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Harry Potter was doing his chores that his Aunt Petunia assigned him. It was July 15, only a little over two weeks until his eighth birthday. Not that he’d get anything other than a beating and even more chores on top of the ones he already had.
It just helped to know he was now one more year closer to leaving the Dursley household. Only a few more weeks and he’ll be eight. Legally he’d only have to wait ten more years. He could make it. Didn’t his teacher say how very strong he was?
The only problem was, Harry didn’t feel strong. He always felt weak when his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon hit him and when Dudley and his mates finally caught him and beat him into the dirt. Maybe, when he was older he could run far enough away where they couldn’t reach him.
But where would he run? He knew so little people and they wouldn’t take him in. They would probably just give him right back to the Dursleys’. Harry sighed softly and pulled the tiniest weeds out of the front garden. In all, there was only a small bundle of weeds that needed to be pulled and discarded.
“Boy! Get inside. Now!” Vernon hollered. Scooping up the weeds in his bony hands, Harry threw them in the outdoor rubbish bin quickly. He hurried in only to be jostled by his uncle's meaty hands. He was shoved harshly into his small cupboard, his head knocking painfully into the frame.
“Not a word, or God so help me, I will beat the living daylights out of you, you hear me, boy?” Vernon Dursley’s face was livid and red, almost bordering on purple.
“Yes, sir.” Harry’s voice was so faint, you could barely hear it. The only way someone knew he spoke was because his lips moved.
Vernon slammed the small door closed, locking it loudly, as if Harry would try to get out. His shoulder hurt but not as bad as his head. And he was sleepy.. He couldn’t sleep, though, because there was a chance of a concussion from hitting his head.
He had a concussion once before. It was one of the times Dudley and his friends ganged up on him and repeatedly bashed his head against the ground.
There was a lot of blood then. Apparently he had hit a rock. The smell of blood clung to his nose and a slightly fuzzy feeling made his body feel light. He imagined it was what flying felt like. He could hear the sirens of an ambulance. An elderly lady had seen the whole thing go down and she had been the one to alert authorities.
Soon enough, all the blood was cleared away, but he could still smell it even though it threatened to be overpowered by the smell of antiseptic.
His Uncle Vernon swore if he ever went to the hospital again, Harry would be paying the bills with his flesh. Harry didn’t doubt it. Not with Vernon Dursley. His uncle always said what an inconvenience Harry was. He went on and on about not having the money to deal with the three of them, no less another disobedient boy.
His head hurt. He could feel his eyes begin to droop and then just let them. He knew the consequences of falling asleep with a possible concussion. He was enlightened on the subject by the women at the hospital. They were really nice.
He shifted to where he was curled up in a ball, his hands close to his chest. He let out a breath quietly through his nose and tried to remember the shade of his mothers hair or the color of his fathers eyes.
Nothing came, not yet. He let the faded memories go away reluctantly. He could feel himself slipping away in a daze. Warning bells started to ring in his head but the ache in his head and the pulse of his heart drowned them out.
It was much, much later when he woke up. Harry couldn’t hear anyone in his Aunt and Uncle’s house, but rather feel someone. There was someone there, just outside of his cupboard door.
Harry heard a whisper and the locks of his door fell to the ground with a dull thump. The door swung open and grey eyes that felt so familiar were right there.
“Harry Potter? I’m Regulus Black, I can explain everything. Will you come with me?”
Harry had never made a decision so quickly in his life; for some reason he couldn’t name, this man felt safe, and Harry had no doubt that he would be protected by him.