"J. K. Rowling - 06 Harry Potter and The half blood Prince" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rowling J. K)

respond immediately. Sincerely, Fudge.' The man in the painting
looked enquiringly at the Prime Minister.

'Er,' said the Prime Minister, 'listen ... it's not a very good
time for me ... I'm waiting for a telephone call, you see ...
from the president of'

That can be rearranged,' said the portrait at once. The
Prime Minister's heart sank. He had been afraid of that.

'But I really was rather hoping to speak '

'We shall arrange for the president to forget to call. He will
telephone tomorrow night instead,' said the little man. 'Kindly
respond immediately to Mr Fudge.'

'I ... oh ... very well,' said the Prime Minister weakly. 'Yes,
I'll see Fudge.'

He hurried back to his desk, straightening his tie as he
went. He had barely resumed his seat, and arranged his face
into what he hoped was a relaxed and unfazed expression,
when bright green flames burst into life in the empty grate
beneath his marble mantelpiece. He watched, trying not to
betray a flicker of surprise or alarm, as a portly man appeared
within the flames, spinning as fast as a top. Seconds later, he
had climbed out on to a rather fine antique rug, brushing ash
from the sleeves of his long pinstriped cloak, a lime-green
bowler hat in his hand.

'Ah ... Prime Minister,' said Cornelius Fudge, striding
forwards with his hand outstretched. 'Good to see you again.'

The Prime Minister could not honestly return this compliment,
so said nothing at all. He was not remotely pleased to see

10 ' harry potter


Fudge, whose occasional appearances, apart from being downright
alarming in themselves, generally meant that he was
about to hear some very bad news. Furthermore, Fudge was
looking distinctly careworn. He was thinner, balder and greyer,
and his face had a crumpled look. The Prime Minister had seen
that kind of look in politicians before, and it never boded well.

'How can I help you?' he said, shaking Fudge's hand very
briefly and gesturing towards the hardest of the chairs in front
of the desk.