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Harry stood quietly at the fence marking the end of the property line. He spit some blood that had leaked from his split upper lip, ignoring the stinging feeling as his saliva flooded the cut. His gaze flickering about as he watched the swirls of colour that made up the magic of the blood wards.
Dumbledore had claimed that Harry had to return ‘If only because the Blood Wards will offer you the best defense from an attack by the Dark.’
***
“But sir, they will kill me!” Harry had pleaded while he was still in the bed in the hospital wing. His self-preservation and pride screamed as he told the Headmaster everything that his ‘Aunt’ and ‘Uncle’ did, including the beatings and the starvation and them locking him away for days in a small cupboard.
He only quieted down as he realized the Headmaster’s face had remained impassive. Harry’s heart froze under the man’s bland gaze, and in that moment he knew that the Headmaster knew. He knew everything and he didn’t care.
“Harry, my boy, they are family and they would never do anything like that to you.” He admonished Harry. Something broke in the boy as the Headmaster continued to berate him. His mind shut down, and Harry found himself not even noticing as the Headmaster finished with his tirad, nor when the man tried to get his attention. He missed when the Headmaster gave him a smile and walked away.
He spent four days alone in the infirmary, with only Madam Pomfrey and his snake, Gemma, as company. He had been ostracized by the other three Houses when the Sorting Hat had refused his pleas to keep him out of Slytherin. And he wasn't safe from his Housemates either. Jinxes and hexes were aimed at him from the moment he woke up to before he could hide in his secret room.
His dorm had proven to be unsafe on the very first night, when he had woken to Malfoy and Nott hexing him with boils and cuts on his arms. His magic had lashed out and sent the two boys across the room, where they hit the wall and passed out. Zabini had fled, no doubt to find a Prefect or worse Snape, and Harry took the moment to summon all his things and to run out of the Common room.
Gemma had led the boy down several hallways, bringing him to a small abandoned part of the dungeons she had learned about from one of the snakes in a painting. It had once been a Professor’s apartment, offering Harry a small bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living space.
Even after Severus gave him detention after detention and had him followed back to the dorms each night, Harry, with the aid of the snakes that filled the paintings and walls of the Slytherin Common Room, learned all of the secret passageways in the dungeons and easily made it into his Haven each night.
He learned everything he could get his hands on. Reading and practicing every waking hour he could. He didn’t care about classes, only on surviving. But he had learned that if he didn’t at least try in his classes, the Professors would punish him and place him in detention, usually with Snape who would glare at him for hours as Harry silently cleaned cauldrons or gutted flobberworms.
He found that he didn’t need his wand, and only used it in classes to keep his secrets. Gemma would hunt in the night, learning the secrets of the Castle and her inhabitants, and would gleefully inform Harry of everything.
It was how Harry found out that Granger was nearly killed by a troll, or how Malfoy had become the Slytherin Seeker, even though it was against the school charter to allow a First Year to play. It had come down to favouritism as Gemma informed him that Snape was apparently Malfoy’s Godfather.
Harry spent all his free time hidden away and strengthening himself. After the Headmaster had ‘gifted’ him a Potter Heirloom, Harry used the cloak to sneak back into the Slytherin Common room in the night, and he stole all the books he could from the bookshelves. He delved into the books meant for the older students with relish and soon he found himself casting spells that were considered too much for a First Year to do.
Of course he was stunned in one of his expeditions, one where he hadn’t bothered with his cloak as he had learned the Disillusioned charm and felt safe under it as he had planned to steal some more ingredients from Snape’s classroom.
It was then the events on the third floor took place. Harry struggled against Voldemort, who had completely taken over the bubblering Defense Professor. Even with the shock of his wandless and silent castings, along with his rather large collection of spells, he had been no match for the Dark Wizard. He had won purely from luck and his mother’s gift, when Voldemort had decided to kill Harry the Muggle way, and went to strangle him.
The Dark Wizard’s hands almost immediately burst into flame, burning Harry’s throat and chin in the process. Thankfully the mad man had let go almost instantly and Harry struggled to remain awake as the flames overtook Voldemort, but the pain Harry felt all over his body from the spells cast at him won out and Harry passed out before he could witness the Dark Wizard’s demise.
***
As long as you consider it your home. Dumbledore’s final words to Harry, before he threw the lad onto the train to be tortured and abused by his ’family’, echoed faintly.
“This isn’t my home.” Harry whispered, almost in a hiss.
“ ~Are we leaving?~” Gemma questioned, scenting the air with her tongue.
“Yes. This isn’t our home.” Harry repeated louder, and with the same force he would when he casted. The wards responded, and Harry took a step back, raising his hands to protect his and Gemma’s faces.
The swirls of magic grew harsh, practically slamming into each other and creating brighter colours. It happened quite suddenly, and Harry almost missed it, as the Wards folded in on themselves, the ends at the front of the property pulling back until the entire Ward formed a bright orb of heavily condensed magic.
Harry and Gemma gazed unblinking at the orb, with Harry’s eyes watering under its gleam. “Should it fade away or something?” He muttered more to himself than anyone else. Gemma hissed and reached forward with her tongue. “Don’t touch it.” Harry warned.
The orb blinked, its light flashing on and off, before it expanded a few inches larger and suddenly flung itself at Harry’s chest. The boy let out a surprised yell, fully expecting to feel a burning feeling or a sharp pain as it connected with his chest. He was surprised when he felt nothing but a mild warmth, but flinched as he felt his entire body tingle and grow warm. He watched, stunned, as the Wards seemed to mold around his body, glowing all over him, from head to toe.
Gemma was also granted the protection as her dark grey scales glimmered with the swirling magic. It took some time for the Wards to settle, and Harry let out a small sigh of relief as his entire body relaxed and the magic faded. He could still feel the magic resting on his skin, but it was no longer visible.
“Gemma, I think Lady Magic has given us her Blessings.” Harry quietly told his Familiar. “We need to go.” He knew the disappearance of the Wards would have the Headmaster coming.
The first thing he did was pull out his wand. It never felt right -always seeming to hinder his magic. He balanced between his two hands, before snapping it suddenly and throwing the pieces away. He didn’t notice that there was no spark of magic released at the snap, unaware that it meant it was a dead wand already.
He summoned his things out of the house, enjoying the sounds of wood and glass breaking along with the screams and hollers of Petunia and Vernon. His trunk and Hedwig's cage- thankfully empty- slammed out of the back window, just as Vernon rushed out the door.
Harry barely flinched before throwing his magic at the fat man, forcing him back into the house and falling onto his wife. His magic locked and barricaded the door and Harry couldn't help but smirk as he listened to the pair holler out claims of what they'll do when they reach him. He shrugged before waving his hand at them, causing them both to be silenced.
Gemma’s hiss alerted Harry seconds before he felt and then heard the crack of two Wizards apparating. He found himself smirking as he found both Dumbledore and Snape on the other end of the garden.
“Hello, Harry.” Dumbledore started. “What seems to have happened here?”
“I think you know, Headmaster.” Harry responded, with a large grin. “The Wards fell. You were right when you said they wouldn’t last if I did not call this place home.” He practically hissed.
“Doesn’t feel like a home?” Snape questioned snidely. “Did they not offer you your meals on a silver plate? Was the steak cooked too long?”
Harry ignored the man’s jabs, and instead laughed. “If only you knew Snape.”
“That’s Professor Snape to you!” The man snarled.
“We are not at Hogwarts, and to be honest you do not deserve the respect that title gives.”
“How dare you!” The man made to step closer, but was pushed back, as the Wards freed themselves from Harry and surrounded the boy in a small protective circle.
“What is the meaning of this?” Dumbledore asked, his voice heavy with false concern. Harry could practically see the gears turning in the old man’s head.
“The Blood Wards didn’t dissolve. They bonded to me.” Harry responded. “It would seem that they will protect me from whatever magic feels is a threat to me.” He pointedly stared the the Potions Master.
“Now, my boy, I do not feel there is any need for this. Professor Snape does not mean you any harm.” He offered Harry his signature grandfatherly smile. “Please lower the shield.”
“I’m afraid I cannot.” Harry felt the new magic, and while he could do as the man asked, he felt it was better to pretend otherwise. “It seems to have a mind of its own.” The shield grew brighter as if to agree with him.
“Insolent whelp. Lower this shield now!” He drew his wand and aimed it at Harry, only to have his hand forcibly lowered by his partner.
“Harry, what is your goal here?” He questioned, eyeing the trunk and empty cage that rested at Harry’s feet.
“Well, sir, as I would hope it is obvious to you, I plan to leave.”
“And where shall you go?”
“Wherever I wish.”
“My boy, you are only eleven. Surely you are aware the world is not a safe place for you.” He attempted. “Wouldn’t it be best to stay here? Or perhaps coming back to Hogwarts?”
“You think I am more safe here or at Hogwarts than on my own?” Harry couldn’t help but laugh, which Gemma joined in with her own hissing. “A Castle where, under your watch I was kidnapped and tortured?”
“Then here?” Dumbledore tried once more.
“This place is no better!” Harry snarled, sickened by the fact Dumbledore continued to deny the abuse he had suffered.
“Oh please. Are they not feeding you your favourites? Or perhaps they don’t bow as you enter the room.” Snape mocked. “Albus, let’s let him live on the streets for a while. He’ll be crawling back here within the week.”
“I will never return here, unless I am gagged and bound, Snape.” Harry glared at the pitiful man before him. “Would you like to see why?” He didn’t bother waiting for a response, instead he ripped his shirt up, revealing the word ‘FREAK’ that was clearly cut across his abdomen, the ‘k’ freshly bleeding from Harry’s rapid movement to pull up his shirt. “This is what this house offers me. Not safety, not family! Torture, pain, and abuse.”
The look of horrour on the Potions Master’s face brought a sick joy to Harry. Snape quickly turned on the Headmaster, and he angrily whispered to the man, but was quickly quieted as the man clearly told Snape what he needed to hear.
“Come now, Harry, you mean to tell me that your Aunt and Uncle did that to you?” Dumbledore pandered.
“No, they would never sully their fingers by touching me.” Harry muttered darkly. “This is thanks to my Cousin, that Petunia had to spell out for him, and that Vernon offered the knife he took to my skin.”
“If that is true, then you are more than welcome to the castle.”
“I think not.” Harry shook his head, and stepped further away from the pair. He had already decided he was going to disappear. There was nothing for him on the British Isles.
“Stop being a damned nuisance, and listen to the Headmaster!” Snape snarled.
“Yes Harry, come to us. We can protect you.” The elderly man offered.
“I do not want the protection you offer.” Harry refused them both. “ You-” He pointed at Snape “- allowed your House to torment me and run me out of my Dorm, punishing me instead of them when I was hit by a curse or jinx. All because of events that my father and godfather did to you years ago.” Harry gave the man a vicious smile, happy when the normally stoic man flinched back. “ I even know the name they gave you, Snivellus. You failed as a Professor, as a Head of Slytherin and as a human being when you let a grudge between you and my father mean you could bully and mistreat a child!”
“How do you know that?” The man practically whispered.
“The walls have ears and a long memory.” Harry replied with a mocking smirk. He turned to the Headmaster. “As for you. You have a plot that centers around my life. I have no idea what it is, but I will have no part of it!”
“You have no money and no shelter. Enough with the games, my boy.” Dumbledore finally showed the force behind the man, and Harry was awed by the magical pressure that pressed against the shield.
“A fine attempt, Headmaster.” Harry admitted, before he threw his magic at the shield, boosting it, forcing the Headmaster’s magic to be pushed away. He then pulled out a letter. ”As for money and shelter-” He waved the envelope to and fro,“- it would seem that you have done something terrible, Albus.” Harry relished using the powerful man’s first name. “You blocked my parents' will, and denied me my right as Heir to House Potter. I have corrected that and found that I am quite rich and in fact have houses and manors all over the world- not just England.”
“My boy that is not-”
“The Goblins have promised they shall collect retributions from you for line theft, Albus.” He smiled at the pair. “You falsified documents to claim my Magical Guardianship and the Goblins are angry.”
“Harry I-” The Headmaster started, but Harry stopped him with a raise of his hand.
“No, I do believe we are done here.” Harry shrunk the trunk and cage down pocketing them. He nearly laughed again at the shocked looks on his former Professors’ faces. “ ~Gemma are you ready~?”
“~What of the flying one?~”
“~Hedwig will find us do not worry.~”
“You’re a Parselmouth?” Albus stammered.
Harry refused to answer, instead he racked his brain to see if he was forgetting anything. He waved his wand at the house and nearly laughed as more things flew out of the broken window. He had only thought there might be items of his mom’s that he was unaware of. He quickly shrunk his new possessions and pocketed them.
“Harry, my boy.” Albus was clearly at his tipping point because Harry could feel the magic that echoed with his words. “Please drop the shield and come to us.”
The compulsions were thrown off immediately and Harry could see when the man felt them. “I think not.” He glared at the pair, happy when they flinched under his gaze. “Do not look for me, you won’t like what you find.” With that Harry pulled his magic in, happy to feel the Blood Wards wrapping around him again. Sparing a glance at Gemma who nodded, Harry turned rapidly, Apparating with a thunderous crack that had the neighbors glancing up in search of a thunder cloud in the clear skies above.