The Boy Who Lived

Disclaimer: I would love to have been the first to create this wonderful story, I however did not, never have and never will claim that I did.

I do hope you enjoy my twists and turns from the original suggestions welcome.

At request of loretta537

Before the sun rose

Waking up to a loud bang on their front door Vernon Dursley growled as he stomped down the stairs of number four private drive. Ready to really give the bugger a piece of his mind, shooting a frustrated look over his shoulder at a weary and flustered Petunia who was carrying a screaming Dudley, he ripped the down open. "Who do you…" Caught off guard that no one was there he stopped mid sentence, about to tell his wife exactly what he thought of people who did that sort of thing he heard a muffled sleepy gurgle. At his feet was a un-duslyish basket with a baby wrapped in a blue silk blanket and a letter tucked in the side. Picking up the basket he noticed some people that had no business on this street staring at him, sending them a glare he quickly shut the door hoping no one else saw a baby being left on their step.

Dudley curious about what was in his father's arms quieted and tried to squirm from his mother's tight embrace.

"Lily…" was all she said as she let her chubby son down to investigate. Vernon sent her a look confused; Lily was the name of her freak sister.

Setting the basket on the table by the door he took the letter and opened it, he could feel the freakiness of it.

Dear Petunia and Vernon,

I regret to inform you of the violent passing of Lily and James Potter, this is their son Harry James Potter. Being the only living next of kin, his guardian ship is now passed to you. The envelope contains his identification both in the magical and muggle world. As well as your guardian papers and a letter addressed to Harry himself when you feel he is old enough to read it.

Good luck and take good care of Harry,

Dumbledore

Vernon was bright red, fuming mad, he did not was this freak child growing up with his dudykins.

Harry was a sweet and beautiful baby and Petunia hated him, every time she looked at him she saw her sister. She was sure Lily's brat would be a freak like her, but she remembered Lily when she was little the apple of the families eye. Petunia had loved her until the magic started. Then Lily met a ragged boy, Severus and perfect little Lily didn't need her nagging big sister anymore. Anytime Harry would look at her with that concerned little face she would hear Lily's voice 'Are you ok Tunney?' the first time she slapped him she had felt horrible… the ninth time a bitter twang but at four years old neither Petunia or Harry were shocked when she would just slap him for no conceivable reason. The first time Vernon had beaten the boy Petunia threatened him with the police now it happened twice a week. When Dudley would hit Harry they would shrug, 'boys' now they would snicker and praise the fat child. Harry slept in a cupboard under the stairs, only had Dudley's hand downs to wear his whole life. He ate lunch at school because they didn't want questions; the baggy clothes hide the bruises.

In two days would be his fifth birthday, despite himself he was exited. With your birthday came a birthday wish. He held the same with close to his heart since he knew what wishes were, he wasn't quite sure when that was but it must have been a long time ago. The pounding steps of Vernon, his uncle, were coming he sounded mad. Quickly scrubbing the pot Harry tried to look busy.

"Boy!" The shout followed the slam of the kitchen door into the wall, young Harry jumped. "What have you been doing at that school of yours? They found you on the roof? Blaming it on Dudley! They want to skip you a grade, think it would do you and Dudley good to be apart a bit and with you being so smart? Well fine you want to be away from Dudley so bad? So be it you leave tomorrow! After I show you what your worth!" Vernon slipped his belt off, Harry cringed looking for a way out, when he tried to run Vernon grabbed and slammed his little body on to the kitchen table.

Petunia cringed with every slap of leather, every cry of pain. She would not cry for him, he would be gone and then so would these feelings.

Still sore Harry could barely walk straight, he slowly ventured up the stairs of his new residence. The stout building was not dirty but neither was it clean. The woman standing at the top looked not at all friendly; she impatiently tapped her foot until Harry reached the top. "Harry Potter? Surrendered by Vernon and Petunia Dursley?" Harry nodded, "Did they hurt you Harry?" She huffed at the terror in his eyes. "Well this way boy, no one will hurt you here but you will work for your keep." She talked as she took him to his room on the second floor, there he saw three beds.

"I get to sleep on a bed?" Harry was nervous about asking but ever so hopeful.

"The monsters that bring children into this world I swear." Her tone scared him and she noticed, sighing at her misdirected anger she shooed him to the last bed on the left. "Yes Potter this is your bed and this is your dresser you are to keep them neat and not pester your room mates."

The next day Harry went to bed very sore, they had found the bruising during lunch when a bigger boy had tripped him in to a table. The doctor was horrid, cold probing fingers and scathing remarks. Before bed he was told that his life would not be easy but to stop acting like he was going to get strapped every time someone looked at him sideways. Harry sighed his nearly five year old brain trying to comprehend what was happening to him. The clock in the room clicked closer and closer to his fifth birthday. A little chime rang and Harry knew it was time. "I wish, one day I will have a real family that loves me." He sent a little prayer hoping that his mom and dad were ok and nodded off.

He lived his years in hard work, the women of the orphanage seemed to hate their jobs. Sometimes they would take it on the boys, never with physical pain only bitter words the kids were too young to understand. He slept on a bed and even if only small portions, he was able to eat three times a day and have showers. He was what he could see as happy, how little he knew of happiness.

It was nearly Harry's eleventh birthday and thou he had stopped wishing for a loving family he still held a sliver of hope deep in his heart. The matrons and nurses in the orphanage had been very short with him lately and he had been working extra hard to avoid punishment with them. The other boys in the home were confused too and took it out on the freak not knowing what else to do.

As the clock ticked closer and closer Harry felt the vibrations of the night air, thick but not heavy. He only dared to think, it felt magical. The chiming of midnight was drowned out but a motorbike, the loudest motorbike Harry had ever heard. "I wish I had a place in the world, I wish I was special."

Window rattling knocking shook the whole orphanage awake.

Harry crept to the door the other boys looked frightened; remembering knocks and bangs from their childhoods. Harry heard the voice of the head of house Rose, then a booming voice saying his name.

"I am here for Harry Potter." The voice sounded angry, very male and loud.

"Who are you, you ruffian." Rose was more than a little scared of his large man.

"I am Hagrid, Grounds Keeper of Hogwarts and A confi... Confidant to Head master Dumbledore. We have sent several letters for Harry and not a one has been given to him.

Rose sputtered something about it was the request of the people who surrendered him. Harry had climbed to the bottom of the stairs at this point and was peeking around the corner in to the lobby.

"That boy has a place to go, and it will no longer be here. Harry boy? Is that you?" Harry peaked further out. "Oh but you have your mother's eyes." Hagrid sent one last scowl to rose and then focused his smiled on Harry. "Come 'er boy, I have a letter for ye." Handing the heavy parchment envelope to Harry Hagrid began to rifle trough his coat.

Harry Potter

Wayward Boys Orphanage

Lyst RD

Second floor third room on the right

Wishes do come true, just not always the way you think.

Waking Dreams

The world flashed by, the hum of the magical train calmingly muggle. Harry sighed deeply as he felt torn, the life he was leaving while it had not been glamorous or easy had been the only one he remembered. Being labeled a wizard and immediately evacuated from his home even if that was using the term loosely was upsetting and exiting all at once. Hagrid, the half giant that had hand delivered his letter containing so much more than just telling him that he was expected at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry there by telling him that he, abused and practically abandoned Harry 'the freak' Potter was a wizard. That letter contained information of his parents, his Gringots vault (The bank of the wizarding world in Brittan) along with the key and a second letter penned by the Hogwarts Headmaster himself (A wonderful man according to Hagrid) stating that he would be living on School grounds until another arrangement presented itself or he reached the age of wizarding majority and chose to find his own accommodations. In one envelope contained a new life.

His reverie was interrupted by an intimidating girl and a very upset looking boy.

"Hello there, have you seen a toad by any chance?" The girl with full, curly brown hair and quick intelligent, golden brown eyes.

Shaking his head harry spoke quietly, he had never talked to a girl under 30. "Sorry, but I haven't."

The boy didn't quite hear him looking confused he spoke in an aristocratic but shy voice "Pardon, I couldn't hear you."

Frustrated at himself he rubbed his forehead, "I said sorry I haven't" Noticing the very blatant stares at his scared forehead he quickly covered it with his messy dark hair.

"Your Harry Potter?" despite her tone he could tell she knew the answer.

Confused he frowned, "Yes but how do you know that?" his confusion broke him from his naturally quite tone.

"Well the scar is a bit of a give a way isn't it" The girl smiled slightly as if his scar spelt his name out bold and clear.

Still confused he sat quietly, why would the scar from the car accident tell her who he was?

"Well my name is Hermonie Granger, and this here is Neville Longbottom. It's nice to meet you, I mean after reading wizards of the aged: the light and the dark, I knew you would be in my year but well I knew it but didn't really 'know' it, does that make sence?." She was pretty when she smiled like a girl does when talking to a skittish kitten.

A book had him in it? The letter from Dumbledore said nothing about people knowing him, only that his Mother Lily and Father James were Auors and had loved him very much loved him along with a bit about their lives. "There is a book with my name is it?" he was confounded unable to speak until a toad lazily jumped in to the compartment. "It that the toad?"

Completely lost for words that the famous Harry Potter, the 'boy who lived' did not seem to know who he was, they almost did not understand what he said. Neville slowly looked to where Harry was pointing.

"Trevor!" the cubby boy practically pounced on the poor toad. Then looking between the lost looking boy and the bossy but helpful Hermonie he excused himself to secure Trevor.

"I… I have the book in my trunk, if you want to see" the offer was tentative, hopeful. Seeing his shy nod she offered her hand, taking it he felt warm. She gently pulled him along to where she had stored her trunk. I quite looking redhead in hand downs like him but the boys were lovingly mended. "That's Ron, feeling a bit train sick." Using her wand she floated her trunk down, at this point Harry felt like he was going to be very behind when he got to school. He watched as she looked for the book in question, a difficult task considering the amount of them. Finally finding the right one she directed him to sit beside her opposite of Ron. He watched her as she looked for the right page, she was beautiful. He blushed at the thought but she was too busy to notice. The little noise she made when she finally found the right passage was adorable. "Here, "she pointed" Do you want to read or have me read allowed to you?"

"Um..."Unsure but decided that it was something he wanted to experience privately. "Myself, at least this once." He smiled and she blushed softly, not enough for Harry to notice but the red head did.

Harry James Potter: Son of Lily (Evans) and James Potter dubbed publically "The Boy Who Lived". At nearly 2 surviving the killing curse cast from none other than Voldemort, (once Tom Riddle) himself. The "Dark Lord" as dubbed by himself and his followers "Death Eaters". There are many theories's why the small child survived with merely a lightning shaped scar after both his mother and father fell to the same curse protecting their son. Many say Love, that without the protection of his mothers dying wish protecting him "He who we fear to name" Voldemort would not have died or disappeared as many fear.

The rest went on about theories about this Voldemort creature.

"Um…" Not yet noticing the tears falling down his cheeks.

Spending the rest of the train ride learning about his new friends and wizarding candies Harry Laughed for the first time. It was easy to not talk about himself; they thought they knew so they didn't think to ask his story. Ron Weasly was one of 6 children came from a old pureblood family his father working in the Magical Government or the Ministry of Magic his mother a stay at home mom that according to Ron you did not want to mess with. He was shy at first but that didn't last long, he was loud and funny and taught Harry about quiditch which Hermione had read about to no surprise. She was an intellectual Ron said likely a Ravenclaw (the brainy house out of the four) but having been told about the others houses he was not sure. She was smart but also passionate and fearless, he with his limited knowledge was silently betting on Gryffindor for both of them. Hermione was a muggle born, meaning both her mother and father were none magic folk and she had only learned of being a witch at the beginning of summer. Both her mother and father were dentists and fully supported if not understood what she was going thru. He envied her little. When the train stopped he was a little sad, when they started school they would see him how everyone else did a freak and a loser.

There were so many people. When Hagrid had put him on the train most people were already boarded now he was a little intimidated. Grateful, he almost ran to Hagrid, who was calling for all first years.

"Harry, hope it was a pleasant trip." Hagrid smiled, looked down upon the small boy.

"It was great, how did you get here so fast? Were you on the train too?" Harry could have sworn he saw the large man leave.

"Ah, no how about we talk about this later got' to get you all to the sorting." Hagrid surveyed the crowed. "All first years?" Nods "Alrigh' let's get you to the castle follow me."

At the end of the path sat several little boats in the water, the night sky clear, the water reflected hundreds of stars in the still black water.

"Four to a boat, step carefully don't want to fall in." Hagrid made sure everyone was in safe before ushering a shy Harry an annoyed Hermione who was glaring at a very red Ron in to the last boat other then his own with a very snooty blonde.

The children whispered amongst each other, some sharing stories from their families, some guessing what it will be like. When Castle Hogwarts came into view framed by the bright night sky, highlighted by flaming torches they all fell silent. It was magnificent; the towers seemed to touch the sky, it was humongous. Harry felt very small and absolutely entranced by the magical glow. He looked over too Hermione and shared a small smile with himself. She was so lost in the view her eyes shone with an inner light that glowed so brightly she took his breath away. He blushed and turned to the castle just as they were about to enter a tunnel as she looked over at him smiling brightly close to brimming with facts.

They had left the boats behind as the base of a large stair case at the end of which was an ornate door. The carvings of the houses were detailed and beautiful; Harry's eyes shone with wonder the emerald green depths glittering.

They did not wait long, a tall red and gold wearing woman with a stern yet motherly face opened the doors with a flick of her wrist standing appraising the children she turned throwing a 'follow me' over her shoulder. The walk was short and Harry felt himself gawking, the ceilings so high you cannot see them the doors to what was called the great hall enormous and carved like the first, yet not until the doors opened did he know a fraction of the beauty magic could create, decorated for the sorting ceremony and welcoming back old students with floating this and that pixies darting around the walls lead into the night sky, everyone gawked in wonder. Reaching the head table Harry saw a rather plain stool in front of a podium, a golden phoenix looking down on them wings spread what was curious was the ragged pointed hat sitting upon the stool. The head master introduced himself but Harry couldn't hear him over the thoughts running thru his head. What if he was a slitherin? Voldemort the man that had killed his Mother and Father had been in the snake house. Then the strangest thing the mused haired boy had seen happened the ratty hat starting talking. All the children stared amazed as the hat spouted a poem, about itself "Do not judge a book by its cover or a hat by its tears" And about the houses "Brave Gryffindor", "Cunning Slytherin", "Loyal Hufflepuff" and "Bookish Ravenclaw". That no house was better or worse it was the person that made them who they were, and he would find out where you would flourish most. The time came and alphabetically they were called up. Every time a house was called the screaming cheers showed the first year where to go. Hermione Granger was a Gryffindor, but now it was his turn…

McGonagall directed and sat him down; everyone was silent, Harry potter?

The hat sat upon his head, Harry could hear him humming in thought. "Well I have been waiting for you little potter. Hm, very smart, loyal plenty of bravery… you could do well in any of the houses. In Slytherin you would become a great wizard, but you are marked for greatness no matter, Gryffindor would be a fine fit as well."

"Please not Slytherin, I don't want people to see that murder when they look at me…" Harry was quite thinking about what would happen.

"Hmm, I see… a thirst to prove yourself." From a voice in his head when the hat shouted Gryffindor Harry cringed a little. Sending a thank you as the hat was removed him could have sworn that the hat smiled at him. Numbly he walked to the loudest cheering he had heard in his life.

"Harry. Sit here." Her smiling face thawed him a little. Sitting beside her he was met with two rather alike and familiar faces.

"Ello, I'm Fred," The one on the right with a speck of dark blue in his left eye.

"And I'm George." The left one said.

Harry smiled shyly, "Ron's brothers? He told me he had four brothers and one little sister."

They snorted and harry thought he had done something. "Well he would say that wouldn't he?" Fred said to gorge "indeed with him and Percy fighting." Gorge to Fred, "All together there are six boys and one girl." They both said together.

Harry smiled at the twins, "I wish I had a family, must be wonderful, having so many people love you."

The twins exchanged a look, shock with a twinge of a frown. "Maybe we could invite you for summer?"

"Oh yes mother would love that,"

"Total hen that woman." Harry was slightly dizzy from there back and forth responses.

"Ron said she was a bit scary?" Harry tried not to blush or cow from the prospect of real friends or meeting the formidable sounding matron Weasley.

"Only if you are a git." They said together.

Harry chewed on that while watching the sorting and looking about the tables.

Two hours later and what was call a perfect was shepherding the sleepy first years to their dorms.

Harry in front was very confused when he met face to face with a painting of a large brightly dressed woman looking at him like he smelled of sour cabbage. "Password?"

"Godrick" the perfect said and she opened, allowing the group of children into the common room. "Ok, tomorrow we will go over the rules and requirements of being a Gryffindor for now, boys to the left and the first door, girls the same on your right. Sleep well and no fighting."

Leading the crowed of boys, Harry stepped in to the room and found three doors taking the one on the left harry found four poster beds and when he sat at the very far one his trunk appeared out of nowhere. Too tired to think harry looked up to Ron said good night and curled up falling asleep in seconds.

The next day would dawn and a new life would start, the world was a brighter place then he thought possible.

Hello there, Anyone have some suggestion of how you make Hagrids verbal patterns more suiting to him? Too make him more believable? Are there any other voices you might have a problem with?