jkrowlingharrypotterandpa-第3章

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　　　〃Wow；　Hermione！〃　Harry　whispered；　unzipping　the　case　to　look　inside。
　　　There　was　a　large　jar　of　Fleetwood's　High…Finish　Handle　Polish；　a　pair　of　gleaming　silver　Tall…Twig　Clippers；　a　tiny　brass　pass　to　clip　on　your　broom　for　long　journeys；　and　a　Handbook　of　Do…It…Yourself　Broomcare。
　　　Apart　from　his　friends；　the　thing　that　Harry　missed　most　about　Hogwarts　was　Quidditch；　the　most　popular　sport　in　the　magical　world…highly　dangerous；　very　exciting；　and　played　on　broomsticks。　Harry　happened　to　be　a　very　good　Quidditch　player；　he　had　been　the　youngest　person　in　a　century　to　be　picked　for　one　of　the　Hogwarts　House　teams。　One　of　Harry's　most　prized　possessions　was　his　Nimbus　Two　Thousand　racing　broom。
　　　Harry　put　the　leather　case　aside　and　picked　up　his　last　parcel。　He　recognized　the　untidy　scrawl　on　the　brown　paper　at　once：　this　was　from　Hagrid；　the　Hogwarts　gamekeeper。　He　tore　off　the　top　layer　of　paper　and　glimpsed　something　green　and　leathery；　but　before　he　could　unwrap　it　properly；　the　parcel　gave　a　strange　quiver；　and　whatever　was　inside　it　snapped　loudly…as　though　it　had　jaws。
　　　Harry　froze。　He　knew　that　Hagrid　would　never　send　him　anything　dangerous　on　purpose；　but　then；　Hagrid　didn't　have　a　normal　person's　view　of　what　was　dangerous。　Hagrid　had　been　known　to　befriend　giant　spiders；　buy　vicious；　three…headed　dogs　from　men　in　pubs；　and　sneak　illegal　dragon　eggs　into　his　cabin。
　　　Harry　poked　the　parcel　nervously。　It　snapped　loudly　again。　Harry　reached　for　the　lamp　on　his　bedside　table；　gripped　it　firmly　in　one　hand；　and　raised　it　over　his　head；　ready　to　strike。　Then　he　seized　the　rest　of　the　wrapping　paper　in　his　other　hand　and　pulled。
　　　And　out　fell…a　book。　Harry　just　had　time　to　register　its　handsome　green　cover；　emblazoned　with　the　golden　title　The　Monster　Book　of　Monsters；　before　it　flipped　onto　its　edge　and　scuttled　sideways　along　the　bed　like　some　weird　crab。
　　　〃Uh…oh；〃　Harry　muttered。
　　　The　book　toppled　off　the　bed　with　a　loud　clunk　and　shuffled　rapidly　across　the　room。　Harry　followed　it　stealthily。　The　book　was　hiding　in　the　dark　space　under　his　desk。　Praying　that　the　Dursleys　were　still　fast　asleep；　Harry　got　down　on　his　hands　and　knees　and　reached　toward　it。
　　　〃Ouch！〃
　　　The　book　snapped　shut　on　his　hand　and　then　flapped　past　him；　still　scuttling　on　its　covers。　Harry　scrambled　around；　threw　himself　forward；　and　managed　to　flatten　it。　Uncle　Vernon　gave　a　loud；　sleepy　grunt　in　the　room　next　door。
　　　Hedwig　and　Errol　watched　interestedly　as　Harry　clamped　the　struggling　book　tightly　in　his　arms；　hurried　to　his　chest　of　drawers；　and　pulled　out　a　belt；　which　he　buckled　tightly　around　it。　The　Monster　Book　shuddered　angrily；　but　could　no　longer　flap　and　snap；　so　Harry　threw　it　down　on　the　bed　and　reached　for　Hagrid's　card。
　　　Dear　Harry；
　　　Happy　Birthday！
　　　Think　you　might　find　this　useful　for　next　year。　Won't　say　no　more　here。　Tell　you　when　I　see　you。　Hope　the　Muggles　are　treating　you　right。
　　　All　the　best；
　　　Hagrid
　　　It　struck　Harry　as　ominous　that　Hagrid　thought　a　biting　book　would　e　in　useful；　but　he　put　Hagrid's　card　up　next　to　Ron's　and　Hermione's；　grinning　more　broadly　than　ever。　Now　there　was　only　the　letter　from　Hogwarts　left。
　　　Noticing　that　it　was　rather　thicker　than　usual；　Harry　slit　open　the　envelope；　pulled　out　the　first　page　of　parchment　within；　and　read：
　　　Dear　Mr。　Potter；
　　　Please　note　that　the　new　school　year　will　begin　on　September　the　first。　The　Hogwarts　Express　will　leave　ftom　King's　Cross　station；　platform　nine　and　three…quarters；　at　eleven　o'clock。
　　　Third　years　are　permitted　to　visit　the　village　of　Hogsmeade　on　certain　weekends。　Please　give　the　enclosed　permission　form　to　your　parent　or　guardian　to　sign。
　　　A　list　of　books　for　next　year　is　enclosed。　Yours　sincerely；
　　　Professor　M。　McGonagall
　　　Deputy　Headmistress
　　　Harry　pulled　out　the　Hogsmeade　permission　form　and　looked　at　it；　no　longer　grinning。　It　would　be　wonderful　to　visit　Hogsmeade　on　weekends；　he　knew　it　was　an　entirely　wizarding　village；　and　he　had　never　set　foot　there。　But　how　on　earth　was　he　going　to　persuade　Uncle　Vernon　or　Aunt　Petunia　to　sign　the　form？
　　　He　looked　over　at　the　alarm　clock。　It　was　now　two　o'clock　in　the　morning。
　　　Deciding　that　he'd　worry　about　the　Hogsmeade　form　when　he　woke　up；　Harry　got　back　into　bed　and　reached　up　to　cross　off　another　day　on　the　chart　he'd　made　for　himself；　counting　down　the　days　left　until　his　return　to　Hogwarts。　Then　he　took　off　his　glasses　and　lay　down；　eyes　open；　facing　his　three　birthday　cards。
　　　Extremely　unusual　though　he　was；　at　that　moment　Harry　Potter　felt　just　like　everyone　else…glad；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　that　it　was　his　birthday。
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　TWO
　　　AUNT　MARGE'S　BIG　MISTAKE
　　　
　　　Harry　went　down　to　breakfast　the　next　morning　to　find　the　three　Dursleys　already　sitting　around　the　kitchen　table。　They　were　watching　a　brand…new　television；　a　wele…home…for…the…summer　present　for　Dudley；　who　had　been　plaining　loudly　about　the　long　walk　between　the　fridge　and　the　television　in　the　living　room。　Dudley　had　spent　most　of　the　summer　in　the　kitchen；　his　piggy　little　eyes　fixed　on　the　screen　and　his　five　chins　wobbling　as　he　ate　continually。
　　　Harry　sat　down　between　Dudley　and　Uncle　Vernon；　a　large；　beefy　man　with　very　little　neck　and　a　lot　of　mustache。　Far　from　wishing　Harry　a　happy　birthday；　none　of　the　Dursleys　made　any　sign　that　they　had　noticed　Harry　enter　the　room；　but　Harry　was　far　too　used　to　this　to　care。　He　helped　himself　to　a　piece　of　toast　and　then　looked　up　at　the　reporter　on　the　television；　who　was　halfway　through　a　report　on　an　escaped　convict：
　　　〃。。。The　public　is　warned　that　Black　is　armed　and　extremely　dangerous。　A　special　hot　line　has　been　set　up；　and　any　sighting　of　Black　should　be　reported　immediately。〃
　　　〃No　need　to　tell　us　he's　no　good；〃　snorted　Uncle　Vernon；　staring　over　the　top　of　his　newspaper　at　the　prisoner。　〃Look　at　the　state　of　him；　the　filthy　layabout！　Look　at　his　hair！〃
　　　He　shot　a　nasty　look　sideways　at　Harry；　whose　untidy　hair　had　always　been　a　source　of　great　annoyance　to　Uncle　Vernon。　pared　to　the　man　on　the　television；　however；　whose　gaunt　face　was　surrounded　by　a　matted；　elbow…length　tangle；　Harry　felt　very　well　groomed　indeed。
　　　The　reporter　had　reappeared。
　　　〃The　Ministry　of　Agriculture　and　Fisheries　will　announce　today　…〃
　　　〃Hang　on！〃　barked　Uncle　Vernon；　staring　furiously　at　the　reporter。　〃You　didn't　tell　us　where　that　maniac's　escaped　from！　What　use　is　that？　Lunatic　could　be　ing　up　the　street　right　now！〃
　　　Aunt　Petunia；　who　was　bony　and　horse…faced；　whipped　around　and　peered　intently　out　of　the　kitchen　window。　Harry　knew　Aunt　Petunia　would　simply　love　to　be　the　one　to　call　the　hot　line　number。　She　was　the　nosiest　woman　in　the　world　and　spent　most　of　her　life　spying　on　the　boring；　law…abiding　neighbors。
　　　〃When　will　they　learn；〃　said　Uncle　Vernon；　pounding　the　table　with　his　large　purple　fist；　〃that　hanging's　the　only　way　to　deal　with　these　people？〃
　　　〃Very　true；〃　said　Aunt　Petunia；　who　was　still　squinting　into　next　door's　runner　beans。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　drained　his　teacup；　glanced　at　his　watch；　and　added；　〃I'd　better　be　off　in　a　minute；　Petunia。　Marge's　train　gets　in　at　ten。〃
　　　Harry；　whose　thoughts　had　been　upstairs　with　the　Broomstick　Servicing　Kit；　was　brought　back　to　earth　with　an　unpleasant　bump。
　　　〃Aunt　Marge？〃　he　blurted　out。　〃Sh…she's　not　ing　here；　is　she？〃
　　　Aunt　Marge　was　Uncle　Vernon's　sister。　Even　though　she　was　not　a　blood　relative　of　Harry's　（whose　mother　had　been　Aunt　Petunia's　sister）；　he　had　been　forced　to　call　her　〃Aunt〃　all　his　life。　Aunt　Marge　lived　in　the　country；　in　a　house　with　a　large　garden；　where　she　bred　bulldogs。　She　didn't　often　stay　at　Privet　Drive；　because　she　couldn't　bear　to　leave　her　precious　dogs；　but　each　of　her　visits　stood　out　horribly　vividly　in　Harry's　mind。
　　　At　Dudley's　fifth　birthday　party；　Aunt　Margo　had　whacked　Harry　around　the　shins　with　her　walking　stick　to　stop　him　from　beating　Dudley　at　musical　statues。　A　few　years　later；　she　had　turned　up　at　Christmas　with　a　puterized　robot　for　Dudley　and　a　box　of　dog　biscuits　for　Harry。　On　her　last　visit；　the　year　before　Harry　started　at　Hogwarts；　Harry　had　accidentally　trodden　on　th