Rise of the Phoenix

Summary: When the Dursley family moved to New York after Harry's third year Harry is none to happy about it, that is until he meets his new family.

A/N: I own nothing. This is part of a rebooting of Like Father Like Son I wanted to make it as different from the original story as possible. My reason for doing this is that simply rewriting the original was not working. I also wanted to work at a slower pace and also develop Harry's friendship with Peter Parker / Spider-man.

Chapter One: Dursley Family Secrets

A wise man once said, "With great power, comes great responsibility" and the two young men standing atop the ruined rooftop of the Oscorp building in New York knew now more then ever what that meant. Both where battered and bruised with cuts spread about them from their respective fights. The shortest of the two a green-eyed black haired young man dress in black jeans a red T-shirt and navy blue hoodie approached the kneeling figure of the other brown haired brown-eyed young man dressed in a blue and red skin tight outfit whom was kneeling beside the body of an older male.

"He's gone." The brown-haired teen said turning to face his friend.

The black haired teen stepped forward his hand beginning to glow slightly as he approached his friend and kneeling beside him. The Brown haired boy watched as he lowered his hand toward the man's wounded abdomen.

"You may want to put that mask back on, if this works he won't remember who you are." The black haired young man said just as the two where blinded by a white light.

Three Years Earlier-

Vernon and Petunia Dursley liked nothing more than for the world to believe they where an average family from England, living an average life in New York's Upper West Side. The fact that hey lived across the hall from the Police Chief was even more reason for them to seem like an average and kind family. However they where anything but average or kind, the fact that their son was the size of a baby killer whale while their nephew looked like he could fit through the crack at the bottom of a door was enough to make their neighbor's question the kind of people they were. In fact it was because of this questioning that Harry Potter's life took a turn for the better.

Fourteen year old, Harry James Potter is the nephew of Petunia and Vernon and he was as far from normal as one could possibly be, he was a wizard but he was also much more than that. Harry had only recently figured out that he was a mutant though he didn't know what his powers entailed but he figured Telepathy was among them if the letter from Sirius was anything to go by. Harry was sitting on the windowsill of his bedroom, which overlooked the alleyway and connected to the fire escape. He was reading the last letter he would ever get from Sirius Black his God Father.

Dear Harry,

There are some things I need you to know. The first thing you should know is that there is about your father Harry, he was a Mutant an I'm sure Dumbledore would have found out just now as well. Harry you must have put one and one and found out you are a mutant like your father and your powers will start to show them selves soon or maybe they already have. Do watch the claws if you have them Harry your father was always using his to chase people away. Also, if you want to get away from the Dursley's there is a place in the states called Xavier's school for the gifted.

Take care, Sirius

Harry looked up from the letter and out the window to the alleyway below. He had been in America for over a year and he had already he noted the difference from Surrey in the first month. Here people actually took note of his small and malnourished appearance and weren't as quick to fall for the Dursley's tall tales about him. Dudley had already been dragged home by the police and that was worth the move alone. He closed his eyes and listened to the hundreds of voiced that echoed in his head it wasn't the most comforting thing but it was fun to hear the random thoughts of the people around him.

"Hey Freak!" Dudley's booming voice called as he rudely barged into his room.

Harry looked away from the window his bright green eyes locking with Dudley's steel blue ones causing the whale of a boy to freeze mid-step.

"Mum wants you." Dudley said more calmly.

Harry gave his cousin an odd look as he walked out of the room. Dudley had been strange toward him since he return from his third year at Hogwarts, something harry would rather not go into detail about. Hopping off the sill Harry walked down the hall to the living room where Aunt Petunia sat with Mrs. Stacy their next-door neighbor.

"Harry dear, why don't you go buy those ingredients I need for dinner tomorrow." Petunia said.

Harry glanced between the two blonde women before smiling charmingly.

"Of course Aunt Petunia." He said grabbing his sweater and walking toward the door.

"Don't be too long, you know the rules." She called after him.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia." Harry said slamming the door shut behind him with a little more force than necessary which he just knew he would be hearing about later.

Harry walked down the hall muttering when he entered the elevator standing beside Gwen Stacy, Mrs. Stacy's daughter and eldest child.

Gwen was a very attractive girl with long blonde hair and beautiful green eyes just a shade dimmer than his own.

"Someone's in a bad mood." Gwen joked.

"You'd have to be allowed to feel to be in a bad mood." Harry said.

"And you aren't allowed?" Gwen asked.

Harry bit his tongue at the remark that wanted to fly out his mouth and instead said.

"Only every other day."

Gwen laughed and the two of them exited the elevator on the first floor.

"Are you following me?" Gwen asked when they continued through the lobby.

"No, your mom is over at my place and my Aunt wanted to get rid of me, so now I'm going to walk around the block for the next six hours until I feel safe walking into the apartment." Harry said.

Gwen smiled and looked thoughtful for a second.

"You should come with me on a tour of New York, you might like it." Gwen said.

Harry stood straighter and pushed his glasses up his nose.

"I don't know...I might get lost." He said.

Gwen laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"So you're totally coming." Gwen summarized.

"I have nothing better to do." Harry said with a smile.

He had liked Gwen the moment the two met, mostly because she insulted Dudley who tried hitting on her the second he saw her.

The two made their way to Central park where Gwen gave him a quick tour before leading him to her favorite shop. They where walking down the street toward the shop when someone bumped into Harry, causing his to let out a groan of pain and clutch his right side.

"You okay?" Gwen asked.

"Fine, I'm...ah…Fine." Harry said through clenched teeth.

Gwen looked at him before stepping in front of him and lifting his shirt to reveal a very nasty looking bruise. It was large and spread from his hip up to his upper torso and across his belly.

"What did they do to you?" Gwen asked.

What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"I'm not blind or stupid dispite what my hair color may suggest. Your too small and way to skinny for your age. You talk about your Aunt and Uncle like you aren't related to them. So as a friend I'm asking you to tell me what goes on behind the doors of the Dursley Family home." Gwen said.

Harry locked eyes with the pretty blonde and sighed.

"I can't." Harry said and started to walk around her but she grabbed him and looked him in the eye.

"You can tell me or you can explain to my father why you had a bruise across your jaw last week." She said.

Harry's eyes went wide and Gwen nodded.

"Yeah I saw everything. You accidently tripped into your Uncle's back and he swung around and punched you. Now, I know something isn't right and I want to help so please tell me what is going on." Gwen said.

Harry sighed and nodded throwing his free hand up in defeat.

"Alright, alright I'll tell you but you can't tell anyone what I tell you." Harry said.

"I make no such promise, but I will reserve the right depending on what I hear." Gwen said.

"Fair enough I suppose." Harry muttered.

"Roof top or my place?" Gwen asked.

"Roof top." Harry said.

Gwen smiled slightly and led him up to their buildings roof where Harry promptly walked over and sat at the edge of the building.

"So what do you want to know?" Harry asked.

"Have they hit you before?" Gwen asked.

Harry laughed darkly which made Gwen frown.

"The thing you should know about my Aunt and Uncle is that even when I wasn't around it was my fault. They hated my parents and by association they hate me."

"How bad was it?" Gwen asked.

"Want to be a little more specific?"

"The way they beat you how bad are they?"

"Not bad at all, they're pretty good at it." Harry joked.

"What about verbally how bad are they at that?" Gwen tried again.

"Pretty bad I can think of better insults than them." Harry said with a smile.

"You're deflecting." Gwen said.

Harry sighed and looked at her the smile gone from his lips and his eyes haunted.

"Trust me when I say you don't want to know." Harry said.

"Yes I do." Gwen insisted.

"Why do you care so much!?" Harry snapped.

"Because I'm your friend and I care!" Gwen yelled back.

Harry stared at her saying nothing just watching her green eyes look him over. They had known each other a year but it did feel like they knew each other much longer.

"Fine don't tell me, but I hope you realize that they may eventually kill you." Gwen said walking toward the door when Harry sighed and started talking to her back.

"Until I started school I thought my name was Boy or Freak. Until I was eleven I was told that my parents killed themselves in a car crash because they where driving drunk, when the reality was that they where murdered." Harry said.

"That's a horrible thing to tell a kid." Gwen said turning to face him.

"It gets worse, I was forced to sleep in a small cupboard under the stairs until I was ten. I've done all the cooking and cleaning since I could walk. If I even asked a question I was slapped around. I've never owned my own clothes and they like to tell people I'm a delinquent. I've never gotten a Christmas present from them let alone a birthday present instead I got to watch Dudley open his loads of presents. I never get to eat more that a hunk of bread and cheese or could soup for dinner and my room only locks from the outside and has a pet door for food." Harry told her.

Gwen walked over to Harry and pulled him into a hug.

"Why haven't you told any one, the police?" Gwen asked.

"They're the only family I have." Harry said.

"Harry listen to what you just said, that's not a family that's…something out of a really depressing movie. I'm telling my dad." Gwen said.

"Gwen Don't, it's not that bad anymore." Harry said.

"Don't defend them, please don't. Yes we've only known each a year but you're still my best friend. Let me talk to my dad please." Gwen said.

Harry wanted to argue but at the same time it was something he had always wanted someone to care enough to get him away from the Dursley's. He knew telling Gwen would lead to some sort of criminal charges being filed in fact he planned on it, but then telling her had to be forced out of him and then it hit him the reason why he was suddenly so reluctant to talk or to let Gwen talk.

"I'm afraid." Harry said looking up at Gwen who stared back.

"I promise you everything will be okay." Gwen said.

"You don't get it, I wanted to tell you but part me realized that all I've ever known was life at the Dursley's. I mean I went to boarding school most of the year but the Dursley's where there every summer to make my life hell and now they'll be gone and I don't know what will happen to me." Harry said.

"I'll help you figure it out." Gwen said taking his hand.

End Chapter…