The Huge Magical Snake Problem

Voldemort was alone in a huge mansion. There was actually a roaring fire in the hearth in front of him. He was talking to his snake again, stroking down her back. She was twined around his torso. "Nagini... did you hear what we will be doing tomorrow?"

"Yesssss.... I did. I think it issss a good idea. Although..." Nagini broke off, looking away.

Voldemort peered down at the ginormous snake. This hesitance was very unlike her. "What is it?"

Nagini looked straight into the Dark Lord's eyes. "I know of a sssnake den closssse to the housssse you are attacking. I would... apprecsssiate it if you were to leave them alone."

Not much could catch Voldemort off guard anymore, but that request did. He tried not to show the surprise on his face. He hissed, "Of coursssse, Nagini. I would never harm your brethren."

The serpent looked satisfied, if that expression was even possible on a snake's face. "Of coursssse, Masssster. You would rather harm yourssssself than me."

He spared a rare, authentic empathetic expression down at her. "That, my dearessst, issss very true."

Harry spent the rest of the night in rare, restful sleep.

"Harry! Potter, you better get up right this instant! Dudley needs his breakfast in just a few minutes!" he heard his Aunt Petunia screeching outside his door. He heard the sound of a dozen various locks being opened, and she stormed back down the hallway and down the stairs.

Harry groaned and sat up. At least Uncle Vernon had left for work already; usually when he was home during breakfast, he always found something wrong with his food, and that was an excuse to give him a well-placed slap. Harry got the paper out from under his bed and quickly scrawled down the dream he had.

Harry went to the bathroom, changed his clothes, and speed walked down the stairs. Petunia was rushing around the kitchen, preparing pancakes for his cousin.

"You took too long up there! You're such an ungrateful little brat! We provide for you, and this is how you repay us? I had to start making breakfast for you!" Harry refrained from telling her that she had locked him in there.

Harry took the skillet from his Aunt and resumed making breakfast, ignoring Petunia's cutting remarks. Man, he thought. At least I have some practice ignoring insults, thanks to Snape. That led him to think about the second dream he had the night before. Voldemort had seemed almost... kind, considerate... to his snake. He wondered why. He had thought he had no capacity for decency for anyone besides himself.

Harry got yanked out of his thoughts by Dudley coming down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Potter!" he shouted, and yanked Harry's hair. Bacon grease splashed on his arm, making him yelp. Dudley grinned like he had just won an award for Cleverest Person on Earth and made his way to the table. Harry glared daggers at him, but Dudley just laughed back at him. Ever since Vernon had started beating on Harry, it was like Dudley had gotten an extreme ego boost, not like he needed one. That kid already had pride the size of Voldemort's snake.

Hmmmmm... Voldemort's snake. Harry delved back into his deep thoughts. She seemed happy enough with the ever-so-evil Dark Lord as her "master." Then again, Harry thought, they are kindred spirits. Both nefarious and sadistic.

Harry eventually got done with preparing breakfast, and he set it down on the round table. Dudley, upon seeing the food, lunged across the table to grab at the bacon, eggs, and pancakes. Well, he lunged as well as he could, him being the size of the average baby killer whale. Harry typically didn't get any food, but he was expected to do an entire list of chores that his Aunt handed him every day.