Typed this out when the idea struck and then forgot about it...but here it is now - hope you enjoy!

...

He had told her, once. It was the second time he'd told someone about it. In first grade, he had told his teacher, Ms. Daniels. His uncle hit him sometimes. His aunt, too. It wasn't so bad, but afterward he would hurt for days and days. And Dudley never got punished - just him. He was left bleeding and bruised in his cupboard to take care of himself and make sure that no one noticed.

Ms. Daniels had seemed nice. She had assured him that he could tell her. After much hesitation, he did.

And she did nothing. The next day she came back and acted as though nothing had happened.

After that he closed himself off from other people. His trust in people faded at much too early an age.

But then he'd gone to Hogwarts. He'd thought it would be different. Because they had magic, something the Dursleys and everyone else seemed to despise. So he thought, maybe these teachers and new friends acted differently.

He watched them for months. He waited for some sign that he could trust them. He wouldn't make the same mistake as so many years before. He wouldn't have his heart broken again by too easily placed trust.

"My relatives hit me sometimes."

He told Professor McGonagall right before he left after his first year. He wanted to stay at Hogwarts.

She promised to speak with the Headmaster to see what could be done. She was angry, he could see that, and it gave him hope that something could change.

But the next day she greeted him as always. She seemed to have forgotten what he'd told her. He tested the waters a bit, asked vague questions to see what she'd say, but it was as though he'd told her nothing about his abuse.

He felt such despair in him then - nobody cared. He never told anybody ever again - not even Remus, who he'd found a special connection to. He couldn't risk the pain of being ignored for a third time.

Later, Harry found out that Dumbledore had been responsible for both counts. He had obliviated his teacher when she began raising a fuss with the school, and when McGonagall had gone to him telling what Harry had revealed, he had obliviated her, too. Dumbledore had needed Harry to stay with the Dursleys so that the blood wards would continue to work.

When Dumbledore died the curses had been lifted, and McGonagall came to him in tears, begging his forgiveness for not having been able to do anything. He didn't know what became of Ms. Daniels when she remembered. He told McGonagall he forgave her - and he did.

But that trust he'd had in adults as a child was gone - after McGonagall, the wisps of it he had left had faded away like drops of blood in the ocean. He had been betrayed, and he would never trust anyone else again.

...

Yes, very depressing, but I thought I'd try out the style. Do you think I deserve a review? Not too hard - you know you want to. ;p