The Scars of Human Nature

chapter 1: A Most Unormal Discovery

His name is It.

It lived in the dark, the silent dark. It was never hungry, never thirsty, and never sleepy.

It never thought, never moved, just stared at the dark.

It knew nothing of the world; It didn't know there was one.

This was It's life, and It didn't know.

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number twelve, Rose Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much; they were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.

Mr. Dursley was director of a top selling company, that made drills, He was a big beefy man with no neck through he did have a large moustache. Mrs. Petunia Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very handy when she spied on the neighbours.

The Dursleys had a thirteen year son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.

The three lived in a two story home, had everything they wanted and couldn't be happier, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that someday it would be discovered, unfortunately it would.

Sooner than they thought.

Shadows were funny little things, they could become any shape or size they wanted, fade in and out like the wind. They could even make you think you see things that aren't really there, aren't they funny these Shadows?

"Dudley darling, come away from the window. It's time for bed"

"But Mum, there's a man outside staring at the house"

Petunia came to the window, her eyes narrowed with suspicion, blinking when she saw nothing but the shadows and moonlight.

"Oh darling, that's just your eyes playing tricks on you. Now come, it's time for bed"

Dudley gave one last look outside, before pulling the curtains back and following his mother upstairs to get ready for bed. Outside the wind blew, ruffling a black robe hidden in the shadows.

"That was not Potter, in fact we haven't seen a glimpse of the brat all day" came a smooth, velvet voice from the shadows

"He is here, my sources are never wrong, besides I have no intention of failing our lord" came another voice, this one as smooth as water

"Point taken, when do we move?"

"When those muggles fall asleep"

"Remember, no killing. We just get the brat and go"

All he got was a chuckle from the dark.

Midnight came, the neighbourhood and its occupants were tucked in for the night, it was time for them to move. The lock made a soft 'click' as it unlocked, the door made not a sound as it glided open, two figures entered the home. They took in everything with a look that can only be described as disgust.

"Let's get this over with; I don't want to be in here any longer than necessary" Lucius said, Severus nodded and they separated, Severus down the hall and Lucius up stairs, wands lit to light their way.