This is a re-write, re-vamp, re-post of my rather pathetic first attempt at a fanfic (hp or otherwise). I've deleted the first chapter entirely… so it's a good start J

I own nothing except the plot. JK owns the characters the world and the words.
Nuf said.

Title: Learning to Live
Rating: PG-13
Summery: The summer starts horribly for Harry, but seems to look up when he
gets to go live with Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.

Chapter one: Once is enough

On #4 Privet Drive, where Harry Potter, boy wizard lived, he was having his worst summer ever, by far. He'd known the moment he saw them on the platform at kings cross that something had changed for the worse in regards to the Dursleys. Vernon, Petunia and Dudley Dursley had stood looking crossly at him, as if his very presence had been offending, which now that he thought about it, it undoubtedly was. The conformation of his fears came to light in the forum of Vernon as he was loading Harry's trunk into the boot of the car.

"Boy" he had boomed, "If you as much as put a toe out of line this summer not even your
make-believe godfather will save you from me." Yup, there was trouble to be
had this summer. Somehow Vernon had come too believe that he had made up the
entire story about Sirius. Big trouble.

Harry was snapped out of his reserve quickly when he heard his door
slammed open on its hinges and Vernon's bulky body stormed through the door.

"Boy" he roared, "What do you think your doing?"

Harry looked at him in shock; it was 11 o'clock at night, what did he 'think' he was doing.

"Get up!" he roared, grabbling Harry by his hair and tossing his thin forum out of
his bed. Harry stumbled and gasped in pain, his uncle had become increasingly more violent towards Harry since he'd gotten back from Hogwarts.

Harry straightened and turned to look at his uncle. "You get out in that yard boy,
and you 'stay' there until you have finished everything! I did not ask for
some half asked job!"

"No!" Harry yelped, "its 11 o'clock at night and it raining, I'll do it in the
morning!" Vernon's beefy hand connected soundly with his cheek.

"No? NO?" Vernon yelled in outrage, "Don't you dare say no to me you fee
loading freak!" Harry held is smarting cheek and backed away from his uncle
in renewed fear, not once in his entire life had his uncle struck him in such
a way. Harry looked franticly for an escape root, but found none, what was he
going to do? He just couldn't just stand there and let Vernon beat him, he
would have gone for his wand if it hadn't been in his trunk, which was unfortunately
locked away in his old cupboard under the stairs. Harry backed himself into a corner as his angry uncle advanced on him.

"I'll teach you boy, I'll teach you to come into my house and disrespect me!"

His uncle's beefy hand shot out again and slammed into his nose, his glasses, which had previously been unharmed, now broke and fell harmlessly to the floor. Harry's world became a hazy blur and he realized he was now at an even worse advantage. When Vernon slapped him again and his head clapped the wall behind him, the world tilted
slightly and Harry slid down the wall, all the while trying to protect himself
from his uncle's seemingly never-ending blows.

Pain exploded in Harry's stomach and side as Vernon changed tactics and began to kick him. Harry dimly realized at some point that his uncle was spitting insults and the foulest
words he had ever heard at him, he also realized with some shock that the horrid yelling came from himself as well though his wasn't coherent, just pained yelling and gasps for air.

Suddenly the pain stopped and Harry heard his uncle slam the door as he left his room. Only then did Harry realize that he was crying. Great wracking sobs that hurt his chest terribly wracked his form. It took almost an hour for the tears to stop and his breathing to calm, his vision cleared, or at least as much as it could without his glasses on. He took an assessment of his injuries and found that his nose was bleeding, though not necessarily broken, his chest and stomach were starting to burse horribly and he felt sure that at least one of his ribs was broken as well. He knew that he had at lest one black eye, for it was
starting to swell shut, and his lower lip was split. One trembling hand searched for the throbbing pain at the back of his head, and came into contact his a vary large very painful bump.

Harry sat in his corner and contemplated his options. It had only been two week since the end of his year at Hogwarts, and he was sure that he couldn't stay with the Dursley's if this sort of treatment would be a constant threat from now on. Who needed Voldemort, after all, if his uncle did him in before the third week of summer holidays? He thought for a moment about contacting Ron, his best friend from Hogwarts, but decided in the end that they had enough going on with seven kids already. He could try to owl Dumbledore, his Headmaster at school, but that seemed a little extreme. Then there was Sirius, his beloved godfather, Sirius seemed to Harry to be the right choice, of course he new he was biased, if he had to tell any one about him letting his uncle beat him, he would rather it be Sirius.

Slowly Harry stood, and picked up his grasses, he stumbled to the loose floorboard and plucked the duct tape from within the floor. Quickly he repaired his glasses as best he could, and then pulled parchment and a quill out of his hidden spot as well. He sat on the floor and thought for a moment on what to write, he did not want to get his still on the run godfather caught by making him careless in his rush to get to him. Slowly Harry began to write, choosing his words carefully to keep his over protective godfather from
panicking.
He wrote:

Dear Snuffles,

I realize that you are busy contacting the 'old crowd', and I'm sorry about this interruption. I know it's not safe, but in light of some things that happened tonight I really feel that I have no choice but to contact you. Vernon hit me, it's a shock and I'm not sure if it'll happen again. Although I have this gut feeling that it's just become a new part of my daily life at #4. As it is I'm not sure how badly he got me, because I haven't wanted to take the risk of heading to the bathroom to view my brand new burses that now accompany the old ones. I haven't a clue what to do since Dumbledore said that I had to stay here this summer. Could you give me a little push in the right direction? Don't do anything rash, I'm fine for now, and I will keep out of his way as much as possible.

Love,
Harry

Little did Harry know that Sirius couldn't have been more worried if he'd
signed the note it in blood, because Sirius knew Harry, and he knew that Harry
would never have written at all if it wasn't very serious.

Next chapter is called Padfooted consequences. Coming very soon. Look out
here it comes! Kidding…. Well I thought it was funny… grumble grumble