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. Harry got to finish off Dudley's knickerbocker when Dudley whined about it not having enough ice cream on top.
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. More the shame it was in here and not 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 options.
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.
The Snake seemed to talk...
I looked at Harry, he seemed to understand to 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 none made any sense, frankly none of this made any sense, and frankly I wanted 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?" 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. The rushed over to Harry and before he could realize what was happening.
"Out of the way, you," Dudley said, 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 nervous of began to uncoil, the quickly slithered out of it's enclosure. People began to run and scream with fear. I was frozen as it slithered by 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?" He 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 tear. 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 Pier's 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 ending up on the roof of the school when running from Dudley and his gang, clothes we didn't like shrinking. The dream I had...
"Whatever." I said as I lied down. "I'm going to bed".