AN: If you recognize it, I don't own it. All rights to the characters go to their respective owners, I'm just playing with the toys in the toy box.

Darkness

For most the darkness brings the unknown, the undefinable, the fear of what they can't see. For one small boy on Privet Drive, the darkness brings peace. Locked away in a small cupboard under the stairs, Harry Potter lays safe. For as far back as he can remember all his life has boiled down to one word: survival.

Growing up as an unwanted child is hard. Terms like "love" and "family" lose their meaning when you live to serve. Every morning he finds a list of chores tacked to his cupboard door, and every night he's ushered back in without a word. Should a task be unfinished or not to the liking of who assigned it, he would be rewarded with a new scar. At his latest count, he was at thirty two, counting the one on his forehead.

"I wonder why they don't just kill me." Harry mutters to the darkness. Tears flowing after the last brandy fueled attack by Vernon Dursley. Cradling his left wrist, he wants to scream but it wouldn't be worth two broken wrists. In the darkness he's safe. In the darkness, no one can hurt him. "You will survive, you are going to be stronger for this" a small voice in the back of his mind breaks the silence. He closes his eyes and passes out before he can let those words sink in.

Weeks pass and the pain fades from his waking thoughts. This was not the first time he felt bone break thanks to Vernon Dursley, this won't be the last. His dreams though, those were changing. When he slept he dreamed of a life not his own, where people looked up to him as a leader. He dreamed about having the power to do what he wanted to do without the fear of being hurt. He dreamed of making those who had given him the gift of his scars suffer. Somewhere down deep, for the first time that he could remember, he was happy...and he didn't quite know why.

Life continued as it always had on Privet Drive. Days soon blended into months and months melted into years as they have in the past and will continue into well into the future.

Somewhere, an envelope was being addressed. An envelope that would put in motion the end of the known world.

He was hot and his hands were bleeding, but he didn't mind. While his aunt would always claim the roses as hers, he knew who's blood and sweat soaked the roots. "A small price to pay for such beauty" whispered in his head "Always remember that for some pleasures, blood must fall." Stealing a moment as his aunt looked away, he inhaled the sweet smell of his personal sacrifice.

As the clock chimed noon, the young boy stood to prepare the mid day meal. Before he could take two steps to clean himself from the dirt and grime at the rear door, he heard a flapping of wings. Looking up just in time to get hit in the face, he fell back instinctively and covered himself. When the followup hit never came, his eyes focused on a small tan envelope with a wax seal and his name on the front.

Without prompting, he placed it in his pocket "Good, they would have taken what was rightfully yours...you have been paying attention." He almost kept the smile to himself, almost.

"What are you smiling about?" His aunt looked at him with a sneer.

"N-nothing, there was a n-nice breeze out there" He managed to stammer out.

"Well go get changed, I will not have you tracking dirt all over my floors." Her hand whipped out and pointed to his cupboard.

Several hours later, after being walked into his cupboard, young Harry Potter pulled out his letter from under his makeshift matress. This was more than just a folded piece of parchment. This was the first thing he could claim as his own. Before breaking the wax, he paused as he read the address. Someone knew about him. Someone outside these four walls knew that he was kept under the stairs. "Yes child, there are those out there who willingly condemn the innocent. We will have our justice. They will suffer for their sins, you have my word"

It was a very angry eleven year old who ripped into parchment. Reading the words left him confused. He knew what wizards and witches were, but why now? The little voice always told him he would be a strong wizard someday, but he never truly believed it. Does this mean he ill have his promised power? "You will be a God among insects, Harry." With that dancing in his head, he fell asleep to dreams of a righteous black knight on a fiery warhorse. He loved his dreams. Soon he would have the power to make them real.

In a cold classroom at the bottom of an ancient Scottish castle, a broken man was reading a letter written almost 10 years prior in a script he had never expected to see again.

'Sev,

I wish I could have taken you up on that coffee. I am sorry I'm not there to tell you myself, but I know we'll see each other again someday.

With Love,

-Lil '

When Dumbledore handed him that letter after breakfast this morning, he wasn't expecting this. He wanted to cry, he wanted to scream, he wanted to curse the gods themselves. Severus Snape was a very broken man. After a moment where his emotions nearly overwhelmed him, he slipped back into his mask of indifference.

Thirty minutes later, the potions master was standing him the headmaster's office.

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was quite content. A new school year was starting in just over a month's time, and the school had finally filled it's last opening. He looked over his paper as his youngest professor stepped in.

"Severus, is there something I can help you with?" He hasn't had much interaction with his potions master in recent years, so this was a pleasant surprise.

"Yes sir, I will need the Potter key and a copy of his acceptance letter, please." He responded without his usual venom.

"I'm assuming this has something to do with the letter?" His eyes twinkling. "I have already assigned Hagrid the task of fetching young Harry."

Snape frowned, "I understand sir" he replied curtly.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow as the tall man turned to leave. "However, I will allow this change in plans." he paused before reaching into his desk and laying a small bag on top of an envelope. 'Harry's key and the letter I was going to send with Hagrid. His address is on the front."

With a nod, the potions professor slid the items into his robe's pocket. "Thank you, sir." And with that, he was gone. Tomorrow, Severus Snape would be visiting the child of his former best friend. Tomorrow, Severus Snape was going to change the world.

AN: This if the first chapter in an experiment. I have never written something and had it 'published' in a per-chapter setup. At this point, I don't have a solid time table for releasing updates. I work 40+ a week and have a family, I tend to write on my off days.

This will not be slash. Right now I'm basing this on an outline i've typed up months ago that would eventually lead into a Harry/Millicent relationship in year four (or "The Nail: Book Three" at this point)

I appreciate reviews, but I'm not going to beg. I can accept constructive criticism, but please no flames. If you are reading this far, I thank you and I hope you enjoyed my first chapter