Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Consequences of a prepared mind
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Harry Potter was an unusual child. The continuous downplaying of his abilities and constant hiding from his cousin Dudley and friends pointed to an unhappy home life. With no proof of any mistreatment, no overt signs of abuse and no complaints nothing could be done. But there were unwritten rules among the staff at Dunhill Primary, to help those that couldn't be helped by other means, so a closer than normal watch would be kept on Harry. Certain rules would be bent.
And Harry knew this. He was appreciative of the extra lengths the teachers took to help him. No complaint of his home life ever made it anywhere. He knew this, and the fact that the few complaints that had been made on his behalf disappearing into thin air made him rather grateful of anyone who helped him without his relatives knowing. For the abuse at Privet Drive would only worsen. Generally he was fed well enough and the beatings were relatively minor, it wouldn't do for the Dursleys to lose their slave labour, or to bring any unwanted notice upon their family life.
But if he complained, if any of the teachers took a more than usual interest in him, if his grades were that much higher than Dudley's he would be locked in his cupboard without food and beaten so hard that he had trouble covering the marks left behind. And so there was some sort of unspoken rule with the teachers. For though they tried to help they never could, never could change anything, and such things annoyed the teachers at Dunhill Primary. And so when the 'system' didn't work, they made their own system.
It all started in Year One. Mrs Edna Hill was a nice old lady, a teacher for over twenty years she had seen many young children come and go through her class room. Most were happy, contented children, not yet near the troublesome teenage years and easy enough to handle if one knew how. But every now and then one would catch her eye. Known in the school as 'Hill's Children' she helped them through school as much as she was able, always there to lend a helping hand, no matter which class they were in, no matter how long ago they had moved on. Sometimes it would be trouble at home, or bullying at school, or the loss of a relative, but each one stood out for her. And Mrs Hill prescribed to the practise that teachers were not only responsible for educating the mind of a child but also their spirit. Not in the new age 'wishy washy' way of thinking, but in that by helping to educate the behaviour and thoughts of the children when growing up, that they would become well rounded young adults and a credit to society.
And so when she first met the black haired and green eyed young boy named Harry Potter she knew she had found another one of 'her' children. A well behaved boy, sweet and polite with intelligence not normally seen in his age group. Shy with strangers perhaps, but no more than expected with such a brute of a cousin. The missing homework, the continuously forgotten packed lunches, second hand clothes, numerous bruises. For most people this would not raise too many questions, because what young boy doesn't not do his homework especially one that keeps forgetting his packed lunch, and bruises that along with tattered clothes points to a rather rambunctious young child.
And yet Mrs Hill saw something in young Harry that not many did, she saw through the disguise enforced by his 'normal' loving relatives. She vowed to herself to help as best she could. For Harry Potter was special somehow, for some reason he was important, and the chance of him turning bad would be disastrous for everyone. How she knew this she didn't know, but deep within her something reached out to him, and so from the first week she met him Harry Potter's life changed for the better. And such a small change from a well meaning old muggle would impact the Wizarding World for years to come. But no one would know, no one except Harry Potter.
o0O0o
For most children, the last day of school is met with joyous abandon, for six weeks of freedom stretched before them and when you are ten years old, six weeks could as well as be a lifetime. But for Harry Potter the last day of school was never something to look forward to and this year he had especially dreaded. For next year he was to go to Stonewell High, the local secondary school. A nice enough school in its own right, made even better by the absence of his bully of a cousin, he would still miss Dunhill Primary and the life he lived there. In an almost schizophrenic way he had two lives. The Dursleys slave at Privet Drive and the challenging but comfortable life at Dunhill.
For Harry Potter was an unusual child in that he liked school, now with such a home life who wouldn't? But school wasn't just an escape for him, it was an entirely different world. Mrs Hill had helped him in his first year there, slowly showing him that she could be trusted, assigning him jobs to keep him inside at break and away from his cousin, bringing in much too large a lunch with which to share with him, never asking the whereabouts of his homework on the occasions that Dudley had found it, sometimes ripping it up, sometimes claiming it as his own. And such kindness never before experienced by the young boy caused a need to reciprocate. For never had he had someone to listen to his problems, never had someone to care for him and with his childish notions of repayment he studied hard for his teacher. Being a quick study in the home had made him avoid more punishment and now his Aunt Petunia only had to show him something once before he could perform the action as well as any adult. From washing, cooking and cleaning he became proficient in his Aunt's most exacting standards. And so now he put his mind to his studies.
Surprised at her student's ability and work ethic, Mrs Hill set harder and harder work, giving extra lessons when needed or supplying extra books and materials. But mindful of the fact that he would be with her for only a year, she prepared the other teachers who slowly became more and more involved with such a promising young student. Careful never to alert his relatives, the teachers of Dunhill Primary revelled in such an excellent student, slowly advancing him beyond his peers at a rate that was outstanding. And Harry Potter found contentment in working hard, never truly realising that by working for the praise of his teachers he was extending his abilities far further then fate had ever dreamed possible.
Harry Potter was an unusual child. The continuous downplaying of his abilities and constant hiding from his cousin Dudley and friends pointed to an unhappy home life. With no proof of any mistreatment, no overt signs of abuse and no complaints nothing could be done. But there were unwritten rules among the staff at Dunhill Primary, to help those that couldn't be helped by other means, so a closer than normal watch would be kept on Harry. Certain rules would be bent.
And Harry knew this. He was appreciative of the extra lengths the teachers took to help him. No complaint of his home life ever made it anywhere. He knew this, and the fact that the few complaints that had been made on his behalf disappearing into thin air made him rather grateful of anyone who helped him without his relatives knowing. For the abuse at Privet Drive would only worsen. Generally he was fed well enough and the beatings were relatively minor, it wouldn't do for the Dursleys to lose their slave labour, or to bring any unwanted notice upon their family life.
But if he complained, if any of the teachers took a more than usual interest in him, if his grades were that much higher than Dudley's he would be locked in his cupboard without food and beaten so hard that he had trouble covering the marks left behind. And so there was some sort of unspoken rule with the teachers. For though they tried to help they never could, never could change anything, and such things annoyed the teachers at Dunhill Primary. And so when the 'system' didn't work, they made their own system.
It all started in Year One. Mrs Edna Hill was a nice old lady, a teacher for over twenty years she had seen many young children come and go through her class room. Most were happy, contented children, not yet near the troublesome teenage years and easy enough to handle if one knew how. But every now and then one would catch her eye. Known in the school as 'Hill's Children' she helped them through school as much as she was able, always there to lend a helping hand, no matter which class they were in, no matter how long ago they had moved on. Sometimes it would be trouble at home, or bullying at school, or the loss of a relative, but each one stood out for her. And Mrs Hill prescribed to the practise that teachers were not only responsible for educating the mind of a child but also their spirit. Not in the new age 'wishy washy' way of thinking, but in that by helping to educate the behaviour and thoughts of the children when growing up, that they would become well rounded young adults and a credit to society.
And so when she first met the black haired and green eyed young boy named Harry Potter she knew she had found another one of 'her' children. A well behaved boy, sweet and polite with intelligence not normally seen in his age group. Shy with strangers perhaps, but no more than expected with such a brute of a cousin. The missing homework, the continuously forgotten packed lunches, second hand clothes, numerous bruises. For most people this would not raise too many questions, because what young boy doesn't not do his homework especially one that keeps forgetting his packed lunch, and bruises that along with tattered clothes points to a rather rambunctious young child.
And yet Mrs Hill saw something in young Harry that not many did, she saw through the disguise enforced by his 'normal' loving relatives. She vowed to herself to help as best she could. For Harry Potter was special somehow, for some reason he was important, and the chance of him turning bad would be disastrous for everyone. How she knew this she didn't know, but deep within her something reached out to him, and so from the first week she met him Harry Potter's life changed for the better. And such a small change from a well meaning old muggle would impact the Wizarding World for years to come. But no one would know, no one except Harry Potter.
o0O0o
For most children, the last day of school is met with joyous abandon, for six weeks of freedom stretched before them and when you are ten years old, six weeks could as well as be a lifetime. But for Harry Potter the last day of school was never something to look forward to and this year he had especially dreaded. For next year he was to go to Stonewell High, the local secondary school. A nice enough school in its own right, made even better by the absence of his bully of a cousin, he would still miss Dunhill Primary and the life he lived there. In an almost schizophrenic way he had two lives. The Dursleys slave at Privet Drive and the challenging but comfortable life at Dunhill.
For Harry Potter was an unusual child in that he liked school, now with such a home life who wouldn't? But school wasn't just an escape for him, it was an entirely different world. Mrs Hill had helped him in his first year there, slowly showing him that she could be trusted, assigning him jobs to keep him inside at break and away from his cousin, bringing in much too large a lunch with which to share with him, never asking the whereabouts of his homework on the occasions that Dudley had found it, sometimes ripping it up, sometimes claiming it as his own. And such kindness never before experienced by the young boy caused a need to reciprocate. For never had he had someone to listen to his problems, never had someone to care for him and with his childish notions of repayment he studied hard for his teacher. Being a quick study in the home had made him avoid more punishment and now his Aunt Petunia only had to show him something once before he could perform the action as well as any adult. From washing, cooking and cleaning he became proficient in his Aunt's most exacting standards. And so now he put his mind to his studies.
Surprised at her student's ability and work ethic, Mrs Hill set harder and harder work, giving extra lessons when needed or supplying extra books and materials. But mindful of the fact that he would be with her for only a year, she prepared the other teachers who slowly became more and more involved with such a promising young student. Careful never to alert his relatives, the teachers of Dunhill Primary revelled in such an excellent student, slowly advancing him beyond his peers at a rate that was outstanding. And Harry Potter found contentment in working hard, never truly realising that by working for the praise of his teachers he was extending his abilities far further then fate had ever dreamed possible.
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