Harry Zagatta

Astrid Zagatta

Harry had been on the run for 2 days.

Since it was July -or maybe now it was august?- the days wore on and it was boiling all day. Harry was sure he had a sunburn on his shoulders.

He had spent most of his time walking. Putting more distance between him and the Potter Manor. Getting farther and farther away from his family.

He was exhausted. He slept in an alleyway the previous night and wasn't looking forward to doing it again. It was hard and uncomfortable. He could wear his sweater to avoid the cold night breeze and rest his head on his backpack, but it still wasn't comfortable.

He missed his bed.

Several times the thought of going back crossed his mind. Running back into his mother's arms and letting her hold him...

But she wouldn't want him back. He had ran. He wasn't wanted back there.

That's what he kept telling himself. His father said he didn't want him. They wanted him gone. They weren't even looking for him. They'd have found him by now if they were.

He still had a few granola bars left, but he knew it wouldn't last him long. The sun was setting and soon he'd face his 2nd night alone.

He walked down the sidewalk of a big town when it started to rain. Strangers paid him no attention. No one looked at him long enough to notice that he was alone. Harry put his hood up but it did little to protect him from the weather that was growing more vicious every second. He ducked into an alley and sat down on the ground. He pulled his knees up to his chest and stayed there, letting the rain soak him.

The alley was dark and the sun was completely blocked out ny clouds. He should have guessed rain was coming. The alley was closed in at the sides by brick walls and it connected over to the other street.

Harry was tired of walking but he didn't want to turn back. He wanted to be in the library, 2 years ago, when his parents still called him for dinner. T he knew that it'd be hopeless now. If they found him, they probably wouldn't want to keep him. They'd send him back out and give his room to Elliot. He felt a wave of lonliness wash over him.

He sat in the alleyway until he was shivering from the cold. How long had he been there?

"Child. What are you doing?". A gentle voice spoke up and it seemed to drown out the sound of Rain around him.

Harry looked slowly up to see someone standing over him. The woman looked down at him with black eyes. She was holding an umbrella to stop the rain and moved her arm so that the umbrella sheltered Harry too, protecting him from the rain.

She leaned down and balanced on the front of her feet, meeting Harry's emerald eyes. She extended her hand to the 6-year-old.

"I'm Astrid, Astrid Zagatta."

Harry paused. The lesson his mother called "Stranger Danger" surfaced in his swirling thoughts, but he was already in danger by being alone.

"I'm... I'm Harry."

Harry took her hand and shook it weakly.

She smiled and raised an eyebrow at him in a playful sort of way.

Still holding his hand, she stood up, bringing her with him so he was standing aswell.

She made sure that the umbrella covered him and led him away from the alley.

Harry wouldn't know it then, but soon he would treat this woman like she was his mother. Not Lily Potter, but a mother who would love him and protect him with her life.