chapter :2

Harry spotted them while they were still a good distance away and the young boy immediately sprang into action. He started running towards the side of the school that housed the teacher's lounge, the area he considered his safe spot.

No sane kid would use his precious recess time under the scrutiny of the hawk eyed teachers.

His way was blocked though as Dudley organized a second force led by Piers Polkiss and Harry was forced to make a detour into the back of the school.

He ran into the dead end he backed into the wall as he heard the footsteps get nearer. He couldn't get caught now... if he came home bruised he would be punished severely.

His heart began to race faster as he his eyes frantically looked around for a possible escape. There was none. As he heard the voices get louder Harry felt a strange but familiar sensation over his body.

Suddenly he felt weightless and the next second he was staring at the roof of the school's chimney.

"Where'd he go?"

Harry heard the voice of his pursuers down below. His heart was still beating at a furious pace but the young boy kept his composure to avoid giving away his position.

"He's not here... he must have climbed over the fence or hid in the trash bins."

"It's too late now... recess is almost over."

Harry peered over the tiled roof and once he saw that he was alone, he let out a sigh of relief. He knew the incident years ago was not a dream or a freak accident.

He was able to duplicate it just now! He was snapped out of his daze as the five minute bell rang that signaled that recess was about to end.

Bugger. Harry thought as he realized he was at the top of a three story high building with no ladder in sight.

He wondered how he would be able to climb down in time for the afternoon class. Harry remembered the strange feeling, the weightlessness, the strange tingling in his limbs and chest and focused on it. He felt his body getting lighter and he stared at his hands as they started fading.

A moment later he was standing back on the ground.

Harry patted his body making sure everything was still the same and at that moment the young boy realized that he had a new method of travelling... freedom. He started walking towards the assembled students ready to head inside the classroom, considering the possibilities of his new found power.

"Harry!" The teacher shouted as she noticed the student walking slowly in a daze.

The young boy ran across the yard, a strange gleam in his eyes. His missions as he like to call them would get a whole lot easier.

February 8, 1990

Teacher's lounge, Surrey

"So how was your class Oliver?" Jimm, the fifth grade teacher asked the fourth grade teacher as he carried his own stack of exam papers to mark.

"Chaotic." Oliver said simply. "You know my class they always get into trouble. You better be prepared for them next year."

"And what about Harry? Is the little bugger still as fast?" Jimm asked. He remembered the young boy with the messy hair running full sprint past him as he was being chased by his cousin's gang. The kid sure ran fast and was as slippery as an eel when cornered.

The question brought a smile to the stressed out grade four teacher's face. He liked the scrawny kid, as he was among brightest in his class.

The young boy was fairly quiet and kept to himself and never caused trouble, but he was always the target for his cousin's gang.

The teachers tried to bring the matter up with the boy's guardians but they acted as if they didn't care for their ward, to Oliver's frustration. They knew they couldn't do anything about it as there were no visible signs of neglect on young Harry except that he was on the scrawny side. A guardian's lack of interest on a child's situation in school was not enough to bring in the Police or Social Services.

"Harry's fine... he seems more happy... though I wish he eats more. At least he looks scrawny, not underfed and malnourished like he used to." Oliver said as he finished marking his stack of papers. "Hey do you want to head to the pub for a pint?"

"Sure... just give me a few minutes, I'm nearly finished with this bunch." Jimm said.

Thirty minutes later they were driving towards the local pub past the convenience store when they noticed their earlier topic of conversation standing in front of the candy machine."What's he doing here?" Jimm wondered.

"Look at what he's up to." Oliver said as he grinned at his young student.

The messy haired boy was tinkering with the lock of the candy vending machine and by the looks of it he was making good progress.

"Should we stop him?" Jimm asked. A moment later Harry was successful as he opened the acrylic door and quickly pocketed a few chocolate bars in his pocket.

The young boy then closed the acrylic door and looked around warily if he was seen then started walking back towards his home. The heist was over in less than a minute. "I don't want my student growing up shoplifting."

"That kid's something." Oliver said after a moment of staring at his student. "I always wonder where he gets his sweets from... i know that his aunt never gives him allowance... this solves the mystery."

"What?" Jimm asked.

"I finally figured it out... you know what he does with those chocolate bars?" Oliver asked his friend and Jimm shook his head.

"I once spied on the kids during their recess when I had nothing to do and observed them from the second floor window." Oliver said and he stared at his buddy in the eye. "He trades them for lunch from the other kids... since his aunt doesn't pack any for him."

"Well that answers my question earlier... we're not going to report him. I just wish he won't get caught." Jimm said. "We have our very own Robin Hood"