Written By Bellamybabe


Chapter One: The Voice of Comfort

It was in the dead of the night. The stars were sparkling amid the blackness and the silver-grey glow of the moon like diamonds strewn across a raven blanket. The estate of Privet Drive was silent, still, thick with sleep; the residents dreaming the gap away between yesterday and tomorrow. Only one remained awake at this time, only one.

Harry Potter sat on the edge of his bed, taking slow deep breaths. He just had a nightmare and was happily surprised that he had not woken his uncle. The last nightmare Harry had Vernon stormed in, screaming at Harry for his continuous ignorance and threatened to give him a real nightmare if he didn't stop.

His skin was shining with sweat and his muscles were violent with tremors. He swallowed back some bile and switched on his lamp. He looked out the window and wished for Hedwig to arrive before Vernon woke up. Maybe he could quickly write a letter asking for help and immediate assistance... but he knew that it would not work.

Vernon locked all the windows, especially Harry's; in the morning, he would open the downstairs window and rip up any letters for Harry from his 'fellow freaks'. Then force him to write to the order informing them that he was ok. He tried repeatedly to contain a hidden message, but Vernon always proof reads them and if anything suspicious is found he was tap him up the back of his head.

He stood up and stretched. His pyjamas bottoms and t-shirt were hanging off his thinning frame. He had muscles but nothing to boast about. He would do push ups but his lack of food left very little to tone and no energy to continue for as long as he wanted. He sighed and scratched his head before pulling on his glasses. The sun was rising and the time was a quarter past seven. He went downstairs to begin breakfast.

Uncle Vernon made it very clear once home that he cared little for the threat. In fact it made him angrier. He locked him under the stairs for a few days; believing that Harry had put them up to it. Every day since he was forced to get up and cook breakfast and then do an entire list of chores whilst Dudley walked around with his friends. Petunia was silent to her nephew and left him to do everything; even tending the garden in a thundering rain.

He cooked the sausages, bacon and eggs and boiled a cup of coffee and placed them before his uncle who came in dressed and clutching the mail and newspaper. Vernon glanced Harry up and down, barely noticing his thin frame but rather his unalleviated annoying existence before tucking in without so much as a thank you. Harry entered his room to find a tail feather and three letters on his desk. He picked up the feather and smiled, Fawkes was a phoenix and travelled in a burst of flame. Dumbledore must know that Harry was not getting all of his letters. He looked down and smiled at the familiar handwriting of Hermione, Ron and Remus Lupin. He picked up Lupin's letter first.

"Dad, dad, Harry got letters and was going to read them before you!" Dudley yelled running down the stairs; Harry immediately heard thundering steps up the stairs. Vernon appeared in the door way, glaring at Harry with every inch of dislike he held. Harry gulped and took an involuntary step backwards and found the desk behind him. Fear engulfed him as he watched his uncle appear in the doorway, the anger radiating from him was almost burning his skin.

"You son of a bitch!" He growled hitting Harry across the face, forcing him to the ground. Vernon growled in anger, grabbed the letters and left, leaving a very much broke and bruised boy.

Harry just laid there taking deep breaths and allowing tears to fall down his face as his body screamed in protest from his breathing alone. He shuddered repeatedly and felt his heart stop whenever he heard his uncle outside the door on the landing. He never knew he would be so scared of his own uncle, maybe even more than Voldemort.

'They aren't coming for me... no one is...' Harry thought miserably as he heard his uncle leave, shortly followed by Dudley. He could hear Petunia humming away on the phone. 'I am all alone... Sirius is gone... Hedwig is gone... and everyone is oblivious to everything happening here... no one is coming...'

'Well, that is not entirely true now, is it? I am coming, Harry... I will help you escape your horrendous relatives.... You have my word... that is something...' A voice said in the back of Harry's head. He squinted at it, his scar burning softly, as it always did. It felt familiar but he couldn't place his finger on it. 'Will you be willing to join me if I promise to get you away from them and help develop your power to exact revenge? If you wanted to that is...' The voice disappeared as soon as it arrived, leaving Harry alone like before. He hated being alone.