Hally Potter

Chapter One

The Days Before Change

"Up! Get up!" Petunia shouts banging on their closet door. Hally shakes Harry awake as Petunia hits the door again, "Now!"

Dudley runs down the stairs, stopping to jump, which causes dust to cover the small ten year old twins. Their aunt and uncle wish their cousin a happy birthday as the twins walk into the kitchen in their overgrown clothes, Harry first.

Petunia turns to the two, "Why don't you just cook the breakfast, and try not to burn anything." She says unpleasantly. Hally nods, "Yes, aunt Petunia," Harry says as they walk to the stove. Harry unwrapped bacon and hands it to Hally, who puts it on the stove.

"I want everything to be perfect for my Dudley's special day." Petunia says as the two finish up the breakfast. Hally cleans the dishes as Harry plates the food carefully. "Hurry up! Bring my coffee, boy!"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon." Harry says, quickening his pace. Petunia leads Dudley into the family room to look at his presents. "Aren't they wonderful, darling?"

Dudleu looks around at the presents, "How many are there?" The spoiled boy questions. "36. Counted 'em myself." Vernon says, joining them as the twins watch from the doorway. Dudle flips out. "36?! But last year... last year I had 37!!" He shouts.

Vernon attempts to justify himself, "Err, yes, well, some of them are quite a bit bigger than last year."

Dudley continues his tantrum, "I don't care how big they are!" Petunia attempts to calm the rotten boy down. "Oh, now, now, now. This is what we're going to do, is that when we go out, we're going to buy you two new presents! How's that, pumpkin?" She tries to reason.

Petunia and Dudley go to get ready as Vernon walks to the twins. He grabs one of each of their arms harshly before informing them their babysitter can't watch them, so they have to go to the zoo.

After letting the twins go, the family walks outside. "This will be a lovely day at the zoo. I'm really looking forward to it." Petunia says, getting in with Dudley. Hally rubs her arm, frowning as she gets into the middle seat and buckles herself in.

Vernon stops Harry once more, "I'm warning you now, boy! Any funny business, any at all, and you two are not going to have any meals for a week! Get in!"

The family is standing in front of the reptile enclosure that houses a snake. "Make it move." Dudley demands to his parents. "Move!" Vernon says, tapping the glass. Dudley follows and bangs on it, making Vernon and Hally wince nervously.

"MOVE!" Dudly shouts once more before Harry has enough. "He's asleep!" He says to Dudley, "he's boring, " Dudley replies before leading his parents elsewhere.

"Sorry about him. He doesn't understand what it's like, lying there day after day, having people press their ugly faces in on you." Harry says as Hally rubs the glass softly, nodding along to her brothers statements.

The snake looks up to the twins blinking while leaning towards where Hally is, "Can you...hear me?" Hardy asks, shocked. The snake nods as Hally excitedly watches, wishing she could hold the reptile. "It's just...I've never talked to a snake before. Do you...I mean... do you talk to people often?" Harry asks.

The snake shakes his head. "You're from Burma, aren't you? Was it nice there? Do you miss your family?" Harry asks at once. The snake moves from Hally towards the sign of his enclosure.

Hally quickly reads and frowns as Harry slowly reads the sign that shows the snake was bred in captivity. Harry frowns next, "I see. That's us as well. We never knew my parents, either. Just ourselves." Harry says, nodding towards Hally. The snake goes back towards Hally and, unfortunately, gains Dudley's attention.