"J. K. Rowling - 6 - Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince(1)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rowling J. K)

“We’ve been talking through letters all summer,” explained Ron, blushing a little.
“Oh really?” asked Harry, crossing his arms. “I don’t remember seeing you write.”
“Well, I mostly did it at night…”
“Even then I didn’t-”
“After I saw you had gone to sleep.”
“Ah ha,” said Harry. “I see.”
“And it wasn’t only letters he sent to me during the summer,” smiled Hermione. “Ron also sent me this.” She pushed out her arm, and lifted up her sleeve. Revealed underneath was the most beautiful bracelet Harry had ever seen in his entire life. Even from just the little light coming in from the window in the side of the compartment, the bracelet shone bright like the sun… brighter even.
“Wow, where did you ever get that Ron?” asked Harry, in awe.
“On our vacation in Egypt,” said Ron. “I actually found it in one of the pyramids we went to. I‘ve just been saving it in my desk for the right occasion… or person.”
“You didn’t steal it? Did you?” asked Harry as the train started moving.
“Well, not really,” said Ron. “It’s kind of funny actually, the bracelet was just lying there in the middle of the room, as if asking to be picked up.”
“It was just… lying there?” asked Harry.
“Yep, and I just happened to be the first person to see it. I hid it from the rest of my family, who’d either want me to return it or cash it in to save for later or invest in their business.”
“Speaking of business,” interjected Hermione, “I heard Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes is doing quite well.”
“Yeah, but me and Harry know the real secret to their success,” said Ron.
“We do?” asked Harry.
“You do?” asked Hermione.
“Yep,” said Ron, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back. “They sell Wizard Duel cards… that’s where most of their money comes from.” At this remark, Hermione rolled her eyes.
“Oh no, not that card game,” she said.
“Hey, what’s wrong with it?” asked Ron, sounding hurt. “It’s a fun game!”
“Well, I like the fact that it teaches people about that many different wizards and items that have historical value, but it’s just a silly game. I don’t know why some get so obsessed with it.”
“Hey!” said Harry. “That reminds me! I still haven’t opened my packs of cards!”
“Oh don’t tell me you’re into that game too?” said Hermione. Ron ignored her comment.
“Really? You didn’t? I opened mine as soon as I got home, before I realized that you weren’t there.”
“Did you get anything good?” asked Harry, looking through his bags for where he put the packs.
“Nah, not really,” said Ron. “Just a few copies of what I already have mostly.”
“Ah ha, here they are!” exclaimed Harry, bursting from his bag with the packs of cards that he bought. He threw them onto the seat next to him, and immediately grabbed the first one. On the front, there was a picture of a house elf.
“A house elf? Hah, don’t expect anything good in that one,” said Ron, peering over to see what Harry would get.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” said Hermione, looking over at Harry’s card pack even though she said that she detested the game.
Harry quickly tore open the pack, watched the wrapper fall to the floor, and then magically disappear.
“Ahh, an Anti-pollution Charm, very nice,” commented Hermione.
Harry looked through the cards, flipping through them as fast as he could, trying to find the rare one in the pack.
“Yeah, Grindylow, another Boggart,” said Harry, naming the cards as he passed by them. “Hey a Kneazle! Speaking of which, where’s Crookshanks, Hermione? I haven’t seen her yet this year, and now that I think of it, I didn’t see her much at all last year either.”
“Oh, I put him in the storage compartment in the back,” said Hermione. “Yeah, last year, Crookshanks was gone for most of the day, out catching food I suppose. Only really saw him during the late afternoon and evening. But, don’t worry, I’ve only lost Crookshanks once at the beginning of the summer, I’m getting better at controlling him. Oh yeah, and-”
“Oh… my… god…” said Harry interrupting her, his eyes were wide, and he was staring at a single card in his hand, evidently the rare one.
“What is it Harry?” asked Ron and Hermione.
“Did you get a really rare one?” asked Ron.
“I got,” said Harry, turning the card around, and showing it to them, “Voldemort.”
Chapter 5- The Field Trip
The picture on the card was different than ay other Harry had ever seen. Instead of just being a flat moving image, this one appeared almost three dimensional. Behind the horrible, cloaked figure, there was a sparkling black background that just added to the mysticness and amazement of the card.
“How could they even think of putting HIM in the game?” asked Harry, shocked.
“Well, he is a very important historical figure…” said Hermione.
“Yeah, and he’s really rare too!” drooled Ron. “Look at that! A four-star rarity! I only thought it went up to three!”
“It doesn’t matter,” said Harry, turning the card around and glaring at the horrific image of Voldemort, stroking his chin, and giving an occasional laugh. “They still shouldn’t put him in the game.”
“Oh come on Harry,” laughed Ron. “Look at his power! It’s through the roof! You could probably win most games with just that one card!”
“I suppose so,” said Harry, tucking the Voldemort card away along with the rest of his small collection. He also put his unopened card packs in his bag too, he didn’t really feel like opening any more today.
“Well, if you don’t want him, I’ll gladly take him!” offered Ron.
“No way,” laughed Harry, feeling better.
The rest of the rather short trip was pleasant, talking about their summer vacations, and of course, making comments on Hermione’s bracelet. It was like nothing Harry had ever seen before.
Before long, however, the train ride came to an end and the three of them got off just in time to see their teacher and friend, Hagrid. He was at least twice as tall as any man, and five times as wide… he almost took up as much space as all of the new first year students he was leading up to the castle.