Before we get started, I have the obligatory author's note where I beg for help from somebody. I need a co-writer. The one that helped me with this story joined the army and is no longer available for any more stories and I am absolutely beside myself with desperation. I need help. Any form of help will do. Please... I'm having such a difficult time getting much of anything done with these stories, and it's reached the point where I'm genuinely wondering if I should give up, even if I don't want to do that. I just need the help... I'll take anything aside from beta reading [because it's the storytelling I need help with, not the grammar].

Little Harry Potter whimpered as he curled up in the cupboard under the stairs, fresh welts and bruises littering his tiny frame, some of which were bleeding. It hurt... It all hurt so much... His uncle was so cruel to him... Always beating him and calling him names...

"I wanna be somewhere else..." He whispered to himself. "Anywhere else..." He let out a whimper and began to shake uncontrollably. As he fell into a fitful slumber, however, a computer started to glow... And Harry right along with it...

Monika shot up from her bed with a gasp. She looked around wildly at her surroundings. "Huh...? What?" She looked around, surprised not to see a featureless white void around her. Everything was loaded, just like it was when the game was being played... But there was no one playing the game. Monika didn't hear the annoyingly repetitive music of the main menu theme, she didn't see a player looking at her from the fourth wall, she saw only the sight of her bedroom... What was going on?

Curious, she decided to boot up the game's code. Everything seemed just the way it normally would... An update, perhaps?

She decided to use the debug menu's scanning feature to map out the town and see where everything was. Sayori was eating breakfast...Natsuki was baking the cupcakes she had promised to bring to bring to school tomorrow, Yuri was reading a novel... All seemed normal. Monika grew bored searching through the town, leaning her cheek on her hand as she looked at the screen. But just as she was about to give up, she saw something new... It looked to be a little boy, looking lost, confused and scared in an alleyway.

Monika shot up at that. She'd never seen this boy before! Hurriedly, she looked through the code once more. He was nowhere to be found! The girl stared in shock at the screen in front of her, wondering what to do.

The boy was in no real danger... Her, the other girls and Natsuki's dad were the only characters programmed into this game, so he wasn't likely to be attacked, but... The fear and confusion in his emerald green eyes reached out to Monika...

Harry was confused about how he'd gotten here, and scared beyond all reason that he didn't know where "here" was. All he could tell was that evidence of his uncle's latest beating still hurt, and that if he made any noise or attracted any attention to himself he might get another one right on top of it.

With a start, he realized that someone was standing at the entrance to the alley, a girl with long brown hair in a student uniform by the looks of it. He cowered at the sight of her. Uncle Vernon had been very clear about what would happen to him if somebody found him away from home: they'd be even more awful than the Dursleys could ever hope to be, and would send him back with twice as many bruises as his uncle gave him.

Monika was looking sadly at the boy in front of her. How awful must his life have been outside the fourth wall to look at her with such fear? She knelt down and held her hand out to him.

"I won't hurt you, it's okay. I want to help. Can you tell me your name?" she asked, speaking softly so she wouldn't scare him. It didn't appear to work, as he just backed up even further.

"N-No...Y-You're gonna hurt me...and...and take me back to my aunt and uncle's house..." The boy softly whimpered in fear.

"Did your uncle treat you very well?" Monika asked, making Harry flinch. She lowered her hand with a soft sigh. "I bet he didn't. I know someone who is in a similar spot like yours. Her dad doesn't treat her very well, tells her he wants her to grow up. She goes hungry a bunch of nights, and I only knew it was going on after I'd known her for two years. People like her father, your uncle... they're not good people. They hurt kids, make them bottle everything up, react to a lot of things with fear. I promise, I'm not like your uncle. You don't have to trust me, but can I at least know your name?" He was quiet.

"H-Harry...But...But everyone calls me freak..." The boy whimpered out.

Monika's lips formed into a frown as she gently put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I think Harry's a very nice name." She said gently.

r. Harry flinched at the contact, expecting the pain to start any moment. but what the girl was doing felt...nice...

Slowly, he looked up to see her giving him a huge, warm smile. He almost burst into tears right there. Monika reached forward and picked the boy up carefully under his armpits, holding him up to eye level with a smile. "So, Harry... How did you get here, anyway?"

"I...I did the freaky stuff..." Harry replied timidly, looking down. "I ended up here from my...my cupboard... I...I wanted to be somewhere else, so I'm here now..." Monika nodded.

"Okay, I see... Where are you from, Harry?"

"Privet Drive..." The boy replied softly. Monika began to feel a bit giddy despite herself. The boy was from the reality realm! He was real! She could have someone real in her life!

"Well, Harry, you're definitely a long way from your aunt and uncle. I couldn't send you back even if I wanted to. All I can do for you is welcome you, with open arms." Giving the boy a smile, she hugged him close to her bosom.

Never having felt a hug like this before (fuzzy memories as a baby and seeing Dudley recieve them notwithstanding), Harry was slow to hug Monika back, but soon did so tightly for fear that he might discover this was some dream, and that he'd wake up in the cupboard again. He suddenly realized that he didn't know this girl's name, and asked her.

"Oh! Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I?" she said, sheepish that her manners had slipped her. "My name is Monika."

"Monika... it's a r-really pretty name," Harry said, a small blush on his face.

"Thank you," she said, smiling at how adorable Harry was. "Harry, since you obviously can't go back to your relatives' home, would you like to stay with me? It's entirely up to you, but don't feel obligated to come just-"

"Yes!" Harry blurted, then went wide eyed at his own reaction. "I-I mean... yes, I would like t-to stay with you." She smiled, and held his hand as they walked out of the alley and down the street. Harry was too busy thinking to notice the lack of people around him, thoughts about his great luck in finding someone so nice and about his future going through his head quickly, like bees or bouncing marbles.

Monika was constantly stealing warm glances at little Harry. This was just too good to be true... She wasn't alone anymore! She had someone real to talk with!

Then she got to thinking. How was she going to explain the situation to him? Would he be able to stomach the news that he was trapped in a video game?

And how was she going to explain this to the girls?

Looking over at Harry, she decided she wanted to carry him. She leaned over carefully and scooped him into her arms, causing him to squeak cutely.

Being entirely honest, Harry was ready to welcome anything that meant more comfortable hug-like things with Monika, and while being picked up was a surprise, he found that he liked his new arrangement, and wrapped his arms around her neck and shoulders as she walked. This had been just enough to drag him from his thoughts and notice his surroundings, and Harry grew uneasy at the lack of any other people around here, not so much as a lit window to deny the possibility that this was a ghost town.

"Uh, Miss M-Monika?" he asked. He reminded himself to try and get rid of his nervous stutter later. "Why isn't there anyone else around here?" She tensed a little bit at the question, and braced herself for his reaction to the news.

"It's because... nobody else has ever been there," she answered. "Those houses are just... there. They were never built for anyone." Harry was still confused, but made an 'oh' of understanding.

Still feeling uncomfortable, he nestled into her some more, looking around nervously. "Are...Are we the only ones here...?" The five year old squeaked out timidly. Monika shook her head.

"No, there are four other people in this town." She explained, opting to sit down on a nearby bench and seat the child on her lap.

Harry was confused. "But why did they make a town if no one's here to live in it?" Monika grinned sheepishly.

"Oh dear, how do I explain this...? Harry, you're in a video game right now."

"A... video game?" Harry asked, face bunched up and head tilted. "But g-games aren't r-real, they're in the TV..."

"I don't know, but you are," Monika admitted. "I'm the only one who knows about it though, the others are still programmed to follow the script of the game."

"But then what are they gonna think of me?" Harry asked. "Will the be nice like you or am I gonna make them hate me?"

Harry looked unsure, and Monika gave him an encouraging smile. "Hey, come on. One's a bucket of sunshine, one's obsessed with cute things like you, and one is too shy to be mean to anyone unless you provoke her." Harry was now staring at her with wide eyes.

"C-Cute...? Me...?" He squeaked out softly, causing Monika to giggle.

"Yep!" She replied, popping the P at the end. "Just the cutest little thing I've ever seen." It wasn't like there was a lot of competition in this place, but hey... He was adorable and he needed a boost in confidence.

The boy was looking lost and confused on how to react. No doubt because no one had ever given him a compliment before, the poor thing.

"Let's get going again, we're almost to my home," Monika said, dragging both of them away from where they'd stopped. "I think you'll like it."

They were silent the rest of the way, comfortably so. Harry was still trying to wrap his head around him being in a video game when Monika announced that they'd arrived, making him look up at the house they were right in front of. It was average, and was similar to the other houses everywhere else with the exception of plants and color choices. He hadn't been expecting something so... normal.

"I'll show you around first, and then get some dinner ready." Harry's stomach growled at the mention of that, making Monika stifle another giggle at his embarassment. "Maybe the other way around then. Come on, I'll whip up something in a heartbeat"

"Do you w-want me t-to m-make it?" Harry asked, looking uncomfortable at the thought of doing nothing. "It's... w-what my aunt a-and uncle had m-me d-do, make them f-food... I g-got scraps if I-I was g-good..."

Monika looked at Harry sadly. "No, I'll make it. People normally don't even touch a stove at your age, let alone use it." She gestured to herself. "I'll make a meal for us, and I'll clean up." Harry nodded, seemingly guilty that he wouldn't be doing a thing. Monika compromised between what he was comfortable with and what was right. "If you want, you can help me." He perked up and nodded eagerly.

Smiling, Monika set up a little standing stool so the boy could reach the counter. "Now...What to make, what to make..." She muttered to herself, looking through the pantries. "Hmm...I guess we could go with breakfast for dinner. Some hasbrowns, some eggs, bacon and all that. What do you think?" She turned to smile at Harry.

"Okay." He said with a nod. Somehow Monika got the feeling that he would have responded the same way even if he didn't like the idea.

Humming to herself, the girl got the supplies ready and ruffled Harry's hair. "All right then, Chef Harry. You're an experienced cook, where shoukd we start?" Harry looked thoughtful.

"I always do bacon first and eggs last..." He replied. Monika nodded.

"Good choice."

Harry was in charge of eggs and hash browns, while Monika took bacon and buttered toast. She kept a close eye on his frying while also watching to make sure the bacon and toast didn't burn. She had to admit that he was good at cooking, but felt bad that he'd learned out of necessity rather than passion. Soon, they'd set out a small feast, and the whole room was warm from their cooking.

"You did great on these, Harry," Monika said, chewing perfectly cooked eggs and potatoes. "You're a real chef, as this meal proves." Harry was again embarassed at the praise, but nodded anyways.

"It's all r-really good," Harry said between bites of bacon and toast, hardly touching his own work. Much as she wanted to work with Harry and help him, Monika knew that conversation would spoil dinner, and so she held her tongue as they ate. Eventually, both plates were empty, Monika having to encourage Harry to eat the eggs and hash browns, and Monika was firm that she would clean up dishes.

"That was fun," she said, yawning after Harry started it. "Guess that means it's time for bed. Come on, let's get ready for bed."

Harry nodded and got up from his chair, moving over to the stairs. Monika tilted her head in confusion. "Harry? Where are you going?" She asked.

Harry was now looking at the stairs, confused. "Um...I'm...looking for the cupboard, but...You don't have one..." And then came an ominous feeling inside Monika's gut.

"Why are you looking for a cupboard?" She asked, knowing full well she was not going to like the answer.

"Isn't that where I'm supposed to sleep?" Harry replied, confused.

Monika's gut twisted, and suddenly she knew what Yuri felt anytime the girl went crazy with a knife in her run.

"No, Harry," she said softly, masking her pity and horror. She hugged him close to her chest as she kept talking, unable to resist holding this poor child who'd gone through so much. "No, no, no, you get a real room and a proper bed, at least while I'm around. You won't sleep in a cupboard, you won't go hungry, you won't be hurt, and you most certainly will never return to those... monsters that you call relatives, I promise." Harry hugged back as tight as he could, his thin ribs and small physique painfully obvious to Monika. Even with all of his strength, Harry's hug still felt so terribly light to her that she suddenly wondered how he even moved around. Harry's silent sobbing make his chest pump and flutter against Monika's, and she rubbed his back.

"It's okay, it's okay, Harry," she said, trying to assure herself with the same phrase. Monika carried Harry upstairs to the bathroom, unsure if it was a good idea to give himself a bath, and also curious to see what all this Vermin had done, and try her best to fix the wrongs he'd committed.

She entered the bathroom and carefully seated the boy on the toilet seat, looking over at him hesitantly. Harry looked confused and somewhat scared. "M-Miss Monika...?" He whimpered. Monika knelt down to give him a quick hug.

"It's okay, sweetie, I'm just gonna give you a bath." She cooed gently. Harry looked scared.

"A bath...? It...It's not gonna burn, is it?! Or be really really cold?!" His panic broke Monika's heart. What had they done to him?

"No, no. It'll be fine, I promise. Let's just get this nasty old rag off..." Carefully, she pulled off the oversized shirt...and almost immediately clapped a hand to her mouth and gasped. "Oh...Oh my God..."

Bruises of every shade covered enough skin that there was less clear than purple or greenish-brown, and scars paler than he was were underneath and over all of them. He had burns and slashes, or at least evidence that they'd healed. The state of his malnutrition was a bigger problem however. His ribs were sunken in so far that Monika swore she could almost see the curve of them on the far side, and his stomach was so far sunken in that she was surprised she couldn't see his spine. What in god's name had they done to him?!

"M-Miss M-M-Monika?' Harry asked, stutter worsening as he watched her face go through shock, revulsion, and fear all at the same time. She looked at him, sadness overtaking everything else as she slowly brought him to her chest yet again, her tears tracking through the dirt on his shoulder as she cried. "W-What's w-wrong?"

"...So much, Harry," she said, still crying. "So much... how are you even alive? In your state, almost anyone would have died!" Her stress made Harry scared, and he answered quickly with terror in his voice.

"I-It's p-probably t-t-the f-freaky s-s-stuff that Uncle V-Vernon t-tried t-t-to beat out of-of me," Harry spluttered, trembling. "He s-s-said t-that I-it would m-make m-m-me n-n-normal, b-better, n-not a f-freak."

Monika's emotions immediately changed from sadness and horror to fury and desire for bloodshed. She felt like a mother bear that was forced to ler her cub's attacker escape...

She wanted to destroy the people who did this to him. She wanted to wring their necks. She wanted to grab the hardest blunt object she could find and bash their heads open. She wanted to rip them apart with her bare hands.

It killed her that these primitive beasts were getting away with their evil actions... If she EVER got to their reality...

Taking a deep breath, she looked down at the scared child. "...I'm gonna take care of you...I promise...I won't let anything hurt you again as long as I'm still breathing."

Harry realized that she wasn't angry with him, and heard what she said after, confusing him.

"But... I-I'm a freak... I have t-to-" he began, but was silenced by Monika.

"You're no freak. You're Harry, a sweet child who went through something terrible at the hands of awful people who can hardly call themselves human. I will tell you something, and believe me when I say it: you are not a freak," she said, trying to hammer in that fact.

He still didn't quite get it, but for the moment Monika focused on getting him clean. Harry was soon undressed and sitting in a very bubbly bath that was soothingly warm, and not the least bit too hot or cold. Monika was gently scrubbing his back with a washcloth, trying to not agitate any injuries, but every once in a while Harry would still wince.

Each time that happened, the girl would apologize and kiss the top of his head gently. It was a soothing feeling...

Monika spent what felt like hours getting the poor thing cleaned up. She had to scrub thoroughly without harming him... Not an easy task considering how much was there... But eventually, she decided she felt content with her work.

She pulled him out carefully and swaddled him up in a big fluffy towel, leaving only his tiny face peeking out. The teen giggled and kissed both of his cheeks gently. "Okay...Now I need to disinfect the wounds, and then we can get you a little snack before bed. You need to eat something."

Opening her medicine cabinet, she found her disinfectant. She used to give it to Yuri when she cut herself in the club, until she found out the purple haired girl wasn't real...

"O-Okay, Miss M-Monika," Harry said, keeping still whenever she rubbed the minty cream over any open wounds he had. It stung a little, but made them feel better after his sores kept being opened over and over. When she finished, Monika realized Harry didn't have any pajamas. Come to think of it, he didn't even have proper clothes!

"I'll have to make some clothes for you later, for now you're stuck in this thing," Monika said, slipping the vastly oversized shirt back on Harry. She would work on that until late tonight, and see if she could still make it on time to... the club, how would they react? She wouldn't leave Harry alone here, so she had to bring him, but he might be overwhelmed by them after he'd just gotten used to her.

She picked Harry up carefully, letting out a deep sigh through her nostrils. Well, she didn't have much of a choice in the matter... The boy was gonna have to come... She'd just have to make sure the girls treated him like fine china.

Shaking her head, she picked the boy up again and went back downstairs to the kitchen, grabbing a handful of crackers for him. "Thank you..." Harry said appreciatively as he accepted the food. Monika smiled as he ate, then began thinking. Would she be able to get him new clothes? In here, she and the other girls were sadly programmed to be stuck with two outfits each, their school uniforms and one casual outfit, which got a bit annoying during the winter portions of the game. Stuck wearing skirts in the snow... Not fun. Hopefully Harry being from the other side would allow him to dress up decently...

While Harry slept in her bed, Monika sat at her desk, trying to think of ways to get clothes for Harry. There was no loose fabric lying around that she could use, and no spares that would fit or even match Harry at all. Then she thought... her power over the game's code wasn't very restricted. If she made a new file for the game, and made some clothes for Harry in the design program, she just might be able to bring some clothes to him.

Checking that he was still asleep, she quickly wrote a note in case he woke up (unlikely as that was, he was out like a light) saying that she'd gone out for a little while to get clothes for him. When she finished that, she vanished in a burst of glitches and code.

The game files were expansive, but she'd figured out how to move around in here a long time ago. The tools to make things were left in the finished game, so she went to those and got to work in the "studio." She made a 3D model of Harry to work off of, and began making things: pants, shirts, socks, underwear, shoes, and gloves and jackets for Winter parts. With that done, she saved her work into a file titled "wardrobe," and sent that to her own closet back at her home. With that, she returned amidst another burst of code.

Lo and behold, Harry was still fast asleep in her bed, snoring softly. Monika smiled at the sight and took a deep breath. The poor boy had suffered so much... Could she truly make his pain go away?

She didn't know for sure if she could help him...But she would absolutely try.

She carefully climbed into bed next to him, taking great care not to wake him. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close, and he snuggled into her subconsciously.

And there's the end of chapter one. Please help me...