Misplaced

Dudley, Zebras, and Snakes, oh my!

Hey y'all!!!

Sorry, I haven't been updating, my life has been crazy...

Anyways: What is Pery's pegasus' name?

____

The next couple of months passed without to much of a trail until the worst month out of all of the twelve months came. Dudley's birthday month.

There were so many things bad about that month Percy couldn't even start, but putting the extra chores and things aside, this month made Dudley even more spoiled and a brat.

Dudley's birthday, for example, started when Petunia rapped on their door, "Get up. It's Dudley's birthday and I want the best breakfast. Don't burn anything."

Both of the boys looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Then the door open and they pushed themselves out and stumbled over to the kitchen.

Without pausing, Percy started with the eggs and Harry with the biscuits. 

They worked so in sync it was hard to tell who was doing what.

Soon, Percy was setting the table and Harry was taking the biscuits out of the oven. The sound of silverware and plates called Dudley downstairs -and apparently called him to push Percy.

Percy stumbled, but from three -almost four- years of experience, he kept the plate upright and not a sausage dropped.

By the time the rest of the Dursley family got into the kitchen, Percy and Harry were already washing the pans.  As Dudley complained about the number of presents he got, Percy was taking the plates to the dishwasher.

Percy tapped his thigh four times with his thumb. Harry smiled, slightly nodding his head.

They both looked at the teen who was throwing a fake fit, he would never know that the two spoke to each other about him. He would never know what they about him in the dark. He would never know that Percy just called him a brat.

When the room went silent, Percy knew something was wrong. He started paying attention to the conversation.

"Baby, the boys might need to come with us to the zoo," Petunia asked carefully as if she was asking a lion if a mosquito could suck his blood.

And Dudley responded by doing the only he knew that would work. He started to cry, to yell, to react and whatnot, and Percy left the room. He trudged upstairs and started to sort laundry. Laundry wasn't something Percy normally did, it was something he used as an excuse to either get out of a room or a situation. 

So here Percy sat, folding Dudley's large pants and shirts, making sure nothing crossed over. He let his mind wander as he continued the pattern with Petunia's clothing.

His mind immediately went to his mom, the last dream he had of her still terrifying. The utter desperation on her face. The woman who walked out of the water, the man who wronged them all.

The man who wronged him and his mother and his the water woman was his dad.

-Percy vowed never to be like his dad, if he left people like his dad apparently did, Percy would never forgive himself-

"We're getting out of the house" A voice started Percy and he almost jumped to his feet, ruining his piles.

Then the words registered out.

"W-what?" Percy asked, his fingers briefly shaking.

Harry's grip on the door was so tight, his knuckles started turning white, yet his smile was so large that it covered almost half of his face, "We're going to the Zoo. Ms. Figgs broke her leg and none of Petunia's "friends" can cover us."

Smirking, Percy placed the folded clothing in a basket, "Thank god. It's been forever since I got outside of the yard."

Having the audacity to blush, Harry rolled his eyes.

- Percy for a second wondered if Harry was asking "How Dangerous?" or if he was simply being a teenager, then realized how dumb he was being.-

"Excited?" Placing Petunia's clothing into another basket, Percy prompted his brother.

Harry tried to keep a smile down but failed, "Oh my god yes. I can't wait. My first time going out besides going to the bookstore, but that was a mess-" The emerald eyed boy kept on going, and Percy couldn't help but smile.

"Come on. Let's get ready, Dudley's little friend is coming soon." Percy carried the laundry to the owner's rooms as he spoke.

"Oh," Harry said off-handedly "He's already here."

Sighing, Percy rubbed his face, but before he could speak, Vernon's voice rang out.

Both boys looked at each other and then ran downstairs. Before they could get into the car, Vernon pulled them aside. As soon as he had said "Listen here boys" Percy stopped paying attention.

-He tried, he really did, but his mind wandered so easily and Vernon wasn't helping-

Finally, he pushed Percy and Harry into the backseat of the car, and Harry basically had to sit on Percy's lap to make room for Dudley and his friend. The door older boys teased Harry and Percy relentlessly. Percy had to do his ABC's backwards, count down from one hundred, and name all the sea animals he could remember, just to make sure he didn't blow up on the kids. 

Looking over, Harry's jaw was clenched and his fingertips must have been digging into his skin. Percy laid his flat hand flat on his leg. Harry unclenched his hands and put them together as if he was holding hands. Percy smiled -but if Dudley ever found out about this conversation, he would never let it go, starting with the calm down/I have you, ending with I love you-. Instead of telling Harry about that horrible thought, he only smirked.

A smile graced Harry's lip, and he finally relaxed. The car ride was much smoother after that.

When they eventually pulled up to the Zoo, Harry couldn't control his excitement, his leg was bouncing up and down and he couldn't take the smile off of his face. With one last tease, the two gigantic boys unpiled from the car, and Harry and Percy slowly followed, inching out of the car.

After one last threat from Vernon Harry and Percy followed the family and friend. They went to cage after cage, seeing cougars, crocodiles, and flamingoes. Dudley and Piers scared every animal they could, screaming and jumping -they even occasionally tried to grab them.

Percy and Harry followed the group at least ten feet behind them, making sure they would be associated with "that group". 

The zebras were a short stop. The birthday boy and his minion were bored and hot, so they quickly took one look and dragged Petunia and Vernon to the inside area. Quickly glancing at the horse-like creatures, Harry attached his hand to his Percy's wrist and pulled him away, but before they left, Percy could have sworn the zebra was bowing. 

My Lord.

Percy blinked, once. Twice. He looked around, but one was looking at him nor the zebra that looked like it was bowing.

And Harry pulled him away.

Not being able to pay attention, most of the building was a blur. He barely noticed his "adopted family" annoying a large snake or his brother talking to the snake. He did, though, notice his brother being pushed to the ground. Quickly he kneeled at his brother's side, making sure he wasn't hurt until suddenly the glass disappeared. It shimmered and Dudley fell through. The snake slithered out -Percy couldn't help a laugh escape-, but the snake seemed to say something to Harry.

To Percy's utter amazement -the Zebra soon leaving his mind-, Harry hissed back, and the snake left. The whole thing was so ridiculous that he couldn't help to start laughing. Vernon turned, veins sticking out of his face -it was worse than the banister or the wig, they were dead-, and his hands were clenched. Petunia had her focus on Dudley -which was the only saving grace of this moment.

The humor died in Percy's throat.

"You're going to wish you were never born," Vernon promised.

Both of the boys gulped.

They soon got used to the dark shadows of the cupboard.