The Darkness that Dreams Are Made Of

Before The Shattered Glass

Before, the glass was perfect, locked in place and clouded with a fine dust of lies. Before the shattered glass there was only light and dark. Then a pebble of truth was thrown and the glass cracked. The true pressed against the clouded glass and the weakened glass gave out. But, before the shattered glass, lies were endured in silence.

That Summer-

Harry pov

Harry, his summer, was somewhat not the most enjoyable summer, but with the Dursleys, you couldn't really expect much.

Although the Dursley's weren't allowed to harm Harry or throw him out, they did their best to make sure he was worth his weight in gold, so to speak. Harry did all the chores and cleaned the house everyday, whether it needed it or not. Once he would finish with that he would leave. He was never allowed on the property unless he was cleaning, sleeping or it was a mealtime. He was given his books and parchment to finish his schoolwork but he could only do that at night when the whole house was asleep.

Whether the thought never crossed their fat little minds or they simply thought it not possible, Harry grew. The last year in school he had just started his growth spurt and his body couldn't keep up, leaving him gangly and hopelessly dorky looking. The few months summer at the Dursley's gave Harry a chance to fill in, and with the extra work and the time Harry spent at the training yard… Harry became stronger, stronger than he had ever been in all his years combined. To Harry, strength training became a way to combat boredom and loneliness and sometimes if he worked himself to exhaustion he didn't dream.

The training yard was a place of almost constant fear for Harry when he began, this probably came into account the fact that the prison owned it and there was almost always five to ten inmates working off their aggressions. Over time, however, the inmates saw his strength growth and probably, from listening to constant ranting he unconsciously muttered under his breath, they taught him self-defense, prison style.

He learned to shut his mouth too. Harry had gradually become aware that he really didn't need to talk. People rarely, actually listen to him. They heard what they wanted, so speech became basically non-essential to him.

So when Ron and Mr. Weasley came to bring Harry to the Burrow for the last three weeks of the vacation, they were shocked, to say the least.

The second week before school started Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to Diagon Ally to buy their school supplies for their last year in school. That's where Harry met Proscrit.

Proscrit, a ten year old, King Cobra. He had lived in the wild for two years of his life and eight years in the small dark cage at the back of the pet store.

Harry almost passed by him without noticing the snake called out to him, in a hiss that more resembled the growl of a dog than a snake.

"Stupid human"

Harry turned and looked at the oily colored snake, "Hello" he hissed softly.

The snake lifted its head and seem to study Harry critically, "Your name."

"Harry"

"You are one of those wizards."

Harry closed his eyes momentarily, "You always talk in statements."

The snake became more erect, "I am always right"

"I believe you"

"You are here, for me."

"Your name."

The snake regarded Harry critically, "Proscrit"

Harry's eyes went blank momentarily, "French…for, for…outcast" He blinked and his eyes came back into focus.

"You read my knowledge, my mind."

"Yes"

"You did not come for me."

Harry didn't answer, instead making his way to the front of the store where an assistant was waiting to help any customers.

"I want to buy the king cobra in the back."

The assistant looked at him uneasily, "I'll just go get my mother," she blushed uncertainly and then ran behind the counter, yelling through a curtained doorway behind, "Ma! A customer!"

An older woman of forty, maybe fifty appeared, "Can't you do anything yourself, girl?"

"Ma," she whisper urgently, "e' wants to buy the snake, the cobra."

The older woman's face darkened as she made her way around the counter. Looking up a Harry she shook her head, "Listen boy, that snake has killed fifteen of its previous owners, only a fool would buy it, cobra venom is mighty valuable but from that snake. It is just not worth your life."

"I will buy him." Harry stated softly.

The woman scowled at him and moved over towards the tank.

She jabbed a finger in the general direction of the cage, "Is this what you want?"

Harry nodded shortly.

"It's your funeral, might as well make sure you can afford it. Nine sickles, that's almost half the normal rate"

Proscrit seemed to smirk; "She is willing to sell me for five."

Harry nodded imperceptibly, "I will pay you five,"

"Eight"

"Five"

"Seven"

"Five"

"Six?" she tried desperately.

"Five"

"O alright, give it here."

Harry pulled out his moneybag, placing five of the silver disks in her hand. She counted them twice and slipped them into her pocket, pulling out her wand she released the powerful locking spell on the cage.

Harry lifted it without hesitation; the woman gaped at him unable to move from shock of his stupidity. Harry put his hand in the cage, ignoring the woman's startled gasp.

"Come here my friend" Harry hissed softly, so as the woman wouldn't hear.

The snake uncoiled itself and curled around Harry's arm, Harry stepped back away from the cage, letting the lid of the cage slam shut. Proscrit lazily crawled up Harry's arm and coiled loosely around his neck.

The woman gaped several times and was somehow unable to close it even as Harry left.

Next stop was a professional spell store, it was created for those witches and wizards that need certain spells performed but don't have to time.

Harry entered the clean blue sitting room and went to talk to receptionist.

"Name?" She asked politely before looking up from her computer. She blushed a lovely shade of red, "Oh, Mister Potter, um, oh yes, your spell is ready. You can go in,"

Harry started towards the door.

"Um, Mister Potter?"

Harry stopped turning ever so slightly, "Yes?"

"Do you think, uh, do you think I might have your autograph? I've admired you since I was a young girl."

Harry seemed to consider for a moment, "No, I think not"

The girl paled and started crying but Harry didn't see, he had already left.

When Harry left the shop he blinked in the bright sunlight, glasses in hand, he carefully placed them in his pocket and went to investigate several clothing stores.

Two hours after they first arrived at Diagon ally, the trio joined up again at a small street side café for lunch.

Harry carefully set down his school supplies and three large shopping bags. Ron and Hermione turned from their intimate conversation with each other, trying to pretend they weren't the happily snogging couple they were.

"Hey Harry!" Ron said cheerfully, "Did you get a hair cut? You look different."

Hermione sighed, "Harry where are your glasses? And…what is around you neck?!"

Running his hand through his hair Harry made a small smile, "I had my eyes fixed."

"WHAT!" both his friends cried in unison.

"And this is Proscrit, Proscrit I would like you to meet two of my…allies."

Proscrit uncoiled his head and looked at Ron and Hermione coldly.

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked, "That is a snake, snakes aren't allowed in school and that snake looks like, if I'm right and I always am, it looks like a…"

"A King Cobra," Harry cut in, "He's ten years old, over seven feet long, due to under feeding, His fangs are a ½ an inch long and one bite of his venom can kill a full grown elephant or twenty humans."

Both his friends gaped in shock.

Harry frowned sharply, "And I don't give a shit what the school says."

Silence reigned.