第8节

Allfourofthemwereclutchingseatingplans，sothattheycouldhelpshowpeopletotherightseats.Ahostofwhite-robedwaitershadarrivedanhourearlier，alongwithagoldenjacketedbａｎｄ，ａｎｄallofthesewizardswerecurrentlysittingashortdistanceawayunderatree.Harrycouldseeabluehazeofpipesmokeissuingfromthespot.BehindHarry，theentrancetothemarqueerevealedrowsａｎｄrowsoffragilegoldenchairssetoneithersideofalongpurplecarpet.Thesupportingpoleswereentwinedwithwhiteａｎｄgoldflowers.FredａｎｄGeorgehadfastenedanenormousbunchofgoldenballoonsovertheexactpointwhereBillａｎｄFleurwouldshortlybecomehusbａｎｄａｎｄwife.Outside，butterfliesａｎｄbeeswerehoveringlazilyoverthegrassａｎｄhedgerow.Harrywasratheruncomfortable.TheMuggleboywhoseappearancehewasaffectingwasslightlyfatterthanhimａｎｄhisdressrobesfelthotａｎｄtightinthefullglareofasummer’sday.“WhenIgetmarried，”saidFred，tuggingatthecollarofhisownrobes，“Iwon’tbebotheringwithanyofthisnonsense.Youcanallwearwhatyoulike，ａｎｄI’llputafullBodyBirdCurseonMumuntilit’sallover.”

“Shewasn’ttoobadthismorning，considering，”saidGeorge.“CriedabitaboutPercynotbeinghere，butwhowantshim.Ohblimey，braceyourselves，heretheycome，look.”

Brightlycoloredfigureswereappearing，onebyoneoutofnowhereatthedistantboundaryoftheyard.Withinminutesaprocessionhadformed，whichbegantosnakeitswayupthroughthegardentowardthemarquee.Exoticflowersａｎｄbewitchedbirdsflutteredonthewitches’hats，whilepreciousgemsglitteredfrommanyofthewizards’cravats;ahumofexcitedchattergrewlouderａｎｄlouder，drowningthesoundofthebeesasthecrowdapproachedthetent.

“Excellent，IthinkIseeafewveelacousins，”saidGeorge，craninghisneckforabetterlook.“They’llneedhelpunderstａｎｄingourEnglishcustoms，I’lllookafterthem….”

“Notsofast，YourHoleyness，”saidFred，ａｎｄdartingpastthegaggleofmiddle-agedwitchesheadingfortheprocession，hesaid，“Here–permetiezmoitoassistervous，”toapairofprettyFrenchgirls，whogiggledａｎｄallowedhimtoescorttheminside.Georgewaslefttodealwiththemiddle-agedwitchesａｎｄRontookchargeofMr.Weasley’soldMinistry-colleaguePerkins，whilearatherdeafoldcouplefelltoHarry’slot.

“Wotcher，”saidafamiliarvoiceashecameoutofthemarqueeagainａｎｄfoundTonksａｎｄLupinatthefrontofthequeue.Shehadturnedblondefortheoccasion.“Arthurtoldusyouweretheonewiththecurlyhair.Sorryaboutlastnight，”sheaddedinawhisperasHarryledthemuptheaisle.“TheMinistry’sbeingveryanti-werewolfatthemuseumａｎｄwethoughtourpresencemightnotdoyouanyfavors.”

“It’sfine，Iunderstａｎｄ，”saidHarry，speakingmoretoLupinthanTonks.Lupingavehimaswiftsmile，butastheyturnedawayHarrysawLupin’sfacefallagainintolinesofmisery.Hedidnotunderstａｎｄit，buttherewasnotimetodwellonthematter.Hagridwascausingacertainamountofdisruption.HavingmisunderstoodFred’sdirectionsashehadsathimself，notuponthemagicallyenlargedａｎｄreinforcedseatsetasideforhiminthebackrow，butonfivesetsthatnowresembledalargepileofgoldenmatchsticks.

WhileMr.WeasleyrepairedthedamageａｎｄHagridshoutedapologiestoanybodywhowouldlisten，HarryhurriedbacktotheentrancetofindRonface-to-facewithamosteccentric-lookingwizard.Slightlycross-eyed，withshoulder-lengthwhitehairthetextureofcａｎｄyfloss，heworeacapwhosetasseldangledinfrontofhisnoseａｎｄrobesofaneye-wateringshadeofegg-yolkyellow.Anoddsymbol，ratherlikeatriangulareye，glistenedfromagoldenchainaroundhisneck.

“XenophiliusLovegood，”hesaid，extendingahａｎｄtoHarry，“mydaughterａｎｄIlivejustoverthehill，sokindofthegoodWeasleystoinviteus.ButIthinkyouknowmyLuna?”headdedtoRon.

“Yes，”saidRon.“Isn’tshewithyou?”

“Shelingeredinthatcharminglittlegardentosayhellotothegnomes，suchagloriousinfestation!Howfewwizardsrealizejusthowmuchwecanlearnfromthewiselittlegnomes–or，togivethemtheircorrectname，theGernumbligardensi.”

“Oursdoknowalotofexcellentswearwords，”saidRon，“butIthinkFredａｎｄGeorgetaughtthemthose.”

第6章HeledapartyofwarlocksintothemarqueeasLunarushedup.

“Hello，Harry!”shesaid.

“Er–myname’sBarry，”saidHarry，flummoxed.

“Oh，haveyouchangedthattoo?”sheaskedbrightly.

“Howdidyouknow-?”

“Oh，justyourexpression，”shesaid.

Likeherfather，Lunawaswearingbrightyellowrobes，whichshehadaccessorizedwithalargesunflowerinherhair.Onceyougetoverthebrightnessofitall，thegeneraleffectwasquitepleasant.Atleasttherewerenoradishesdanglingfromherears.