chapter: 37

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He was surprised to see that his cupboard was still the same, though a layer of dust now coated his small cot and the floor. More webs made by the spiders now hang from the sloping ceiling of his cupboard but his few toys were still there. Harry removed a piece of the loose wooden floor and started stowing inside his bag for the few toys and comic books that he collected over the years.

Harry crawled out of his cupboard and he smiled faintly as he looked one last time at his home. He had very good memories inside the tiny room, where he usually plotted and schemed about his future missions.

"Good bye." The young thief whispered to his cupboard. Feeling an odd sense of loss, Harry Potter decided to tour the house, the place he once considered as his home.

Inside his Office, Albus Dumbledore jerked up as a loud noise from an instrument in his office started to activate. Minerva McGonagall stopped reciting from the list for materials needed for the school yearand looked around searching for the source of the noise.

The Headmaster of Hogwarts immediately headed to the shelf where his instruments were located and he was shocked to see the condition of blood wards inside young Harry Potter's home.

"The protection! It's unraveling!" Albus whispered. He turned around and faced his deputy while removed his wand from his robes. "We must get to Harry Potter's house immediately, Minerva."

"Of course Albus." The Deputy Headmistress said as she stood up, drawing her wand from her pocket. Dumbledore turned a quill into a portkey, and witch and wizard touched it and disappeared in a swirl of wind and colors.

Harry had finished his tour inside the house, pocketing a few valuables that caught his interest. He decided to also collect that the few broken toys he left behind, since Harry thought that the first ever object he acquired had a special place in his collection.

As he crawled back in, he immediately froze when he heard the front door open and footsteps walk in. Fearing that his relatives had decided to come home early, Harry quietly closed the door and contemplated fading from the spot. He decided against it, curious about the reason why his relatives left their house at such a derelict state.

Albus immediately strode in and he cast several charms to see where the boy who lived was while Minerva looked on with disapproval at the messy state of the living room.

The headmaster sighed in relief when the magical aura of Harry Potter registered just a few feet beside him.

"Good morning, Mister Potter." Albus said kindly as he faced the cupboard.

"Where is he Albus?" Minerva asked, looking around the house.

The headmaster did not bother to reply, but he bent on his knees and opened the cupboard door. "Hello Harry."

The young boy looked at the headmaster nervously, wondering why the old coot decided to visit now.

"Ehmm Hi." Harry said nervously.

"What are you doing there Mister Potter?" Minerva asked as she crouched down beside Dumbledore. She gasped when she saw her young student kneeling on the floor, with a small cot beside him. "Why... why is there a cot inside Harry?"

"This is my room." Harry said simply. He was not embarrassed at the least for having a small room. The young thief actually thought it was unique, since he was the only boy he knew that lived inside a cupboard. "What are you doing here professor?"

Harry was surprised to see the usually stern Transfiguration Professor begin to wipe her eyes with her pink hanky. "This is your room? Oh Harry."

Albus Dumbeldore's expression fell when he realized what that he was partly responsible for the sorry state of the quiet boy outside Hogwarts. This answered so many questions... why he was so quiet, unassuming and barely spoke out outside of the classroom.

"Have you decided to run away Harry?" Albus asked softly. The boy who lived did not answer, nervous at being the center of intense scrutiny from the old coot and the Transfiguration Professor.

"No." Harry replied. "I was just... going out for a walk."

"You can tell the truth dear." Minerva sniffed as she continually dabbed her eyes. "I will not blame you for deciding to run away. James and Lily... oh what would they say."

"Come out of there Harry." Minerva said gently.

Harry slowly stood up and he was surprised when he was immediately hugged by the stern Deputy Headmistress. Harry smiled when he remembered the last time he in such close proximity to the old witch.

"You're so brave, putting a smile like that." Minerva replied as she caressed the young boy's cheek, misinterpreting the Harry's smile as a brave show of composure. She gave a nasty glare at the Headmaster who looked sad and embarrassed at the state of dwelling of the boy who lived.

"Why are you here professors?" Harry asked.

"Have you ever wondered why you survived the killing curse from Voldemort Harry?" Albus asked. He was pleased when the boy didn't recoil at the Dark Lord's name.

"No." Harry replied honestly. He knew of the prophecy, and the old man and Penny speculated at what it meant, though they do not have the vaguest idea at what caused Harry to survive the killing curse.

"It was your mother." Albus replied. "Your mother's love protected you."

Harry stared at the Headmaster, intently observing his face for any signs of deceit. He found none, either the old coot was telling the truth or he was a fantastic actor.

"My mother?" Harry asked.

"Yes Harry. And I used that powerful protection and extended it to this House." Albus replied. "As long as you call Number Four Privet drive your home, the enchantments will continually protect you."

Harry did not reply, as he realized that his decision earlier to leave Privet Drive caused the protection to vanish.

"And when you decided to run away, you stopped calling this place your home... am I right Harry?" Albus asked and he smiled when the young boy nodded.

"This complicates things. " Albus replied. "As the boy who lived, many families were eager to take you in after you were orphaned... but I decided that you be placed where your mother's blood dwells... Petunia's home since you will be safest here."

"Perhaps this is the best Albus." Minerva said. "Harry may be safe here from the Dark Lord, but does that justify the hardships Harry experienced living here? I think not."

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