the vanishing glass
Hope is awoken to loud banging on the broom closet door followed by Aunt Patunia's shrill voice breaking the hase of sleep "Up, up get up now " she screeches.
instantly Hope and Harry glance over at each other, the urge to roll their eyes at their aunt's wake-up call ever so present.
the wake-up call is quickly followed by heavy footsteps on the stairs and a face full of dust which only grows worse after a pause before the ding dong doufas that the twins have to call cousin then proceed to start jumping on the stairs.
"wake up potters where going to the zoo" This makes each other shake their heads as they look over at each other but they do start to get out of the cupboard in hopes of actually getting some clean air away from the dust
Harry goes first but as Hope goes to follow him he is unceremoniously pushed into her
"I sware one of these days" Hope mutters only loud enough for her brother to hear making him snicker
"Here comes the birthday boy" Patunia sings songs
"Here comes the birthday twatt's more like it" Harry mutters as they make away to the kitchen dusting the dust off the best they can
"Happy birthday son" Uncle Vernon says smiling, if that's what you could call the look on his face Hope is not even sure he knows what happiness is.
walking in we are met with disapproving glares "Why don't you just cook the breakfast, and try not to burn anything." she says first to Harry before turning her glare to Hope, "and you make sure this place is spotless "
not bothering arguing because what's the point the twins corus a "Yes aunt petunia"
"I want everything perfect for my dudely's special day" she cooes walking over to Dudley making Hope and Harry discreetly pretend to gag before getting started on the breakfast
"hurry up bring my coffee girl" Vernon calls
"yes Uncle Vernon" Hope reply's doing what he asks just managing to hold back her eye roll
"aint they wonderful darling" Patunia asks as she shows Dudley all his presents
"how many are there!" he shouts in a threatening manner that both his parents seem to ignore
"36 I counted them myself" Uncle Vernon answered sounding smug I mean Hope is proud of him too she wasn't sure he could count that high
"36! But last year, last year I had 37!" he shouted sounding just as spoiled as ever
"but some of them are quite a bit bigger than last year" their uncle tries to console
"I don't care how big they are" Dudley shouts back Hope just looks over to Harry as in sync they roll their eyes remembering how last year they were each gifted with some of Dudley and Petunia hands me downs for their birthday and they were screamed at for daring to be slightly ungrateful for the disappointed look on their faces
"Now here this is what we are going to do, is when we go out we are going to buy 2 new presents, how does that sound pumpkin" she murmurs quietly trying to console the boy making hope and Harry slyly shake their heads and roll their eyes no way near surprised
not long after breakfast or for Hope and Harry what was left over from their breakfast. Piers Polkiss arrived as one of Dudley's best friends also known as the Potter's 2nd tormentor
piers as always immediately joined in tormenting the twins the moment his foot passed the thresh hold but at this point, hope is too used to it what is the point of complaining when to everyone else Dudley is nothing but an angel
hope wished that she didn't have to go with the boys to the zoo as much as she loved animals and both her and Harry agreed they were too old for a babysitter another thing Duddley loved to use against them at least when they stayed with Misses Figgs they got chocolate cake and there is just something about her cat so very different from the others she knows
spending time around Miss Figs is 10 times better than with the Dursleys in any case that is for sure not that harry would admit to it. too hung up on the fact he has to be babysat.
either way, they have no choice but to get ready nothing overly smart of course wearing your aunts and cousins' hand-me-downs doesn't leave you with many options.
at least Harry gets away with wearing a basic shirt and has a well-to-big top from Dudley. hope however was made to wear one of Patunia's old dresses that due to the size difference was more pins than dress at this point.
while her hair was ruffly grabbed and thrown into two side ponytails a style she absently hated knowing as soon as Dudley or Piers see her the will think it abserlotly hilarious to pull on her hair yelling ding dong
as she guessed it the boys straight away started to torment her and Hope was two seconds from biting the next person to go and touch her hair when everyone was ushered into the car now ready to leave. hope following thing one and thing two as Harry rested a hand on the top of her back in the hope of keeping her grounded
before they could get in the car they are quickly stopped by their uncle "I'm warning you two now any funny business, any at all and neither of you will have any meals for a week got it" he warns looking at both of them dead in the eye
at this point we know this threat by heart so used to it. it's not like we go looking for trouble things just seem to happen around us not that Vernon would ever listen just say these are pitiful excuses to cause trouble so like with everything else the twins just nod and do not argue getting in the car just hoping for the day to be over.
a car ride away where Hope is sure she has nail indents on her palm from squeezing her fist so tightly with the restraint not to deck Dudley, they finally get to the zoo.
the best part at lunch is they get Dudley's first Knickerbocker glory that in Dudley's words didn't have enough chocolate sauce but Hope thought it was perfect
before long they finally make it to the reptile enclosure
"make it move " Dudley shouts smashing his hand so close to the enclosure that holds the massive boa constrictor
"move" Uncle Veron shouts as he starts to bang on the glass before him
"move" Dudley repeats following his father's footsteps
"he's sleeping " Harry shouts back
"he's boring" Dudley replies turning around and sulking others following behind
hope and Harry decide to stay back for a moment of peace "Sorry about him" Harry begins "he doesn't understand what its like lying there day after day watching people press their ugly faces in on you" Harry consoles the snake making hope giggle who know just how much you could relate to a snake
the snake suddenly lifts its head as if it understood them
"Can you understand us" Hope whispers quickly glancing around in hopes no one else has noticed them luckily they haven't
to this, the snake slyly nodes its head "Huuhh" Hope whispers in aww
"That's so cool ." at the tilt of the snake's head Harry continues "It's just we've never talked to a snake before, do you talk to people often" Harry questions
the snake quickly shakes its head
"you're from Berma arnt you was it nice there " Harry begins "Do you miss your family" Hope finishes for Harry thinking about her own parents
the snake tilts its head to the side the twins in sinc both glance over to see a plaque with the words 'born in captivity '
"oh I see," they say at the same time
"That's us as well we never knew our parents either" Harry adds and before they can say anything they are interrupted by a bellow
"Mummy Daddy come here you wont believe what this snake is doing" Dudley shouts as he shoves Harry to the ground to get to the glass piers following behind
hope rushes over to her brother glaring at Dudley when it happens, suddenly the glass disappears making Dudley who was pressed right up to said glass before the disappearance Dudley suddenly lose's his balance falling into the enclosure as the snake makes its great escape not before hissing a "thankssssss"
"anytime," they say blinking owlishly first at each other then the snake watching both in awe and shock as the snake leaves followed by many screams as it makes its way to freedom
it's not long before their attention is brought back to their cousin who now seems to be pounding on the glass that had seemed to reappear trapping Dudley as Piers stares in shock at his friend
"Mum mummy" Dudley screeches from the enclosure
"ahhhhhhh" Paturna screams back at seeing Dudley trapped "Help! get him out please she screams at the top of her lungs pounding away at the glass as if she can smash it
hope and Harry quietly giggle at all this chaos what can they say they know at least Dudley isn't any danger, unlike all the 100 other pranks that seriously hurt them. but obviously, the giggle wasn't quiet enough because instantly Uncle Vernon's headshot in their direction, and Piers finally breaks his silence with "It was them they did something they was talking to the snake" At this Vernon's face grew ever hotter with anger the know they are in for it now
as soon as they get home after Dudley is rescued by a very apologetic and confused zoo keeper and after dropping piers home the shouting starts
they were both grabbed roughly by the hair by Vernon "What happened" he shouts in both their faces spit following after
"I sware I don't know "Hope starts feeling tears rise at the tight tug of her hair
"one moment it was there then it was gone," Harry adds trying to get out of Vernon's grip
"it was like magic," they say together.
with a growl clearly not liking the answer, Vernon shoves the twins into the broom cupboard locking them in as he shouts
"There is no such thing as magic"