THE BOY Ⅵ第 0 LIVED 9 must have been a trick of the light. Mr DursIey blinked and stared at the cat. lt stared back. As Mr Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. lt was now read- ing the sign that said Privet Drive ー no, 100king at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out Of his mind. As he drove towards town he thought of nothing except a large order 0f drills he was hoping to getthat day But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed [ 0 be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People ⅲ cloaks. Mr Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed ⅲ funny clothes ー the get-ups you saw on young people ! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steermg wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispermg excitedly together. Mr Dursley was enraged tO see that a couple Of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve 0f him! But then it struck Mr DursIey that this was probably some silly stunt ー these people were obvi- ously collecting for something ... yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on, and a few minutes later, Mr DursIey arrived ⅲ the Grunnings car park, his mind back on drills. Mr DursIey always sat with his back to the win- dow ⅲ his office on the ninth Ⅱ 00r. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder tO concentrate on drills

10 HARRY POTTER that morning. He didn't see the OWIS swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as 0W1 after 0W1 sped overhead. Most 0f them had never seen an 0W1 even at night-time. 、 Dursley, howev- er, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit 1 れ ore. He was in a very good Ⅱ 100d until lunch-time, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road t0 buy himself a bun from the baker's opposite. He'd forgotten all about the people ⅲ cloaks until he passed a group 0f them nextto the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This 10t were whispering excitedly, t00 , and he couldn't see a sin- gle collecting tin. lt was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut ⅲ a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying. 'The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard ー ー yes, their son, Harry ー Mr Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted t0 say something t0 them, but thought better 0f it. He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not tO disturb him, seized his telephone and had almost finished dialling his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking ... no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called P0tter who had a

THE FORBIDDEN FOREST 265 admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the House Cup. Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked pastthem, whistling and cheering, 'Thanks POtter, we owe you OnIy Ron stood by him. 、 They'II all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads 0f points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them. 'They've never lost a hundred and fifty points ⅲ one go, though, have they?' said Harry miserably. 'Well ー no,' Ron admitted. lt was a bit late t0 repair the damage, but Harry swore tO himself not tO meddle in things that weren't his business from now on. He'd had ⅱ with sneaking around and spying. He felt so ashamed of himself that he went to Wood and offered to resign from the Quidditch team. 'Resign ? ' Wood thundered. 。、 Mhat good'll that do? HOW are we going tO get any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?' But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest 0f the team wouldn't speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak about him, they called him 'the Seeker'. Hermione and Neville were suffering, t00. They didn't have as bad a time as Harry, because they weren't as well known, but nobody would speak t0 them either. Hermione had stopped drawing

THE BOY Ⅵ第 0 LIVED 13 they've had a downpour of shooting stars ! perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early ー it's not until next week, folks ! But I can promise a wet night tonight. ' Mr DursIey sat frozen ⅲ his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? OwIs flying by daylight? Mysterious people ⅲ cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the potters . Mrs DursIey came into the living-room carrying two cups Of tea. lt was no good. He'd have to say something tO her. He cleared his throat nervously. 'Er ー Petunia, dear ー you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?' As he had expected, Mrs DursIey looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sis ter. 'No,' she said sharply 'Why?' 'Funny stuff on the news,' Mr DursIey mumbled. 'Owls . shO 0 ting s tars . and there were a lOt Of funny-looking people ⅲ town today . 50 ~ snapped Mrs Dursley. 'WeII, I just thought ... maybe . it was some- thing t0 d0 with ... you know … her lot.' Mrs DursIey sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter'. He decided he didn't dare. lnstead he said, as casually as he could, 'Their son ー he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?' 'l suppose SO,' said Mrs Dursley stiffly. 'YVhat'S his name again? Howard, isn't it?' Harry.. Nasty, common name, if you ask me. 'Oh, yes,' said Mr Dursley, his heart sinking hor- ribly. 'Yes, I quite agree. '

20 HARRY POTTER suppose you're going t0 tell me why you're here, 0f all places?' 'l've come tO bring Harry tO his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now.' 'You don't mean ー you c 住れ ' [ mean the people whO live he 尾 ? ' cried Professor McGonagall, jumping tO her feet and pointing at number four. 'Dumbledore ー you can't. l've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son ー I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry POtter C01 れ e and live here!' 'lt's the best place for him,' said Dumbledore firmly. 'His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything t0 him when he's Older. l've written them a letter. 'A letter?' repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. 'Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous ー a legend ー I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry P0tter Day ⅲ future ー there will be books written about Harry ー every child in our world will know his name ! ' 'Exactly,' said Dumbledore, looking very senous- ly over the top of his half-moon glasses. 'lt would be enough t0 turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! can't you see hO 、 much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready tO take it?' Professor McGonagalI opened her mouth,

CHAPTER ELEVEN Quidditch As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows, defrosting broom- sticks on the Quidditch pitch, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit-fur gloves and enormous beaverskin boots. The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing ⅲ his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place ⅲ the House Championship. Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because 、 Mood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret. But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out some- how, and Harry didn't know which was worse people telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath him, holding a mattress. lt was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend. He didn't know how he'd have got

232 HARRY POTTER 'One can never have enough SOCkS,' said Dumbledore. 'Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on givmg me books. ' lt was only when he was back in bed that it struck Harry that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then, he thought, as he shoved Scabbers off his pillow, it had been quite a personal question.

THE MAN WITH TWO FACES 331 barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes SO they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles. 'You must come and stay this summer,' said Ron, 'both of you ー I'II send you an 0W1. 'Thanks,' said Harry. 'I'II need something to look forward to. People jostled them as they moved forwards towards the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called: 、 Bye , Harry ! ' 'See you, POtter! ' 'StiII famous,' said Ron, grinning at him. 'Not where l'm going, I promise you,' said Harry. He, Ron and Hermione passed through the gate- way together. 'There he is, Mum, there he is, look!' lt was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron. Harry Potter! ' she squealed. 、 LOOk , Mum! I can see ー 'Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude tO point. Mrs WeasIey smiled down atthem. 'Busy year?' she said. 'Very,' said Harry. 'Thanks for the fudge and the Jumper, Mrs 、 veasley.' 'Oh, it was nothing, dear. 'Ready, are you?' lt was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mous- tached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an 0W1 ⅲ a cage ⅲ a station full 0f ordinary people. Behind him st00d Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight 0f Harry.

THE BOY Ⅵ第 0 LIVED 17 'We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years. 'I know that,' said Professor McGonagaIl irritably. 'But that's no reason to lose our heads. people are being dO 、 vnright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed ⅲ MuggIe clothes, S 、 rumours. She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on: 'A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You- Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?' 'lt certainly seems so,' said DumbIedore. 'We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbet 1e1 れ on ? ' 'A what?' 'A sherbet lemon. They're a kind of Muggle sweet l'm rather fond of. ' 'No, thank you,' said Professor McGonagall cold- ly, as though she didn'tthink this was the moment for sherbet lemons. 'As I say, even if You-Know- 嶬市 0 has gone ー 'My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? AII this "You-Know- 、 Mh() ” for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: 旧 6m0 れ . ' Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking tWO sherbet lemons, seemed not tO notice. 'lt all gets so confusing if we keep saymg "You-Kno 、 M-M/hO". ' I have never seen any

NICOLAS FLAMEL 241 would dare t0 try and hurt him if Dumbledore was wa tching. Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched on tO the pitch, some- thing that Ron noticed, t00. 'l've never seen Snape lOOk SO mean,' he tOld Hermione. 、 L00k ー they're off. Ouch! ' Someone had poked Ron ⅲ the back 0f the head. I t was Malfoy 'Oh, sorry, 、 veasley, didn't see you there. ' Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle. 。、 Monder how long Potter's going to stay on his br001 れ this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?' Ron didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. Hermione, who had all her fingers crossed ⅲ her lap, was squinting fixedly at Harry, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch. 'You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?' said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. 'lt's people they feel sorry for. See, there's POtter, whO's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money ー you should be on the team, Longb0ttom, you've got brains. NeviIIe went bright red but turned ⅲ his seat t0 face Malfoy. 'l'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy,' he stammered. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the