The Dark Side And Back

A/N: I Posted this story once but it wasn't up to what I or my readers that it should be so I took it down and have been reworking it. So I want to see how people take to this story. I will post the first 2 chapters and see what kind of feed back I get. This story was a challenge a friend of mine gave me. In short they wanted a mix of the movies the books and my writing.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything dealing with Harry Potter or the world he lives in. I am merely borrowing them for amusement reasons.

Intro: Harry Potter is the boy who lived. Raised by his muggle Aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon. Mistreated for the whole of his young life by them. The abuse he suffers from them includes; beatings, starvation, physical labor and just being treated like a slave.

Then salvation comes in the form of a letter accepting him into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With the letter comes a dark prophecy that Harry knows nothing of, few do in fact. During his time at Hogwarts he will find Friendship, Love, Failure, Loss, Anger, Hatred and the Dark Side of Magic.

Love, loss, failure and hatred take him over the edge of darkness. Can love bring him back? Can the love of another be the shining light that brings him back from the dark place he is residing? The fate of both worlds hangs in the balance and in the hands of one girl. Will she win the love of the only boy she has ever truly wanted?

Come take a journey with the most recognized wizard in the history of the magical world. A journey that will take you to the Dark Side and Back!

Chapter 1

Life at the Dursley's

On a bright sunshiny morning in England, the sun shone down on a town called Little Whinging. It seemed to shine a little more brightly on number 4 private drive.

From the outside it looked like any other house on private drive. It was white and two stories tall. Along the front of the house to either side of the door was two small flower gardens. Both seemed well tended and were in full bloom. Along the edge of the side walk along the street there was a row of hedges that were nicely trimmed. The lawn was mowed and well maintained. All and all it was a peaceful looking home.

But like all books, the cover can be deceiving. It is when you walked through the door that the true story comes to light. It is at this time you find out that it is a home of hatred, and bigotry. A place where no one should ever have to live.

Dudley's birthday

We see a woman walking through a swinging door. She walks up to a small door under the stairs. It looks to be a storage cupboard. She unlocks it from the outside and reaches in. She grabs a young boy by a handful of hair and drags the him out of the cupboard.

"Get Up, Up I say. It is time to get up." She screeches.

"Yes Aunt Petunia." The smallish size boy says.

This boy who stands all of 4'10" tall, is small for his age. He is also as thin as a rail coming in at about 85 lbs. His hair is black and never seems to stay in place no matter how hard he tries to get it to. The hair drops down over his forehead to his eye brows. His soulful green eyes depict an aura of wisdom that seem to be older than his age. He wears a pair of wire rimmed round spectacles that help to add to the mystery of his aged eyes.

He is wearing what appear to be hand-me-downs to big for him. His pants are held up by a string belt and has holes in the knees. His shirt appears dirty and to large with holes in it as well. You can see his chest through the holes and can make out the lines of his ribs.

"In the kitchen with you boy." She yells.

"Yes aunt Petunia." He says as he walks through the swinging door.

"There you are boy. Finish cooking breakfast and don't you dare burn anything. Bring me more tea while you are at it!" A very large and rotund man, who appears to be in his middle 40's. Says from the table as he reads the morning paper.

"Yes uncle Vernon, right away." The boy says.

"Listen to me boy. This is my son's birthday today and you better not mess it up. Is that understood, cause if you do you won't get any food for 2 days." He tells the boy.

"Yes uncle Vernon." The boy says.

At this time the swinging door burst open an a rather large sized kid enters the room. He shoves the other boy out of the way almost causing him to drop the tea pot. The new kid rushes over to Vernon. He see's the dining room which is just off of the kitchen has a bunch of gifts wrapped in it.

"How many are there?" He asks.

"36, counted them meself." Vernon says.

"36, 36! But last year I had 37!" The large boy says.

"Now Dudley there are several a lot large than last years presents." Vernon says.

"Larger, larger you say. I don't give a care how large they are!" Dudley says.

"Now pumpkin calm down, we will be taking you to the zoo today. We can stop on the way back and you can pick out two more gifts ok." Petunia tells him.

"Hurry with my breakfast boy, didn't you hear I am going to the zoo!" Dudley says to the boy.

"Yes Dudley." The boy says.

"While we are gone you will mow the lawn and trim the hedges. Is that understood boy." Vernon tells him.

"Yes uncle Vernon." The boy says.

"You will also weed the flower beds by the porch. Don't step on any of them this time, remember what happened last time!" Petunia tells him.

"Yes aunt Petunia." He says.

"Don't know why we put up with a whelp like you. You are good for nothing at all. If you mess any of those things up and you will remember it. Now get your worthless self in that kitchen and do the dishes." Vernon berates him.

"Yes uncle Vernon." The boy tells him in a saddened voice.

The Dursley's grab their coats and then leave through the front door, leaving all of there dirty dishes on the table. The boy sighs and walks over and starts stacking the dishes. As he does this he also eats what ever scraps are left on the plates.

'One day I will get a whole meal.' he thinks to himself.

Once the dishes are in the dishwasher he goes out to the shed in the back yard. He pulls the mower out and takes it out front. He notices a moving van in the drive of number 3 private drive. He watches for a few moments and sees an adult man and woman. They seem to be talking to one of the men who are driving the moving van.

As they turn toward the house a girl about Harry's age comes out of the door. She has long wavy brown hair that is pulled back into a ponytail. She is wearing blue jeans and a white T-Shirt. He is trying to see her face but it is turned a way, before he gets a glimpse of it her and the two adults enter the house.

He shrugs his shoulders and starts the mower. He makes the passes back and forth just like his uncle had showed him. No since in making him angry. It takes him about 25 minutes to mow and trim the yard. He then puts away the mower and returns to the yard with the trimmers. He starts on the ones near to the new neighbors house. As he is about to start trimming he hears a soft voice from the other side of the hedges, that about makes him jump out of his worn sneakers.

"Who are you?"

"Who ever you want me to be." Harry responds.

"Ok, hey you look thirsty, care for some lemonade?" The girl from earlier asks.

"Excuse me?" The boy responds.

"I asked if you would like some lemonade?" She says again.

"Um, you sure you want me to have some?" The boy asks.

"If I didn't then I wouldn't have asked. Here I brought out two glasses just in case, you might as well drink one." She tells him.

"Thank you." The boy says as he takes the glass.

She gets a smile that seems to the boy as if it goes from ear to ear and makes the day seem brighter. She shyly hands him the glass. She notices the condition of his clothes and him as well. His hair is sweaty an matted but also reveals a scar on his forehead that she can't really make out. Still looking down and only sneaking peeks at the boy she talks again.

"My name is Hermione."

"Hello Hermione, I am Harry." He tells her, then takes a long gulp from the glass.

"So Harry have you lived here long?" Hermione asks, taking a sip of hers as well.

"For almost 10 years now." Harry tells her, taking another gulp.

"So what are the people around here like?" She asks him.

"I really wouldn't have a clue. The only time I am out of the house is when I am doing yard work." Harry says.

"Why is that?" Hermione asks.

"It is a long story. Plus I have to get this done before my aunt and uncle get back." Harry says avoiding the question and finishing his drink.

"Surly you can talk a few more minutes? See I knew you were thirsty." She says to him noticing his glass is empty.

"No I really shouldn't. I will be in a lot of trouble if I don't get this done. Yeah guess I was at that." Harry tells her, realizing the glass is empty as well.

"Surely you jest? What is in a grounding? Here you want the rest of mine?" Hermione asks.

"What is grounding? No it is for you to drink." Harry says as he hands her back the other glass.

"It is a punishment for when you are bad. You know like you have to stay in your room for a week. No TV for a week, or no telephone." Hermione tells him.

"Sounds like my normal life." Harry frowns.

"Huh?" Hermione says.

"Look, I don't have the kind of life you do ok. I do chores. I cook, clean and do the outside work. The rest of the time I am in my little room under the stairs. If I don't get it done right or fast enough then I don't get grounded I get a beating and no food for a while." Harry tell her.

"How awful. Is there anything I can do?" She asks him.

"Yeah just leave me alone for now so I can get my work done." Harry tells her.

"Of course. Well maybe we will get to see each other another time." Hermione says.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up. Now I really have to get this done before my aunt and uncle get home." Harry says as he goes back to trimming the hedges.

"Ok." She says as she walks back over to the porch and sits on the steps watching him.

Harry finishes trimming the hedges, he picks up all of the branches and sticks them in the trash can. He returns the trimmers to the small shed in the back yard. He then precedes to weed out the flower gardens by the front porch. He runs inside to take a quick shower and change clothes so that Uncle Vernon wouldn't yell at him for being all sweaty inside the house.

Once he was showered and had his pants on he decided to step out the back door to get a little sun shine. He was normally too embarrassed to go out with out a shirt on. His body was too thin and he knew it. But he felt it was safe cause Hermione was up front.

He sat on the back patio table and stretched his arms out behind him leaning back. This allowed the sun to shine down on his bare chest. He was contemplating his life, what it would be like if he had a real family and friends that cared for him. Really cared not because they were forced to. He heard a gasp coming from next door.

"Oh sorry didn't mean to be offensive." He said as he realized his shirt was still inside.

"No it is ok. But you are so thin." Hermione tells him.

"Yeah, look don't say anything to anyone. This isn't the best place, but it is all I have." Harry tells her.

"I won't I promise." Hermione says.

She keeps sneaking glances at him and then looking down again. She knows he is being mistreated. She also knows that most girls would see him and look away. His thinness made him look unhealthy and sickly. Hermione knew better, she could see the inner spirit that rested in this young man standing across the fence from her. An idea hit her almost at once.

"Wait right here." She said as she ran into her house.

Harry stood there feeling out of himself. He so wanted to go get his shirt and put it on. He didn't like the fact that she could see the rope holding up his pants. Or just how much bigger they were. She appeared carrying a plate in her hands. It had several sandwiches on it and some chips as well.

"You hungry?" She asked.

"Starving, but I don't think I should." Harry says.

"Come on just one won't hurt you. I can see the drive, if they show up I can warn you." She tells him.

"Ok maybe one." Harry says as he takes one and begins to eat it.

"Has your life always been like this?" Hermione asks.

"Since I was one I guess. That is when my parents were killed in a car crash. I was then forced to live here with my aunt and uncle." Harry tells her.

"I am so sorry. I am stupid I should never have brought that up." She says as she hands him another sandwich.

"Your not stupid. You just didn't know is all. Don't worry about it really I have learned to deal with it." Harry tells her with a smile as he accepts some chips from her.

"I some times think I am not suppose to have friends. When it comes to learning and reading books I am great. But when talking to other people it gets all messed up in here." She says pointing to her head, she was still sneaking peeks at Harry's chest and stomach.

"I know that happens to me too most of the time. Though it seems worse when it is a girl. Which makes this odd, cause I am having no trouble talking to you." Harry smiles as she hands him yet another sandwich.

"Yeah well wish I could say the same." She says as she looks at his thin body again.

"It will get easier. I can't make any promises but when I can I will talk to you." Harry says, it is just now that he realizes that the plate she is holding is empty. What is worse he couldn't remember her eating a single bite of anything.

"You let me eat all of that. I thought we were going to share it." Harry says stricken.

"Nope I brought it out all for you. Then I started talking about anything and everything so you wouldn't notice." Hermione smiles at him.

"Very clever. You are most definitely smart." Harry says with a smile.

"Thank you." She says with a shy smile.

"No thank you. I don't think I have had that much to eat at one time in my whole young life." Harry smiles at her.

"You are welcome. I will try to help every chance I get. I know I promised I wouldn't tell but I wonder if I can keep that promise." Hermione says.

"You have to. Other wise we can't be friends." Harry says near a panic.

"Ok I will, unless it gets worse." Hermione says.

"It really can't get worse." Harry says.

"Be careful what you say." Hermione chides him.

"True." Harry says.

"Oh no they are home." She says ducking down.

"Ok I got to go, thanks again." He tells her and is gone.

"Your welcome." She says to the air as a single rose appears on the plate in her hands. The shock on her face is plain to see.

The next day finds Harry's door unlocked at Noon. He slowly gets out of the Cupboard and comes face to face with Uncle Vernon. Vernon was sneering at him as if he was nothing more that garbage.

"You did a terrible job on that lawn yesterday boy. Had to fix it myself! Now we are going to the store, having the new neighbors over this evening for dinner. You will cook and serve the meal with no misbehavior. If it goes well we may let you keep the left overs. While we are gone you will finish the back yard. Make sure to clean out around the fence too. The weeds are really getting bad. Wash the patio table as well, we might decided to dine out there tonight." Vernon tells him.

"Yes uncle Vernon." Harry says as he starts for the back yard.

Harry hesitates in the kitchen long enough for the Dursley's to make it out the front door. He heard the car start and then watched from the window as it backed out of the drive and pulled away. He quickly went to the cupboard and changed into a pair of shorts.

He walked out into the back yard to the smaller of the two sheds. He pulled the weed trimmer out first deciding to tackle the weeds first. As he approached the fence a smiling Hermione was sitting on one of the lay down lawn chairs. Harry quickly turns away when he realized she was in just a bikini.

He took his shirt off and laid it on a chair not wanting to get it all sweaty. Finally he started up the Weed trimmer and did the fence farthest away from Hermione. He then did along the back fence and along the house. Having stalled as long as he could he starts on the fence that separated Hermione's house from his.

As he was trimming along the fence he looked up to see her walking his way. He shook his head to clear it. He was sure she was glowing. The closer she got the worst it got. By the time she made it to the fence the pain was so strong Harry collapsed into blackness. As he did so he heard her voice.

"Harry what's wrong?"

Harry could hear a voice inside his head. 'You won't have her, I will kill her first.'

'Kill who?' Harry screamed back at the voice.

'The one they think will save you. The one the prophecy talks about.' The voice cackled.

'Who is they and who are you and what prophecy?' Harry asks.

'Mark my words boy she will die!' A hideous laugh could be heard before it was quite again.

Then another voice could be heard, but couldn't make out a word it was saying. He could make out a light in the distance. He was fighting to make it to that light. Struggling with every thing he had to make it to the light and that voice. He had no idea why it was so important for him to, but he knew it was. The closer he got the more distinct the voice got. When it seemed like the light was just in his grasp, the voice came back full strength. It was the voice of an angel, and the light was his salvation.

"Harry Wake up! Come on Wake Up! Harry, please wake up."

Hermione had made it across the fence and had Harry's head laying in her lap. She was gently shaking his head back and forth while alternating light taps on the cheek.

"I would if you would stop smacking me." Harry's voice was week and strained.

"Oh thank God!" Hermione almost screams.

He opens his eyes and looks in to her Brown ones. He gets a small smile on his face. As his senses start to return he realizes that he is laying with his head in her lap and goes to sit up. The world starts to spin. As he goes to lay back down Hermione puts her hand on his face. There is a golden glow that comes from the pair as both are knocked away from each other. Harry is the first to recover.

"If you didn't want me to lay my head back into your lap all you had to do was say so. You didn't have to shove me away." Harry tells her not understanding what happened.

"Harry I thought you pushed me away. I never pushed you away." Hermione tells him.

"Ok, guess it is wall of weird material." Harry smiles at her trying to put her at ease.

"Wall of what?" She asks him.

"Nothing. It is something off of a show I got to watch once." Harry tells her.

Realizing he has been staring at her he quickly looks away. She notices this and smiles. Surely he couldn't be embarrassed by her bikini.

"Sorry not use to seeing girls in there underwear." He says.

"This is a bikini not underwear silly. Girls wear them all the time." She tells him.

"First time I ever saw it." He tells her.

"Ok. Well just sit there I will be back ok." He nods his head.

While he is waiting on her to come back out of her house he thinks about what was said. Was it just all imagination or was there something to it. The more he thought about it, the more he decided that it was just imagination. He was still deep in thought when she reemerge from her house. Again she was carrying a plate of sandwiches and two glasses of lemonade.

"Not this time Hermione. I will eat some of that, but you are going to come over and sit at the table. That way we can both eat." Harry tells her.

"Ok, here take these." She says.

He reaches over the fence and takes the tray from her. He watches as she grabs the fence and jumps over it. She had put on shorts while she was inside but still just had her bikini top on.

They make their way to the table with Harry studying his feet most of the time. He sets the plate and two glasses down on the table and then holds her chair for her. She smiles at him as he scoots the chair closer to the table.

"Such the gentleman aren't we?" Hermione says.

"I guess, I read about guys doing that in books. Just seemed like it was the right thing to do. Sorry if it wasn't." Harry tells her.

"Oh no it was fine. Sorry didn't mean to embarrass you." Hermione says. "Shall we?"

"Yes, After you." Harry motions.

She takes a sandwich off of the plate on the tray and grabs a glass. She is quietly studying the young man. Ok he doesn't know what a bikini is. He only knows to be a gentleman from books. Does the guy not have a life.

"So you are telling me the truth about how you live?" She asks him as they eat.

"The truth every word of it." He says still not looking at her.

"Harry look at me would you." Hermione says.

"I do when it is needed." He says.

"Harry!" She says standing up.

He glances up and sees her standing right in front of him. His cheeks take on a crimson hue and he lowers his eyes again. Hermione sees this and grins.

"Listen Harry you are going to have to get over this. I promise girls wear these all the time. It is a normal thing during the summer." She says.

"If you say so. It is just that I have never had a girl as a friend. Hell I have never had a friend before. So it will take me time to get use to it." Harry tells her actually looking her in the eyes this time.

"Well you have one now. Both a friend and a girlfriend- ah I mean a friend that is a girl." Hermione corrects quickly.

"Ah- yeah I guess I do." Harry says just as quickly.

"Which part?" Hermione asks.

"Both of them." Harry says.

"That's good." Hermione tells him.

They continue to eat and chat back and forth. Harry slowly get over his shyness about her clothing. He is so wrapped up in their talk he looses track of time.

"Wow, it is getting late. Well you better go. My uncle should be home soon. Tonight you will see a completely different Harry. I will be the servant Harry, the slave. Just act like you don't know me and everything will be fine. Oh yeah, my aunt and uncle are going to try to set you up with their son Dudley. Take my advice, stay far far away from him." Harry says as he turns and walks inside.

"That won't be a problem. I already know who I want." Hermione says with a smile as she climbs back over the fence.

At exactly 7 pm The door bell rings. Harry quickly moves to answer the door. There in a dress that makes Harry look a second time stands Hermione. She has two people behind her as they stand on the porch.

"Please come in." Harry says quickly closing his mouth.

When he sees the small smile play on Hermione's face. He knows she dressed the way she did for him. To get some kind of reaction out of him. She was going to be disappointed if she thought that. If he did react he would be in for a hell of a beating at the end of the night.

Hermione knew this was a dangerous game for Harry. She had gotten the reaction she wanted at the door. So she stopped trying to get Harry to notice her. She of course had no interest what so ever in Dudley. Who to her looked like a beached whale.

The evening progressed from one course to another with Harry serving them all. He knew that even though he was the one serving it, he wouldn't get a single bite of any of it. Unless there was scraps left over when he did the dishes.

At every turn Petunia was talking up Dudley to Hermione. She listen politely but the image of a whale kept coming to mind making her giggle every so often. After a couple of hours of Harry's aunt trying to get her to like Dudley, she had enough.

"Mrs. Dursley I am sure your son is a fine person. But I am sorry I do have my eye on some one else. We have been talking for a few days now, and I think it will work out in the end. But thank you for your concern." Hermione says.

"Oh, well of course dear." Petunia says.

Hermione's mom and dad look at her curiously but say nothing. The evening winds down rather fast after Hermione's statement. It is like the Dursley's can't get them out of the house fast enough. Harry shows them to the door and opens it for them. Hermione's parents don't miss the fact that as she walks by Harry she touches his hand and he returns the touch. To anyone not looking for it they would miss it. But her parents had been watching her closely since her little speech. Now they know why she made it. With a smile on all of their faces the Grangers make their way home.

"This was your fault boy!" Vernon says as he rushes toward Harry.

"Mine? How?" Harry asks as he shies away from him.

"You did something wrong!" He yells again.

He has his belt in his hands as he starts beating Harry on the back and ass. He continues till Harry can barely stand. He then grabs him and drags him to the shed in the back yard. He throws him inside and locks the door and then returns to the house. This leaves Harry in a place he has been in before.

After the stinging and some of the pain has gone away he decides to crawl out of the back of the shed. There are a couple of boards that are lose enough to allow him to get out. He was hoping that the cool air on his bare skin might help. He walks over and sits down on the bench that is under the tree in the back yard careful not to lean back.

He had been sitting there for 5 minutes or so when he realized he was hearing a noise from Hermione's backyard, like a squeaking noise. He stands up and walks to the fence and looks over. There on a swing is Hermione, she is slowly moving back and forth on the swing.

"Hey." Harry says quietly.

Hermione jumps nearly out of her skin at the sound of a voice close to her. She quickly looks back and forth before she spots a dark figure at the fence. She is so startled she lets out a small scream and Harry is shoved backwards by an unseen force. He hits the ground so hard it is hard for him to breath at first.

Hermione realizing what she has done rushes to the fence and looks over to see Harry on the ground. She closes her eyes and puts her hand over her mouth, to cover her embarrassment.

"Nice to see you to Hermione. Mind telling me what that was?" Harry asks.

"I am so sorry Harry. You startled me half to death. I have no idea what happened." Hermione says as she jumps the fence.

"Well it felt worse than what Vernon did to me." Harry says.

"What do you mean? What Vernon did to you?" Hermione asks.

"Well it seems that you not liking Dudley is my fault." Harry says.

"What? I mean yeah I like you, but that has nothing to do with me not liking Dudley." Hermione says.

"According to them I did something wrong. So I got a beating and will now be in the shed for the next week or more." Harry says looking down.

Hermione takes the chance to really look at him. She now sees the fresh bruises on his back. A couple of them have even been bleeding. She holds her breath for a moment before she runs her hand gentle along one of the welts.

"These are because of me?" Hermione asks, she quickly takes her hand away when Harry flinches at her touch.

"No they are because Vernon is an ass." Harry says.

"Harry you just told me that he did it because he thought you did something wrong. Which in turn made me not want to try things with Dudley." Hermione says tears in her eyes.

"Well according to him, yeah. But it is still not your fault." Harry says as he reaches up and brushes away the tears in her eyes.

"How can you be so kind and nice to me after suffering that kind of beating because of me?" Hermione asks placing her hand on one of Harry's as he is wiping her tears.

"Because, it wasn't your fault Hermione. Vernon did this. He had no one to blame in his mind except me, so I got blamed. He would never think it has anything to do with him or his perfect family." Harry tells her.

Something came over Hermione in that moment, something she didn't understand. She leaned forward and her lips made contact with Harry's. It was a sweet kiss driven from the things Harry had been saying. She also wanted to let him know that She would always be there for him.

Harry was so surprised by the kiss that he sat there for a moment with out moving. This was the first kiss he had ever gotten and he had no idea what to do. When she pulled back he looked at her for a moment, then found his feet more interesting.

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. She could see the uncertainty there, and the embarrassment as well. This had to of been his first kiss. Well it was only her second one so she could understand.

"Wwhhat wwaas tthhat?" Harry asks her.

"Uh- well it was a kiss. I am sorry I don't know what came over me." Hermione tells him.

"It is ok, but I think I better get back in the shed. Vernon will be out to check on the lock before he goes to bed. Maybe after he goes to bed tomorrow night I can sneak back out." Harry says.

"Yeah sure I understand. I will try to sneak out as well. Maybe we can talk about things then." Hermione says, but it sounded more like a question.

"Maybe." Harry says.

She stands up and walks to the fence. She has just climbed over and landed on her feet when she hears her name. She turns to see Harry standing at the fence. She walks back to where they are face to face.

Harry watches as she walks back to him at the fence. He reaches over with out warning and kisses her again. He tries to do it like he had seen on T.V. several times. It is soft and almost like a butterfly. When he pulls back he sees Hermione has a smile on her face.

"Sorry, I just wanted to see if it was better the second time. Besides that is the best birthday present I have ever gotten."

With that he walks back toward the shed leaving a smiling Hermione to watch him walk away. Just now realizing what it was he had said. It would be the last time she would see Harry for over a month.

Harry was watching the clock he had in the shed. He'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all.

Five minutes to go.

Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did.

Four minutes to go.

Harry hears what sounds like footsteps.

Three minutes to go.

The next sound he hears is thunder booming in the air.

Two minutes to go

One minute to go and he'd be eleven.

Thirty seconds… twenty… ten… nine — maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him — three… two… one…

BOOM.

The whole Shed shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.

BOOM.

They knocked again.

There was a pause. Then —

SMASH!

The door was pulled with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash, landing flat on the ground.

A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.

The giant squeezed his way into the Shed, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at Harry.

Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise as he runs into the shed carrying a shotgun. "I demand that you leave at once, sir!" He said. "You are breaking and entering!"

"Ah, shut up Dursley you great prune." Said the giant.

He reaches out and jerks the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands. He then bends it into a giant U as easily as if it had been made of rubber and throws it into a corner of the room. Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.

"And here's Harry!" Said the giant.

Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.

"Last time I saw you, you was only a baby." Said the giant.

"I was?" Harry asks.

"Yep you sure were. Anyway, Harry." Said the giant turning his back on Vernon. "A very happy birthday to you. Got something for you here. I might a sat on it at some point, but I think it'll taste good just the same."

From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happee Birthdaee Harry written on it in green icing.

Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was.

"Who are you?"

The giant chuckled.

"True, I haven't introduced myself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.

His eyes fell on the empty wood stove with the shriveled chip bags by it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there. It filled the whole damp shed with flickering light and Harry felt the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath.

The giant sat down on the large barrel in the corner, which sagged under his weight. He began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, 2 chipped mugs. Soon the shed was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker. Uncle Vernon said sharply.

"Don't touch anything he gives you, Harry."

The giant chuckled darkly.

"Don't worry Harry it is safe."

He passed the sausages to Harry. Who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the giant. Finally as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said.

"I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."

The giant took a gulp of tea and ate 1 of the sausages. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Call me Hagrid," He said. "Everyone does and like I told you: I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts. You'll know all about Hogwarts, of course.

"Er no, Sorry." Said Harry.

Hagrid looked shocked.

"Sorry?" Barked Hagrid, turning to stare at Vernon. Who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew you weren't getting your letters. But I never thought you wouldn't even know about Hogwarts for crying out loud! Did you never wonder where your parents learned it all?"

"All what?" asked Harry.

"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait just one second!"

He leap to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole shed. Vernon was cowering against the wall. "Do you mean to tell me. That this boy, this boy! Knows nothing about, about ANYTHING?"

Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after all, and his marks weren't bad.

"I know somethings. I can you know, do math and stuff." Harry tells him.

"About our world I mean. Your world. My world. your parents' world." Hagrid said

"What world?" Harry asks.

Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.

"DURSLEY!" He boomed.

Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at Harry.

"But you must know about your mom and dad. I mean, they're famous. You're famous." He said.

"What? My, my mom and dad weren't famous were they?"

"You don't know, you don't know?" Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare. "You don't know what you are?" he said finally.

Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.

"Stop!" He commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"

A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.

"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left for him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! And you've kept it from him all these years?"

"Kept what from me?" Said Harry eagerly.

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" Yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.

Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror as she and Dudley finally arrive.

"Ah, go boil your heads the both of you!" Said Hagrid. "Harry your a wizard."

There was silence inside the Shed. Only the rain and the whistling wind could be heard.

"I'm a what?" Gasped Harry.

"A wizard, of course." Said Hagrid. Sitting back down on the Barrel, which groaned and sank even lower, he continued. "And a thumping good one I'd say. That is once you've been trained up a bit. With a mom and dad like yours, what else would you be? I reckon it's about time you read your letter."

Harry stretched out his hand to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to;

Mr. H. Potter, The Shed 4 private drive Little Whinging.

He pulled out the letter and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered.

"What does it mean, they await my owl?"

"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me." Said Hagrid.

Clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse. From yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl. A real live rather ruffled-looking owl. A long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down.

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

Given Harry his letter.

Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.

Weather's horrible. Hope you're well.

Hagrid

Hagrid rolled up the note and gave it to the owl. The owl clamped it in its beak. Hagrid went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone. Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.

"Where was I?" Said Hagrid.

But at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.

"He's not going I tell you." He said.

"I'd like to see a great Muggle like you stop him." Hagrid grunted.

"A what?" Said Harry, interested.

"A Muggle." Said Hagrid. "It's what we call non-magic folk like them. And it's your bad luck you grew up in a family of the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."

"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish!" Said Uncle Vernon. "Swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"

"You knew?" Said Harry. "You knew, all along that I'm a, a wizard?"

"Knew!" Shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that, that school. She came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was, a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!"

She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years.

"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you! Of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as abnormal. Then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"

Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said.

"Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!"

"CAR CRASH!" Roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily and James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowing his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!"

"But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently.

The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious. "That can wait for another time Harry."

Vernon having heard his fill of what the giant had been saying and moved closer to Harry. He worked moister into his mouth before he began to talk.

"Now you listen here boy!" He snarled. "I accept there's something strange about you. Probably nothing a good beating wouldn't cure. As for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdos no denying it. The world's better off without them in my opinion. Asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types. Just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end!"

But at that moment, Hagrid leaped from the barrel and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword.

"I'm warning you, Dursley. I'm warning you, one more word."

In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.

"That's better." Said Hagrid.

Breathing heavily and sitting back down on the Barrel. Harry, meanwhile still had hundreds of questions to ask him. Just wasn't sure how or when to ask them.

Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes. Harry instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley. Bullied and beaten by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. If he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? How come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football? If he was truly a wizard.

"Hagrid?" He said quietly. "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard." To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled.

"Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?"

Harry looked into the fire. Now that he came to think about it. Every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he had been upset or angry. Chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach.

During this time Dudley had spotted Harry's cake. He slowly slide around the wall of the Shed and picked it up off of the bed. He hurried to the other side of the room where he started eating it as fast as he could. Hagrid noticed him doing this, but let it go for now.

Dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut he'd managed to make it grow back. Not to mention the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge. He hadn't even realized he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa constrictor on him? Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him.

"See?" Said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard! You wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."

But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight. He had enough of this fat oaf trying to talk him into going to that blasted school. He just was going to let it happen.

"Haven't I told you he's not going?" He hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish, spell books and wands and..."

"If he wants to go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily and James Potter's son going to Hogwarts! Your mad. His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off to the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. And he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled—"

"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Yelled Uncle Vernon.

But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head.

"NEVER !" He thundered.

"INSULT!" He thundered.

"ALBUS!" He thundered.

"DUMBLEDORE!" He thundered.

"IN FRONT OF ME!" He thundered.

He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley. There was a flash of violet light and a sound like a firecracker. A sharp squeal and the next second Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.

Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley out of the shed, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and followed behind them.

Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.

"Shouldn't of lost my temper." He said ruefully. "But it didn't work anyway. Meant to turn him into a pig. I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left to do. Be grateful if you didn't mention that to anyone at Hogwarts. I'm, er, not supposed to do magic, strictly speaking."

"I won't say a word." Harry says.

"It's getting late and we've got lots to do tomorrow." Said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up to town get all your books and that."

"Books and stuff? Where do we get that from?" Harry asks.

"You will see tomorrow, lets go. Unless of course if you want to stay here?" Hagrid raises his eye brows at him.