Storms, Thorns, and Chaos - Book 1: The Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 4

Author's Note:

This took me longer because I was fixating on my other story and I had to add some more detail because I had a very spontaneous idea! This also covers Thursday and Friday but it's 7.5K because there was a lot in two days lol.

Chapter Warning: Bullying, Mild description of Injury, mentions of child neglect/abuse, brief mention of poisoning
If you find any others, please let me know!

Chapter Ⅳ

So, snake or lion; prey or predator? (Slytherins respect power)

The Slytherins were getting confident.

Not only had they moved up from words and sneers, but they had also trashed Ron and Hermione's belongings.

As it was, if Harry was in a much different universe, one where he had been raised with his parent's perhaps, his first thought would've likely been to inform an adult about it. He would've felt as though somebody would actively do something about it.

But he wasn't in that universe - in reality, Harry didn't care. Because this petty and gross display created opportunity and Harry was an opportunist.

(He'd been left starving too many times to not notice opportunity; too many nights his stomach had tried to eat itself when there was a fridge stocked with food.)

Harry's clothes left much to be desired, and he cared nothing for them, so he didn't see any problem with their current state. In fact, it meant that he had a viable excuse to get an entirely new wardrobe - at least they hadn't touched his school clothing otherwise Harry's current emotional state would be much different. Instead, it was Dudley's worn clothes that were touched, and Harry didn't care in the slightest.

Hagrid, while very nice, was staunchly loyal to the Headmaster. And a well-known political figurehead in a school full of children? It reeked of one of those strange news cast that Uncle Vernon ranted about from time to time.

"No good, fraudulent, floozy man using my good hardworking many for his own agenda! Taking money I could've used for my son, my wife! Used to further my own life! And he gets away with it, using other good, hardworking people to cover it up!"

When Harry had researched the news broadcast, the one that made his uncle so angry he drank an entire bottle of brandy and Harry was sent to his cupboard nursing 2 broken fingers and a large cut on his arm. (In the end, he was surprised he hadn't ended up with worse). He had been more surprised by the fact that Uncle Vernon knew a word like fraudulent, but supposed he couldn't be all that dumb cause he had to make enough money to support to lavish lifestyle he was accustomed too.

But the point still stood: Harry did not trust any of the adults to help them.

(Harry didn't trust Albus Dumbledore the most.)

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Due to having to fix their books, quills, and ink, Harry, Hermione, and Ron ended up missing breakfast and Transfiguration so that they would be able to attend the rest of their classes. They have Double Potions immediately after Transfiguration and they could not afford to get into more trouble with their Head of House.

Hermione ran to the library to get a book on home charms, one that Ron had recommended because it was one of his mum's favorites. His mum sang praises about it apparently. Harry figured out why she liked it when they saw all the different charms that they could use, each one slightly different but still workable.