Chapter 1

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The boy shifted on his battered bed, his pencil drifting gracefully across a piece of paper as he sketched out a memory. Broken toys and too small of clothes lay at his feet, ripped up posters and balls of paper mixing with the clutter. Dust particles floated around the room, reflecting in the light and landing on an untouched glass of water.

Harry tilted his head to the side, his hair falling into his eyes a little, to see the drawing at a different angle. When he had started the sketch he hadn't been sure what he was drawing, only that it was a relaxing memory. A blonde boy perched by the river, shaded from the sun by a looming willow tree. His pencil lead snapped as he took a sharp intake of breath, the relaxation that had just settled in his bones quickly dissipated once he realised who he had begun to draw.

Tossing the sketchbook across the room, he glared at the drawing as if he could burn a hole right through Malfoy's pale features. His attention soon became focused on something else when he heard light footsteps outside of his door, too light to be Dudley or his Uncle Vernon.

"Harry, out of there now, I have your list of chores. I'm going to run a few errands so make sure you cook Dudley his breakfast." Came Aunt Petunia's voice, her tone was far too kind and she hadn't mentioned making his Uncle Vernon any breakfast so the fat lump must have already gone to work. 

He heaved himself off of his bed and paused for a few seconds as the room spun, reminding him of how long it had been since he had drank anything; and as if to add to the problem, his stomach made itself known with a low rumble. When his vision righted itself, he walked over to the door and opened it widely.

Aunt Petunia was wearing her 'Going out' clothes and had her purse clutched tightly in one hand, as if she expected Harry to lunge for it. She stuck her hand out, in it held a piece of paper with Harry's chores on it. He took it from her and skimmed over them quickly, his Aunt always gave him less chores on days when Vernon was going to be home earlier.

She gave him a small smile, barely even pulling the corners of her mouth up, before she turned around and trekked downstairs once more.

He gave one more longing stare at his lumpy bed before stepping out of him room and closing the door. As he jogged down the stairs, he was met with the sight of Aunt Petunia giving Dudley a peck on the cheek as a goodbye. He didn't bother to listen to what they were saying, rather deciding to go straight to the kitchen to make breakfast for wittle Duddy-kins.

When Dudley's pig nose had picked up the scent of cooking bacon, he had wandered into the kitchen just as Harry cracked an egg onto the pan. The two cousins barely gave each other a second's glance before they went to do their own things. Dudley sat down at the dining room table and took out his phone, choosing to ignore Harry by scrolling through social media. Harry paid him no mind and just continued cooking.

At last he dished up Dudley's food and brought it over to the table, not even making eye contact with the boy. He had hoped this would avoid any conflict but instead it made his cousin even more annoying, before Harry had even been able to drop his arms to his side, a fat finger poked him in the ribs. He flinched and snapped his arms down, if he hadn't known any better he would have thought someone had taken to poking him with an uncooked sausage.

His ribs throbbed, somehow Dudley had managed to get him right in his healing bruise. "Quit it, would you?" Harry snapped and made to leave, he needed to get started on his chores. In his blind annoyance he hadn't even noticed his cousin sticking out his leg to trip him up. 

Landing on his hands and knees, his glasses slipped off his nose and clattered to the ground. Harry felt a tingling of anger rising to the surface. Before he knew it he had pushed off the ground, shoving his glasses back on his face and getting in the boy's face. "I said quit it, I have chores to do."

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