Harry Potter power show zoo

The summer air was heavy and warm, the kind of weather that made people sluggish and irritable. For Harry Potter, however, the discomfort of the heat was nothing compared to the misery of living at Number 4, Privet Drive. The small cupboard under the stairs, where he was forced to sleep, was stuffy and cramped. He had lived there for as long as he could remember, ever since his parents had died in a car crash—or so his aunt and uncle claimed.

Today was Dudley Dursley's birthday, and the house was filled with the sound of his excited shrieks. Dudley was Harry's cousin, a spoiled, overweight boy with a face like a pig. He had everything a child could ever want—except, perhaps, manners or kindness. Harry, on the other hand, got nothing but chores, scoldings, and occasional beatings from his Uncle Vernon.

"Up, boy!" Aunt Petunia's shrill voice pierced through Harry's dreams. He groggily sat up, bumping his head on the low ceiling of his cupboard.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," he muttered, rubbing his sore forehead.

"Breakfast! And don't burn the bacon!" she snapped before disappearing.

Harry quickly pulled on his oversized clothes—Dudley's old cast-offs—and rushed to the kitchen. The table was already set with heaps of food, and Dudley sat in his chair, counting his birthday presents.

"Thirty-six! But last year I had thirty-seven!" Dudley bellowed, turning red with rage.

"We'll buy you two more, Diddy darling," Aunt Petunia cooed.

Harry sighed as he served the bacon. No one wished him good morning. No one ever did.

Just then, Uncle Vernon stomped into the kitchen, his mustache twitching. "We're going to the zoo," he announced.

Harry's heart skipped a beat. The zoo! He had never been anywhere fun before.

"You," Uncle Vernon growled, pointing a thick finger at Harry, "stay out of trouble. If I see anything funny—" He didn't finish the sentence, but Harry knew the threat well.

At the Zoo

The car ride was cramped, with Dudley kicking Harry every time he felt bored. When they finally arrived, Dudley and his best friend Piers ran toward the reptile house, giggling. Harry followed at a safe distance.

Inside, the reptile house was cool and dark. Glass enclosures lined the walls, filled with snakes, lizards, and turtles. Dudley and Piers pressed their faces against the glass of a particularly large python's enclosure, laughing.

"Look at this one, Piers! It's asleep! Boring!" Dudley whined. He smacked the glass, making the snake flinch.

Harry stepped closer, feeling a strange connection to the snake. "Sorry about him," he whispered.

To his shock, the snake opened its eyes and looked right at him.

"Can you hear me?" Harry asked quietly.

"Yes," a deep voice hissed in his mind.

Harry gasped. He could understand the snake!

"You okay?" he asked.

"Born in captivity," the snake replied sadly. "Never seen my homeland."

Harry felt a pang of sympathy. "That's awful."

Dudley noticed Harry standing too close. "What are you doing, freak?" he jeered, shoving Harry aside.

But then something strange happened. The glass of the enclosure suddenly vanished. With a low hiss of gratitude, the python slithered out.

People screamed as the massive snake glided across the floor. Piers and Dudley stumbled backward in horror. Before disappearing into a nearby drain, the python turned to Harry and said, "Thanksss, friend."

Harry grinned.

But the moment of triumph was short-lived.

Uncle Vernon's face was purple with rage. He grabbed Harry by the collar and dragged him back to the car.

The Punishment

The ride home was silent except for Dudley's sniffling. When they reached the house, Uncle Vernon yanked Harry inside.

"You ungrateful, freakish little brat!" he roared. "You set that snake loose on purpose!"

"I—I didn't!" Harry protested, but Vernon wasn't listening.

He raised his hand and struck Harry across the face. Harry stumbled back, but before he could recover, Vernon grabbed him by the arm and threw him into the cupboard.

"You'll stay in there without food for a week!" Vernon bellowed before slamming the door shut.

Harry curled up on the small mattress, rubbing his sore cheek. His stomach rumbled, but he was too tired to care.

Something was different about him. He could talk to snakes. And—more importantly—strange things happened when he was upset.

Lying in the darkness, Harry wondered if he was truly as "freakish" as the Dursleys said.

And if he was, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing after all.