The Potions Apprentice

The Cupboard Under the Stairs

It was dark, cramped, and dusty in the small cupboard under the stairs. A short boy covered in filth sat on a filthy worn out mattress with a small disgusting, holey blanket sitting over his shoulders. Hadrian's raven mattered hair fell into the middle of his back. His acid-green eyes shone in the dark, not unlike that of a cat's. The massive worn and torn rags that hung off his extremely small body gave him little warmth. He hadn't bathed in over a week and had been fed very little. The disgusting bucket in the corner of the cupboard had been filled days ago.

The boy hadn't been out of his cupboard for just over a week due to his punishment. The lock clicked at the door swung open and his ugly horse-faced aunt screamed GET UP YOU DISGUSTING BOY! Said the boy jumping up rather quickly to not get any more punishments. Harry grabbed his bucket and ran outside and around the back, he emptied his bucket under a tree. Then turned on the tap, he wasn't allowed to have showers inside even though it was winter. He quickly rinsed himself and made his way back inside, if he was quick enough they might let him eat today.

A few weeks later

Hadrian had been woken by his cousin, Dudley jumping on the stairs intentionally sending dust and cobwebs on top of him, and screaming about his birthday, Hadrian rolled his eyes and looked over to the beautiful green snake, Sal slid up and wrapped himself around Hadrian's unbelievably thin body under his baggy rags out of sight as the door is flung open and Hadrian is ordered to make a big breakfast for his cousin. He was at the stove when making his uncle's coffee and flipping bacon when Dudley had finished counting his presents and started complaining his parents managed to placid him with a promise of more presents later.

Hadrian had been called to the lounge room "boy, Mrs Figgs has broken both her legs so you can't go there today from Dudley's party Uncle Vernon growled um maybe I could stay here and finish my chores" the boy replied meekly. "Ha and ruin the house I don't think so, Freak," Vernon said "but Vernon, dear we can't take him with us," aunt Petunia said then walked away "fine but you better not mess one thing in this house boy or so help I punish you right tonight," Uncle Vernon said slapping the boy's ass leaving the implications of what will happen if anything when wrong. Hadrian shuttered in fear.

Later that day after the Dursleys had left, while Hadrian did his chores as Sal started to tell the boy what would happen on his birthday, the boy already knew about magic. So Sal told him about Hogwarts and the Houses, the subjects, and how not to trust the headmaster Albus Dumbledore nor look into the man's eyes. Then told the boy about the death of his parents and the war with Voldemort. He told Hadrian that Dumbledore would use him, Voldemort would kill him, and that he needed to learn to protect himself. Sal also told him that people would call him Harry Potter, don't let them call you that, it's not your name Sal said the boy nodded his head. The Dursleys arrived home just as Hadrian had finished his chores he was sent to bed that night with two pieces of bread and a glass of water.

A week later Hadrian had been ordered to go and collect the mail which he did without an argument. He flicked through the mail to if anything was interesting, one that was heavier than the others caught his eye. It didn't look like normal paper he turned it over to see the green writing address Harry Potter Hadrian stopped dead in his tracks his was addressed to him, well his old name anyways. He quickly hid it in his cupboard before anyone saw it. And continued his way to the kitchen. Hadrian handed the mail to his uncle then when to make his coffee. Boy, we're going to Margs for the next two weeks, you're staying here do not wreck the place, or you know the punishment. Dismissed the boy nodded the run quickly to his cupboard.

Hadrian knew what the letter was, it was his Hogwarts letter. He quickly opened it and then turned it over on the back was a list of school things he needed. Um, Sal where am I going to get these things he hissed to the green snake who had emerged from the boy's collar "well, Diagon Alley, of course," Sal hissed back before he went to sleep.

It was a few days later he still had two weeks before school started. the Dursleys had left for a vacation for two weeks leaving him home alone. he had caught a bus to the middle of London. Before he had left he had asked Sal to place a Glamour on him. He was looking around for anything that stood out, but nothing did. Sal gave him another direction and he followed ending up at some crappy old pub he walked in.

"Diagon Alley?" the Bartender asked. the boy just nodded and followed the man out back. The bartender lead him to a dead-end before the boy could panic that it was some trick to take advantage of him, the man tapped on the bricks in front of them as they parted the man turned. "Welcome to Diagon Alley," he said and went back to the bar. "Where do we go first, I haven't got any money and I doubt they give away anything for free" he hissed quietly to Sal who was well hidden. Gringotts, the wizarding bank, run by Goblins "when we get there be respectful" Sal quietly hissed back and lead on.