I do not own Harry Potter, This is just a fan fiction

It is surprising how much a life changes, depending on so many variables, that it make predicting almost impossible. But to Harry, his life would change in ways that he never expected. Harry James Potter was born as the only child of James Potter, Lord of the House of Potter, and Lily Evans. They both were married after their graduation from Hogwarts, and lived far from the Potter Manor, since James' parent did not approve of their marriage.

Lily was an expert in Charms, and James was considered the top Auror in the ministry. When Lily told her husband that she was pregnant, that was the happiest time in their lives, but as they only had a small crib, they went to a neighboring town to shop for things that they would need. When Harry was born he was left in the care of their House Elf, the small, kind female elf, took an instant liking to the child, and would always take care of Harry. James joked that Twinkle looked after Harry as if he was her own child. Lily did not like the sound of that, Harry was her child and she did not like the joke at all.

When the parents had been gone for a couple of hours, Twinkle heard some strange noises from outside, she believed that her masters were back, with the things for her young master, Harry. But this assumption proved to be wrong. As the door received a strong blast from a curse, the door fell apart and Twinkle heard someone walking towards the room where she and Harry were. She could not believe who it was that blasted the door, and walked in. It was the most feared and hated Dark Lord. The one everyone called He Who Must Not Be Named.

"So this child is the one that will kill me... well lets make sure that never happens." As Voldemort pointed his wand he felt a strong magical punch to the gut. "You will not harm, young master Potter. You will leave him alone!" The man stood up and looked at the elf. "You pathetic creature, you will stand aside or I will end you miserable life." The elf stood before the crying child and looked at him. "Shh, little master. Twinkle will not let this man harm you, while she has life." Voldemort could never understand positive emotions, and this display made him feel sick. "So be it. You will die as the garbage you always were." He pointed the wand and with a shout he casted a killing curse, but as the elf died, something happened to the child. Harry began to glow an almost bright silver color.

"Now with that pest taken care off. Where were we? Oh, yes. You were about to die. AVADA KEDABRA!" The spell hit the young crying Harry on his head, but it then deflected and was shot right at Voldemort. The blast caused him his body to die, and his soul to leave the place shrieking in agony. The couple saw the green light as they appeared in their front yard. James knew that the green light meant. So he ran inside to find the dead body of their house elf, holding the crib, where their crying child was screaming as if scared.

"Lily it seems Twinkle really loved our child. She just died protecting our child from He Who Must Not Be Named. I do believe that is his wand and body on the floor." Lily went and picked up her child, and saw the lightning bolt scar above on of his eyes. "But how James, we both know that killing curse has no defense." James walked over to pick up the dead elf, and placed her in a box. "I do not know how, but no matter what people may believe our child lived what has killed so many others. There must be a reason behind it, I just don't know what that reason is."

Lily asked what he planned to do with the dead house elf. James told her that he was going to give her a proper burial. It was the least he could do for her, after having saved their child. Lily wanted to object, but she knew there was no way to talk her husband out of it. He was a Gryffindor, through and through, while she was a Slytherin. She could never be as trusting as he was.

The act of dying to save Harry had caused an ancient spell to be activated, the death of one to protect a loved one was one of the most pure sacrifices one could ever make. Twinkle's sacrifice all the more special. The act made the child be forever protected by the love of the house elf, but also caused the small fragment of Voldermort's soul that would reside in him, to be absorbed by the child. In the next months the child absorbed all the knowledge of the fragment of his attacker's soul.

Where other children began to talk, by trying to say simple words, Harry spoke clearly. When other children would have a hard time walking, Harry could walk, run and jump on the first attempt. Where other children could look at books, and were excited about the pictures, Harry knew how to read. The thing that began to make his parents feel afraid of their child was when he picked up his fathers wand, and casted a spell that caused his broken toys to repair themselves.

James got a new wand, and left his old one to Harry. Harry at the age of 4 was doing magic spells like he had been doing them for years. His mother would test him with harder, and harder tests. He passed them all. He simply loved to read, and to play with his mother.

At the age of 5 he did the thing that would make his mother, lose all kindness towards him. The thing that made her change was finding her son, talking to a garden snake, and the snake looked like it was talking back to her son. Parseltongue was considered to be the trait of a dark wizard, or witch. She never met one when she lived in the Slytherin dungeons. But she could not help wonder what the snake had to tell her son, and what he was telling the snake. It seemed like they were having a rather nice little chat. She hid her feelings with Occlumency, and walked towards the two.

"So you are the one that kept our house free from rats. For that I thank you." The snake looked at him and looked happy. "Thank you, young human. Most people take us for granted, or as dangerous creatures. We are just careful by nature, but It is nice to meet you, and chat with you. I do see your mother coming, if you want to chat I am called Hilsa. Call me I will always make time to chat with someone as polite as you." Lily walked over to her child and asked him what was he doing? Harry told his mother that his new friend was the one that kept their home rat free. She did her best to keep herself calm, as her child had obviously talked with that snake, and on friendly enough terms to call the snake his new friend.

His father arrived to see his wife giving him a stern talk about not talking to strange creatures. James was thinking that his wife was worrying for nothing. So his wife in true Slytherin fashion asked her child to tell his father about his new friend. For a second he felt very proud of his son, making friends so young. But that changed as Harry had told them that he met the snake that has been keeping their home rat free. How he had talked with her, for a long time, and he learned amazing things snakes knew. "Son, if this is a prank I would call you an unofficial member of the Marauders. But come on son, you did not spend most of the morning chatting with a snake?" Harry looked at his parents with a hurt look on his face. "I guess my friend was right, you would not believe me." Harry left his parents while crying, he was feeling very hurt.

Late at night, he looked at a small hole behind his toy chest. "Hilsa, you were right. My parents did not believe me. I guess I was right in not telling them that you were a special kind of snake." Hilsa slithered out of the hole and unto the bed. "We wouldn't be able to chat like we do, If they knew I was a basilisk. Trust me, I am old enough to change my appearance, and seem like a normal garden snake, and I am also old enough to know you will be a great wizard. When you grow old enough, I will happily become your familiar. But for now, I will be your secret imaginary friend. That will keep your parent's from stopping our chats."

"Hilsa, who made you?" The snake seemed to be laughing. "Why my mother and father, just like you." The two talked to each other for a few hours and then they each retired for a few hours to sleep. Thanks to his friend he had the perfect way to make his parents, believe that he understood that talking to snakes was bad, and he would no longer do it. He would even tell them if he could at least have an imaginary friend?

At breakfast he told them what he learned from a book, and promised not to talk to snakes anymore. But he asked them if he could at least have an imaginary friend. Lily felt better about this, but she never again looked at him the same way. Her lessons grew tougher and so did the tests. His father found it pretty funny that he had asked permission to have an imaginary friend. He told all his coworkers and some of them found it to be such a cute thing to do.

The next 4 years his mother became colder, and more demanding. His father stopped playing with him, or even talking to him at all. The tests that his mother was placing on him were right down brutal, so much so that they believed that some of their old teachers would not pass them. Hilsa had finally decided to form a pact with him, and she placed her bite on his shoulder. That way was easier for him to hide the mark. He learned that Hilsa could now hide inside the pact mark, and he could always talk with her, just by thinking.

On a cold night in November, he took out his hidden money from his hiding spot. Harry had taken his money and did the smart thing. He secretly invested the money under the name of Harold Gaunt. In a few years he had a substantial income from the dividend paid to him. "Hilsa, we have no reason to remain here. It has become clear that my parents no longer trust or love me. This is no longer a home for us." Hilsa inside the mark told him that it was time to make his own path in life. So with the old wand his father had left him, and with a bit of magic he packed all his clothes, books and shoes, and in the middle of the night he left his home.

Early in the morning, James woke up to his wife screams, "James come here. Our son, Our Harry is gone." This made him run towards their son's room. True enough there was nothing except his toys. He used a detection spell and found a small scroll under the family picture. When he opened the scroll, they read something that they never expected.

To my parents:

To my once caring parents, I have to tell you I can take a hint. You no longer care about me, instead you probably think of me a freak. I will not be unkind, and subject you to have to live with me any longer. I will live this place I once called my home. Do not bother to look for me, for you shall find nothing, not even my shadow. I wish you the happiness that I once had, and the joy that once would have been ours. You will be free from your troubles and headaches. I hope that you live a better life, now that I am no longer there.

Sincerely, Harry James Potter.

P.S. My familiar tells me to inform you, that you should get a cat, or you will be knee deep in rats before long.

James could not understand why his son left, then his wife began to cry. "It's my fault. It's all my fault. I kept making him take more and more difficult tests, and never simply play with him, or even talked to him. I was such a cold mother to him." Lily began crying as she finished tell her husband. "I was guilty too, Lily. I should have played more with him, to talk with him, to show interest in his books. I too failed as a parent. But don't worry I will ask my fellow Aurors to find him, and when we do we will be better to him. We can fix this, when we bring him home again."

Little did they know that they would have a hard time finding him. He was true to his word. They could not find him anywhere, not even his shadow.

"So Harry what do you have planned for the future?" Harry touched the snake wrapped around his arm and abdomen. "How does bounty hunting sound to you Hilsa? Here in Bulgaria, we can live however we want." The snake looked rather happy. "Yes, my master, I approve of this decision. Time to hunt some crooks and make them feel what fear really is, but what will they call you?" He looked at his familiar enter the pact mark on his shoulder. "They can call me shadow, for they will never feel safe anymore, they will learn to fear everything, even their own shadow."