and cousin had come out another entrance and were even now coming for him. But the sign said it had closed half an hour ago. Harry felt sick. They had forgotten him. Was it his fault? Did they come back earlier while he was watching the performers? But that had been in view of the bench even though it was a bit away.

Harry couldn't bare standing there thinking these thoughts and he didn't want to return to the park and be locked in when it closed, which would be soon. He didn't like either his aunt or cousin but he was only little and far from home. He started to run along the high street. The sky was getting darker and darker, it would soon rain. His oversized clothes flapped as he ran. Maybe they were still about, in one of the shops. But all the shops were shut.

Harry ran faster up a new street, running from the fear that he was lost and alone. He heard dogs barking, was that them? He ran towards the sound, but no, it was just a couple with two collies. Disappointment flooded him. He started to run even faster, even as fat rain drops started to hit his face. Maybe he could find a policeman. But he didn't know where or how to find one. Pretty soon he was soaked and tried so he huddled under a bus stop. It was now very dark, with only a few streetlamps casting a dull yellow glow.

Suddenly Harry heard loud voices and laughter. A small group of men were making their way to the bus stop, staggering and clutching cans and bottles. By their slurred singing, it sounded like they were celebrating a football win. Harry edged away from them as them stumbled into the bus stop. Aunt Petunia had warned him and Dudley about drunkards.

"Aw'right pal" one of them said suddenly spotting Harry.

"Yes, thank-you sir" Harry replied though he was anything but.

"We won" said another man taking a swig from his bottle. "Didn't we" he added to his fellows who gave a loud cheer.

"Er, well done" said Harry politely.

"You look cold son" said a man with no hair. "Want a drink to keep you warm" offering his bottle to Harry.

"No thank-you" Harry stammered.

"Hey" said the man who had announced the win. "You're no with them, are you?" He leaned towards Harry who started backing away.

"I don't understand, sir" Harry said as the man said angrily.

"They tried to cheat us. Dirty scumbags" The other agreed with several rude names.

"It was a foul" yelled the man smashing his bottle against the bus stop. Harry jumped back in fright as the man fell over. From the ground the man reached out trying to grab hold of Harry, his manner changing as he offered Harry a fag. Terrified Harry ran back out into the rain, anything to get away.

He ran until he tripped over a metal pipe lying on the pavement. Harry cried out in pain as his knees and hands landed heavily on the broken glass strewn surface. Poor Harry was now crying as he examined his bloodied hands and knees. He wished he was inside. He looked at the house he was next too. It looked so inviting. Harry had many rules that he had to follow; one was never talk to strangers. But he understood that this one was for his own good, because of all the Public Information Advents on TV. But Harry was hurt, cold and frightened.

Pushing himself to his feet he made his way through the rickety gate and along the overgrown path, even though his knees throbbed. Once he reached the door he had to jump to reach the knocker as he was so small. When he had managed to grab it, he knocked. Harry waited with baited breath. The rain was getting worse and he had a runny nose. And then the door opened.

Author's note. Who's door has little Harry knocked on? Will they help him? Find out in the next chapter.