Rise of Harry Potter Chapter 3 Conference Call

Dear Tooth, North, Sandy and Bunny,

I've located Harry. The situation is complex and unpleasant. It's too complicated to explain in writing, and I don't want to leave. Please come to Surrey, so we can discuss what happens next.

Jack Frost

Jack curled up in the fork of branch and trunk. He was just catching a quick nap, staff hugged to his chest like a favoured soft toy. Without Sandy directing his dreams down pleasant paths (or Pitch Black weaving nightmares), his mind drew on the memories of that afternoon.

Jack balance on the car. Harry had a large shovel, the handle nearly as tall as he was. He slowly shuffled the snow into heaps, while Dudley was inside stuffing his face. Jack started to regret laying down so much snow overnight.

After some minutes, Dudley charged out the door again. He didn't go far, just to the end of the driveway. He glanced each way and smirked.

Jack called a gust of wind to give him an extra hop into the air. The other boys, Dennis, Gordon, Piers and Malcolm, were returning. The five formed a rough semi-circle between Harry and the house. Harry kept shovelling snow, nervously pretending to be oblivious. After a moment, Dudley shoved him.

Harry stumbled, and righted himself. Jack landed behind him, standing by his shoulders supportively, knowing none of the boys could see him.

"Think a little snow will protect you, freak?" Dudley sneered, grinning nastily.

Dennis took a turn pushing Harry, and the smaller boy stepped onto the end of the snow shovel, losing his balance. Acting quick, Jack grabbed the handle and iced the ground beneath. The shovel slid along in a manner reminiscent of Jamie's sled, Harry gripping the handle, eyes wide. Gently tugging Harry out of range, Jack landed him in a nice thick snow drift.

Dudley stared in outraged shock. "What did you do, you freak?!" he squealed.

Jack hissed angrily. "Leave him alone, you fat layabout," he growled, as Harry squirmed away from the group of bullies, protesting his innocence.

"Dad!" Dudley shrieked. "Dad! The freak was doing things!"

The father of the house burst out the front door. "Boy!" he yelled. Harry slunk over, and the father grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. Jack bounded over and followed as the father dragged Harry inside, wrenched open the cupboard under the stairs, and threw the child inside. "And stay there!" he snarled.

Jack sank to the floor while the father bolted the door behind Harry. For once, he was grateful for his invisibility, as it meant he could watch his charge.

"Hey, Frosty!"

Jack jerked awake at Bunny's call, and lightly jumped down from his tree to join the other Guardians. "Hey, guys," he said. "Glad you could come."

"What is it, Jack?" Tooth asked. "What didn't you want to write about?"

"I worked out why Harry stopped believing," Jack reported. "His guardians, and I use the legal term loosely, have been using him as a household slave. I'd guess it just…squashed the belief out of him."

The four older Guardians sighed deeply. "We have seen this before," North said darkly. "How did I not see it during the delivery?"

"There's another boy, Dudley, who lives here too. He's been on the Naughty List since he could talk; you probably thought he was Harry." Jack shrugged. "I did, at first".

"What we'd normally do in this situation is try to get a child who still believes to get the attention of someone who could sort out a change of custody for the kid in trouble," Bunny explained. "Think you can find someone who could help with that?"

"I dunno," Jack sighed. "The other children looked pretty keen to beat Harry up. What else can we do?"

"Not a lot," North replied. "We guard the spirit; there's only so much we can do for the body."

"So what do I do?" Jack asked.

"Watch over him," Tooth said. "Keep him as safe as you can. Get him to believe in you. Find someone who cares for him."

Sandy waved a sheet of sand to attract their attention. He pointed to the house, then formed two small figures hugging each other.

"You'll send Dudley dreams to get him to be nice to Harry?" Jack asked. "Might work. Do you want to see Harry?"

"Oh, yes," Tooth said. "Is he cute? Is he sweet?"

"He's…small," Jack said evasively. "C'mon, I left the door on the latch."

He led his fellows round to the front of the house and pushed open the front door, then continued down the hallway to the cupboard under the stairs. He carefully unbolted it, and pulled open the door.

Moonlight streamed into the enclosed area, and Tooth cooed at the sight.

"Isn't he cold, mate?" Bunny asked, pointing at the single thin blanket. "I am, and I've got my fur."

Before Jack could answer, Harry's eyes opened, and he gazed, unseeing and confused, straight through his visitors.

Harry blinked in surprise at the open door. He'd occasionally found the cupboard unlocked when he'd thought it was locked, but never open. He cautiously poked his head out and examined the moonlit hall. Empty. Finding courage in his rumbling belly, Harry quickly snuck into the kitchen.

Opening the fridge door, Harry grinned. It was full of leftovers. He grabbed an old takeaway container from a stack of empty tubs, and started filling it. Some scraps of turkey, two potatoes, a slice of ham, a handful of peas and diced carrots, a spoonful of Aunt Petunia's chocolate trifle; a little bit of everything, not enough to be missed. The he grabbed a second tub and raided the cupboards for less perishable foodstuffs to save for when he needed them.

Finished, Harry crept back to his cupboard. He paused at the still open door. While he was gone, a thick, fluffy blanket had appeared. Mystified at his good fortune, Harry closed the door behind him and ate his stash. Curling up in the blanket, belly gloriously full, he fell back asleep.

AN: Please, I don't want to hear about how I'm killing you with suspense. I already know that. If you want to hear about my theories for how the Guardians interact ('cause there's some pretty diverse versions out there), just ask, either by PM or on my FB page, details on my profile.

Also this week: Flashback, Little Bird's Vengeance.

Next week: Jason and the Argonauts, Black and Red, Time, Space, Magic.

Please review!

Katara