3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第8部分

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ry　deep　down。〃
　　It　didn't　occur　to　Harry　to　put　Fudge　right。　He　was　still　waiting　to　hear　what　was　going　to　happen　to　him　now。
　　〃So　all　that　remains；〃　said　Fudge；　now　buttering　himself　a　second　crumpet；　〃is　to　decide　where　you're　going　to　spend　the　last　two　weeks　of　your　vacation。　I　suggest　you　take　a　room　here　at　the　Leaky　Cauldron　and
　　〃Hang　on；〃　blurted　Harry。　〃What　about　my　punishment？〃
　　Fudge　blinked。　〃Punishment？〃
　　〃I　broke　the　law！〃　Harry　said。　〃The　Decree　for　the　Restriction　of　Underage　Wizardry！〃
　　〃Oh；　my　dear　boy；　we're　not　going　to　punish　you　for　a　little　thing　like　that！〃　cried　Fudge；　waving　his　crumpet　impatiently。　〃It　was　an　accident！　We　don't　send　people　to　Azkaban　just　for　blowing　up　their　aunts！〃
　　But　this　didn't　tally　at　all　with　Harry's　past　dealings　with　the　Ministry　of　Magic。
　　〃Last　year；　I　got　an　official　warning　just　because　a　house…elf　smashed　a　pudding　in　my　uncle's　house！〃　he　told　Fudge；　frowning。　〃The　Ministry　of　Magic　said　I'd　be　expelled　from　Hogwarts　if　there　was　any　more　magic　there！〃
　　Unless　Harry's　eyes　were　deceiving　him；　Fudge　was　suddenly　looking　awkward。
　　〃Circumstances　change；　Harry。。。　We　have　to　take　into　account。。。　in　the　present　climate。。。　Surely　you　don't　want　to　be　expelled？〃
　　〃Of　course　I　don't；〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Well　then；　what's　A　the　fuss　about？〃　laughed　Fudge。　〃Now；　have　a　crumpet；　Harry；　while　I　go　and　see　if　Tom's　got　a　room　for　you。〃
　　Fudge　strode　out　of　the　parlor　and　Harry　stared　after　him。　There　was　something　extremely　odd　going　on。　Why　had　Fudge　been　waiting　for　him　at　the　Leaky　Cauldron；　if　not　to　punish　him　for　what　he'd　done？　And　now　Harry　came　to　think　of　it；　surely　it　wasn't　usual　for　the　Minister　of　Magic　himself　to　get　involved　in　matters　of　underage　magic？
　　Fudge　came　back；　acpanied　by　Tom　the　innkeeper。
　　〃Room　eleven's　free；　Harry；〃　said　Fudge。　〃I　think　you'll　be　very　fortable。　just　one　thing；　and　I'm　sure　you'll　understand。。。　I　don't　want　you　wandering　off　into　Muggle　London；　all　right？　Keep　to　Diagon　Alley。　And　you're　to　be　back　here　before　dark　each　night。　Sure　you'll　understand。　Tom　will　be　keeping　an　eye　on　you　for　me。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　said　Harry　slowly；　〃but　why？〃
　　〃Don't　want　to　lose　you　again；　do　we？〃　said　Fudge　with　a　hearty　laugh。　〃No；　no。。。　best　we　know　where　you　are。。。。　I　mean。。。〃
　　Fudge　cleared　his　throat　loudly　and　picked　up　his　pinstriped　cloak。
　　〃Well；　I'll　be　off；　plenty　to　do；　you　know。。。
　　〃Have　you　had　any　luck　with　Black　yet？〃　Harry　asked。
　　Fudge's　finger　slipped　on　the　silver　fastenings　of　his　cloak。
　　〃What's　that？　Oh；　you've　heard　　well；　no；　not　yet；　but　it's　only　a　matter　of　time。　The　Azkaban　guards　have　never　yet　failed。。。　and　they　are　angrier　than　I've　ever　seen　them。〃
　　Fudge　shuddered　slightly。
　　〃So；　I'll　say　good…bye。〃
　　He　held　out　his　hand　and　Harry；　shaking　it；　had　a　sudden　idea。
　　〃Er　　Minister？　Can　I　ask　you　something？〃
　　〃Certainly；〃　said　Fudge　with　a　smile。
　　〃Well；　third　years　at　Hogwarts　are　allowed　to　visit　Hogsmeade；　but　my　aunt　and　uncle　didn't　sign　the　permission　form。　D'you　think　you　could　？〃
　　Fudge　was　looking　unfortable。
　　〃Ah；〃　he　said。　〃No；　no；　I'm　very　sorry；　Harry；　but　as　I'm　not　your　parent　or　guardian　〃
　　〃But　you　I　re　the　Minister　of　Magic；〃　said　Harry　eagerly。　〃If　you　gave　me　permission
　　〃No；　I'm　sorry；　Harry；　but　rules　are　rules；〃　said　Fudge　flatly。
　　'Perhaps　You'll　be　able　to　visit　Hogsmeade　next　year。　In　fact；　I　think　it's　best　if　you　don't。。。　yes。。。　well；　I'll　be　off　Enjoy　your　stay；　Harry。〃
　　And　with　a　last　smile　and　shake　of　Harry's　hand；　Fudge　left　the　room。　Tom　now　moved　forward；　beaming　at　Harry。
　　〃If　you'll　follow　me；　Mr。　Potter；〃　he　said；　〃I've　already　taken　your　things　up。。。〃
　　Harry　followed　Tom　up　a　handsome　wooden　staircase　to　a　door　with　a　brass　number　eleven　on　it；　which　Tom　unlocked　and　opened　for　him。
　　Inside　was　a　very　fortable…looking　bed；　some　highly　polished　oak　furniture；　a　cheerfully　crackling　fire　and；　perched　on　top　of　the　wardrobe　…
　　〃Hedwig！〃　Harry　gasped。
　　The　snowy　owl　clicked　her　beak　and　fluttered　down　onto　Harry's　arm。
　　〃Very　smart　owl　you've　got　there；　chuckled　Tom。　〃Arrived　about　five　minutes　after　you　did。　If　there's　anything　you　need；　Mr。　Potter；　don't　hesitate　to　ask。〃
　　He　gave　another　bow　and　left。
　　Harry　sat　on　his　bed　for　a　long　time；　absentmindedly　stroking　Hedwig。　The　sky　outside　the　window　was　changing　rapidly　from　deep；　velvety　blue　to　cold；　steely　gray　and　then；　slowly；　to　pink　shot　with　gold。　Harry　could　hardly　believe　that　he'd　left　Privet　Drive　only　a　few　hours　ago；　that　he　wasn't　expelled；　and　that　he　was　now　facing　two　pletely　Dursley…free　weeks。
　　〃It's　been　a　very　weird　night；　Hedwig；〃　he　yawned。
　　And　without　even　removing　his　glasses；　he　slumped　back　onto　his　pillows　and　fell　asleep。
　　CHAPTER　FOUR
　　THE　LEAKY　CAULDRON
　　It　took　Harry　several　days　to　get　used　to　his　strange　new　freedom。　Never　before　had　he　been　able　to　get　up　whenever　he　wanted　or　eat　whatever　he　fancied。　He　could　even　go　wherever　he　pleased；　as　long　as　it　was　in　Diagon　Alley；　and　as　this　long　cobbled　street　was　packed　with　the　most　fascinating　wizarding　shops　in　the　world；　Harry　felt　no　desire　to　break　his　word　to　Fudge　and　stray　back　into　the　Muggle　world。
　　Harry　ate　breakfast　each　morning　in　the　Leaky　Cauldron；　where　he　liked　watching　the　other　guests：　funny　little　witches　from　the　country；　up　for　a　day's　shopping；　venerable…looking　wizards　arguing　over　the　latest　article　in　Transfiguration　Today；　wild…looking　warlocks；　raucous　dwarfs；　and　once；　what　looked　suspiciously　like　a　hag；　who　ordered　a　plate　of　raw　liver　from　behind　a　thick　woollen　balaclava。
　　After　breakfast　Harry　would　go　out　into　the　backyard；　take　out　his　wand；　tap　the　third　brick　from　the　left　above　the　trash　bit；；　and　stand　back　as　the　archway　into　Diagon　Alley　opened　in　the　wall。
　　Harry　spent　the　long　sunny　days　exploring　the　shops　and　eating　under　the　brightly　colored　umbrellas　outside　cafes；　where　his　fellow　diners　were　showing　one　another　their　purchases　（　〃　it　；　s　a　lunascope；　old　boy　　no　more　messing　around　with　moon　charts；　see？〃）　or　else　discussing　the　case　of　Sirius　Black　（〃personalty；　I　won't　let　any　of　the　children　out　alone　until　he's　back　in　Azkaban〃）。　Harry　didn't　have　to　do　his　homework　under　the　blankets　by　flashlight　anymore；　now　he　could　sit　in　the　bright　sunshine　outside　Florean　Fortescue's　Ice　Cream　Parlor；　finishing　all　his　essays　with　occasional　help　from　Florean　Fortescue　himself；　who；　apart　from　knowing　a　great　deal　about　medieval　witch　burnings；　gave　Harry　free　sundaes　every　half　an　hour。
　　Once　Harry　had　refilled　his　money　bag　with　gold　Galleons；　silver　Sickles；　and　bronze　Knuts　from　his　vault　at　Gringotts；　he　had　to　exercise　a　lot　of　self…control　not　to　spend　the　whole　lot　at　once。　He　had　to　keep　reminding　himself　that　he　had　five　years　to　go　at　Hogwarts；　and　how　it　would　feel　to　ask　the　Dursleys　for　money　for　spellbooks；　to　stop　himself　from　buying　a　handsome　set　of　solid　gold　Gobstones　（a　wizarding　game　rather　like　marbles；　in　which　the　stones　squirt　a　nasty…smelling　liquid　into　the　other　player's　face　when　they　lose　a　point）。　He　was　sorely　tempted；　too；　by　the　perfect；　moving　model　of　the　galaxy　in　a　large　glass　ball；　which　would　have　meant　he　never　had　to　take　another　Astronomy　lesson。　But　the　thing　that　tested　Harry's　resolution　most　appeared　in　his　favorite　shop；　Quality　Quidditch　Supplies；　a　week　after　he'd　arrived　at　the　Leaky　Cauldron。
　　Curious　to　know　what　the　crowd　in　the　shop　was　staring　at；　Harry　edged　his　way　inside　and　squeezed　in　among　the　excited　witches　and　wizards　until　he　glimpsed　a　newly　erected　podium；　on　which　was　mounted　the　most　magnificent　broom　he　had　ever　seen　in　his　life。
　　〃Just　e　out　　prototype　〃　a　square…jawed　wizard　was　telling　his　panion。
　　〃It's　the　fastest　broom　in　the　world；　isn't　it；　Dad？〃　squeaked　a　boy　younger　than　Harry；　who　was　swinging　off　his　father's　arm。
　　〃Irish　International　Side's　Just　put　in　an　order　for　seven　of　these　beauties！〃　the　proprietor　of　the　shop　told　the　crowd。　〃And　they're　favorites　for　the　World　Cup！〃
　　A　large　witch　in　front　of　Harry　moved；　and　he　was　able　to　read　the　sign　next　to　the　broom：
　　**　THE　FIREBOLT　**
　　THIS　STATE…OF…THE…ART　PACING　BROOM　SPORTS　A　STREAM…LINED；　SUPERFINE　HANDLE　OF　ASH；　TREATED　WITH　A　DIAMOND…HARD　POLISH　AND　HAND…　NUMBERED　WITH　ITS　OWN　REGISTRATION　NUMBER。　EACH　INDIVIDUALLY　SELECTED　BIRCH　TWIG　IN　THE　BROOMTAIL　HAS　BEEN　HONED　TO　AERODYNAMIC　PERFECTION；　GIVING　THE　FIREBOLT　UNSURPASSABLE　BALANCE　AND　PINPOINT　PRECISION。　THE　FIREBOLT　HAS　AN　ACCELERATION　OF　150　MILES　AN　HOUR　IN　TEN　SECONDS　AND　INCORPORATES　AN　UNBREAKABLE　BRAKING　CHARM。　PRICE　ON　REQUEST。
　　Price　on　request。。。　Harry　didn't　like　to　think　how　much　gold　the　Firebolt　would　cost。　He　had　never　wanted　anything　as　much　in　his　whole　life　　but　he　had　never　lost　a　Quidditch　match　on　his　Nim　bus　Two　Thousand；　and　what　was　the　point　in　emptying　his　Gringotts　vault　for　the　Firebolt；　when　he　had　a　very　good　broom　already？　Harry　didn't　ask　for　the　price；　but　he　returned；　almost　every　day　after　that；　just　to　look　at　the　Firebolt。
　　There　were；　however；　things　that　Harry　nee