Гарри Поттер и Принц-полукровка
A very frosty Christmas
"Didyouknowthat?"
"No,"saidHarrytruthfully.
"Ohyes,foraverylongtime.ButDumbledorehasbeenveryprotectiveofyou,"saidScrimgeour."Natural,ofcourse,natural,afterwhatyou’vebeenthrough...especiallywhathappenedattheMinistry..."
HewaitedforHarrytosaysomething,butHarrydidnotoblige,sohewenton,"IhavebeenhopingforanoccasiontotalktoyoueversinceIgainedoffice,butDumbledorehas—mostunderstandably,asIsay—preventedthis."
Still,Harrysaidnothing,waiting.
"Therumorsthathaveflownaround!"saidScrimgeour."Well,ofcourse,webothknowhowthesestoriesgetdistorted...allthesewhispersofaprophecy...ofyoubeing’theChosenOne’..."
Theyweregettingnearitnow,Harrythought,thereasonScrimgeourwashere.
"...IassumethatDumbledorehasdiscussedthesematterswithyou?"
Harrydeliberated,wonderingwhetherheoughttolieornot.Helookedatthelittlegnomeprintsallaroundtheflowerbeds,andthescuffed-uppatchthatmarkedthespotwhereFredhadcaughtthegnomenowwearingthetutuatthetopoftheChristmastree.Finally,hedecidedonthetruth...orabitofit.
"Yeah,we’vediscussedit."
"Haveyou,haveyou..."saidScrimgeour.Harrycouldsee,outofthecornerofhiseye,Scrimgeoursquintingathim,sohepretendedtobeveryinterestedinagnomethathadjustpokeditsheadoutfromunderneathafrozenrhododendron."AndwhathasDumbledoretoldyou,Harry?"
"Sorry,butthat’sbetweenus,"saidHarry.
