8 This House is Not a Zoo

Vernon Dursley slams the door closed thinking about the waste of his Saturday, as he was called into work early this morning. "Petunia, Dudley" he yells as he sets his briefcase besides the door and hangs up his coat. Hearing no response, he heads towards the kitchen thinking about the wonderful food inside the fridge. "Hope Dudley left me some pie" he mumbled opening the fridge door and gracefully for chubby fingers takes the pie and some left over pork roast and sets in on the counter. Vernon grabbed a plate and starts generously stacking pork on top of pork, filling every inch of the platter.

Vernon starts heading towards the table about to enjoy his wife's cooking as he nearly drops his lunch as he runs into Harry. "Boy, when are you leaving?" Vernon snarls "Shouldn't you be with other freaks already" he begins to say, as a snake head pops out of the collar of the robe stopping Vernon's tirade. "Speaker, I shall have some of the meat or the human, take your pick" the snake hisses as Harrys' grin grows larger the more frightened Vernon becomes. "Being an ignorant non magical isn't a crime that's punishable" Harry hisses back as he grabs the food off of the plate as Vernon is frozen in shock. While feeding Draven, Harry lazily sits down at the table, setting down the snake so it can extend its body. "You speak snake" Vernon says stumbling backward, away from the three feet snake on his dining room table. As the front door opens Harry and Vernon both turn their heads toward the door as they hear "honey, were home" Petunia yells hands full with shopping bags.

As Petunia and Dudley start heading towards the kitchen giving Harry a wide birth, Petunia starts shrieking "Why is there a snake in my house, on my table." The color on her face drains with every word said. Dudley runs over to where Harry is sitting, "what kind of snake is it?" Dudley excited askes, "I have only seeing snakes in the zoo, but never one this close." Dudley about to reach and pet the snake is pulled back by his mother, scooting them closer to Vernon.

Harry looks at them and says "Draven wont attack unless it's provoked," "or hungry" the snake hissed adding on to Harrys sentence much to Harrys amusement. "Can I pet it?" asked Dudley, struggling to get out of his mother's iron grip. Dudley's parents having a staring contest with each other, trying to figure where to go from here for the next few days, as they hears a clawing at the window. The entire room looks at the window and sees an owl trying to find a way to pass through the glass.

Harry stands up and makes his way to the window. "Don't let it in my house, this house is not a zoo." Petunia sternly warns Harry. Harry ignoring the warning, opens the window as the owl swoops in and drops a letter in Harrys hand and continues its flight, landing on the plate still filled with pot roast in Vernon's' hands. "Bloody Owl" Vernon yells, shaking the plate as the owl grips its talons harder into the ceramic platter as it bobs its head down, grabbing a piece of roast and begins its long journey back to where it came.

"Bunch of freakiness" Harry heard Vernon complain as he flipped the envelope in his hands and began to read the address. "Mr. Harry Potter" the first line says, not bothering to read the rest of it as Harry opens the envelope and takes the letter out. Harry notices the Hogwarts insignia and a wave of nostalgia rolls through his body. 'It has only been a day since I left the castle, yet I miss it so much' Harry thinks as he continues reading the letter.

HOGSWARTS SCHOOL OF

WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warock, Supreme

Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find

enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later

than 31 of July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

First-year students will require:

Uniform:

-Three sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)

-One Plain Pointed Hat (Black) for day wear.

-One Pair of Protected Gloves (dragon hide)

-One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all student's clothes should carry name tags

at all times.

Books:

-The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshank

-A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

-Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

-A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

-One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

-Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

-Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

-The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

Other Equipment:

-1 Wand

-1 Cauldron (perter, standard size 2)

-1 set of glass or crystal Phials

-1 telescope

-1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring an Owl, Cat or a Toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED

THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.