jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第4部分

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　　　It　had　been　enough　of　a　shock　for　Harry　to　discover；　on　his　eleventh　birthday；　that　he　was　a　wizard；　it　had　been　even　more　disconcerting　to　find　out　that　everyone　in　the　hidden　wizarding　world　knew　his　name。　Harry　had　arrived　at　Hogwarts　to　find　that　heads　turned　and　whispers　followed　him　wherever　he　went。　But　he　was　used　to　it　now：　At　the　end　of　this　summer；　he　would　be　starting　his　fourth　year　at　Hogwarts；　and　Harry　was　already　counting　the　days　until　he　would　be　back　at　the　castle　again。
　　　But　there　was　still　a　fortnight　to　go　before　he　went　back　to　school。　He　looked　hopelessly　around　his　room　again；　and　his　eye　paused　on　the　birthday　cards　his　two　best　friends　had　sent　him　at　the　end　of　July。　What　would　they　say　if　Harry　wrote　to　them　and　told　them　about　his　scar　hurting？
　　　At　once；　Hermione　Granger's　voice　seemed　to　fill　his　head；　shrill　and　panicky。
　　　〃Your　scar　hurt？　Harry；　that's　really　serious。。。　Write　to　Professor　Dumbledore！　And　I'll　go　and　check　mon　Magical　Ailments　and　Afflictions。。。　Maybe　there's　something　in　there　about　curse　scars。。。〃
　　　Yes；　that　would　be　Hermione's　advice：　Go　straight　to　the　headmaster　of　Hogwarts；　and　in　the　meantime；　consult　a　book。　Harry　stared　out　of　the　window　at　the　inky　blue…black　sky。　He　doubted　very　much　whether　a　book　could　help　him　now。　As　far　as　he　knew；　he　was　the　only　living　person　to　have　survived　a　curse　like　Voldemort's；　it　was　highly　unlikely；　therefore；　that　he　would　find　his　symptoms　listed　in　mon　Magical　Ailments　and　Afflictions。　As　for　informing　the　headmaster；　Harry　had　no　idea　where　Dumbledore　went　during　the　summer　holidays。　He　amused　himself　for　a　moment；　picturing　Dumbledore；　with　his　long　silver　beard；　full　length　wizard's　robes；　and　pointed　hat；　stretched　out　on　a　beach　somewhere；　rubbing　suntan　lotion　onto　his　long　crooked　nose。　Wherever　Dumbledore　was；　though；　Harry　was　sure　that　Hedwig　would　be　able　to　find　him；　Harry's　owl　had　never　yet　failed　to　deliver　a　letter　to　anyone；　even　without　an　address。　But　what　would　he　write？
　　　Dear　Professor　Dumbledore；　Sorry　to　bother　you；　but　my　scar　hurt　this　morning。　Yours　sincerely；　Harry　Potter。
　　　Even　inside　his　head　the　words　sounded　stupid。
　　　And　so　he　tried　to　imagine　his　other　best　friend；　Ron　Weasley's；　reaction；　and　in　a　moment；　Ron's　red　hair　and　long…nosed；　freckled　face　seemed　to　swim　before　Harry；　wearing　a　bemused　expression。
　　　〃Your　scar　hurt？　But　。。。but　You…Know…Who　can't　be　near　you　now；　can　he？　I　mean　。。。you'd　know；　wouldn't　you？　He'd　be　trying　to　do　you　in　again；　wouldn't　be？　I　dunno；　Harry；　maybe　curse　scars　always　twinge　a　bit。。。　I'll　ask　Dad。。。〃
　　　Mr。　Weasley　was　a　fully　qualified　wizard　who　worked　in　the　Misuse　of　Muggle　Artifacts　Office　at　the　Ministry　of　Magic；　but　he　didn't　have　any　particular　expertise　in　the　matter　of　curses；　as　far　as　Harry　knew。　In　any　case；　Harry　didn't　like　the　idea　of　the　whole　Weasley　family　knowing　that　he；　Harry；　was　getting　jumpy　about　a　few　moments'　pain。　Mrs。　Weasley　would　fuss　worse　than　Hermione；　and　Fred　and　George；　Ron's　sixteenyear…old　twin　brothers；　might　think　Harry　was　losing　his　nerve。　The　Weasleys　were　Harry's　favorite　family　in　the　world；　he　was　hoping　that　they　might　invite　him　to　stay　any　time　now　（Ron　had　mentioned　something　about　the　Quidditch　World　Cup）；　and　he　somehow　didn't　want　his　visit　punctuated　with　anxious　inquiries　about　his　scar。
　　　Harry　kneaded　his　forehead　with　his　knuckles。　What　he　really　wanted　（and　it　felt　almost　shameful　to　admit　it　to　himself）　was　someone　like…someone　like　a　parent：　an　adult　wizard　whose　advice　he　could　ask　without　feeling　stupid；　someone　who　cared　about　him；　who　had　had　experience　with　Dark　Magic。。。
　　　And　then　the　solution　came　to　him。　It　was　so　simple；　and　so　obvious；　that　he　couldn't　believe　it　had　taken　so　long…Sirius。
　　　Harry　leapt　up　from　the　bed；　hurried　across　the　room；　and　sat　down　at　his　desk；　he　pulled　a　piece　of　parchment　toward　him；　loaded　his　eagle…feather　quill　with　ink；　wrote　Dear　Sirius；　then　paused；　wondering　how　best　to　phrase　his　problem；　still　marveling　at　the　fact　that　he　hadn't　thought　of　Sirius　straight　away。　But　then；　perhaps　it　wasn't　so　surprising…after　all；　he　had　only　found　out　that　Sirius　was　his　godfather　two　months　ago。
　　　There　was　a　simple　reason　for　Sirius's　plete　absence　from　Harry's　life　until　then…Sirius　had　been　in　Azkaban；　the　terrifying　wizard　jail　guarded　by　creatures　called　dementors；　sightless；　soul…sucking　fiends　who　had　e　to　search　for　Sirius　at　Hogwarts　when　he　had　escaped。　Yet　Sirius　had　been　innocent…the　murders　for　which　he　had　been　convicted　had　been　mitted　by　Wormtail；　Voldemort's　supporter；　whom　nearly　everybody　now　believed　dead。　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　knew　otherwise；　however；　they　had　e　face…to…face　with　Wormtail　only　the　previous　year；　though　only　Professor　Dumbledore　had　believed　their　story。
　　　For　one　glorious　hour；　Harry　had　believed　that　he　was　leaving　the　Dursleys　at　last；　because　Sirius　had　offered　him　a　home　once　his　name　had　been　cleared。　But　the　chance　had　been　snatched　away　from　him…Wormtail　had　escaped　before　they　could　take　him　to　the　Ministry　of　Magic；　and　Sirius　had　had　to　flee　for　his　life。　Harry　had　helped　him　escape　on　the　back　of　a　hippogriff　called　Buckbeak；　and　since　then；　Sirius　had　been　on　the　run。　The　home　Harry　might　have　had　if　Wormtail　had　not　escaped　had　been　haunting　him　all　summer。　It　had　been　doubly　hard　to　return　to　the　Dursleys　knowing　that　he　had　so　nearly　escaped　them　forever。
　　　Nevertheless；　Sirius　had　been　of　some　help　to　Harry；　even　if　he　couldn't　be　with　him。　It　was　due　to　Sirius　that　Harry　now　had　all　his　school　things　in　his　bedroom　with　him。　The　Dursleys　had　never　allowed　this　before；　their　general　wish　of　keeping　Harry　as　miserable　as　possible；　coupled　with　their　fear　of　his　powers；　had　led　them　to　lock　his　school　trunk　in　the　cupboard　under　the　stairs　every　summer　prior　to　this。　But　their　attitude　had　changed　since　they　had　found　out　that　Harry　had　a　dangerous　murderer　for　a　godfather…for　Harry　had　conveniently　forgotten　to　tell　them　that　Sirius　was　innocent。
　　　Harry　had　received　two　letters　from　Sirius　since　he　had　been　back　at　Privet　Drive。　Both　had　been　delivered；　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