The Vanishing Glass
chapter two of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
The Dursleys celebrate Dudley’s birthday with a trip to the zoo. They are forced to bring Harry, though, who finds he can talk to the boa constrictor in the reptile house – and before he knows it the snake escapes past the alarmed Dursleys, earning him a long punishment.
Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step… yet Harry Potter was still there.
(by Chantelle)
He tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny feeling he’d had the same dream before.
(by Hala Zabaneh)
Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.
(by mneomosyne)
Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen….
(by Tealin Raintree)
It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families…. Harry watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn’t blond.
(by MartinTenbones)
Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn’t have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself.
(by NicoPony)
The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry’s. It winked.
(by Keith James)
“Where do you come from, anyway?” Harry asked.
(by Tealin Raintree)
As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, “Brazil, here I come…. Thanksss, amigo.”
(by FrizzyHermione)
When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; The Dursleys were his only family.
(by Chantelle)
about the chapter
Something You May Not Have Noticed
When Harry offers to stay home alone during the day, Aunt Petunia’s response – “And come back and find the house in ruins?” – betrays more than she’s letting on. After all, the last time Harry was in a house by himself, it was after Voldemort tried to kill him – and according to Hagrid, that “house was almost destroyed.” It sounds like Dumbledore told Petunia this story in the letter he left her, and that this is what she’s remembering in her unwillingness to leave Harry home alone.
The Boy Who Lived
It’s funny that for all the Dursleys tried to give Dudley everything they had and deny Harry all they could, it’s Harry that emerges the far better person for it – capable of the enormous amount of empathy he shows the snake locked up in the zoo. Harry’s empathy will be noted by both the powerful and the small throughout his life, as a characteristic that makes him both a “great” and an “unusual wizard.” This kindness will also inspire others to help him on several occasions when he needs it most.
Something to Remember
Among all the other bizarre things that happen to Harry when he’s young, having a conversation with a snake doesn’t seem all that strange, and Harry himself thinks little of it. Several times over the years, however, he’ll learn that this ability carries far more meaning than he ever imagined.
The Final Word
“[Chapter two is] my favourite reading to do from book one – I could do that one in my sleep.”–J.K. Rowling, October 1999
I never thought about the “find the house in ruins?” part. Good point.
linden swallow said this on February 24, 2009 at 5:48 am
mneomosyne’s cupboard under the stairs is exactly how I imagine it.
Kim said this on March 11, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Always loved mneomosyne’s art! You know, many people have pointed that Petunia believed she was doing what was good for Harry: trying to deny the magic in him she was keeping him safe… she did have a way to show her love, didn’t she?
Eli said this on July 28, 2009 at 7:38 am
I have always wondered what kind of care he received, and where he slept before he was older. A one-year-old baby need more care than just sticking him into a closet if he is going to stay alive. Any thoughts?
Pam said this on August 10, 2009 at 6:10 am
The story mentions several wizards recognizing Harry (shaking his hand, waving, etc.) and then disappearing (but I’m sure we can take this to mean disapparating). I’ve always been a little curious–if Harry’s location is so well-guarded, how does the wizarding world stop wizards from completely paparazzi-ing his home once these other wizards ‘accidentally’ happen upon him?
Pam: I’ve wondered that, too! I can’t think of anything except her completely doting on Dudley and leaving Harry in a bassinet with a pacifier (binky). And she can’t have ignored him for too long as a baby or he would have cried and, while she seems to be able to tolerate whatever Dudley dishes out, she wouldn’t have wanted ANOTHER baby crying.
Natalia said this on August 10, 2009 at 1:34 pm
The last fanfart piece by FrizzyHermione was lovely! And I never saw connection with Petunia saying, ‘and find the house in ruins?’ – that was well spotted.
Maggie said this on August 14, 2009 at 3:56 am
I remember I had this brilliant theory after book 4. I thought Nagini was the boa constrictor Harry released from the zoo and the snake would turn on Voldemort when it realized Harry was the person who set her free. But . . . . no. Didn’t happen. :)
Roonil Wazlib said this on October 29, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Roonit, I like that theory!
Kim said this on November 6, 2009 at 11:07 am
Considering the level of neglect Harry endures, I think it is amazing that he ever was fitted for glasses. Are eye tests mandatory at British primary schools?
Andrea said this on February 7, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Going back and rereading the books again, I was struck by a sudden thought as I read this: “Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for his socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on.” Isn’t it amazing, that with the cleaning that Aunt Petunia does at all times, cleaning even in her nightdress and housecoat before she goes to bed, that there are SPIDERS in her closet? Granted, Harry lives there so she probably doesn’t care as long as Dudders doesn’t go in there, but…who do we know from this series that is friendly with SPIDERS????
So my sudden thought was, perhaps the spiders were “planted” by Hagrid with Dumbledore’s blessing to watch over Harry and report back somehow. I know it’s never answered in the series, but as spiders come up so frequently, and seeing as Hagrid is friends with acromantulas, maybe it’s one of the ways Dumbledore kept watch over Harry. And it just amazes me that Petunia doesn’t get rid of the spiders in her own home!!!
Jennifer C. said this on February 20, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Jennifer C. that is a brilliant theory!
Chelsea said this on April 24, 2010 at 12:32 pm