Chapter 1
Chapter One
Ten, nine… three.. two… one
Harry Potter turned ten, staring at the broken clock he said to himself
“Happy Tenth Birthday”
…
Harry Potter didn’t know what woke him up because no window in his cupboard under the stairs could connect him to the outside world. But he distinctly knew something was off when his feet met something. Taking out a small flashlight he hid under his bed, he used it at the bottom of his feet.
To his surprise, he saw a box.
It might have been his birthday but the best presents the Dursleys got Harry were a pair of Uncle Vernon’s old socks and a coat-hanger… and it could only be called best because for once they remembered his birthday. Surprising him now with a proper birthday present seemed like a joke… but to Harry's knowledge, Dursley didn’t possess something resembling a sense of humor…
After a moment of hesitation, Harry opened the simple black box and saw that inside were 7 books with their spines facing him.
Harry liked books it was the only thing Dudley had no interest in so even when Harry stole some books from his bookcase he never noticed.
Harry took out the book with the number one written on the spine and read its title: “ Harry Potter and Philosopher's Stone ”, not thinking much he pulled the second one whose title read “ Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets ”
“...”
Harry stared at the titles for a moment, his mind racing. Why were the books named after him? It had to be some kind of joke. But then again, the Dursleys weren’t known for their sense of humor, especially when it came to him. And there was no one else who would bother sneaking something into his cupboard.
He looked at the other books, each one with his name printed on the cover: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and so on. All seven of them lined up neatly in the black box.
Should he ask his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon? But if he asks they would definitely take the books away just because they could… while someone clearly wanted Harry to have them.
And he didn’t have much that he could call his own.
But his thought was stopped by Aunt Petunia's steps as her shrill voice could be heard
“Up! Get up! Now!"
Without a second thought Harry covered box with a blanket before calling back
“I am up”
…
After not so big breakfast and a few kicks of Dudley, Harry luck turned for worse. Not only has Dursleys once again forgotten his birthday but Aunt Petunia stood there, her thin lips pursed tightly, looking him up and down with that familiar look of displeasure. "Don’t dawdle, boy. The garden needs weeding, and Dudley's going to a friend's house for the afternoon. You can eat first but I'll not have you lazing about."
Harry nodded obediently, feeling his stomach churn with a mix of dread and relief. He had to get her out of the cupboard before she noticed anything. He kept his eyes down, hoping she wouldn’t step inside.
To his relief, Aunt Petunia simply glanced around the small, cramped space with a snort of disdain. “Filthy as always. Once you’re done outside, this cupboard needs cleaning. Honestly, you live like a rat.”
Harry bit his lip but said nothing. As Aunt Petunia turned and walked away, her footsteps fading down the hallway, he finally exhaled, feeling the tension in his body ease.
He turned back to the books, heart pounding in his chest. He needed to hide them better, but there was no time to figure that out now. He carefully tucked the blanket tighter around the box, making it appear as though it was just a bundle of old clothes, then hurried out to start his chores.
Outside, the sun was blazing, and the heat only made the chore of weeding the garden feel more tedious. Harry worked silently, his thoughts constantly drifting back to the mysterious books in his cupboard. He couldn’t stop wondering who could have left them there.
After what felt like hours, Harry finished the weeding and reluctantly returned inside. He found Aunt Petunia waiting for him with a scowl. “Well, what are you waiting for? I told you to clean your cupboard!”
Harry quickly made his way to the cupboard, dreading what he might find. What if Aunt Petunia had gone in while he was outside? What if Dudley had snooped around and found the books?
But when he opened the door to the cupboard, to his shock, the box was still there, untouched, and as hidden as he had left it. It was almost as if… no one had even noticed it.
Curious now, Harry knelt down and lifted the blanket to check the box again. The seven books were still there, sitting perfectly in place. He picked up the first one again, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone," running his fingers over the cover.
At this moment Aunt Petunia came storming toward the cupboard. She opened the door with a sharp tug, her usual scowl in place.
“Well? What are you doing, standing there like an idiot?” she snapped. “I told you to clean this cupboard. Look at the state of it!”
Harry froze, glancing at the box or book he was holding. Surely she could see it, right there in front of her. He braced himself, waiting for her to notice.
But to his surprise, Aunt Petunia’s eyes didn’t linger on the box at all. She looked around the cupboard with her usual look of disgust and then gestured toward the corners. “Hurry up, get that broom and sweep!”
Harry blinked, confused. Had she really not seen the box? It was right there, sticking out from under the blanket. But Aunt Petunia didn't seem to notice it at all.
He nodded quickly, grabbing the broom as she stormed off down the hall, muttering under her breath about "lazy good-for-nothings."
As Harry swept the small space, his mind raced. The box of books… why didn’t Aunt Petunia react to it or say something? It was almost like… they were invisible to her? He had to be sure. He needed to check if anyone else could see it, and there was only one person he could test: Dudley.
…
Later that afternoon, Harry found Dudley lounging in front of the television, stuffing his face with crisps. Trying to act casual, Harry approached him.
“Hey, Dudley,” he said cautiously. “Can I show you something in my cupboard?”
Dudley frowned at him. “Why would I want to see your stupid cupboard?”
Harry shrugged. “It’s… it’s weird. There’s something in there. I just don’t know what it is. Thought you might want to take a look.”
Dudley’s interest was piqued slightly. He loved anything he could use to get Harry in trouble. With a grunt, he got up and followed Harry to the cupboard.
“Look,” Harry said, opening the door and pointing at box that now lay in plain sight. “Do you see that?”
Dudley squinted into the cupboard, his face screwed up in confusion. “See what? There’s nothing there, you freak.”
Harry’s heart skipped a beat. He glanced at the box, clearly visible to him, and then back at Dudley, who was still staring blankly.
“You don’t see it? Right there, on my bed,” Harry said, pointing again.
Dudley’s face twisted into an annoyed sneer. “What are you on about? There’s nothing there, you weirdo. I’m telling Mum and Dad you’re acting crazy!”
With that, Dudley ran off, shouting down the hall. “Mum! Dad! Harry’s being all weird again!”
…
Moments later, Uncle Vernon’s booming voice filled the house. “What’s this I hear about you acting strange, boy?”
Harry barely had time to react before Vernon stormed into the hall, his face red with anger. “Trying to scare Dudley with your nonsense, are you?”
“No! I didn’t—” Harry started, but Vernon wasn’t listening.
“You’ll not have any of your funny business in this house! Petunia, lock him in the cupboard. He’s not coming out until he learns some sense!”
Aunt Petunia appeared, her lips pressed tight, and grabbed Harry by the arm, shoving him roughly into the cupboard. The door slammed shut, the key turning with a loud click.
Harry sat in the darkness, his heart still pounding. But as the silence settled in, his mind returned to the strange box. Dudley couldn’t see it. Aunt Petunia couldn’t see it. It was invisible to them.
Whatever magic had hidden that box from their eyes, Harry knew one thing for certain: it wasn’t meant for anyone else. Only he could see it.
So he also didn’t mind being locked in his cupboard, because now he could read these mysterious books.
And that is what he did as he picked book number one titled: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone