Chapter two: Dudley's birthday

Holly woke up to a gentle knocking on her door. She turned to her clock. It was already 7:30. Usually, she would've been awake by now, and have started on the breakfast. 'Holly?' Called her Aunt 'Time to get up. We're going to the zoo for Dudley's birthday, so wear something pretty. I've already done breakfast.' Holly inwardly groaned. Aunt Petunia was a terrible cook, something Dudley would definitely complain about today.

She rifled through her wardrobe, trying to find something that both her Aunt would consider 'pretty', and Holly would be willing to wear in public. Holly had made some compromises over clothes with her aunt in the past, but one thing she refused to wear was pink. Not only was it girly, it clashed with her hair.

A few minutes later, she tumbled down the stairs to find Aunt Petunia and Dudley in an argument. Dudley was complaining that he hadn't got enough presents, when he'd gotten over thirty. Holly couldn't believe he was being so spoilt, it disgusted her. Dudley got everything he wanted. Holly want even allowed to know how her parents died. Whenever she had asked, Aunt Petunia had looked teary and her uncle glared at her.

Once Dudley's friend Piers appeared, and he stopped having a tantrum, they went to get in the car. But before Holly could, her Uncle pulled her back. 'No funny business, alright?' He said 'Or, trust me, you will be in the mental institution I was looking at. St Brutus's school for girls.' Funny business, as he uncle liked to call it, often happened around Holly. She had once, for example, turned her teacher's hair blue. She wasn't sure how, but she secretly thought he deserved it. He was, in Holly's opinion, the worst teacher to grace schools.

Soon they were at the zoo, and Holly was bored by most of it. Except the Lions. They were majestic creatures, their roars bouncing off the glass wished she could stare forever,but Holly was dragged off to lunch. Lunch passed without interest, unless you consider Dudley eating a meal for four people by himself interest, and then they went to the reptile house.

Dudley hit the window of a sleeping snake then, bored with it, left. Holly, happy for a few minutes without Dudley, stayed by the snake. 'Hi.' She whispered, forgetting for a moment that snakes can't understand her, and glass was separating them. So, she was surprised when the snake winked. Do snakes even have eyelids? 'Hello amigo' It hissed.
'H-hi.' Stuttered Holly, glancing back at her uncle. This would be something he would definitely consider 'funny business'.
'Where are you from?' She asked. She didn't want the snake to find her rude. He simply hit the wall next to him, with a sign on it that read 'bred in captivity'

'Look at this snake dad!' Dudley came out of nowhere and elbowed Holly in the ribs. As she began to get up, cursing him under her breath, she heard him scream. She looked up and saw the glass had disappeared. 'Thankssss amigo.' Hissed the snake, slithering around her. For a moment, she permitted herself to laugh, but the look on her uncle's face quelled that. She didn't know what he would do, but she knew it would be bad...

A/N: I left you on a cliff hanger. Because I'm evil. If, you know, anybody decides to actually read this. Please review! It's just below this text!