AUTHOR'S NOTES: I was re-reading this story and decided that it needed an overhaul. I'm leaving the original up for comparison purposes.

HARRY POTTER: Thicker Than Blood—Rewrite

Blake Thorton stood in the front yard of Number 3 Privet Drive, enjoying the feeling of the soft, green grass on bare feet. It was quiet and peaceful here in England, unlike when he'd been a police detective in Manhattan, New York in the United States. The people here were friendlier and it felt good not to be the hard, long arm of the law that was necessary in New York. At 36 he had been lucky to survive multiple gunshot wounds—an occupational hazard. But it felt good to start over here in England with his wife and daughter.

"OUT!"

Looking around, Blake's reverie was broken by the sound of a woman shouting. Across the street he saw a young teenager being roughly shoved out of the house by a thin woman before she slammed the door. The teenager got shakily to his feet and started limping away when a car came tearing around and hit the teenager full on and swung easily into the driveway of Number 4 as though nothing had happened.

For a moment, Blake thought the driver had just realized that he'd hit the boy, but instead, the beefy man just shouted, "Serves you right, freak!" as he got out of the car and headed into the house, slamming the door behind him.

Blake couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed but almost instantly, his cop nature kicked in and he ran back into the house, shouting to his wife. "Kate, call the police!"

Kathryn Thorton hurried downstairs from their 11-year-old daughter's room looking frantic. "What is it?"

"The people across the street—" Blake said, looking for his new inspector's badge, handcuffs, and his gun which he'd tossed on the kitchen counter the previous night. Pocketing them, he turned to Kate and said, "Call the police and an ambulance. This guy just hit his son with his car. License plate is HJP731."

Kate ran to the phone to make the calls while Blake ran outside—still barefoot—and went to the injured teenager who was miraculously still conscious. Kneeling down, Blake tried to assess the boy's injuries. The right leg was definitely broken as was the boy's left arm. Pulling his shirt off, Blake folded it longways and carefully wrapped it around the kid's neck to prevent movement in case there was a spinal injury. "Hold on, son. It's okay. I'm a cop. Inspector Blake Thorton."

"Harry…" the boy rasped, his green eyes trying to focus. "Harry… Potter…"

"Hang on, Harry," Blake said, as he saw Kate come up and stood next to him. Looking at Kate then Harry, he said, "Harry, this is my wife, Kate." Kate nodded, smiling. "She's going to stay with you, okay?"

"Guy's name is Vernon Dursley," Kate told her husband as she knelt down next to Harry.

Blake stood up, pulling his gun from its holster and watching him, Harry thought of the American crime shows Dudley watched sometimes. Harry tried to turn his head to look around, but Kate grabbed his head and held it still. "Don't move your neck, Harry," she said, sternly. She pulled a pen from her pocket and poked Harry's leg. "Do you feel that?"

"Yes… I think…" Harry said, croakily. It was getting harder to think and the pain was increasing in his arm, back, and leg.

"Good," Kate said, trying to be optimistic. Looking up, she saw Blake walk up to the front door and knock loudly. Turning her attention back to Harry, she asked, "Can you move your feet for me?"

Harry tried to wiggle his foot but they didn't budge. "I-I-I can't…" Panic started to grip him as he realized what that meant.

Kate looked up when she heard sirens coming down the street. An ambulance pulled right next to Harry and the paramedics jumped out to tend to the boy. Kate held Harry's hand as his injuries were assessed and Blake's shirt was removed so that a proper neck brace could be applied. "I'm right here, Harry. It's okay," she said, comfortingly, trying to keep Harry calm.

Across the street, Blake waited until the front door of #4 opened and Vernon Dursley appeared. "Vernon Dursley?" Blake asked, holding up his badge. "Inspector Thorton. Please step outside and place your hands on your head."

"What?!" Vernon shouted.

"Mr. Dursley, I saw you hit Harry," Blake said, reaching for the handcuffs. "You're under arrest for vehicular assault."

"Like Hell!" Vernon roared. "Freaky little brat got what he deserved!"

"Mr. Dursley, we can do this in a civilized fashion," Blake warned. "Or we can do it the hard way." Vernon swung a beefy fist and although the doorway offered little in terms on maneuverability, Blake was able to catch the fist and twisted Vernon's arm around behind his back before snapping the handcuffs on.

"What the bloody hell are you doing to my husband?!" Petunia screeched as she came into the foyer, Dudley behind her.

"Your husband is under arrest for vehicular assault," Blake stated. "You two want to join him?" Looking at Vernon, he marched him outside where the police were pulling up just as the ambulance was pulling away. Not seeing Kate, Blake figured she had gone with Harry to the hospital.

"Bloody hell, man," said Chief Inspector Franklin Bose as he got out of the police car. "You caught a right bad case for your first go."

"You don't mind if I stay with this, do you?" Blake asked as one of the other inspectors put Vernon Dursley isn the back of the police car.

"Not at all, Thorton," Bose replied. "This is all yours."

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Across town, Hermione Granger was riding with her father through London as they came back from the movies. Her mother out of town for the day, Hermione had seized the opportunity for her and her father to go do something fun—just the two of them.

But as she fiddled with the car radio, she caught part of a news report on the radio that made her gasp. "Police arrested Vernon Dursley vehicular assault charges and further investigation has revealed that both Vernon Dursley and his wife, Petunia, were indeed abusing their nephew, Harry."

"Isn't that your friend Harry's family?" Mr. Granger said, looking sharply at Hermione as he pulled the car over. "Hermione, you never told me Harry was abused."

"I didn't know," Hermione said, quietly. "A-and the report said Harry was hit by a car!"

"Okay… hold on, 'Mione…" Mr. Granger got back on the road made the first turn he could, heading towards the hospital where Harry was reported to have been taken to.

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Blake looked into the interrogation room where Vernon Dursley now sat looking angry, bristling. If there was one thing he couldn't stand it was a man who beat kids for the hell of it. Taking a breath and making sure the safety of his gun was on, Blake walked into the room. "You're lucky, Dursley," Blake said, pacing the room as he watched the man at the table. "You nephew is alive. Otherwise it's vehicular homicide. You weren't drunk or on drugs… had a good day at work from what I hear. The kid pissed you off? I heard you call him 'freak'."

"Boy believes in magic and nonsense," Vernon said. "He lies for attention."

"Why'd you hit him with your car?!" Blake shouted, pounding the table and making Vernon jump.

"He was in the way," Vernon muttered.

"Yeah, I bet he was," Blake said, staring Vernon down. "You were happy when it was just you… your wife… your son… And then out of the blue, your nephew gets dropped on you. Well, here's a big old drain on your money and time… You already had a family and now you have to care for someone else's kid." Standing up, Blake started circling the table. "If you kill him… well, you can just say it was an accident. But even if you crippled him, you could still say 'Hey, I've got my own family to think about. I can't care for this kid if he's disabled'." Leaning on the table again so he could stare Vernon Dursley in the eye, Blake asked, "So… Door number one… or door number two?"

"I want a lawyer," Vernon Dursley said, quickly.

"Hope you like grey, Mr. Dursley," Blake said, grinning, as he stood "You'll be wearing a lot of it in prison."

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Kate had just gotten her social worker's certificate when Blake had decided to move to England and it seemed as if Harry Potter was to become her first official case.

But it would be a while before the poor boy would be in condition to talk. According to the emergency doctors and the surgeons, the impact from the car had broken two ribs and nicked a lung. His right leg, already injured earlier in the day was broken in four places and his elbow was broken. Worst, though, was the two broken vertebrae in his back which severely injured the nerves in his spinal cord. Even after the vertebral and leg fractures healed there was still a likely chance that Harry wouldn't be able to walk. And the fact that Harry had minimal sensation below the waist and he couldn't move his legs seemed to increase the likelihood of permanent injury.

Lost in her thoughts, Kate didn't hear the door to the waiting room open and only looked up when she saw Blake standing in front of her holding a cup of coffee. "Thanks, honey," she said, taking the cup and sipping what was actually a fairly decent latte.

"Harry's still in surgery?" Blake asked, looking tired.

Kate shook her head. "In post-op, but it's bad. He's still unconscious and the surgeon thinks he'll be like that the rest of the day and all night."

"Please tell me there's some good news," Blake said, sitting next to his wife.

"The Dursleys didn't sign the papers making themselves Harry's legal guardian. So I elected us for the time being."

Blake nodded. "I spoke to the neighbors. They said that the Dursleys were 'insufferable'. Not popular people. The son's a bully and they hardly ever saw Harry." Leaning back on the couch, he added, "No one probably even considered the kid was being abused."

"Excuse me."

Kate and Blake looked up to see a teenager with bushy brown hair standing in the doorway to the waiting area. Blake stood up and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Inspector Thorton?" The girl said and when Blake nodded, she went on. "I'm Hermione Granger. I'm… Harry Potter is my best friend."

"Have a seat, Hermione," Kate said, patting the couch next to her.

Hermione sat and Blake crouched in front of her. The girl seemed the intelligent sort but right now she just looked scared and vulnerable. "I need to ask you some questions, okay?"

Hermione nodded. "Anything to help Harry."

Blake nodded. "The Dursleys never officially adopted Harry so right now my wife and I are his legal guardians. Is there anyone else we can contact? Another aunt or a grandparent?"

Hermione thought quickly. She didn't know what to do and until she could consult Dumbledore—although she hadn't decided whether or not that was a good idea just yet—she figured this policeman and his wife were the best thing. "No."

"What about Harry's school? Would they know of any contacts? What about Harry's parents?" Kate asked, trying to prompt the teenage girl.

"Harry's mum and dad were killed when he was a baby. Harry and I go to the same boarding school, but…"

"But what, Hermione?" Blake said, in his best 'caring father' voice. Hermione was hiding something and by her tone she wasn't sure whether withholding or sharing the information would hurt Harry more.

"The headmaster was the one who placed Harry with the Dursleys," Hermione said, looking at her shoes. "I know he didn't know about Harry's aunt and uncle, but…"

"Then we'll leave him out of the loop for now," Blake replied, standing up. "But we will need to contact him later." This case was getting interesting… and not in a good way.

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Harry slowly opened his eyes to see a white hospital room. He tried to look around but there was a hard metal and plastic brace around his neck and his back.

His eyes moving, he saw that his leg was in a cast up to his hip and in a traction rig and his left arm was in a cast and sling.

"Good afternoon, Harry."

Looking to the right, Harry saw the police inspector who had helped him the day before. "You… saved… me…" Harry said, weakly. His throat hurt and it was still painful to breathe.

"Yeah, I did," Blake said, scooting his chair closer to Harry's bed. "They took the tube out of your throat, I see."

"Put… one in… my side…" Harry wheezed. "I… can't… move my… legs."

Blake nodded at the back and neck brace. "Spinal injury. You have some sensation, but you can't move your legs."

Harry wiggled his fingers and gave what might have been an attempt at a shrug. "Arms… though… That's good… right?"

Blake smiled. "Right. Harry… I know your uncle Vernon hit you with his car. Has he…?"

"Hurt me… before," Harry said, his voice slightly better. "Fists… he'd kick… me. Aunt Petunia… just looks the other way…" Harry was quiet for a while then he asked, "Am I… crippled?"

Blake sighed. "Yes." Seeing Harry's defeated look he wanted to be hopeful but he also knew that the teenager would probably appreciate the truth more. That in mind, Blake went on. "There is a pretty heavy chance you won't regain use of your legs."

"Is Vernon going… to jail?" Harry asked, looking at Blake. He didn't want to think about his situation right now.

"Yes," Blake said, nodding. "And in a month or so you're coming home with Kate and me." Harry's eyes widened at that news and Blake continued. "Harry, it's obvious that you've had a shitty childhood. But I'd like to be your friend… if you'll let me." Harry started to reply when Blake's cell-phone rang. "Give me a sec, Harry. Hello."

Harry didn't pay attention to the call until his ear caught one particular word… "—some place called 'Hogwarts'."

"Hogwarts?" Harry asked, looking perplexed. How did this American police officer know about Hogwarts?

Blake froze and a dawning realization came over him and he said, "Kate… I'll call you back." Flipping his phone shut, Blake asked, "You go to Hogwarts?"

"Yes," Harry replied, succinctly.

"My daughter, Rae, just got an acceptance letter from Hogwarts," Blake said. "I can contact your headmaster if you want."

"Leave… him out… of this…" Harry said, his voice getting raspier. "He… sent me… there…"

Blake nodded. "Okay. I won't call," Blake promised, wanting to keep Harry calm. "Not until you tell me to."

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"Okay… Give me the history again," Kate said once she and Blake were at his office. There was a poster board on one wall and Blake had tacked up pictures of Harry, his family, and friends photocopied from Harry's personal albums along with written notes from the reports Blake had typed regarding Harry's case.

Blake pointed to one of pictures of Harry's parents at their wedding. "Okay. Harry's mom and dad died when someone called Tom Riddle killed them in the family home in…" Blake checked the notes he'd taken when interviewing Hermione Granger. "… in Godric's Hollow."

"And the headmaster of Harry's school found the boy?" Kate asked, reading the report.

"No, Harry's godfather was actually the first on the scene," Blake replied, pointing to a third figure in the wedding photo. "Sirius Black. He's on the run, though… falsely accused of being an accessory to the Potters' murder."

"So after the Potters die Dumbledore takes Harry away from someone who cares about him and says 'Let's just hand this kid to his aunt who couldn't care less if he lives or dies'?" Kate said, disbelieving.

"Yep," Blake said. "Of course you have to factor in the magic element. I-I'm sure there was some kind of… spell Dumbledore was using… Blood protection or something."

"So… Harry would be safe as long as he was with a blood relative?" Kate deduced. "Of course it probably didn't matter that Harry's aunt and uncle were abusive. Poor Harry."

"I keep thinking… there has to be someone with connection to the magical world that we can call," Blake said, looking through his notes again. "Here we go. The Weasleys. According to Hermione Granger Molly Weasley has all but adopted Harry."

"I'll call Hermione and see if she can send them a letter," Kate said, grabbing the phone. "Even if they can't legally adopt Harry at least he can be somewhere safe."

"I'll get you through this, Harry," Blake whispered to the picture of the smiling teenager as he stood with his school sports team. "I promise you."