Year 1 Chapters 1-21 127,686 Words
Year 2 Chapters 22-43 174,420 Words
Year 3 Chapters 44-?
Credit to Nioumiworld for their wonderful fan art of Sarah, a piece of which is now the cover image for this story. Again thank you so much!
"Killing such a bright girl as you? I think not, I'll let you live, it will show the world that those who submit can be spared. Though your brother..."
The sudden sound of banging woke me from my usual nightmare, a nightmare I had so often had, and yet it never stopped being horrifying.
"Up! Get up! Now!" Aunt Petunia's screeching voice sounded as she once again knocked on the door of the cupboard me and my twin brother, Harry, shared as a bedroom. Both of us were jolted totally awake.
"Up!" She once again screamed, before we heard her walk into the kitchen and put a frying pan on the stove.
I was the first out of bed, causing my worn copy of Mary Poppins to fall off the bed. I had fallen asleep reading it like I always had. I loved reading, it was a way to leave the mundane life me and Harry had shared for the past ten years. Even If I had read it a multitude of times, it was still better than whatever new chapter the Dursley's planned for us. I always imagined someone like Mary Poppins coming to make our lives better.
I got out of bed and combed my black hair with the sharp painful comb I had been gifted, then found a pair of socks that only had one spider near them. Harry was slower in getting up, placing his head onto the pillow. In a low voice I sighed.
"Are you two up yet?" Aunt Petunia demanded, back outside our door.
"Yes." I answered.
"Nearly." Harry answered at the exact same time.
"Well, get a move on, I want Sarah to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn. While Harry needs to take out the trash. I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."
Harry groaned and I silently rolled my eyes. Dudley's birthday was always one of the worst days of the year. With him getting whatever he wanted, while neither me or Harry barely got enough food to begin with.
"What did you say?" Aunt Petunia snapped at Harry.
"Nothing, nothing…" Harry replied.
Harry began to look for socks through the spider infested room. While I placed my book in the corner I kept all my possesions, namely the book. Then left our, quote on quote, bedroom and made my way to the kitchen.
When I arrived in the kitchen I headed to the stove. I noticed the kitchen table was buried in Dudley's presents. "As I warned, you best not burn it." Aunt Petunia told me sternly as I reached the stove.
"Yes Aunt Petunia." I replied, she looked satisfied and walked away.
As I cooked the bacon, a less then thrilled looking Harry strode into the room. Wearing his taped together glasses. I once again thanked genetics that I had my mother's eyesight, while Harry immediately pulled the full trash out of the rubbish bin as Uncle Vernon walked in.
"Comb your hair!" He barked at Harry, then turned to me. "That bacon better be perfect." He warned me. Then sat down at the table and began reading the news.
Harry continued to do the bidding of Uncle Vernon after taking the trash out, while I continued making breakfast. I had finished the bacon, and had already started on the eggs by the time Dudley and Petunia arrived in the kitchen. As I was trying to place breakfast on the table, a difficult feat considering all of Dudley's presents piled on the table, Dudley was counting said presents.
"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at Vernon and Petunia. "That's two less than last year."
"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy."
"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. Both me and Harry could see a large Dudley tantrum coming on, and began wolfing down our bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.
Thankfully Aunt Petunia acted first, of course not actually scolding Dudley, but by appeasing him.
"And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right"
Petunia statement made Dudley think, a hard task for the poor boy. After a few seconds of struggling with simple math he finally spoke.
"So I'll have thirty… thirty…"
"Thirty-nine, sweetums," Aunt Petunia answered for him. Me and Harry looked at each other and had to hold back laughs at our cousins math skills.
"Oh." Dudley replied, then sat down and reached for the nearest present. "All right then."
Uncle Vernon chuckled at his spoiled sons behavior.
"Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He said then ruffled Dudley's hair.
The telephone rang. So while me, Harry, and Vernon watched Dudley open present after present. Petunia answered the phone and began to speak to someone on the phone. Dudley had received everything he wanted. From multiple video games for his also new computer, a racing bike, a VCR, really everything and anything that Dudley could have asked for.
I frowned that no one had sent him any books. Though it was expected. Dudley was dumb and hated reading, the only reason I hoped was because that's how I got my copy of Mary Poppins. When he was five his teacher had gifted him a copy. He threw it away and I scooped it out of the trash.
As Dudley unwrapped a golden wristwatch, Aunt Petunia reentered the room looking angry and worried.
"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take them." She jerked her head in mine and Harry's direction.
Dudley's mouth fell open in horror. I gave a small frown. Miss Figg was an old women who lived a few streets down. Every year on Dudley's birthday, me and Harry were sent there. Harry hated it there, learning about the old ladies cats could be boring, and the house smelled of cabbages which was rather off putting. But despite all that, it was still an escape. Though she was boring, she at least gave me and Harry something we never received from the Dursley's.
Kindness.
"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at us, like somehow we'd planned this.
"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested. Me and Harry both looked at each other, horrified at the thought.
"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the both of them."
For the first time ever, me and Harry, were thankful for that.
The Dursley's kept going like we weren't there. They did this a lot, and though it could be annoying. At least we would figure out what would happen to us.
"What about what's-her-name, your friend — Yvonne?"
"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.
"You could just leave us here," Harry said hopefully. Obviously he wanted to play Dudley's computer.
I knew the answer to that request before the words even left Petunia's mouth.
"And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled at him.
"We won't blow up the house," said Harry, but the Dursley's weren't listening.
"I suppose we could take them to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "… and leave them in the car…"
"Ah the Dursley's and child abuse." I thought to myself. "My favorite combination."
"That car's new, they're not sitting in it alone…"
Dudley began to wail like he so often did when he wanted something to go his way, Aunt Petunia flung herself at the boy. Me and Harry once again gave each other a knowing look.
"Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let them spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.
"I… don't… want… them… t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "They always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry and I a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms.
At that exact moment the doorbell rang.
"Oh, good Lord, they're here!" Aunt Petunia said frantically.
Soon enough Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss arrived with his mother. Like Dudley and the rest of his gang he bullied others. Mostly me and Harry, Piers would usually hold the arms of the kids they bullied behind their backs. While Dudley did the punching. When Dudley saw Piers he stopped crying instantly.
After Piers mother left, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia spent a good few minutes trying to figure out what to do with us. Eventually, they realized they had no choise but to take me, and Harry, with them to the zoo. But not before Vernon pulled us both aside.
"I'm warning both of you," he had said, putting his large purple face right in front of ours "I'm warning you now — any funny business, anything at all — and both of you will be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."
"We're not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly…"
Vernon didn't believe Harry and stormed off. I looked at my brother sympathetically.
"There never going to like us, Harry. Best to say as little as possible, try to survive until graduation, get good grades, get a good job. That was really the only way forward." I told him, he looked at me frustrated.
"There's a long time until then." He said sadly. I nodded.
"At least we can enjoy a day at the zoo." I said, trying to cheer him up.
Soon enough both of us were stuffed into the back of the car with Dudley and Pier's. I looked out the window and tried to avoid the glares of the two bullies, and listened to Uncle Vernon's rant's to Aunt Petunia. Today it was motorcycles.
"… roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook us.
"I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry suddenly. "It was flying."
Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front of us, then when we stopped turned to Harry furiously.
"MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!" He roared at Harry. Both Dudley and Pier's snickered.
"I know they don't," replied Harry. "It was only a dream."
I continued looking out the window and didn't say anything. Most of the time when I or Harry spoke, it would end up like this. They hated us asking any questions, and hated us bringing up any dreams we had. Such as Harry of a flying motorcycle, or mine, about whatever that was last night.
We arrived at the zoo. It was sunny, and it was packed with families. At the front gate the Dursley's got Piers and Dudley large chocolate ice creams, because the lady in the ice cream van had saw us and asked us what we wanted. The Dursley's had given into public pressure and gotten each of us a cheap lemon ice pop, which was actually pretty good.
It was the best morning me or Harry had experienced in years. We both were careful to keep our distance from the Dursley's, so Dudley's and Piers couldn't hit us if they were bored. I enjoyed reading all the plaques and finding out new information about the different animals, while Harry got to finish off Dudley's knickerbocker after Dudley whined about it not having enough ice cream on top.
However all good things must come to an end, and our end was the reptile house after lunch.
Dudley and Piers wanted to see the largest and most poisonous snakes. The two settled on the Boa Constrictor from Brazil. I began to read the plaque. Supposedly it was one of the rarest boa's in the world. Shame it was in here and not in the wild.
It was massive, looking like it could easily crush any of us, heck it looked like it could crush Vernon's car. Though for the moment it was asleep. Which I was thankful for, truth be told the reptile...scared me.
Dudley stared at the snake, his nose pressed against the glass.
"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge. I looked back and forth nervously. I hoped it didn't wake up.
"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake continued to snooze on. I was thankful that it did.
"This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away. I was thankful the snake was still asleep. Though Harry continued to stare at it. He looked sorry for it, and though I did as well. I still wanted to go see some less dangerous snakes.
Then it woke up. I was getting nervous. The snake rose to Harry's level and looked him in the eye, and somehow the look seemed to say something.
Somehow, it seemed that the Snake was able to talk...
I looked at Harry, he seemed to understand the snake. I was getting really confused, and scared.
"Sss-sya-sma." Harry said, and I jumped back. He sounded just like a Snake? I looked at Harry, then the snake, then back at Harry. Could...could he talk to that snake? "Smha-hsha-shu."
The snake nodded vigorously at Harry's...words? I blinked multiple times. Not really knowing what to say. I just stared as Harry continued speaking with the snake in some sort of...snake language.
"Smu-sha-shi?" Harry whispered. While I ran through a number of possibilities in my head...
But nothing I could think of made any sense, frankly this entire situation made zero sense, and frankly all I wanted was for Harry to stop.
The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. I already knew from what I had read earlier.
Brazil.
"Ssstua-Smha-hussai?" Harry asked the snake.
The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read more of what I had: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Sse-sho-hasai?" Harry asked, the snake shook it's head.
"How? How are you? "I asked in a low voice of disbelief. But before Harry could answer, a deafening voice made me, Harry, and the snake all jump.
"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" Piers shouted loudly. Dudley and Uncle Vernon appeared soon after. They rushed over to Harry and before he could realize what was happening.
"Out of the way, you," Dudley told Harry, then punched Harry in the ribs. He fell to the ground. I was going to go help him up, but what happened next froze me with fear.
The glass disappeared, both Dudley and Piers leapt back and howled with fear. The snake I was already nervous with to begin with, began to uncoil, and quickly slithered out of it's enclosure. People began to run and scream with fear. I was frozen as it slithered past me and Harry.
It hissed for a final time...again Harry seemed to understand what it was saying. I looked at him...
"Sarah are you okay?" Harry asked me, speaking English for the first time since he spoke to the snake, worriedly. I looked back at him, confusion and fear still mixed on my face.
The keeper of the reptile house was also in shock.
"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?"
The zoo director made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong sweet tea. Dudley and Piers could only gibber. I couldn't speak, though as more time passed the fear went down and more confusion replaced it. When we got back to the car, Dudley and Piers were both saying the snake nearly killed them. Dudley saying it nearly bit his leg off, while Piers said it nearly rapped around him and crushed him.
Soon enough Piers calmed down enough and spoke. Much to Harry's horror.
"Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"
As soon as Piers was gone, Vernon started in on Harry, and me as well.
"Go — cupboard — stay — no meals," He told both of us. When the door shut behind us I looked at Harry.
"What happened?" I asked, confusion and horror in my voice.
"I don't know. It just sort of happened. Could you understand it?" Harry asked. I sighed, then sat on my side of the twin bed.
"No. Neither you, or the snake made any sense." I replied softly.
As much as it astounded me, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened to us. Such as Harry's hair growing back after a near bald haircut from Aunt Petunia, both of us somehow ending up on the roof of the school when running from Dudley and his gang, clothes we didn't like shrinking. The nightmare I constantly had, that evil voice that spoke to me in it.
"Whatever." I sighed as I lied down. "I'm going to bed." I said, closing my eyes and wondering what in the world had happened today.