Okay everyone! I've decided to edit this fits story and go from there. I'll probably fix up a few things or change a few things, make it something more relatable or something more realistic if you lived with the Dursleys.
But just to clarify I don't own any of these characters besides Elizabeth/ Lizzy. Everything else belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling.
Chapter 1: Trip to the Zoo
Elizabeth's Pov:
It was early in the morning, my twin brother and I had been resting comfortably in our make shift room under the stairs. As squished as we could get sometimes it made do for a place we could somewhat call our own.
My blissful sleep was interrupted by the loud thudding of those who walked up and down the stairs. My brother had scrunched his nose and rolled over trying to get a few more minutes of sleep before we would be woken.
I wasn't sure what he'd been dreaming about but it looked like a good one. I know mine was. Dragons flying through the bright blue sky's high above the white fluffy clouds, colorful beams of light danced beside the creature. It was one of the few times I actually got to enjoy the idea that magic was out there.
Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon hated the idea of magic or unworldly creatures being real, they would go into a fit scolding everyone around that it was rubbish, Uncle Vernon would scream till he was red in the face and his voice was horse. Anything that wasn't normal could set off my aunt or uncle.
I laid awake waiting for the constant pounding of the closet door to wake us. I didn't have to wait too long, "Up! Get up! Now!" Aunt Petunia's shrill voice shrieked through the thin door. Harry moaned not wanting to wake up just yet. It wasn't often that the two of us could get a decent night's sleep.
The mattress was lumpy and had springs sticking out in the ends or middle. It was always one of us who didn't get any sleep, so it was very rare to sleep through the night.
"Up!" Aunt Petunia shrieked again before walking off toward the kitchen. We were left with a few moments of silence. Harry rolled back onto his back staring at the slanted ceiling tiredly.
Aunt Petunia wasn't gone long. She was back much too soon returning to a rapid pounding on the door. "Are you two up yet?" She demanded.
"Nearly," Harry's groggy voice called back. His voice laced with sleep, his messy black hair stuck out in random directions from what I could see in the small lights the door aloud to sneak through.
"Well, get a move on! I want you to look after the bacon and don't you dare let it burn! Elizabeth you're to clean Dudley's room. I want everything perfect or my Duddy's Birthday." Harry and I let out a small groan of annoyance.
"What did you say?" She snapped through the door.
"Nothing!" We quickly called, a grimace on our faces. That was close. We couldn't stand Dudley, he's what you would call a spoiled brat. And if you don't believe me now you will after you spend ten minutes with the jerk.
Harry reached up grasping the chain dangling down and engulfing our tiny room with light. I was stretching my arms down trying to grasp my toes. Harry was closest to the door so he was able to reach off the side of the bed pulling up two pairs of oversized socks.
I tiredly look over at my twin brother. We didn't look anything alike though. He couldn't see so he needed to get glasses and I had somewhat perfect vison. I say somewhat because something my eyes go out of focus and I can't see super far away. My hair was red while his was black. The only thing we really shared was our eyes and a matching lightning bolt scar on our forehead. We had green eyes. It was pretty easy to tell us apart.
"Morning," I muttered tiredly my back ached for the upcoming job I was about to do. I could spend hours making that room spotless and Dudley destroys is in a matter of seconds.
Harry nodded rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Dudley's room again?" He asked though he knew I had to. I try not to show my true feeling of annoyance, if I wasn't careful I would wear it outside the room and get in major trouble.
'What do you have to be upset about? You should be grateful. If I wasn't a wonderful man you and that no good brother of yours would be on the streets!'
'We feed you, clothe you, the least you can do is help us!'
'You and that no good brother of yours should feel so lucky to be in such a wonderful home.'
'I should send you to Marge's. Maybe then you'll appreciate how lucky you two brats have it.'
Those were just some of the lines I've heard when I wasn't being careful. I haven't slipped up as much as I used to. I'm better now. Only person who knows how I feel anymore is Harry. He's my best friend, my only friend.
"I'll try to save some food for you." Harry whispered as we slipped out the door. Going our separate ways. I don't know what kind of disaster Dudley's room would be in, sometimes it could take an hour or sometimes it could take an entire day, what with it being Dudley's room and he could come in any time he pleases.
I don't get breaks, I get a glass of water and a snack after I'm done then I'm back to work.
I could only scream in my head when I saw his room. Broken glass embedded into the wall, food all over the ground, it smelled like a barn in here, books tossed and practically mutilated in all kinds of forms. His bedroom TV pushed to the ground, it looked like when he had his tantrum he swept the entire contents of his dresser to the ground and threw all his clean clothes in with his dirty. There was no way to tell the difference between clean and dirty.
Dudley walked out of the bathroom mischievous smirk on his lips. "Have fun!" he laughed as he bounded down the stairs, stomping his feet like an elephant while he did so. Good lord this would take a while.
Quickly I went to work, making his bed, gathering his clothes and shoving them in the dirty hamper that was outside the bathroom. I worked as fast as I could. Since it was Dudley's birthday Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would most likely send us to Mrs. Figgs house. She was an elderly lady who lived across the street for as long as I could remember. She liked to show us all the photos of all the cats she'd ever owned. Before feeding the two of us boiled cabbage for lunch.
Mrs. Figg's home smelled like cat pee and feet, we've been over there so many times we were just used to it. And while being over at Mrs. Figgs house could be boring, at least we were able to get away from here for a while.
I grabbed the assortment of books that laid abandoned on the ground. There were some school books that looked worn out and a few that were a few thrillers, one fantasy (how he got it I'll never know), and one that was based off at a camp.
I think Dudley got these because he thought the covers were cool but I remember him yelling "There's no pictures!" every now and then because I've never seen Dudley pick up a book and read. I hold the books to my chest walking them over to wait for it, Dudley's second bedroom. That's right. Dudley has another bedroom. I placed the tattered books on the shelf above the bed.
It was so cluttered in this room that the only reason Dudley had it was so that he could put his extra things in it. There was another bedroom down the hall beside the master, that bedroom was usually for Aunt Marge. She wasn't really my Aunt but I was forced to call her that whenever she'd visit with her mean dogs.
I struggled with lifting the TV back in place, I didn't know if it would work or not but I just hoped it did. I just needed to sweep and vacuum and I'd be done. I was very surprised that it didn't have much left. Usually it would take longer. I swear it was worse when I first came in, it was almost like magic that the room was cleaner…that's not true though.
Magic isn't real, so there was no way it'd start to clean itself right? Then again I did have some strange experiences happen before. A while ago I was cleaning dishes and Aunt Petunia was complaining how they weren't clean enough and that she wanted to see her reflection in it, and the next second her face was stained blue.
Another time Harry and I were running away from Dudley and his group of friends I swear I saw Harry jump up and land on the roof of a building. That just wasn't possible.
Strange things happened around me and my brother, one time when we were younger Uncle Vernon had locked us in the cupboard under the stairs which again was our room. We were starving and couldn't hold out much longer and by some miracle the door open and we were able to sneak off and get some dinner.
I ran down the stairs ignoring my grumbling stomach, giving a brief glance at Harry to see he was trying to avoid being hit by Dudley. I grabbed the vacuum cleaner and lugged it up the stairs, plugging it in to one of the outlets. I picked up the broken glass cutting myself once by accident as I made my way toward the trash.
Now all I had to do was vacuum. I heard all sorts of stuff go up the hose into the bag, I pushed and pulled and fought with the machine till I was positive the floor was so clean you could eat off it. Which Dudley probably does, he can be such a pig.
Loud bangs and cries could be heard down stairs, I didn't have to take a guess to know it was Dudley. He must not have liked the answer or was upset over something. I could see Dudley now his face scrunched up as he let out his fake cries, somehow managing to produce tears at times as he wailed, for the whole neighborhood to hear trying and succeeding every time to get Harry or myself into trouble.
Grabbing the plug to the vacuum I quickly wrapped it up so it wasn't going to trip anyone and lugged it down the stairs. The vacuum went back in the kitchen hall closet. "Take the trash out." Aunt Petunia ordered sitting beside Dudley trying to calm him down from his fit.
"Yes, Aunt Petunia."
"Coffee." Uncle Vernon called holding his cup out. Harry was doing the dishes as I grabbed the coffee pot and poured another cup for Uncle Vernon. He needed at least two coffees in the morning to be pleasant around.
I grab the trash bag out of the can and rush outside toss the trash inside the can, run back inside grab the trash bags from Dudley's room and rush back outside to put in the trashcan. I felt myself pant as I walked back inside the house. I sighed in relief opening the cupboard door and falling on the lumpy mattress.
"Hey can I come in?" Harry called through the door, some excitement in his voice. After letting out a small yes the door opened and I could see the excitement on Harry's face.
"What's up?" I grab my belt looping it through my baggy pants. Everything we owned was baggy. Dudley was a hefty size boy while Harry and I were very small and skinny. The clothes we wore were Dudley's hand me downs. Funny enough, growing up Dudley would often triple in double in size very often making Aunt Petunia go out and buy him brand new clothes.
"We're not going to Mrs. Figgs today." My eyes widen in surprise. Seriously? Why not? We always go to Mrs. Figgs when Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia take Dudley and his friends somewhere. "One of her cats tripped her and she broke her leg!" I know it sounds horrible to be happy that she broke her leg but this was awesome! We wouldn't be forced to look at cat pictures!
"Are they going to let us stay here by ourselves?" Oh that would be amazing. We could watch whatever we wanted on the TV, eat enough that it would fill us up, do whatever we wanted, no one to watch us and tell us no.
"No, they think if we stay by ourselves we'll destroy the house." Of course they would think that.
"So wait. What do they want to do with us? They won't take us to the neighbors' homes, from what I heard, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia talk about us like we're demons."
"We'll be going to the zoo with Dudley and Piers." Harry explained plopping down beside me on the bed with excitement.
"We're going to the zoo." I asked shocked. I couldn't believe it.
"Yeah!"
"Us?"
"Us."
"The two of us? Us?"
"Yes!"
"Get out of here!" Harry laughed nodding his head to my questions. We never get to go anywhere! This is so cool! I've never been to the zoo, I wonder what kind of animals they'll have there. "So that's why Dudley started throwing a fit!" I whispered realization finally hitting me.
"He's so mad, he think's we'll ruin his birthday." I couldn't help roll my eyes at that, how are we going to ruin his birthday? He probably got a million presents and is going to wreck them in a week tops.
We walk out of the room chatting amongst ourselves, practically gluing ourselves to the wall to avoid bumping into Piers Polkiss or his mother.
Piers was one of Dudley's school friends, he had a face like a rat and was really scrawny. Usually he was the one who help people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them over and over. So when Piers walked in Dudley stopped his fake crying and returned to what would be normal. He didn't want Piers thinking he was a cry baby or anything.
"Boy, get ready. We're leaving in a half hour." Harry nodded and ran up the stairs with a clean pair of clothes and a towel for the shower. "Fix your hair." He growled down towards me.
"Yes, Uncle Vernon." I ran right behind Harry and waited outside till he was in the shower before running in. I grabbed the small comb that had broken teeth that Harry and I shared because Aunt Petunia didn't want to give us a real brush.
Uncle Vernon hated when our hair happened to stick out or look not tamed. Aunt Petunia once gave Harry a horrible hair cut to the point where he almost was bald. Harry was so embarrassed and was so scared to go to school the next day but miraculously enough the next day his hair was completely the same before the haircut.
I use one of the strings that came from my shirt to tie my hair back. It didn't always work, sometimes it would last all day but usually it just lasted a few hours and my hair would fall back down towards the middle of my back.
"I'll keep an eye on the door." I called as I walked outside the bathroom. There was a quiet thank you as I closed the door. I sat at the edge of the stairs waiting for my brother wondering how today would go when I saw Dudley and Piers.
Reaching back I knocked on the door twice, it let Harry know they were coming.
"Just because you're coming to the Zoo doesn't mean anything." Dudley called glaring down at me.
"Yeah, you and your brother will still be losers!" Piers agreed.
"If you do anything today to embarrass me, I'll make you regret it." Dudley warned before he and Piers stormed into the bathroom with Harry's towel and clothes. Dudley and Piers laughed maniacally the entire way down the stairs and out the front door.
Slipping down the stairs and into my room I pulled out my towel and grabbed another pair of clothes. I ran as quietly as I could and slip back into the bathroom my back against the door listening for something. Incase Dudley and Piers came back.
The water was off meaning Harry was done. I threw the towel over the top letting it dangle off the edge waiting for it to disappear on the other side.
"Thanks Lizzy." Harry called opening the curtain to show him covered.
"Fresh clothes," I place them on the sink and slip out the door again taking my place on the stairs again. Dudley and Piers walked in, glancing up the stairs to see me picking at my nails. They laughed loudly and ran into the kitchen.
After Harry was dressed and his hair was somewhat manageable the two of us walked into the kitchen, the look on Dudley's and Piers face when Harry came back down fully clothed was priceless till they put two and two together. Dudley sent a wicked glare my way that just promised hurt.
Seeing as we were all ready to go, Uncle Vernon loaded everyone in the car beside Harry and myself.
"I'm warning you two. Any funny business, anything at all and you'll be in that cupboard from now till Christmas." Uncle Vernon threatened getting very close to our faces to prove how serious he was.
"I'm not going to do anything." Harry called.
"Honest." I finished for Harry grasping my brother's hand. I hated when Uncle Vernon got so close to my face, it freaked me out. Harry and I jump in the car squished between Piers and Harry. Harry and I were just so excited to go to the Zoo!
The drive to the zoo, Uncle Vernon was complaining to Aunt Petunia. Uncle Vernon loved to complain about all sorts of things. A few things would be the people he works with, Harry and myself, the council, Harry and myself, the bank, Harry and myself, and anything out of the ordinary. Today he was complaining about motorcycles.
"Roaring along like maniac, the young hoodlums." Uncle Vernon would say whenever a motorcycle passed in front of the car.
"I had a dream about a motorcycle." Harry called smiling to himself at a fond memory, Uncle Vernon rolled his beady eyes annoyed. Harry turned toward me and spoke lowly as not to get Uncle Vernon's attention. "It was flying."
I almost laughed in excitement had Uncle Vernon not heard what Harry had tried not to say too loudly. Uncle Vernon had almost crashed the car into the one in front of us. I clutch onto my brother's hand for dear life terrified.
Uncle Vernon spun around to face Harry and myself his face gone red as he screamed "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"
Dudley and Piers were sniggering in the background at Harry getting yelled at. "B-But it was just…" I tried to speak up for my brother. It was just a dream, nothing about dreams were normal.
"Watch your mouth!" Uncle Vernon screamed before shifting his fat body back into this seat and starting on the road again. Harry looked out the window depressed. All I could do was stare at the seat wide eyed. I hated being yelled at. My body was just frozen staring at the back of Uncle Vernon's seat.
The Dursley's hated a lot of things. Questions and anything not normal. Those were the two things you just don't do around them.
At the zoo Harry and I saw that it was crowded with families, must be because it's a warm sunny day. We don't get too many of those.
When Dudley and Piers got ice cream the lady behind the counter asked if Harry and I would want one before Uncle Vernon said no so Harry and I got a lemon pop! It might have been sour but it tasted really good.
Harry and I looked at all the animals around us avoiding Dudley and Piers in case they got bored and decided that Harry or I would make great entertainment.
And at lunch, we ate at the zoo's restaurant and Dudley had a tantrum because his Knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, so to get him to stop Uncle Vernon bought Dudley another one and gave me and Harry the first one!
Only problem is I should have known that the good times wouldn't last. Everything went downhill at the reptile house. The room was cool and dark, the windows were lit all along the walls. Behind the glass, there were all sorts of lizards and snakes that were crawling or slithering over bits of wood and stone.
Dudley and Piers wanted to see the huge, poisonous cobras and thick man crushing pythons. Dudley found the largest snake in the place. It so large that it could have wrapped its body around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can but right now it was fast asleep.
Dudley was standing with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils. "Make it move." He whined. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass but the snake didn't budge. "Do it again." Uncle Vernon rapped smartly with his knuckles but the snake just snoozed away, ignoring the people in front of him.
The poor snake probably had to deal with this sort of treatment all the time, families pressing their stupid faces to the window disturbing its rest and making the animal feel like it has to do something to entertain the people.
'Bred in Captivity' the snake's never known what it's like to live on its own, depending on the handlers for its whole life.
"This is boring." Dudley moaned as he and Piers shuffled away to see another reptile. My brother and I stood there watching the snake rest, my eyes were traveling over the long body wondering how smooth the skin was or even how heavy it would be if it were out of the cage.
"Poor thing, can't even get a decent rest with all these people." I couldn't help sigh aloud leaning against the bar the body moved in its sleep, pulling closer to the middle like a ball.
"Having people drumming their fingers on the glass disturbing him all day long. It's worse than being in the cupboard." Harry agreed.
Suddenly the snake opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, the snake started to raise its head until its eyes were level with ours. My mouth dropped open when I saw the snake wink.
Did a snake just wink at us? What? Looking at my brother I saw his surprise but he winked at the snake!
The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling as if saying 'I get that all the time'.
"It must be really annoying," Harry called. Oh my gosh, Harry was talking to a snake. "Where do you come from, anyway?"
Looking down I read a brief description of the snake. "It says here, that he comes from Brazil." The snake nodded his head coiling its body again.
A snake just nodded at me as if agreeing with me. This was so strange but I liked it! "Was it nice there?" The constrictor jabbed its sign I had read earlier. "Oh I see, so you've never been to Brazil?"
The snake shook its head no. I yelp hearing a loud shout form Piers. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" Piers and Dudley came waddling over as fast as they could. "Out of our way!" Dudley and Piers squeezed in between Harry and me, knocking the both of us on the floor.
I don't know what happened next, one second Piers and Dudley were leaning right up and close to the glass, and the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror. Harry and I stared shocked. The glass in front of the boa constrictor tank had vanished into thin air. The large snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, and slithering onto the floor.
People all around us screamed and started running for the exits. The snake looked toward me nodded his head, then at Harry and nodded his head again before slithering off. "Brazil here I come, thankssss amigosss." The snake had called. I might be going crazy. Snakes don't talk.
I had to have hit my head right? That didn't just happen.
The zoo keeper for the reptile house was completely dumbfounded spouting 'but the glass' and 'where did it go?' Even the Zoo director wasn't sure what had happened. The zoo director had given Aunt Petunia a strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only tell their lies.
From what I saw, the snake didn't do anything except playfully snap at the heels but as soon as we got in the car Dudley was saying how it nearly bit his leg off, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death.
Worst of it was when Piers had calmed down he had to say "Harry and Elizabeth were talking to it, weren't you two?" A cold chill went down my spine. This was it. We were dead. He had to say that. He had to say we were talking to a snake before it escaped the zoo.
When Piers was safely out of the house all Uncle Vernon could say was "Go, Cupboard, stay, no meals!" He was so mad he could barely form sentences. I didn't have to be told twice. I dashed into the cupboard terrified, Harry right on my heels.
The two of us sat in silence thinking back what happened during the day, remembering every detail. I needed to write this down, to know I wasn't dreaming for the next day. Dudley didn't study. He didn't take notes and he didn't notice if pencils and a note book went missing.
The children at school hated it when they had to loan us a paper or pencil to write our notes or participate in school. Harry and I sat alone in our classes being the outcast thanks to Dudley and his group of friends.
Mrs. Jensen might have been nice to give me and Harry a note book to use but I couldn't help thinking she had ulterior motives. Like she wanted something more. I swear I saw her look through the notebook she gave me to use, shake her head and walk back to her desk when everyone went to lunch.
After that I stole one of Dudley's note books, fearing for my life if I ever got caught. I kept it hidden under the mattress. I wrote down important things that happened that day, not that I had a lot of special moments, but a few that couldn't be explainable. I write it down so that I can't forget. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are quick to saying that it didn't happen and not to bring it up again.
Harry leaned against me as I wrote, shock still plastered across his face. I even put in the bit where the snake spoke to us. I still don't believe it.
"Lizzy…Did that really happen?" Harry didn't know if it was true or not, he hoped it was or maybe he hoped it wasn't. With what we were raised, what happened today shouldn't.
"Did you…did you hear the snake…" he whispered nervously.
"Thanks amigos…" I muttered staring ahead of me shocked. I wasn't crazy. I did hear a snake speak English. A freaking snake talked.
Oh boy, this was a strange day indeed.