分卷阅读2（1 / 2）

Adisgruntledhmphandheavystepsfollowedhim.“Listen,boy.Iknowyou’vebeenintomythings!YoubetterreturnthemtomeorbythePleiadesyouwillfeelmywrath!”Lastweekithadbeenhiscollectionofgoblinweddinghatsthathaddisappeared.Harryfoundthematthepawnshopacrosstheway,recentlytradedforastackofAlwynandtheBriarclucksrecords,whichcoincidentally,helaterheardblastingfromUmphrey’sflatonhiswayhome.

Harryturnedaroundandgavethemanasternstareforalongmomentandthenbrokeoutintosong.“Hoponmybroomstick,baby,don’tthinktwice,don’tjustsaymaybe,”hesang,tryinghardtomimicthecrooningstylesofAlwynBristleby.HewiggledhiseyebrowsatUmphreyanddescendedthestairs.

He’dspentthefirstdaysestablishinghimself,orArchieEversworn,byrentingaflataboveTheLaughingFox.Theraucouspubsattwoblocksdownfromthesuspectedmainbaseofoperationsofthepotionsringhe’dbeentaskedtoinfiltrate.IttookhimthreeweekstofigureoutthehalfadozenorsogruntsintheTravertelQuarterwerejustthetipoftheoperation.Harrysawcratesofrawmaterials,butneverwitnessedbrewingtakingplacethere.He’dspenthisnightslosingatcardsanddrinkingheavily,tryingtogaincredibilityintheunderworldcommunity.Nooneseemedtopayhimtoomuchattention,andhefoundthatheblendedinwithouthavingtodotoomuchtoprovehimself.

“Ithinkit’stheface,”Ronhadsaid.“It’sjustthefaceofsomeoneyou’dratherforget.”Harrythankedhimforhishonesty.“Whatmate?S’notlikeit’syouractualface.”

Afteranothertwoweeks,he’dtracedrawmaterialdeliveriestoamoreupscaleneighborhood,CremfigHeights,andtheglamorousAshtylHotel.Fivedaysafterthat,he’dlandedhimselfajobthere.

Sadly,thehotelmanager,ValentinedeRusso,gavehimlittleleeway,inhibitingthediscoveryofillegalactivities.Aftermonthsoflaboringasadayshiftporter,he’dbeenpromotedtoafternoonsandnights.HarrycouldhardlybelieveitwhenValentineslappedhisshoulder,handedhimthemasterspellkey,andtoldhimhewasirreplaceabletotheteam.Withabitmorefreedomanduseofthemasterspellkey,HarrydiscoveredthekitchenshutdownearlyonThursdayevenings.Allhe’dmanagedtofindoutwasthehotel’sownerlikedtohaveacardsnightwithhisfriends,atleastaccordingtosomeoftheotherporters.

HarrymadehiswayoutofTravertelandtocleanerstreets.Hepassedbyabusyfloo-cafe,afewhighendclothingshops,andHigginsHandles,thepremierQuidditchsupplyshopinthegreaterEdinburgharea.HeavertedhiseyesfromanewNimbuswindowdisplayandfocusedonthebrickwallacrossthestreet.Ittoohadchangedsincehe’dlastpassed.

Giantparchmentsplasteredthebrick,MISSING—BERTRICEZIVANTUS—PLEASECONTACTTHEDMLE.1000GALLEONREWARDFORANYINFORMATIONLEADINGTOHERDISCOVERY.Harrypausedtostareatthefaceofayounggirlsmiling,nomorethanfourteenorfifteen,wavingtotheworld.Zivantus?ThatwasthenameofarichphilanthropistwhohadabigdisagreementwiththeMinistryawhileback.Thegirlhadtobehisdaughter.

Hepassedseveralfamiliarfacesofpickpockets,hustlers,andotherwiselowlevelscoundrels.Harrymissedbeingabletowalkthestreetscarefreeandunencumberedbythoughtsofwhomightbewatchinghiseverymove.

He’dexpressedhispricklingparanoiatoRonduringhislastFloo-chat.EveryotherSundaymorning,Harryapparatedtoatinymagicalshopjustoutsidethecity.TheelderlyownerslethimusetheirFlooinexchangeforyardwork.TheMinistryhadutilizedtheminthepast,hewassure,butiftheyhadanyideahewasanundercoverauror,theyneveradmittedit.

“Nowyou’reparanoidbecausenoonenoticesyou.”Ronhadshakenhishead.“Isn’tthatwhatyou’vealwayswanted,mate?”

Thecaressofalightdownpourrousedhisthoughts,andHarrycastanUmbrellaCharmandbrokeintoajog.Whileitwastruethathefoundgreatreliefinsheddinghisverypublicpersona,Harryfoundthatbeingundercoverforsolongmadehimfeelasifhe’dlostpiecesofhimself.AsheapproachedtheAshtyl,heheadedtowardstheserviceentrancebutalmostfelloverwhenaredblurranthroughhislegsandthrewhimoffbalance.

“Whatthe—”

Akneazle,acat-likecreaturewithdeepredmarkings,blinkedupathimandthendartedawaydownthestreet.Harrythoughtitoddsuchananimalwouldbearoundtheserviceentrance,letalonewanderingthestreets.Itmusthavebeenlost.

Harrymeanttoinquireatthemaindeskifanyguestshadmentionedhavingthepet,butValentinegavehimalistoftasksassoonashesawHarry.Thenormallychippermanwasdistracted.“We’vebeenshufflingguestsaround,changingroomassignments,”heexplained.“It’sbeenahecticmorning.”

Hedealtwiththenoisecomplaintonthetenthfloorasbesthecould,buttherewasn’tmuchtobedone.Carefulnottooffend,heinsistedthatthevacationingcoupleshouldteareachothertoshredswithintheconfinesoftheirsound-proofwardedroom.Onhisrounds,hecheckedonafewhouseelveshe’dtakenalikingto,andoneofthemmentionedthepenthousehadtheDo-Not-DisturbCharmonforalmostanentireday.

“That’sodd,”Harrysaid.

Grimbienodded.“Yes,sirs,andwehasn’tbeenabletocleanordelivernewitems.Ourroutinesisallmessedup.Messedup,yes.”

“I’lllookintoit,”Harryassuredtheelf.Hewenttotheliftandthenrealizedhe’dmisplacedhismasterspellkey.ValentineseemedpreoccupiedwhenHarrytoldhimaboutthepenthouseandbarelyregisteredHarry’sconfessionthathelostthespellkey.

“Here,”Valentinestretchedouthisarm,hisspellkeyinhisgrasp.Hehadn’tevenlookedupandwassiftingthroughpapersonhisdeskwithhisotherhand.“Usemine.”