Title: Harry Potter
Author: ensis013
Warnings: Swear words
Ratings: T
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter creations belong to J. K. Rowling. I do not own any of the characters.
Summary: Harry Potter is five years old when he learns that the Dursleys will never love him. Oneshot.
A/N: Thanks to Aud for betaing this! Hope you enjoy this!

Harry Potter is five years old when he learns that the Dursleys will never love him. He learns to keep his head down and not to attract attention. He does his chores quietly and creeps back into his cupboard when finished. He learns to scramble, and scramble fast when Vernon calls for him, if not, he would be in for a beating. He learns to clean the house, do the gardening and wash the laundry.

Harry Potter is five years old and knows not to expect praise from his relatives. However, he still can't stop hoping, that if he does his chores well enough, scores better than Dudley, his Aunt and Uncle will say, "Well done, Harry."

Harry Potter is eight years old when he plays "Harry hunting". Dudley, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon have just been acquainted with Piers Polkiss, the new boy whose family has just moved to Little Whinging. They hit it off well and when Harry spies them looking at him, he feels a shiver down his spine. Soon enough, they swagger up to him and say "Run freak, run, we're playing Harry hunting and you're the prize." They grin at him, and he knows that nothing good will come out of this.

The teachers are busy watching the other children. They will not come to his rescue. Harry stares at them, fear in his eyes. Then, he turns and runs. He runs and runs and runs and hopes that the gang will not catch him. He shows up at his Aunt and Uncle's house, covered in dirt, limping and crying. Petunia looks at him in disgust and locks him in the cupboard.

Harry Potter is eight years old when he stops crying. It is also when he learns to be on his guard, run faster, and always look for escape routes.

Harry Potter is 11 years old when he receives his acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There is a strange feeling in his heart. Later, he realises that it was excitement, hope and joy. These are the feelings that creep back past the walls around Harry's heart. He smiles at Hagrid, silently thanking him for providing an escape from the Dursleys. It is from this point that Harry Potter decides that he will stand up for Hagrid, no matter the consequences.

Harry Potter is 11 years old and has felt hope and joy again after 10 years of hardship.

Harry Potter is 16 years old and has just lost Sirius. Dear, beloved Sirius who promised to take him away from the Dursleys. Sirius with his dog-like laugh, and childish antics which never failed to bring a smile to Harry's face. He is gonegonegone and there is no one left. Harry stares out of the window of his room and wonders... Perhaps his relatives are right, perhaps he really shouldn't have been born. Then, he remembers Sirius and Remus whispering to him in the dead of the night, "Thank you for being born, Harry." Suddenly, everything feels like it is too much. There is a hole in his heart that can't be filled. Droplets of water splash onto his shirt.

Harry Potter is 16 years old and has learnt to cry again. However, he has also learnt about the harsh truth of loss. Though the ache may never vanish, it will dull with time.

Harry Potter is 17 years old and is about to die. It is impossible to expect him to take on Voldemort alone. If even the great Albus Dumbledore couldn't do it, how can a seventeen-year-old, untrained, ignorant Harry defeat the'Greatest Dark Lord of All Time'?

Harry Potter has never believed in prophecies. He does not believe that he is the only one who can bring Voldemort down. But when he looks at the dead bodies and Ron and Hermione and Ginny, he wishes and hopes and prays that he will be the last casualty in the war. He is so, so tired of losing people.

Harry Potter is 17 years old and has learnt to stare death in the face. He swears that he will defeat Voldemort – not for himself, but for his precious, precious family.

Harry Potter is 36 years old and likes to think that he has grown a little wiser. He is heralded as the Defeater of Voldemort, among many other titles. The public still mobs him when he appears, crowding around for a touch, a word or a look.

Others may envy his fame, but to Harry, his treasure will always be his wife and children – Ginny, James Sirius, Albus Severus and Lily Luna. They are the ones who have brought light into his life and given him a family to belong to. They taught him to laugh when times are hard – when he has to work overtime for a month, when Ginny and he have had a fight, or when he has to deal with some shithead subordinate who just doesn't want to listen.

Harry has experienced many things, and no longer sees the world in black and white. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, he thinks about poor, pitiful, unloved Tom Riddle, who grew up into the malevolent and malicious Lord Voldemort. Perhaps, if there had been someone who loved him, he would have turned out differently.

Harry Potter is 36 years old and may have grown a little wiser. He probably will never forget about Tom Riddle and may sometimes get caught in daydreams of the past, but when he looks at his children – they grow up so fast – he feels a sense of pride. This, he thinks, might just be how his parents would feel if they could see him now.