Zoroark returned to the place in the forest where she'd left Harry. She'd warned him to stay out of sight of anyone else. In one hand she held a bag containing a cake she'd purchased from a bakery on her way back after impersonating Vernon Dursley. Harry came out from his hiding place and said, "Where'd you go?" She replied, "I gave your Uncle some payback for how he'd treated you all these years." Harry replied, "You didn't hurt him, did you?" Zoroark laughed and said, "Only his reputation". After giving a satisfied look Harry asked, "What's in the bag?" Zoroark set the bag on the ground, lifted out the cake, and said "Surprise! You said you never had a birthday cake before, so I picked one up on my way back". Harry gave a big smile but then said, "The bakery didn't call animal control?" and after realizing what he'd said added, "No offense". Zoroark replied, "None taken, back on my world the humans didn't call me "Master of Illusion" for nothing. Then she shape shifted into a human female with long blonde hair and blue eyes and back again.

Harry was impressed, his mother was apparently full of surprises. Then the first part of the statement registered. "Your world?" he asked. Zoroark replied, "That's a story for another time" and Harry was sure he heard sadness in her voice.

Zoroark did her best to keep her voice even, though being reminded of the pokemon world again made her very sad. "Let's eat" she said, the earlier note of sadness gone from her voice for the moment and the two enjoyed their meal.

The cake piqued Harry's curiosity about the world outside his life at the Dursleys so later he asked Zoroark, "Can you bring me more things like this please? I never got to experience much outside of my cupboard and school." Zoroark replied, "I can do more than that, how would you like to see a movie together?" Harry replied, "I'd love to, but won't people recognize me and try to take me back to the Dursleys?" Zoroark said, "I can do more than just shapeshift, I can also create an illusion that makes other people perceive you as having a different appearance and voice." Harry took all this in with a smile, then added "While we're out, we should probably call each other by nicknames or something." Zorark replied, "How about you call me Zoe, what would you like to be called?" Harry thought about names starting with Z and recalled an anime that Dudley watched during his brief interest in a card game with an unusual sounding name. "How about 'Zane'". Harry replied. Over the next few days "Zoe" and "Zane" went to the movies, a few restaurants, and even an amusement park. Harry was fascinated by all the things he'd missed out on growing up under the heel of the Dursleys. The fascination quickly turned into a passion for learning and as result many of "Zoe" and "Zane's" outings were spent in the library.

During a trip to the Zoo Zoroark had left to get some more water for them to drink and thus Harry wandered the reptile house alone. He came upon a glass cage holding a large boa constrictor and saw a couple with two girls, one a toddler in a stroller and the other a teenager knocking on the cage trying to get the Snake's attention. After they'd left with the teenage girl in a huff Harry walked over. "It must be annoying having people banging on your cage like that all day." The snake turned and looked at him. Harry thought he saw a look of understanding in its eyes. "Hopefully the food is good though" he added. Harry was surprised to hear a low hissing voice reply, "The food is most pleasant, though I don't need to eat very often. I just wish the humans knew not to bang on the glass." Harry was taken back, "Wait, you can understand me?" he said. "Yes, though you are the first human I've seen who speaks the language of snakes". Harry noticed Zoroark walking over with drinks and said, "I'll tell the zookeeper to put up a sign for you" before walking over to meet her.

Harry after talking to the snake handler about putting up a sign shared his experience with Zoroark. Zoroark replied, "It must be due to you having magical parents" Harry asked, "My parents were magical?" Zoroark replied, "Yes, they were part of a larger society of witches and wizards that remains hidden from the world you know." For the next few hours Harry asked questions about magic and his heritage and Zoroark answered them to the best of her ability based on what Clair had told her.

It was almost dusk by the time the two of them had returned from the Zoo. Harry had questions and Zoroark sadly didn't have all the answers. The two had almost reached the forest when Zoroark sensed a faint hint of magic and heard a small pop. She turned and saw a red-haired man who clearly had no fashion sense based on his choice of clothing. He also seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He said, "Come out Harry, I'm sure your Aunt and Uncle are very worried about you." Zoroark created an illusion of an out of control car to distract the man and telepathically said to Harry, "Hold on tight" before shapeshifting back into her true form, grabbing Harry, and bounding away.