There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.
“I'm a what ?” gasped Harry.
“A wizard, of’ course,” said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, “an’ a thumpin’ good ‘un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an’ dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An’ I reckon it's about’ time yeh read yer letter.”
Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. He pulled out the letter and read:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, “What does it mean, they await my owl?”
“Gallopin’ Gorgons, that reminds me,” said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl — a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl — a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down:
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
Given Harry his letter.
Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.
Weather's horrible. Hope you're well.
Hagrid
Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.
Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.
頃刻間整間房子都靜下來(lái)了,只聽得見海水和海風(fēng)呼嘯的聲音。
"我是什么?"哈利也喘著粗氣。
"沒錯(cuò),你是一個(gè)巫師。"哈格力說,又一屁股坐在沙發(fā)上,沙發(fā)凹陷得更深了。"一個(gè)一極棒的巫師,當(dāng)然如果你再勤加練習(xí)的話。有一對(duì)這樣的爸爸媽媽,你還能成為其他什么人嗎?我覺得是時(shí)候給你看那封信了。"哈利伸出手去接住那只黃色的信封,上面用綠色墨水清清楚楚地寫著:海上巖石里木屋地板上的哈利·波特先生收。他從里面抽出一封信并讀道:"霍格瓦徹魔法學(xué)校校長(zhǎng):艾伯斯。丹伯多(國(guó)際巫術(shù)聯(lián)盟協(xié)會(huì)承認(rèn)的特級(jí)學(xué)校)
親愛的波特先生:我們很高興通知你,你已經(jīng)被霍格瓦徹魔法學(xué)校錄取了。請(qǐng)?jiān)诟郊姓业奖匦璧臅蛢x器的單子。
學(xué)校將在九月一日開學(xué)。你的貓頭鷹請(qǐng)不要遲于七月三十一日來(lái)學(xué)校報(bào)到。
你忠誠(chéng)的,米勒娃。
麥康娜校長(zhǎng)助理"無(wú)數(shù)的問題在哈利的腦子里像鞭炮一樣炸開了花,以至于他不知道先問哪個(gè)才好。過了好一陣地才結(jié)結(jié)巴巴地說,"我的貓頭鷹?
這是什么意思?"
"我差點(diǎn)把'飛俠'哥根斯給忘了。"哈格力一邊說,一邊在自己額頭上猛拍了一下,那力氣足足可以把一輛馬車掀翻。接著他從他外套的另外一個(gè)口袋里掏出一只貓頭鷹——一只真正的、活生生的,長(zhǎng)相丑陋的貓頭鷹——長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的羽毛和一身羊皮紙似的皮膚。在貓頭鷹舌頭與牙齒之間銜著一張字跡潦草的字條。哈利是掉過頭來(lái)讀的:"愛的丹伯多:我已經(jīng)把哈利的信給他了,明天帶他去買他需要的東西。
天氣不怎么好,你們要當(dāng)心。
哈格力"哈格力把這張字條卷成一條給了貓頭鷹,貓頭鷹馬上把它銜在嘴里。哈格力打開門,貓頭鷹轉(zhuǎn)眼間便消失在暴風(fēng)雨中。然后他走回來(lái)重新坐下,好像這些都是如同打電話一樣平常的事情。
哈利意識(shí)到自己的嘴一直大大地張著,趕緊把它閉攏。