And so it begins
Harriet's fingers bled, picking weed after weed, plucking off thorn after thorn, the dry, hot soil soaking up every drop of blood it could suck from her abused, frail body.
She hadn't eaten or slept in days, she has to prickly herself on purpose time to time to keep her eyes open, or twist her head so far it looked as though it snapped to stop seeing things out of the corner of her eyes.
Her skins sunburnt red contrasting the black bags under her eyes and the large, purple bruises lining her arms, back and legs.
Her eyes water as she lifts herself onto shakey legs, stumbling about to throw away the weeds and thorns.
"Oh young one, why do you cry?"
A snake hisses, slithering up Harriet's leg.
Confusion washes itself over the young girls face, she can understand this snake? How?
"Did you say that?"
She asks the snake, more so as a joke, assuming it's just her lack of food or sleep.
"Yes, I did, now I must ask again, Why do you cry?"
Her confusion turns to shock
"Well, I'm not sure how I'm able to speak to snakes, but you see, my relatives, they....they don't feed me or let me sleep."
The snake slithers itself around the girls neck
"I see, and you allow this to happen? My dear, why don't you do something?"
"What can I do?"
The snake hisses out something similar to a laugh, or, more accurately, a chuckle.
"Well use Magick of course, although I suppose since you've been living with muggles, I assume you don't know much?"
"I didn't know there WAS Magick! Uncle Vernon always says Magick isnt real!"
"Of course he does, because if he told you about it, you'd be so, so much more powerful than him. If you decided to learn magick, well, you could be free from him, and your aunt."
"Really? How do i learn it?"
"Well I could teach you, if your willing of course"
"GIRL. GET BACK IN THE HOUSE BEFORE I COME OUT THERE"
Harriet jumps when she hears her uncles voice come from inside.
"Well, my dear? What do you say?"
"Yes! I want to learn, but I need to get inside! Can I see you out here tomorrow?"
"Of course, I'll be waiting."
It slithers off her shoulder and into the dry grass, watching the girl rush into the house with bleeding hands.
He turns and slithers away, far enough to turn from tail to legs, and stride happily, The man has waited a long time for this moment.
Dumbledore's pawn belongs to him now.
He will lead this girl to his garden, his eden, and she will do whatever he wishes.