3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第21部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
o stand next to it; the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble; banging off the wall。
〃Nothing to worry about;〃 said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm。 〃There's a boggart in there。〃
Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about。 Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror; and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively。
〃Boggarts like dark; enclosed spaces;〃 said Professor Lupin。 〃Wardrobes; the gap beneath beds; the cupboards under sinks I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock。 This one moved in yesterday afternoon; and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice。
〃So; the first question we must ask ourselves is; what is a boggart?〃
Hermione put up her hand。
〃It's a shape…shifter;〃 she said。 〃It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most。〃
〃Couldn't have put it better myself;〃 said Professor Lupin; and Hermione glowed。 〃So the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form。 He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door。 Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone; but when I let him out; he will immediately bee whatever each of us most fears。
〃This means;〃 said Professor Lupin; choosing to ignore Neville's 'mall sputter of terror; 〃that we have a huge advantage over the boggart before we begin。 Have you spotted it; Harry?〃
Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to him; bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air; was very off…putting; but Harry had a go。
〃Er because there are so many of us; it won't know what shape it should be?〃
〃Precisely;〃 said Professor Lupin; and Hermione put her hand down; looking a little disappointed。 〃It's always best to have pany when you're dealing with a boggart。 He bees confused。 Which should he bee; a headless corpse or a flesh…eating slug? I once saw a boggart make that very mistake tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug。 Not remotely frightening。
〃The charm that repels a boggart is simple; yet it requires force of mind。 You see; the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter。 What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing。
〃We will practice the charm without wands first。 After me; please 。。。 Riddikulus!〃
〃Riddikulus!〃 said the class together。
〃Good;〃 said Professor Lupin。 〃Very good。 But that was the easy part; I'm afraid。 You see; the word alone is not enough。 And this is where you e in; Neville。〃
The wardrobe shook again; though not as much as Neville; who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows。
〃Right; Neville;〃 said Professor Lupin。 〃First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?〃
Neville's lips moved; but no noise came out。
〃didn't catch that; Neville; sorry;〃 said Professor Lupin cheerfully。
Neville looked around rather wildly; as though begging someone to help him; then said; in barely more than a whisper; 〃Professor Snape。〃
Nearly everyone laughed。 Even Neville grinned apologetically。 Professor Lupin; however; looked thoughtful。
〃Professor Snape。。。 hmmm。。。 Neville; I believe you live with your grandmother?〃
〃Er yes;〃 said Neville nervously。 〃But I don't want the boggart to turn into her either。〃
〃No; no; you misunderstand me;〃 said Professor Lupin; now smiling。 〃I wonder; could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?〃
Neville looked startled; but said; 〃Well。。。 always the same hat。 A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top。 And a long dress。。。 green; normally。。。 and sometimes a fox…fur scarf。〃
〃And a handbag?〃 prompted Professor Lupin。
〃A big red one;〃 said Neville。
〃Right then;〃 said Professor Lupin。 〃Can you picture those clothes very clearly; Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?〃
〃Yes;〃 said Neville uncertainty; plainly wondering what was ing next。
〃When the boggart bursts out of this wardrobe; Neville; and sees You; it will assume the form of Professor Snape;〃 said Lupin。 〃And You will raise your wand thus and cry 'Riddikulus' and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes。 If all goes well; Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture…topped hat; and that green dress; with that big red handbag。〃
There was a great shout of laughter。 The wardrobe wobbled more violently。
〃If Neville is successful; the boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn;〃 said Professor Lupin。 〃I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most; and imagine how you might force it to look ical。。。。〃
The room went quiet。 Harry thought。。。 'What scared him most in the world?
His first thought was Lord Voldemort a Voldemort returned to full strength。 But before he had even started to plan a possible counterattack on a boggart…Voldemort; a horrible image came floating to the surface of his mind。。。。
A rotting; glistening hand; slithering back beneath a black cloak 。。。 a long; rattling breath from an unseen mouth。。。 then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning。。。。
Harry shivered; then looked around; hoping no one had noticed。 Many people had their eyes shut tight。 Ron was muttering to himself; 〃Take its legs off 〃 Harry was sure he knew what that was about。 Ron's greatest fear was spiders。
〃Everyone ready?〃 said Professor Lupin。
Harry felt a lurch of fear。 He wasn't ready。 How could you make a dementor less frightening? But he didn't want to ask for more time; everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves。
〃Neville; we're going to back away;〃 said Professor Lupin。 〃Let you have a clear field; all right? I'll call the next person forward。。。。 Everyone back; now; so Neville can get a clear shot 〃
They all retreated; backed against the walls; leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe。 He looked pale and frightened; but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready。
〃On the count of three; Neville;〃 said Professor Lupin; who was
pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe。 〃One two three now!〃
A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob。 The wardrobe burst open。 Hook…nosed and menacing; Professor Snape stepped out; his eyes flashing at Neville。
Neville backed away; his wand up; mouthing wordlessly。 Snape was bearing down upon him; reaching inside his robes。
〃R r riddikulus! 〃squeaked Neville。
There was a noise like a whip crack。 Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long; lace…trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth…eaten vulture; and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag。
There was a roar of laughter; the boggart paused; confused; and Professor Lupin shouted; 〃Parvati! Forward!〃
Parvati walked forward; her face set。 Snape rounded on her。 There was another crack; and where he had stood was a bloodstained; bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly; dragging its feet; its stiff arms rising
〃Riddikulus!〃 cried Parvati。
A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled; fell face forward; and its head rolled off。
〃Seamus!〃 roared Professor Lupin。
Seamus darted past Parvati。
Crack! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floorlength black hair and a skeletal; green…tinged face a banshee。 She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room; a long; wailing shriek that made the hair on Harry's head stand on end 'Riddikulus!〃 shouted Seamus。
The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone。
Crack! The banshee turned into a rat; which chased its tail in a circle; then crack!… became a rattlesnake; which slithered and writhed before crack! being a single; bloody eyeball。
'It's confused!〃 shouted Lupin。 〃We're getting there! Dean!〃
Dean hurried forward。
Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand; which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab。
〃Riddikulus!〃 yelled Dean。
'There was a snap; and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap。
〃Excellent! Ron; you next!〃
Ron leapt forward。
Crack!
Quite a few people screamed。 A giant spider; six feet tall and covered in hair; was advancing on Ron; clicking its pincers menacingly。 For a moment; Harry thought Ron had frozen。 Then
〃Riddikulus!〃 bellowed Ron; and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry's feet。 He raised his wand; ready; but
〃Here!〃 shouted Professor Lupin suddenly; hurrying forward。 Crack!
The legless spider had vanished。 For a second; everyone looked wildly around to see where it was。 Then they saw a silvery…white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin; who said; 〃Riddikulus!〃 almosi lazily。
Crack!
〃Forward; Neville; and finish him off!〃 said Lupin as the boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach。 Crack! Snape was back。 This time Neville cha