Гарри Поттер и узник Азкабана

           Harrywasn’tworriedabouther:she’dbeengonethislongbefore.Buthehopedshe’dbebacksoon—shewastheonlylivingcreatureinthishousewhodidn’tflinchatthesightofhim.

           Harry,thoughstillrathersmallandskinnyforhisage,hadgrownafewinchesoverthelastyear.Hisjet-blackhair,however,wasjustasitalwayshadbeen—stubbornlyuntidy,whateverhedidtoit.Theeyesbehindhisglasseswerebrightgreen,andonhisforehead,clearlyvisiblethroughhishair,wasathinscar,shapedlikeaboltoflightning.

           OfalltheunusualthingsaboutHarry,thisscarwasthemostextraordinaryofall.Itwasnot,astheDursleyshadpretendedfortenyears,asouvenirofthecarcrashthathadkilledHarry’sparents,becauseLilyandJamesPotterhadnotdiedinacarcrash.Theyhadbeenmurdered,murderedbythemostfearedDarkwizardforahundredyears,LordVoldemort.Harryhadescapedfromthesameattackwithnothingmorethanascaronhisforehead,whereVoldemort’scurse,insteadofkillinghim,hadreboundeduponitsoriginator.Barelyalive,Voldemorthadfled...

           ButHarryhadcomeface-to-facewithhimatHogwarts.Rememberingtheirlastmeetingashestoodatthedarkwindow,Harryhadtoadmithewasluckyeventohavereachedhisthirteenthbirthday.

           HescannedthestarryskyforasignofHedwig,perhapssoaringbacktohimwithadeadmousedanglingfromherbeak,expectingpraise.Gazingabsentlyovertherooftops,itwasafewsecondsbeforeHarryrealizedwhathewasseeing.

           Silhouettedagainstthegoldenmoon,andgrowinglargereverymoment,wasalarge,strangelylopsidedcreature,anditwasflappinginHarry’sdirection.