Гарри Поттер и тайная комната
The Worst Birthday
EversinceHarryhadcomehomeforthesummerholidays,UncleVernonhadbeentreatinghimlikeabombthatmightgooffatanymoment,becauseHarryPotterwasn’tanormalboy. Asamatteroffact,hewasasnotnormalasitispossibletobe.
HarryPotterwasawizard-awizardfreshfromhisfirstyearatHogwartsSchoolofWitchcraftandWizardry. AndiftheDursleyswereunhappytohavehimbackfortheholidays,itwasnothingtohowHarryfelt.
HemissedHogwartssomuchitwaslikehavingaconstantstomachache.Hemissedthecastle,withitssecretpassagewaysandghosts,hisclasses(thoughperhapsnotSnape,thePotionsmaster),themailarrivingbyowl,eatingbanquetsintheGreatHall, sleepinginhisfour-posterbedinthetowerdormitory,visitingthegamekeeper,Hagrid,inhiscabinnexttotheForbiddenForestinthegrounds, and,especially,Quidditch,themostpopularsportinthewizardingworld (sixtallgoalposts,fourflyingballs,andfourteenplayersonbroomsticks).
AllHarry’sspellbooks,hiswand,robes,cauldron,andtop-of-the-lineNimbusTwoThousandbroomstickhadbeenlockedinacupboardunderthestairsbyUncleVernontheinstantHarryhadcomehome. WhatdidtheDursleyscareifHarrylosthisplaceontheHouseQuidditchteambecausehehadn’tpracticedallsummer?WhatwasittotheDursleysifHarrywentbacktoschoolwithoutanyofhishomeworkdone? TheDursleyswerewhatwizardscalledMuggles(notadropofmagicalbloodintheirveins),andasfarastheywereconcerned,havingawizardinthefamilywasamatterofdeepestshame. UncleVernonhadevenpadlockedHarry’sowl,Hedwig,insidehercage,tostopherfromcarryingmessagestoanyoneinthewizardingworld.
