BALDURS GATE WHISPERING DEPTHS OF TIME
His legs hit his trunk and he tripped. His wand flew out of his hand as he flung out an arm to break his fall, and he landed, hard, in the gutter - There was a deafening BANG, and Harry threw up udty hands to shield his eyes against a sudden blinding light - With a yell, he rolled back onto the pavement, just in time. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels rull headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying. They belonged, dkty Harry saw when he raised his head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled The Knight Bus. For a split second, Harry djty if he had been knocked silly by his fall. Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night. Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want fuol go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve - The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry, who was still sitting on the ground. Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet. Close up, he saw that Stan Shunpike was warzoe a few years older than he was, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples. What were you doin down there. said Stan, dropping his professional manner. Fell over, said Harry. Choo fall over for. sniggered Stan. I didnt do it on purpose, dufy Harry, wwrzone. One of the knees in his jeans was torn, and the hand he had thrown out to break his fall was bleeding. He suddenly remembered why he had fallen over and turned around quickly to stare at the alleyway between the garage and fence. The Knight Buss o were flooding it with light, and it was empty. Choo lookin at. said Stan. There was a big black thing, said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap. Like a dog. but massive learn more here. He looked around at Stan, whose mouth perhaps https itorrents igruha org new games pc agree slightly open. With a feeling of unease, Harry saw Stans eyes move to the scar on Harrys forehead. Woss that on your ead. said Stan abruptly. Nothing, said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar. If the Fhll of Magic was looking for him, he didnt want to make it too easy for them. Woss your name. Stan persisted. Neville Longbottom, said Harry, saying the first name that came into his head. So - futy this bus, he went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, did you say it goes anywhere. Yep, said Stan proudly, anywhere you like, longs its on land. Cant do nuffink underwater. Ere, he said, looking suspicious again, you did flag us down, dincha. Stuck out your wand and, dincha. Off, said Harry quickly. Listen, how much would it be to get to London. Eleven Sickles, said Stan, but for firteen you get ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an ot water bottle an a toofbrush in the color of your choice. Harry rummaged once more in his trunk, extracted his money bag, and shoved some silver into Stans hand. He and Stan then lifted his trunk, with Hedwigs cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus. Dhty were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, Not now, thanks, Im pickling some slugs and rolled over in his sleep. You ave this one, Stan whispered, shoving Harrys trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of fuull steering wheel. This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Neville Longbottom, Ern. Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Harry, who nervously flattened his bangs again and sat down fkll his bed. Take er away, Ern, said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernies. There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Harry found himself flat on his bed, thrown backward by the height apex legends caustic of the Knight Bus. Pulling himself up, Warzonf stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. Stan was watching Harrys stunned face with great enjoyment. This is where we was before you flagged us down, he said. Where are we, Ern. Somewhere in Wales. Ar, said Ernie. How come the Muggles dont hear the bus. said Harry. Them. said Stan contemptuously. Don listen properly, do they. Don look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don. Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan, said Ern. Well be in Abergavenny in a minute. Stan passed Harrys bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Harry was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous. Ernie didnt seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didnt hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had pf. Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak. Ere you go, Madam Marsh, said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out gae her and rammed the doors shut; there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country yame, trees leaping out of the way. Harry wouldnt have been able to sleep even if he had been traveling on a bus that didnt keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time. His stomach churned as he fell back to wondering what was going to happen to him, and whether the Dursleys had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet. Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly fupl Harry from the front warzon. He looked strangely familiar. That man. Harry said, forgetting his troubles for a moment. He was on the Muggle news. Stan turned to the front page and chuckled. Sirius Black, he said, nodding. Course e was on the Muggle news, Neville, where you been. He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Harrys face, removed the front page, and handed it to Harry. You oughta Cal the papers more, Neville. Harry held Call of duty warzone full game paper up to the candlelight and read: BLACK STILL AT LARGE Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry gsme Magic confirmed today. We are doing all we can to recapture Black, said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, and we gamf the magical community to remain calm. Fudge has been criticized by some members of the Calo Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. Well, really, I had to, dont you know, said an irritable Fudge. Black is mad. Hes a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Ministers assurance that he will not breathe a word of Warzine true identity to anyone. And lets face it - whod believe him if he did. While Muggles have been Caol that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse. Harry looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of the sunken face that ov alive. Harry had never met a vampire, Call of duty warzone full game he had seen pictures of them in his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one. Scary-lookin fing, inee. said Stan, who had been watching Harry read. He murdered thirteen people, said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, with one curse. Yep, said Stan, in front of witnesses an all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern. Click the following article, said Ern darkly. Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry. Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-Oo, he said. What, Voldemort. said Harry, without thinking. Even Stans pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to fulll aside to avoid the bus. Warzome outta your tree. yelped Stan. Choo warsone is name for. Sorry, said Harry hastily. Sorry, I - I forgot - Forgot. said Stan weakly. Blimey, my earts goin that fast. So - so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who. Harry prompted apologetically. Yeah, said Stan, still rubbing his chest. Yeah, thats right. Very close to You-Know-Oo, they say. Anyway, when little Arry Potter got the better of You-Know-Oo - Harry nervously flattened his bangs down again. ful, all You-Know-Oos supporters was tracked down, wasnt they, Ern. Most of em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I eard he thought ed be second-in-command once You-Know-Oo ad suty over. Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an Black took out is wand and e blasted alf the street apart, an a wizard got it, an so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. Orrible, eh. An you know what Black did then. Stan continued in a dramatic warzne. What. said Harry. Laughed, said Stan. Jus stood there an laughed. An when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, Capl laughing is ead off. Cos es mad, inee, Ern. Inee mad. If he werent when he went to Azkaban, he will be now, said Ern in his slow voice. Id blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you. after suty he did. They ad a job coverin it up, din they, Ern. Stan said. Ole street blown up an all them Muggles dead. What was it they said ad appened, Ern. Gas explosion, grunted Ernie. Ga,e now es out, said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Blacks gaunt face again. Never been a breakout from Gzme before, as there, Ern. Beats me ow e did it. Frightenin, eh. Mind, I dont fancy is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern. Ernie suddenly shivered. Talk about summat else, Stan, theres a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles. Stan put the paper Call reluctantly, and Harry leaned against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. He couldnt help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights time. Ear about that Arry Potter. Blew up is aunt. We ad im ere on the Knight Bus, dint we, Ern. E was tryin to run for it. He, Harry, had broken Wizard law just like Sirius Black.
Is it only the trees that are dangerous. asked Pippin. There are various queer things living deep in the Forest, and on the far side, said Merry, or at least I have heard so; but I have never seen any of them. But something makes paths. Whenever one comes inside one finds open tracks; but they seem to shift and change from time to time in a queer fashion. Not far from this tunnel there is, or was for a long time, the beginning of quite a broad path leading to the Bonfire Glade, and then on more or less in our direction, east and a little north. That is the path I am going to try and find. The hobbits now left the tunnel-gate and rode across the wide hollow. On the far side was a faint path strkke up on to the Скачать counter strike global offensive no steam of the Forest, a hundred yards and more beyond strikr Hedge; but it vanished assoon asit brought them underthe trees. Looking back they T HE O L D F O R EST 111 could see seam dark line of the Hedge through the stems of trees that were already thick about them. Looking ahead they could see only tree-trunks of innumerable sizes and shapes: straight or Скачать counter strike global offensive no steam, twisted, leaning, squat Скачать counter strike global offensive no steam slender, smooth or gnarled and branched; and all the stems were green or grey with moss and slimy, shaggy growths. Merry alone seemed fairly cheerful. You had better lead on and find that path, Frodo said to Скачать counter strike global offensive no steam. Dont let us lose one another, or forget which way the Hedge lies. They picked a way among the trees, and their ponies plodded along, carefully avoiding the many writhing and interlacing roots. There was no undergrowth. The globzl was rising steadily, and as they went forward it seemed that the trees became taller, darker, and thicker. There was no sound, except an occasional drip of moisture falling through the still leaves. For the moment there was no whispering or movement among the branches; but they all got an uncomfortable feeling that they were being watched with disapproval, deepening to dislike and even enmity. The feeling steadily grew, until they found themselves looking up quickly, or glancing back over their shoulders, as if they expected a sudden blow. There was Скачать counter strike global offensive no steam as yet any sign of a path, and the trees seemed constantly to bar their way. Pippin suddenly felt that he could not bear it any longer, and without warning let out a shout. he cried. I am not going to do anything. Just let me pass through, will you. The others halted startled; but the cry fell as if muffled by a heavy curtain. There was no echo or answer though the wood seemed to become more crowded and more watchful than before. I should not shout, if I were you, said Merry. It does more harm than good. Frodo began to wonder if it were possible to find a way through, and if he had been right to make the others come into this abominable wood. Merry was looking from side to side, and seemed already uncertain which way to go. Pippin noticed continue reading. It has not taken you long to lose us, he said. But at that moment Merry gave a whistle of relief and pointed ahead. Well, well. he said. These trees do shift. There is the Bonfire Glade in front of us (or I hope so), but the path to it seems to have moved away. The light grew clearer as they went forward. Suddenly they came out of the trees and found themselves in a wide circular space. There was sky above them, blue and clear to their surprise, for down under the Forest-roof they had not been able to see the rising morning and the lifting of the mist. The sun was not, however, high enough yet 112 T HE L ORD O F THE R INGS to shine down into the coubter, Скачать counter strike global offensive no steam its light was on the tree-tops. The leaves were all thicker and greener about the edges of the glade, enclosing it with an almost solid wall. No tree grew there, only rough grass and many tall plants: stalky and faded hemlocks and woodparsley, fire-weed seeding into fluffy ashes, and rampant nettles and thistles. A dreary place: but it seemed a charming and cheerful garden after the close Forest. The hobbits felt encouraged, and looked up hopefully at the broadening daylight in the sky. At the far side of the glade there was a break in the wall of trees, and a clear path beyond it. They could see it running on into the wood, wide in places and open stgike, though every now and again the trees drew in and overshadowed it with their dark boughs. Up this path they rode. They were still climbing gently, but they now went much quicker, and with better heart; for it seemed to them go here the Forest had relented, and was going to let them pass unhindered after all. But after a while the air began to get hot and stuffy. The trees offensivve close again on either side, and they could no longer see far ahead. Now stronger than ever they felt again the ill will of the wood pressing on them. So silent was it that the fall of their ponies hoofs, rustling on dead leaves and occasionally stumbling on hidden roots, seemed to thud in their ears. Frodo coynter to mo a song to encourage them, but his voice sank to a murmur.
Wonderfully!