AN: So, this was meant to go up last week, but I was having some computer issues. Sorry about that. Um, there's some brief violence of an abusive nature near the end, just so everyone knows.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 1: Dudley's Big Day
From the outside, Number 4, Privet Drive would seem to be a perfectly normal house, if perhaps a bit too perfect. The lawn was perfectly cut, the hedges perfectly trimmed. A single, gray station wagon sat in the driveway, a cobblestone path leading from it to the front door. In fact, even inside, it was perfect. Everything was neat and clean, the furniture in pristine condition and family photos lining the walls.
No one would ever guess that there was anything amiss.
"Girl!" A rather loud voice snarled, thunderous footsteps descending the stairs from the second floor. "Get up this instance and prepare breakfast!"
Emerald eyes snapped open, staring groggily at the ceiling for a moment, before widening in horror. If her uncle was already up, that meant that she had slept in. She was supposed to have food on the table already by the time he and Aunt Petunia came down. Jolting up in her little cot, she banged her head against the ceiling, her hand coming up to rub at it for a brief moment before she quickly changed out of her pajamas. Just as she finished dressing, the door to her cupboard was ripped open, a large, beefy hand reaching in and wrapping around her arm with bruising force.
Aurora Rosalie Potter was yanked from the cupboard under the stairs and dragged into the kitchen by her Uncle Vernon, who promptly slung her toward the stove. Throwing her arms out, she caught herself against the stove, quickly righting her body and moving about the kitchen in a mad rush to prepare breakfast.
"You'd better make sure that everything is perfect, girl," Vernon growled furiously as he began piling presents onto the kitchen table. "I don't want anything going wrong on Dudley's big day."
Rory paled at this, having completely forgotten what day it was. Moving even faster, she set about frying bacon, eggs and sausage, knowing that she would be in even more trouble if Dudley's Birthday Breakfast wasn't ready on time. As she was piling the food on to three separate plates, Dudley and Petunia entered the kitchen.
Mentally praising herself on her excellent timing, Rory expertly carried the three plates to the table, placing them down in front of each of her relatives as they sat down. When she wasn't immediately yelled at, she turned, letting out a relieved sigh and set about cleaning up the mess from cooking. Rory was vaguely aware of Dudley whining about how he had received more presents last year as she finished washing the dishes and putting them away.
Wanting to get away as soon as possible, she quickly retreated from the kitchen and made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Upon finishing, she leaned against the counter and stared at herself in the mirror.
Rory was a small girl for her age, something she suspected came from living in a cupboard. She was unhealthily skinny, with a thin, somewhat drawn face, framed by unruly, raven hair that came to her shoulder blades. The only reason no one had ever questioned her weight was because she was forced to wear Dudley's hand-me-downs, which were at least four sizes too large. Her eyes were a brilliant emerald green, that almost seemed to glow in the right light. Her most defining feature by far, however, was the thin, lightning-bolt shaped scar on her forehead.
Rory had had the scar for as long as she could remember. She had asked her aunt once where it had come from, but her uncle had promptly beaten her afterwards, telling her not to ask questions. It was a lesson she had taken to heart.
As she stared into the mirror, she closed her eyes and concentrated for a few moments. Upon opening them, she smiled brightly, finding that her hair was now an emerald green to match her eyes. Concentrating again, it turned a dark blue.
It was an ability she had discovered after her aunt had cut all of her hair off when she was eight. The next morning, she had awoken to find it the same length as it had been before. She had received a beating for that as well. Since then, she'd learned how to change the length and color of her hair, though it had taken quite some time. It was something that she had never allowed her relatives to discover.
Hearing the phone ring, she quickly changed her hair back to its natural color and exited the bathroom. Entering the kitchen, she found her aunt hanging up the phone and turning to Vernon with an angry and somewhat frightened expression.
"Vernon, it was Mrs. Figg. She can't take the girl today," she said, motioning to Rory. "She's in the hospital."
Rory felt hope explode in her heart as Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, his father paling slightly. "Well, we'll just find someone else," her uncle said, nodding forcefully. "What about one of your friends?"
"I'm not letting any of my friends know about HER!" Petunia hissed, shaking her head and glaring at Rory as though she had planned this. "What about your sister?"
Vernon shook his head, rubbing at his head as though trying to fight off a headache. "Marge is on vacation in Wales."
Yes! Rory thought, trying to contain her excitement. There was no way that they'd take her with them to the zoo, which meant she'd be left alone. Perhaps she could make a break for it! She could escape this hellhole once and for all!
"We could just leave her here," Vernon suggested, glaring at Rory as well. The girl almost jumped for joy.
"Are you insane?! I'm not going to come home to find the house destroyed!" Petunia shrieked.
Damn it! Damn that woman! Rory's head hung in defeat.
"We'll just take her with us and leave her in the car," Petunia continued, causing the girl's head to shoot back up. That was workable. She could make a run for it from the car. It's not like she had anything to take with her.
"That's a new car! I'm not leaving her in it alone!" Vernon replied, shaking his head even more furiously, his chins wobbling.
Head hanging once more, Rory mentally cursed her aunt and uncle with every curse word she'd ever heard from her uncle. It was a long list.
Dudley meanwhile had begun to cry, whining loudly. "B-b-but I d-d-don't want her to g-go!" Petunia immediately moved to hug him, missing the vicious smile the boy sent Rory's way through his fake tears. Rory didn't care though; the idiot was unwillingly helping her in her goal of being left alone at the Dursley's.
A moment later, the doorbell rang and Dudley's fake tears stopped at once. He would never let his friend see him cry; it wouldn't be cool. And with the end of his tears, came the end of her hopes at being left at the house.
Minutes later, Dudley, his friend Piers, and Petunia were on their way out the door. Vernon stayed back, grabbing Rory around her upper arms and slamming her back against a wall.
"Now listen here, girl," he growled lowly. "Any, and I mean any, funny business and I will beat you to within an inch of your life."
Rory paled considerably, nodding quickly. "Yes sir, I understand."
"Good," he replied, releasing her. "Get in the car."
Rory sighed lowly, following the Dursleys and Piers around the crowded zoo, flinching whenever anyone came too close to her. She supposed that today could be worse. Her uncle could have just beaten her unconscious and left her locked in the cupboard. As it was, she had yet to be punched or kicked, and she'd even gotten a lemon ice pop and a decent lunch.
So, obviously that meant that her good fortune was out for the day.
The incident happened as they were wandering the reptile house after lunch. Dudley and Piers had quickly found the biggest snake in the area, a 17 foot Burmese python. Rory leaned against the wall next to the exhibit, watching dully as the two boys and Vernon banged against the glass, attempting to awaken the massive snake. The boys grew bored quickly, the three of them moving on to the next exhibit, allowing Rory to approach the enclosure.
Smiling faintly at the snake, she hissed quietly, "I'm terribly sorry about that. They aren't exactly smart."
The python opened it's eyes, staring at her for a moment in what appeared to be surprise, if a snake could look surprised. Lifting it's head, it replied, "I get that often. I can't say that I've ever seen a human that can speak my tongue before, though."
Smiling wider, Rory shrugged lightly. "I've always been able to talk to snakes. I talk to the snakes in the back garden a lot when I do yard work."
"How very odd," the snake said, tilting it's head. "Perhaps it's a gift from the beyond."
Blinking, the girl licked her lips and opened her mouth to reply when a shout cut her off.
"Dudley! Mr. Dursley! You won't believe what this snake is doing!"
Rory promptly found herself shoved out of the way by Piers as he and Dudley came over, pressing against the glass to look at the python in amazement. Pushing herself up onto her elbows, the girl glared at the two of them.
In the next second, Dudley and Piers found themselves thrown forward into the enclosure, landing flat on their faces. The snake uncoiled rapidly, slithering out of it's prison and stopping in front of Rory. "Thanks friend," it hissed, nodding to her.
Grinning, she nodded back. "You're welcome."
As the python made it's way out of the reptile house, people running and screaming in fear, Vernon and Petunia ran over to the exhibit that Dudley and Piers had fallen into, finding them trapped inside. Petunia screeched loudly, pounding on the glass and calling for help. Rory paid her no mind though. No, her eyes had locked firmly onto her uncle's rapidly purpling face.
After the Dursley's had dropped off Piers, they drove quickly to their own home. Rory reluctantly got out of the car and followed them inside, already knowing that she was a dead girl. As soon as the front door was shut behind her, Vernon grabbed her by the neck and forcefully dragged her into the kitchen. Petunia and Dudley disappeared up stairs as Vernon placed his hand on the back of her head and slammed her face against the table with a crack. Her vision went black for a moment before she was spun around, a meaty fist slamming into her face.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, Rory noted that this was entirely new. Her uncle had never hit her anywhere that would leave a visible mark before. Perhaps he really was going to kill her this time. Then his fist hit her face again and she stopped thinking completely.
Rory was only vaguely aware of the punches that followed, her mind shutting down to protect her from the pain. It wasn't until she was thrown onto the floor, Vernon's foot pressing down on her chest that she snapped back to reality.
Her hands grabbed at his ankle, attempting with all her might to push him off, but he just pushed harder. "No," she gasped out painfully, coughing up a bit of blood. Inhaling deeply, trying to get as much air into her lungs as she could, she yelled out, "NO!"
A rush of air ripped from her throat, blasting her uncle into the air. His back slammed into the far wall, body sliding to the ground as he stared back at her in dazed shock. Gasping for more air, Rory forced herself to her feet, not sparing Vernon another glance as she ran passed him and into the hall.
Ripping open the front door, Rory sprinted across the front yard and onto the sidewalk. She never looked back to see if she was followed.
On the twenty-third of June, 1991, Rory Potter escaped Privet Drive forever.
AN: So yeah, that's chapter 1. Hope you all enjoyed it. Let me know what you think!