Solitary Serpent...

She was alone. Waiting in bed for another day of slavery to begin. She always wondered why her parents left her in such a horrible place. At night she always wondered why she was abandoned. Didn't anyone love her?
"Celest! I know you are awake you dirty brat! Get up!"
"Yes ma'am," she replied.
She sat up and stretched quickly. She didn't need to change; she had no other close, so she walked out into the hall where Madam Curtis was waiting. Promptly she was slapped.
"That will teach you to take your time! No time is your time you ungrateful snot."
"Yes ma'am," she replied while starring at the floor.
Madam Curtis threw a small piece of bread at her feet and screamed for her to eat and then come to the kitchens. Celest picked up he sad little piece of bread and wiped off the mold as best she could before eating it in one bite.
When she arrived at the kitchen, Madam kicked her in the back of the knee and made her fall to the floor. Out of fear Celest stayed there waiting for the next torture, but Madam Curtis went outside. It was not for long though, she came stomping back in with muddy shoes. After walking around the entire kitchen and spreading the filth as much as possible she said "Scrub," and walked away.
She stood up and got a rag and bucket. Crouching back down on her hands and knees she began to scrub. She knew she would get no supper today.
She finally finished scrubbing and was felling a little brave, or maybe it was the hunger clouding her mind, but anyway she decided to ask Madam Curtis for a little food.
"Ma'am?"
"Yes? Little runt."
"Could I...May I maybe have a little food? I've only had that little bread you gave me for three days."
"Could YOU have some FOOD?"
"Yes ma'am"
"What the bloody hell for!?!"
"Well, I am mighty hungry and-"
"Oh, your 'mighty hungry'? There are children who would love to be where you are. How dare you! You will not have food for a week. All of your bread will go to the mice and you will have to watch them eat it!"
Then Madam stomped furiously to the closet and took out her old belt. As soon as Celest saw it she started to brace herself. The blows came fast and hard. Over and over again the bucket slapped her shoulders and legs.
"This-will-teach-you-to-be-thankful," Madam said between hits. Suddenly Madam screamed as the floor around her lit on fire. Celest saw her opportunity and ran for it. She ran briefly to her room and laid her blanket down. She shoved her pillow and her picture of her parents on it and bundled them up. She raced to the kitchen and grabbed all the food she thought she could get away with and started for the door. Then she remember the one thing she would not leave without.
Hurrying across the room she opened Madam's desk. She had to dig a little before she found it, but the time she took was worth it. She held up the letter her parents had written her when they left her here. Madam had forbidden her to have it until she was 18 and left. She then grabbed her things and dashed out the door laughing.

Meanwhile at 4 Privet drive Harry Potter was awoken with a scream. He wondered briefly what was going on, but then realized that it was himself who had screamed.
"HARRY POTTER! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!?!" His aunt screeched.
He sat up and walked just outside of his door. He was getting tired of being screamed at.
"I HAVE BLOODY TOLD YOU! IT WAS A NIGHTMARE! I COULD NOT HELP IT!"
He soon regretted this because his uncle then yelled for him to come downstairs.
"You are to mow the law. Then paint the shed. No meals for a week."
"But I just painted-"
"No, but's boy. Go." He said pointing.
Harry knew this was going to be a long day. He went outside to the shed and took out the mower. It took him ten tries to get it started. If Dursley weren't so cheep he would buy a new mower. This one was about ten years old and falling apart. He began mowing the yard as the sun got higher in the sky. At one point he stopped and took his shirt off because of the heat. He finished at about 3 in the afternoon and laid down to take a small break.
During this break he chatted a little with a passing garden snake about the weather. The snake enjoyed it being cold-blooded and all, but Harry found it quite bothersome. Eventually Aunt Pentunia came out and told him he'd better get back to work because he wasn't coming in until he was done.
He said goodbye to the snake and got the paint bucket and brush from the carport. As he was carrying them out to the shed he got an idea. He painted the side facing the house and then sat in the shade on the other side for the rest of the time. Finally when he felt it was about time for himself to go in he grabbed his shirt and put the painting supplies and lawn mower away.
He went in causally and walked through the lounge and started up the stairs.
"Boy, did you finish everything?"
"Yes sir," Harry said, maybe just a little to sweetly.
"Oh yeah? I am going to check."
Harry followed his uncle to the back and watched him walk up and inspect the shed. He looked for nearly a half an hour trying to find something to yell at Harry for, but since he had painted it the week before there was nothing to find. Vernon grunted something about no good lazy boys or such and stalked away.
Harry went inside and took a quick shower. Then he went to his bedroom and lay down exhausted from his work and lack of food.