jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第6部分

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　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　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