2
The glass faded

It had been about ten years since the day when the Dursleys
awoke and found his nephew in the door, but Privet
Drive cam had no outlet installed at all. The sun rose in the same
little gardens, lit up the brass number four on the door of the Dursley
forward in her room, which was almost exactly the same as that to which the
Mr. Dursley had heard the ominous news about the owls, one night

of ten years. Only photos of the mantelpiece were testimony
the time that had passed. Ten years earlier, he had a lot of
pictures of what looked like a large pink ball with caps of different
colors, but Dudley Dursley was no longer a child, and at that moment
The pictures showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle,
on a carousel at the fair, playing with his father on the computer, kissed and
embraced by his mother ... The room offered no signs that lived there
another child.
Yet Harry Potter was still there, sleeping in that
time, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and
her shrill voice was the first sound of the day.
'Up! To get up! Now!
Harry woke with a start. His aunt called again on the door.
'Up! he yelled again. Harry heard his steps toward the kitchen,
and then rubbing the pan against the stove. The boy turned and tried to
remember the dream he had had. It was nice. There was a motorcycle
He is flying. He had a funny feeling that he had the same dream before.
His aunt returned to the door.
'Have you raised? demanded.
Harry replied almost
Well, hurry up, I want you to watch the bacon. And do not you dare let
it burn. I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday.
Harry groaned.
-what Did you say? he shouted angrily from the other side of the door.
-nothing Nothing ...
Dudley's birthday ... how could he have forgotten? Harry
He rose slowly and began looking for his socks. He found a pair under
of bed and, after pulling a spider one, I put them on. Harry was
used to spiders, because the cupboard beneath the stairs
It was full of them, and that was where he slept.
When was dressed out into the hall and into the kitchen. The table
I was almost covered by pleaños Birthday Gifts Dudley. It seemed to
he had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the
second television and the racing bike. The exact reason why Dudley
You might want a bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was
very fat and hated exercise, but if you hit someone entailed by
course. The favorite punching bag was Harry Dudley, but could not
catch very often. Although it did not seem, Harry was very fast.

Maybe it had something to do with that of living in a dark cupboard, but
Harry had always been thin and very small for his age. Also, it seemed more
small and wiry than it really was, because all the clothes she wore were
Dudley's old clothes, and his cousin was four times greater than he.
Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair and eye color
bright green. He wore round glasses always taped,
because of all the times Dudley had hit him in the nose. The
only thing Harry liked his appearance was that little
scar on his forehead shaped like a lightning bolt. Had it since I could
remember, and the first thing he remembered asking his Aunt Petunia was
how he had done.
-In The car accident where your parents died he had said. AND
do not ask questions.
"Do not ask questions': that was the first rule that should be observed if
they wanted to live a quiet life with the Dursleys.
Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.
-¡Péinate! He bellowed like a morning greeting.
Once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over his newspaper and
He shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry had cut him more
Sometimes hair to the other children in her class together, but not served
for nothing, because his hair was growing in that way, everywhere.
Harry was frying eggs when Dudley arrived in the kitchen with her
mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large face and
pink, little neck, small eyes watery blue tone, and dense
blonde covering his fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley
He looked like a little angel. Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig with
wig.
Harry put on the table the dishes with eggs and bacon, it was hard
because there was little space. Meanwhile, Dudley had his gifts. Her face
He was darkened.
Thirty-six said, looking at his mother and father. Two less
than last year.
My dear, you have not counted Auntie Marge gift. Look beneath
this great mom and dad.
All right, thirty-seven then, 'said Dudley, going red.
Harry; I could see it coming a big tantrum Dudley started
eat bacon as quickly as possible, in case overturned the table.
Aunt Petunia also felt the danger, because she said quickly:
And we will buy two gifts more when we leave today. What do you

seems, pigeon? Two more gifts. Everything is alright?
Dudley thought for a moment. It seemed a difficult job for him. By
Finally he said slowly.
Then I'll have thirty thirty .. ..
Thirty-nine, said Aunt Petunia sweetness.
Oh Dudley sat down heavily in his chair and took the gift more
cercano-. Then fine.
Uncle Vernon chuckled.
The little rascal wants to be what it's worth, just like his father.
Bravo, Dudley! he said, and ruffled the hair of his son.
Just then the phone rang and Aunt Petunia went to catch it, while
Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley, who was unpacking the bike
careers, camcorder, remote control airplane, sixteen new games
computer and video. It was breaking wrapping a gold watch,
when Aunt Petunia came back, angry and worried hang time.
Bad news, Vernon said. Mrs. Figg has fractured one
leg. You can not care for it. He turned his head toward Harry.
Dudley's mouth opened in horror, but Harry's heart gave
jump. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him to
a friend to spend the day at an amusement park, to eat burgers or
to the movies. Every year, Harry was left with Mrs. Figg, a mad old woman
He lived two blocks away. Harry could not bear to go there. The whole house smelled
cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at the pictures of all cats that had
I had.
'Now what do we do? Aunt Petunia asked, glaring at Harry
as if he had planned it. Harry knew he should feel sorry for the
Mrs. Figg leg, but it was not easy when I remembered that it would take a
year before having to see again Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws or Tufty.
We can call Marge Uncle Vernon suggested.
Do not be silly, Vernon, she can not stand the guy.
The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as if
I was not there, or rather as if they thought it was so stupid that he could not
understand, something like a worm.
'And what about your friend ... ... what's his name ... Yvonne?
He's on vacation in Mallorca angry Aunt Petunia said.
'You can leave me here Harry suggested hopefully. I could see what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even play with
Dudley computer
Aunt Petunia looked at him as if he had swallowed a lemon.
'And you come back and find the house in ruins? he grumbled.
I'm not going to burn the house, 'said Harry, but did not hear him.
I guess we can take it to the zoo said quietly aunt
Petunia -... and leave it in the car ...
'The car is new, you will not go there alone ...
Dudley began to mourn loudly. Not really cried, been years since I
really crying, but knew that if twisted face and screamed, her mother
I would give anything I wanted.
My tiny Dudley not cry, Mom will not let it spoil your day you
Special exclaimed, hugging him.
-¡Yo ... I do not ... want ... that ... he comes! He exclaimed Dudley between feigned
sobs. Always spoils everything! 'I made a sneer at Harry,
from the arms of his mother.
Just then he rang the doorbell.
Oh, God, are here! said Aunt Petunia in desperate tone and a
moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, entered with his
mother. Piers was a scrawny rat-faced boy. Which it was usually
holding the arms of the guys behind the back while Dudley them
He beats. Dudley suspended its feigned crying immediately.
Half an hour later, Harry, who could not believe his luck, was
sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car, along with Piers and Dudley,
Zoo road for the first time in his life. In his uncles they are not there
come up with a better idea, but before leaving Uncle Vernon took Harry aside.
'I'm warning you said, bringing his big red at Harry's face. You
I'm warning you now, boy: Rare anything whatever, and you'll be in
the cupboard until Christmas.
I'm not going to do anything, 'Harry said. For real ...
But Uncle Vernon did not believe him. Nobody did.
The problem was often strange things happened around Harry and
getting nowhere with the Dursleys say that he not caused.
Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry returned from the
hairdresser as if I had not gone, he took the kitchen scissors and cut the
hair almost shaven, except the bangs, which left him "to hide the horrible

scar ". Dudley laughed like a fool, laughing at Harry, who spent the night
sleepless imagining what would happen at school the next day, which already
They laughed at his baggy clothes and glasses mended. However, in the morning
Next, he discovered when rising that his hair was just like
before his aunt cut. As punishment, they locked him in the cupboard
for a week, although he tried to say that he could not explain how he
it had grown so fast hair.
Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to get him into a disgusting
old sweater of Dudley (brown with orange spots). How much more
trying to pass it through your head, the smallest garment became, until
finally he would sit like a glove wrist, but not Harry.
Aunt Petunia thought he must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great
relief, Harry was not punished.
On the other hand, it had a terrible problem when he was found in
the ceiling of the kitchen of the school. The group pursued him as Dudley
custom when, to the surprise of both Harry and the others,
He found sitting in the fireplace. The Dursleys received a threatening letter
the headmistress telling them Harry walked climbing
through the roof of the school. But all he tried to do (as he shouted at
Uncle Vernon through the locked door of the cupboard) was jump large
cubes that were behind the kitchen door. Harry supposed to
wind had risen in the middle of his jump.
But today nothing would go wrong. It was even well spend the day with
Dudley and Piers if it meant not having to be in school, in their
cupboard, or Mrs. Figg room, with its smell of cabbage.
As he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked
complain about many things. Harry, the council, Harry, the bank and Harry
were some of his favorite subjects. That morning he had to motorists.
-... Rattling like crazy these thugs said, while a motorcycle
the ahead.
I had a dream about a motorcycle said Harry suddenly remembering.
He was flying.
Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car ahead of him. It gave the
back in the seat and yelled at Harry:
-¡LAS BIKES NOT FLY!
His face was like a gigantic beet with a mustache.
Dudley and Piers snickered.
'I know you do not,' said Harry. It was only a dream.
But he wished he had not said anything. If there was something that displeased the
Dursley further that questions that Harry did, it was to talk about

anything to behave improperly, no matter that it was a
dream or a cartoon. They seemed to think I could get to have ideas
dangerous.
It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The
Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice cream about the
entry, and then, as the smiling lady asked Harry what
they wanted before they could get away, he bought a pole of lemon, which was
cheaper. That was not bad, thought Harry, while sucking
They watched a gorilla scratching his head and looked remarkably like
Dudley, except that it was not blond.
It was the best morning that Harry had spent in a long time. I had
careful to walk a little away from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who
They began to get bored of animals when lunchtime approached,
not begin to practice their favorite sport, who was hitting him. They ate
in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his
sandwich was not big enough, Uncle Vernon bought him another and Harry
He was allowed to finish first.
Later, Harry thought he should have known that this was
too good to last.
After lunch they went to see the reptiles. It was dark and cold, and
windows was illuminated along the walls. Behind the glass, all
kind of snakes and lizards crawled and slid down the rocks and
trunks. Dudley and Piers wanted to see the giant venomous cobras and
Pythons squeezed thick men. Dudley quickly found
snake bigger. He could have wrapped the car Uncle Vernon and have
crushed like a tin can, but at the time did not seem to
win. Actually, I was asleep.
Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, watching the
glow of your skin.
'Do it move he demanded his father.
Uncle Vernon hit the glass, but the snake did not move.
Do it again 'said Dudley.
Uncle Vernon rapped, but the animal kept dozing.
This is boring 'complained Dudley. He shuffled.
Harry moved against the glass and looked intently at the snake. If he
I had been there, certainly would have died of boredom, with no company except stupid people hitting the glass and bothering all day. It was worse than having a cupboard for bedroom where the only
visitor was Aunt Petunia knocking on the door to wake: at least, he
I could walk the rest of the house.

Suddenly, the snake opened its little eyes, beady as
accounts. Slowly, slowly he raised his head until his eyes
They were level with Harry's.
He winked.
Harry stared. Then quickly she glanced around,
to see if anyone was watching. Nobody paid attention. He looked back to the
snake and also winked.
The snake twisted his head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised the
eyes toward the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said clearly:
'I passed this constantly.
I know Harry murmured through the glass, though he was not sure
the snake could hear. It must be really annoying.
The snake nodded vigorously.
'By the way, where did you come from? He asked Harry
The snake lifted its tail to the small sign that had close
glass. Harry looked at him curiously.
"Boa Constrictor, Brazil."
'Was that nice?
The boa constrictor again pointed tail and Harry read: "This
specimen was bred in the zoo. "
Oh, I see. So you've never been to Brazil?
As the snake shook his head, a deafening shout behind
Harry made them jump.
-¡DUDLEY! Mr. Dursley! COME TO SEE THE SNAKE!
They WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
Dudley came waddling as fast as he could.
-Quita Of in said medium, hitting Harry in the ribs. Caught by
surprise, Harry fell to the concrete floor. What happened next was
so fast that no one knew how it happened: Piers and Dudley were
leaning close to the glass, and the next moment jumped back howling
Horror.
Harry sat up and gasped: glass which closed the
cubicle was missing boa constrictor. The huge snake
Faster Stronger body had unwound and at that time dragged on the
I use. People who were in the reptile house screamed and ran

for the exits.
As the snake slid in front of him, Harry could have sworn
a low, sibilant voice said:
Brazil, here I come ... Thank you, friend.
The manager of the reptiles was totally shocked.
But ... what about the glass? he repeated. Where has gone the glass?
The zoo director himself made a cup of strong tea and sweet
for Aunt Petunia, as he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley
They stopped complaining. So Harry had seen, the snake had not done
rather than give them a playful swipe at his feet, but when they returned to the seat
Car rear Uncle Vernon, Dudley told them that he had almost bitten
leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to strangle him. But worse,
for Harry at least, it was when Piers calmed down and was able to say:
Harry was talking about. Right, Harry?
Uncle Vernon waited until Piers had gone before
Harry face. He was so angry he could hardly speak.
Go ... pantry ... stay ... no -pudo food, before
collapsed in a chair. Aunt Petunia had to serve a glass of brandy.
Much later, Harry lay in his dark cupboard, wishing
have a clock. I did not know what time it was and he could not be sure that the
Dursley were asleep. Until they were, he could not risk going
to the kitchen to get something to eat.
She had lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten years miserable, until
where I could remember, since I was a small child and his parents had
died in a car accident. He could not remember being in the car
when his parents died. Sometimes when he forced his memory
during long hours in his cupboard, he had a strange vision, lightning
blinding green light and a pain like a burn on his forehead.
That must have been the shock, he supposed, though he could not imagine where
came the green light. And she could not remember anything from their parents. His uncles never
They spoke of them and, of course, was forbidden to ask questions. Neither
I had pictures of them in the house.
When he was younger, Harry dreamed again and again that a relative
unknown would seek to take it, but that never happened: the
Dursleys were his only family. But sometimes I thought (maybe it was more than
I wanted) had unknown people who behaved as if
known. They were strangers very strange. A man with a hat
Violet had greeted him when he was shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley
After asking angrily if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had it
Led store without buying anything. An elderly woman who looked
quirky, dressed all in green, so there were cheerfully greeted on a bus. A bald man in a long coat, purple, had you
shook hands in the street and had walked away without a word. The most
rarest of all those people was the way they seemed to disappear in the
Harry moment was approaching.
At school, Harry had no friends. Everyone knew that the group of Dudley
hated that odd Harry Potter, with his baggy old clothes and glasses
broken, and nobody liked to be against Dudley's gang.