To err is human; to really screw up, you need a computer
As some of you now know, my laptop got a virus. ;_; Essentially, I had to revert my computer to its factory settings (I was directed to do this by the helpful Acer tech support guy - thank you, man!). That means that everything on my C drive is now gone - My Pictures, My Documents, my favourites, anything else I had laying about... everything. I
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Harry is abandoned in an orphanage at the age of six or so. Meanwhile, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell are in need of a new servant, one who is hopefully proficient in magic. They manage to find Harry Potter, and adopt him legally as their ward (not their child). With the two magicians, Harry cooks, cleans, learns the basics of a classical education, the art of magic, and the history of magic in England.
Only, their history is "incorrect", or, rather, incomplete. Magicians (even the aureate and argentine magicians) are merely muggleborn wizards who were never told of the wizarding world, mostly because of ingrained pureblood prejudices. Magicians also had many more dealings with fairies than wizards did. Mr. Strange and Mr. Norrell prefer to be called "magicians" because "wizards" have an association with street-performers and frauds (Harry takes this perception with him to Hogwarts, and insists on being referred to as a genteman magician, not a wizard).
Mr. Strange & Mr. Norrell disturbed the delicate balance to keep the wizarding world separate from the muggle world in the 1820s, and the ministry (after several years of dithering) was just about to intervene when the events of the end of the book happened, and so the case against them was given up. However, the two magicians still have a charge of "magical misuse" against them, and an outstanding warrant for their arrest.
Strange and Norrell's mansion (still surrounded by the perpetual rainstorm) is unplottable, and so Harry is untraceable. The Boy-Who-Lived drops off the map for five years. Harry grows close to the two gentlemen, but he is always a servant, even if Strange acts more like a father with each passing year and Mr. Norrell the doting (if strict and kind of boring) uncle/great-uncle.
When he is sent his Hogwarts letter, there is hardly any debate: he's to go to this school and learn as much as he can about this alternate form of magic.
Dumbledore and McGonnagal come for Harry themselves. They arrive at the mansion prompty (apparation), and the door is answered by Strange. The four of them have tea in the library. Dumbledore asks about Harry, and Strange replies that he's out shopping. Later on, a servant (i.e., the only one that they have, Harry) enters and serves more tea. Somebody drops a teacup, and it shatters upon the floor. Dumbles immediately takes out his wand and offers to clean it up, but Harry declies and begins to pick up the pieces, placing them one on top of each other on the sidetable. As he does, they take shape, like a children's puzzle. Finally, he gathers the dust into his hands and blows on it, sending the dust spiralling into the air to pass by the teacup, which is suddenly perfectly whole. Strange praises Harry effusively for this display of magic - McGonnagal and Dumbledore are just astonished that he can do it without a wand.
Harry's "muggle" clothing is very old-fashioned and appears very formal.
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"I bow to your superior knowledge, sir." "Ten points from Gryffindor for your cheek!" (Harry's old-fashioned politeness is often interpreted as condescention or sarcasm)
Harry actually enjoys Binns' history of magic lessons, because they tell completely different histories than what he is used to. Plus, Binns is no more boring than Mr. Norrell - sometimes less so. Harry even engages Binns in debate after a few classes, which the ghost is not used to but finds that he thoroughly enjoys. The rest of the students are shocked.
Harry doesn't trust house-elves, because he was taught by his guardians that fairy servants aren't needed, and their services always come with a catch.
(Srange saddles off "for a walk", very casually.)
"You've put ____'s spell of watchfullness on Mr. Potter, haven't you?" Norrell stated without looking up from his book.
"Er, yes. Harry's in danger."
"Well, report back afterwards. Do be careful."
Harry rescues Hermione from the troll by walking through the bathroom mirror with her to the men's washroom across the hall. He promised Mr. Strange never to enter the mirror world without him, though. Strange appears only moments after them (also through the mirror) and he tries to help Hermione with what little usefull healing magic he knows (she has a broken arm/leg, broken ribs, and is bleeding). When the teachers come upon them, Strange insists that Harry introduce him before he does anything else (not seeing Dumbledore or McGonnagal, his acquaintances, immediately, as they are taking care of the troll).
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