CHAPTERTWO THE VANISHING GLASS

Nearly ten years hadpassed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step,but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy frontgardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it creptinto their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on thenight when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Onlythe photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. 

Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pinkbeach ball wearing different-colored bonnets -- but Dudley Dursley was nolonger a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding hisfirst bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with hisfather, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at allthat another boy lived in the house, too. Yet Harry Potter was still there,asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it washer shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.

"Up! Get up!Now!" Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again."Up!" she screeched.

Harry heard her walkingtoward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove.He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. Ithad been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funnyfeeling he'd had the same dream before.

His aunt was back outsidethe door. "Are you up yet?" she demanded.

"Nearly," saidHarry.

"Well, get a moveon, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I wanteverything perfect on Duddy's birthday." 

Harry groaned.

"What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door.

"Nothing, nothing..." Dudley's birthday -- how could he have forgotten? Harry gotslowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bedand, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Harry was used tospiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that waswhere he slept.