next to the broom:
** THE FIREBOLT **
THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART PACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED,
SUPERFINE
HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND
HAND- NUMBERED
WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY
SELECTED BIRCH TWIG
IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC
PERFECTION, GIVING THE
FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION.
THE FIREBOLT HAS
AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND
INCORPORATES AN
UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM. PRICE ON REQUEST.
Price on request... Harry didn't like to think how much gold the
Firebolt would cost. He had never wanted anything as much in his whole
life -- but he had never lost a Quidditch match on his Nim bus Two
Thousand, and what was the point in emptying his Gringotts vault for the
Firebolt, when he had a very good broom already? Harry didn't ask for
the price, but he returned, almost every day after that, just to look at
the Firebolt.
There were, however, things that Harry needed to buy. He went to the
Apothecary to replenish his store of potions ingredients, and as his
school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg, he
visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new ones. Most
important of all, he had to buy his new schoolbooks, which would include
those for his two new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures and
Divination.
Harry got a surprise as he looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of
the usual display of gold- embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs,
42
there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred
copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Torn pages were flying
everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in
furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.
Harry pulled his booklist out of his pocket and consulted it for the
first time. The Monster Book of Monsters was listed as the required book
for Care of Magical Creatures. Now Harry understood why Hagrid had said
it would come in useful. He felt relieved; he had been wondering whether
Hagrid wanted help with some terrifying new pet.
As Harry entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward
him.
"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"
"Yes," said Harry, "I need --"
"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing Harry
aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large,
knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster
Books' cage.
"Hang on," said Harry quickly, "I've already got one of those."
"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face.
"Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this
morning --"
A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had seized a
third and were pulling it apart.
"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through
the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again,