晨韵推荐：双语美文--哈利波特与凤凰社 Chapter 2（下）

绚斓晨韵

Harry was stunned. Except for one outburst years ago, in the course of which Aunt Petunia had screamed that Harry's mother had been a freak, he had never heard her mention her sister. He was astounded that she had remembered this scrap of information about the magical world for so long, when she usually put all her energies, into pretending it didn't exist.
Uncle Vernon opened his mouth, closed it again, opened it once more, shut it, then, apparently struggling to remember how to talk, opened it for a third time and croaked, 'So - so - they - er - they - er - they actually exist, do they - er - Dementy-whatsits？'
Aunt Petunia nodded.
Uncle Vernon looked from Aunt Petunia to Dudley to Harry as if hoping somebody was going to shout 'April Fool！' When nobody did, he opened his mouth yet again, but was spared the struggle to find more words by the arrival of the third owl of the evening. It zoomed through the still-open window like a feathery cannon-ball and landed with a clatter on the kitchen table, causing all three of the Dursleys to jump with fright. Harry tore a second official-looking envelope from the owl's beak and ripped it open as the owl swooped back out into the night.
'Enough - effing - owls,' muttered Uncle Vernon distractedly, stomping over to the window and slamming it shut again.
哈利感到非常震惊。几年前有一次佩妮姨妈情绪爆发，尖叫着说哈利的妈妈是个怪物，除此之外，哈利从没听她提起过自己的妹妹。而她居然记得魔法世界的这点细节，这么长时间都没有忘记。哈利真是惊讶极了，平常她总是竭尽全力假装魔法世界并不存在的呀。
弗农姨父张了张嘴又闭上了，接着又张了张又闭上了，然后，显然是在挣扎着回忆怎样说话。他第三次把嘴张开，声音嘶哑地说：“这么说——这么说——他们——嗯——他们——嗯——真的存在，他们——嗯——这些死魂怪？”
佩妮姨妈点了点头。
弗农姨父的目光从佩妮姨妈身上转向达力，又转向哈利，似乎希望有人大喊一声：“愚人节！”看到没有人这么做，他又把嘴巴张开了，而就在这时，今晚的第三只猫头鹰飞来了，他也就不用费力地再说些什么了。猫头鹰像一枚长着羽毛的炮弹，嗖的一声飞进仍然开着的窗户，啪嗒嗒地落在厨房的桌子上，吓得德思礼一家三口都跳了起来。哈利从猫头鹰嘴里扯下第二封公函样的信封，撕开封口，这时猫头鹰腾身飞回了外面的夜色中。
“够了——粗鲁的——猫头鹰。”弗农姨父心烦意乱地说，噔噔噔地走到窗口，又把窗户重重地关上了。
Dear Mr Potter,
Further to our letter of approximately twenty-two minutes ago, the Ministry of Magic has revised its decision to destroy your wand forthwith. You may retain your wand until your disciplinary hearing on the twelfth of August, at which time an official decision will be taken.
Following discussions with the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Ministry has agreed that the question of your expulsion will also be decided at that time. You should therefore consider yourself suspended from- school pending further enquiries.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Mafalda Hopkirk
Improper Use of Magic Office
Ministry of Magic
Harry read this letter through three times in quick succession. The miserable knot in his chest loosened slightly with the relief of knowing he was not yet definitely expelled, though his fears were by no means banished. Everything seemed to hang on this hearing on the twelfth of August.
亲爱的波特先生：
我们约二十二分钟前曾致函于你，之后魔法部改变了立即销毁你的魔杖的决定。你可以保留魔杖，直到8月12日受审的时候再做正式决定。
经与霍格沃茨魔法学校校长商量，魔法部同意将开除你学籍的问题也留到那时再做决定。因此，你可以认为自己是暂时停学，等候进一步调查。顺致问候。
你忠实的马法尔达霍普柯克
魔法部禁止滥用魔法司
哈利飞快地将信连看了三遍。知道自己还没有肯定被开除，他心头那个令人难受的疙瘩总算解开了一点儿，但他的担心丝毫没有消除。似乎所有的事情都取决于8月12日的受审。
'Well？' said Uncle Vernon, recalling Harry to his surroundings. 'What now？ Have they sentenced you to anything？ Do your lot have the death penalty？' he added as a hopeful afterthought.
'I've got to go to a hearing,' said Harry.
'And they'll sentence you there？'
'I suppose so.'
'I won't give up hope, then,' said Uncle Vernon nastily.
'Well, if that's all,' said Harry, getting to his feet. He was desperate to be alone, to think, perhaps to send a letter to Ron, Hermione or Sirius.
'NO, IT RUDDY WELL IS NOT ALL！' bellowed Uncle Vernon. 'SIT BACK DOWN！'
'What now？' said Harry impatiently.
'DUDLEY！' roared Uncle Vernon. 'I want to know exactly what happened to my son！'
'FINE！' yelled Harry, and in his temper, red and gold sparks shot out of the end of his wand, still clutched in his hand. All three Dursleys flinched, looking terrified.
'Dudley and I were in the alleyway between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk,' said Harry, speaking fast, fighting to control his temper. 'Dudley thought he'd be smart with me, I pulled out my wand but didn't use it. Then two Dementors turned up - '
“怎么了？”弗农姨父说道，把哈利一下子拉回到了现实中，“现在又怎么啦？他们给你判决了没有？”他突然想起了一个很有希望的念头，跟着问了这一句，“你们那类人有没有死刑啊？”
“我要去受审。”哈利说。
“他们在那儿给你判决？”
“我想是吧。”
“我不会放弃希望的。”弗农姨父满脸凶相地说。
“好吧，如果完事了的话——”哈利说着站了起来。他迫不及待地想清静一会儿，好好想一想，也许还要给罗恩、赫敏或小天狼星写一封信呢。
“没有，事情还没有完！”弗农姨父吼道，“坐下去！”
“还有什么？”哈利不耐烦地问。
“达力！”弗农姨父咆哮着说，“我想知道我的儿子到底出了什么事！”
“很好！”哈利大喊一声。他气坏了，手里仍然攥着的魔杖顶上冒出红色和金色的火星。德思礼一家三口纷纷后退，一副大惊失色的样子。
“达力和我走在木兰花新月街和紫藤路之间的小巷里，”哈利语速极快地说道，拼命克制着自己的火气，“达力跟我斗嘴，我抽出了魔杖，但并没有用它。这时两个摄魂怪出现了——”