Chapter 1
Harry knew something was wrong from the moment he heard the unusual knock at the door. He knew from the way Aunt Petunia gasped after opening the door that there was something very, very wrong.
He stayed in his cupboard, mostly because it was locked, but also because he heard the way her body fell to the tile of the entrance hall with a 'thud'.
Harry new that the next body to hit the floor was Vernon's, and that the quick but heavy footsteps going up the stairs were Dudley's. There was a shout from the intruder and a tumble down the stairs. Dudley was dead.
Another set of footsteps entered the once normal home, and Harry peeked through the vent on the cupboard door. The man was wearing strange, robe-like clothes with a skull-like mask of his face. In his gloved hand was a polished stick that he held out in front of him, almost as if it was a weapon.
"Search every room. Our Lord wants the boy alive." Instantly, Harry quietly moved away from the vent and into the corner where his ratty school bag was sitting. He was use to being quiet, especially when Vernon was in a bad mood.
The two men searched the house, but found no one in any of the rooms. At least, the ones they considered rooms.
"It looks like only one child live here. Did they put him in an orphanage?" One of the men ask while going down the stairs.
"Possibly. But then it would be near impossible to find him. Let's go inform our Lord." They walked out of the hose but not without one of them men saying something that did not sound like a true word.
Harry could hear the fire destroying the once perfect home before he smelt the smoke.
He covered his nose and grabbed his school bag, opening the cupboard door hesitantly. When he saw the unnatural green flames, he gasped and ran for the back door that led to the garden that he maintained.
He jumped the white picket fence with ease but then landed in another lard. He panicked for a moment but then remembered that the house was for sale. Petunia loved her gossip and who she thought would buy the houses in their area. He open the gate that went into the front garden and started to run for the city, but then stopped.
Harry forgot to grab any money from the now burning house.
He looked back to see the house engulfed in flames, any money that would have been in there was gone.
The teen mentally hit himself, shouldering his pack and started to walk the long way to Surrey. He did not know why he was taking his bag with, when there was only his few folders of worksheets with wrong answers, his text books, and a fiction book from the school library that will now never be returned. Harry had been waiting for his chance to leave Little Whinging, and even though it was tragic, he never loved his aunt or uncle or cousin. He only hoped that they died painlessly.
Harry stopped after a few minutes of walking to sort everything in his pack, when he opened the smallest pocket to see a couple quid in the bottom.
"I may have some luck after all." He mummbled to himself and then opened the biggest park of the pack and took out his text books and folders, but kept the two notebooks that had no writing in them. He also kept the library book.
Harry closed the pack and slung his back on his shoulder, leaving the books and folder on the side of the road.
Nobody noticed that he was walking away from a burning building, not even the police cars that zoomed by.
When night had come, Harry kept on walking down the paved road, smiling at the blinking lights of Surrey in the distance.
When he reached the outskirts of the town, he stopped on a bench with a street light above it. He took out one of the blank note books and a wooden pencil.
Day 1, he wrote nicely on the first page.
I have escaped the Dursley's and now head for London. I have only two note books and a library book, along with maybe four pounds. When I get to London, I will find a job that will allow me to work. He started but soon erased it and started again.
Strange men killed my relatives, but not me. I believe that they were looking for me. I have gotten away and now plan for London.
His entry was short, but it would work. He liked writing down a plan, and it would help him remember the little things that could be important later.
Harry put away his stuff then looked around. He would need to find a bus station unless he wanted to walk the way to London.
He started to walk again, but a blue van pulled up next to him.
"Are you lost, sweetie?" A middle aged woman asked from the driver's seat.
Harry swallowed nervously. "Er, I'm just looking for a bus station. Is there one near by?"
"I think so. I could take you to one if you like." She stated kindly. She had a nice smile and kind eyes.
Harry bit his lip before saying okay. The woman open the door to the passenger seat and he climbed in, placing his bag on his lap.
"My name's Beth. What's yours?" Beth shifted gears and started to drive.
"Patrick."
"It's nice to meet you, Patrick. Where're ya heading to?" Beth asked with a glance in his direction.
Harry shrugged and looked out the window. Beth got the hint and turned on the radio, which started to play some music that he has heard before, but did not know the name of.
It only took a few minutes of watching street lights pass before his eyes started to droop and he fell into sleep.
"Hey, Patrick. I found the station." Beth shook his shoulder, causing him to shoot up and put up his arms defensively. "Woah there, everything's okay, Patrick. We're at the station. Do you need anything else?"
"No, thanks, Beth." Beth smiled kindly at him and started to dig in her purse.
"Here, you'll need this for your ticket." She handed him five pounds, but he tried to push it back at her.
"I have money." Harry said a bit harshly.
"Take it anyway. You look like you need it."
He hesitantly took the money from her, tucking it into his back pocket.
"Bye, Patrick! Have a safe trip!" She called to him as he walked towards the entrance of the station. He waved shyly back at her.
He turned back to the entrance and walked in, quickly getting his ticket from a bored worker. His bus would leave in a few minutes. He had gotten lucky on time, otherwise he would have had to wait for almost five hours.
Harry boarded the bus, finding a seat close to the front.
He was truly free.