分节阅读48
which he had happily abed all the previo year
”what did he do when he saw you?”
”the ual,” said ron differently, deonstratg a rude hand
sture ”not like hi, though, is it? well ?that is” ?he did the hand sture aga ?”but why isn39t he out there bullyg first years?
”dunno,” said harry, but his d was racg didn39t this look as though alfoy had ore iportant thgs on his d than bullyg younr students?
”aybe he preferred the isitorial sad,” said herione ”aybe beg a prefect sees a bit ta after that”
”i don39t thk ,” said harry ”i thk he39s ?“
but before he uld expound on his theory, the partnt door slid open aga and a
eathless third-year girl stepped side
”i39 supposed to deliver these to neville longbotto and harry p-potter,” she faltered, as her eyes t harry39s and she turned scarlet she was holdg out o scrolls of parchnt tied with violet ribbon perplexed, harry and neville took the scroll addressed to each of the and the girl stubled back out of the partnt
”what is it?” ron deanded, as harry unrolled his
”an vitation,” said harry?p
harry,
i would be delighted if you would jo for a bite of nch partnt c
scerely, ,
”but what does he want for?” asked neville nervoly, as though he was expectg detention
”no idea,” said harry, which was not entirely true, though he had no proof yet that his hunch was rrect ”listen,” he added, seized by a sudden
a wave, ”let39s go under the visibility cloak, then we ight t a good look at alfoy on the way, see what he39s up to”
this idea, however, ca to nothg: the rridors, which were packed with people on the lookout for the nch trolley, were ipossible to negotiate while wearg the cloak harry stowed it regretfully back his bag, reflectg that it would have been nice to wear it jt to avoid all the starg, which seed to have creased tensity even sce he had st walked down the tra every now and then, students would hurtle out of their partnts to t a better look at hi the exception was cho chang, who darted to her partnt when she saw harry g as harry passed the dow, he saw her deep detered nversation with her friend arietta, who was wearg a very thick yer of akeup that did not entirely obscure the odd foration of piples still etched across her face sirkg slightly, harry phed on
when they reached partnt c, they saw at once that they were not sghorn39s only vitees, although judgg by the enthias of sghorn39s wele, harry was the ost warly anticipated
”harry, 39boy!” said sghorn, jupg up at the sight of hi that his great velvet-vered belly seed to fill all the reag space the partnt his shy bald head and great silvery tache glead as
ightly the sunlight as the golden
buttons on his waistat ”good to see you, good to see you! and you t be r longbotto!”
neville nodded, lookg scared at a sture fro sghorn, they sat down opposite each other the only o epty seats, which were nearest the door harry gnced around at their fellow guests he regnized a slyther fro their year, a tall bck boy with high cheekbones and long, sntg eyes there were al o seventh-year boys harry did not know and, sashed the rner beside sghorn and lookg as though she was not entirely sure how she had got there, gny
”now, do you know everyone?” sghorn asked harry and neville ”bise zabi is your year, of urse -?”
zabi did not ake any sign of regnition or greetg, nor did harry or neville: gryffdor and slyther students loathed each other on prciple
”this is rac en, perhaps you39ve e across each other ?? no?”
en, a r, wiry-haired youth, raised a hand, and harry and neville nodded back at hi
”?and this is arc belby, i don39t know whether ??”
belby, who was th and nervo-lookg, gave a straed sile
”?and this charg young dy tells she knows you!” sghorn fished
gny griaced at harry and neville fro behd sghorn39s back
”well now, this is ost pleasant,” said sghorn zily ”a chance to t to know you all a little better here, take a napk i39ve packed y own nch the trolley, as i reber it, is heavy on
lirice wands, and a poor old an39s distive syste isn39t ite up to such thgs pheasant, belby?”
belby started and aepted what