𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 ✓

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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐: 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐨 𝐎𝐧𝐞

The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches. I had already read five out of the ten books Dad gave me. 

There was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Harry Hunting.

 "I told you no!" I shouted again as I hit Dudley smack on the head, "What is wrong with you? When someone says no, fat Dudley, they mean don't ever do it! And when Diane Amelia Dursley says it, you DO NOT do it ever again! Ghastly idiots!" 

This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Dad's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. I was going to Ellison Academy. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Dudley thought this was very funny.

 "They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"

 "No, thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it — it might be sick." Then he ran before Dudley could work out what he'd said.

 "Your boyfriend's horrible, I don't see why you like him," Dudley snapped at me. 

"Oh shut up, he's not my boyfriend!" I snapped back. 

"What do you see so much in him?" 

"I don't like him!" 

"Really?" 

"Shut up, Dudley, or should I tell Mum about what you did to Eleanor Fitzgerald the other day?" 

Dudley became quiet. 

One day in July, Mum took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's and leaving me at home alone, reading as usual. Just as Mum and Dudley left, I grabbed Harry's hand. 

"Please, Harry," I said as I saw Dudley and Mum go away in the car, "I want you to see this." 

Harry looked confused but followed me. 

"Where are we going, Ane?" He asked. He was the only one who called me Ane because of my name, Diane. 

"You'll see," I said as I opened the door of the cupboard. "Go in, Harry." 

We both shuffled inside. Harry stared curiously at me.  

"Harry are you alright?" I asked as I looked at him. 

"What d'you mean, Diane?" 

"I mean, Harry .  .  . you talked to the snake." 

"Talked to a snake? What the boa? You're kidding, Diane! It was talking." 

"No, Harry," I replied firmly. "You were talking to it." 

Harry looked at me. "Are you sure, Diane?" he asked skeptically.