Chapter 1: Abandoned And Found

Eight-year-old Harry Potter stood in the kitchen after school, waiting for his list of afternoon chores.

Aunt Petunia threw him a list of chores and said, "No dinner until those chores are done. Now go!"

Harry looked down at the list and saw that he had to water all the plants and mow the lawn. He quickly looked down the list, and decided to start with the outside work. He was just starting with the watering when Dudley came outside.

"Hey freak, give me that!" He took the hose and sprayed Harry instead of the flowers. He threw the hose back at Harry before grinning nastily and running back inside the house.

"Mum!" he called. "The freak is playing around and sprayed himself with the water instead of the plants!"

Aunt Petunia slammed open the back door and grabbed Harry by the collar of his baggy shirt. She swatted him hard on the head with the hot frying pan that she'd clearly just grabbed off the cooker.

"You are no help! You think you're having fun, but you just wait until your Uncle Vernon hears. You'll be sorry you ever lived!" With a last smack of her hand on his face, she left him outside to continue.

Harry tried mowing the lawn, but the lawn mower stopped working less than halfway through. Harry knew that he would be blamed for that too.

Uncle Vernon was furious when he got home. He grabbed Harry and started beating him with the belt and his fists. Harry screamed, which only made his uncle hit harder.

"I've had enough of you!" snarled Uncle Vernon. "We're not dealing with you anymore!"

He grabbed Harry and flung him into the back seat of the car. Aunt Petunia gave Dudley some ice cream as they watched Vernon get in the front seat and drive away.

After hours of driving, the car came to a sudden stop. Uncle Vernon got out and pulled Harry out of the backseat, throwing him into the ditch alongside the road.

"Remember boy, you're a freak. If people come wanting to help you, refuse their help. I'm leaving you now. Goodbye freak."

He punched Harry in the face one last time before heading back to the car and driving back the way they came. Even though his relatives were mean, Harry started crying as the only family he'd ever known, threw him away like trash.

Many miles away, in an ancient castle, one professor stood ranting about students to the Headmaster of a magical school.

"Then he talked back to me," said an angry Professor McGonagall. "I gave him detention!"

Suddenly, one of Albus Dumbledore's alarms went off. He was on his feet in an instant and checked to see what happened. The blood protection wards were broken. How did this happen?

"What is it?" Minerva asked, her anger absent.

"I don't understand," said Albus. "How could the wards be down? That can only happen if Harry's no longer living with the Dursleys, or if something happens to him!"

"Shall I go check on young Mr. Potter?" Minerva asked.

"No, I'll send Madam Bones, Auror Shacklebolt, and Healer Clear. The child is likely injured and in danger," said Albus thoughtfully. "They can take him back when he's found and healed, if needed."

Minerva didn't like this at all. Didn't Albus understand that those Muggles were the worst sort?

Meanwhile, Harry sat, still crying, in the ditch beside the road. He was so caught up in his crying that he did not hear the approaching footsteps until a woman's voice caught his attention.

"Hello," said a lady. "What's your name, young man?"

"Freak," Harry said.

The three adults exchanged concerned glances before the lady continued, "My name is Madam Bones. I'm sure that your name's not Freak. Can you tell me your first and last name please?"

"Harry Potter," Harry said quietly.

The lady smiled gently at him before saying, "How did you end up here? Where are your parents or relatives?"

Harry shook his head. He looked away, not willing to tell them what happened. "Go away," he said after a moment.

"Harry, my name is Kingsley," said one of the men. "Did this have anything to do with your aunt and uncle?"

"My Uncle dropped me here," Harry said.

"Harry, Healer Clear is going to pick you up and carry you back to my office, ok? We will talk more once we are inside," Madam Bones said.

She motioned to the third man standing with them. Harry felt himself being lifted and carried for a few minutes. He tried getting out of the man's grasp, but the man had a good grip on him. He finally lost the battle and started crying. He didn't even realize when they apparated him to a large building. He was carried to Madam Bones' office. The next thing he knew, he was sitting on a chair in an unfamiliar room. Harry looked confusedly at the man who had carried him. Even though he was sitting down now, he still had a hand on his shoulder. Did he think Harry was going to run away or something?

"Harry, please explain to us why you were left on the side of the road," said Kingsley kindly.

Harry shook his head. No way was he about to talk about that!

"Harry, please tell us what happened so we can help you," said the man who carried him.

Something about his tone tore down all of his walls. He spilled out the whole story, and by the end of his rant, he was crying.

"He must be removed from the care of his relatives," said the man to Madam Bones. "Before we continue, I need to heal some injuries that he has."

"Harry, will you let Healer Clear heal you?" Kingsley asked. At Harry's look, Kingsley added,

"Healers are the doctors of the magical world," said Kingsley.

Harry gulped. A doctor? But he wasn't allowed to see doctors! And magic was real?

"Harry, there's nothing for you to hide from me, oh yes, and just call me Jeff," said Jeff. "I already know that you have wounds and bruises. I want to heal them for you."

Harry was scared. He knew about the wounds and bruising? He suddenly lost all control he had. He started sobbing hard and fighting their hands away. He tried to flee from the room before his world suddenly went dark.

Jeff sighed as he gently picked up the child, laying him on a bed Kingsley transfigured from the chair. After the two aurors documented the injuries, he healed all of the open wounds, burns, and bruising. He also agreed to take the child home until his living situation could be fully sorted out.

"What happened?" Jessi Clear asked when she saw her husband walk into the house with a sleeping boy in his arms.

"It's a long story. I'll explain it to you once I get this boy tucked into bed," said Jeff.

Harry woke up in an unfamiliar room. A nice-looking lady was sitting in a chair next to the bed.

"Hello sweetie," she said. "I'm Jessi. I'm going to take you to the kitchen where you can get something to eat and we'll tell you where you are."

Harry was confused as Jessi led him into the kitchen. She told him to join a man, Jeff, at the table. Harry looked alarmed by the amount of food on the plate she set in front of him. Did they want him to eat all of this?

"You only have to eat what you want, we will not punish you for eating too much or too little," Jessi said.

Harry looked worried but picked up his fork. He was happy when the adults started a conversation about the day and did not watch him eat. After eating less than half of what was on his plate, Harry laid down his fork.

Jessi looked at Jeff in concern for the boy but did not say anything.

"Would you like some pudding?" asked Jeff, getting up to fetch the apple crumble.

Harry looked torn but did accept a small piece.