Plot Ideas

I find it strange that no one noticed what was going on with Harry, his entire childhood. I know abusers tend to hide child abuse, and abused kids tend to be ashamed and hide it for that reason, but to me Harry's situation seems quite visible. Sure, the Dursely's were sure to hide it and lied about how horrible Harry was but...

1. if a parent speaks that ill of a kid to their neighbours (him being a criminal etc.), I'd see it as a warning sign

2. they were bound to speak ill of him to his teachers, which should've been a warning sign

3. I assume bullying was going on in the schoolyard as well, which should've been noticed by teachers

4. I'm sure Dudley must've slipped at some point and mentioned to his friends about his "freaky cousin" staying in the cupboard, or anything else abusive that was going on. During the years, a friend of his must've relayed this to their parents, who should've seen it as a warning sign. I know I talked about that type of stuff with my parents, who did realise that one of my friends was being abused at home. I didn't get it at all because I was too young, but from what I told them in passing about what I'd done that day, who I played with, what we talked about, etc., they figured it out

5. Harry's poor clothing and taped glasses, compared to Dudley's appearance, should've been a warning sign

6. Harry's demeanour may have been an indication of abuse - J.K. doesn't go into detail about it in canon but abused kids tend have certain behaviours and mannerisms

7. also that scene where Petunia swings a frying pan at Harry?! What the --?! How is that not extremely abusive! What if he didn't duck!

So, the premise of the plot idea is that Dudley does mention stuff about Harry over the years to his friends. Piers seems like a nasty kid but Malcom, Gordon and Dennis aren't described much.

Petunia gossips with Mrs Polkiss about how horrible Harry is. She enjoys gossiping and just laps it up, and doesn't want to suspect her friend of abuse. Dudley and Piers are joined at the hip and like bullying Harry.

Malcolm, Gordon and Dennis are more of followers than instigators and lets peer pressure get to them. 

I don't think all bullies have shitty parents and are shitty people. I think some are swept up in it. Kids are impressionable and want to fit in.

So, Dennis does participate in Dudley's bullying, but he also thinks it's weird that Mr and Mrs Dursley doesn't stop them when they knock Harry around, because that's what other adults usually do. He also thinks it's weird that Harry stays in a cupboard. And that it's Harry who cooks breakfast, not Mrs Dursely.

Dennis mentions one thing at some point to his parents. And awhile later, he mentions another thing. His parents grow suspicious and start asking him more questions. Then they talk to the teachers at school one day when they're picking up Dennis and ask them if they noticed anything about Harry. Eventually the teachers contact Child Services, who end up taking Harry away and placing him in faster care.

Now, foster care doesn't really have a good reputation but my idea is that Harry is taken away from a horrible place and actually gets a rather decent childhood instead. He has a family, maybe siblings, some friends.

Does that make him question Ron when he says that all Slytherins are evil on the Hogwarts Express? Does he go to Slytherin instead? Does he end up in Hufflepuff after learning what it's like to have a loving family? Does his foster family impress upon him the importance of school and he ends up in Ravenclaw? How does his family handle all the dangers he faces at Hogwarts each year? Is he pulled and sent to Beauxbatons? Durmstrang? Ilvermorny? The possibilities are endless...