jump.
”dudley! mr. dursley! e and look at this snake! you wont
believe what its doing!”
dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.
”out of the way, you,” he said, pung harry in the
ribs. caught by surprise, harry fell hard oe floor. what
ext happe no one saw hoened -- one sed,
piers and dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the ,
they had leapt back with howls of horror.
harry sat up ahe glass front of the boa strictors
tank had vahe great snake was ung itself rapidly,
slithering out onto the floor. pehout the reptile house
sd started runnis.
as the snake slid swiftly past him, harry could have sworn a low,
hissing voice said, ”brazil, here i e.... thanksss, amigo.”
the keeper of the reptile house was in shock.
”but the glass,” he kept sayihe glass go?”
the zoo direself made auunia a cup ,
sweet tea ologized over and ain. piers and
dudley ly gibber. as far as harry had seen, the snake
hadnt dohi snap playfully at their heels as it
passed, but by the time they were all bas car,
dudley was telli had en off his leg, while
piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. but worst
of all, for harry at least, iers g dowo say,
”harry was talking to it, werent you, harry?”
ued until piers was safely out of the house
bef on harry. he was so angry he could hardly speak. he
mao say, ”go -- cupboard -- stay -- no meals,” before he
collapsed into a d auunia had tet him a
large brandy.
harry lay in his dark uch later, wishing he had a
watch. he didnt know what time it was and he t be sure the
dursleys yet. until they were, he t risk sneaking
to the kite food.
hed lived with the dursleys almost teen miserable
years, as long as he ber, ever since hed been a baby