[disclaimer:
author's note:
Thanks for the reviews, for future reference, questions about the plots are welcomed, but not the silly ones, please.
Poll: What House should Harry be sorted into? Still waiting...
1- Griffindor (with Ron);
2- Ravenclaw (with Hermione);
3- Slitherin (with Draco);
4- Hufflepuff (with Neville)?
]
CHAPTER TWO.
*Zoo, London.*
Harry soon found out that he loved the Zoo, most of all wolves and snakes. He walked towards a cage that kept a large king cobra. It was white and Harry looked at it for several long moments and then gaped as the snake spoke:
~ - Quit sstarring, will you? It'ss quite rude...~
~ - What? How come you can speak?~
~ - It'ss not me, young sspeaker, it'ss you...~
Harry gaped at the snake and wondered why was he able to talk to snakes, aftarall it was obvious that it was not what every person could do. Suddenly Dudley, his bullying fat whale of a cousin, pushed him away roughly and plastered himself against the glass. Harry, who landed painfully on the floor glared hard at the other boy and wished that somehow Dudley would end up on the other side of the glass, together with the poisonous snake. To his utter horror the glass vanished instantly.
Harry knew that this would be blamed on him, yet for some reason he couldn't neither stop the chuckle at his cousin trading places with the cobra nor could he run away before his uncle reached him. HIs scrambled as far as he could to put as much distance as possible between himself and the angry Dursley. Just when he thought he was done for, he saw the cobra slithering to him:
~ - Thank you, young sspeaker~
Harry glanced from his uncle to the snake and grinned, an insane idea forming in his head:
~ - Could you, please, bite that big fat man that's coming here?~
~ - Gladly, but could I then stay with you?~
~ - I would like that.~
With that the cobra reared back, ready to strike. This gave the boy a chance to get up, which he did. He glanced around to see if there was anyone who could harm him, but he was relieved to see that all the people have already left, except for the trapped Dudley, Petunia who was trying to calm her son down and Vernon, who now stared at the snake in front of him. Harry winced when he heard Vernon shriek when the snake bit him in a partcularly sensitive place. He felt for the man... a little, but was oh so happy that at least Vernon Dursley would never be able to create another Dudley.
*4, Privet Drive, 31st July*
It was almost noon and one Harry James Potter woke up. He lazily petted Nara, the albino king cobra, who came to live with him after the Zoo accident. At first Harry wasn't sure if it would turn out ok, but after Vernon got bitten, Dudley and Petunia were too scared to even approach Harry about the snake. The came a knock on the door:
- Harry, I'll leave the tray here. There is also a letter for you and a mouse for your s-snake.
The boy grinned, life was definitely much beter:
- Thank you, aunt Petunia.
As soon as he was sure that the woman went away, he opened the door and indeed, there was a heavily loaded tray and a letter. Harry brought it all into the room and sat on the bed, staring at the letter. It was after all the first letter he's received. It also meant that there was someone out there who knew he existed and cared enough to write to him. He was so busy inspecting the envelope, that he almost fell out of bed when Nara put her head on his shoulder:
~ - Well, open the letter, Harry... I think I know what it iss, but you'd better read for yoursself~
~ - Yeah, you're right, Nara, it's just, I've never received letters before. I'm so excited.~
With that the boy ripped the envelope open and read it to his snake:
~ - So it says: Dear Mr Potter,
You've been accepted into Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school year starts on September, 1. The list of all the necessary equipment and your Hogwarts express ticket are enclosed. If you're interested, you could come to the meeting one of the professors will hold with muggleborn and muggle raised children in the 'Leaky Cauldron' in London on August, 15. We expect your owl on the first of August.
Sincerely yours, Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress.
Is this some sort of a joke?~
Harry glanced over his shoulder at the cobra and waited for her answer:
~ - It iss no joke, Harry. Go to the meeting and you will ssee, jusst you'll have to leave me here~
~ - What? Leave you here? But why?~
~ - No one sshould know that you can sspeak to ssnakes, it'ss conssidered a bad thing...~
The birthday boy had no idea how such a gift could be bad, but he figured that it would be better not to reveal all of his secrets until the time was right.
[author's note: Reviews please! I have to know how I'm doing.
Poll 2:Who should be the professor in charge of the meeting with muggleborns:
1. Minerva McGonagall;
2. Filius Flitwick;
3. Severus Snape?
Poll3: Should I include a child of Voldemort into this:
1. Yes, a girl;
2. Yes, a boy;
3. No? ]