The zoo and the letters.

*Dursley Home*June 23 1991*

Harry woke up to the sound of his fat cousin running up and down the stairs, as somehow the oaf of a kid had managed to wake up before his aunt.

Harry dressed quickly, as he wanted to start breakfast and finish it before his uncle got up, and left his cupboard, starting up the runic array that sent away all muggles from his room.

Breakfast for the days of Vernon's and Dudley's birthdays were always particularly troublesome for Harry, as he had to prepare twice as usual, and while that made sneaking food without them noticing easier, it also meant more time in the kitchen, meaning more chances to get caught in the act.

Almost seven years of practice however, plus the addition of distraction magic, made stealing food way easier and the chances of actually getting caught were almost null.

"Don't get cocky sweety" Lily chided him, making him smile a bit.

'I know, but I can't wait for this to end' Harry took out the necessary thing for the seven-people breakfast, two for each of the whales and one for the horse, and started pre-preparing them.

"Don't call Petunia a horse" Lily frowned.

'You called her that yourself once, and she does look one' he minced the bacon, pocketing two slices for himself, and started the oiled pan.

It was at times like this that Lily cursed James for giving their son a terminal disrespect of adults, as he even argued with her and the Turpins from time to time, "That doesn't mean you can disrespect her"

Harry mixed salt and milk, just a bit to add taste, and poured it into the pan when that bacon was ready, 'respect is earned, you taught me, and they haven't earned it'

Lily sighed and just watched as Harry made batter for pancakes, really, how her brother-in-law and nephew hadn't died of heart attacks, she didn't know.

"Will you go visit your friend?" she asked.

'No, Lisa and her parents went to London today, they'll probably take me to Mrs Figg.' Harry replied as he continued checking the breakfast and sneakily put a pancake on his pocket.

Healthy, not likely, but he needed food.

The phone rang, which Harry absently listed off his mind as unninmportant, though it didn't mean he didn't listen in.

"What do you mean?" Petunia had answered, "but we can't take HIM…He could take care of you," Harry heard his aunt let out a sigh, "No it's okay…yes, we'll leave you to rest"

Vernon turned to Petune, "Who was it Pet?" Harry shuddered at the 'pet' name.

"It was Mrs Figg," she replied, "she tripped with one of her cats and broke an ankle, she can't take care of him"

Harry smiled a bit, it was always nice when their plans didn't turn out right, it was good to see them knocked down a peg or two.

After a tantrum by Dudley, a discussion between his relatives and a few threats, it was decided that Harry would go with them to the London zoo, as long as he kept his magic at bay.

As if he would do accidental magic, he was way past that point of control.

Harry went to his room to eat his breakfast after using his magic to heat the bacon until was cooked.

It was a good trick to know, though he would prefer to find a way for his chalk to stand the fat the pork let off, that way it would be faster.

Pier Polkins arrived a few hours later, also whining about the fact that Harry would come with them, but in the end, it was Vernon who decided, and unless Dudley wanted to miss the trip, Harry would go with them.

The trip on the car was silent, but Harry had gotten the bad end of the deal as Pier and Dudley sat on either side of him and made an effort to make his ride miserable, but his magic protected him from all the attempts at injuring him.

The zoo itself was a nice experience, the animals were calm and he stopped to talk to a few, somehow understanding them when they talked back, and got to laugh when one of the gorillas thought aloud how they had shave a member of the group.

The best part was the reptile house, as reptiles made rather interesting conversation partners, specially the chameleons; they had a rather interesting sense of humour.

Snakes also made good conversational partners, as they were divided in two groups; the ones born in captivity and the ones captured from the wild.

The ones born in captivity all wanted to get out to experience the outside world by themselves and the ones captured wanted to stay, as the only problem they had to fight every day was the annoyance from little children that tapped the glass.

Food was provided, heat was provided as was refuge and entertainment, as opposed to the wild, where you had to fight every second to live another day.

Lily was miffed at her son, who could speak to all the animals and they could in turn speak to him, something she had only read about in books from the Potter library and Hogwarts.

It was one of many abilities that magical people could have, but with no new blood to add to the big ball of wibbly wobbly pure-blood family tree abilities like it were dying out, much like the parsel tongue and metamorhmagus talents, though only Britain, Spain, Russia and South-Africa still cared about blood purity.

Other countries preferred racism and nationalism, the USA being the prime example.

Now that she thought about it, the best wizarding worlds she had read about were the Finnish and the Rumanian.

Damn, was the world fucked up.

Harry, ignorant to his mother's musings, continued to talk to the Brazilian boa constrictor, who was one of many snakes that wanted to see the world, though it was because his mother, it was a male he had been assured, had told him stories of when she used to roam the floors of the Amazons, eating the rodents that got in her way.

Of course, his good conversation was rudely interrupted by Dudley smashing into him and throwing him to the ground.

Harry scowled before smiling evilly, an idea forming on his head, and so, he walked away, making his magic reach for the crystal that separated the snake's habitat from Dudley.

As soon as he was out of sight, he vanished the glass and enjoyed the wails of Dudley, who had fallen to the snake's tank.

The snake passed Harry on his way out and nodded to him, "Adiossss amigo, and thaksss" it said.

"Welcome," Harry muttered and waved at the constrictor.

He enjoyed the sight of a shivering and frightened Dudley the rest of the day.

The best part was that because he wasn't seen, he wasn't punished.

Lily sighed, "You remind me too much of your father sometimes"

Harry smiled, 'thanks' and he meant it.

*Weeks later*

June turned to July and soon it was just a week before Harry's eleventh birthday, and he had spent the night of July 20 in the Turpin's house, as he had fallen asleep on the couch during a movie night.

It was because of this that when Lisa came, shouting, into the living room, Harry had fallen off the couch and to the floor.

Harry stood up with a scowl, ignoring the snickers from his friend, and glared at her for waking him up.

"Is there any particular reason that you felt it necessary to wake me with your screaming?" he scowled.

Lisa showed what she had clutched between her hands; a Hogwarts letter, "an owl woke me up and gave me this," she answered, "I wrote back when it hit home"

Harry yawned and smiled at her, offering his arms for the girl, who didn't hesitate to crush his ribs in excitement.

Nearly three years since her first hug like that and he still didn't understand why his magic armour did nothing to protect him.

A tap on the window made their attention, and Becky's too, since she had seen the hug, turn to an owl that was hitting the glass with its beak.

Harry opened the window to let the animal in, following it with his eyes as it flew around the living/dining room and settled on the table.

"You came from Hogwarts?" he asked the bird, to the envy of his friend who could not understand animals.

The bird nodded, "are they waiting for a reply?" another bob of its head.

Harry took a piece of paper, there always was a notebook at hand at the Turpin's, and wrote the reply.

To whom it may concern.

I will gladly attend to your school, but I expect to continue my muggle education while there, there are simply more options in the world I live in than in the magical one, and I would like to stay off the spot-light.

If you can inform me of a way to go ahead with both educations, it would be wonderful.

Yours truly.

Harry Potter.

Harry tied the reply to the owl's leg, which took flight as soon as it was secured.

"Why can you talk to animals?" Lisa whined, "Can you imagine what I could learn from them?"

After his rather amusing visit to the zoo a month ago, he had told his friend about his talent for speaking with animals, much to her envy, as she would no doubt like to have it just for asking animals what their perception of life was.

"I don't know why, but I do" Harry looked at the envelope, to see where it was addressed.

He wasn't disappointed, "how did they know I was sleeping in the couch"

Harry Potter

The Living Room Couch.

Number 10 Silent Way

"The same way they knew where I slept" said Lisa

Lisa Turpin

Middle bedroom.

Number 10 Silent Way

"Magic is creepy" the two jumped as Mrs Turpin spoke behind them, "I would think they are stalking you"

"Please don't do that Mrs Turpin," Harry said as he took deep breaths, "I could lash out"

"I know you wouldn't Harry," Becky said, a bit amused, "you're too much of a sweetheart to do it."

Mr Turpin came down the stairs with Charlie to see his daughter and her friend reading the letters on the couch while his wife was cooking breakfast in the Kitchen.

"Hello everyone" he greeted, bouncing Charlie on his arms, to the joy of the baby.

They all greeted him back, while Lisa took Charlie to play with him.

Breakfast was served and the rest of the morning was entirely normal, at least, until someone knocked on the door.

And so, the pre-magical world saga ends, next chapter, a visit from McGonagall and the Diagon Alley.

I'll be in Chicago for a week, so the next update will be in two weeks.

Nothing to add, refer to the latest chapter of Mexican Mages for beast speak.

See you