The sound of the front door slamming echoed up the stairs and a voice roared, “Oh! You!”
Sixteen years of being addressed thus left Harry1 in no doubt when his uncle was calling, nevertheless, he did not immediately respond. He was still at the narrow fragment in which, for a split second, he had thought he saw Dumbledore’s eye. It was not until his uncle bellowed2, “BOY!” that Harry got slowly out of bed and headed for the bedroom door, pausing to add the piece of broken mirror to the rucksack filled with things he would be taking with him.
“You took you time!” roared Vernon Dursley when Harry appeared at the top of the stairs, “Get down here. I want a word!”
Harry strolled downstairs, his hands deep in his pants pockets. When he searched the living room he found all three Dursleys. They were dressed for packing; Uncle Vernon in an old ripped-up jacket and Dudley, Harry’s, large, blond, muscular cousin, in his leather jacket.
“Yes?” asked Harry.
“Sit down!” said Uncle Vernon. Harry raised his eyebrows4. “Please!” added Uncle Vernon, wincing5 slightly as though the word was sharp in his throat. Harry sat. He thought he knew what was coming. His uncle began to pace up and down, Aunt Petunia6 and Dudley, following his movement with anxious expressions. Finally, his large purple face crumpled7 with concentration. Uncle Vernon stopped in front of Harry and spoke8.
“I’ve changed my mind,” he said.
“What a surprise,” said Harry.
“Don’t you take that tone – ” began Aunt Petunia in a shrill9 voice, but Vernon Dursley waved her down “It’s all a lot of claptrap,” said Uncle Vernon, glaring at Harry with piggy little eyes. “I’ve decided10 I don’t believe a word of it. We’re staying put, we’re not going anywhere.”
Harry looked up at his uncle and felt a mixture of exasperation11 and amusement. Vernon Dursley had been changing his mind every twenty four hours for the past four weeks, packing and unpacking12 and repacking the car with every change of heart. Harry’s favorite moment had been the one when Uncle Vernon, unaware13 that Dudley had added his dumbbells to his case since the last time it been repacked, had attempted to hoist14 it back into the boot and collapsed15 with a yelp16 of pain and much swearing.
“According to you,” Vernon Dursley said, now resuming his pacing up and down the living room, “we – Petunia, Dudley, and I – are in danger. From – from – ”
“Some of ‘my lot’ right?” said Harry.
“Well I don’t believe it,” repeated Uncle Vernon, coming to a halt in front of Harry again. “I was awake half the night thinking it all over, and I believe it’s a plot to get the house.”
“The house?” repeated Harry. “What house?”
“This house!” shrieked17 Uncle Vernon, the vein18 his forehead starting to pulse. “Our house! House prices are skyrocketing around here! You want us out of the way and then you’re going to do a bit of hocus pocus and before we know it the deeds will be in your name and – ”
“Are you out of your mind?” demanded Harry. “A plot to get this house? Are you actually as stupid as you look?”
“Don’t you dare –!” squealed19 Aunt Petunia, but again Vernon waved her down. Slights on his personal appearance were it seemed as nothing to the danger he had spotted20.
“Just in case you’ve forgotten,” said Harry, “I’ve already got a house my godfather left me one. So why would I want this one? All the happy memories?”
There was silence. Harry thought he had rather impressed his uncle with this argument.
“You claim,” said Uncle Vernon, starting to pace yet again, “that this Lord Thing – ”
“ – Voldemort,” said Harry impatiently, “and we’ve been through this about a hundred times already. This isn’t a claim, it’s fact. Dumbledore told you last year, and Kingsley and Mr. Weasley – ”
Vernon Dursley hunched21 his shoulders angrily, and Harry guessed that his uncle was attempting to ward22 off recollections of the unannounced visit, a few days into Harry’s summer holidays, of two fully23 grown wizards. The arrival on the doorstep of Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley had come as a most unpleasant shock to the Dursleys. Harry had to admit, however that as Mr. Weasley had once demolished24 half of the living room, his reappearance could not have been expected to delight Uncle Vernon.
“ – Kingsley and Mr. Weasley explained it all as well,” Harry pressed on remorselessly, “Once I’m seventeen, the protective charm that keeps me safe will break, and that exposes you as well as me. The Order is sure Voldemort will target you, whether to torture you to try and find out where I am, or because he thinks by holding you hostage I’d come and try to rescue you.”
Uncle Vernon’s and Harry’s eyes met. Harry was sure that in that instant they were both wondering the same thing. Then Uncle Vernon walked on and Harry resumed, “You’ve got to go into hiding and the Order wants to help. You’re being offered serious protection, the best there is.”
Uncle Vernon said nothing but continued to pace up and down. Outside the sun hung low over the privet hedges. The next door neighbor’s lawn mower25 stalled again.
“I thought there was a Ministry26 of Magic?” asked Vernon Dursley abruptly27.
“There is,” said Harry, surprised.
“Well, then, why can’t they protect us? It seems to me that, as innocent victims, guilty of nothing more than harboring a marked man, we ought to qualify for government protection!”
Harry laughed; he could not help himself. It was so very typical of his uncle to put his hopes in the establishment, even within this world that he despised and mistrusted. “You heard what Mr. Weasley and Kingsley said,” Harry replied. “We think the Ministry has been infiltrated28.”
Uncle Vernon strode back to the fireplace and back breathing so strongly that his great black mustache rippled29 his face still purple with concentration.
“All right,” he said. Stopping in front of Harry get again. “All right, let’s say for the sake of argument we accept this protection. I still don’t see why we can’t have that Kingsley bloke.”
Harry managed not to roll his eyes, but with difficulty. This question had also been addressed half a dozen times.
“As I’ve told you,” he said through gritted30 teeth, “Kingsley is protecting the Mug – I mean, your Prime Minister.”
“Exactly – he’s the best!” said Uncle Vernon, pointing at the blank television screen. The Dursleys had spotted Kingsley on the news, walking along the Muggle Prime Minister as he visited a hospital. This, and the fact that Kingsley had mastered the knack31 of dressing32 like a Muggle, not to mention a certain reassuring33 something in his slow, deep voice, had caused the Dursleys to take to Kingsley in a way that they had certainly not done with any other wizard, although it was true that they had never seen him with earring34 in.
“Well, he’s taken,” said Harry. “But Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle are more than up to the job – ”
“If we’d even seen CVs…” began Uncle Vernon, but Harry lost patience. Getting to his feet, he advanced on his uncle, not pointing at the TV set himself.
“These accidents aren’t accidents – the crashed and explosions and derailments and whatever else has happened since we last watched the news. People are disappearing and dying and he’s behind it – Voldemort. I’ve told you this over and over again, he kills Muggles for fun. Even the fogs – they’re caused by dementors, and if you can’t remember what they are, ask your son!”
Dudley’s hands jerked upward to tower his mouth. With his parents’ and Harry’s eyes upon him, he slowly lowered them again and asked, “There are… more of them?”
“More?” laughed Harry. “More than the two that attacked us, you mean? Of course there are hundreds, maybe thousands by this time, seeing as they feed off fear and despair – ”
“All right, all right blustered35,” blustered Vernon Dursley. “You’ve made your point – ”
“I hope so,” said Harry, “because once I’m seventeen, all of them – Death Eaters, elementors, maybe even Inferi – which means dead bodies enchanted36 by a Dark wizard – will be able to find you and will certainly attack you. And if you remember the last time you tried to outrun wizards, I think you’ll agree you need help.”
There was a brief silence in which the distant echo of Hagrid smashing down a wooden front door seemed to reverberate37 through the intervening years. Aunt Petunia was looking at Uncle Vernon; Dudley was staring at Harry. Finally Uncle Vernon blurted38 out, “But what about my work? What about Dudley’s school? I don’t suppose those things matter to a bunch of layabout wizards – ”
“Don’t you understand?” shouted Harry. “They will torture and kill you like they did my parents!”
“Dad,” said Dudley in a loud voice, “Dad – I’m going with these Order people.”
“Dudley,” said Harry, “for the first time in your life, you’re talking sense.” He knew the battle was won. If Dudley was frightened enough to accept the Order’s help, his parents would accompany him. There could be no question of being separated from their Duddykins. Harry glanced at the carriage clock on the mantelpiece.
“They’ll be here in about five minutes,” he said, and when one of the Dursleys replied, he left the room. The prospect39 of parting – probably forever – from his aunt, uncle, and cousin was one that he was able to contemplate40 quite cheerfully but there was nevertheless a certain awkwardness in the air. What did you say to one another at the end of sixteen years’ solid dislike?
Back in his bedroom, Harry fiddled41 aimlessly with his rucksack then poked42 a couple of owl3 nuts through the bats of Hedwig’s cage. They fell with dull thuds to the bottom where she ignored them.
“We’re leaving soon, really soon,” Harry told her. “And then you’ll be able to fly again.”
The doorbell rang. Harry hesitated, then headed back out of his room and downstairs. It was too much to expect Hestia and Dedalus to cope with the Dursleys on their own.
“Harry Potter!” squeaked43 an excited voice, the moment Harry had opened the door; a small man in a mauve top hat that was sweeping44 him a deep bow. “An honor as ever!”
“Thanks, Dedalus,” said Harry, bestowing45 a small and embarrassed smile upon the dark haired Hestia. “It’s really good of you to do this… They’re through here, my aunt and uncle and cousin…”
“Good day to you, Harry Potter’s relatives!” said Dedalus happily striding into the living room. The Dursleys did not look at all happy to be addressed thus; Harry half expected another change of mind. Dudley shrank neared to his mother at the sight of the witch and wizard.
“I see you are packed and ready. Excellent! The plan, as Harry has told you, is a simple one,” said Dedalus, pulling an immense pocket watch out of his waistcoat and examining it. “We shall be leaving before Harry does. Due to the danger of using magic in your house –Harry being still underage it could provide the Ministry with an excuse to arrest him – we shall be driving, say, ten miles or so before Disapparating to the safe location we have picked out for you. You know how to drive, I take it?” He asked Uncle Vernon politely.
“Know how to –? Of course I ruddy well know how to drive!” spluttered Uncle Vernon.
“Very clever of you, sir, very clever. I personally would be utterly46 bamboozled47 by all those buttons and knobs,” said Dedalus. He was clearly under the impression that he was flattering Vernon Dursley, who was visibly losing confidence in the plan with every word Dedalus spoke.
“Can’t even drive,” he muttered under his breath, his mustache rippling48 indignantly, but fortunately neither Dedalus nor Hestia seemed to hear him.
“You, Harry,” Dedalus continued, “will wait here for your guard. There has been a little change in the arrangements – ”
“What d’you mean?” said Harry at once. “I thought Mad-Eye was going to come and take me by Side Along-Apparition?”
“Can’t do it,” said Hestia tersely49, “Mad-Eye will explain.”
The Dursleys, who had listened to all of this with looks of utter incomprehension on their faces, jumped as a loud voice screeched50, “Hurry up!” Harry looked all around the room before realizing the voice had issued from Dedalus’s pocket watch.
“Quite right, were operating to a very tight schedule,” said Dedalus nodding at his watch and tucking it back into his waist coat. “We are attempting to time your departure from the house with your family’s Disapparition, Harry thus the charm breaks the moment you all head for safety.” He turned to the Dursleys, “Well, are we all packed and ready to go?”
None of them answered him. Uncle Vernon was still staring appalled51 at the bulge52 in Dedalus’s waistcoat pocket.
“Perhaps we should wait outside in the hall, Dedalus,” murmured Hestia. She clearly felt that it would be tactless for them to remain the room while Harry and the Dursleys exchanged loving, possibly tearful farewells.
“There’s no need,” Harry muttered, but Uncle Vernon made any further explanation unnecessary by saying loudly, “Well, this is good-bye then boy.”
He swung his right arm upward to shake Harry’s hand, but at the last moment seemed unable to face it, and merely closed his fist and began swinging it backward and forward like a metronome.
“Ready, Duddy?” asked Petunia, fussily53 checking the clasp of her handbag so as to avoid looking at Harry altogether.
Dudley did not answer but stood there with his mouth slightly ajar, reminding Harry a little of the giant, Grawp.
“Come along, then,” said Uncle Vernon.
He had already reached the living room door when Dudley mumbled54, “I don’t understand.”
“What don’t you understand, popkin?” asked Petunia looking up at her son.
Dudley raised a large, hamlike hand to point at Harry.
“Why isn’t he coming with us?”
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia froze when they stood staring at Dudley as though he had just expressed a desire to become a ballerina.
“What?” said Uncle Vernon loudly.
“Why isn’t he coming too?” asked Dudley.
“Well, he – doesn’t want to,” said Uncle Vernon, turning to glare at Harry and adding, “You don’t want to, do you?”
“Not in the slightest,” said Harry.
“There you are,” Uncle Vernon told Dudley. “Now come on we’re off.”
He marched out of the room. They heard the front door open, but Dudley did not move and after a few faltering55 steps Aunt Petunia stopped too.
“What now?” barked Uncle Vernon, reappearing in the doorway56.
It seemed that Dudley was struggling with concepts too difficult to put into words. After several moments of apparently57 painful internal struggle he said, “But where’s he going to go?”
Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon looked at each other. It was clear that Dudley was frightening them. Hestia Jones broke the silence.
“But… surely you know where your nephew is going?” she asked looking bewildered.
“Certainly we know,” said Vernon Dursley. “He’s off with some of your lot, isn’t he? Right, Dudley, let’s get in the car, you heard the man, we’re in a hurry.”
Again, Vernon Dursley marched as far as the front door, but Dudley did not follow.
“Off with some of our lot?”
Hestia looked outraged58. Harry had met this attitude before Witches and wizards seemed stunned60 that his closed living relatives took so little interest in the famous Harry Potter.
“It’s fine,” Harry assured her. “It doesn’t matter, honestly.”
“Doesn’t matter?” repeated Hestia, her voice rising considerably61.
“Don’t these people realize what you’ve been through? What danger you are in? The unique position you hold in the hearts of the anti Voldemort movement?”
“Er – no, they don’t,” said Harry. “They think I’m a waste of space, actually but I’m used to – ”
“I don’t think you’re a waste of space”
If Harry had not seen Dudley’s lips move, he might not have believed it. As it was, he stared at Dudley for several seconds before accepting that it must have been his cousin who had spoken; for one thing, Dudley had turned red. Harry was embarrassed and astonished himself.
“Well… er… thanks, Dudley.”
Again, Dudley appeared to grapple with thoughts too unwieldy for expression before mumbling62, “You saved my life,”
“Not really,” said Harry. “It was your soul the dementor would have taken…”
He looked curiously63 at his cousin. They had had virtually no contact during this summer or last, as Harry had come back to Privet Drive so briefly64 and kept to his room so much. It now dawned on Harry, however, that the cup of cold tea on which he had trodden that morning might not have been a booby trap at all. Although rather touched he was nevertheless quite relieved that Dudley appeared to have exhausted65 his ability to express his feelings. After opening his mouth once or twice more, Dudley subsided66 into scarlet-faced silence.
Aunt Petunia burst into tears. Hestia Jones gave her an approving look that changed to outrage59 as Aunt Petunia ran forward and embraced Dudley rather than Harry. “S-so sweet, Dudders…” she sobbed67 into his massive chest. “S-such a lovely b-boy… s-saying thank you…”
“But he hasn’t said thank you at all!” said Hestia indignantly. “He only said he didn’t think Harry was a waste of space!”
“Yea but coming from Dudley that’s like ‘I love you,’” said Harry, torn between annoyance68 and a desire to laugh as Aunt Petunia continued to clutch at Dudley as if he had just saved Harry from a burning building.
“Are we going or not?” roared Uncle Vernon, reappearing yet again at the living room door. “I thought we were on a tight schedule!”
“Yes –yes, we are,” said Dedalus Diggle, who had been watching these exchanged with an air of bemusement and now seemed to pull himself together. “We really must be off. Harry – ”
He tripped forward and wrung69 Harry’s hand with both of his own.
“ – good luck. I hope we meet again. The hopes of the Wizarding world rest upon your shoulders.”
“Oh,” said Harry, “right. Thanks.”
“Farwell, Harry,” said Hestia also clasping his hand. “Our thoughts go with you.”
“I hope everything’s okay,” said Harry with a glance toward Aunt Petunia and Dudley.
“Oh I’m sure we shall end up the best of chums,” said Diggle slightly, waving his hat as he left the room. Hestia followed him.
Dudley gently released himself from his mother’s clutches and walked toward Harry who had to repress an urge to threaten him with magic. Then Dudley held out his large, pink hand.
“Blimey, Dudley,” said Harry over Aunt Petunia’s renewed sobs70, “did the dementors blow a different personality into you?”
“Dunno,” muttered Dudley, “See you, Harry.”
“Yea …” said Harry, raking Dudley’s hand and shaking it. “Maybe. Take care, Big D.”
Dudley nearly smiled. They lumbered71 from the room. Harry heard his heavy footfalls on the graveled drive, and then a car door slammed.
Aunt Petunia whose face had been buried in her handkerchief looked around at the sound. She did not seem to have expected to find herself alone with Harry. Hastily stowing her wet handkerchief into her pocket, she said, “Well – good-bye” and marched towards the door without looking at him.
“Good-bye” said Harry.
She stopped and looked back. For a moment Harry had the strangest feeling that she wanted to say something to him; She gave him an odd, tremulous look and seemed to
teeter on the edge of speech, but then, with a little of her head, she hustled72 out of the room after he husband and son.
前门的撞击声传到了楼上，一个声音咆哮着：“嘿！小子！”
然而经历了十六年被呼来喝去的日子的哈利，这会儿当然没有立刻回应。他仍然看着狭长的碎镜片，有那么一刹那，他以为自己看到了邓布利多的眼睛。直到弗农姨父又吼了一声“小子！”，哈利这才慢慢地起身下床，向卧室门口走去，中途他把碎镜片放进了他将要带走的旅行包里。
“别磨蹭！”弗农·德思礼冲着楼梯上的哈利喊道，“下来，我有话要说。”
哈利双手插在口袋里，慢悠悠地走下楼梯。他环视了一下客厅，发现德思礼一家三口都在。他们穿得好像正要出门似的：弗农姨父穿着一件旧破的夹克，而达力——哈利的那个大块头、金发、肌肉发达的表兄则穿着一件皮夹克。
“怎么了？”哈利问。
“坐下！”弗农姨父说。哈利挑起眉毛，“请！”弗农姨父补充了一句，微微的畏缩了一下，好象那个字很难说出口一样。哈利坐下来，他觉得自己已经知道接下来要发生什么了。他的姨夫开始来回踱步，佩妮姨妈和达力都期待地看着他。终于，弗农姨父皱紧了他紫色的大脸，在哈利面前停了下来，开口说道：
“我改变主意了。”
“真令人意外啊。”哈利讽刺地说。
“你竟然用那种语气——”佩妮姨妈用那尖刻的声音说，然而弗农姨父挥手制止了她。“那些全都是空话，”弗农姨父用他猪一样的小眼睛盯着哈利说，“我一个字都不打算相信。我们就待在这里，哪儿都不去。”
哈利看着他的姨夫，感到又好气又好笑。过去的四个礼拜里，弗农姨父每隔24个小时都要改变一次主意，把行李放到车上，又拿出来，再放进去，每改变一次主意都要重复一遍。哈利最喜欢的一次是，弗农姨父不知道达力在上次收拾行李时把哑铃放进了箱子，于是把那箱子提起来准备放进汽车行李箱，结果－－疼地他尖叫咒骂着摔了个跟头。
“都是因为你，”弗农姨父一边说着，一边重新开始在客厅里踱来踱去，“我们——佩妮、达力和我——陷入了危险之中，因为那些……那些……”
“‘我们那种人’，是吗？”哈利说。
“总之我不信，”弗农姨父重复了一遍，再次停在哈利面前，“昨晚我想了大半夜，我确信这是一个阴谋，为的就是要得到房子。”
“房子？”哈利重复道，“什么房子？”
“这所房子！”弗农姨父尖叫道，额头上的青筋跳动着，“我们的房子！现在这里的房价飙升！你想把我们都支开，然后用一些骗术诡计，当我们还蒙在鼓里的时候房子就成了你的了，然后——”
“你疯了吗？”哈利问道，“为了得到这所房子？难道你真的和看上去一样蠢？”
“你怎么敢——！”佩妮姨妈尖叫道，但是弗农再一次制止了她，他的表情看起来无所畏惧。
“恐怕你们忘了，”哈利说，“我的教父已经留了一所房子给我。我怎么会想要你们的？难道是为了这里的美好回忆吗？”
房间里出现了一阵沉默。哈利觉得自己已经在这次辩论中压制住了他的姨夫。
“你声称，”弗农姨父说，再次开始踱步，“那个什么魔——”“伏地魔”哈利不耐烦的说，“我们已经讨论过一百次了。那并不是我声称，而是事实。去年邓布利多告诉过你，金斯莱和韦斯莱先生也告诉过你。”
弗农姨父怒气冲冲的耸起肩膀，哈利猜他姨夫一定是在试图摆脱关于那些不速之客的记忆，在哈利刚放暑假的那几天，两个成年巫师——金斯莱·沙克尔和亚瑟·韦斯莱的到访，对德思礼一家来说，是非常不愉快的一次意外。哈利不得不承认，不管怎么说韦斯莱先生曾经毁掉德思礼家的半个客厅，他的再次到访绝不会令弗农姨父开心。
“金斯莱和韦斯莱先生已经解释的很清楚了，”哈利冷冷的指出，“一旦我年满十七周岁，保护我的魔法就失效了，那意味着你们会和我一样被暴露出来。凤凰社确信伏地魔一定会拿你们当靶子，他会折磨你们来试图找到我，或者他认为只要把你们当作人质，我就会去救你们。”弗农姨父和哈利目光交汇，哈利确定那个时刻他们想的是同一件事。
弗农姨父继续踱步，哈利接着说道：“你们要藏起来，凤凰社会帮助你们，并且给你们最完善的保护。”
弗农姨父一言不发，只是走来走去。太阳已经落到了女贞路的篱笆下面，隔壁邻居家的割草机又停了下来。
“你们不是有个魔法部吗？”弗农姨父突然说道。
“没错”哈利有些惊讶。
“那么，为什么他们不来保护我们？在我看来，作为无辜的受害者，我们除了窝藏一个被关注的家伙之外没有任何罪过，我们有权利得到政府的保护！”
哈利实在忍不住，他放声大笑。那真是典型的弗农姨父，即便他藐视，猜忌这个世界，他居然还是寄希望于某个机构。
“韦斯莱先生和金斯莱已经告诉过你了，”哈利重复道，“我们认为魔法部已经被他们那些人腐蚀了。”
弗农姨父大步退回到壁炉边，用力地倒吸了一口气，以至于他的大黑胡子起了波纹，而他仍然皱着那张紫脸。
“好吧，”他说，再一次停在哈利面前，“好吧，就当是为了这次的争论，我们接受他们的保护，不过我还是不明白为什么不能让那个金斯莱小子保护我们。”
哈利使劲儿控制着翻白眼的冲动，但那非常困难，这个问题同样被讨论了好几次了。
“我告诉过你了，”他咬牙切齿的说，“金斯莱要保护麻——我的意思是，你们的首相。”
“显然－他是最棒的！”弗农姨父指着空白的电视屏幕说。德思礼一家在新闻里看到过金斯莱陪同麻瓜首相去医院探访。金斯莱完全掌握了打扮地像一个麻瓜的诀窍，加上他那令人安心的缓慢低沉的嗓音，这一切使得德思礼一家对金斯莱另眼相看，尽管他们从来都没见过金斯莱戴耳环的样子。
“他已经有任务了，”哈利说，“但是海丝佳·琼斯和德达洛·迪歌更适合这份工作。”
“如果我们看过他俩的简历……”弗农姨父刚开口，哈利已经失去耐心，他走到姨夫的前面，独自盯着电视机说道：“那些看起来像意外的事故不是意外——坠机、爆炸、列车出轨，还有从我们最后一次看新闻后发生的所有事情都不是。人们失踪和死亡都是他幕后操纵的——伏地魔。我一次又一次的告诉过你们，他杀人不眨眼。甚至那些雾气——那都是摄魂怪造成的，如果你不记得他们是什么，去问你儿子！”
达利突然用双手捂住了嘴，在他父母和哈利的注视下，他慢慢的把手放下来，开口问道：“他们有…更多的？”“更多？”哈利笑了，“比袭击我们的那两只要多吗，你想问这个吗？当然！现在有几百个，也许几千个，依靠恐惧和绝望生存……”
“好吧，好吧别吓人了，”弗农姨父喃喃的说，“你已经说清楚了。”
“希望如此，”哈利说，“因为一旦我年满十七岁，所有的那些东西——食死徒、摄魂怪，也许还有阴尸，也就是被黑巫师控制的死尸，那些东西都可能会找到你们并且袭击你们。如果你们还记得上一次试图摆脱巫师的情景，我想你会同意接受帮助的。”
房间里出现了短暂的沉默，海格撞碎木门的遥远的声音似乎穿越时空再次回荡起来（第一年的时候）。佩妮姨妈看着弗农姨父，达力看着哈利。最终，弗农姨父冲口而出：“我的工作怎么办？达力的学校怎么办？我不认为这些事情对于一群懒惰的巫师来说有任何意义。
“你还不明白吗？”哈利喊道，“他们会折磨你们，杀死你们，就像当初对我父母那样！”
“爸爸，”达力大声的说，“爸爸，我要跟那些凤凰社的人走。”
“达力，”哈利说，“你这辈子总算说了句有用的话。”
他知道自己赢了，如果达力因为恐惧而接受凤凰社的帮助，他的父母会陪他一起的。毫无疑问他们将撤离他们的老古董房子。哈利看了一眼壁炉上的旅行钟。“他们大概5分钟后到”他说，没等德思礼家的人开口，他就离开了房间。曾经他以为自己会因为与姨妈、姨夫以及表兄永远的告别而万分开心，但如今空气里却有种尴尬和难为情的味道。16年的相看两厌将要结束的时候，你会对对方说些什么呢？
回到卧室，哈利漫无目的的翻着他的背包，然后在海德薇的笼子里翻出两盒猫头鹰坚果。她没有理会那两盒砰地一声掉到地上的食物。“我们就快走了，很快就走，”哈利对她说，“然后你就又可以飞翔了。”
门铃响了，哈利犹豫了一下，走出房间，下了楼。他不能指望海丝佳·琼斯和德达洛·迪歌能够单独与德思礼和平相处。
“哈利波特！”哈利刚打开门，一个激动的声音就尖叫到，那个戴着紫红色礼帽的矮个男人对着他深深的鞠了一躬，“一如既往的荣幸！”
“谢谢你，德达洛”哈利说，有点窘迫地对着黑头发的海丝佳微微一笑，“你们能来帮忙真是太好了……他们在那里，我的姨妈、姨夫还有表兄……”
“你们好，哈利波特的亲人们！”德达洛走进客厅开心的说。德思礼一家看起来并没因此觉得开心，哈利有一半的心期待着他们再次改变主意。达利一见到巫师就缩在他妈妈身后。
“看来你们都已经准备好了，棒极了！就像哈利告诉你们的那样，这是一个简单的计划，”德达洛一边说，一边从背心口袋中掏出一个大怀表看了看，“我们比哈利走的早，如果在你们家里使用了魔法会有危险——哈利还未成年，在这里使用魔法的话魔法部就有借口来逮捕他——所以我们开车走，比方说，十英里左右，我们会幻影显形到给你们安排好的安全地点。我想，你知道如何开车吧？”他礼貌的询问弗农姨父。
“知道如何——？我当然知道怎么开车！”弗农姨父气急败坏的说。
“您非常聪明，先生，非常聪明。就我个人而言，那些按钮让我十分迷惑。”德达洛说，很显然他是想要讨好弗农姨父，但是弗农姨父显然因为德达洛的这些话，对计划丧失了信心。
“连开车都不会，”他咕哝着，胡须气愤的颤动着，所幸德达洛和海思佳都没有听到他讲的话。
“你，哈利，”德达洛接着说道，“要在这里等你的护卫前来。安排上有了一点小变化……”
“什么意思？”哈利立刻问到，“我以为是疯眼汉来接我，从飞路网过来。”
“不能那样了，”德达洛简洁的说，“疯眼汉会解释的。”德思礼一家听着这些对话,一脸的迷茫。“快点！”德思礼一家被这不知从哪冒出来的尖叫吓了一跳，哈利到处望了望一下才发现声音是德达洛的老怀表发出来的。
“就是，我们的行程非常紧张，”德达洛冲着老怀表点点头，把它放回背心口袋里，“我们尽量掐准了你离开这里和你的家人幻影显形的时间，哈利，所有咒语将会在你们都安全了的那一刻消失。”他转向德思礼，说：“那么，所有人都准备好出发了吗？”
没人回答他。弗农姨父仍然惊骇的盯着德达洛背心口袋突起来的那部分。
“也许我们应该去外面的门厅等一下，德达洛。”海斯佳小声的说。她显然觉得这时候留在屋里是不明智的，哈利可能要和德思礼一家来个伤感落泪的道别。
“不必了，”哈利咕哝了一声，但是弗农姨父夸张地大声表达了同样的意思：
“那么，再见了，小子。”
他伸出右臂靠近哈利的手，但是最后一刻似乎有些畏缩，然后合上拳头前后挥了两下，像个节拍器一样。
“准备好了吗，达达？”佩妮姨妈问，她忽然没道理地检查起手提包的扣子来，好像为了避免看到哈利。
达力并没有回答，只是微微张开嘴巴站在那里，这让哈利想起了巨人格洛普。
“那么，走吧。”弗农姨父走到了客厅门口，这时候达力开口说道：“我不明白。”
“你不明白什么啊？宝贝？”佩妮看着她的儿子问。
达力抬起粗大如火腿一般的手，指着哈利：“为什么他不和我们一起走？”
弗农姨父和佩妮姨妈僵在原地，他们盯着达力，就好象达力刚才说的他想要当一个芭蕾舞演员一般。
“你说什么？”弗农姨父大声的说。
“为什么他不一起走？”达力问。
“嗯……他……不想走，”弗农姨父说完，把脸转向哈利，补充了一句，“你不想走，对吧？”
“一点都不想。”哈利说。
“你明白了吧，”弗农姨父对达力说，“好了，我们现在出发吧。”
他向房间外面走去，打开前门，但是达力仍然没有动，佩妮姨妈迟疑的走了两步，也停下来了。
“现在是怎么了？”弗农姨父咆哮着又出现在门口。
达力似乎在很费劲的要把想法转化成语言说出来，经过了几秒钟痛苦的内心挣扎，他终于开了口：“但是，他要去哪里呢？”
佩妮姨妈和弗农姨父对视了一眼，很显然达力把他们吓到了。海思佳打破了沉默：“但是……你们一定知道你们的外甥要去哪里吧？”她迷惑的问。
“我们当然知道，”弗农姨父说，“他要去和你们那种人在一起，不是吗？好了，达力，我们上车去，你听到那个男人的话了，时间很紧，快过来。”
弗农姨父再一次走到了前门，可是达力仍然没有动。
“去和我们这种人一起？”海斯佳看起来被侮辱了。哈利已经见过巫师们被德思礼一家所震惊的样子了，他们惊讶于这些人竟然对大名鼎鼎的哈利波特如此不在意。
“没关系，”哈利让她放心，“说实在的，我不介意。”
“不介意？”海斯佳提高声音重复了一遍。
“这些人根本就没有意识到你将要做什么吗？他们不知道你要面临多少危险吗？他们不知道你在对抗伏地魔的战斗中扮演着多么重要角色吗？”
“呃……是的，他们不知道，”哈利说。“他们觉得我是个垃圾，事实上，我以前确实是——”
“我不觉得你是垃圾”要哈利不是亲眼看到达力的嘴唇在动，他绝对不相信这话是他说的，他看了达力几秒钟，才接受了那些话是出自他的表兄之口这个事实，而且，达力的脸红了。哈利既窘迫又惊讶：“嗯……呃……谢谢你，达力。”
达力又一次很困难与自己的思想做斗争，想要把想法表达出来，他咕哝道：“你救了我的命。”
“不完全是，”哈利说，“摄魂怪要的是你的灵魂……”
他好奇的看着他的表兄，其实无论是去年夏天还是今年夏天，他们都没怎么说话，因为哈利回女贞路的时间非常短，而他把自己关在房间的时间非常久。哈利渐渐的明白过来，那杯他踩到冰茶也许并不是个恶作剧。虽然他很感动，但是看到达力因为表达自己的感受以后筋疲力尽，再说不出话了，哈利还是松了一口气。达力又试着张了一两次嘴，还是红着脸安静了下来。
佩妮姨妈早已经痛哭流涕了。海斯佳原本满意的表情在看到佩妮姨妈跑过去拥抱的人是达力而不是哈利之后，转变成了愤怒。
“真是……真是太贴心了，达达……”她扑在他那结实的胸口上哭着说，“这么……这么可爱的男……男孩……说……说谢谢你……”
“但是他根本没说谢谢！”海斯佳愤怒的说，“他只是说他不认为哈利是垃圾！”
“是的，但是达力说出那样的话，就相当于说‘我爱你’了，”哈利说，哭笑不得地看着佩妮姨妈仍然紧紧地抓住达利，好像他刚把哈利从失火的房子里救了似的。
“我们到底走不走？”弗农姨父吼道，再一次出现在客厅门口，“我还以为我们的时间很紧呢！”
“是的……是的，我们确实时间很紧，”德达洛·迪歌说，他刚才一直很困惑的看着这些变故，这会儿终于回过神来了。“我们确实要马上出发了，哈利……”很快走到哈利身边，双手紧握哈利的手，“……祝你好运，我希望我们可以再见。拯救巫师界就靠你了。”
“噢，”哈利说，“好，谢谢。”
“非常好，哈利，”海斯佳也握住他的手说，“我们的心和你在一起。”
“希望一切顺利，”哈利看了一眼佩妮姨妈和达力说。
“噢，我想我们一定会成为好哥们儿的，”迪歌说，他轻轻的挥了一下帽子，走出房间。海斯佳也跟着离开了。
达力轻轻的从他妈妈手里挣脱开，走到了曾经用魔法威胁过他的那个人身边，然后他伸出粉红色的大手。
“哎呀，达力，”哈利在佩妮姨妈的呜咽声中说，“摄魂怪把你变了一个人吗？”
“谁知道呢，”达力咕哝着，“再见，哈利。”
“嗯……”哈利说，握住达力的手摇了摇，“也许能再见，当心点，D哥。”
达力几乎笑出来了。他们一起走出屋子，哈利听着自觉沉重的脚步声穿过沙石路，然后车门关上了。
佩妮姨妈的脸一直埋在手帕里，听到声音了才抬起头，发现自己竟然和哈利单独在一起了。她飞快的把手帕放进口袋里，说：“那么，再见。”然后没有再看哈利一眼，向门外走去。
“再见。”哈利说。
她突然停住了，转过头来，有那么一会儿，哈利有一种奇怪的感觉，好象佩妮有什么话要对他说；她用一种古怪而又震撼的目光看着哈利，似乎马上就要说出口了，但是，她只是猛地转身跟在丈夫和儿子后面，离开了房间。
收听单词发音 |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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wincing
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的现在分词 ) | |
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petunia
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| n.矮牵牛花 | |
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crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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exasperation
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| n.愤慨 | |
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unpacking
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| n.取出货物，拆包[箱]v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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yelp
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| vi.狗吠 | |
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shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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squealed
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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hunched
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| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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mower
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| n.割草机 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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infiltrated
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| adj.[医]浸润的v.（使）渗透，（指思想）渗入人的心中( infiltrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rippled
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| 使泛起涟漪（ripple的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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gritted
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| v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 )；咬紧牙关 | |
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knack
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| n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法 | |
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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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earring
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| n.耳环，耳饰 | |
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blustered
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| v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹 | |
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enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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reverberate
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| v.使回响，使反响 | |
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blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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fiddled
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| v.伪造( fiddle的过去式和过去分词 )；篡改；骗取；修理或稍作改动 | |
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poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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squeaked
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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bamboozled
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| v.欺骗，使迷惑( bamboozle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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tersely
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| adv. 简捷地, 简要地 | |
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screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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bulge
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| n.突出，膨胀，激增；vt.突出，膨胀 | |
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fussily
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| adv.无事空扰地，大惊小怪地，小题大做地 | |
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mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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mumbling
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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67
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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lumbered
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| 砍伐（lumber的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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hustled
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| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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