Chapter 1: Childhood Misdemeanor

June 4, 1988, #4 Privet Drive, Surrey

"Look at what I got... " Vernon Dursley said proudly as he showed in his hands a gift wrapped in colorful packaging paper to his son. His son's eyes widened and the boy dropped the current toy he was playing and raced across the living room, eager to get his hands on his latest gift. The young chubby boy snatched the package from his father and in seconds tore away the expensive wrapping paper.

"You got it! You got it!" Dudley Dursley shouted as he jumped up and down in excitement. He remembered to give his father a quick hug in gratitude and rushed back in front of the TV to open his latest gift.

Vernon looked on proudly as his son played with latest toy that was popular on the market... his son would once again become popular amongst the kids he played with around the neighborhood. He noticed a pair of green eyes staring at his son from the dark cupboard and he smiled in satisfaction. It was always satisfying to see the look of longing and envy on his nephew's face... it gave him the pleasure and a sense of superiority over the boy.

Harry stared enviously at his cousin's latest toy. It was the action figure that he had seen on the commercial on the telly yesterday. He wanted one badly.

So far he had a few toys in his own collection, and they were not the broken toys his aunt usually made Dudley give to him, since he discovered a way to satisfy his own wants.

Harry Potter started sneaking into his cousin's room two years ago during the middle of the night to steal the toys he knew Dudley rarely played with but were still in good condition.

It was during those years that young Harry discovered the freedom of the night and the excitement it gave him. Rules that were tightly enforced during the day did not necessarily apply to him, as long as he was not caught by his relatives.

There were some near misses, when once he was stuffing his mouth with the ham that was left over from the previous night. His Aunt Petunia unexpectedly came down the stairs to get a drink of water and Harry immediately closed the door and of the refrigerator and hid under the table.

The closest incident where he was nearly caught was last month, when fed up of not being able to buy candy like the other kids in his school, he dared to sneak into his aunt and uncle's room to steal a few pounds. Harry knew that his Uncle had some coins in his pocket and the large heavy man never really counted them, and a few pounds missing would go unnoticed.

The young boy knew that his uncle's pants were washed every three days, and while in use it was hung on the chair beside the bed. While in the process of fishing the large pockets for coins, his uncle's keys fell from the pocket and onto the floor making sufficient noise to wake the large man.

Harry panicked as the man woke up and his eyes quickly looked around for a hiding place. He knew that if he was caught right inside their room he would get the most severe beating of his life. As the young boy closed his eyes expecting to get a terrible scolding, he felt a strange sensation and found himself inside his cup board, safe and with a handful of coins in his hands. He never knew how he did it.

"Harry! Start cooking dinner!" A woman's voice said from the living room snapped him out his thoughts.

Harry carefully made sure that all his 'acquisitions' were carefully hidden since his cupboard was also used as storage for the vacuum cleaner and his aunt sometimes opens the cupboard without warning.

He heard his Aunt yell again, this time with a louder and shriller tone of voice and the young boy scampered out of his cupboard to start cooking. Harry passed by the living room and observed for a moment as his cousin tinkered with his latest toy and he grinned in anticipation. He would give his cousin two days.

*****************

Two days later

"MOOOOMM!!!" Dudley Dursley shouted.

"What is it Duddykins?" Petunia asked as she entered her son's... well lived in room.

"I can't find Snake Eyes... you know the one Daddy gave me a while ago." Dudley said as he searched deeper on the pile of toys beside his bed.

"Oh honey... you must have misplaced it... I'm sure it's here somewhere." Petunia said, warily eying the pile of toys.

"But I want it now! Piers and the others, we were supposed to all bring our toys to the park!" Dudley complained, tossing his other toys around the room in search of his latest, and favorite action figure.

"Fine... I'll ask Harry to look for it" Petunia sighed as she headed downstairs to look for her nephew.

***************

Wisteria Lane, Surrey

"So it's a deal?" Harry asked. "It's in good condition and it's a limited edition... though his sword's missing."

The older kid thought for a moment and finally agreed and gave a crisp ten pound note to the young boy. "I don't mind... I don't like the sword anyway... I heard it's made of plastic. Last year's was better it was actually metal"

"Thanks" Harry said as he folded the note carefully and placed it in his sock.

The older kid stared curiously at this strange behavior but said nothing. As Harry was about to leave, the older boy asked another question. "Say... if there's a new toy or comic book that's hard to get... Can I ask you to obtain one for me?"

Harry smiled. "Sure... what are you looking for anyway?"

****************

"He's over there! Get him!" Dudley shouted as he spotted his cousin sitting on bench at the far side of the school playground. The rest of Dudley's gang followed their leader's orders and headed towards the black haired boy's direction.

Dudley's cousin surprisingly has a good supply of chocolate bars and sweets and he always wondered where Harry gets them from. Sweets were not sold on the cafeteria and it was a rare commodity in the school yard. Dudley's gang had finally decided to cash in on the trade and to divest the thin boy of his stock.

Harry spotted them while they were still a good distance away and the young boy immediately sprang into action. He started running towards the side of the school that housed the teacher's lounge, the area he considered his safe spot. No sane kid would use his precious recess time under the scrutiny of the hawk eyed teachers.

His way was blocked though as Dudley organized a second force led by Piers Polkiss and Harry was forced to make a detour into the back of the school. He ran into the dead end he backed into the wall as he heard the footsteps get nearer. He couldn't get caught now... if he came home bruised he would be punished severely.

His heart began to race faster as he his eyes frantically looked around for a possible escape. There was none. As he heard the voices get louder Harry felt a strange but familiar sensation over his body. Suddenly he felt weightless and the next second he was staring at the roof of the school's chimney.

"Where'd he go?"

Harry heard the voice of his pursuers down below. His heart was still beating at a furious pace but the young boy kept his composure to avoid giving away his position.

"He's not here... he must have climbed over the fence or hid in the trash bins."

"It's too late now... recess is almost over."

Harry peered over the tiled roof and once he saw that he was alone, he let out a sigh of relief. He knew the incident years ago was not a dream or a freak accident. He was able to duplicate it just now! He was snapped out of his daze as the five minute bell rang that signaled that recess was about to end.

Bugger. Harry thought as he realized he was at the top of a three story high building with no ladder in sight.

He wondered how he would be able to climb down in time for the afternoon class. Harry remembered the strange feeling, the weightlessness, the strange tingling in his limbs and chest and focused on it. He felt his body getting lighter and he stared at his hands as they started fading. A moment later he was standing back on the ground.

Harry patted his body making sure everything was still the same and at that moment the young boy realized that he had a new method of travelling... freedom. He started walking towards the assembled students ready to head inside the classroom, considering the possibilities of his new found power.

"Harry!" The teacher shouted as she noticed the student walking slowly in a daze.

The young boy ran across the yard, a strange gleam in his eyes. His missions as he like to call them would get a whole lot easier.

**************

February 8, 1990

Teacher's lounge, Surrey

"So how was your class Oliver?" Jimm, the fifth grade teacher asked the fourth grade teacher as he carried his own stack of exam papers to mark.

"Chaotic." Oliver said simply. "You know my class they always get into trouble. You better be prepared for them next year."

"And what about Harry? Is the little bugger still as fast?" Jimm asked. He remembered the young boy with the messy hair running full sprint past him as he was being chased by his cousin's gang. The kid sure ran fast and was as slippery as an eel when cornered.

The question brought a smile to the stressed out grade four teacher's face. He liked the scrawny kid, as he was among brightest in his class. The young boy was fairly quiet and kept to himself and never caused trouble, but he was always the target for his cousin's gang.

The teachers tried to bring the matter up with the boy's guardians but they acted as if they didn't care for their ward, to Oliver's frustration. They knew they couldn't do anything about it as there were no visible signs of neglect on young Harry except that he was on the scrawny side. A guardian's lack of interest on a child's situation in school was not enough to bring in the Police or Social Services.

"Harry's fine... he seems more happy... though I wish he eats more. At least he looks scrawny, not underfed and malnourished like he used to." Oliver said as he finished marking his stack of papers. "Hey do you want to head to the pub for a pint?"

"Sure... just give me a few minutes, I'm nearly finished with this bunch." Jimm said.

Thirty minutes later they were driving towards the local pub past the convenience store when they noticed their earlier topic of conversation standing in front of the candy machine.

"What's he doing here?" Jimm wondered.

"Look at what he's up to." Oliver said as he grinned at his young student.

The messy haired boy was tinkering with the lock of the candy vending machine and by the looks of it he was making good progress.

"Should we stop him?" Jimm asked. A moment later Harry was successful as he opened the acrylic door and quickly pocketed a few chocolate bars in his pocket. The young boy then closed the acrylic door and looked around warily if he was seen then started walking back towards his home. The heist was over in less than a minute. "I don't want my student growing up shoplifting."

"That kid's something." Oliver said after a moment of staring at his student. "I always wonder where he gets his sweets from... i know that his aunt never gives him allowance... this solves the mystery."

"What?" Jimm asked.

"I finally figured it out... you know what he does with those chocolate bars?" Oliver asked his friend and Jimm shook his head.

"I once spied on the kids during their recess when I had nothing to do and observed them from the second floor window." Oliver said and he stared at his buddy in the eye. "He trades them for lunch from the other kids... since his aunt doesn't pack any for him."

"Well that answers my question earlier... we're not going to report him. I just wish he won't get caught." Jimm said. "We have our very own Robin Hood"

*******************

The man in business suit hurried forward as he kept looking at his gold watch as he carried his bag in one hand while a rolled up newspaper was tucked under the other arm. He was getting late... if he didn't catch a taxi now he would miss his special date with his mistress. He had even reserved a special room in an expensive hotel for some fun.

"Taxi! Taxi!" The man shouted but the cab was occupied.

"You need a taxi sir?" A young boy asked as he stepped beside the man.

"Yes... I'm late for a meeting..." The businessman said as he stared hopefully at the cars passing by.

"Well, you should head back a few blocks, the cabbies usually have their lunch at a local diner. You might get lucky there." The boy suggested as he pointed a few blocks ahead where a cluster of taxis were parked.

The businessman grinned and he looked at the boy with a relieved smile. "You've been helpful" He put down his bag and fished out a ten pound note for the young helpful lad, and in the process the newspaper fell from its secure spot.

He handed out a ten pound note to the boy. "Go on take it... you've been really helpful."

"Thank sir!" The boy said cheerfully. "Here's your paper sir, you might forget it..." the young boy placed the newspaper on the a pocket on the man's coat.

"Good lad! I better be off then." The man said as he headed towards the diner in a better mood. He was lucky as one of the cabbies had finished lunch and was willing to take him to London.

When he reached his destination the business fished his pockets for his wallet to pay the tab when he realized that it was missing. He thought that he might have placed it in his bag when he realized that his bag was not with him. Panicking he began to draw out the what was in his pockets and realized that he only had the rolled up piece of news paper in his person.

He remembered the boy who so helpful earlier and his expression turned to irritation when he realized he's been had.

"That son of a bitch."

****************

#4 Privet Drive, Surrey

August 4, 1991

"Yer a Wizard Harry!" The Half Giant's voice boomed across the living room, making the Dursleys flinch with fear. The large intimidating man had bent Vernon's shotgun like rubber and scolded them for saying lies about the true nature of Lily and James' death.

"I figured it out from the letter you sent a week ago." Harry said simply.

"ERR" Hagrid didn't know what to say next. He was prepared to for the skepticism on the young boy and was ready to answer questions about the wizarding world, but this complete acceptance was baffling.

"Ye didn't think de letter was a prank?" Hagrid asked as he tossed the bent shotgun to the coffee table, breaking Petunias' vase. "Yer didn't doubt it for a moment?"

"Well no... It always explains the weird stuff that's been happening all my life." Harry said as he grinned. "Now... tell me more about my parents... "

Hagrid drew odd looks when they took the underground towards Diagon Alley, but Harry enjoyed the attention on his companion as he was able to pick a few more pockets while passengers stared warily at the large man. He was worried that he didn't have enough money for the tuition or to buy supplies for the magical school.

The money he had accumulated over the years only reached to 2,000 pounds, and he knew a boarding school in Scotland would have to cost more than that per year. When he asked Hagrid about the tuition he was surprised with the answer.

"Yer don't have to worry about its Arry! Yer parents left you with money I expect." Hagrid said, dismissing his worries about his finances. "And I tell you, yer family's an old ancient house"

"I have an inheritance?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Of course! And it's placed in Gringgots, that's the Wizard's bank run by goblins." Hagrid said.

"Wizard's bank?" Harry's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Tell me more..."

"Well... it's run by Goblins... very competent, the lot of them." Hagrid began. "Most people feel safe with their money on Gringgotts, cause you'd be mad to try and steal from a Goblin."

"No one was ever successful at robbing the bank?" Harry asked curiously.

"No one... and those who tried... well... any robber that tried to steal from Gringgotts never came out again." Hagrid said. "Now... 'ere we are! The Leaky Cauldron!"

Harry smiled with excitement as he followed Hagrid into a new world.

***************

"Bless my soul! It's Harry Potter!" Dorris Crockford said as she shook the wizarding world's savior's hands eagerly.

"Uhh yeah... pleased to meet you too." Harry said, unsure of how to treat this woman. Nobody has ever shook his hand before.

"Oh so polite!" The middle aged woman said.

A few minutes later Hagrid ushered the young Potter to the entrance of Diagon Alley and Doris Crockford went back to the bar to finish her drink. It would be hours later when she got home when she realized her gold ring was missing from her finger.

Hagrid noticed that his young charge was observing the apparition area for arrivals and decided to continue his lecture on the daily lives of Wizards in the Magical World.

"That's apparition." Hagrid said as he saw the boy's face smile with delight at the sight of dozens of wizards materializing in thin air one after the other.

"Can anybody do it?" Harry asked as he observed one tall wizard with a red ponytail appeared. The man wore leather boots and a jacket, and he wanted one. He also noticed that these wizards and witches did appeared instantly with small sound, unlike his own method where he usually faded for a second or two before appearing in the destination he imagined in his mind.

"Well not all can do it... It's fairly hard to learn... and It's dangerous when you make a mistake while apparating." Hagrid said.

"Can you do it?" Harry asked curiously.

"Well I did pass the exam... but I'm never fond of it. I only disapparate and apparate in emergencies." Hagrid admitted. "Apparating gives me a bad stomach... Yer feel like yer being squeezed through a narrow tube."

"Weird." Harry said. He never experienced the sensation Hagrid described. He only experienced a feeling of weightlessness whenever he faded, a term he invented for his unique skill of transportation.

"Come on then, there's the bank... see that large white building? That's Gringotts" Hagrid said, pointing to the largest building in Diagon Alley. It towered over the small two or three story shops and bars around it and it's white marble walls gleamed in the morning sun.

"Wicked." Harry grinned.

*************