Harry Potter And the Sorcerer’s Stone-（42） outside, programs, without, stopped, television

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“Shake ’em off . . . shake ’em off,” he would mutter whenever he
did this.

They didn’t stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was
howling. He’d never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry,
he’d missed five television programs he’d wanted to see, and he’d
never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.

Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on
the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with
twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry
stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights
of passing cars and wondering. . . .

They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for
breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of
the hotel came over to their table.

“ ’Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an
’undred of these at the front desk.”

She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:
Mr. H. Potter

Room 17

Railview Hotel

Cokeworth

Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his
hand out of the way. The woman stared.

“I’ll take them,” said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following
her from the dining room.

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