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As the snake shook its head, a deafening
shout behind Harry made both of them jump. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY!
COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"
Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could. "Out of the
way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise,
Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. What came next happened so
fast no one saw how it happened - one second, Piers and Dudley were
leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back
with howls of horror. Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of
the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was
uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People
throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the
exits.
As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come. . . . Thanksss, amigo."
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The keeper of the reptile house was in shock. "But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?" The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?" Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard - stay - no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy. Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. |
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