jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第5部分

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livered；　not　by　owls　（as　was　usual　with　wizards）；　but　by　large；　brightly　colored　tropical　birds。　Hedwig　had　not　approved　of　these　flashy　intruders；　she　had　been　most　reluctant　to　allow　them　to　drink　from　her　water　tray　before　flying　off　again。　Harry；　on　the　other　hand；　had　liked　them；　they　put　him　in　mind　of　palm　trees　and　white　sand；　and　he　hoped　that；　wherever　Sirius　was　（Sirius　never　said；　in　case　the　letters　were　intercepted）；　he　was　enjoying　himself。　Somehow；　Harry　found　it　hard　to　imaging　dementors　surviving　for　long　in　bright　sunlight；　perhapse　that　was　why　Sirius　had　gone　South。　Sirius's　letters；　which　were　now　hidden　beneath　the　highly　useful　loose　floorboards　under　Harry's　bed；　sounded　chearful；　and　in　both　of　them　he　had　reminded　Harry　to　call　on　him　if　ever　Harry　needed　to。　Well；　he　needed　to　right　now；　all　right。。。
　　　Harry's　lamp　seemed　to　grow　dimmer　as　the　cold　gray　light　that　precedes　sunrise　slowly　crept　into　the　room。　Finally；　when　the　sun　had　risen；　when　his　bedroom　walls　had　turned　gold；　and　when　sounds　of　movement　could　be　heard　from　Uncle　Vernon　and　Aunt　Petunia's　room；　Harry　cleared　his　desk　of　crumpled　pieces　of　parchment　and　reread　his　finished　letter。
　　　
　　　Dear　Sirius；
　　　Thanks　for　your　last　letter。　That　bird　was　enormous；　it　could　hardly　get　through　my　window。　Things　are　the　same　as　usual　here。　Dudley's　diet　isn't　going　too　well。　My　aunt　found　him　smuggling　doughnuts　into　his　room　yesterday。　They　told　him　they'd　have　to　cut　his　pocket　money　if　he　keeps　doing　it；　so　he　got　really　angry　and　chucked　his　PlayStation　out　of　the　window。　That's　a　sort　of　puter　thing　you　can　play　games　on。　Bit　stupid　really；　now　he　hasn't　even　got　Mega…Mutilation　Part　Three　to　take　his　mind　off　things。
　　　I'm　okay；　mainly　because　the　Dursleys　are　terrified　you　might　turn　up　and　turn　them　all　into　bats　if　I　ask　you　to。
　　　A　weird　thing　happened　this　morning；　though。　My　scar　hurt　again。　Last　time　that　happened　it　was　because　Voldemort　was　at　Hogwarts。　But　I　don't　reckon　he　can　be　anywhere　near　me　now；　can　he？　Do　you　know　if　curse　scars　sometimes　hurt　years　afterward？
　　　I'll　send　this　with　Hedwig　when　she　gets　back；　she's　off　hunting　at　the　moment。　Say　hello　to　Buckbeak　for　me。　Harry
　　　
　　　Yes；　thought　Harry；　that　looked　all　right。　There　was　no　point　putting　in　the　dream；　he　didn't　want　it　to　look　as　though　he　was　too　worried。　He　folded　up　the　parchment　and　laid　it　aside　on　his　desk；　ready　for　when　Hedwig　returned。　Then　he　got　to　his　feet；　stretched；　and　opened　his　wardrobe　once　more。　Without　glancing　at　his　reflection　he　started　to　get　dressed　before　going　down　to　breakfast。
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　THREE
　　　THE　INVITATION
　　　
　　　By　the　time　Harry　arrived　in　the　kitchen；　the　three　Dursleys　were　already　seated　around　the　table。　None　of　them　looked　up　as　he　entered　or　sat　down。　Uncle　Vernon's　large　red　face　was　hidden　behind　the　morning's　Daily　Mail；　and　Aunt　Petunia　was　cutting　a　grapefruit　into　quarters；　her　lips　pursed　over　her　horselike　teeth。
　　　Dudley　looked　furious　and　sulky；　and　somehow　seemed　to　be　taking　up　even　more　space　than　usual。　This　was　saying　something；　as　he　always　took　up　an　entire　side　of　the　square　table　by　himself。　When　Aunt　Petunia　put　a　quarter　of　unsweetened　grapefruit　onto　Dudley's　plate　with　a　tremulous　〃There　you　are；　Diddy　darling；〃　Dudley　glowered　at　her。　His　life　had　taken　a　most　unpleasant　turn　since　he　had　e　home　for　the　summer　with　his　end…of…year　report。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　and　Aunt　Petunia　had　managed　to　find　excuses　for　his　bad　marks　as　usual：　Aunt　Petunia　always　insisted　that　Dudley　was　a　very　gifted　boy　whose　teachers　didn't　understand　him；　while　Uncle　Vernon　maintained　that　〃he　didn't　want　some　swotty　little　nancy　boy　for　a　son　anyway。〃　They　also　skated　over　the　accusations　of　bullying　in　the　report…〃He's　a　boisterous　little　boy；　but　he　wouldn't　hurt　a　fly！〃　Aunt　Petunia　had　said　tearfully。
　　　However；　at　the　bottom　of　the　report　there　were　a　few　well…chosen　ments　from　the　school　nurse　that　not　even　Uncle　Vernon　and　Aunt　Petunia　could　explain　away。　No　matter　how　much　Aunt　Petunia　wailed　that　Dudley　was　big…boned；　and　that　his　poundage　was　really　puppy　fat；　and　that　he　was　a　growing　boy　who　needed　plenty　of　food；　the　fact　remained　that　the　school　outfitters　didn't　stock　knickerbockers　big　enough　for　him　anymore。　The　school　nurse　had　seen　what　Aunt　Petunia's　eyes…so　sharp　when　it　came　to　spotting　fingerprints　on　her　gleaming　walls；　and　in　observing　the　ings　and　goings　of　the　neighbors…simply　refused　to　see：　that　far　from　needing　extra　nourishment；　Dudley　had　reached　roughly　the　size　and　weight　of　a　young　killer　whale。
　　　So…after　many　tantrums；　after　arguments　that　shook　Harry's　bedroom　floor；　and　many　tears　from　Aunt　Petunia…the　new　regime　had　begun。　The　diet　sheet　that　had　been　sent　by　the　Smeltings　school　nurse　had　been　taped　to　the　fridge；　which　had　been　emptied　of　all　Dudley's　favorite　things…fizzy　drinks　and　cakes；　chocolate　bars　and　burgers　and　filled　instead　with　fruit　and　vegetables　and　the　sorts　of　things　that　Uncle　Vernon　called　〃rabbit　food。〃　To　make　Dudley　feel　better　about　it　all；　Aunt　Petunia　had　insisted　that　the　whole　family　follow　the　diet　too。　She　now　passed　a　grapefruit　quarter　to　Harry。　He　noticed　that　it　was　a　lot　smaller　than　Dudley's。　Aunt　Petunia　seemed　to　feet　that　the　best　way　to　keep　up　Dudley's　morale　was　to　make　sure　that　he　did；　at　least；　get　more　to　eat　than　Harry。
　　　But　Aunt　Petunia　didn't　know　what　was　hidden　under　the　loose　floorboard　upstairs。　She　had　no　idea　that　Harry　was　not　following　the　diet　at　all。　The　moment　he　had　got　wind　of　the　fact　that　he　was　expected　to　survive　the　summer　on　carrot　sticks；　Harry　had　sent　Hedwig　to　his　friends　with　pleas　for　help；　and　they　had　risen　to　the　occasion　magnificently。　Hedwig　had　returned　from　Hermione's　house　with　a　large　box　stuffed　full　of　sugar…free　snacks。　（Hermione's　parents　were　dentists。）　Hagrid；　the　Hogwarts　gamekeeper；　had　obliged　with　a　sack　full　of　his　own　homemade　rock　cakes。　（Harry　hadn't　touched　these；　he　had　had　too　much　experience　of　Hagrid's　cooking。）　Mrs。　Weasley；　however；　had　sent　the　family　owl；　Errol；　with　an　enormous　fruitcake　and　assorted　meat　pies。　Poor　Errol；　who　was　elderly　and　feeble；　had　needed　a　full　five　days　to　recover　from　the　journey。　And　then　on　Harry's　birthday　（which　the　Dursleys　had　pletely　ignored）　he　had　received　four　superb　birthday　cakes；　one　each　from　Ron；　Hermione；　Hagrid；　and　Sirius。　Harry　still　had　two　of　them　left；　and　so；　looking　forward　to　a　real　breakfast　when　he　got　back　upstairs；　he　ate　his　grapefruit　without　plaint。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　laid　aside　his　paper　with　a　deep　sniff　of　disapproval　and　looked　down　at　his　own　grapefruit　quarter。
　　　〃Is　this　it？〃　he　said　grumpily　to　Aunt　Petunia。
　　　Aunt　Petunia　gave　him　a　severe　look；　and　then　nodded　pointedly　at　Dudley；　who　had　already　finished　his　own　grapefruit　quarter　and　was　eyeing　Harry's　with　a　very　sour　look　in　his　piggy　little　eyes。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　gave　a　great　sigh；　which　ruffled　his　large；　bushy　mustache；　and　picked　up　his　spoon。
　　　The　doorbell　rang。　Uncle　Vernon　heaved　himself　out　of　his　chair　and　set　off　down　the　hall。　Quick　as　a　flash；　while　his　mother　was　occupied　with　the　kettle；　Dudley　stole　the　rest　of　Uncle　Vernon's　grapefruit。
　　　Harry　heard　talking　at　the　door；　and　someone　laughing；　and　Uncle　Vernon　answering　curtly。　Then　the　front　door　closed；　and　the　sound　of　ripping　paper　came　from　the　hall。
　　　Aunt　Petunia　set　the　teapot　down　on　the　table　and　looked　curiously　around　to　see　where　Uncle　Vernon　had　got　to。　She　didn't　have　to　wait　long　to　find　out；　after　about　a　minute；　he　was　back。　He　looked　livid。
　　　〃You；〃　he　barked　at　Harry。　〃In　the　living　room。　Now。〃
　　　Bewildered；　wondering　what　on　earth　he　was　supposed　to　have　done　this　time；　Harry　got　up　and　followed　Uncle　Vernon　out　of　the　kitchen　and　into　the　next　room。　Uncle　Vernon　closed　the　door　sharply　behind　both　of　them。
　　　〃So；〃　he　said；　marching　over　to　the　fireplace　and　turning　to　face　Harry　as　though　he　were　about　to　pronounce　him　under　arrest。　〃So。〃
　　　Harry　would　have　dearly　loved　to　have　said；　〃So　what？〃　but　he　didn't　feel　that　Uncle　Vernon's　temper　should　be　tested　this　early　in　the　morning；　especially　when　it　was　already　under　severe　strain　from　lack　of　food。　He　therefore　settled　for　looking　politely　puzzled。
　　　〃This　just　arrived；〃　said　Uncle　Vernon。　He　brandished　a　piece　of　purple　writing　paper　at　Harry。　〃A　letter。　About　you。〃
　　　Harry's　confusion　increased。　Who　would　be　writing　to　Uncle　Vernon　about　him？　Who　did　he　know　who　sent　letters　by　the　postman？
　　　Uncle　Vernon　glared　at　Harry；　then　looked　down　at　the　letter　and　began　to　read　aloud：
　　　
　　　Dear　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Dursley；
　　　We　have　never　been　introduced；　but　I　am　sure　you　have　heard　a　great　deal　from　Harry　about　my　son　Ron。
　　　As　Harry　might　have　told　you；　the　final　of　the　Quidditch　World　Cup　takes　place　this　Monday　night；　and　my　husband；　Arthur；　has　just　managed　to　get　prime　tickets　through　his　connections　at　the　Department　of　Magical　Games　and　Sports。
　　　I　do　hope　you　will　allow　us　to　take　Harry　to　the　match；　as　this　really　is　a　once…in…a…lifetime　opportunity；　Britain　hasn't　hosted　the　cup　for　thirty　years；　and　tickets　are　extremely　hard　to　e　by。　We　would　of　course　be