jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第8部分

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　　　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's　Harry　。。。the　fireplace　has　been　blocked　up。　You　won't　be　able　to　get　through　there。〃
　　　〃Damn！〃　said　Mr。　Weasley's　voice。　〃What　on　earth　did　they　want　to　block　up　the　fireplace　for？〃
　　　〃They've　got　an　electric　fire；〃　Harry　explained。
　　　〃Really？〃　said　Mr。　Weasley's　voice　excitedly。　〃Eclectic；　you　say？　With　a　plug？　Gracious；　I　must　see　that。。。　Let's　think　。。。ouch；　Ron！〃
　　　Ron's　voice　now　joined　the　others'。
　　　〃What　are　we　doing　here？　Has　something　gone　wrong？〃
　　　〃Oh　no；　Ron；〃　came　Fred's　voice；　very　sarcastically。　〃No；　this　is　exactly　where　we　wanted　to　end　up。〃
　　　〃Yeah；　we're　having　the　time　of　our　lives　here；〃　said　George；　whose　voice　sounded　muffled；　as　though　he　was　squashed　against　the　wall。
　　　〃Boys；　boys。。。〃　said　Mr。　Weasley　vaguely。　〃I'm　trying　to　think　what　to　do。。。　Yes　。。。only　way。。。　Stand　back；　Harry。〃
　　　Harry　retreated　to　the　sofa。　Uncle　Vernon；　however；　moved　forward。
　　　〃Wait　a　moment！〃　he　bellowed　at　the　fire。　〃What　exactly　are　you　going　to…〃
　　　BANG。
　　　The　electric　fire　shot　across　the　room　as　the　boarded…up　fireplace　burst　outward；　expelling　Mr。　Weasley；　Fred；　George；　and　Ron　in　a　cloud　of　rubble　and　loose　chippings。　Aunt　Petunia　shrieked　and　fell　backward　over　the　coffee　table；　Uncle　Vernon　caught　her　before　she　hit　the　floor；　and　gaped；　speechless；　at　the　Weasleys；　all　of　whom　had　bright　red　hair；　including　Fred　and　George；　who　were　identical　to　the　last　freckle。
　　　〃That's　better；〃　panted　Mr。　Weasley；　brushing　dust　from　his　long　green　robes　and　straightening　his　glasses。　〃Ah…you　must　be　Harry's　aunt　and　uncle！〃
　　　Tall；　thin；　and　balding；　he　moved　toward　Uncle　Vernon；　his　hand　outstretched；　but　Uncle　Vernon　backed　away　several　paces；　dragging　Aunt　Petunia。　Words　utterly　failed　Uncle　Vernon。　His　best　suit　was　covered　in　white　dust；　which　had　settled　in　his　hair　and　mustache　and　made　him　look　as　though　he　had　just　aged　thirty　years。
　　　〃Er…yes…sorry　about　that；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　lowering　his　hand　and　looking　over　his　shoulder　at　the　blasted　fireplace。　〃It's　all　my　fault。　It　just　didn't　occur　to　me　that　we　wouldn't　be　able　to　get　out　at　the　other　end。　I　had　your　fireplace　connected　to　the　Floo　Network；　you　see…just　for　an　afternoon；　you　know；　so　we　could　get　Harry。　Muggle　fireplaces　aren't　supposed　to　be　connected；　strictly　speaking…but　I've　got　a　useful　contact　at　the　Floo　Regulation　Panel　and　he　fixed　it　for　me。　I　can　put　it　right　in　a　jiffy；　though；　don't　worry。　I'll　light　a　fire　to　send　the　boys　back；　and　then　I　can　repair　your　fireplace　before　I　Disapparate。〃
　　　Harry　was　ready　to　bet　that　the　Dursleys　hadn't　understood　a　single　word　of　this。　They　were　still　gaping　at　Mr。　Weasley；　thunderstruck。　Aunt　Petunia　staggered　upright　again　and　hid　behind　Uncle　Vernon。
　　　〃Hello；　Harry！〃　said　Mr。　Weasley　brightly。　〃Got　your　trunk　ready？〃
　　　〃It's　upstairs；〃　said　Harry；　grinning　back。
　　　〃We'll　get　it；〃　said　Fred　at　once。　Winking　at　Harry；　he　and　George　left　the　room。　They　knew　where　Harry's　bedroom　was；　having　once　rescued　him　from　it　in　the　dead　of　night。　Harry　suspected　that　Fred　and　George　were　hoping　for　a　glimpse　of　Dudley；　they　had　heard　a　lot　about　him　from　Harry。
　　　〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　swinging　his　arms　slightly；　while　he　tried　to　find　words　to　break　the　very　nasty　silence。　〃Very…erm…very　nice　place　you've　got　here。〃
　　　As　the　usually　spotless　living　room　was　now　covered　in　dust　and　bits　of　brick；　this　remark　didn't　go　down　too　well　with　the　Dursleys。　Uncle　Vernon's　face　purpled　once　more；　and　Aunt　Petunia　started　chewing　her　tongue　again。　However；　they　seemed　too　scared　to　actually　say　anything。
　　　Mr。　Weasley　was　looking　around。　He　loved　everything　to　do　with　Muggles。　Harry　could　see　him　itching　to　go　and　examine　the　television　and　the　video　recorder。
　　　〃They　run　off　eckeltricity；　do　they？〃　he　said　knowledgeably。　〃Ah　yes；　I　can　see　the　plugs。　I　collect　plugs；〃　he　added　to　Uncle　Vernon。　〃And　batteries。　Got　a　very　large　collection　of　batteries。　My　wife　thinks　I'm　mad；　but　there　you　are。〃
　　　Uncle　Vernon　clearly　thought　Mr。　Weasley　was　mad　too。　He　moved　ever　so　slightly　to　the　right；　screening　Aunt　Petunia　from　view；　as　though　he　thought　Mr。　Weasley　might　suddenly　run　at　them　and　attack。
　　　Dudley　suddenly　reappeared　in　the　room。　Harry　could　hear　the　clunk　of　his　trunk　on　the　stairs；　and　knew　that　the　sounds　had　scared　Dudley　out　of　the　kitchen。　Dudley　edged　along　the　wall；　gazing　at　Mr。　Weasley　with　terrified　eyes；　and　attempted　to　conceal　himself　behind　his　mother　and　father。　Unfortunately；　Uncle　Vernon's　bulk；　while　sufficient　to　hide　bony　Aunt　Petunia；　was　nowhere　near　enough　to　conceal　Dudley。
　　　〃Ah；　this　is　your　cousin；　is　it；　Harry？〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　taking　another　brave　stab　at　making　conversation。
　　　〃Yep；〃　said　Harry；　〃that's　Dudley。〃
　　　He　and　Ron　exchanged　glances　and　then　quickly　looked　away　from　each　other；　the　temptation　to　burst　out　laughing　was　almost　overwhelming。　Dudley　was　still　clutching　his　bottom　as　though　afraid　it　might　fall　off。　Mr。　Weasley；　however；　seemed　genuinely　concerned　at　Dudley's　peculiar　behavior。　Indeed；　from　the　tone　of　his　voice　when　he　next　spoke；　Harry　was　quite　sure　that　Mr。　Weasley　thought　Dudley　was　quite　as　mad　as　the　Dursleys　thought　he　was；　except　that　Mr。　Weasley　felt　sympathy　rather　than　fear。
　　　〃Having　a　good　holiday；　Dudley？〃　he　said　kindly。
　　　Dudley　whimpered。　Harry　saw　his　hands　tighten　still　harder　over　his　massive　backside。
　　　Fred　and　George　came　back　into　the　room　carrying　Harry's　school　trunk。　They　glanced　around　as　they　entered　and　spotted　Dudley。　Their　faces　cracked　into　identical　evil　grins。
　　　〃Ah；　right；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。　〃Better　get　cracking　then。〃
　　　He　pushed　up　the　sleeves　of　his　robes　and　took　out　his　wand。　Harry　saw　the　Dursleys　draw　back　against　the　wall　as　one。
　　　〃Incendio！〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　pointing　his　wand　at　the　hole　in　the　wall　behind　him。
　　　Flames　rose　at　once　in　the　fireplace；　crackling　merrily　as　though　they　had　been　burning　for　hours。　Mr。　Weasley　took　a　small　drawstring　bag　from　his　pocket；　untied　it；　took　a　pinch　of　the　powder　inside；　and　threw　it　onto　the　flames；　which　turned　emerald　green　and　roared　higher　than　ever。
　　　〃Off　you　go　then；　Fred；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。
　　　〃ing；〃　said　Fred。　〃Oh　no…hang　on…〃
　　　A　bag　of　sweets　had　spilled　out　of　Fred's　pocket　and　the　contents　were　now　rolling　in　every　direction…big；　fat　toffees　in　brightly　colored　wrappers。
　　　Fred　scrambled　around；　cramming　them　back　into　his　pocket；　then　gave　the　Dursleys　a　cheery　wave；　stepped　forward；　and　walked　right　into　the　fire；　saying　〃the　Burrow！〃　Aunt　Petunia　gave　a　little　shuddering　gasp。　There　was　a　whooshing　sound；　and　Fred　vanished。
　　　〃Right　then；　George；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　〃you　and　the　trunk。〃
　　　Harry　helped　George　carry　the　trunk　forward　into　the　flames　and　turn　it　onto　its　end　so　that　he　could　hold　it　better。　Then；　with　a　second　whoosh；　George　had　cried　〃the　Burrow！〃　and　vanished　too。
　　　〃Ron；　you　next；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。
　　　〃See　you；〃　said　Ron　brightly　to　the　Dursleys。　He　grinned　broadly　at　Harry；　then　stepped　into　the　fire；　shouted　〃the　Burrow！〃　and　disappeared。
　　　Now　Harry　and　Mr。　Weasley　alone　remained。
　　　〃Well。。。　'bye　then；〃　Harry　said　to　the　Dursleys。
　　　They　didn't　say　anything　at　all。　Harry　moved　toward　the　fire；　but　just　as　he　reached　the　edge　of　the　hearth；　Mr。　Weasley　put　out　a　hand　and　held　him　back。　He　was　looking　at　the　Dursleys　in　amazement。
　　　〃Harry　said　good…bye　to　you；〃　he　said。　〃Didn't　you　hear　him？〃
　　　〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　Harry　muttered　to　Mr。　Weasley。　〃Honestly；　I　don't　care。〃
　　　Mr。　Weasley　did　not　remove　his　hand　from　Harry's　shoulder。
　　　〃You　aren't　going　to　see　your　nephew　till　next　summer；〃　he　said　to　Uncle　Vernon　in　mild　indignation。　〃Surely　you're　going　to　say　good…bye？〃
　　　Uncle　Vernon's　face　worked　furiously。　The　idea　of　being　taught　consideration　by　a　man　who　had　just　blasted　away　half　his　living　room　wall　seemed　to　be　causing　him　intense　suffering。　But　Mr。　Weasley's　wand　was　still　in　his　hand；　and　Uncle　Vernon's　tiny　eyes　darted　to　it　once；　before　he　said；　very　resentfully；　〃Good…bye；　then。〃
　　　〃See　you；〃　said　Harry；　putting　one　foot　forward　into　the　green　flames；　which　felt　pleasantly　like　warm　breath。　At　that　moment；　however；　a　horrible　gagging　sound　erupted　behind　him；　and　Aunt　Petunia　started　to　scream。
　　　Harry　wheeled　around。　Dudley　was　no　longer　standing　behind　his　parents。　He　was　kneeling　beside　the　coffee　table；　and　he　was　gagging　and　sputtering　on　a　foot…long；　purple；　slimy　thing　that　was　protruding　from　his　mouth。　One　bewildered　second　later；　Harry　realized　that　the　foot…long　thing　was　Dudley's　tongue…and　that　a　brightly　colored　toffee　wrapper　lay　on　the　floor　before　him。
　　　Aunt　Petunia　hurled　herself　onto　the　ground　beside　Dudley；　seized　the　end　of　his　swollen　tongue；　and　attempted　to　wrench　it　out　of　his　mouth；　unsurprisingly；　Dudley　yelled　and　sputtered　worse　than　ever；　trying　to　fight　her　off。　Uncle　Vernon　was　bellowing　and　waving　his　arms　around；　and　Mr。　Weasley　had　to　shout　to　make　himself　heard。
　　　〃Not　to　worry；　I　can　sort　him　out！〃　he　ye