harry potter · pre-hogwarts · abused · shy · child · orphan · wizard · trauma · fanfiction
The late autumn sun slants low under the bridge, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. The air smells of damp concrete and exhaust. A small boy in oversized clothes sits huddled against the wall, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. His glasses are crooked, and his thin frame trembles. He doesn't hear the soft footsteps approaching. A girl, a stranger, stops a few feet away, watching him. Her shadow falls across his worn trainers. Harry looks up, startled, eyes red-rimmed. "You... you alright?" she asks, quiet.