It was nearly noon by the time Dudley returned to Number 4, Privet Drive, the faint, exotic scents of his morning transaction clinging to his clothes.
"Oh, my darling, what took you so long? We need to hurry!" Petunia exclaimed the moment she saw him, practically shooing him upstairs to change.
They rushed out the door, piling into Vernon's shiny new company car, and the family of four sped off towards the zoo. It was a considerable distance, at least an hour and a half by car, but Harry was practically vibrating with excitement in the backseat. A proper family outing was a rare treat, and the last time he'd been anywhere was for Dudley's birthday the previous year.
The sun was bright, and it being a weekend, the zoo was unexpectedly crowded. The entrance was a chaotic sea of families. After finally getting through the gates, Vernon, in a magnanimous birthday mood, bought them all ice cream. Dudley, as the birthday boy, received the most expensive chocolate deluxe cone, while Harry was handed the cheapest lemon ice lolly.
Without a word, Dudley swapped his cone for Harry's lolly. "Don't feel like chocolate today," he mumbled, a simple and believable lie.
In truth, chocolate was his absolute favorite.
Petunia opened her mouth as if to protest, a flicker of something complex in her eyes, but then she stopped. She even placed a gentle, restraining hand on Vernon's arm. As she watched the two boys walking away, their arms slung around each other's shoulders, a helpless, bittersweet smile touched her lips. It's so similar, she thought, a wave of nostalgia washing over her. Too similar to how Lily and I were when we were little. But even the closest sisters could become strangers when their paths diverged so completely.
The aviary was supposed to have peacocks, but after a long and patient wait, they didn't see a single iridescent feather. They did, however, spot a large, white owl hiding amongst the leaves, looking dull and fast asleep.
"Look, he's so silly," Harry said, pointing. "He looks stupid."
"Owls are nocturnal, Harry," Dudley explained, his mind already connecting the dots. "They sleep during the day." He saw a perfect opening. "Would you ever want to raise an owl?"
"Are you kidding?" Harry shook his head so hard his messy black hair bounced in every direction. "I'd rather have a homing pigeon."
The big cat enclosure proved to be a disappointment. The lions and tigers were all fat and lazy, sprawled out in the sun and yawning, not even bothering to move. Dudley was fairly certain he could kick them around like footballs. To his great dismay, there were no pandas. This disappointment lingered until he found himself in front of the gorilla enclosure. A large silverback caught sight of his robust frame and began gesturing excitedly from behind the glass, as if asking, 'Hey, how did you get out, you idiot? Come help me!'
In terms of sheer build, Dudley looked even more powerful than a typical gorilla. Watching him comically gesture back at the great ape, a matching bewildered expression on his face, Harry giggled uncontrollably. Dudley's birthday was always Harry's happiest day of the year, even more so than his own. After all, only Dudley ever remembered his birthday, and he was the only one who ever gave him a gift.
Next, they headed to the reptile house. It was cold and dim inside, home to various slithering and crawling creatures. Dudley wasn't a fan. Compared to warm, furry animals, these cold, slippery reptiles held no appeal. Even the gorilla was better than this.
Harry, however, was utterly fascinated. He darted from one enclosure to the next, staring at a tarantula baring its venomous fangs, then peering at a chameleon that looked even more sluggish than the owl. But the main attraction was the snakes. He stood transfixed before the enclosure of a massive, coiled boa constrictor, leaning close to the glass and whispering.
"Hey, mate," he murmured.
To an outsider, it looked like a lonely child talking to himself, but Dudley knew better. They were actually communicating. Harry didn't yet understand the full extent of his extraordinary abilities; he probably just assumed anyone could talk to snakes. But this was Parseltongue, a rare and powerful gift unique to the line of Salazar Slytherin.
A pleasant chime echoed in Dudley's mind, a familiar and welcome sound.
Witnessed Parseltongue: Gained LV0 Magical Creature Language.
"A good reward," Dudley whistled under his breath, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. This was why he had insisted on coming to the zoo—not just for Harry, but for the chance to trigger one of these rare "witness" rewards. This was only the second one he'd ever received, the first being his LV5 'Iron Mountain Lean' skill. Now he had LV0 Magical Creature Language. As the name suggested, it was likely a general skill for communicating with magical beasts. The level didn't matter; it was a starting point, something he could upgrade with experience. It wasn't exactly a "magic" spell, but it was close enough.
At that moment, a loud scream ripped through the reptile house.
The glass in front of the boa constrictor's enclosure had vanished into thin air.
The snake uncoiled its massive body and slithered out onto the cold, stone floor. Pandemonium erupted. Screams and curses filled the air as people scrambled to get away, terrified of being crushed or entangled.
As the giant snake slid past Harry, it paused. It turned its head and gave a surprisingly human-like nod, flicking its forked tongue with a soft hiss. It was as if it were saying goodbye, a gesture of gratitude from one individual to another. Then, with a speed that defied its previous lethargy, it disappeared into the chaos.
Not long after, the park manager came to apologize to everyone, and the day ended in a thrilling but ultimately safe manner.
***
(End of Chapter)
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