章节_6

him.”

”you think it -- wise -- trid with something as

important as this?”

i wrid with my life,” said dumbledore.

”im not sayi isnt i place,” said

prall grudgingly, ”but you t pretend hes not

careless. he does tend to -- what was that?”

a l sound had broken the silehem. it grew

steadily louder as they looked up and dow fn

of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the

sky -- aorcycle fell out of the air ahe

road in front of them.

if the motorcycle was huge, it was nothiing

astride it. he was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at

least five times as wide. he looked simply too big to be allowed,

and so wild - long tangles of bushy blad beard hid most of

his face, he had hands the size of trash lids, a in

their leather boots were like baby dolphins. in his vast, muscular

arms he was holding a bundle of blas.

”hagrid,” said dumbledore, soundi last. and

where did you get that motorcycle?”

”borrowed it, professor dumbledore, sit,” said the giant,

g carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. ”young sirius

blat it to me. ive got him, sir.”

”no problems, were there?”

”no, sir -- house was almost destroyed, but i got him out all

right befgles started swarmin around. he fell asleep

as we was flyiol.”

dumbledore and prall bent forward over the bundle

of blas. i visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. under

a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously

shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

”is that where -?” whispered prall.

”yes,” said dumbledore. ”hell have that scar forever.”

”t you do something about it, dumbledore?”

”even if i could, i wouldnt. s e in handy. i have

one myself above my left k is a perfect map of the london

underground. well -- give him here, hagrid -- wed better get this

over with.”

dumbledore took harry in his arms aoward the dursleys

house.

”could i -- could i say good-bye to him, sir?” asked hagrid. he

be, shaggy head ave him what must have

beechy, whiskery kiss. then, suddenly, hagrid let

out a howl like a wounded dog.

”shhh!” hissed prall, ”youll wake the muggles!”

”s-s-sorry,” sobbed hagrid, taking e, spotted

handkerd burying his fa it. ”but i t stand it

-- lily an james dead -- an poor little harry off ter live with

muggles -”

”yes, yes, its all very sad, but get a grip rid,

or well be found,” prall whispered, patting hagrid

gihe arm as dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall

ahe front door. he laid harry gently oep,

took a letter out of his cloak, tuside harrys blas,

and theo the other two. for a full mihree of

them stood ahe little bundle; hagrids shoulders shook,

prall blinked furiously, awinkling light

that usually shone from dumbledores eyes seemed to have go.

”well,” said dumbledore finally, ”thats that. weve no business

staying here. we may as well go and joiions.”

”yeah,” said hagrid in a very muffled voice, ”ill be takin

sirius his bike back. gnight, prall -- professor

dumbledore, sir.”

wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, hagrid swung

himself oord kicked the eo life; with

a roar it rose into the air and off i.

”i shall see you soo, prall,” said

dumbledore, nodding to her. prall blew her nose

in reply.

dumbledore turned and walked ba the street. on the er

he stopped and took out the silver put-outer. he clice,

and twelve balls of li