SUNDAY JUNE 23 1991 :

HARRY POV

Damm! my head hurts with all these thoughts or maybe it is because of being around the Dursleys for this long. I was hoping for some quality time without the Dursleys for today as it was my cousin's birthday and they were going to the city for a treat. I should've been left behind as usual, alas my rotten luck wouldn't have that. My cousin invited a friend of his to come along with him, and Vernon made reservations for four people. Guess I don't have to call him uncle in my head, he wouldn't know, would he? This friend, curse him, canceled his plan at the last moment. Now, my relatives are greedy as hell, they would never let their money be wasted. Hence they dragged me along on their trip, which by choice I would never be a part of. Dudley wanted to see animals at the zoo, so that's where we were headed. It's funny how a hippopotamus desires to see other animals and no I'm not talking about the one at the zoo.

Soon we were making our way toward the main gate from the parking lot. Dudley on seeing an Ice cream stall started throwing a tantrum that he wanted one. If Vernon bought Ice cream only for Dudley and not for me then it's likely that he would be frowned upon by the common public. Probably to not be on the receiving end of the public humiliation he bought me one too. Maybe my luck is not as rotten as I believed it to be.

Before entering the zoo Vernon pulled me aside, I already had an idea of what he was about to say nonetheless should hear him out.

" Now look here boy, you should be grateful that we have brought you along and I don't want any funny business from you, so behave yourself ". I just nod to him there's no need to trade more words than absolutely necessary with him.

" Do you understand boy? " he asked again looks I would have to answer him, ahh! what a bother. " Yes uncle Vernon "

" Good now, let's go they're waiting for us "

Well coming here was not a complete waste at the very least. The animals sure were amazing. For me knowledge is power, that is why most of my free time is spent in the library hunched over books learning. Dudley he was a different case altogether, it seems he was here only to make fun of these caged creatures. He was poking and calling names to any animal that comes in his sight. He can be an exhibit himself around here, how can he grow this fat at his age I will never understand. We were in the reptilian section, I was reading the information that was on show for the animals while Dudley liked and disliked them on basis of their colour, a rather dumb way but each to his own.

Dudley was observing a rather large boa constrictor. According to the information available this one was raised in captivity. Dudley was tapping on the glass to get its attention but soon lost interest as he got no response from the boa.

As I was reading the information available on the boa I heard a sound from the cage " shh! these stupid humans always tapping the glass and disturbing my sleep "

Did I just hear the boa talking? Looking around I found no one else near me who could have spoken. Was it really the boa? How could this have been possible? Am I losing my sanity by hearing snakes talk now? While lost in my thought I didn't notice the boa moving close to the glass.

" You can understand me, can't you? " Looking up, I noticed the boa, and oh dear! it really was speaking. I've probably lost my sanity by staying with the Dursleys.

"How can I understand a snake? " I didn't mean to but it came out aloud.

" I have a name you know, it's Asmodeus " came its reply.

" Yes I've definitely gone insane " I'm 100% sure of it now, how can I talk to a snake let alone it have a Persian name when it has never been there? Why am I finding the name part weird when this whole scenario is uncanny.

" Have you been to Brazil amigo? I've always wanted to live in the forests there, but I've been locked in this glass for years now. " There was a hint of wishfulness in Its voice or was that its way of speaking? I wouldn't know as I've never spoken to a snake before. Asmodeus and I are similar in the sense that both wish to be free, but both are locked in a cage. I wish I could've helped him.

" Dad, Dad! look it's so huge " Dudley rushed shoving me aside to have a good look at the boa. Damm! that brat, what wouldn't I give if that glass he was leaning on wasn't there and Asmodeus could have his way with him. As if someone was waiting for me to think of this the glass, breaking all the rules of Physics and Chemistry just vanished. Oh! and Dudley fell into the cage with Asmodeus with a scream alerting my uncle and aunt of the incident. Asmodeus also was fed up with Dudley as he pretended to attack him while approaching him. Dudley was not as tough as he pretended to be, as he soon, passed out. The boa then slithered out of its cage.

" Thanks for this amigo, Brazil here I come. " Asmodeus said facing me when he was out of the cage, then he was on his way out of his prison while scaring anyone that came in his way, while the zoo management chased him to catch him again. Oh, Vernon was watching me, no not watching he was glaring at me as if he was planning my murder later, maybe he was, couldn't know for sure.

It took an hour to get back to the car and be on our way. It shouldn't have taken this long but the glass of the cage Dudley was in had mysteriously appeared again and he was locked in as I had wished earlier in the day. It's eerie how the things I wished had just occurred. Well, now we were on our way back to Privet Drive and my relatives are not so happy with having to cancel their plans for the day. Oh! and did I mention they were angry at me, as in their view I had Intentionally caused the chaos at the zoo to spoil their precious son's birthday. I'm glad I had that Ice cream at the zoo, as there would be no lunch or dinner for me from the looks of it.

On reaching Number 4, Privet Drive I got out and made my way to the house knowing well what was about to go down. Well, this isn't the first time and won't be the last too, just have to endure it for the time being. On entering the house I move to stand by my bedroom under the stairs.

" What did I say about you doing any funny business boy? " Vernon said as he walked in through the doorway followed by aunt Petunia and Dudley.

" It wasn't me Uncle Vernon, I swear I have nothing to do with it " I know this pleading will get me nowhere, but I have to satisfy his ego that I am pretty scared of him that way there's a chance that he will let me go sooner.

" Do you think I am a fool boy? I know it was you. You were jealous of my Ickle Diddykins so you ruined his birthday treat " I don't think you are a fool I know for a fact that you are one without any doubt, a fool. Better keep these thoughts to myself I'm already in enough trouble.

" It wasn't me Uncle Vernon. I ha- " Didn't even let me complete the sentence that bastard. He caught me off guard and I wasn't prepared for that slap, It sent me tumbling down to the ground. It didn't hurt much, nothing does after the gruesome training for pain tolerance that the old Japanese geezer put me through. Vernon picked me up by the collar and brought me close to him.

" Don't you lie to me you ungrateful brat. It was us good people who took you in after those drunk parents of yours got themselves killed. We fed you and put a roof on your head. Don't you dare to talk back. Do you understand? " Why does he have to hold me this close to him? Seeing him from this close will give me nightmares.

" Yes, Uncle Vernon " I answer him with a quivering voice to make him believe he's broken my spirit. Another slap, that would've knocked off my glasses if I hadn't started wearing contacts a while back. It was difficult to save money for them but they sure are better than glasses as Dudley can't break them now whenever he is bored. Opening the cupboard door where they generously let me sleep, he shoved me in as though I was some box he was stowing away for a while.

" You will stay in here until you that freaky nature of yours is gone, no food for you till then" Saying that he closed the door. I could hear him securing the door with a padlock. So no sneaking out like last time. That's inconvenient but I'll manage.

Did today really happen? I mean how can a person talk with snakes? That glass OH! that glass, how can it just vanish? It doesn't make any sense. Dozens of physical rules were broken. Matter can't just vanish as if it never existed and then reappear. I've seen it with my own eyes this time. Either I'm going mad or there's some point here that I'm completely missing like those other times. Just like the time when that teacher was really annoying me, and suddenly her hair was bright pink. After the note she sent home and Dudley telling about it to Aunt, I had to do extra chores for a week, Or the time when I was running from Dudley and his gang and suddenly I was on the school's roof. Or the time when Petunia got fed up with my hair and shaved my head, the next morning it was just as it was the day before. I've thought long and hard yet I can't make head or tail of anything. I should look into them once again if I can make sense of any of it. It's not dark yet, maybe I should get some reading done. I remember borrowing that molecular chemistry book from the library last week that should do for now.

MONDAY JUNE 24 1991 :

HARRY POV

I'm bored being locked up in here, I wouldn't have been if I had something to read and pass my time. I've already completed the one on molecular chemistry in the afternoon. Since then I'm bored as hell. Since I had time I thought hard about the strange incidents that keep occurring around me. Comparing all the incidents with each other the one and only thing that I've found common among them is the fact that my thoughts in those times have turned into reality. For instance, when I was running from Dudley, I desperately wished to be away from him, and in the next instance, I was on the School's roof. The time with hair was also the same, that night I wanted my hair to be long as before and in the morning it was. This time at the zoo, it was a similar case I wished I could help Asmodeus, and there the glass just vanished. What does this mean? I can make things happen if I wish for them hard enough? I am wishing for a book now, why isn't it coming? what's different between then and now.

How is that even possible? It shouldn't be happening there's no explanation for it. GOD! my head hurts. I doubt I will be able to sleep today with all these thoughts. Should I try the meditation technique that the old geezer taught me? I should it has helped me before. Taking in deep breaths, I try to clear my mind of incoming thoughts, it is never easy for me. Soon sleep overtakes me.