The Slip

Second year

Note: so, basically Harry doesn't know his life with the Dursleys is terrible. He thinks every family is like that. It's right after Ron saved him from the Dursleys. Inspiration from harryjamesheadcanons:
Also, I'm sorry it's terrible and rushed. I had to make it a short story, I'm so sorry.

After breakfast(Mrs. Weasley's eggs were amazing), Harry went into the sitting room and came across a rather odd sights. Percy was asleep with a book on the couch.

How could someone feel so safe in their own home? Harry thought, very confused.

He decided to leave it be, and instead went over to George and asked him, "Who does the chores around he?" He wanted to help that person, knowing what it's like to be picked for that job.

You can imagine his surprise when George replied, "We all help out."

George, noticing the confused look on Harry's face, asked, "What's the matter?"

Harry just shook his head. How does this family work? Who's right, the Dursleys or the Weasleys?

"Hey guys!" Fred pops in, "Any of you want to play a game?"

"A-a game?" Harry repeats, confused because no one ever wanted him to play.

"Yeah!" George agrees, "Like...tag! Your it!" He touched Fred and ran out of the house.

"I'm gonna get ya, Harry!" Fred said, having a playful look on his face.

But Harry, not knowing the rules, thought it was Harry Hunting when Fred chased him. He ran and ran across the garden, not wanting to be hurt. Eventually, however, he came to a wall that he couldn't get past. He was trapped.

Harry curled into a ball. What's going to happen now? Will Fred beat him and leave him for the earth, just like Dudley?

But Fred was as shocked as anyone. He was ready to see a boy, ready to play. Not a boy on the ground, curled into himself, sobbing into his knees.

"Hey Harry," Fred said in a soothing voice, "What's the matter?"

Harry thought he was mocking him, but in reality, Fred wasn't. Harry lifted his head, and looked him straight in the eyes. Fred was shocked. Behind his eyes, you could clearly see pain and fear.

"George!" Fred called, needing some reasonable explanation.

Harry stood on his wobbly legs, probably ready to  run.

"It's okay Harry," Fred said. But all he could see was Dudley's smirking face.

Eventually, George, Molly, and Ron ran over to them.

"You all right mate?" Ron asked, his voice quavering because of the tear tracks on his best friend's face.

Harry's head snapped towards him.  This looked exactly like when Dudley's gang surrounded him, before...

Harry closed his eyes, braced himself for the swing of punches. For the feeling of helplessness. He thought about what Ron, his seemingly best friend, would do. What Mrs. Weasley would do, who seemed like a decent person.

They seemed like nice people. But others always said the Dursleys were nice. He wouldn't put it past them.

But what he heard instead was entirely different. He heard something completely unexpected. Mrs. Weasley saying, "Come on and have some tea."

He let himself be led away by them, back into the house, and sat down at the table. George, Fred, and Ron sat next to him. Mrs. Weasley went to make tea. Mr. Weasley and Ginny came down the stairs.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked, both of them sitting down as well.

Mrs. Weasley set the tea in front of me as she said, "That's exactly what I would like to know. Fred? George?"

Harry took a sip of his tea as he heard Fred say, "I swear! We were just playing tag—weren't we George?—and he started crying. I don't know what happened!"

George was nodding vigorously. "I didn't know until you knew, mum! We didn't do a thing! Whatever happened..."

All the while, Harry was thinking. They didn't mean to hurt him? They're really nice, and Mrs. Weasley really cares about him. That's something new.

He only just realized that everyone was staring at him.

"They didn't do anything to me," he decided.

"Then why were you curled into a ball?" Ron asked.

"My family's different..." then the whole story came out.

From things like Harry Hunting to Hagrid showing up. He told them about school, the cupboard, the chores. He told them about the more recent things, like starvation and yelling. Ron flushed when he heard that Harry got in trouble because he tried to use the telephone, although Harry repeatedly told him it wasn't his fault. At the end of this story, everybody looked at him with blank stares.

Mrs. Weasley couldn't imagine doing that to her children, or any children. She loved them too much and couldn't grasp why anyone would do that.

The rest of the day passed, and soon everybody stopped talking about it. But Fred would never forget the fear on Harry's face. Ron would never forget the stories he told. George would never forget the game he established that led up to this. Mrs. Weasley would never forget the real Harry, behind his courage. Mr. Weasley would never forget how abusive some muggles are.

And Ginny? Ginny's love only grew.