chapter 2

Today was the day... yes the day I have been dreading for months now.

Today is Dudley's birthday.

I woke up early and saw a sleeping Harry beside me. Though the cupboard was small and cramped we make it work. Not having the heart to wake him (he seemed like he was dreaming of something) I silently crawled to the door and grabbed clothes moving to the bathroom to get dressed.

Harry usually changes in the cupboard but I prefer getting up early enough that I can use the bathroom without my aunt and uncle knowing. Brushing my hair and braiding it to the side, I put on a baby blue knee length dress,that looked like it had a built in corset so I didn't actually have to put one on, it's actually rather cute and less frilly than the normal ones I'm forced to wear. Putting a small flower in my hair I leave the bathroom and begin on my chores.

I don't like getting up early, don't get me wrong. But I usually catch up on sleep during class, since no one bothers to wake me. Can you blame me? It's the best way I can figure to ignore Pierce Polkis without making him angry and have the teachers make another pointless call to my Aunt and Uncle as they go on about "lovers quarrel". However today is Saturday and since it's Dudley's birthday we are going to the zoo, well he is, me and Harry are going over to the neighbor's house to listen to her talk about her cats.

I look out the glass sliding doors into the back yard to see aunt Petunia working in the garden. She must have woke up when I was in the bathroom. Great I almost got caught, I'll need to be more careful next time. Last time I got caught I didn't eat for almost a month. Thankfully, my brother is one of the sneakiest people I know and snuck me what he could.

I began Picking up the living room from whatever it was they did yesterday and then I spotted the mountain of presents piled on the table. For the life of me I can't figure out why there are so many every year, and each year the pile only grows.

Wonder what it's gonna be like when he moves out and gets nothing.?

A few minutes later Uncle Vernon was up and banging on the cupboard screaming at Harry to get up. I began pulled stuff out of the cabinets and fridge for breakfast, but today was Harry's turn to cook so I could do nothing more without getting him in trouble.

Then the fun started as Dudley came stomping down the stairs as loud as he could. Once the noise stopped he wattled in here followed by a sleepy looking harry. He walked over to me "Dudley pushed me again" he grumbled fixing his crooked glasses.

I gave him a pat on the back in sympathy but said nothing. It's not like he expected me too, but I'm the only person he can safely complain too so I don't mind. I don't speak much anyway... Especially in the mornings.

" Azul come here" aunt Petunia called over to me in her high shrill voice, "your hair's a mess," she said referring to the parts of my hair falling out of my braid. "Piers will be here soon and I am not letting you look like THAT infront of your boyfriend" I pouted a bit but remained silent.

Harry on the other-hand was not, "He is NOT her boyfriend!" I sent him a grateful smile but stopped when aunt Petunia tugged my hair out of its previous position.

"We have had this discussion Boy," uncle Vernon scolded. "The girl has found someone worthwhile. Just because you can't doesn't mean you have the right to protest."

"But they aren't dating!" Harry insisted

"Oh be quiet boy and hurry up with breakfast. You better not be burning anything"

"Yes uncle Vernon " he grumbled out as he gave up and went back to watching the bacon.

I gritted my teeth as Petunia pulled on my hair. Making two braids that connected in the back leaving the rest of my hair flowing down back. "Stop moving and sit up straight" I did as told knowing better than to argue or else it would get worse. As she finished, she stood up and examined me for anything out of place, I almost got out scott free, but of course she found something to complain about. "Is that dirt, under your fingernails? They look horrid, how many times do I have to tell you keep better track of your appearance. If the neighbors saw you like things…" about that point I blocked her out and nodded periodically to keep her from giving me another lecture about 'proper listening skills'.

I went over to Harry and began passing out breakfast to the Dursleys as Harry secretly made up some of the extra to eat later tonight in the cupboard. Harry is told to go get the mail and I began washing dishes from dinner last night and now breakfast. About the time Harry comes back the landline rings and uncle Vernon gets up to answer it. I can't hear the conversation over the running water but manage to see my brother make a suggestion and Vernon immediately shoot it down.

After I finish and turn off the water, Harry tells me we are going to go to the zoo with Dudley. I grunted and whispered to Harry, using my voice for the first time since i got up this morning. "Great I thought Saturdays were supposed to be Piers free," I managed to grumble out but sigh and go back to my normally quiet self. However, the messy haired boy in front of me smiles and I direct a raised eyebrow in his direction.

"You actually talked" he finally said. "I haven't heard you talk in almost a month." At this I shrugged but grinned at the fact something so small could make his day so much better. Before long, a knock came to the front door and as Harry opened it he was pushed to the side as Piers Polkiss came strutting in like he owned the place.

Dudley stood from his chair, I'm surprised he fit in the first place, and gave his partner in crime a celebratory high five. I did my best not to be noticed by busying myself with drying the dishes. If I play it right he may not notice me 'till we get in the car. "Azul!" and no such luck, "Come say hello it rude not to greet guests."

I shook my head a bit, resigned myself to my fate, and walked out into the livingroom. "Hello," I said, ducking my head a bit in greeting. However, this didn't seem to be good enough as the rat faced pre teen pranced over to me and threw an arm over my shoulder.

"Hello, my dear Zuzu," he said into my hair, "looking beautiful as ever. I love what you've done with your hair." He winked flirtatiously, I think, as I internally gaged. Aunt Petunia seemed quite pleased however and returned her attention to her son promising to buy him two new presents when they get to the zoo gift shop.

I could practically feel Harry glaring at the sight of me and the boy who pushed him just moments ago. When I next got a good look at him, I could see his eyes shadowed over by his untamable hair and his fists clenched, doing his best not to get in trouble, as that would get me the same punishment as well, getting in the car didn't help his mood any.

We made our way to the Dursleys Vauxhall, Chevette and Harry climbed in the very back. I was about to make my way beside him when Piers asked 'ever so politely' if I could squeeze in beside him. I could have sworn he shot my fuming brother a Triumphant look when Duddlys parents hesitantly said yes. So here I was, doing my best to deal with the situation when I felt a slap on my leg.

Following the arm up with my eyes, I eventually met the irritated face of Aunt Petunia. "Stop your squirming; it's unladylike." I nodded a bit, but felt rat face pull me closer to his side, if that was humanly possible, and wave off my perfectionist Aunt.

"Now Mrs. Dursley," he began in his most gentlemen like tone, "she's just a bit nervous sitting so close to someone like me," it took all my will not to gag, "it's perfectly fine to be shy, I happen to find it adorable, the way she gets so flustered." That's the thing about Piers Polkiss.

Though most don't realize this, the bully and Dudley's sidekick, is actually quite intelligent when he wants. Yes he slacks off in school, but he knows exactly what strings to pull and what to say to get what he wants. Dudley is skilled at getting anything from his doting parents, but Piers, for all his rat faced self, can do the same to anyone without being a brat.

And I absolutely hate it!

This means that even if I did speak up, though Harry does so a lot for me, I still wouldn't be able to get away from him.

Just my luck...

Harry has always dreamed about having a family who loves him and comes to take us away from the Dursleys. My dream as of the moment, since i'm not one to give myself false hope, is of having at least one day without seeing the face, or hearing the name Piers Polkiss. I'm stuck with him all week at school, Saturdays he comes over a lot to pick up Dudley or play videogames, Sundays at lunch or dinner Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon ask about Dudley's week and he explains all the things him and his "buddy" Piers did. It's like clockwork, i just can't seem to be able to pull out the batteries and shut it down.

Speaking of dreams Dudley was explaining one of his to the rat faced boy on my left, almost smacking me with his wild hand gestures. I unfortunately had to lean closer to Piers to avoid one and he seemed plenty happy about it when I heard Harry speak. "I had a dream last night, I was in a flying motorcycle flying over London."

In that moment, I was shoved into Piers, and Dudley into me, as the car swerved in the road as Uncle Vernon furiously yelled at the boy behind me. "MOTORCYCLES DO NOT FLY! Where do you get such nonsense dreams from,.." I zoned out and threw a sympathetic look over my shoulder.

Rat boy quickly straightened himself back up after Petunia got her husband to calm down and right the car back into its lane. "Well that was exciting," he said, fixing his hair before looking down at me. "You alright sweetheart, it looks like your hairclip fell out," he mentioned, referring to the flower pin I put in my hair this morning, it's the only thing I have that was before the Dursleys. Apparently it was clipped to the baby blanket I was wrapped up in when they found me and Harry on their doorstep. So instinctively, I reached up to where it once resided and found it had indeed fallen off in the chaos, my eyes going wide. I looked around and spotted it on the floorboard, letting out a relieved sigh. I began to reach for it but Dudley grabbed it first.

"What's so special about this anyway, you wear it all the time," he huffed. "It's not even a real flower, just a stupid decoration." The large boy on my right looked at it with judging, squinted eyes that he gets from his mother.

I reached for it but he threw it over to Piers. "Oh so it's really that important to you hu?" said boy asked in a bit of a mocking tone. "Well then i'll give it to you," I started to smile but stopped when he added, "if you ask for it.. I want to hear you use your voice."

Harry stepped in a bit since he take pride in being the only one who has heard my voice even when we were little. "Just give it back, it's not yours in the first place."

"No," the greasy haired 11 year old smirked, "Not unless she asks for it herself." He looked at me. "Well what's it gonna be Zuzu dear?"

I hated this boy and his arrogance. To be honest, he wouldn't be so bad if he had never met my freakishly large cousin. Well, at least I hoped, but as of now he looks like a rather common vermon, with an arrogant attitude and greasy hair to match. I hate giving him what he wants, but he always seems to find a way. I never wanted him to hear my voice, and yet I'm not given the option. So, I took a breath and swallowed the last bit of pride I had to ask for my childhood treasure back.

It was blatantly obvious that everyone in the car where waiting for my response, even my aunt and uncle. "Can I have my flower back Piers?" I asked as firmly as I could without being any louder than necessary. I was surprised it was so solid and didn't shake as I spoke.

He smirked, "You know, I like your voice. It's deeper than I imagined, but still as pretty as you are." I held out a hand to get my flower, but he instead used one hand to hold mine down and the other to clip it in my hair. I could already tell it was crooked.

"I always thought you didn't talk because your voice was embarrassing or something." Dudley mused to no one in particular.

"For a while there I didn't think she even had one at all," Piers admitted.

I sighed and thankfully, a few minutes later we had arrived at the zoo. Getting out of the car, I was pulled along by Piers as he rushed to catch up to Dudley. Looking back, I saw Uncle Vernon pulling Harry aside, but I couldn't go back to his side while being guided around by the surprisingly strong grip of my cousin's partner in crime.

We were now sat down at an ice cream shop sitting in a booth. Before they could shoo the lady taking our orders away, she had asked Harry and eventually me what we wanted. So Uncle Vernon reluctantly got us a lemon pop. And when they got Dudley's order wrong they gave it to Harry and I got to finish off his lemon pop as well, they actually weren't that bad. When finished, the boys decided they wanted to go see the reptile exhibit. We entered into the warm humid area and Dudley immediately went for the biggest snake they had. I had somehow convinced Piers without words to let me look at the crocodiles and lizards. I had always been a bit fascinated with them. Eventually, I got back to my brother, who had just been shoved to the side by our over excited cousin, as we watched the other two bang on the glass.

"Hey Zulie." I looked at him as he said the nickname he gave me when we were little."I think that snake could understand me." I stared at him but said nothing and shrugged it off to ponder at a later date. I was kneeling down beside the fallen Harry, when Piers joined Dudley and i heard my brother mumble " i can't believe the stunts ol rat face over there has pulled today, he's been even worse than in school. he just does it to tick me off" he continued to glare at the two boys in front of us. i saw nothing unusual about this until the glass between them and the snake disappeared beneath them.

the 11 and now 12 year olds fell through into the habitat and strate into the miniature pond inside. the large snake slithered past them, passing over one of the boy's legs at one point, and straight out into its new found freedom. as it came by me and Harry it stopped and gave us a hiss, i admit i was nervous but it didn't seem threatening.

"Anytime." wait could Harry understand it . with that thought in mind the Boa Constrictor made its way out of the zoo, hissing at anyone in the way and sending them running. When next i looked at my brother i saw him laughing and looked in the direction of the snake's old cage.

there i saw Dudley banging on the glass like he had earlier, but this time he was on the other side of it. Piers was regaining his bearings as he stood up from the water, much calmer than my panicking cousin who was about in tears. Aunt Petunia wasn't helping with the situation as she was crying and trying to find a hole in the glass.

it was easy to understand why Harry had been so hysterical watching this. i allowed a small smile to make its way to my features as well. unfortunately Uncle Vernon noticed, he came stalking up to my brother and i. "what did you do!" he seethed,

"Nothing we didn't do anything, he pushed me and the next thing i know the glass was gone" Harry defended "it was like magic"

i cringed knowing that he just said something to get us locked up in the cupboard for the next week "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MAGIC!".

and so it took the next forty-five to calm down Dudley and Aunt Petunia, get the boys out from the exhibit, and have Uncle Vernon threaten to sue about them for everything they had, and get us all loaded up in the car to head home. the birthday boy spent most of the drive telling us how the Giant snake nearly bit off his leg. Pierse didn't help bring down Dudley's ego, and retold the story with just as much exaggeration.

the only good thing that came from all this was that, even though we are going to be locked up for the next week, i didn't have to sit by the rat faced boy and my overweight cousin. Since the two of them were soaked and wrapped in a towel, i get to sit in the back with an equally happy Harry. i had a feeling that this year something was going to change, this year our lives were going to get better. who knows maybe i'll even start talking again.