Chapter One A Trip To the Zoo

Ten-year-old Harry Potter was lying in his bed fast asleep. He was having a wonderful dream when he heard a loud crash. A small girl with dark long hair had kicked his door open.

The girl bounced to his bed. Once she had reached her big brother, she simply stared at him until he opened his eyes.

Harry opened his eyes only to find black eyes staring back at him. He turned over to stare out of the window. Several birds were sitting on his window chirping happily.

Harry groaned. He didn't feel like waking up. He just wanted to get back to his dreams. He had just closed his eyes when his sister started talking to him.

"Come on, Har," she said as she began to pull the cover off of Harry. "Mum says get up. Today's the day we're going to the zoo with our cousin."

"Come on, Cas," said Harry, his voice muffled by the pillow. "Just give me another five minutes."

"Nope," said Cassie happily. "Up and at 'em."

Harry knew that there was no winning. Once Lily said get up, either you get up or you stay down.

Harry sat up in bed and rubbed the back of his neck. Cassie gave a gleeful laugh then left the room to give Harry some privacy.

Harry, reluctantly, swung his legs off of his bed. He didn't feel like leaving the house. Today was his cousin Dudley's eleventh birthday and his mother was forcing him to go to his birthday party.

It wasn't as if he didn't like his cousin. It was more that Dudley wasn't one of his favorite people to hang around. It wasn't like Harry could stay home anyway. Both Lily and Cassie were going to the zoo and Snape had some personal business to take care of.

Harry got out of bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower and get dressed.

When he arrived in the kitchen, he found Cassie at the table finishing her breakfast.

Harry sat down and pulled a plate of toast towards him. He was just spreading jam on it when Lily came into the kitchen.

"It's about time," she said to Harry. "We have fifteen minutes before we have to leave."

"Mum, I really don't want to go," said Harry.

"Well, we don't have a babysitter for you. So you don't exactly have a choice," she responded before leaving out of the room.

"I like going to Dudley parties," said Cassie pushing her empty plate away.

"Only because Vernon keeps giving you about twenty pounds," said Harry rolling his eyes.

"Mostly because I'm cute, mostly."

Just then Snape walked into the room reading today's copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Dad, mum said that I have to go to Dudley's stupid birthday party, but I don't want to," said Harry. "Can I come with you?"

"Sorry, Harry," his father answered. "But your aunt is expecting you to come. And it's not wise for me to overrule your mother."

Annoyed with his father's decision, Harry left the table to grab his book bag. It looked like he would be spending all day at the zoo looking at stupid animals. Nothing interesting about that.

The Dursley's didn't arrive until about nine o' clock. At that time, Harry was attempting to make his messy hair lay flat. Every time Uncle Vernon saw Harry he would insult Harry from his hair all the way down to his shoes.

"They're hear," called Lily. "Harry, Cassie, come down here."

Harry groaned as he left the bathroom. He slowly made his way downstairs to the gates of Hell. When he arrived, he saw Cassie give Uncle Vernon a big hug. A second later she had a twenty pound note in her hand. She waved it at Harry.

Petunia and Lily were exchanging kisses on the cheek, and Snape stood in the doorway watching the whole seen.

"Hello, Harry," she said when she noticed him standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Are we all ready to go?"

"In a minute," answered Lily. "I just need to grab my purse. Why don't you go out to the car?"

Vernon, Petunia, Harry, and Cassie all made their way to the car. Dudley was already sitting in the back seat of the car with his friend Piers.

Harry's stomach contracted. Going to school with Dudley was one thing, but when he got together with Piers he was a completely different person.

Harry cast a sideways glance at his sister and saw that she was also nervous about getting in the car.

"Don't worry dears," said Petunia misinterpreting their expressions. "We'll all fit into the car. This is a family car after all."

"Yes," said Vernon. "Not much room for you Harry. I'm just kidding," he added, punching Harry in the shoulder.

Harry rubbed his shoulder as Lily came out of the house. They all began to cram themselves into the car. Vernon, Cassie, and Petunia sat in the front while Lily and Harry forced themselves in the back with Dudley and Piers.

With Dudley's weight Harry could hardly breathe. As the car began to drive, Harry hoped that the zoo wasn't too far away.

When they arrived at the zoo and the car was parked, Dudley wobbled over to the ice cream cart and began to examine the many flavors. Cassie, Piers, and Harry followed him while the adults went to get a couple of maps.

"Cool," said Piers. "They've got that new flavor: Chocolate Peanut Surprise.

"What's the surprise?" asked Dudley.

"No idea."

"I've always wanted to try one," said Cassie.

"You kids want some ice cream, do you?" said Vernon walking over to them.

"Yes, please," answered Cassie.

"I'll take four Peanut Surprising Chocolate or whatever the hell it is."

The ice cream man prepared the four cones and passed them out to all of the kids.

"Thanks Uncle Vernon," Harry and Cassie said together.

"Thanks, Mr. Dursley," said Piers.

Dudley, however, didn't thank his father but continued on to the lions.

The day was pretty boring with not much to see but animals in cages. The most exciting thing that had happened during the day was when Cassie had tried to free all of the rhinoceroses.

"I had to," she told her mother as they all made their way to the reptiles to see the snakes. "They looked sad and lonely."

This was the last of the animals they were going to see. Thank God.

Harry was a little relieved when most of the snakes were already asleep. Dudley was not happy. He went over to a boa constrictor's glass case and saw that it, too, was asleep.

"Make him do something," he growled at his father. "Set his cage on fire or something."

Vernon knocked on the glass slightly hoping to wake the snake. But the snake continued to sleep. Dudley then began to beat on the glass.

"I don't think you should be doing that," Lily told Dudley.

Dudley heaved an enormous sigh before moving on to another snake. Everyone followed except for Harry. He checks the glass to make sure that there were no cracks on it. He was about to move on when the snake spoke to him.

"Thanksss for that," said the snake. "I wasss hoping the little bassstard would move before I kicked hisss asss."

Harry's mouth dropped open. The snake seemed to be talking to him.

"Hey," said the snake. "I'm talking to you."

"R-really?" said Harry in a quiet voice. "I've never talked to a snake before."

"I've never talked to a human before. A human'sss talked to me, but every time they do I tell them to pissss off."

Harry didn't know what to say to that so he asked another question.

"So, where're you from? Obviously you didn't grow in the zoo. Or were you born here?"

The snake shook his head and pointed to a sign. It read Breed and Captivity from Brazil.

"So, you're from Brazil?" asked Harry looking at the sign and then back to the snake. "I've never been there. Is it nice there? Don't you miss your family?"

"Read the sign again, assswipe."

Harry read the sign again.

"Oh, sorry."

The snake didn't know his family. They had taken it away.

Harry was suddenly shoved away from the tank and he fell onto the hard ground.

"Mummy, Daddy," he said. "Come see. You're not going to believe what this snake is doing."

Harry sat up and glared at Dudley. One minute Dudley had his face pressed up against the glass, the next minute there was no glass and Dudley was inside of the tank.

Dudley screamed as the snake began to slither out of the tank and away.

"Thanksss," he said to Harry. "Africa here I come."

"I thought you were from Brazil," said Harry.

"I am, but I've alwaysss wanted to go to Africa."

The snake left out of the exit, people screaming as they notice the snake out of its tank.

Dudley stood up and made to get out of the water, but the glass had suddenly returned. He began to bang on the glass as he realized he was trapped inside.

"Mummy! Daddy! Help!" he screamed.

"My baby!" Petunia screamed as she, Lily, Piers, Vernon, and Cassie came running over.

It was only a second before everyone except Piers glared over at Harry. Pier's was oblivious to the fact that Harry was responsible for the glass disappearing.

The drive home was a long one. No one spoke or made any type of sound. Dudley was sitting in the back of the car in his mother's jacket shivering violently.

By the time they reached Harry's home both Pier's and Dudley were sleeping in the back of the car.

Lily, Cassie, and Harry got out of the car. Vernon waited until Cassie went inside the house before speaking.

"I don't ever want to see that freak," he said jerking his thumb at Harry. "near my family again."

With that, he sped off without a backwards glance. Harry felt horrible and much worse; Snape was going to hear about it.

Author's Note: I know that I changed a lot of things, but remember that this is my version of the story. Please read and review.