Author's note: I'm way too excited to wait, so here's another chapter! Also I'd like to thank GWTWfangirl for being my first reviewer ever and Becky for being my second. I really appreciate it! I also would like point out that I do not own Harry Potter or the rest of the series. I can only dream of being half the author J.K. Rowling is.
Ch.2: Snakes, Cats, and Owls, Oh My!
About Nine years later
"You better be dressed and ready girl." Uncle Vernon growled through the door, "I expect breakfast to be on the table in twenty minutes."
"Yes, of course Uncle Vernon." I answered. I knew better than to upset him today, after all I'd hate to be accused of ruining Ickle Dudleykins special day.
I carefully checked my dress and hair making sure it looked perfect for Aunt Petunia. My dress is a lovely yellow color with lots of ruffles, paired with matching yellow bows for my hair, and white sandals. If Aunt Petunia doesn't think I look good then I won't be able to go to the zoo. I went down stairs and fried the bacon up, while Dudley complained that his enormous gift pile wasn't enough. After breakfast Dudley's awful best friend Piers showed up. I groaned internally, it's going to be a very long day.
We all left the house and before I could jump in the car, Uncle Vernon stopped me. He made me swear that I would be on my best behavior. I gave him my puppy dog eyes and agreed. It's not like I cause trouble anyway. He patted my head in a rare moment of affection.
"Now that's my good non freakish niece." he told me before getting in the car.
I had to sit between Dudley and his nasty friend. They seemed to have created a game based on who could pinch and poke me the most. Aunt Petunia wouldn't let them mess with my hair but everything else was fair game. I've never been happier to get out of a car in my life. At the zoo, before we got to look at one exhibit, Dudley and Piers stuffed themselves with ice cream. It made me sick just watching. I was allowed one lemon freeze pop because it didn't have any fat to wreck my figure.
My day went by a little better, three different people stopped Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon to tell them how pretty their daughter was. Aunt Petunia didn't tell them that I was just her niece, she beamed and told them thank you.
"See." she told me, "The better you look, the better I look."
Aunt Petunia has always been obsessed with dressing me up as a princess or doll. She loves the attention she gets from parading me around. I don't mind really. I try to be as pretty as possible so I don't have to be lock in the time out cupboard again.
The zoo was nice. The boys were so interested in harassing the animals, they stopped harassing me. It was a perfectly normal day at the Zoo, until the snake exhibit.
Dudley decided to start pounding on the glass of the largest snake in the snake house.
"Oh! Leave him alone! He's sleeping." I felt bad for the poor thing.
"Come on this is boring." Dudley and Piers left to go mock a different animal.
"Sorry about that." I felt a sudden need to apologize to the reptile for my cousins rude behavior. "He's like that with everyone."
The snake slithered up and rose eye level with me. It nodded it's head a few times like it understood me.
"Can you understand me?" I asked and the snake nodded it's head again.
"That is so cool I'm totally like Eliza Thornberry." I marveled at my new power.
The snake just looked confused.
"Never mind, not important. Do you have a family?" I asked.
He gestured to a sign that read, "Bred in captivity."
"I'm sorry. That must be dreadful. Do you know your parents?"
He shook his head no,
"I didn't know my parents either. They died in a car acci-"
I suddenly got shoved to the ground by Dudley. It messed my dress up and made me furious. In my rush of anger, the glass wall just vanished. Dudley fell into the mini jungle and the snake slithered out. Then the glass reappeared leaving Dudley trapped inside. Now of course my Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin made the biggest scene the zoo has ever seen. It made it very easy for the snake to escape and I wished him well on his way to freedom. I tried really hard not to laugh but I failed miserably.
They finally got Dudley out and took him back home. Uncle Vernon screamed at me until I was sure he was going to have a heart attack. He actually blamed me for the glass disappearing and I told him that it had to be magic. He actually slapped me for saying that. Aunt Petunia was upset that he hit me, only because it messed my face up even more. I already have a weird scar on my forehead from the car accident. They decided to lock me in the cupboard for three weeks. Two weeks for the zoo incident and one week for ruining my yellow dress. My chore list was also increased and I was banned from eating dinner with the family until further notice.
About half way through the week, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had to go into London to get Dudley's special school uniform. Usually when they go out without me, they leave me with Mrs. Figgs. She's a nice old woman. A lot of the neighbors don't like her because of her huge obsession with cats. I I don't care what they say, she's always been kind to me. Mrs. Figgs however broke her leg, tripping over one of her cats.
Aunt Petunia decided the rugs needed to be beaten to get rid of the dust and dirt. Apparently, they are much too expensive and fancy to just use the vacuum on them. They actually left me at the house alone for the first time ever. Before they left, Uncle Vernon promised if anything in the house was messed with they returned, then he would beat me like a rug.
I gathered the ugly floral rugs and dragged them out to the back yard. I hung them over the laundry line and dust fell all over me. As I beat the rugs I felt a chill up my spine like someone was watching me. I turned around and I noticed a cute little tabby cat watching me. It's probably one of Mrs. Figgs many cats. I wonder if my animal powers works on cats too, I thought to myself.
"Hi there little kitty cat." I walked over to the cat.
It looked up at me and I noticed the tabby had funny markings around her eyes, almost like she had glasses on.
"Well would you look at that! You look like you're wearing glasses like me." I told her.
The cat just continued staring at me. I don't think I can talk to cats as well as I can snakes.
"You look like you're a little hungry. Would you like something to eat?" I asked her.
She meowed which I took as a yes. Mrs. Figgs probably forgot to feed her. I fixed her a saucer of milk and a few pieces of chicken from the Dursley's supper. She happily ate both while I put the rugs away. After I was done I laid in the grass. Aunt Petunia would be appalled at my unladylike behavior. The cat curled up beside me purring and I started petting her.
"You are so lovely." I told her, "I've always wanted a cat, but Aunt Petunia says they are dirty and have fleas. I don't think you're dirty or have fleas."
She head butted me in the face right on my bruise, causing me to wince. The tabby backed up staring almost sternly at me. "Sorry it's not your fault. Uncle Vernon had to punish me for being a weirdo. I wish I wasn't such a freak Tabby." She jumped up, looking alarmed.
"Good night Tabby. I need to get back into my cupboard before they get home or I'm going to be in it the rest of summer." I patted her head one last time before going inside, and putting myself to bed.
The next morning, Dudley sat at the table still wearing his awful uniform.
"Dudley, can you get the mail?" Uncle Vernon asked.
"Make Hollie get it." he whined.
"Fine. Hollie get the mail."
I got up and rolled my eyes at the injustice. After I retrieved the mail, I begun to sort it. Immediately I was drawn to a letter with my name on it.
Miss H. Potter
The Cupboard under the stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
It was made of very fancy parchment with red wax sealing it shut. I started to open it when Dudley grabbed it from my hands.
"Look Hollie got a letter!" he waved it all around.
Uncle Vernon snatched it from Dudley's hand and exchanged a look with Petunia.
"Both of you to your rooms this instant." Uncle Vernon shouted.
"But it's my letter!" I tried to argue.
He shooed Dudley out and picked me up by the back of my blouse throwing me from the room. My whole body hurt, I picked myself up and marched up to my other room in defeat. Dudley still stood down by the door in shock from not getting his way. The rest of the week letters kept coming. Uncle Vernon always got to them first and he burned every single one. Then on Sunday he finally relaxed for the first time.
"Wonderful day sunday! Anyone know why? Dudley?"
Dudley just shrugged.
"Because there is no post on sundays." I answered monotoned.
"Right you are Hollie!" he said cheerfully.
Then all heck broke lose.
Dozens of owls flew past the window and suddenly letters shot out of the fire place and the door slot. Hundreds of letters filled the house. Piles and piles of letters all addressed to me. I shot off the couch grabbing letters off the floor. Uncle Vernon grabbed them from me and hauled me over his shoulder out to the car. Uncle Vernon made Aunt Petunia pack us all bags while he watched Dudley and I. If I can't have my letter then he was going to pay, I've had enough. I screamed and kicked trying to make as big of a scene as possible. Almost all the neighbors were outside watching the hundreds of owls on the house. They saw my fit and I'm sure that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon will be the talk of the street for a very long time. Aunt Petunia hurried down to the car and Uncle Vernon drove away.
"Um. Dear where are we going?" she asked.
"Where the blasted freaks can't find us." He answered.
We stayed the night at a hotel but left early the next morning when hundreds of letters appeared there as well. Uncle Vernon seemed to be losing his mind. He loaded us all in a boat and took us to an abandoned looking shack.
"Just try and find us now." he whispered to himself rubbing his hands together. For dinner they each ate a bag of a chips and I ate a banana. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon slept on the bed, Dudley got the couch and I got the floor. Happy Birthday to me, I smiled grimly to myself. I tried to get as comfortable as possible, counting down the minutes until I turned eleven. You aren't eleven every day you know, well unless you are eleven, then in that case you are eleven until you turn twelve. Wow my head hurts from thinking too much. I counted down the seconds until my watch beeped alerting me, that I am now officially eleven years old.
Suddenly the Dursleys were awaken from their slumber by a heavy pounding on the door. Uncle Vernon grabbed his shot gun and loaded it, aiming at the door. They all backed into the corner together. I hid behind the couch away from Uncle Vernon's gun.
I hid my face in my hands as the door came tumbling down.
