Harry Potter and another beginning

I. Encounter

Harry was walking home from school alone. But he didn't want to walk home alone, because the way from school took about half an hour or more, and it was a bit scary. He'd even prefer his whale of a cousin Dudley to walk with, but he was driven home by Pierre's mom, who didn't have enough space in the car, because she also fetched her other son. Normally he even enjoyed his way home, because it was the only time of the day when he had to endure neither his aunt and uncle making him do housework, nor his fat cousin and Pierre, who didn't tire from their new favourite game "Harry hunting". Harry didn't like it. If he didn't run fast enough they beat him up and when he tried to get help from a teacher he'd just be locked inside the cupboard again.

Harry shuddered at that thought. He'd rather get up by Dudley.

He looked at the clock that was lightened up, because the sun was already down.

It read 5o'clock.

The reason he didn't like to walk home in winter was that he just didn't like the dark and the sun was already down when school was out. He theoretically knew that no one would bother him, there wasn't anything special about his looks, aside from maybe his eyes and his scar, and his unruly hair that just couldn't get straight – but that wasn't special in a positive way at all. The clothes he wore were Dudley's old and battered ones, layered upon each other, so they would keep him at least a bit warm in the cold November air, and his old glasses, that had been taped because they were broken so often, were fogged from his own breath blown in his hands to warm them up.

When Harry had asked his aunt if she could maybe fetch him from school, because it was so scary she just sneered at him and told him, that he didn't have anything to fear because no one would want anything with a freak like him, be it kidnapping or something else. Harry knew himself that he wasn't anything special at all, but his aunts words still didn't calm him down but rather scared him even more. He was only scared of being bullied more, but kidnapping hadn't crossed his mind 'till then.

The park he had to go through was the scariest part of his way home, because it was even darker than outside of it, for the trees shut out the rest of the sunrays that normally at least tried to cast a bit of twilight for Harry to not be in total darkness.

As Harry walked through the park he saw a dark clad man sitting on a bench furthest away from the road lighting. Harry tried to ignore him, and edged a bit to the other side of the small road to be as far away from the men as he could because he felt oddly watched by him. The stare didn't leave him while he walked past him and he still felt the stare boring into his back until he was out of view and even furthermore. He only felt relieved when he was finally home, inside the house and started preparing dinner.

After that day he saw the man everyday on his way home, and started getting used to his creepy staring, even thought he once saw the man's eyes flashing red he discarded it as his imagination. After about two weeks he started wondering what the mysterious man was doing on a lonely park bench day in and day out, so one day when he was a bit earlier in getting out of school and still had some time to waste he decided to just ask the stranger.

'Excuse me sir,' Harry started awkwardly. When the man looked up he continued 'I… I was just wondering, are you perhaps waiting for someone?' as the man quirked one eyebrow he continued hastily 'I mean, because you're always sitting on this bench everyday and I was just wondering…' he ended now really awkwardly and already regretted his decision to let his curiosity get the better of him

'Why did you wonder about that?' the man asked in a silky baritone voice that made Harry relax instantly

'Because I've seen you sitting here every day, and you seemed lonely', Harry answered and flushed after he realized what he had just said. Even if the man was lonely, surely he wouldn't want a six year old brat to remind him of that. Harry wouldn't want that.

But instead of getting angry, the man just chuckled

'You don't need to worry,' he said obviously sensing Harry's discomfort 'I just never imagined a little kid asking me something like that,' he paused 'Well, if you want to, you could keep me company for a bit?' he asked and smiled at Harry, who flushed again, but this time not from embarrassment.

No one had ever wanted Harry to keep him company. Everyone rather avoided him, so they wouldn't get beat up by Dudley. But this man was… well a man. He was strong enough to not be scared of Dudley, so Harry wouldn't risk his possibly first friend – he nearly didn't dare to hope - to get beat up.

'You don't have to if you do not want to,' the strangers deep velvety voice got Harry out of his musings again

'What? No! I'd really like to keep you company if you don't mind,' Harry smiled. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to talk to this stranger. Then he realized, that he must have already talked a few minutes with the man, and that he was supposed to cook dinner.

'I'm sorry, but I have to go home now. You'll be here tomorrow again, right?' Harry asked on the verge to sprinting away. He really didn't like the Dursley's punishments.

'Of course I'll be here tomorrow, if you want me to,' he said

'Of course I want you to! Bye, 'till tomorrow!' Harry shouted because he had already started to jog home

'Yes. Until then,' he still heard that velvety voice brush gently over his ears, while he was jogging home.

This night he slept peacefully in the darkness, that was his cupboard.

~oOo~

The next day he didn't wait for his bullies to be gone from school already. He ran to the park as fast as he could, so he could spend time with his new friend. He was slightly worried that the man might have just been pranking him like everyone else and wouldn't be sitting on the bench any longer. But when Harry arrived at the appointed place the man was sitting there elegantly like always and reading the papers. Harry wondered for a short moment how he was able to read in the darkness but concluded, that he just had a better eyesight than him. Surely if it was possibly that some people could see sharper than others, then some could see better in darkness.

'Hello Harry, it's nice to see that you came again.'

The thought that Harry had never told the man his name didn't even cross his mind and instead he smiled brightly

'Of course I came! I told you I would,' he said 'is there anything interesting in the papers?' he asked and thought for a brief moment that the black and white pictures on the paper had moved. The man folded the paper and laid it down next to him

'Not really. Just the daily gossip about politics and the usual,'

'Oh,' said Harry and then he didn't really know what else to say. What were you talking about with a friend?

'Don't you want to sit down next to me? It appears like you want to run away again like yesterday,' said the man and tapped on the free space next to him. Harry nodded and plopped down on it feeling pretty dirty next to the elegantly dressed man in his old, far too big tattered clothes.

'I didn't run away yesterday. I just had to really hurry up or I would have been too late,' Harry explained. He didn't want his new friend thinking he was scared of him or something.

'Of course, you wouldn't want your parents to worry about you,' he said and Harry cringed

'I don't live with my parents,' he whispered

'Oh?' asked the man and raised an eyebrow

'Well I live with my aunt and uncle. My parents died in a car crash,' Harry explained. That wasn't freakish, right? Many people died in car crashes and it didn't mean they were freaks.

'My sincerest condolences.' The man said and Harry was silent for a few seconds

'What does condolence mean?' he asked. He had never heard that word before. Then Harry realized that the man was looking at him weirdly and he blushed. Surely that was something everyone knew.

'I'm sorry, I-'

'It means that I'm sorry for your loss. It must have been hard for you to lose your parents at such a young age.' He explained. And Harry felt himself blushing even more. Surely the stranger must see it now even through the darkness.

No one had ever said anything like that to Harry.

No one had ever been sorry for Harry.

'I'm uh…' what should he say in this kind of situation?

'I'm fine I guess it's happened when I was still really small, I don't even remember them anymore.' He smiled up at the man who nodded with an understanding look on his face

'Well, I'm sure your aunt and uncle take good care of you, right?' he asked and was met with silence. Harry was starting to get worried now. He couldn't tell the nice man of his live at home. Surely he wouldn't want to be with him when he knew that he was a freak. No one wanted to be with a freak.

'Harry?' he inquired and Harry felt that he would at least have to say something.

'Well they do give me food and I have a roof over my head, so I guess…' Harry mumbled not sure what to say.

'You don't sound too happy with your live right now.'

Harry squirmed now. He really didn't want to tell him anything. Maybe if he you'd just change the topic… right, he still didn't know the man's name.

'What's your name?' Harry asked. The man quirked an eyebrow at the sudden topic change but didn't address it

'You can call me Tom,' the man, Tom, said. And Harry smiled up at him.

'Okay! I think I'll have to go now, but I'll see you tomorrow again, right Tom?' Harry asked a bit insecurely

'Of course. Why wouldn't I come?' Tom said and Harry jogged home again.

He really did have a friend now!

~oOo~

Sooo, my first FF that's gonna be more than a One Shot! Yay! I wish it was November here too… it's too hot to be good…

I'd appreciate Reviews, be it Criticism or just a simple 'I like your story' or something like that, those really make my day (and they make me want to continue this)! (: