jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第7部分

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k　on　Sunday　anyway。
　　　Hermione's　arriving　this　afternoon。　Percy's　started　work…the　Department　of　International　Magical　Cooperation。　Don't　mention　anything　about　Abroad　while　you're　here　unless　you　want　the　pants　bored　off　you。
　　　See　you　soon…Ron
　　　
　　　〃Calm　down！〃　Harry　said　as　the　small　owl　flew　low　over　his　head；　twittering　madly　with　what　Harry　could　only　assume　was　pride　at　having　delivered　the　letter　to　the　right　person。　〃e　here；　I　need　you　to　take　my　answer　back！〃
　　　The　owl　fluttered　down　on　top　of　Hedwig's　cage。　Hedwig　looked　coldly　up　at　it；　as　though　daring　it　to　try　and　e　any　closer。
　　　Harry　seized　his　eagle…feather　quill　once　more；　grabbed　a　fresh　piece　of　parchment；　and　wrote：
　　　
　　　Ron；　it's　all　okay；　the　Muggles　say　I　can　e。　See　you　five　o'clock　tomorrow。　Can't　wait。　Harry
　　　
　　　He　folded　this　note　up　very　small；　and　with　immense　difficulty；　tied　it　to　the　tiny　owl's　leg　as　it　hopped　on　the　spot　with　excitement。　The　moment　the　note　was　secure；　the　owl　was　off　again；　it　zoomed　out　of　the　window　and　out　of　sight。
　　　Harry　turned　to　Hedwig。
　　　〃Feeling　up　to　a　long　journey？〃　he　asked　her。
　　　Hedwig　hooted　in　a　dignified　sort　of　a　way。
　　　〃Can　you　take　this　to　Sirius　for　me？〃　he　said；　picking　up　his　letter。　〃Hang　on　。。。I　just　want　to　finish　it。〃
　　　He　unfolded　the　parchment　and　hastily　added　a　postscript。
　　　
　　　If　you　want　to　contact　me；　I'll　be　at　my　friend　Ron　Weasley's　for　the　rest　of　the　summer。　His　dad's　got　us　tickets　for　the　Quidditch　World　Cup！
　　　
　　　The　letter　finished；　he　tied　it　to　Hedwig's　leg；　she　kept　unusually　still；　as　though　determined　to　show　him　how　a　real　post　owl　should　behave。
　　　〃I'll　be　at　Ron's　when　you　get　back；　all　right？〃　Harry　told　her。
　　　She　nipped　his　finger　affectionately；　then；　with　a　soft　swooshing　noise；　spread　her　enormous　wings　and　soared　out　of　the　open　window。
　　　Harry　watched　her　out　of　sight；　then　crawled　under　his　bed；　wrenched　up　the　loose　floorboard；　and　pulled　out　a　large　chunk　of　birthday　cake。　He　sat　there　on　the　floor　eating　it；　savoring　the　happiness　that　was　flooding　through　him。　He　had　cake；　and　Dudley　had　nothing　but　grapefruit；　it　was　a　bright　summer's　day；　he　would　be　leaving　Privet　Drive　tomorrow；　his　scar　felt　perfectly　normal　again；　and　he　was　going　to　watch　the　Quidditch　World　Cup。　It　was　hard；　just　now；　to　feel　worried　about　anything…even　Lord　Voldemort。
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　FOUR
　　　BACK　TO　THE　BURROW
　　　
　　　By　twelve　o'clock　the　next　day；　Harry's　school　trunk　was　packed　with　his　school　things　and　all　his　most　prized　possessions…the　Invisibility　Cloak　he　had　inherited　from　his　father；　the　broomstick　he　had　gotten　from　Sirius；　the　enchanted　map　of　Hogwarts　he　had　been　given　by　Fred　and　George　Weasley　last　year。　He　had　emptied　his　hiding　place　under　the　loose　floorboard　of　all　food；　double…checked　every　nook　and　cranny　of　his　bedroom　for　forgotten　spellbooks　or　quills；　and　taken　down　the　chart　on　the　wall　counting　down　the　days　to　September　the　first；　on　which　he　liked　to　cross　off　the　days　remaining　until　his　return　to　Hogwarts。
　　　The　atmosphere　inside　number　four；　Privet　Drive　was　extremely　tense。　The　imminent　arrival　at　their　house　of　an　assortment　of　wizards　was　making　the　Dursleys　uptight　and　irritable。　Uncle　Vernon　had　looked　downright　alarmed　when　Harry　informed　him　that　the　Weasleys　would　be　arriving　at　five　o'clock　the　very　next　day。
　　　〃I　hope　you　told　them　to　dress　properly；　these　people；〃　he　snarled　at　once。　〃I've　seen　the　sort　of　stuff　your　lot　wear。　They'd　better　have　the　decency　to　put　on　normal　clothes；　that's　all。〃
　　　Harry　felt　a　slight　sense　of　foreboding。　He　had　rarely　seen　Mr。　or　Mrs。　Weasley　wearing　anything　that　the　Dursleys　would　call　〃normal。〃　Their　children　might　don　Muggle　clothing　during　the　holidays；　but　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Weasley　usually　wore　long　robes　in　varying　states　of　shabbiness。　Harry　wasn't　bothered　about　what　the　neighbors　would　think；　but　he　was　anxious　about　how　rude　the　Dursleys　might　be　to　the　Weasleys　if　they　turned　up　looking　like　their　worst　idea　of　wizards。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　had　put　on　his　best　suit。　To　some　people；　this　might　have　looked　like　a　gesture　of　wele；　but　Harry　knew　it　was　because　Uncle　Vernon　wanted　to　look　impressive　and　intimidating。　Dudley；　on　the　other　hand；　looked　somehow　diminished。　This　was　not　because　the　diet　was　at　last　taking　effect；　but　due　to　fright。　Dudley　had　emerged　from　his　last　encounter　with　a　fully　grown　wizard　with　a　curly　pig's　tail　poking　out　of　the　seat　of　his　trousers；　and　Aunt　Petunia　and　Uncle　Vernon　had　had　to　pay　for　its　removal　at　a　private　hospital　in　London。　It　wasn't　altogether　surprising；　therefore；　that　Dudley　kept　running　his　hand　nervously　over　his　backside；　and　walking　sideways　from　room　to　room；　so　as　not　to　present　the　same　target　to　the　enemy。
　　　Lunch　was　an　almost　silent　meal。　Dudley　didn't　even　protest　at　the　food　（cottage　cheese　and　grated　celery）。　Aunt　Petunia　wasn't；　eating　anything　at　all。　Her　arms　were　folded；　her　lips　were　pursed；　and　she　seemed　to　be　chewing　her　tongue；　as　though　biting　back　the　furious　diatribe　she　longed　to　throw　at　Harry。
　　　〃They'll　be　driving；　of　course？〃　Uncle　Vernon　barked　across　the　table。
　　　〃Er；〃　said　Harry。
　　　He　hadn't　thought　of　that。　How　were　the　Weasleys　going　to　pick　him　up？　They　didn't　have　a　car　anymore；　the　old　Ford　Anglia　they　had　once　owned　was　currently　running　wild　in　the　Forbidden　Forest　at　Hogwarts。　But　Mr。　Weasley　had　borrowed　a　Ministry　of　Magic　car　last　year；　possibly　he　would　do　the　same　today？
　　　〃I　think　so；〃　said　Harry。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　snorted　into　his　mustache。　Normally；　Uncle　Vernon　would　have　asked　what　car　Mr。　Weasley　drove；　he　tended　to　judge　other　men　by　how　big　and　expensive　their　cars　were。　But　Harry　doubted　whether　Uncle　Vernon　would　have　taken　to　Mr。　Weasley　even　if　he　drove　a　Ferrari。
　　　Harry　spent　most　of　the　afternoon　in　his　bedroom；　he　couldn't　stand　watching　Aunt　Petunia　peer　out　through　the　net　curtains　every　few　seconds；　as　though　there　had　been　a　warning　about　an　escaped　rhinoceros。　Finally；　at　a　quarter　to　five；　Harry　went　back　downstairs　and　into　the　living　room。
　　　Aunt　Petunia　was　pulsively　straightening　cushions。　Uncle　Vernon　was　pretending　to　read　the　paper；　but　his　tiny　eyes　were　not　moving；　and　Harry　was　sure　he　was　really　listening　with　all　his　might　for　the　sound　of　an　approaching　car。　Dudley　was　crammed　into　an　armchair；　his　porky　hands　beneath　him；　clamped　firmly　around　his　bottom。　Harry　couldn't　take　the　tension；　he　left　the　room　and　went　and　sat　on　the　stairs　in　the　hall；　his　eyes　on　his　watch　and　his　heart　pumping　fast　from　excitement　and　nerves。
　　　But　five　o'clock　came　and　then　went。　Uncle　Vernon；　perspiring　slightly　in　his　suit；　opened　the　front　door；　peered　up　and　down　the　street；　then　withdrew　his　head　quickly。
　　　〃They're　late！〃　he　snarled　at　Harry。
　　　I　know；〃　said　Harry。　〃Maybe…er…the　traffic's　bad；　or　something。〃
　　　Ten　past　five　。。。then　a　quarter　past　five　。。。Harry　was　starting　to　feel　anxious　himself　now。　At　half　past；　he　heard　Uncle　Vernon　and　Aunt　Petunia　conversing　in　terse　mutters　in　the　living　room。
　　　〃No　consideration　at　all。〃
　　　〃We　might've　had　an　engagement。〃
　　　〃Maybe　they　think　they'll　get　invited　to　dinner　if　they're　late。〃
　　　〃Well；　they　most　certainly　won't　be；〃　said　Uncle　Vernon；　and　Harry　heard　him　stand　up　and　start　pacing　the　living　room。　〃They'll　take　the　boy　and　go；　there'll　be　no　hanging　around。　That's　if　they're　ing　at　all。　Probably　mistaken　the　day。　I　daresay　their　kind　don't　set　much　store　by　punctuality。　Either　that　or　they　drive　some　tin…pot　car　that's　broken　dAAAAAAAARRRRRGH！〃
　　　Harry　jumped　up。　From　the　other　side　of　the　living　room　door　came　the　sounds　of　the　three　Dursleys　scrambling；　panic…stricken；　across　the　room。　Next　moment　Dudley　came　flying　into　the　hall；　looking　terrified。
　　　〃What　happened？〃　said　Harry。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　　But　Dudley　didn't　seem　able　to　speak。　Hands　still　clamped　over　his　buttocks；　he　waddled　as　fast　as　he　could　into　the　kitchen。　Harry　hurried　into　the　living　room。
　　　Loud　bangings　and　scrapings　were　ing　from　behind　the　Dursleys'　boarded…up　fireplace；　which　had　a　fake　coal　fire　plugged　in　front　of　it。
　　　〃What　is　it？〃　gasped　Aunt　Petunia；　who　had　backed　into　the　wall　and　was　staring；　terrified；　toward　the　fire。　〃What　is　it；　Vernon？〃
　　　But　they　were　left　in　doubt　barely　a　second　longer。　Voices　could　be　heard　from　inside　the　blocked　fireplace。
　　　〃Ouch！　Fred；　no…go　back；　go　back；　there's　been　some　kind　of　mistake…tell　George　not　to…OUCH！　George；　no；　there's　no　room；　go　back　quickly　and　tell　Ron…〃
　　　〃Maybe　Harry　can　hear　us；　Dad…maybe　he'll　be　able　to　let　us　out…〃
　　　There　was　a　loud　hammering　of　fists　on　the　boards　behind　the　electric　fire。
　　　〃Harry？　Harry；　can　you　hear　us？〃
　　　The　Dursleys　rounded　on　Harry　like　a　pair　of　angry　wolverines。
　　　〃What　is　this？〃　growled　Uncle　Vernon。　〃What's　going　on？〃
　　　〃They…they've　tried　to　get　here　by　Floo　powder；〃　said　Harry；　fighting　a　mad　desire　to　laugh。　〃They　can　travel　by　fire…only　you've　blocked　the　fireplace…hang　on…〃
　　　He　approached　the　fireplace　and　called　through　the　boards。
　　　〃Mr。　Weasley？　Can　you　hear　me？〃
　　　The　hammering　stopped。　Somebody　inside　the　chimney　piece　said；　〃Shh！〃
　　　〃Mr。　Weasley；　it