Chapter 2 - Vanishing Glass & Keeper of the Keys

Nearly 10 years had passed since the Dursleys found their nephew on their doorstep.

At that moment Harry was in his room in his bed asleep but charging in was his big (but not quite large or fat) blonde haired cousin Dudley. It was Dudley's birthday.

"Wake up Harry" Dudley said excitingly "we are going to the zoo!"

"Alright Big D! I'm getting up!" Harry chuckled as he got up and put his glasses on. Harry unlike his cousin was a skinny boy (judging by all the food his Aunt Petunia had fed him Harry supposed it was a genetics thing) with jet black haired and a thin lightning shaped scar on his forehead. Whenever he asked how he got it or how his parents died his aunt and uncle would become quiet until the subject was changed.

Dudley was not only Harry's cousin-but his best friend. They were so close you would say they were brothers. At school Dudley led a gang featuring the biggest people in his class who were his friends and Dudley and his gang would usually beat on kids who tried to pick on Harry. Nobody wanted to get on Dudley's bad side and teasing, bullying or picking on his cousin Harry was a sure fire way on doing just that.

They went downstairs to see the dining hall and on a table were a pile of Dudley's presents-it was his 11th birthday.

Aunt Petunia went and hugged her son and then Uncle Vernon came in and ruffled Dudley's hair and then smiled at both Dudley and Harry.

Aunt Petunia & Uncle Vernon both loved their son and nephew very much but they did not allow them to spoil them. In both Petunia and Vernon's eyes they could not ask for a better son or a better nephew. In the mantelpiece were photos of all 4 of them on their day outs which they usually had on both Harry and Dudley's birthdays.

Harry noticed there were not any photos of his mum and dad and when he asked Aunt Petunia she said she and Harry's mum were not exactly on speaking terms the last time they met and then she started crying before Harry managed to calm her down. Not wanting to upset his aunt anymore he decided not to ask anything further.

Today they were going to the zoo. Before getting into the car Harry said he was worried something might happen but Uncle Vernon told him not to worry.

Strange things often happened around Harry and it was no good trying to convince him it was not his fault.

In class once a mean boy had tried throw a

pencil

at Harry's head but somehow it went flying off into the teacher's head. The teacher had given the boy a punishment exercise and when he told the teacher he was aiming for "for stupid Potter, not you stupid teacher" he had earned himself 2 weeks Detention for disrespect to another pupil and a teacher. Unfortunately for the boy Dudley was also in Harry's class at the time so the next recess the boy had spent the entire time hanging upside down on a tree with his shoe laces tied to a branch.

One time a teacher was picking on Harry only for his hair to fall out and for the blackboard to fall and land on him. The teacher had tried to get Harry into trouble and sue the Dursleys for his injuries but Uncle Vernon had said that what happened was not Harry's fault and had them check the

security

tape. After seeing the tape the headmistress concluded Harry was not responsible for the blackboard falling down and dismissed the teacher's complaint and was forced to fire him when he continued to protest and almost tried to hit Harry before earning a punch from Uncle Vernon.

After arriving at the zoo Uncle Vernon had bought both Harry and Dudley ice lollies at the van outside the zoo before entering.

Soon late in the morning the group was in the reptile house.

Harry decided to look at the snakes. He had found the largest one in the reptile house which could wrap itself twice around Uncle Vernon's new company car.

The snake was fast asleep. He also saw some teenage boys knocking on the glass trying to wake it before they gave up and went away.

Harry felt sorry for the snake having people trying to wake it up when it was sleeping. "It must feel annoying" he said out loud.

The snake woke up and suddenly winked at him. Harry jumped at the shock.

The snake then pointed its tail to the teenage boys and gave Harry a look which clearly said "I get that all the time!"

'Where do you come from, anyway?' Harry asked.

The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.

Boa Constrictor, Brazil.

'Was it nice there?'

The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. 'Oh, I see — so you've never been to Brazil?'"

"Harry why are you hissing?" Dudley asked him as he came across.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked in confusion "I was not hissing! Wasn't I?"

Before Dudley could answer they noticed the snake coming out of its tank. The tank's glass had vanished. "The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.

As the snake slid swiftly past his legs Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, 'Brazil, here I come… Thanksss, amigo.'"

"The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.

'But the glass,' he kept saying, 'where did the glass go?'

The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again.

Once they were in the car Harry told Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia about he was talking to the snake and Dudley said he could have sworn Harry was hissing at it.

Petunia and Vernon turned to each other in a scared glare and then Uncle Vernon said "not your fault Harry! Don't worry!"

Harry sighed. Whenever Harry was convinced these strange things which happened to him his fault his aunt and uncle would try their hardest to convince him otherwise.

Some time passed and it was the summer holidays. After the Summer Dudley would be going to Uncle Vernon's old boarding school Smeltings. Uncle Vernon told Harry it would be surprise where Harry would be going.

One day in July Aunt Petunia had taken Dudley to buy his uniform while Uncle Vernon had played a board game with Harry when they were away.

That evening, Dudley tried on his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters.

They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.

Aunt Petunia & Uncle Vernon smiled proudly while Harry tried not to laugh at Dudley and honestly told him he looked stupid.

Dudley looked into the mirror and then laughed and said he guessed he does look stupid.

Both Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon gave a faint smile. Come to think of it I believe I did look stupid in my old Smeltings uniform Uncle Vernon thought.

The day later when Harry and Dudley were playing outside Uncle Vernon went to collect the post. There was a bill, a postcard from his sister Marge-and a letter for Harry. He looked at it in shock.

Mr. H. Potter

Bedroom

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

He of course knew what it was. "P-Petunia!" he yelled and instantly Aunt Petunia came and saw the letter. They of course knew what it was at once. They had been expecting it for almost 10 years.

"Vernon what are we going to do? How are we going to explain to Harry about-"

"I know" Vernon said at once "we'll have to write back and ask for them to send someone to explain it to Harry for us! I mean we do not know enough about his world and what happened other than your sister and her husband got killed by an evil wizard!"

"That is probably the best thing to do!"

They found one of the wizarding owls flying near their house and sent a reply to Dumbledore asking to send someone over.

Albus soon got the letter and read it and decided to send Hagrid. He was also mildly confused-expected the Dursleys to ignore the Hogwarts letter having him to send hundreds of letters to Harry and then finally sending someone. They must want to tell one of us in person they refuse to let Harry go Albus thought deciding that was the case. That would be one of many disappointments he will have to face that year.

A few days later it was the morning of Harry's 11th birthday. As they were tucking in at their breakfast a knock on the front door was heard then the door was thrown with such force it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landing on the floor.

A giant of a man holding an umbrella was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.

As the giant crouched low so he could enter the dining room Harry and the Dursley froze at him and the then sat on the floor.

"We-we have been expecting you!" Aunt Petunia said as she found her voice.

"We did not know how to explain it to Harry!" Uncle Vernon said nervously.

"Explain what?" Harry said "and sorry but who are you?"

"Rubeus Hagrid" the Giant said "but everyone calls me Hagrid! I am the Keeper of the Keys at Hogwarts!"

He then got up and shook Harry's entire arm.

"What's Hogwarts" Harry asked confused.

"The boarding school your mum and dad went to" Aunt Petunia said suddenly.

"Tell me Harry" Hagrid "Did you do anything strange? Anything you could not explain when you was scared or angry?"

Harry remembering all the times like with the mean kid with the pencil and the injured teacher nodded.

"You're a Wizard Harry!" Hagrid said.

There was silence. For almost 2 minutes only the cars outside could be heard.

"I'm a what?" Harry asked confused.

"A wizard" Hagrid said "and a thumping good one I'd say! Once you will be trained up a bit! 7 years at Hogwarts and you will be a very good one indeed! Time to read yer letter!"

He then handed Harry a yellowish envelope with no stamp. Harry looked at it and saw at the back of it was a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H.

He then turned it over and it read in emerald green writing: Mr. H. Potter, Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey

He quickly opened it and it read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer., Chief. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, 'What does it mean, they await my owl?'"

"'Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from a pocket inside his giant overcoat he pulled an owl — a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl — A long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read looking over his shoulder:

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

Given Harry his letter.

Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.

Weather's horrible. Hope you're well.

Hagrid

Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to a window, and threw the owl out. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.

"Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.

"Is this for real?" Harry asked. Hagrid then took the umbrella he was holding and green lightning shot out of it hitting an ornament which suddenly came to life and walked away.

"It is indeed for real!" Hagrid said nodding.

"I am sorry we never told you Harry" Uncle Vernon said "we did not know how to explain it to you?"

"You knew?" Harry asked confused.

"yes we knew" Aunt Petunia answered sadly "when we were your age my sister Lily got a letter just like that and went off that school! Mum and Dad were so proud! Me and Lily were so close but when she got the letter I began to be mean to her! I was overly jealous! She met your dad, got married and had you! I only came to the wedding because Mum and Dad forced me! Soon I began regretting my treatment to Lily and when she and your dad got blown up I felt the best way to make up to my dead sister was to take care of you!"

"Mum and Dad were blown up?" Harry said in complete surprise.

Hagrid then got a sad look and said "I best explain it to you now! You can't go off to Hogwarts not knowing!"

Note: Hagrid explain the Potters death and the rise of Voldemort is exactly the same as it is in the book so let's skip that part!

As the thought of the high cruel laugh ended Uncle Vernon said "we thought about just saying your parents died in a car crash but we did not want to lie to you!"

"So all those things which happened-were my fault?"

"No it is not your fault you could make those things happen!" Uncle Vernon said sharply.

Hagrid then turned to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon "If you don't mind I'll be taking Harry to London to get his Hogwarts necessities! You can come with us if you want!"

"Not at all" they said and Uncle Vernon said he could come with them since Petunia came with Dudley to get his school uniform and stuff.

"Won't be long Petunia!" Uncle Vernon said putting on his jacket and Harry went upstairs to get his. He then turned to Hagrid and asked "will I need to bring money to pay for-"

"No need Dursley" Hagrid said "Harry's parents left him their money and a trust fund for his time at Hogwarts!"

Then they left the house.

Note: that is chapter 1! Next chapter Harry, Vernon and Hagrid go to Diagon Alley. Also Harry meet's his 1st wizarding friend who will basically be the replacement for Ron in the Golden Trio! I bet you will be surprised when you find out who he is!