|
The
|
hottest
|
day
|
of
|
the
|
summer
|
so
|
far
|
was
|
drawing
|
to
|
a
|
close
|
and
|
a
|
drowsy
|
silence
|
lay
|
over
|
the
|
large,
|
square
|
houses
|
of
|
Privet
|
|
|
Drive.
|
Cars
|
that
|
were
|
usually
|
gleaming
|
stood
|
dusty
|
in
|
their
|
drives
|
and
|
lawns
|
that
|
were
|
once
|
emerald
|
green
|
lay
|
parched
|
and
|
yellowing;
|
the
|
use
|
of
|
|
|
hosepipes
|
had
|
been
|
banned
|
due
|
to
|
drought.
|
Deprived
|
of
|
their
|
usual
|
car-
|
washing
|
and
|
lawn-
|
mowing
|
pursuits,
|
the
|
inhabitants
|
of
|
Privet
|
Drive
|
had
|
retreated
|
into
|
|
|
the
|
shade
|
of
|
their
|
cool
|
houses,
|
windows
|
thrown
|
wide
|
in
|
the
|
hope
|
of
|
tempting
|
in
|
a
|
nonexistent
|
breeze.
|
The
|
only
|
person
|
left
|
outdoors
|
was
|
a
|
|
|
teenage
|
boy
|
who
|
was
|
lying
|
flat
|
on
|
his
|
back
|
in
|
a
|
flower
|
bed
|
outside
|
number
|
four.
|
He
|
was
|
a
|
skinny,
|
black-
|
haired,
|
bespectacled
|
boy
|
who
|
|
|
had
|
the
|
pinched,
|
slightly
|
unhealthy
|
look
|
of
|
someone
|
who
|
has
|
grown
|
a
|
lot
|
in
|
a
|
short
|
space
|
of
|
time.
|
His
|
jeans
|
were
|
torn
|
and
|
dirty,
|
|
|
his
|
T-shirt
|
baggy
|
and
|
faded,
|
and
|
the
|
soles
|
of
|
his
|
trainers
|
were
|
peeling
|
away
|
from
|
the
|
uppers.
|
Harry
|
Potter's
|
appearance
|
did
|
not
|
endear
|
him
|
to
|
|
|
the
|
neighbors,
|
who
|
were
|
the
|
sort
|
of
|
people
|
who
|
thought
|
scruffiness
|
ought
|
to
|
be
|
punishable
|
by
|
law,
|
but
|
as
|
he
|
had
|
hidden
|
himself
|
behind
|
a...
|
|