AOL and Amazon Release Order of the Phoenix Sneak Peak

AOL and amazon.com released today a preview clip from the Order of the Phoenix audio book read by Jim Dale, in conjunction with advertising the audio book for sale. The clip is about a minute and 45 seconds long.

Thanks to Wizard News Special Correspondent Barbara, here is a transcript of the Order of the Phoenix sneak peak sound clip:

Harry’s bewilderment deepened with every step he took. What on earth were they doing in a house that looked as though it belonged to the darkest of wizards?

“Mrs. Weasley, what…?”

“Ron and Hermione will explain everything, dear. I’ve really got to dash,” Mrs. Weasley whispered distractedly.

“There!” They had reached the second landing. “You’re the door on the right. I’ll call you when it’s over.”

And she hurried off downstairs again.

Harry crossed the dingy landing, turned the bedroom doorknob, which was shaped like a serpent’s head, and opened the door.

He caught a brief glimpse of a gloomy, high-ceilinged, twin-bedded room, then there was a loud twittering noise, followed by an even louder shriek, and his vision was completely obscured by a large quantity of very bushy hair. Hermione had thrown herself onto him in a hug that nearly knocked him flat, while Ron’s tiny owl, Pigwidgeon, zoomed excitedly round and round their heads.

“Harry! Ron, he’s here! Harry’s here! We didn’t hear you arrive! Oh, how are you? Are you all right? Have you been furious with us? I bet you have. I know our letters were useless but we couldn’t tell you anything. Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn’t! Oh, we’ve got so much to tell you, and you’ve got to tell us! The dementors! When we heard, and that Ministry hearing, it’s just outrageous! I’ve looked it all up! They can’t expell you! They just can’t! There’s a provision in the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Sorcery for the use of magic in life-threatening situations!”

“Let him breathe, Hermione,” said Ron, grinning, closing the door behind Harry.

He seemed to have grown several more inches during their month apart, making him taller and more gangly looking than ever, though the long nose, bright-red hair and freckles were the same.

It is interesting to note that AOL posted this clip first privately to its users this morning, and then at some point around lunchtime today it was reported that the audio clip on AOL was not authorized by the book’s publishers, and AOL removed it. But later in the afternoon, it’s reported that the clip will return to AOL, and now amazon.com is making the clip available as well.