jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第6章

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unt　Petunia　wailed　that　Dudley　was　big…boned；　and　that　his　poundage　was　really　puppy　fat；　and　that　he　was　a　growing　boy　who　needed　plenty　of　food；　the　fact　remained　that　the　school　outfitters　didn't　stock　knickerbockers　big　enough　for　him　anymore。　The　school　nurse　had　seen　what　Aunt　Petunia's　eyes…so　sharp　when　it　came　to　spotting　fingerprints　on　her　gleaming　walls；　and　in　observing　the　ings　and　goings　of　the　neighbors…simply　refused　to　see：　that　far　from　needing　extra　nourishment；　Dudley　had　reached　roughly　the　size　and　weight　of　a　young　killer　whale。
　　　So…after　many　tantrums；　after　arguments　that　shook　Harry's　bedroom　floor；　and　many　tears　from　Aunt　Petunia…the　new　regime　had　begun。　The　diet　sheet　that　had　been　sent　by　the　Smeltings　school　nurse　had　been　taped　to　the　fridge；　which　had　been　emptied　of　all　Dudley's　favorite　things…fizzy　drinks　and　cakes；　chocolate　bars　and　burgers　and　filled　instead　with　fruit　and　vegetables　and　the　sorts　of　things　that　Uncle　Vernon　called　〃rabbit　food。〃　To　make　Dudley　feel　better　about　it　all；　Aunt　Petunia　had　insisted　that　the　whole　family　follow　the　diet　too。　She　now　passed　a　grapefruit　quarter　to　Harry。　He　noticed　that　it　was　a　lot　smaller　than　Dudley's。　Aunt　Petunia　seemed　to　feet　that　the　best　way　to　keep　up　Dudley's　morale　was　to　make　sure　that　he　did；　at　least；　get　more　to　eat　than　Harry。
　　　But　Aunt　Petunia　didn't　know　what　was　hidden　under　the　loose　floorboard　upstairs。　She　had　no　idea　that　Harry　was　not　following　the　diet　at　all。　The　moment　he　had　got　wind　of　the　fact　that　he　was　expected　to　survive　the　summer　on　carrot　sticks；　Harry　had　sent　Hedwig　to　his　friends　with　pleas　for　help；　and　they　had　risen　to　the　occasion　magnificently。　Hedwig　had　returned　from　Hermione's　house　with　a　large　box　stuffed　full　of　sugar…free　snacks。　（Hermione's　parents　were　dentists。）　Hagrid；　the　Hogwarts　gamekeeper；　had　obliged　with　a　sack　full　of　his　own　homemade　rock　cakes。　（Harry　hadn't　touched　these；　he　had　had　too　much　experience　of　Hagrid's　cooking。）　Mrs。　Weasley；　however；　had　sent　the　family　owl；　Errol；　with　an　enormous　fruitcake　and　assorted　meat　pies。　Poor　Errol；　who　was　elderly　and　feeble；　had　needed　a　full　five　days　to　recover　from　the　journey。　And　then　on　Harry's　birthday　（which　the　Dursleys　had　pletely　ignored）　he　had　received　four　superb　birthday　cakes；　one　each　from　Ron；　Hermione；　Hagrid；　and　Sirius。　Harry　still　had　two　of　them　left；　and　so；　looking　forward　to　a　real　breakfast　when　he　got　back　upstairs；　he　ate　his　grapefruit　without　plaint。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　laid　aside　his　paper　with　a　deep　sniff　of　disapproval　and　looked　down　at　his　own　grapefruit　quarter。
　　　〃Is　this　it？〃　he　said　grumpily　to　Aunt　Petunia。
　　　Aunt　Petunia　gave　him　a　severe　look；　and　then　nodded　pointedly　at　Dudley；　who　had　already　finished　his　own　grapefruit　quarter　and　was　eyeing　Harry's　with　a　very　sour　look　in　his　piggy　little　eyes。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　gave　a　great　sigh；　which　ruffled　his　large；　bushy　mustache；　and　picked　up　his　spoon。
　　　The　doorbell　rang。　Uncle　Vernon　heaved　himself　out　of　his　chair　and　set　off　down　the　hall。　Quick　as　a　flash；　while　his　mother　was　occupied　with　the　kettle；　Dudley　stole　the　rest　of　Uncle　Vernon's　grapefruit。
　　　Harry　heard　talking　at　the　door；　and　someone　laughing；　and　Uncle　Vernon　answering　curtly。　Then　the　front　door　closed；　and　the　sound　of　ripping　paper　came　from　the　hall。
　　　Aunt　Petunia　set　the　teapot　down　on　the　table　and　looked　curiously　around　to　see　where　Uncle　Vernon　had　got　to。　She　didn't　have　to　wait　long　to　find　out；　after　about　a　minute；　he　was　back。　He　looked　livid。
　　　〃You；〃　he　barked　at　Harry。　〃In　the　living　room。　Now。〃
　　　Bewildered；　wondering　what　on　earth　he　was　supposed　to　have　done　this　time；　Harry　got　up　and　followed　Uncle　Vernon　out　of　the　kitchen　and　into　the　next　room。　Uncle　Vernon　closed　the　door　sharply　behind　both　of　them。
　　　〃So；〃　he　said；　marching　over　to　the　fireplace　and　turning　to　face　Harry　as　though　he　were　about　to　pronounce　him　under　arrest。　〃So。〃
　　　Harry　would　have　dearly　loved　to　have　said；　〃So　what？〃　but　he　didn't　feel　that　Uncle　Vernon's　temper　should　be　tested　this　early　in　the　morning；　especially　when　it　was　already　under　severe　strain　from　lack　of　food。　He　therefore　settled　for　looking　politely　puzzled。
　　　〃This　just　arrived；〃　said　Uncle　Vernon。　He　brandished　a　piece　of　purple　writing　paper　at　Harry。　〃A　letter。　About　you。〃
　　　Harry's　confusion　increased。　Who　would　be　writing　to　Uncle　Vernon　about　him？　Who　did　he　know　who　sent　letters　by　the　postman？
　　　Uncle　Vernon　glared　at　Harry；　then　looked　down　at　the　letter　and　began　to　read　aloud：
　　　
　　　Dear　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Dursley；
　　　We　have　never　been　introduced；　but　I　am　sure　you　have　heard　a　great　deal　from　Harry　about　my　son　Ron。
　　　As　Harry　might　have　told　you；　the　final　of　the　Quidditch　World　Cup　takes　place　this　Monday　night；　and　my　husband；　Arthur；　has　just　managed　to　get　prime　tickets　through　his　connections　at　the　Department　of　Magical　Games　and　Sports。
　　　I　do　hope　you　will　allow　us　to　take　Harry　to　the　match；　as　this　really　is　a　once…in…a…lifetime　opportunity；　Britain　hasn't　hosted　the　cup　for　thirty　years；　and　tickets　are　extremely　hard　to　e　by。　We　would　of　course　be　glad　to　have　Harry　stay　for　the　remainder　of　the　summer　holidays；　and　to　see　him　safely　onto　the　train　back　to　school。
　　　It　would　be　best　for　Harry　to　send　us　your　answer　as　quickly　as　possible　in　the　normal　way；　because　the　Muggle　postman　has　never　delivered　to　our　house；　and　I　am　not　sure　he　even　knows　where　it　is。
　　　Hoping　to　see　Harry　soon；
　　　Yours　sincerely；
　　　Molly　Weasley
　　　
　　　P。　S。　I　do　hope　we've　put　enough　stamps　on。
　　　
　　　Uncle　Vernon　finished　reading；　put　his　hand　back　into　his　breast　pocket；　and　drew　out　something　else。
　　　〃Look　at　this；〃　he　growled。
　　　He　held　up　the　envelope　in　which　Mrs。　Weasley's　letter　had　e；　and　Harry　had　to　fight　down　a　laugh。　Every　bit　of　it　was　covered　in　stamps　except　for　a　square　inch　on　the　front；　into　which　Mrs。　Weasley　had　squeezed　the　Dursleys'　address　in　minute　writing。
　　　〃She　did　put　enough　stamps　on；　then；〃　said　Harry；　trying　to　sound　as　though　Mrs。　Weasley's　was　a　mistake　anyone　could　make。　His　uncle's　eyes　flashed。
　　　〃The　postman　noticed；〃　he　said　through　gritted　teeth。　〃Very　interested　to　know　where　this　letter　came　from；　he　was。　That's　why　he　rang　the　doorbell。　Seemed　to　think　it　was　funny。〃
　　　Harry　didn't　say　anything。　Other　people　might　not　understand　why　Uncle　Vernon　was　making　a　fuss　about　too　many　stamps；　but　Harry　had　lived　with　the　Dursleys　too　long　not　to　know　how　touchy　they　were　about　anything　even　slightly　out　of　the　ordinary。　Their　worst　fear　was　that　someone　would　find　out　that　they　were　connected　（however　distantly）　with　people　like　Mrs。　Weasley。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　was　still　glaring　at　Harry；　who　tried　to　keep　his　expression　neutral。　If　he　didn't　do　or　say　anything　stupid；　he　might　just　be　in　for　the　treat　of　a　lifetime。　He　waited　for　Uncle　Vernon　to　say　something；　but　he　merely　continued　to　glare。　Harry　decided　to　break　the　silence。
　　　〃So…can　I　go　then？〃　he　asked。
　　　A　slight　spasm　crossed　Uncle　Vernon's　large　purple　face。　The　mustache　bristled。　Harry　thought　he　knew　what　was　going　on　behind　the　mustache：　a　furious　battle　as　two　of　Uncle　Vernon's　most　fundamental　instincts　came　into　conflict。　Allowing　Harry　to　go　would　make　Harry　happy；　something　Uncle　Vernon　had　struggled　against　for　thirteen　years。　On　the　other　hand；　allowing　Harry　to　disappear　to　the　Weasleys'　for　the　rest　of　the　summer　would　get　rid　of　him　two　weeks　earlier　than　anyone　could　have　hoped；　and　Uncle　Vernon　hated　having　Harry　in　the　house。　To　give　himself　thinking　time；　it　seemed；　he　looked　down　at　Mrs。　Weasley's　letter　again。
　　　〃Who　is　this　woman？〃　he　said；　staring　at　the　signature　with　distaste。
　　　〃You've　seen　her；〃　said　Harry。　〃She's　my　friend　Ron's　mother；　she　was　meeting　him　off　the　Hog…off　the　school　train　at　the　end　of　last　term。〃
　　　He　had　almost　said　〃Hogwarts　Express；〃　and　that　was　a　sure　way　to　get　his　uncle's　temper　up。　Nobody　ever　mentioned　the　name　of　Harry's　school　aloud　in　the　Dursley　household。
　　　Uncle　Vernon　screwed　up　his　enormous　face　as　though　trying　to　remember　something　very　unpleasant。
　　　〃Dumpy　sort　of　woman？〃　he　growled　finally