按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Dudley was as vast as ever； but a year's hard dieting and the discovery of a new talent had wrought quite a change in his physique。 As Uncle Vernon delightedly told anyone who would listen； Dudley had recently bee the Junior Heavyweight Inter…School Boxing Champion of the Southeast。 The noble sport'； as Uncle Vernon called it； had made Dudley even more formidable than he had seemed to Harry in their primary school days when he had served as Dudley's first punchball。 Harry was not remotely afraid of his cousin any more but he still didn't think that Dudley learning to punch harder and more accurately was cause for celebration。 Neighbourhood children all around were terrified of him … even more terrified than they were of 'that Potter boy' who； they had been warned； was a hardened hooligan and attended St Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys。
Harry watched the dark figures crossing the grass and wondered who they had been beating up tonight。 Look round； Harry found himself thinking as he watched them。 e on： look round： I'm sitting here all alone： e and have a go：
If Dudley's friends saw him sitting here； they would be sure to make a beeline for him； and what would Dudley do then？ He wouldn't want to lose face in front of the gang； but he'd be terrified of provoking Harry： it would be really fun to watch Dudley's dilemma； to taunt him； watch him； with him powerless to respond： and if any of the others tried hitting Harry； he was ready … he had his wand。 Let them try： he'd love to vent some of his frustration on the boys who had once made his life hell。
But they didn't turn around； they didn't see him； they were almost at the railings。 Harry mastered the impulse to call after them： seeking a fight was not a smart move： he must not use magic： he would be risking expulsion again。
The voices of Dudley's gang died away； they were out of sight； heading along Magnolia Road。
There you go； Sirius； Harry thought dully。 Nothing rash。 Kept my nose clean。 Exactly the opposite of what you'd have done。
He got to his feet and stretched。 Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon seemed to feel that whenever Dudley turned up was the right time to be home； and any time after that was much too late。 Uncle Vernon had threatened to lock Harry in the shed if he came home after Dudley ever again； so； stifling a yawn； and still scowling； Harry set off towards the park gate。
Magnolia Road； like Privet Drive； was full of large； square houses with perfectly manicured lawns； all owned by large； square owners who drove very clean cars similar to Uncle Vernon's。 Harry preferred Little Whinging by night； when the curtained windows made patches of jewel…bright colour in the darkness and he ran no danger of hearing disapproving mutters about his 'delinquent' appearance when he passed the householders。 He walked quickly； so that halfway along Magnolia Road Dudley's gang came into view again； they were saying their farewells at the entrance to Magnolia Crescent。 Harry stepped into the shadow of a large lilac tree and waited。
'： squealed like a pig； didn't he？' Malcolm was saying； to guffaws from the others。
'Nice right hook； Big D；' said Piers。
'Same time tomorrow？' said Dudley。
'Round at my place； my parents will be out；' said Gordon。
'See you then；' said Dudley。
'Bye； Dud！'
'See ya； Big D！'
Harry waited for the rest of the gang to move on before setting off again。 When their voices had faded once more he headed around the corner into Magnolia Crescent and by walking very quickly he soon came within hailing distance of Dudley； who was strolling along at his ease； humming tunelessly。
'Hey； Big D！'
Dudley turned。
'Oh；' he grunted。 'It's you。'
'How long have you been 〃Big D〃 then？' said Harry。
'Shut it；' snarled Dudley； turning away。
'Cool name；' said Harry； grinning and falling into step beside his cousin。 'But you'll always be 〃Ickle Diddykins〃 to me。'
'I said； SHUT IT！' said Dudley； whose ham…like hands had curled into fists。
'Don't the boys know that's what your mum calls you？'
'Shut your face。'
'You don't tell her to shut her face。 What about 〃Popkin〃 and 〃Dinky Diddydums〃； can I use them then？'
Dudley said nothing。 The effort of keeping himself from hitting Harry seemed to demand all his self…control。
'So who've you been beating up tonight？' Harry asked； his grin fading。 'Another ten…year…old？ I know you did Mark Evans two nights ago …
'He was asking for it；' snarled Dudley。
'Oh yeah？'
'He cheeked me。'
'Yeah？ Did he say you look like a pig that's been taught to walk on its hind legs？ 'Cause that's not cheek； Dud； that's true。'
A muscle was twitching in Dudley's jaw。 It gave Harry enormous satisfaction to know how furious he was making Dudley； he felt as though he was siphoning off his own frustration into his cousin； the only outlet he had。
They turned right down the narrow alleyway where Harry had first seen Sirius and which formed a short cut between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk。 It was empty and much darker than the streets it linked because there were no street lamps。 Their footsteps were muffled between garage walls on one side and a high fence on the other。
Think you're a big man carrying that thing； don't you？' Dudley said after a few seconds。
'What thing？'
'That … that thing you are hiding。'
Harry grinned again。
'Not as stupid as you look； are you； Dud？ But I's'pose； if you were； you wouldn't be able to walk and talk at the same time。'
Harry pulled out his wand。 He saw Dudley look sideways at it。
'You're not allowed；' Dudley said at once。 'I know you're not。 You'd get expelled from that freak school you go to。'
'How d'you know they haven't changed the rules； Big D？'
They haven't；' said Dudley； though he didn't sound pletely convinced。
Harry laughed softly。
'You haven't got the guts to take me on without that thing； have you？' Dudley snarled。
'Whereas you just need four mates behind you before you can beat up a ten year old。 You know that boxing title you keep banging on about？ How old was your opponent？ Seven？ Eight？'
'He was sixteen； for your information；' snarled Dudley； 'and he was out cold for twenty minutes after I'd finished with him and he was twice as heavy as you。 You just wait till I tell Dad you had that thing out …
'Running to Daddy now； are you？ Is his ickle boxing champ frightened of nasty Harry's wand？'
'Not this brave at night； are you？' sneered Dudley。
This is night； Diddykins。 That's what we call it when it goes all dark like this。'
'I mean when you're in bed！' Dudley snarled。
He had stopped walking。 Harry stopped too； staring at his cousin。
From the little he could see of Dudley's large face； he was wearing a strangely triumphant look。
'What d'you mean； I'm not brave when I'm in bed？' said Harry； pletely nonplussed。 'What am I supposed to be frightened of； pillows or something？'
'I heard you last night；' said Dudley breathlessly。 Talking in your sleep。 Moaning。'
'What d'you mean？' Harry said again； but there was a cold； plunging sensation in his stomach。 He had revisited the graveyard last night in his dreams。
Dudley gave a harsh bark of laughter； then adopted a high…pitched whimpering voice。
'〃Don't kill Cedric！ Don't kill Cedric！〃 Who's Cedric … your boyfriend？'
'I … you're lying；' said Harry automatically。 But his mouth had gone dry。 He knew Dudley wasn't lying … how else would he know about Cedric？
'〃Dad！ Help me； Dad！ He's going to kill me； Dad！ Boo hoo！〃'
'Shut up；' said Harry quietly。 'Shut up； Dudley； I'm warning you！'
''e and help me； Dad！ Mum； e and help me！ He's killed Cedric！ Dad； help me！ He's going to …〃 Don't you point that thing at me！'
Dudley backed into the alley wall。 Harry was pointing the wand directly at Dudley's heart。 Harry could feel fourteen years' hatred of Dudley pounding in his veins … what wouldn't he give to strike now； to jinx Dudley so thoroughly he'd have to crawl home like an insect； struck dumb； sprouting feelers：
'Don't ever talk about that again；' Harry snarled。 'D'you understand me？'
'Point that thing somewhere else！'
'I said； do you understand me？'
'Point it somewhere else！'
'DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME？'
'GET THAT THING AWAY FROM …'
Dudley gave an odd； shuddering gasp； as though he had been doused in icy water。
Something had happened to the night。 The star…strewn indigo sky was suddenly pitch black and lightless … the stars； the moon； the misty streetlamps at either end of the alley had vanished。 The distant rumble of cars and the whisper of trees had gone。 The balmy evening was suddenly piercingly； bitingly cold。 They were surrounded by total； impenetrable； silent darkness； as though some giant hand had dropped a thick； icy mantle over the entire alleyway； blinding them。
For a split second Harry thought he had done magic without meaning to； despite the fact that he'd been resisting as hard as he could … then his