Гарри Поттер и узник Азкабана
Owl Post
Therewasjustoneverysmallimprovement—afterswearingthathewouldn’tusehertosendletterstoanyofhisfriends,Harryhadbeenallowedtolethisowl,Hedwig,outatnight.UncleVernonhadgiveninbecauseoftheracketHedwigmadeifshewaslockedinhercageallthetime.
HarryfinishedwritingaboutWendelintheWeirdandpausedtolistenagain.Thesilenceinthedarkhousewasbrokenonlybythedistant,gruntingsnoresofhisenormouscousin,Dudley.Itmustbeverylate,Harrythought.Hiseyeswereitchingwithtiredness.Perhapshe’dfinishthisessaytomorrownight...
Hereplacedthetopoftheinkbottle;pulledanoldpillowcasefromunderhisbed;puttheflashlight,AHistoryofMagic,hisessay,quill,andinkinsideit;gotoutofbed;andhidthelotunderaloosefloorboardunderhisbed.Thenhestoodup,stretched,andcheckedthetimeontheluminousalarmclockonhisbedsidetable.
Itwasoneo’clockinthemorning.Harry’sstomachgaveafunnyjolt.Hehadbeenthirteenyearsold,withoutrealizingit,forawholehour.
YetanotherunusualthingaboutHarrywashowlittlehelookedforwardtohisbirthdays.Hehadneverreceivedabirthdaycardinhislife.TheDursleyshadcompletelyignoredhislasttwobirthdays,andhehadnoreasontosupposetheywouldrememberthisone.
Harrywalkedacrossthedarkroom,pastHedwig’slarge,emptycage,totheopenwindow.Heleanedonthesill,thecoolnightairpleasantonhisfaceafteralongtimeundertheblankets.Hedwighadbeenabsentfortwonightsnow.
