Гарри Поттер и тайная комната

           "Oh,don’t,"shewailedeverytimeFredaskedHarryloudlywhohewasplanningtoattacknext,orwhenGeorgepretendedtowardHarryoffwithalargecloveofgarlicwhentheymet. 

           Harrydidn’tmind;itmadehimfeelbetterthatFredandGeorge,atleast,thoughttheideaofhisbeingSlytherin’sheirwasquiteludicrous. ButtheiranticsseemedtobeaggravatingDracoMalfoy, wholookedincreasinglysoureachtimehesawthematit. 

           "It’sbecausehe’sburstingtosayit’sreallyhim,"saidRonknowingly. "Youknowhowhehatesanyonebeatinghimatanything,andyou’regettingallthecreditforhisdirtywork." 

           "Notforlong,"saidHermioneinasatisfiedtone. "ThePolyjuicePotion’snearlyready. We’llbegettingthetruthoutofhimanydaynow." 

           *** 

           Atlastthetermended,andasilencedeepasthesnowonthegroundsdescendedonthecastle. Harryfounditpeaceful,ratherthangloomy,andenjoyedthefactthathe,Hermione,andtheWeasleyshadtherunofGryffindorTower, whichmeanttheycouldplayExplodingSnaploudlywithoutbotheringanyone,andpracticeduelinginprivate. Fred,George,andGinnyhadchosentostayatschoolratherthanvisitBillinEgyptwithMr.andMrs.Weasley. Percy,whodisapprovedofwhathetermedtheirchildishbehavior,didn’tspendmuchtimeintheGryffindorcommonroom. HehadalreadytoldthempompouslythathewasonlystayingoverChristmasbecauseitwashisdutyasaprefecttosupporttheteachersduringthistroubledtime. 

           Christmasmorningdawned,coldandwhite.