Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other characters are not my property. They are
owned by J.K Rowling.
A/N Hello all! I just got the idea that I would work on another fic because My other fics don't look like they will go much farther and I may end them soon. Anywho, about my story. I decided to do an actual novel length story. My early attempts failed horribly. Now I will face my fears..
Chapter 1Trouble in the Dursley family
Harry Potter's mind raced with thoughts. He was sitting in the back of the Dursley family car with Hedwig riding shotgun (A/n I just thought that would sound funny but for all you Brits shotgun is the passenger side of the car.) Harry was reviewing the event that had happened a little under an hour ago. Had Hermione really kissed him or was Voldemort's crutatius curse finally getting to him? Yes. He knew Hermione kissed him. But why? I know I am The-Boy-Who-Lived but it's not like I am stunningly handsome or anything. Harry lost his train of thought when he saw Uncle Vernon pulling up into the driveway of number 4 Privet drive. Harry saw the door open and a 40 pound lighter Dudley stepped out. He was still overweight but only by about 10 or 15 pounds. Even then it was an improvement.
"You! Out of the car! Get your stuff! Move it!" Uncle Vernon grouched.
"Hello Harry. Good to be back home eh?"
"I guess. Say could you carry Hedwig up for me?" Harry replied not realizing he was talking to Dudley
" HOW DARE YOU ORDER DUDLEY AROUND, NOW GET YOUR NO GOOD SELF AND YOUR CRAP INSIDE!" A certain angry Dursley yelled
"It's all right dad. I don't mind." Dudley replied in a calm manner. Harry was quite suprized when he saw Dudley sticking up for him but kept acting normally. Dudley accepted the cage from Harry and began carrying Hedwig up to Harry's room talking to her through the bars of her cage. Harry took his trunk upstairs and began to unpack. Dudley seemed quite interested in what might be in his trunk, so Harry began to explain what everything did.
"What are these?" Dudley asked pointing to a box of Bertie bott's every flavor beans.
"They're a wizard candy. We call them Bertie Bott's every flavor beans. When they say every flavor they mean it too. My friend Ron got a ladybug flavored one once."
"Really? Cool! Can I have some?"
"Sure. I never got into the habit of liking them. You canhave the whole pack if you like."
"Awesome. Thaks Harry." Said Dudley who was fiddling with the box
Harry grabbed a Chocolate frog and opened the package up. Dudley jumped when the frog hopped from Harry's hand and landed on the bed. It leapt again but Harry was ready. He caught it neatly in his palm. Then he popped it into his mouth and Dudley looked like he was gonna hurl. "Ewwww!" Dudley said sounding a lot like a twelve year old girl when liver was about to be served. "Was that a real frog?"
"Nope." Harry said "It's a chocolate frog. They've got a spell on em to make them move."
"Wow. I wish I was a wizard like you Harry."
"Sugar quill?" Harry offered
"Sure. But what are those?" Dudley asked pointing to his really large bag of Zonko's products
"Sorry Dudley. I am gonna wait on those." Harry said putting the last of his wizard clothes away and closing his trunk. "But Iam gonna promise you that we are gonna have some fun with magic this summer.
As if on cue Aunt Petunia called them down for dinner. A few hours later Harry had yet to get a second of sleep. There was a screaming match going on between Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. There was a soft knock on his door.
"Harry. Can I come in?" Dudley's voice came
"Sure Dud. Come on in." He replied
"What do you think they're arguing about?" Asked Dudley referring to his parents with a quiver in his voice
"All families have arguments every once in a while. It'll be ok."
"Will you tell me what your school is like?"
"Sure Dud." And Harry gave a long explanation of his first year at Hogwarts that lasted until the sky turned a light orange in which thy both went to their respectable beds and fell asleep.
The arguments didn't stop over the next week. In fact it was getting worse. Ever since Uncle Vernon caught Harry teaching Dudley how to play Exploding Snap. Now Harry was locked in his room with nobody to talk to. Harry however used Sirius's knife to pick the lock on his door and under his invisibility cloak had snuck out to Dudley's room. Harry had told Dudley about the Wizarding world's present situation and all about Voldemort. Dudley understood but could not tell how Harry felt with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Harry needed someone to talk to. Harry was having dreams that reenacted that horrible evening in the graveyard. Every time he had one no matter how he tried he couldn't sleep. So he took to sneaking out and walking. One evening he found himself 9 miles away. Harry had to run back and just barely made it. Harry took that he would run instead. Harry was looking at himself in the mirror about a week after the 9 mile run incedent and came to the conclusion he wasn't that scrawny pale boy anymore. He was about 5'10" and tan. He was also developing muscles as well. Harry also noticed he was in need of a shave.
Finally, on June 30th Harry was let out of his room on the condition that he not "Corrupt Dudley with his abnormality." The other condition was that he got a job. So Harry was turned loose to look for a job. Harry roamed the small town of Surrey looking for "now hiring" signs. First he checked a deli, but they were looking for somebody with a little experience on the subject. Harry tried to skip restauraunts because he hated working with food. He wanted physical work. The idea hit Harry like a flash of lightning. He could work at the Surrey zoo. Harry had always loved animals, so he ran full speed towards the zoo hoping for a now hiring sign. To Harry's delight there was. So he entered the main office.
"Hello. May I help you?" asked the old lady at the desk
"Yes ma'm. I was looking for a job and I saw your sign. I was hoping I could fill the slot."
"Oh great. One of our animal caretakers passed away and we need another to help out around here. Do you have any experience in the field of animals?"
"I am taking a basic animal care class at my school, but it won't help me much here."
"That's fine dear. Could you fill out this application please?"
"Sure thing." Harry replied and began to fill out the form. After 5 minutes or so he handed it back.
"A few more questions dear. When can you start? How much would you be asking for? And do you have an hour of free time?"
"Whenever, I haven't thought about it and, yes."
"Good. One more thing. Which field of animals would you prefer to work with?"
"Erm. Snakes. I have a special gift when it comes to them."
"Great! I'll have Darryl show you around the Reptile house. DARRYL! SHOW THIS YOUNG MAN AROUND THE REPTILE HOUSE. HE'S GETTING TIM'S OLD JOB!"
"Ok. Ok. I'm coming. Jeez."
Harry liked being shown around and could easily handle this job. He thought after the hour was up. He could probably handle another job with this one. After all he only needed to be there for 3 hours a day. But Harry thought he definitely wouldn't need another job since he was getting paid 1000 pounds for the entire summer. There was just one thing that bugged him about this entire thing. The old lady at the desk had a crimson red moth eaten hat with a large vultre on top of it. The same hat he saw on Neville's Snape Boggart almost 2 years ago.
END
A/n Not bad for a first chapter eh? Oh well. Review so I know weather to burn this and move into an alaskan igloo in shame. Hope you liked it and invite you to read my other fic. The-Boy-Without-A-Girlfriend until now. series.
A/N Hello all! I just got the idea that I would work on another fic because My other fics don't look like they will go much farther and I may end them soon. Anywho, about my story. I decided to do an actual novel length story. My early attempts failed horribly. Now I will face my fears..
Chapter 1Trouble in the Dursley family
Harry Potter's mind raced with thoughts. He was sitting in the back of the Dursley family car with Hedwig riding shotgun (A/n I just thought that would sound funny but for all you Brits shotgun is the passenger side of the car.) Harry was reviewing the event that had happened a little under an hour ago. Had Hermione really kissed him or was Voldemort's crutatius curse finally getting to him? Yes. He knew Hermione kissed him. But why? I know I am The-Boy-Who-Lived but it's not like I am stunningly handsome or anything. Harry lost his train of thought when he saw Uncle Vernon pulling up into the driveway of number 4 Privet drive. Harry saw the door open and a 40 pound lighter Dudley stepped out. He was still overweight but only by about 10 or 15 pounds. Even then it was an improvement.
"You! Out of the car! Get your stuff! Move it!" Uncle Vernon grouched.
"Hello Harry. Good to be back home eh?"
"I guess. Say could you carry Hedwig up for me?" Harry replied not realizing he was talking to Dudley
" HOW DARE YOU ORDER DUDLEY AROUND, NOW GET YOUR NO GOOD SELF AND YOUR CRAP INSIDE!" A certain angry Dursley yelled
"It's all right dad. I don't mind." Dudley replied in a calm manner. Harry was quite suprized when he saw Dudley sticking up for him but kept acting normally. Dudley accepted the cage from Harry and began carrying Hedwig up to Harry's room talking to her through the bars of her cage. Harry took his trunk upstairs and began to unpack. Dudley seemed quite interested in what might be in his trunk, so Harry began to explain what everything did.
"What are these?" Dudley asked pointing to a box of Bertie bott's every flavor beans.
"They're a wizard candy. We call them Bertie Bott's every flavor beans. When they say every flavor they mean it too. My friend Ron got a ladybug flavored one once."
"Really? Cool! Can I have some?"
"Sure. I never got into the habit of liking them. You canhave the whole pack if you like."
"Awesome. Thaks Harry." Said Dudley who was fiddling with the box
Harry grabbed a Chocolate frog and opened the package up. Dudley jumped when the frog hopped from Harry's hand and landed on the bed. It leapt again but Harry was ready. He caught it neatly in his palm. Then he popped it into his mouth and Dudley looked like he was gonna hurl. "Ewwww!" Dudley said sounding a lot like a twelve year old girl when liver was about to be served. "Was that a real frog?"
"Nope." Harry said "It's a chocolate frog. They've got a spell on em to make them move."
"Wow. I wish I was a wizard like you Harry."
"Sugar quill?" Harry offered
"Sure. But what are those?" Dudley asked pointing to his really large bag of Zonko's products
"Sorry Dudley. I am gonna wait on those." Harry said putting the last of his wizard clothes away and closing his trunk. "But Iam gonna promise you that we are gonna have some fun with magic this summer.
As if on cue Aunt Petunia called them down for dinner. A few hours later Harry had yet to get a second of sleep. There was a screaming match going on between Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. There was a soft knock on his door.
"Harry. Can I come in?" Dudley's voice came
"Sure Dud. Come on in." He replied
"What do you think they're arguing about?" Asked Dudley referring to his parents with a quiver in his voice
"All families have arguments every once in a while. It'll be ok."
"Will you tell me what your school is like?"
"Sure Dud." And Harry gave a long explanation of his first year at Hogwarts that lasted until the sky turned a light orange in which thy both went to their respectable beds and fell asleep.
The arguments didn't stop over the next week. In fact it was getting worse. Ever since Uncle Vernon caught Harry teaching Dudley how to play Exploding Snap. Now Harry was locked in his room with nobody to talk to. Harry however used Sirius's knife to pick the lock on his door and under his invisibility cloak had snuck out to Dudley's room. Harry had told Dudley about the Wizarding world's present situation and all about Voldemort. Dudley understood but could not tell how Harry felt with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Harry needed someone to talk to. Harry was having dreams that reenacted that horrible evening in the graveyard. Every time he had one no matter how he tried he couldn't sleep. So he took to sneaking out and walking. One evening he found himself 9 miles away. Harry had to run back and just barely made it. Harry took that he would run instead. Harry was looking at himself in the mirror about a week after the 9 mile run incedent and came to the conclusion he wasn't that scrawny pale boy anymore. He was about 5'10" and tan. He was also developing muscles as well. Harry also noticed he was in need of a shave.
Finally, on June 30th Harry was let out of his room on the condition that he not "Corrupt Dudley with his abnormality." The other condition was that he got a job. So Harry was turned loose to look for a job. Harry roamed the small town of Surrey looking for "now hiring" signs. First he checked a deli, but they were looking for somebody with a little experience on the subject. Harry tried to skip restauraunts because he hated working with food. He wanted physical work. The idea hit Harry like a flash of lightning. He could work at the Surrey zoo. Harry had always loved animals, so he ran full speed towards the zoo hoping for a now hiring sign. To Harry's delight there was. So he entered the main office.
"Hello. May I help you?" asked the old lady at the desk
"Yes ma'm. I was looking for a job and I saw your sign. I was hoping I could fill the slot."
"Oh great. One of our animal caretakers passed away and we need another to help out around here. Do you have any experience in the field of animals?"
"I am taking a basic animal care class at my school, but it won't help me much here."
"That's fine dear. Could you fill out this application please?"
"Sure thing." Harry replied and began to fill out the form. After 5 minutes or so he handed it back.
"A few more questions dear. When can you start? How much would you be asking for? And do you have an hour of free time?"
"Whenever, I haven't thought about it and, yes."
"Good. One more thing. Which field of animals would you prefer to work with?"
"Erm. Snakes. I have a special gift when it comes to them."
"Great! I'll have Darryl show you around the Reptile house. DARRYL! SHOW THIS YOUNG MAN AROUND THE REPTILE HOUSE. HE'S GETTING TIM'S OLD JOB!"
"Ok. Ok. I'm coming. Jeez."
Harry liked being shown around and could easily handle this job. He thought after the hour was up. He could probably handle another job with this one. After all he only needed to be there for 3 hours a day. But Harry thought he definitely wouldn't need another job since he was getting paid 1000 pounds for the entire summer. There was just one thing that bugged him about this entire thing. The old lady at the desk had a crimson red moth eaten hat with a large vultre on top of it. The same hat he saw on Neville's Snape Boggart almost 2 years ago.
END
A/n Not bad for a first chapter eh? Oh well. Review so I know weather to burn this and move into an alaskan igloo in shame. Hope you liked it and invite you to read my other fic. The-Boy-Without-A-Girlfriend until now. series.