"I am sorry, ma'am, but my name is Harry, Harry Potter."

Mrs. McClane Harry an odd look, and he had to hold himself to not flinch. So, this was the end then? He guessed it was too good to be true, she would spread that to the other neighbors and Harry could kiss goodbye to the 'chores', the lessons, the cookies.

But instead of sneering, she smiled and ruffled his hair "So you are, Harry."

It spread like fire the next day, how Petunia Dursley mistreated and badmouthed her nephew, Harry, while coddling Dudley, the miscreant.

It was decided they would keep the ruse until they could help Harry properly.

Harry was at Mr. Lane home today, helping in the garden, he loved working in Mr. Lane's garden, it wasn't that much different from his Aunt's but the hat, and the tools provided helped a lot, the plenty of water during and the lemonade and sandwiches at the end were just a bonus.

Mr. Lane exited his house with a cup of cold water for Harry, he was without his cane today, so his leg wasn't hurting as usual. He was among Harry's favorite neighbors, not only because he was kind to him, but he had all those medals and Uncle Vernon was scared of him.

"Ah, nice work on those roses, lad, they look much better."

He gestured for Harry to sit in the lawn chairs, and placed the cup on the small table, after removing his gloves and cleaning his hands with the hose, Harry did so and drank the cold water, not being able to stop the sound of contentment that came from his throat, he blushed, but Mr. Lane just laughed.

"Nothing like some cold water after a day's work, eh?"

Harry nodded, and Mr. Lane smiled at him, "You know, Harry, you remind me of myself at your age," he looked around the garden, "you did good work today, what do you say about a lesson on those books from my service time you look so much at?"

Harry's eyes widened, he was looking for a way to politely refuse but then Mr. Lane said, "I was thinking we could begin with one of my favorite ones," he grinned, "The Art of War, by a very wise man called Sun Tzu."

Every week, the young couple of the neighborhood, Mr. and Mrs. Smithson went for their weekly outing and left Harry to care for little Jimmy. Jimmy adored Harry and treated him like a big brother, on those days, Harry normally played with him, heated their dinner, gave him a bath and then put the boy to sleep with his favorite movie(and Harry's too), The Sword in the Stone.

Harry's favorite character was Merlin, but he never, ever, could let his relatives hear him say that, Aunt Petunia hated that name for some reason.

That week, however, Mrs. Smithson said they were going to the movies, Harry nodded and with a sadder smile than he wanted, bid her farewell and turned to leave, before being stopped with a gentle hand in his shoulder.

"Oh, Harry, we want you to come too, who's going to prevent Jimmy from making a mess with all the popcorn?"

Harry couldn't contain his smile and asked what movie they were going to see.

"Oh, it came out a few years ago, but this month they are showing the entire trilogy together, it's called Star Wars."

That night, Harry had a new favorite movie and a new favorite character. In the following two weeks, Harry watched the other two movies in his babysitting nights, and the Smithsons even took him to McDonald's, he had never been happier.

Normally, Vernon and Petunia would have put a stop to it, but they received a visit from the very normal, respectable, and tall son of Mr. Lane, Captain Lane from the British Army. Who said Harry was a very kind, respectable boy and alluded to how he had friends in Her Majesty's service that would like to know if he was being treated well.

Mrs. Figg looked relieved every time she saw Harry smiling.

Dudley stopped his Harry Hunting one day when Mr. Kent from Number 11 caught him by the ear and dragged him to the Dursley's door and reprimanded Petunia in full view of the street about how her son was a hooligan and why couldn't he be like Harry.

Harry had a sleepover with Jimmy that night.

On Christmas, Harry got almost as many gifts as Dudley did, mostly clothes and some toys, like many Christmas he cried himself to sleep that night, only this time the tears were of happiness.

When Harry was nearing his eleventh birthday, a new family moved into Privet Drive, the Summers, a young couple. Mr. Summers was British, but Mrs. Summers was French, they moved so their daughter, Eloise, which was the same age as Harry. could go to a boarding school in Scotland.

When they heard Harry's name, they looked very surprised, and when they quickly integrated into the grapevine, Mr. Summers would glare at Harry's relatives and the couple would always find a way to invite him for dinner in the nights he would dine at his relative's. Aunt Petunia just sniffed.

Mr. Summers apparently liked yellow, with a bit of black, Mrs. Summer always preferred light blue for some reason.

They told him Eloise's school name was Hogwarts and were very confused and somewhat angry when he told them he never heard of it and how Uncle Vernon told him he was going to St. Brutus, Mr. Summer said he very much doubted that.

Eloise was Harry's first friend of his own age; she had the most beautiful shade of red hair Harry had ever seen. They played a lot, and Eloise taught him all the children's games he had only watched sullenly while other kids played.

Dudley tried to bully her like he did anyone who tried to befriend Harry, but stopped when she kicked him right between his legs, his friends tried to help but they tripped and fell(all at the same time), Harry thought Eloise was the coolest girl ever.

His birthday party happened in the Summer's house, it was the best day of his life, Mrs. McClane made him a big cake and Mrs. Smithson made all kinds of party foods.

The house was beautifully decorated, and Harry was pretty sure he had received more gifts than Dudley (who apparently had a stomach ache and couldn't come), not that he counted. Mr. Lane gave him a wristwatch that had the British Army's insignia in it, the Smithsons gave him three books from a series called The Lord of The Rings (Mr. Summer laughed when he saw that). Eloise gave him a box to open later, and kissed him in the cheek, which made everyone laugh when he blushed crimson.

He was still coming down from his high, when after the party, during dinner with the Summers, two owls(!) swopped in and delivered letters, the first to Eloise and the second to Harry, Harry thought it had been a mistake(he had seen owls in the neighborhood since the Summers had moved in, but never paid attention), but it was his name in the envelope. Eloise was smiling and saying she finally could tell him a lot of things.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry..." he read faintly.

Mr. Summer approached him around the table and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Harry, there are some things you must know, we waited until you received your letter, but this only confirms one thing we already knew."

"What, Sir?" Harry asked with wide eyes.

"You are a Wizard, Harry."

A/N: Made for a Prompt in r/HPFanfiction, will probably be adding more chapters in the next few weeks. Quarantine does gives us more free time than it's healthy.