I don't own Harry Potter in any format, this is a fanfiction only.

Albus Dumbledore probably figured that Harry would grow up happy and safe with his aunt and uncle. He might have even believed that he could have a normal childhood, and make friends with his cousin Dudley. But not all families were kind to their relatives and not all people treated them even humanely.

If you asked Harry how his life with the Dursleys was he would tell you that he would have been better off being raised at a local zoo. Since he arrived Harry was called a freak, and beaten every single day of his young life. They did not feed him anything but scraps of the table and he had to eat it out of a dog bowl on the floor on all fours.

His uncle Vernon took great joy in beating him and finding ways to use him around the house. He did all chores and did all the heavy lifting. His aunt Petunia hoped that one day he would die either being crushed by the things he was carrying or from starvation. Dudley made it impossible for Harry to make friends and he always stole his homework and made him change the name to his.

He went to the same local public school and thanks to what his cousin did, the teachers believed him to be a dumb, good for nothing, waste of space. It was on his fifth birthday, that he experience the single worst thing ever. Uncle Vernon had a mean, cruel heartless sister, just like he was. They brought the single most big, and mean dog she owned.

"Well Vernon, if he makes a good toy for my pet. I will give you the agreed amount. " Uncle Vernon called in Harry. He ordered him to strip and to drop on all fours." Why would you have me do that? " Harry did not understand why he wanted him to do that Vernon kicked him in the stomach. While Harry was on the ground." Cause I am sick of feeding and taking care of a freak like you. I am going to sell you to Marge here to be her favorite pet's bitch. "

" Strip and be ready to give good service to my pet, you filthy good for nothing piece of garbage, you should thank me for letting my magnificent dog rape your skinny ass. " Harry had enough, he told them that he would tell the authorities about this and all the other horrible things.

" Vernon, it looks like your slave needs a little discipline, come on let us teach this piece of shit his proper place in the world. " She and her brother began to beat him with a whip. Petunia was smiling, Dudley was simply too busy watching his favorite program to care.

Harry was curled into a ball and as he was hit over and over, something came over him. Magic began to form around his into a black dome. His arms, legs, and body began to change. It was beginning to be covered with black fur, a black long leg grew on his rear end. When the dome finally burst a small panther was where Harry had been.

Marge and Vernon freaked out as what they saw. The claws on his paws had a weird light to them, almost like they had fire on his claws. Vernon tried to hit him with a chimney iron, but as he got closer the panther pounced and slit hit throat. Marge tried to get away and she was torn to shreds by the panther's claws, the dog's head had his head ripped clean off.

"Harry, I order you to stop. " The panther did not obey as he walked towards the place Dudley was hiding. His nose told him he actually had pissed his pants. With a mighty swipe of his claws, the couch was cut in two. Dudley tried to run, but Harry was much quicker. He slashed his stomach and caused Dudley to die as his guts spilled all over the floor.

"I knew I should have killed you when you were a baby. I thought that at least you would be useful or provide us with some entertainment. I clearly was wrong, I should have killed you when you first found you outside our door. My husband and son would still be alive if I did... "

Her rant was cut short as he slit her throat and she bleeds to death. The neighbors called the local police after they could not stand the smell of rotten flesh coming from their neighbor's house. What they found was an infant panther curled up on a broken recliner.

Not wanted to be attacked too, they used a rifle and some tranquilizers to put him asleep. "Stupid fools, these big cats are dangerous,they are forbidden to be kept as pets for a reason. Come on guys, let's take him to the zoo. He looks like they had beaten him pretty badly. I am sure he will be happier with others of his kind. After the zoo, vet heals him. "

" But Frank, he killed a whole family. I think we should kill it. " Frank looked at the sleeping feline." I don't think so, John. This poor feline was severely abused by the looks of it. He clearly was just defending himself from these people. He is not at fault. "

Harry was treated by the local vet and was shocked to see ten broken bones, severe malnutrition." I know they bastards are dead, but I hope hell has a special place for people as heartless as them. "

Harry was placed in the big panther pen. A rather kind female saw him and curled up to him. Clearly, this big cat was adopting him. 'Don't worry cub. I will look after you from now on. I won't let anyone treat you bad again.'

They next morning Harry woke up. He saw the big panther giving him a warm lick on his face. 'So you finally woke up, I am going to be your mother from now on. Come on son, we have a busy day ahead. The leader of this group would like to see you.'

The big panther looked at him and smiled. 'You defended yourself from the bad humans. Good, there is no room here for the weak, Weak die young and die painfully. You will fit right in.'

For five years Harry lived as a panther and enjoyed every second of it. The female that adopted him was named Joy by the humans, it was close enough to her real name. She taught him and treated him as her very own child. It was surprising how much happier life was at the zoo when he compared it to the life he had with his supposed family.

One night a man tried to steal his mother, he said that he planned to use her to breed some specimens for a quick buck. His accomplice told him that his magic was not going to be able to hide them from much longer. Harry was not about to let that happen. With his claws flashing an eerie flame he pounced on the man moving towards his mother.

The idiotic accomplice tried to stun him. But the spells did not work on him at all. With a swift move, he cut the man trying to steal his mother across the stomach. The claws cut through the thick robes like a hot knife through butter.

The man was dead and he began walking towards the accomplice. "This is crazy, who puts a hell panther in with regular panthers. I have to get away from this thing or I am dead meat." the Aurors appeared and saw that the panther was actually an animagus. "they put their wands away and asked him to get them take the poacher with them. They promised to make him pay for his crimes."

Harry looked at the Aurors and blinked his eyes slowly, as a sign of clear approval. The Aurors took the scared shitless poacher with them. One Auror saw something strange he saw a lightning shaped scar on the big cats face. She decided to go to Hogwarts and tell Albus Dumbledore his suspensions.

In the next morning, the entire den was very proud of his deeds. So much so the leader let him eat first, something that he never let it happen before. Albus showed up and saw Harry digging into the big piece of meat that he claimed for himself. He put all the other panthers asleep. "Harry, why don't we talk?"

He did not trust him. He just saw him attack his family. He used magic on his claws and was ready to strike, to protect his family. Minerva saw this and she changed her shape to her animal form and jumped in between them.

'Your family is safe, you do not need to kill him. We just want to talk. ' Harry looked at her with an angry glare.' He attacked my family, I do not trust humans, they always do bad things to me. Why should I not kill a human that attacks my family? '

The gray tabby looked surprised at his reasoning.' I promise human can be trusted. He just wants to talk to you. Can you change to look like a human? ' Harry looked at her almost like he was insulted.' No, I am refuse. I am with family, I don't know how, but I would not take shape of bad creature like a human. '

Minerva slowly changed into a mature woman, her hair had many white hairs, and they were tied in a particular tight hairdo, she was wearing red robes with golden highlights,and square shaped glasses.

"Albus, he does not understand you. He forgot all human language or he simply refuses to use it. He sees you as a threat to the felines around you, he thinks you attacked his family. " Albus did not understand why he would call these panthers his family. He was human as he was after all.

With the help of the two of them, they tried to change him back to his human form. They failed as the spell simply was absorbed by his fur, but no change. "As I thought, he must accept it to let us change his form. Albus you will need to get permission from the zoo to take him back to Hogwarts."

She changed back to her animal form. 'Harry, we will give you a chance to say goodbye to your family, but make no mistake. We will take you with us tomorrow, and if you do not want them hurt you will come with us.' From her tone and posture, he knew she was not kidding. 'But if I go and you hurt them, I will hunt you and make you pay.'

As the two disappeared from their his family woke up. Harry explained to them what had happened. The leader understood why he was going to go, but his mother was very sad, as were his family. 'You take care, keep your fur clean and your claws sharp. I know you will make me proud my little cub, I love you and will think of you. Be safe my son.'

He walked to a far enough of a place, in case the two humans wanted to take him by force. He was not going to risk harming his family. He slept alone for the first time in years, and he looked sad and cold. The warmth of his family and the tender care of his mother. He would always miss that, or so he believed as he fell asleep.

Albus and Minerva showed up the next day. She was in her animal form. The zoo keeper was there with a tranquilizer in case he was going to attack them. 'You come willing or do we need to harm your family.' Harry looked at her and walked towards Albus, he did not attack it was clear that he accepted to go with them.

The three disappeared as the panthers gave a sad growl as a way to say goodbye to their sibling. In the office, it took four people to finally turned him back to human form. "I see that you have grown a lot, those clothes clearly do not fit you."

Minerva summoned some clothes on him, to replace the rags he was wearing. "Harry, tell me why did you kill the Dursleys?" Harry said nothing at all. Seeing that he did not say anything. Albus had no alternative but to use Legimens magic to read his mind. In his mind, he saw all the memories of his childhood with the Dursleys.

The cruel treatment, the everyday beatings, the constant insults, the slave labor, and finally the night he changed form and killed them. As he exited his mind, he looked at Minerva with an almost angry and sad look on his face. "No wonder he forgot our language. If humans treated me like that I would also forget the language of cruel species. But believe me, Harry not all humans are like that. Your real parents were some of the kindest people around."

Harry glared at him. "How would I know? The only family I had you forced me to leave behind. I was happy there, and now you bring me with you to this place. No doubt you will place me again with hateful humans, who only know how to hurt me."

"No, Harry I will not make that mistake again. You will live here in Hogwarts. Minerva and I will teach you everything you need to know. This is your home now. One day you will find someone who truly loves you. But one day you will need to learn to defend yourself and her. We will teach you magic so that you can make a living and defend your loved ones. "