6

CHAPTER SIX: THE JOURNEY FROM PLATFORM NINE AND THREE-QUARTERS

第6章 从9又3/4站台开始的旅程

Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his cupboard, force him to do anything, or shout at him -- in fact, they didn't speak to him at all. Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry in it were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while.

哈利与德思礼一家相处的最后一个月并不愉快。说真的,达力着实被哈利吓坏了,他不敢跟哈利待在同一个房间里,佩妮姨妈和弗农姨父也不敢再把哈利关在碗柜里,也不强迫他干活儿了,也不再朝他大喊大叫——事实上,他们根本不跟他讲话。一半出于恐惧,一半由于恼怒,他们对哈利的存在视而不见。尽管这在许多方面是一个进步,但时间一久就使人感到有些没趣。

Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic. His school books were very interesting. He lay on his bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice. Every night before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.

哈利大多时间都待在他的房间里,有他新买的猫头鹰做伴。他决定管它叫海德薇,这是他从《魔法史》这本书里找到的名字。他的学校课本都很有趣。他躺在床上,一读就到深夜,海德薇从打开的窗口尽情地飞进飞出。幸运的是佩妮姨妈不再到房间里来吸尘了,因为海德薇总是叼死耗子回来。哈利把九月一日以前每天的日期一天一天写在一张纸上,钉在墙上,每天临睡前就在第二天的日期上打一个钩。

On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so he went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.

八月的最后一天,哈利觉得最好还是跟姨父姨妈谈谈明天去国王十字车站的事,于是他下楼来到起居室,姨父姨妈正在看竞猜电视节目。他清了一下嗓子,好让他们知道他来了;达力尖叫着跑出屋去。

"Er -- Uncle Vernon?"

「哦……弗农姨父?」

Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.

弗农姨父哼了一声,表示他在听。

"Er -- I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to -- to go to Hogwarts."

「哦……我明天得去国王十字车站……去霍格沃茨。」

Uncle Vernon grunted again.

弗农姨父又哼了一声。

"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"

「请问您用车送我一下行吗?」

Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes.

「哼。」 哈利认为这就是表示可以。

"Thank you."

「谢谢您。」

He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.

他刚要回到楼上去,弗农姨父却真的开口说话了:

"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"

「坐火车去巫师学校未免太可笑了。他们的魔毯全都破光了吗?」

Harry didn't say anything.

哈利没吭声。

"Where is this school, anyway?"

「这所学校到底在什么地方?你说。」

"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket.

「我不知道。」哈利说,刚刚才想到这一点。他从衣袋里掏出海格给他的火车票。

"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," he read.

「我应该坐十一点钟从9又3/4站台开出的火车。」他读道。

His aunt and uncle stared. "Platform what?"

他姨父姨妈瞪大了眼睛,「第几站台?」

"Nine and three-quarters."

「9又3/4站台。」

"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."

「别胡说八道了,」弗农姨父说,「根本没有9又3/4站台。」

"It's on my ticket."

「我的火车票上就是这么写的。」

"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."

「胡说,」弗农姨父说,「他们好多人都疯了,到处乱咋呼。你会明白的。你等着瞧吧。好了,我们送你去国王十字车站。反正我们明天要去伦敦,要不然我才不去找麻烦呢。」

"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.

「您上伦敦做什么?」哈利问,希望保持友好气氛。

"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."

「带达力上医院,」弗农姨父咆哮起来,「在他上斯梅廷之前把那条可恶的尾巴割掉。」

Harry woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes -- he'd change on the train. He checked his Hogwarts list yet again to make sure he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. Two hours later, Harry's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry, and they had set off.

第二天,哈利早上五点就醒来了。他又兴奋又紧张,再也睡不着了。他从床上爬起来,穿上牛仔裤,因为他不愿穿巫师长袍进火车站——他准备上车再换。他又核对了一遍霍格沃茨开列的购物单,看需要的东西是否都买齐了,再看看海德薇是不是好好地关在笼子里,之后就在房间里踱步,等候德思礼夫妇起床。两小时后,哈利沉重的大箱子终于被抬上了德思礼家的汽车,佩妮姨妈说服达力坐到哈利身边,他们就上路了。

They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. Harry thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.

他们十点半钟来到国王十字车站。弗农姨父把哈利的皮箱放到手椎车上.帮他推进站。哈利正在琢磨弗农姨父为什么一下子变得出奇地好,弗农姨父突然面对站台停下来不走了,心怀鬼胎地咧嘴一笑。

"Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine -- platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"

「好了,你到了,小子。第9站台——第10站台。你的站台应该是在这两个站台之间吧,可看起来好像还没来得及修建呢,是吧?」

He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.

当然,他说得不错。在一个站台上挂着一块大大的9字塑料牌,另一个站台上挂着大大的10字塑料牌,而两者中间什么也没有。

"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing. Harry's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. He'd have to ask someone.

「祝你学期顺利,」弗农姨父说着又咧嘴一笑,显得更没有好心。他没有再说什么就走开了。哈利转身眼看弗农一家开车离去。他们三个人都在哈哈大笑。哈利觉得嘴有点儿发干。他究竟该怎么办呢?因为海德薇,他已经招来许多好奇的目光。他得找人问问。

He stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Harry was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. Harry was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl.

他拦住一个过路的警卫,但不敢提起9又3/4站台。警卫从来没听说过霍格沃茨。当他发现哈利甚至说不清霍格沃茨具体在什么地方时,他开始生气了,认为哈利在故意装傻愚弄他。哈利实在没辙了,只好问十一点发出的列车有几班。警卫说一班也没有。最后警卫迈着大步走开了,一路抱怨有些人专门浪费别人的时间。这时哈利告诫自己尽量不要惊慌失措。到达列车时刻表上方的大钟显示,再过十分钟他就该登上开往霍格沃茨的列车了,可他一点也不知道该怎么办。他身边是一只他简直提不动的大箱子,满满一口袋魔币和一只大猫头鹰,他站在站台中央,一筹莫展。

Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should get out his wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.

一定是海格忘记告诉他诸如敲左边第三块砖就可以到达对角巷之类的事了。他在想要不要拿出魔杖来敲第9和第10站台之间的检票口。

At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.

正在这时,一群人从他背后经过,偶尔一两句话飘进他的耳朵里。

"-- packed with Muggles, of course --"

「……当然挤满了麻瓜们……」

Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him -- and they had an owl.

哈利连忙转身,只见说话的是一个矮矮胖胖的女人,正在跟四个火红头发的男孩说话。他们每人都推着像哈利那样的皮箱——他们也有一只猫头鹰。

Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying.

哈利的心怦怦直跳,连忙推着车紧跟着他们。他们停下来,他也跟着停在离他们不远的地方,以便能听见他们说话。

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.

「好了,是几号站台?」孩子们的母亲问。

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go... "

「9!」一个火红头发的小姑娘牵着妈妈的手,尖着嗓子大声说,「妈妈,我能去吗?」

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

「你还太小,金妮,现在,别说话了。珀西,你走在最前头。」

What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it -- but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.

看上去年龄最大的那个男孩朝第9和第10站台中间走去。哈利目不转睛地盯着他,连眼也不敢眨,生怕漏掉了什么…… 但正当那孩子走到第9与第10站台交界的地方时,一大群旅客突然拥到哈利前面,等最后一只大帆布背包挪开时,那孩子竟然不见了。

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

「弗雷德,该你了。」胖女人说。

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? CarA you tell I'm George?"

「我不是弗雷德,我是乔治。」那孩子说,「说实在的,您说您是我们的母亲,可为什么您认不出我是乔治呢?」

"Sorry, George, dear."

「对不起,乔治,亲爱的。」

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone -- but how had he done it?

「开个玩笑,我是弗雷德。」这孩子说完就朝前走了。他的孪生兄弟在背后催他快点。他想必听了他的话,因为他一转眼就不见了——可他是怎么做的呢?这

Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there -- and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.

时第三个兄弟迈着轻快的步子朝检票口走去——他刚要走到——突然,也不见了。

There was nothing else for it.

没有别的办法。

"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.

「对不起。」哈利对胖女人说。

"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."

「喂,亲爱的,」她说,「头一回上霍格沃茨吧?罗恩也是新生。」她指着最后、也是她最小的儿子说。

She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

这孩子又瘦又高,显得笨手笨脚,满脸雀斑,大手、大脚、长鼻子。

"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is -- the thing is, I don't know how to --"

「是的,」哈利说,「问题是——问题是我不知道该怎么去——」

"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded.

「该怎么去站台是吗?」她善解人意地说,哈利点点头。

"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

「别担心,」她说,「你只要照直朝着第9和第10站台之间的检票口走就是了。别停下来,别害怕,照直往里冲,这很重要。要是你心里紧张,你就一溜小跑。走吧。你先走,罗恩跟着你。」

"Er -- okay," said Harry.

「哦——好吧。」哈利说。

He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid.

他把小车掉过头,眼睛拼命盯着检票口,那地方的栏杆看起来还很结实呢。

He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble -- leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run -- the barrier was coming nearer and nearer -- he wouldn't be able to stop -- the cart was out of control -- he was a foot away -- he closed his eyes ready for the crash --It didn't come...

他开始向检票口走去,一路上被拥向9和10站台的旅客推来搡去。哈利加快脚步,准备直接冲进票亭,但是他遇到了麻烦——他弯腰趴在手推车上,向前猛冲——眼看离栏杆越来越近,仅一步之遥——他已无法停步——手推车也失去了控制——他闭上眼睛准备撞上去——但什么事也没有发生……

he kept on running... he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock.

他继续朝前跑…… 他睁开眼睛。一辆深红色蒸汽机车停靠在挤满旅客的站台旁。列车上挂的标牌写着:霍格沃茨特快,十一时。

Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, He had done it.

哈利回头一看,原来检票口的地方现在竟成了一条锻铁拱道,上边写着:9又3/4站台。他成功了。

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

蒸汽机车的浓烟在嘁嘁喳喳的人群上空缭绕,各种花色的猫咪在人们脚下穿来穿去。在人群嗡嗡的说话声和拖拉笨重行李的嘈杂声中,猫头鹰也刺耳地鸣叫着,你呼我应。

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat.

头几节车厢已经挤满了学生,他们有的从车窗探出身来和家人说话,有的在座位上打闹。哈利在站台上推着小车朝前走,准备找一个空位子。

He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

他走过时,一个圆脸男孩说:「奶奶,我又把蟾蜍弄丢了。」

"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.

「唉,纳威呀。」他听见一个老太婆叹气说。

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

一个留着骇人长发绺1的男孩子被一些孩子围着。

"Give us a look, Lee, go on."

「让咱们也见识见识,阿里,快点。」

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.

那个孩子把抱着的盒子打开,里边露出一只毛茸茸的长腿,吓得周围的孩子们叽哇乱叫,直往后退。

Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.

哈利从人群中挤过去,在靠近车尾的地方找到一个空隔间2。他先把海德薇放上去,然后连拖带拉地把他的皮箱朝车门口搬。他想把皮箱搬上踏板,可是一点儿也抬不起来。他试了两次,箱子都重重地砸在他脚上。

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.

「要帮忙吗?」说话的正好是他在闯检票口时碰到的那对火红头发孪生兄弟中的一个。

"Yes, please," Harry panted.

「是的,劳驾搭把手吧。」哈利气喘吁吁地说。

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"

「喂,弗雷德,快过来帮忙!」

With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

有孪生兄弟帮忙,哈利总算把箱子推到了隔间角落里。

"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

「多谢了。」哈利说,一边把汗湿的头发从眼前掠开。

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

「那是什么?」孪生兄弟中的一个突然指着哈利那道闪电形伤疤说。

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you

「哎呀,我的天哪,」孪生兄弟中的另一个说,「莫非你是……」

"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

「他是……」孪生兄弟中第一个说话的说,「你是不是?」他又问哈利。

"What?" said Harry.

「是什么?」哈利问。

"Harry Potter, "chorused the twins.

「哈利波特。」孪生兄弟异口同声地说。

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."

「哦,他呀。」哈利说,「我是说,不错,我就是。」

The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

兄弟俩呆呆地盯着他看,哈利觉得脸都红了。这时从开着的车门口传来一阵喊声,使哈利如释重负。

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

「弗雷德?乔治?你们在车上吗?」

"Coming, Mom." With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.

「就来了,妈妈。」孪生兄弟最后看了一眼就跳下车去。

Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief. "Ron, you've got something on your nose."

哈利靠窗口坐下,半遮半掩。他能看到站台上红头发的一家人,也能听见他们在说些什么,孩子们的母亲正掏出一块手帕。「罗恩,你鼻子上有脏东西。」

The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose. "Mom -- geroff" He wriggled free.

最小的一个正要躲闪,却被母亲一把抓住,替他揩鼻子尖。「妈妈——放开我。」他挣脱了。

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.

「好哇,罗恩,你这个小鬼头,鼻子又碰灰啦?」孪生兄弟中的一个说。

"Shut up," said Ron.

「住嘴。」罗恩说。

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

「珀西呢?」他们的母亲问。

"He's coming now."

「他来了。」

The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it.

远远看见他们的大哥大步朝这边走了过来。他已经换上了他那件飘飘摆摆的霍格沃茨黑色长袍。哈利发现他的胸前别着一个银光闪闪的字母P。

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves --"

「我不能待太久,妈妈,」他说,「我在前边,那里专门给级长划出了两个隔间……」

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

「哎呀,珀西,你原来是级长呀?」孪生兄弟中的一个用非常吃惊的口吻说道,「你早该告诉我们,我一点儿都不知道呢。」

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once --"

「慢着,我想,我记得他说过的,」孪生兄弟中的另一个说道,「说过一次……」

"Or twice --"

「说不定是两次……」

"A minute --"

「等一会儿……」

"All summer --"

「说了整整一个夏天呢……」

"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.

「哎呀,住嘴。」级长珀西说。

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.

「你说,珀西是怎么弄到新长袍的?」孪生兄弟中的一个问。

"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term -- send me an owl when you get there."

「因为他是级长呀。」母亲怜爱地说,「好了,亲爱的,祝你学期顺利,到学校以后让猫头鹰给我带封信来。」

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.

她亲过珀西的面颊,珀西就走开了。之后,她转身对孪生兄弟说:

"Now, you two -- this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've -- you've blown up a toilet or --"

「现在轮到你们俩了——这一年你们俩要放规矩点。如果猫头鹰给我报信,说你们……你们炸了一只马桶,或是……」

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."

「炸了一只马桶?我们从来没炸过马桶。」

"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."

「这倒是好主意,多谢了,妈妈。」

"It's not funny. And look after Ron."

「这可不是闹着玩的。好好照顾罗恩。」

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."

「放心,罗恩小鬼头跟着我们不会有事。」

"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.

「住嘴。」罗恩说。他的个子差不多跟孪生兄弟一般高,只是鼻尖上被他妈妈擦过的地方还在发红。

"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

「嘿,妈妈,您猜怎么着?猜猜我刚才在火车上碰见谁了?」

Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.

哈利连忙往后闪,免得被他们发现他在偷看。

"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"

「你知道刚才在车站上,站在我们旁边的那个黑头发的男孩吗?知道他是谁吗?」

"Who?"

「谁?」

"Harry Potter!"

「哈利波特!」

Harry heard the little girl's voice.

哈利听到了一个小女孩的声音。

"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, eh please...."

「哎呀,妈妈,我能上车去看看他吗?求求您了,妈妈……」

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

「你已经看到过他了,金妮。这个可怜的孩子又不是动物园里的动物,让你看来看去。他真是哈利吗,弗雷德?你怎么知道的?」

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning."

「我问过他了。我看见他那道伤疤了。真的就在那地方,像一道闪电。」

"Poor dear - no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."

「可怜的孩子……难怪他孤零零一个人。我还纳闷呢。你看他问去站台怎么走的时候,多有礼貌啊。」

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

「这些不用去管了,你想他会记得神秘人的长相吗?」

Their mother suddenly became very stern.

他们的母亲突然沉下脸来。

"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."

「不许你们去问他,弗雷德。不许问,你敢去问!你们是想让他在到校的第一天就想起那件事呀!」

"All right, keep your hair on."

「好了,别发火嘛。」

A whistle sounded.

响起一阵汽笛声。

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

「快!」他们的母亲说,三个孩子匆忙爬上火车。他们从车窗中探出身来,让母亲吻别。他们的小妹妹又哭起来了。

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."

「别哭,金妮,我们会派好多好多猫头鹰去找你。」

"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."

「好了,我们会送给你一个霍格沃茨的马桶圈。」

"George!"

「乔治!」

"Only joking, Mom."

「开个玩笑嘛,妈妈。」

The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.

火车启动了。哈利看到孩子们的母亲在招手,他们的小妹妹又哭又笑,跟着火车朝前跑,直到火车加速,她被抛在后面,还在不停地向他们招手。

Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.

哈利一直注视着母女俩,直到火车拐过弯去,看不见她们了。一栋栋房屋从车窗前闪过。哈利感到兴奋极了。他不知道前面会怎么样,但至少要比抛在后面的过去好。

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.

隔间的推拉门开了,最小的那个火红头发的孩子走了进来。

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Everywhere else is full."

「这里有人吗?」他指着哈利对面的座位问。「别的地方都满了。」

Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.

哈利摇摇头。孩子坐了下来。他瞟了哈利一眼,即刻把目光转向车窗外,装作没看哈利的样子。哈利见他鼻尖上还有一块脏东西。

"Hey, Ron."

「嘿,罗恩。」

The twins were back.

一对孪生兄弟也来了。

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train -- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

「听着,我们现在要到中间车厢走走……李乔丹弄到了一只很大的袋蜘蛛3呢。」

"Right," mumbled Ron.

「哦。」罗恩咕哝了一声。

"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then.

「哈利,」孪生兄弟中的另一个说,「我们还没向你作自我介绍吧?弗雷德和乔治·韦斯莱。这是罗恩,我们的小弟弟。一会儿见。」

"Bye," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.

「再见。」哈利和罗恩说。孪生兄弟随手把隔间门拉上。

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.

「你真是哈利波特吗?」罗恩脱口而出。

Harry nodded.

哈利点点头。

"Oh -well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got -- you know..."

「哦,那好,我还以为弗雷德和乔治跟我开玩笑呢。」罗恩说,「那你当真……你知道……」

He pointed at Harry's forehead.

他指了指哈利的额头。

Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.

哈利掠开前额上的一绺头发,露出闪电形伤疤。罗恩瞪大了眼睛。

"So that's where You-Know-Who

「这就是神秘人干的……」

"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."

「是的,」哈利说,「可我已经不记得了。」

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.

「一点都不记得了?」罗恩急切地问。

"Well -- I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."

「唔……我只记得有许多绿光,别的什么也不记得了。」

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.

「哎呀。」罗恩说。他坐在那里盯着哈利看了好一会儿,似乎突然才意识到自己在做什么,就连忙把视线转向窗外。

"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him.

「你全家都是巫师吗?」哈利问,发现自己和罗恩彼此都对对方感兴趣。

"Er -- Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

「哦,是的,我想是这样。」罗恩说,「我想,我妈妈有一个远房表兄是一个会计师,不过我们从来不谈他。」

"So you must know loads of magic already."

「那么你一定学会许多魔法了?」

The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.

这个韦斯莱家族显然就是在对角巷的那个面色苍白的男孩说过的魔法世家之一了。

"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"

「我听说你后来跟麻瓜们住在一起。」罗恩说,「他们怎么样?」

"Horrible -well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."

「太差劲了,当然不是所有的人都这样。不过我的姨父姨妈和表哥都太差劲了。我要是有三个巫师兄弟就好了。」

"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left -- Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

「五个。」罗恩说,不知为什么他显得有些不高兴。「我是我们家去霍格沃茨上学的第六个了。你可以说,我应当以他们为榜样。比尔和查理已经毕业了。比尔是男生学生会主席,查理是魁地奇球队队长。现在珀西当上了级长,弗雷德和乔治尽管调皮捣蛋,但他们的成绩是顶呱呱的。大家都觉得他们很有意思,都盼望我能跟他们一样。话说回来,如果我能做到,也没什么了不起的了,因为他们在我之前就做到了。你要是有五个哥哥,你就永远用不上新东西。我穿比尔的旧长袍,用查理的旧魔杖,还有珀西扔了不要的老鼠。」

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.

罗恩说着,伸手从上衣内袋里掏出一只肥肥的灰老鼠,它正在睡觉。「

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff -- I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

它叫斑斑,已经毫无用处了,整天睡不醒。珀西当上了级长,我爸爸送给他一只猫头鹰,他们买不起——我是说,就把老鼠给我了。」

Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

罗恩的耳朵涨红了。他似乎觉得自己话太多,就又开始看着窗外。

Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.

哈利觉得买不起猫头鹰也没有什么不好,他自己一个月前不也一直是一文不名吗?他对罗恩讲了实情,说他总是穿达力的旧衣服,从来没有收到过一份像样的生日礼物。这似乎使罗恩的心情好多了。

"... and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about be ing a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort"

「……在海格告诉我之前,我一点也不知道巫师或者我的父母情况,以及伏地魔的事……」

Ron gasped.

罗恩吓得喘不上气来。

"What?" said Harry.

「怎么了?」哈利说。

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people --"

「你叫出神秘人的名字了!」罗恩说,显得又震惊,又感动。「我早就想到了,所有的人当中只有你……」

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn.... I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."

「说出他的名字,并不是因为我勇敢什么的。」哈利说。「而是因为我一直不知道那个名字不能说。明白我的意思吗?我相信,我有许多东西需要学……」他又说,听得出他最近正为此感到忧心忡忡,「我敢说,我一定会是班上最差的学生。」

"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."

「不会的。有很多学生都来自麻瓜家庭,可他们也学得很快。」

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.

在他们谈话的时候,列车已驶出了伦敦。这时他们正沿着遍地牛羊的田野飞驰。他们沉默了片刻,望着田野和草场从眼前掠过。

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

大约十二时半左右,过道上咔嚓咔嚓传来了一阵响亮的嘈杂声,一个笑容可掬、面带酒窝的女人推开隔间门问:「亲爱的,要不要买车上的什么食品?」

Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.

哈利早上一点东西也没吃,于是一下子跳起来,罗恩的耳朵又涨红了,嘟哝说他带着三明治。哈利来到过道里。

He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry -- but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

在德思礼家时,他从来没有一分零用钱买糖吃,现在他口袋里装满了哗哗响的金币、银币。只要他拿得下,他要买一大堆火星棒4,可惜车上没有。她只有比比多味豆、吹宝超级泡泡糖、巧克力蛙、南瓜馅饼、锅形蛋糕、甘草魔棒,还有一些哈利从未见过的稀奇古怪的食品。哈利一样不落,每种都买了一些,付给那个女售货员十一个银西可和七枚青铜纳特。

Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

罗恩直勾勾地看着哈利把买来的食品抱进隔间,一下子都倒在空位子上。

"Hungry, are you?"

「你饿了?」

"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.

「饿坏了。」哈利咬了一大口南瓜馅饼说。

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."

罗恩拿出一个鼓鼓囊囊的纸盒打开,里面装得有四块三明治。他拿出一块,说:「她总不记得我不爱吃罐头咸牛肉。」

"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on --"

「跟你换一块吧,」哈利拿起一个馅饼说,「来吧……」

"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."

「你不会喜欢吃这个的,太干。」罗恩说,「她没有时间,」他连忙又说,「你看,她要同时照顾我们五个。」

"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

「来吧,来一个馅饼。」哈利说。 在这之前他没有分给过别人任何东西,其实也没有人跟他分享。现在跟罗恩坐在一起大嚼自己买来的馅饼和蛋糕(三明治早已放在一边被冷落了),边吃边聊,哈利感觉好极了。

"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.

「这是什么?」哈利拿起一包巧克力蛙问罗恩,「它们不会是真青蛙吧?」他开始觉得现在什么也不会让罗恩吃惊了。

"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."

「不是,」罗恩说,「你看看里边的画片,我少一张阿格丽芭。」

"What?"

「什么?」

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know -- Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect -- famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."

「哦,你当然不会知道,巧克力蛙里都附有画片,你知道,可以收集起来,都是一些有名气的男女巫师,我差不多攒了五百张了,就是缺阿格丽芭和波托勒米。」

Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half- moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

哈利打开巧克力蛙,取出画片。画片上是一张男人的脸,戴着一副半月形眼镜,长着一个歪扭的长鼻子,银发和胡须披垂着。画片下边的名字是:阿不思邓布利多。

"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.

「哦,是邓布利多!」哈利说。

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa -- thanks

「你可别说从来没听说过邓布利多!」罗恩说,「给我一个巧克力蛙好吗?说不定我能拿到阿格丽芭呢……谢谢……」

Harry turned over his card and read:

哈利把画片翻过来,读背面的文字:

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

阿不思邓布利多现任霍格沃茨校长

CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS

被公认为当代最伟大的巫师

Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

邓布利多广为人知的贡献包括:一九四五年击败黑巫师格林德沃,发现龙血的十二种用途, 与合作伙伴尼可勒梅在炼金术方面卓有成效,邓布利多教授爱好室内乐及十柱滚木球戏。

Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.

哈利重新把画片翻到正面,吃惊地发现邓布利多的脸竟然不见了。

"He's gone!"

「他不见了!」

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her... do you want it? You can start collecting."

「你当然不能希望他整天待在这里。」罗恩说,「他会回来的。不过我又拿到一张莫佳娜。我已经有六张她的画片了……给你吧?你也可以开始收集了。」

Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.

罗恩眼睛盯着一堆没有拆包的巧克力蛙。

"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."

「你自己拿吧。」哈利说,「可你知道,在麻瓜世界里,人们一旦被拍成照片就永远保留在照片上不变了。」

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "weird!"

「是吗?怎么,那他们就一动不动了吗?」罗恩显得非常惊讶。「太奇妙了!」

Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile.

哈利眼看着邓布利多又溜回到画片上,还朝他微微一笑。

Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

罗恩的兴趣在于吃巧克力蛙,而不是看那些有名气的男女巫师的画片。可哈利怎么也不能把目光从那些画片上移开。他一下子不仅有了邓布利多和莫佳娜,而且还有了汉吉斯、阿博瑞克、瑟斯、帕拉瑟和梅林。最后他总算勉强自己不再去看德鲁伊特5教女教徒克丽奥娜,然后打开一袋比比多味豆。

"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor -- you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and mar- malade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger- flavored one once."

「吃这个你要当心,」罗恩警告哈利说,「他们所说的多味,你知道,意思是各种味道一应俱全,吃起来不仅有巧克力、薄荷糖、橘子酱等一般的味道,而且还会有菠菜、肝和肚的味道。乔治说,有一次他还吃到过一粒带干鼻子牛儿味的豆子呢。」

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.

罗恩捡起一粒绿色豆子,仔细看了一下,咬下一点。

"Bleaaargh -- see? Sprouts."

「哎呀呀,明白了吧?芽豆。」

They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.

这包多味豆让他俩都好好地享受了一番。哈利吃到了吐司、椰子、烘豆6、草莓、咖喱、青草、沙丁鱼等各种口味,甚至还勇敢地舔了一下罗恩连碰都不敢碰的一粒奇怪的灰豆,原来那是胡椒口味。

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

这时在车窗外飞驰而过的田野显得更加荒芜,一片整齐的农田已经消逝了。随之而来的是一片树林、弯弯曲曲的河流和暗绿色的山丘。

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and threequarters came in. He looked tearful.

又有人敲他们的隔间门。与哈利在9又3/4站台擦肩而过的圆脸男孩走进来,满眼含泪。

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

「对不起,」他说,「我想问问,你看见我的蟾蜍了吗?」

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

哈利和罗恩都摇摇头,他就大哭起来。「我又把它弄丢了!它总想从我身边跑掉!」

"He'll turn up," said Harry.

「它会回来的。」哈利说。

"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him..." He left.

「是啊,」孩子伤心地说,「那么,要是你们看见……」他走了。

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

「我不明白,他为什么这么着急。」罗恩说,「我要是买了一只蟾蜍,我会想办法尽快把它弄丢,越快越好。不过我既然带了斑斑,也就没话可说了。」

The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.

老鼠还在罗恩的腿上打盹。

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."

「它说不定早死了,反正死活都一样。」罗恩厌烦地说,「我昨天试着想把它变成黄色的,变得好玩一些,可是我的咒语不灵。我现在来做给你看看,注意了……」

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.

他在皮箱里摸索了半天,拽出一根很破旧的魔杖,有些地方都剥落了,一头还闪着白色亮光。

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway

「独角兽毛都要露出来了。不过……」

He had just raised his 'wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

他刚举起魔杖,隔间门又开了。那个丢蟾蜍的男孩再次来到他们俩面前,只是这回有一个小姑娘陪他同来。她已经换上了霍格沃茨的新长袍。

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

「你们有人看到一只蟾蜍吗?纳威丢了一只蟾蜍。」她说,语气显得自高自大,目中无人。她有一头浓密的棕色头发和一对大门牙。

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

「我们已经对他说过了,我们没有看见。」罗恩说,可小姑娘根本不理会,只看着他手里的魔杖。

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."

「哦。你是在旋魔法吗?那就让我们开开眼吧。」

She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.

她坐了下来。罗恩显然吃了一惊,有些不知所措。

"Er -- all right." He cleared his throat.

「哦……好吧。」他清了清嗓子。

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

「雏菊、甜奶油和阳光, 把这只傻乎乎的肥老鼠变黄。」

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

他挥动魔杖,但什么也没有发生。斑斑还是灰色的,睡得正香。

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl.

「你肯定这真是一道咒语吗?」小姑娘问。

"Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard -- I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough -- I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you." She said all this very fast.

「看来不怎么样,是吧?我在家里试过几道简单的咒语,只是为了练习,而且都起作用了。我家没有一个人懂魔法,所以当我收到入学通知书时,我吃惊极了,但又特别高兴,因为,我的意思是说,据我所知,这是一所最优秀的魔法学校——所有的课本我都背会了,当然,我只希望这能够用——我叫赫敏格兰杰,顺便问一句,你们叫什么名字?」她连珠炮似的一气说完。

Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

「我叫罗恩韦斯莱。」罗恩嘟哝说。

"Harry Potter," said Harry.

「哈利波特。」哈利说。

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course -- I got a few extra books. for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.

「真的是你吗?」赫敏问。「你的事我都知道。当然……我额外多买了几本参考书,《现代魔法史》、《黑魔法的兴衰》、《二十世纪重要魔法事件》,这几本书里都提到了你。」

"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.

「提到我?」哈利说,突然感到一阵头晕目眩。

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad.... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

「天哪,你居然会不知道。要是我,我一定会想办法把所有提到我的书都找来。」赫敏说,「你们知不知道自己会被分到哪个学院?我已经到处打听过了,我希望能分到格兰芬多,都说那是最好的,我听说,邓布利多自己就是从那里毕业的,不过我想拉文克劳也不算太坏……不管怎么说,我们最好还是先去找纳威的蟾赊。你们俩最好赶快把衣服换上,要知道,我们大概很快就要到了。」

And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

于是她领着那个丢蟾蜍的男孩一道走了。

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell -- George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

「不管分到哪个学院,我都不希望跟她分在一起。」罗恩说。他把魔杖扔到了旅行箱里。「这个咒语没用,是乔治告诉我的。我敢说,他准早就知道这是一发瞎炮。」

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.

「你的两个哥哥都在哪个学院?」哈利问。

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

「格兰芬多。」罗恩说,他似乎又显得不开心了。「妈妈和爸爸以前也是上这个学院的。如果我不去那个学院,不知道他们会怎么说。我并不认为去拉文克劳就特别不好,可想想看,千万别把我分到斯莱特林学院。」

"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"

「那是伏……对不起,我是说,就是神秘人待过的吗?」

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

「不错。」罗恩说着,倒在座位上,显得很沮丧。

"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

「你看,我觉得斑斑胡子尖的颜色变淡了。」哈利说,想把罗恩的注意力从学院的事情上转移开来。「你的两个哥哥既然毕业了,现在他们都在做什么?」

Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.

哈利想知道巫师从学校毕业后会去做什么。

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles -- someone tried to rob a high security vault."

「查理在罗马尼亚研究龙,比尔在非洲替古灵阁做事。」罗恩说。「你听说古灵阁的事了吗?《预言家日报》上都登满了,不过你跟麻瓜住在一起,我想你不会看到这份报纸的——有人试图抢劫防范高度严密的地下金库呢。」

Harry stared.

哈利瞪大了眼睛。

"Really? What happened to them?"

「真的吗?后来怎么样了?」

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."

「什么事也没有,正因为这样才爆出一件大新闻。他们没有被抓住。我爸爸说,显然只有功力最高强的黑巫师才能设法摆脱古灵阁的追捕。不过他们什么也没有拿走,怪就怪在这里。当然,每当这类事情发生时,就人人自危,人们担心事情背后有神秘人指使。」

Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You- Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.

哈利在脑子里反复琢磨这件新闻。每当提到神秘人,他就不寒而栗。他认为这也许是初入魔法世界的必然感受吧,但是比起先前能毫无顾忌地直呼伏地魔的名字,现在可不如当初好受了。

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.

「你喜欢哪一支魁地奇球队?」罗恩问。

"Er -- I don't know any," Harry confessed.

「哦……我全都不了解。」哈利承认说。

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world --" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.

「什么!」罗恩似乎惊呆了。「哦,你等等,这是世界上最好的娱乐……」接着他就滔滔不绝地讲解四只球,七名队员的位置,绘声绘色地讲他跟几个哥哥去看的几场有名的球赛,并说等他有了钱,他要买一把他喜欢的飞天扫帚。当他正好讲到球赛最精彩的地方时,隔间门又被推开了,不过这回进来的不是丢失蟾蜍的男孩纳威,也不是赫敏格兰杰。

Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

进来了三个男孩,哈利立刻认出中间的一个正是他在摩金夫人长袍店里遇到的那个面色苍白的男孩。他怀着比在对角巷时大得多的兴趣注视着哈利。

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

「是真的吗?」他问,「整列火车上的人都在纷纷议论,说哈利波特在这个隔间里。这么说,那就是你了。对吧?」

"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

「是的。」哈利说,他看着另外两个男孩,他们俩都是矮胖墩,而且长相特别难看,站在小白脸两边,一边一个,简直像他的一对保镖。

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

「哦,这是克拉布,这是高尔。」面色苍白的男孩发现哈利在看他们,就随随便便地说,「我叫马尔福,德拉科马尔福。」

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigget. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

罗恩轻轻咳了一声,免得笑出声来。

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

德拉科马尔福看着他。「你觉得我的名字太可笑,是吗?不用问你是谁。我父亲告诉我,韦斯莱家的人都是红头发,满脸雀斑,而且孩子多得养不起。」

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

他转身对哈利说:「你很快就会发现,有些巫师家庭要比其他家庭好许多,波特。你不会想跟另类的人交朋友吧。在这一点上我能帮你。」

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.

他伸出手要跟哈利握手,可哈利没有答理。

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.

「我想我自己能分辨出谁是另类,多谢了。」他冷冷地说。

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.

德拉科马尔福脸没有涨红,只是苍白的面颊泛出淡淡的红晕。

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

「我要是你呀,波特,我会特别小心。」他慢慢吞吞地说,「你应当放客气点,否则你会同样走上你父母的那条路。他们也不知好歹。你如果跟像韦斯莱家或海格这样不三不四的人混在一起,你会受到影响的。」

Both Harry and Ron stood up.

哈利和罗恩腾地站了起来。罗恩脸红得跟他的红头发一样。

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

「你再说一遍。」他说。

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

「哦,你们想打架,是不是?」马尔福冷笑说。

"Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron.

「除非你们现在就给我出去。」哈利说,其实他内心并不像外表这么勇敢,因为克拉布和高尔的块头要比他和罗恩大得多。

"But we don't feet like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

「可是我们并没有想走的意思,是不是啊,小伙子们?我们把吃的东西都吃光了,你们这里好像还有。」

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron - Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.

高尔伸手去拿罗恩旁边的巧克力蛙……罗恩朝前一扑,根本还没碰到高尔,就听高尔一声惨叫。

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle - Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbets finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.

老鼠斑斑吊在他的手指上,尖利的小牙深深地咬进了高尔的肉里——高尔一边大叫,一边不停地挥手想把斑斑甩掉;克拉布和马尔福直往后退。最后斑斑终于被甩掉了,撞到车窗上;他们三人也立刻趁机溜掉了。也许他们以为糖果里还埋伏着更多的老鼠,也许他们听到了脚步声,因为跟着赫敏格兰杰就进来了。

"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.

「出什么事了?」她看着撒满一地的糖果问。 罗恩提着斑斑的尾巴,把它从地上拾起来。

I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No -- I don't believe it -- he's gone back to sleep-"

「我想,它肯定摔晕了。」罗恩对哈利说。他凑到斑斑跟前仔细查看,「哎呀,我简直不敢相信,它又睡着了。」

And so he had.

它真的睡着了。

"You've met Malfoy before?"

「你以前碰到过马尔福吗?」

Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

哈利向罗恩讲述了他在对角巷与马尔福相遇的事。

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"

「我听说过他家的事。」罗恩阴郁地说,「神秘人失踪以后,他们是第一批回到我们这边的人。说他们走火入魔了,我爸爸不相信。他说马尔福的父亲不用找任何借口就轻易倒到黑势力那边去了。」他又转过身来对赫敏说:「需要我们帮什么忙吗?」

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

「你们最好还是赶快换上长袍,我刚到车头问过司机,他说我们就要到了。你们没有打架吧?我们还没到地方,你们就要惹出麻烦来!」

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

「斑斑干了一架,我们没有。」罗恩绷着脸瞪着她说,「我们要换衣服了,请你出去一下好吗?」

"All right -- I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

「好吧……我来这里是因为外面那些人太淘气了,在走道上跑来跑去。」赫敏不屑地说,「哦,顺便说一句,你鼻子上有块脏东西,你知道吗?」

Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

她出去时,罗恩瞪了她一眼。哈利朝车窗外瞥了一眼。天已经黑下来了。他看见深紫色的天空下一片山峦和树林。火车似乎减慢了速度。

He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.

哈利和罗恩脱下外衣,换上黑长袍。罗恩的长袍短了点儿,下边露出了他那双球鞋。

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

「再过五分钟列车就要到达霍格沃茨了,请将你们的行李留在车上,我们会替你们送到学校去的。」这声音在列车上回荡。

Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

哈利紧张得胃里的东西直往上翻,他看见罗恩雀斑下面的脸色也发白了。他们把剩下的糖果塞进衣袋,就随着过道上的人流朝前涌去。

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

列车放慢了速度,最后终于停了下来。旅客们推推搡搡,纷纷拥向车门,下到一个又黑又小的站台上。夜里的寒气使哈利打了个寒噤。接着一盏灯在学生们头顶上晃动,哈利听见一个熟悉的声音在高喊:「一年级新生!一年级新生到这边来!哈利,到这边来,你好吗?」

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

在万头攒动的一片人海之上,海格蓄着大胡子的脸露着微笑。

"C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

「来吧,跟我来,还有一年级新生吗?当心你们脚底下,好了!一年级新生跟我来!」

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

他们跟随海格连滑带溜,磕磕绊绊,似乎是沿着一条陡峭狭窄的小路走下坡去。小路两旁一片漆黑,哈利心里想这两边应该是茂密的树林吧。没有人说话。只有丢失蟾蜍的那个男孩偶尔吸一两下鼻子。

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." There was a loud "Oooooh!"

「拐过这个弯,你们马上就要第一次看到霍格沃茨了。」海格回头喊道。接着是一阵嘹亮的「噢……!」

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

狭窄的小路尽头突然展开了一片黑色的湖泊。湖对岸高高的山坡上耸立着一座巍峨的城堡,城堡上塔尖林立,一扇扇窗口在星空下闪烁。

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione.

「每条船不能超过四人!」海格指着泊在岸边的一队小船大声说。哈利和罗恩上了小船,纳威和赫敏也跟着上来了。

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then -- FORWARD!"

「都上船了吗?」海格喊道,他自己一人乘一条船。「那好……前进啰!」

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

一队小船即刻划过波平如镜的湖面向前驶去。大家都沉默无语,凝视着高入云天的巨大城堡。当他们临近城堡所在的悬崖时,那城堡仿佛耸立在他们头顶上空。

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

「低头!」当第一批小船驶近峭壁时,海格大声喊道。 大家都低下头来,小船载着他们穿过覆盖山崖正面的常春藤帐幔,来到隐秘的开阔入口。他们沿着一条漆黑的隧道似乎来到了城堡地下,最后到达了一个类似地下码头的地方,然后又攀上一片碎石和小鹅卵石的地面。

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

「喂,你看看!这是你的蟾蜍吗?」学生纷纷下船,海格在清查空船时说。

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands.

「感谢上帝!」纳威伸出双臂欣喜若狂地喊道。

Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

之后他们在海格提灯的灯光照耀下攀上山岩中的一条隧道,最后终于到达了城堡阴影下的一处平坦潮湿的草地。

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door.

大家攀上一段石阶,聚在一扇巨大的橡木门前。

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

「都到齐了吗?你看看,你的蟾蜍还在吧?」

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

海格举起一只硕大的拳头,往城堡大门上敲了三下。

1 牙买加黑人的一种发式。

2 这里指英国客车车厢中设有面对面座位的隔间。

3 一种产自南非的毒蜘蛛。

4 一种条形巧克力,内夹乳脂。

5 德鲁伊特是古代克尔特人中一批有学识的人,担任祭司、法官、巫师或占卜者等。

6 由豆加咸肉、糖浆、番茄酱制成。