Harry loved these horses. He had been coming here to see them for the last three years now, and had known about them even longer - since the day that Mrs Figg had been out and Dudley had been going go-karting for his tenth birthday in fact. They had driven past the field on the way and he had memorised the route, making sure that someday he would be able to get back there. Since he'd started Hogwarts, his aunt wanted to see him as little as possible, so he had taken to cycling to the farm every day.

The bicycle was one he'd found in the undergrowth of the woods behind number four Privet Drive. The woods were a treasure to Harry, especially before he learnt about magic, and often he would finish his garden jobs as quickly as possible so that he could go and play there. There would often be two hours or so between how long Harry took to do a garden job and how long his aunt thought it took.

Harry idly stroked a beautiful grey nose as he remembered how he had first got his bike.

Once he had started Hogwarts, his relatives ignored him completely during the summer holidays which suited him perfectly. He spent lots of time in the woods, that first summer, exploring it all over and that was when he had first found the bike. The wheels were bent, the chain was rusted up and the tyres were riddled with holes, but it looked as if it was once a nice model. He'd spent most of that summer fixing it up, and then the rest learning to ride it. It wasn't anything special but it allowed him to keep fit and get to places, such as this farm for instance, that he wouldn't be able to otherwise in the time he had available.

"Heya kid" a voice said gently.

Harry whipped around, his hand going automatically for his wand that he kept in his pocket, startling the horses that had come up to the fence.

"Whoa! Easy lad" the voice said again. "You're a jumpy one aren't you?" The man winked.

Seeing no reaction from Harry, the man let out a bark of a laugh and continued "N'awwww I'm only kidding! I've seen you here a lot just lately, do you like the horses?"

Harry nodded. He was wary of the man as he was with all people, but this one seemed genuine. The tone was gruff but gentle, the face weathered but kind, with smile creases around his eyes, a large upturned nose and a big mouth that just seemed to fit.

"The grey is my favourite. I call him Daffy." He said, never taking his eyes off the man.

"Ehh, I like the black one meself" he replied "called Bunting, he is. Your grey is called Shadow, but 'e'll respond to anything if you've got food in yer 'and!" He grinned.

Putting two fingers in his mouth, the man whistled sharply. Four blurs came across the field as they raced to get there - the grey was in first, Harry was pleased to note, but the black wasn't far behind. Then came the other two Harry had yet to see properly: a piebald and a chestnut.

"'Ere they are. Shadow and Bunting are always the fastest but Bob and Lenny are catchin' up now." He grinned again "got some polo mints in me pocket, d'you want to give them them?"

Harry's eyes lit up. Yes he wanted to! He nodded eagerly and listened carefully as the man explained how to feed them the mints. Harry did as he was told and the horses gobbled one mint after another, especially Daffy, he thought with a smile.

"They liked that kid I tell you! Not everyday they get petted and fed treats, not with me havin' a farm to run! Eh I haven't introduced meself have I?! I always do that! Introduce the horses but not me." He winked again and this time Harry grinned back. "Alex Brown at your service laddie." he finished with a bow.

Harry repressed a very ungentlemanly snort at the man's antics and extended a hand. "Harry Potter." he said, carefully studying the man's face. There was no telltale eye flicker up to his scar. Good.

Alex shook Harry's hand with a smile. He had seen the young boy cycle here every day for a month now. Come in the morning, stay all day talking to the horses and then leave just before it began to get dark. The expressions on his face some days was not one Alex ever wanted to see on a child's face - pain, rejection, grief. He looked about 12 and no one so young should have to experience those emotions.

Alex came out of his thoughts, dropped Harry's hand and turned his attention back to the field. It was then he noticed how dark it had become.

"Harry, it will be pitch black soon and you don't have any lights on your bike. Can I drive you home?"

It was an innocent question but Harry panicked. He couldn't let the Dursleys see Alex. They might forbid him from going again and Harry could not face that. He had slept in the garden shed before because he had been back late and he wasn't going to lose Alex and the horses now. He needed to keep them secret. Coming to a decision and calming his breathing he turned back to Alex.

"It's alright thanks. I've done the route back in the dark before. I'll be fine." He smiled and picked up his bike, brushing off the loose grass from the saddle.

Alex watched him go, worriedly. He had seen the boy come in a few mornings before and he had come from the direction of the main road. As he lost sight of the bike he started back towards the farmhouse, lost in thought as to how he could help Harry Potter.

What neither of them noticed was the tabby cat sat quietly and patiently on the other side of the farmyard drive.