-•AUREUS SERPENTES•-

A Broken Enclosure.

Harry was a small and rather ordinary boy, with jet black hair and startlingly green eyes. He was far too skinny and a bit too tall. His clothes always a bit worn and old. Though there was one, or quite a few, strange things about him. The most important was, of course, a lighting scar that started at the base of his hairline and extended through his left eye and down to his cheekbone. It was thin and barely noticeable, but it caused him many problems.

He had asked how he'd gotten it to his Aunt, who told him it was fro the car crash that killed his parents. ("Served them right, those freaks").

When he'd asked his uncle, he got a slap to the face and a threatening hiss

"Don't ask questions."

Now, however, Harry sat with his back to the wall and hunched over, arms around his knees. He was both making himself as small as possible and preserving as much heat as possible.

Harry didn't know why, but he was always cold. His fingers like ice and his face pale like he had been outside in winter. He wore mismatched socks around the house with a sweater and hoodie being a constant. All his clothes were five sizes too big, having belonged to his large cousin before. His throat itched with thirst. He hadn't eaten or drank anything in a day, he hadn't been allowed to.

It had been 10 years since the three strange people had left him at privet drive. He remembers two of them crying and the third leaving something for his aunt. He sometimes saw them in his dreams. He doesn't know who they were, or why they left him here.

Harry shivered, the cold wasn't leaving. He strained his ears, trying to figure out what time it was so he could safely go outside. He heard faraway, muffled snores, meaning the Dursleys were asleep.

He crawled to the door of his cupboard, slowly creaking it open. The hallway beyond was still dark, moonlight streaking through the window. Harry crept to the kitchen where he drank some water.
 
It was his cousin, Dudley's, birthday today. Harry sighed and looked to the clock. It was a little past 4 in the morning. Normally, on Dudley's birthdays, they leave Harry locked in his cupboard while they leave to go wherever they go. They leave him a pack of crackers, a bottle of water, and tell him to not come out of the cupboard under the stairs. That means Harry will have to eat his fill now.

I'm not hungry, though. What? But I am. Are you, though?

Harry shook his head looked around the kitchen, there had to be old leftovers Aunt Petunia wouldn't notice gone. Luck was on his side as he found a bowl of pasta from two days ago and a pack of crisps nearing it's expiration date. Dudley wasn't allowed to eat anything nearing it's expiration. Harry took the pot of pasta and heated it up, trying not to make any noise. He shivered when a breeze entered through window.

Harry then took the warm bowl of food into his cupboard and hid it in one of his laundry baskets. He sat and ate his crisps for breakfast.

By the time 9 am rolled around, Aunt Petunia came knocking on his cupboard door.

"Up!" she screeched

Harry heard her walking away and made to get up. He hit his head on the low doorframe. Obviously. Harry groaned out loud by accident and Aunt Petunia yelled at him. Obviously.

"Shut up, boy and stir the bacon, It's Duddy's birthday; it needs to be perfect."

Harry nodded mutely. His hands were so cold.

Dudley came downstairs in about an hour, by which time Harry was setting the table for breakfast. Harry side stepped the large pile of gifts next to the chair uncle Vernon was sitting on and dished out eggs. He then stood and waited by the kitchen door, as he was supposed to. Dudley counted his presents after breakfast was cleared up.