Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Дж. К. Роулинг

be paying now, then?’ said Mr Roberts.

      ‘Ah – right – certainly —’ said Mr Weasley. He retreated a short distance from the cottage and beckoned Harry towards him. ‘Help me, Harry,’ he muttered, pulling a roll of Muggle money from his pocket and starting to peel the notes apart. ‘This one’s a – a – a ten? Ah yes, I see the little number on it now … so this is a five?’

      ‘A twenty,’ Harry corrected him in an undertone, uncomfortably aware of Mr Roberts trying to catch every word.

      ‘Ah yes, so it is … I don’t know, these little bits of paper …’

      ‘You foreign?’ said Mr Roberts, as Mr Weasley returned with the correct notes.

      ‘Foreign?’ repeated Mr Weasley, puzzled.

      ‘You’re not the first one who’s had trouble with money,’ said Mr Roberts, scrutinising Mr Weasley closely. ‘I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago.’

      ‘Did you really?’ said Mr Weasley nervously.

      Mr Roberts rummaged around in a tin for some change.

      ‘Never been this crowded,’ he said suddenly, looking out over the misty field again. ‘Hundreds of pre-bookings. People usually just turn up …’

      ‘Is that right?’ said Mr Weasley, his hand held out for his change, but Mr Roberts didn’t give it to him.

      ‘Aye,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘People from all over. Loads of foreigners. And not just foreigners. Weirdos, you know? There’s a bloke walking round in a kilt and a poncho.’

      ‘Shouldn’t he?’ said Mr Weasley anxiously.

      ‘It’s like some sort of … I dunno … like some sort of rally,’ said Mr Roberts. ‘They all seem to know each other. Like a big party.’

      At that moment, a wizard in plus-fours appeared out of thin air next to Mr Roberts’s front door.

      ‘Obliviate!’ he said sharply, pointing his wand at Mr Roberts.

      Instantly, Mr Roberts’s eyes slid out of focus, his brows unknitted and a look of dreamy unconcern fell over his face. Harry recognised the symptoms of one who had just had his memory modified.