4.harry potter and the goblet of fire-第7部分

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；　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　to　read　the　paper；　but　his　tiny　eyes　were　not　moving；　and　Harry　was　sure　he　was　really　listening　with　all　his　might　for　the　sound　of　an　approaching　car。　Dudley　was　crammed　into　an　armchair；　his　porky　hands　beneath　him；　clamped　firmly　around　his　bottom。　Harry　couldn't　take　the　tension；　he　left　the　room　and　went　and　sat　on　the　stairs　in　the　hall；　his　eyes　on　his　watch　and　his　heart　pumping　fast　from　excitement　and　nerves。
　　But　five　o'clock　came　and　then　went。　Uncle　Vernon；　perspiring　slightly　in　his　suit；　opened　the　front　door；　peered　up　and　down　the　street；　then　withdrew　his　head　quickly。
　　〃They're　late！〃　he　snarled　at　Harry。
　　I　know；〃　said　Harry。　〃Maybe　…　er　…　the　traffic's　bad；　or　something。〃
　　Ten　past　five　。。。　then　a　quarter　past　five　。。。　Harry　was　starting　to　feel　anxious　himself　now。　At　half　past；　he　heard　Uncle　Vernon　and　Aunt　Petunia　conversing　in　terse　mutters　in　the　living　room。
　　〃No　consideration　at　all。〃
　　〃We　might've　had　an　engagement。〃
　　〃Maybe　they　think　they'll　get　invited　to　dinner　if　they're　late。〃
　　〃Well；　they　most　certainly　won't　be；〃　said　Uncle　Vernon；　and　Harry　heard　him　stand　up　and　start　pacing　the　living　room。　〃They'll　take　the　boy　and　go；　there'll　be　no　hanging　around。　That's　if　they're　ing　at　all。　Probably　mistaken　the　day。　I　daresay　their　kind　don't　set　much　store　by　punctuality。　Either　that　or　they　drive　some　tin…pot　car　that's　broken　d…　AAAAAAAARRRRRGH！〃
　　Harry　jumped　up。　From　the　other　side　of　the　living　room　door　came　the　sounds　of　the　three　Dursleys　scrambling；　panic…stricken；　across　the　room。　Next　moment　Dudley　came　flying　into　the　hall；　looking　terrified。
　　〃What　happened？〃　said　Harry。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　　But　Dudley　didn't　seem　able　to　speak。　Hands　still　clamped　over　his　buttocks；　he　waddled　as　fast　as　he　could　into　the　kitchen。　Harry　hurried　into　the　living　room。
　　Loud　bangings　and　scrapings　were　ing　from　behind　the　Dursleys'　boarded…up　fireplace；　which　had　a　fake　coal　fire　plugged　in　front　of　it。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　gasped　Aunt　Petunia；　who　had　backed　into　the　wall　and　was　staring；　terrified；　toward　the　fire。　〃What　is　it；　Vernon？〃
　　But　they　were　left　in　doubt　barely　a　second　longer。　Voices　could　be　heard　from　inside　the　blocked　fireplace。
　　〃Ouch！　Fred；　no　…　go　back；　go　back；　there's　been　some　kind　of　mistake　…　tell　George　not　to　…　OUCH！　George；　no；　there's　no　room；　go　back　quickly　and　tell　Ron…〃
　　〃Maybe　Harry　can　hear　us；　Dad　…　maybe　he'll　be　able　to　let　us　out…〃
　　There　was　a　loud　hammering　of　fists　on　the　boards　behind　the　electric　fire。
　　〃Harry？　Harry；　can　you　hear　us？〃
　　The　Dursleys　rounded　on　Harry　like　a　pair　of　angry　wolverines。
　　〃What　is　this？〃　growled　Uncle　Vernon。　〃What's　going　on？〃
　　〃They　…　they've　tried　to　get　here　by　Floo　powder；〃　said　Harry；　fighting　a　mad　desire　to　laugh。　〃They　can　travel　by　fire　…　only　you've　blocked　the　fireplace　…　hang　on　…〃
　　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？