Okay, so this is a repost of Chapter One because I wasn't very happy with the first version. I will probably be reposting Chapter Two as well.

For new readers, this is a story that I wrote in response to this challenge:
"When Harry gets his Hogwarts letter, the Dursleys are appalled that one has also arrived for their precious boy. Rather than demonize their own child, the Dursleys rationalize his magic and send him off to Hogwarts. There, he has enough magic to continue his bullying ways. How does Harry cope? Dudley? How does Snape react?"

I don't own anything you recognise, and it really wouldn't be worth sueing me, since I only have 0.58c in my bank account.

Warnings: THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN CHILD ABUSE If you don't like it, or the way I write it, they created the back button for just these situations. Seriously though, if you don't want to read it, please don't message me saying that you don't want to. It's annoying and kind of pointless. Also, I have never been abused, therefore I have no idea if what I'm writing is an accurate portrayal of child abuse. I can only go by what I have read in books and seen in movies/documentaries.

Otherwise, this is my first fanfiction, so please be kind, read and review.

Enjoy!

Chapter One

When Harry Potter received his Hogwarts letter, his aunt and uncle were horrified that they hadn't managed to beat the magic out of the little Freak.

Harry Potter
Cupboard under the Stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging, Surrey

Harry stared in disbelief at the letter. He had hidden it in his cupboard when he'd been sent to get the mail by Uncle Vernon. It was written on a piece of paper that felt thicker than normal, and scratchy. The handwriting was curvy, and Harry traced the first few letters with his finger. Figuring the only way he was going to discover its secret was to open it, he flipped the letter, running a finger over the crest on the back. The small letters on it spelt Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry didn't know what Hogwarts stood for but he definitely knew what witchcraft and wizardry was. Mrs Yang, who taught his 5th grade class, had told them about medieval witch burnings, and that witches were people who could supposedly do magic.

Harry had listened to the descriptions of those witches 'magic' sceptically, wondering if it was anything like the magic he'd done. Because that's the only way Harry could think to describe how he'd ended up on top of the school while Dudley was chasing him. And more recently, there was the disappearing glass at the zoo. Harry shuddered at the thought that Uncle Vernon might have to accept that things really did happen that didn't obey the rules of the world. That would probably result in something being blamed on Harry. Harry was Uncle Vernon's scapegoat; if something went wrong and there was nothing Uncle Vernon could do about it then it was Harry's fault.

Looking up as the stair above him creaked; Harry quickly stuffed the letter behind him. While he was sure that it was Dudley, it wouldn't be good for the other eleven year old to see that Harry had something he didn't. That usually led to Dudley telling his parents, and then Uncle Vernon would know that Harry had lied to him. He really, really did not want to get caught lying to Uncle Vernon again.

He was right on the money it seemed as Dudley yanked his cupboard door open. "Hey, Freak. Want to play catch?"

Harry stayed sitting, knowing that if Dudley tried to come into his cupboard he could kick him in the kneecaps. Dudley's hand came forward and clamped in his hair, dragging him out of the cupboard. He resisted the urge to yelp, instead snapping at Dudley. "What, Dud, decided that fighting like a girl's better suited to you?"

The other boy didn't truly comprehend his dig, but he did pause to try and decipher it. Harry took this chance to pull his head from Dudley's grasp, gasping as he ripped hair out, and take off out the front door. He pelted down their street, aiming for the park that was four blocks away. Dudley wouldn't be able to catch him if he ran all the way, and once he was there the stay-at-home mums would protect him. Harry wasn't afraid of Dudley, but he knew better than to try and match strength against the boy who was twice his size. He heard Dudley give up behind him and laughed as he renewed his efforts running. While he spent most of his time running away from Harry Hunters, he genuinely loved running. He didn't have any chores until after dinner, so Harry wasn't afraid to keep running toward the park. He could do some laps around the football oval before he returned to his confinement at the Dursley's.

"Boy!"

Later that night, Harry flinched at the sound of his uncle's angry shout. That tone of voice never led to anything good. The last time his uncle had sounded that angry, Harry hadn't been able to walk without limping for days.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon?" Harry tried to be as docile as possible when talking to his uncle. Sometimes it helped to calm him. His eyes turned wide as he saw the letter that Uncle Vernon held clutched in his fist. This was NOT good.

"You are to forget that you received this letter; you never got it. You'll be going to a normal school like a normal boy and you won't mention that school again. Are we clear?" His uncle was snarling like an animal, enraged at the idea that those freaks had dared to contact them after ten years of silence. They'd raised the boy right, reacting harshly whenever he showed any signs of becoming one of them. And still, they'd sent him this letter, proving that the boy was still a freak.

"Of course, Uncle Vernon." Harry didn't want to forget the letter that said he was a wizard, the letter that explained why Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had always hated them.

"Good. And don't think that anyone's going to care if you try and tell them about how we treat you. That didn't work in third grade and it's not going to work now, right?" Harry didn't like the reminder of his third grade teacher, the first person he could remember who'd actually been nice to him. She'd been fired after digging into Harry's home life when he'd come to school with a black eye. Harry learnt not to tell about the Dursleys from that experience.

"No sir, I won't tell. I promise." Harry knew that glint in his Uncle's eye. Nothing he said now was going to stop what was coming next.

"Good. Now so you remember..." Harry barely felt the first punch as he saw his cousin grinning behind his uncle, but he knew he'd feel them in the morning.