It Only Takes a Second

- XI -

Vernon sat in the grimy, run down, one room flat that he was renting. He stared into the brown liquid that filled the glass in his hand, frowning deeply at it.

The stupid boy had ruined everything. Sure, he had managed to talk his way into bail and parole while he awaited his trial, but everything was different now.

He wasn't allowed to live at home, because the his bail stated he wasn't allowed to live with any minors, even if they were family. Besides, Petunia was so upset with him right now about causing a scene in front of the entire neighborhood, he doubted she would let him stay there anyway.

His emergency funds were drained, all of the money built up having gone towards the bail.

He got fired from his job at Grunning's, despite the fact that he wasn't the only one there guilty of using the boy for his own pleasure. Almost everyone at the factory had been granted a turn with Harry in exchange for something Vernon had desired. But since he was the one that was arrested, he had been let go as not to 'taint the business image'.

Everything was gone.

And it was all the boy's fault.

He slammed the glass down on the table, trembling with rage. This was all Harry's fault!

Growling, he ripped his laptop from the duffle bag he had been allowed to take from his home, and pried open the lid. Furiously, he switched the browser to private, and began pounding the keyboard.

When he found what he needed, he smirked to himself, clicked out of the browser, and shut the computer with a satisfied chuckle. He'd pay with cash, so they couldn't track him. If he did it that way, it would be days until they found him.

Because in less than 24 hours, he'd be on a plane far away, heading far away from here.

Specifically, in New York City, to find the boy who had ruined it all.

Vernon smugly brought the glass to his lips, taking a sip of the liquor. He was going to make the boy pay for everything he had lost.

Everything.

*

Harry opened his eyes, squinting at the bright light streaming into the room. He sat up, glancing wildly around the room in confusion as he quickly realized that it wasn't his own.

"Whoa dude, chill. You just fell asleep on the couch. Mister Stark didn't want to wake you," a voice to his... wait, where did the voice come from?

Harry glanced up, shocked to see a new kid, about his age, hanging upside down from the tall ceiling by what looked to be a strand of... spider silk?

"Am I dreaming?" Harry rubbed his eyes, looking at the stranger again. Instinctively, he scooted away from the new person and more into the corner of the sectional sofa.

"Nah," the boy his age replied, gracefully flipping on to the couch from where he had been hovering above it a few feet. He plopped down on his butt and crossed his legs as he cocked his head at Harry, all too well resembling a puppy with his big brown eyes.

"I'm Peter," he introduced with a large smile. He stuck out his hand towards Harry, and his smile faltered as the unfamiliar person scurried away from him as best he could, cornering himself even more.

"Hey, it's okay. Sorry if I startled you," Peter said, his voice softer as he picked up on Harry's fear. "Mister Stark says that I'm a bit too direct sometimes, and that I need to 'calm down.'"

A smile flickered across Harry's face as Peter rambled. He decided then that Peter wasn't dangerous, and that he liked him. Besides, it would be nice to have someone around here that was his age.