jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第6部分

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sn't　hosted　the　cup　for　thirty　years；　and　tickets　are　extremely　hard　to　e　by。　We　would　of　course　be　glad　to　have　Harry　stay　for　the　remainder　of　the　summer　holidays；　and　to　see　him　safely　onto　the　train　back　to　school。
　　　It　would　be　best　for　Harry　to　send　us　your　answer　as　quickly　as　possible　in　the　normal　way；　because　the　Muggle　postman　has　never　delivered　to　our　house；　and　I　am　not　sure　he　even　knows　where　it　is。
　　　Hoping　to　see　Harry　soon；
　　　Yours　sincerely；
　　　Molly　Weasley
　　　
　　　P。　S。　I　do　hope　we've　put　enough　stamps　on。
　　　
　　　Uncle　Vernon　finished　reading；　put　his　hand　back　into　his　breast　pocket；　and　drew　out　something　else。
　　　〃Look　at　this；〃　he　growled。
　　　He　held　up　the　envelope　in　which　Mrs。　Weasley's　letter　had　e；　and　Harry　had　to　fight　down　a　laugh。　Every　bit　of　it　was　covered　in　stamps　except　for　a　square　inch　on　the　front；　into　which　Mrs。　Weasley　had　squeezed　the　Dursleys'　address　in　minute　writing。
　　　〃She　did　put　enough　stamps　on；　then；〃　said　Harry；　trying　to　sound　as　though　Mrs。　Weasley's　was　a　mistake　anyone　could　make。　His　uncle's　eyes　flashed。
　　　〃The　postman　noticed；〃　he　said　through　gritted　teeth。　〃Very　interested　to　know　where　this　letter　came　from；　he　was。　That's　why　he　rang　the　doorbell。　Seemed　to　think　it　was　funny。〃
　　　Harry　didn't　say　anything。　Other　people　might　not　understand　why　Uncle　Vernon　was　making　a　fuss　about　too　many　stamps；　but　Harry　had　lived　with　the　Dursleys　too　long　not　to　know　how　touchy　they　were　about　anything　even　slightly　out　of　the　ordinary。　Their　worst　fear　was　that　someone　would　find　out　that　they　were　connected　（however　distantly）　with　people　like　Mrs。　Weasley。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　was　still　glaring　at　Harry；　who　tried　to　keep　his　expression　neutral。　If　he　didn't　do　or　say　anything　stupid；　he　might　just　be　in　for　the　treat　of　a　lifetime。　He　waited　for　Uncle　Vernon　to　say　something；　but　he　merely　continued　to　glare。　Harry　decided　to　break　the　silence。
　　　〃So…can　I　go　then？〃　he　asked。
　　　A　slight　spasm　crossed　Uncle　Vernon's　large　purple　face。　The　mustache　bristled。　Harry　thought　he　knew　what　was　going　on　behind　the　mustache：　a　furious　battle　as　two　of　Uncle　Vernon's　most　fundamental　instincts　came　into　conflict。　Allowing　Harry　to　go　would　make　Harry　happy；　something　Uncle　Vernon　had　struggled　against　for　thirteen　years。　On　the　other　hand；　allowing　Harry　to　disappear　to　the　Weasleys'　for　the　rest　of　the　summer　would　get　rid　of　him　two　weeks　earlier　than　anyone　could　have　hoped；　and　Uncle　Vernon　hated　having　Harry　in　the　house。　To　give　himself　thinking　time；　it　seemed；　he　looked　down　at　Mrs。　Weasley's　letter　again。
　　　〃Who　is　this　woman？〃　he　said；　staring　at　the　signature　with　distaste。
　　　〃You've　seen　her；〃　said　Harry。　〃She's　my　friend　Ron's　mother；　she　was　meeting　him　off　the　Hog…off　the　school　train　at　the　end　of　last　term。〃
　　　He　had　almost　said　〃Hogwarts　Express；〃　and　that　was　a　sure　way　to　get　his　uncle's　temper　up。　Nobody　ever　mentioned　the　name　of　Harry's　school　aloud　in　the　Dursley　household。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　screwed　up　his　enormous　face　as　though　trying　to　remember　something　very　unpleasant。
　　　〃Dumpy　sort　of　woman？〃　he　growled　finally。　〃Load　of　children　with　red　hair？〃
　　　Harry　frowned。　He　thought　it　was　a　bit　rich　of　Uncle　Vernon　to　call　anyone　〃dumpy；〃　when　his　own　son；　Dudley；　had　finally　achieved　what　he'd　been　threatening　to　do　since　the　age　of　three；　and　bee　wider　than　he　was　tall。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　was　perusing　the　letter　again。
　　　〃Quidditch；〃　he　muttered　under　his　breath。　〃Quidditch…what　is　this　rubbish？〃
　　　Harry　felt　a　second　stab　of　annoyance。
　　　〃It's　a　sport；〃　he　said　shortly。　〃Played　on　broom…　〃
　　　〃All　right；　all　right！〃　said　Uncle　Vernon　loudly。　Harry　saw；　with　some　satisfaction；　that　his　uncle　looked　vaguely　panicky。　Apparently　his　nerves　couldn't　stand　the　sound　of　the　word　〃broomsticks〃　in　his　living　room。　He　took　refuge　in　perusing　the　letter　again。　Harry　saw　his　lips　form　the　words　〃send　us　your　answer　。。。in　the　normal　way。〃　He　scowled。
　　　〃What　does　she　mean；　'the　normal　way'？〃　he　spat。
　　　〃Normal　for　us；〃　said　Harry；　and　before　his　uncle　could　stop　him；　he　added；　〃you　know；　owl　post。　That's　what's　normal　for　wizards。〃
　　　Uncle　Vernon　looked　as　outraged　as　if　Harry　had　just　uttered　a　disgusting　swearword。　Shaking　with　anger；　he　shot　a　nervous　look　through　the　window；　as　though　expecting　to　see　some　of　the　neighbors　with　their　ears　pressed　against　the　glass。
　　　〃How　many　times　do　I　have　to　tell　you　not　to　mention　that　unnaturalness　under　my　roof？〃　he　hissed；　his　face　now　a　rich　plum　color。　〃You　stand　there；　in　the　clothes　Petunia　and　I　have　put　on　your　ungrateful　back…〃
　　　〃Only　after　Dudley　finished　with　them；〃　said　Harry　coldly；　and　indeed；　he　was　dressed　in　a　sweatshirt　so　large　for　him　that　he　had　had　to　roll　back　the　sleeves　five　times　so　as　to　be　able　to　use　his　hands；　and　which　fell　past　the　knees　of　his　extremely　baggy　jeans。
　　　〃I　will　not　be　spoken　to　like　that！〃　said　Uncle　Vernon；　trembling　with　rage。
　　　But　Harry　wasn't　going　to　stand　for　this。　Gone　were　the　days　when　he　had　been　forced　to　take　every　single　one　of　the　Dursleys'　stupid　rules。　He　wasn't　following　Dudley's　diet；　and　he　wasn't　going　to　let　Uncle　Vernon　stop　him　from　going　to　the　Quidditch　World　Cup；　not　if　he　could　help　it。　Harry　took　a　deep；　steadying　breath　and　then　said；　〃Okay；　I　can't　see　the　World　Cup。　Can　I　go　now；　then？　Only　I've　got　a　letter　to　Sirius　I　want　to　finish。　You　know…my　godfather。〃
　　　He　had　done　it；　he　had　said　the　magic　words。　Now　he　watched　the　purple　recede　blotchily　from　Uncle　Vernon's　face；　making　it　look　like　badly　mixed　black　currant　ice　cream。
　　　〃You're…you're　writing　to　him；　are　you？〃　said　Uncle　Vernon；　in　a　would…be　calm　voice…but　Harry　had　seen　the　pupils　of　his　tiny　eyes　contract　with　sudden　fear。
　　　〃Well…yeah；〃　said　Harry；　casually。　〃It's　been　a　while　since　he　heard　from　me；　and；　you　know；　if　he　doesn't　he　might　start　thinking　something's　wrong。〃
　　　He　stopped　there　to　enjoy　the　effect　of　these　words。　He　could　almost　see　the　cogs　working　under　Uncle　Vernon's　thick；　dark；　neatly　parted　hair。　If　he　tried　to　stop　Harry　writing　to　Sirius；　Sirius　would　think　Harry　was　being　mistreated。　If　he　told　Harry　he　couldn't　go　to　the　Quidditch　World　Cup；　Harry　would　write　and　tell　Sirius；　who　would　know　Harry　was　being　mistreated。　There　was　only　one　thing　for　Uncle　Vernon　to　do。　Harry　could　see　the　conclusion　forming　in　his　uncle's　mind　as　though　the　great　mustached　face　were　transparent。　Harry　tried　not　to　smile；　to　keep　his　own　face　as　blank　as　possible。　And　then…
　　　〃Well；　all　right　then。　You　can　go　to　this　ruddy　。。。this　stupid　。。。this　World　Cup　thing。　You　write　and　tell　these…these　Weasleys　they're　to　pick　you　up；　mind。　I　haven't　got　time　to　go　dropping　you　off　all　over　the　country。　And　you　can　spend　the　rest　of　the　summer　there。　And　you　can　tell　your…your　godfather　。。。tell　him　。。。tell　him　you're　going。〃
　　　〃Okay　then；〃　said　Harry　brightly。
　　　He　turned　and　walked　toward　the　living　room　door；　fighting　the　urge　to　jump　into　the　air　and　whoop。　He　was　going　。。。he　was　going　to　the　Weasleys'；　he　was　going　to　watch　the　Quidditch　World　Cup！
　　　Outside　in　the　hall　he　nearly　ran　into　Dudley；　who　had　been　lurking　behind　the　door；　clearly　hoping　to　overhear　Harry　being　told　off。　He　looked　shocked　to　see　the　broad　grin　on　Harry's　face。
　　　〃That　was　an　excellent　breakfast；　wasn't　it？〃　said　Harry。　〃I　feel　really　full；　don't　you？〃
　　　Laughing　at　the　astonished　look　on　Dudley's　face；　Harry　took　the　stairs　three　at　a　time；　and　hurled　himself　back　into　his　bedroom。
　　　The　first　thing　he　saw　was　that　Hedwig　was　back。　She　was　sitting　in　her　cage；　staring　at　Harry　with　her　enormous　amber　eyes；　and　clicking　her　beak　in　the　way　that　meant　she　was　annoyed　about　something。　Exactly　what　was　annoying　her　became　apparent　almost　at　once。
　　　〃OUCH！〃　said　Harry　as　what　appeared　to　be　a　small；　gray；　feathery　tennis　ball　collided　with　the　side　of　his　head。　Harry　massaged　the　spot　furiously；　looking　up　to　see　what　had　hit　him；　and　saw　a　minute　owl；　small　enough　to　fit　into　the　palm　of　his　hand；　whizzing　excitedly　around　the　room　like　a　loose　firework。　Harry　then　realized　that　the　owl　had　dropped　a　letter　at　his　feet。　Harry　bent　down；　recognized　Ron's　handwriting；　then　tore　open　the　envelope。　Inside　was　a　hastily　scribbled　note。
　　　
　　　Harry…DAD　GOT　THE　TICKETS…Ireland　versus　Bulgaria；　Monday　night。　Mum's　writing　to　the　Muggles　to　ask　you　to　stay。　They　might　already　have　the　letter；　I　don't　know　how　fast　Muggle　post　is。　Thought　I'd　send　this　with　Pig　anyway。
　　　
　　　Harry　stared　at　the　word　〃Pig；〃　then　looked　up　at　the　tiny　owl　now　zooming　around　the　light　fixture　on　the　ceiling。　He　had　never　seen　anything　that　looked　less　like　a　pig。　Maybe　he　couldn't　read　Ron's　writing。　He　went　back　to　the　letter：
　　　
　　　We're　ing　for　you　whether　the　Muggles　like　it　or　not；　you　can't　miss　the　World　Cup；　only　Mum　and　Dad　reckon　it's　better　if　we　pretend　to　ask　their　permission　first。　If　they　say　yes；　send　Pig　back　with　your　answer　pronto；　and　we'll　e　and　get　you　at　five　o'clock　on　Sunday。　If　they　say　no；　send　Pig　back　pronto　and　we'll　e　and　get　you　at　five　o'clock　on　Sunday　anyway。
　　　Hermione's　arriving　this　afternoon。　Percy's　started　work…the　Department　of　I