AN: My newest story! This idea just popped into my head one day. Usually I'm not a fan of FemHarry's but this seemed to work. So, please read, review and enjoy!

Warnings: mentions of rape, abuse, violence. Possible bad language.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is owned by J.K. Rowling. The rest is mine.

Chapter 1: The Girl-Who-Lived

The girl was dragged down the stairs by her long black hair. Her face was a stony mask as she watched her uncle open up her cupboard and toss her inside. She hit the back wall with a soft thump. Her green eyes blinked in sudden darkness as the door was slammed shut. Gemini Potter was used to such treatment. After all, it was all she could remember. Her uncle sexually abusing her, her aunt making her do all the chores. Pain was part of her daily life. The more she complained the more pain she received. It had been that way since her parents had died in a car crash when she was one year old. Now she was almost eleven.

Her birthday was in two days. But it would most likely be ignored. She had never received a present for her birthday. Her cousin Dudley received no less than thirty presents for his birthday. He needed an extra room to keep all his things, most of which he never used. Gemini sighed, arranging her blankets in the now semi-darkness. She closed her eyes and dreamed of snakes.

"GIRL!" Uncle Vernon's voice boomed. Swiftly Gemini kicked off her blankets and burst out of the cupboard. Vernon was standing in the hallway.

"Make breakfast for your aunt and cousin, then go to my bedroom, girl. And be quick about it! I don't like to be kept waiting!" He told her. Gemini nodded and went to the kitchen. She quickly cooked bacon and eggs and served them to Petunia and Dudley, who glared at her the whole time. Then, without eating herself, went to the bedroom. Vernon was waiting for her. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the pain as he savagely raped her. His enormous bulk nearly crushed her, but she said nothing. If she complained, he would hurt her more. At last he stopped.

"Go weed the garden." Was all he said. Gemini hurried to obey.

Once in the garden she sat down with a sigh and pulled lazily at the weeds. Suddenly she heard a hissing voice near her hand.

"Hello." The voice said. She looked down and saw a snake. She did not jump but instead smiled. She loved snakes, though she was confused as to how one could talk.

"Hello." She said back.

"I'm Lily." The snake replied, "What's your name?" Gemini smiled.

"My name's Gemini. Nice to meet you, Lily. That was my mother's name." She told the snake.

"Then you must have had a wonderful mother." The snake said, slithering up her arm.

"My aunt told me she was horrible, but I don't believe her." Gemini said, smiling sadly at the snake.

"Then your aunt sounds like a horrible woman." The snake replied.

"I think so." Gemini agreed, combing her fingers through her tangled black hair. Lily the snake had reached her shoulder now.

"Well, young Gemini, you seem like a bright, strong, cunning young girl, much like a snake yourself." She told the girl.

"Thank you." Gemini murmured, touched by the praise, which she had never received before. The snake rubbed her head against Gemini's shoulder, offering comfort and support.

Here in the cool shade of the garden shrubs, Gemini made her first friend. From that moment on, Lily the snake never left Gemini's side. Though she had to hide from the Dursleys. She even went so far as to bite Vernon when he got too rough. It scared him enough to make him go a little easier on Gemini. And the girl was grateful for that.

Gemini and Lily the snake were curled up in the cupboard as midnight approached. Soon Gemini would be eleven.

"It's midnight." The snake hissed, "Happy Birthday, Gem." Lily had taken to calling her Gem. It made Gemini happy because she had never had a nickname before.

"I don't feel any different. I never do." Gemini said with a sigh. Lily rubbed her head against the girl's hand. Gemini sighed again. Finally they both fell asleep.

Gemini awoke to the hooting of an owl. She sat up slowly, careful to avoid hitting her head on the low ceiling. She heard the sounds of her uncle stomping down the stairs.

She heard him mutter, "Bloody owls." She wondered what an owl was doing awake. She could see daylight filtering around the door of the cupboard. She quickly exited the cupboard.

She found her uncle staring at a letter. Before she could see what it was he glared at her and tore it to shreds. Then he stalked back upstairs. She had a feeling the letter had been for her. She knew it would be pointless to try and put all the pieces together so she just gathered them up and threw them out. She sighed and wondered who the letter could have been from. Who would send a letter to her? Lily the snake tried to comfort her.

She said, "Next time we will get to the letter first." Her voice was very matter-of-fact, as if she was certain there would be another letter. Gemini wasn't so sure.

The next day more letters arrived. Gemini managed to get a hold of one of them. It was addressed:

Gemini Lily Potter

The Cupboard under the Stairs

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging, Surrey

How did the person who had sent this know where she slept? Before she could open the letter to find out more, her cousin, Dudley, grabbed it out of her hand and tore it up, smiling evilly.

"That's it!" Uncle Vernon cried, "We're going on vacation!" With that he stormed upstairs, yelling at his wife and son to pack. Gemini entered her cupboard, sighing.

"I'm so sorry, Gem." Lily the snake told her, resting her small head near Gemini's head.