3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第33部分

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t　when　a　wizard　goes　over　ter　the　Dark　Side；　there's　nothin'　and　no　one　that　matters　to　em　anymore。。。。〃
　　A　long　silence　followed　Hagrid's　story。　Then　Madam　Rosmerta　said　with　some　satisfaction；　〃But　he　didn't　manage　to　disappear；　did　he？　The　Ministry　of　Magic　caught　up　with　him　next　day！〃
　　〃Alas；　if　only　we　had；〃　said　Fudge　bitterly。　〃It　was　not　we　who　found　him。　It　was　little　Peter　Pettigrew　　another　of　the　Potters'　friends。　Maddened　by　grief；　no　doubt；　and　knowing　that　Black　had　been　the　Potters'　Secret…Keeper；　he　went　after　Black　himself。〃
　　〃Pettigrew。。。　that　fat　little　boy　who　was　always　tagging　around　after　them　at　Hogwarts？〃　said　Madam　Rosmerta。
　　〃Hero…worshipped　Black　and　Potter；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。　〃Never　quite　in　their　league；　talent…wise。　I　was　often　rather　；harp　with　him。　You　can　imagine　how　I　…how　I　regret　that　now。。。〃　She　sounded　as　though　she　had　a　sudden　head　cold。
　　〃There；　now；　Minerva；〃　said　Fudge　kindly；　〃Pettigrew　died　a　hero's　death。　Eyewitnesses　　Muggles；　of　course；　we　wiped　their；　memories　later　　told　us　how　Pettigrew　cornered　Black。　They　say　he　was　sobbing；　'Lily　and　James；　Sirius！　How　could　you？'　And　then　he　went　for　his　wand。　Well；　of　course；　Black　was　quicker。　Blew　Pettigrew　to　smithereens。。。。〃
　　Professor　McGonagall　blew　her　nose　and　said　thickly；　〃Stupid　boy　。。。　foolish　boy。。。　he　was　always　hopeless　at　dueling。。。　should　have　left　it　to　the　Ministry。。。。〃
　　〃I　tell　yeh；　if　I'd　got　ter　Black　before　little　Pettigrew　did；　I　wouldn't　've　messed　around　with　wands　　I'd　've　ripped　him　limb　　from　　limb；〃　Hagrid　growled。
　　〃You　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；　Hagrid；〃　said　Fudge　sharply。　〃Nobody　but　trained　Hit　Wizards　from　the　Magical　Law　Enforcement　Squad　would　have　stood　a　chance　against　Black　once　he　was　cornered。　I　was　Junior　Minister　in　the　Department　of　Magical　Catastrophes　at　the　time；　and　I　was　one　of　the　first　on　the　scene　after　Black　murdered　all　those　people。　I　　I　will　never　forget　it。　I　still　dream　about　it　sometimes。　A　crater　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　so　deep　it　had　cracked　the　sewer　below。　Bodies　everywhere。　Muggles　screaming。　And　Black　standing　there　laughing；　with　what　was　left　of　Pettigrew　in　front　of　him。。。　a　heap　of　bloodstained　robes　and　a　few　　a　few　fragments　〃
　　Fudge's　voice　stopped　abruptly。　There　was　the　sound　of　five　noses　being　blown。
　　〃Well；　there　you　have　it；　Rosmerta；〃　said　Fudge　thickly。　〃Black　was　taken　away　by　twenty　members　of　the　Magical　Law　Enforcement　'Squad　and　Pettigrew　received　the　Order　of　Merlin；　First　Class；　which　I　think　was　some　fort　to　his　poor　mother。　Blades　been　in　Azkaban　ever　since。〃
　　Madam　Rosmerta　let　out　a　long　sigh。
　　〃Is　it　true　he's　mad；　Minister？〃
　　〃I　wish　I　could　say　that　he　was；〃　said　Fudge　slowly。　〃I　certainly　believe　his　master's　defeat　unhinged　him　for　a　while。　The　murder　of　Pettigrew　and　all　those　Muggles　was　the　action　of　a　cornered　and　desperate　man　　cruel。。。　pointless。　Yet　I　met　Black　on　my　last　inspection　of　Azkaban。　You　know；　most　of　the　prisoners　in　there　sit　muttering　to　themselves　in　the　dark；　there's　no　sense　in　them。。。　but　I　was　shocked　at　how　normal　Black　seemed。　He　spoke　quite　rationally　to　me。　It　was　unnerving。　You'd　have　thought　he　was　merely　bored　　asked　if　I'd　finished　with　my　newspaper；　cool　as　you　please；　said　he　missed　doing　the　crossword。　Yes；　I　was　astounded　at　how　little　effect　the　dementors　seemed　to　be　having　on　him　　and　he　was　one　of　the　most　heavily　guarded　in　the　place；　you　know。　Dementors　outside　his　door　day　and　night。〃
　　〃But　what　do　you　think　he's　broken　out　to　do？〃　said　Madam　Rosmerta。　〃Good　gracious；　Minister；　he　isn't　trying　to　rejoin　You…Know…Who；　is　he？〃
　　I　daresay　that　is　his　　er　　eventual　plan；〃　said　Fudge　evasively。　〃But　we　hope　to　catch　Black　long　before　that。　I　must　say；　You…Know…Who　alone　and　friendless　is　one　thing。。。　but　give　him　back　his　most　devoted　servant；　and　I　shudder　to　think　how　quickly　he'll　rise　again。。。。〃
　　There　was　a　small　chink　of　glass　on　wood。　Someone　had　set　down　their　glass。
　　〃You　know；　Cornelius；　if　you're　dining　with　the　headmaster；　he'd　better　head　back　up　to　the　castle；〃　said　Professor　McGonagall。
　　One　by　one；　the　pairs　of　feet　in　front　of　Harry　took　the　weight　of　their　owners　once　more；　hems　of　cloaks　swung　into　sight；　and　Madam　Rosemerta's　glittering　heels　disappeared　behind　the　bar。　The　door　of　the　Three　Broomsticks　opened　again；　there　was　another　flurry　of　snow；　and　the　teachers　had　disappeared。
　　〃Harry？〃
　　Ron's　and　Hermione's　faces　appeared　under　the　table。　They　were　both　staring　at　him；　lost　for　words。
　　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　　THE　FIREBOLT
　　Harry　didn't　have　a　very　clear　idea　of　how　he　had　managed　to　get　back　into　the　Honeydukes　cellar；　through　the　tunnel；　and　into　the　castle　once　more。　All　he　knew　was　that　the　return　trip　seemed　to　take　no　time　at　all；　and　that　he　hardly　noticed　what　he　was　doing；　because　his　head　was　still　pounding　with　the　conversation　he　had　just　heard。
　　Why　had　nobody　ever　told　him？　Dumbledore；　Hagrid；　Mr。　Weasley；　Cornelius　Fudge。。。　why　hadn't　anyone　ever　mentioned　the　fact　that　Harry's　parents　had　died　because　their　best　friend　had　betrayed　them？
　　Ron　and　Herinione　watched　Harry　nervously　all　through　dintier；　not　daring　to　talk　about　what　they'd　overheard；　because　Percy　was　sitting　close　by　them。　When　they　went　upstairs　to　the　crowded　mon　room；　it　was　to　find　Fred　and　George　had　set　off　half　a　dozen　Dungbombs　in　a　fit　of　end…　of…term　high　spirits。　Harry；　who　didn't　want　Fred　and　George　asking　him　whether　he'd　reached　Hogsmeade　or　not；　sneaked　quietly　up　to　the　empty　dormitory　and　headed　straight　for　his　bedside　cabinet。　He　pushed　his　books　aside　and　quickly　found　what　he　was　looking　for　　the　leather…bound　photo　album　Hagrid　had　given　him　two　years　ago；　which　was　full　of　wizard　pictures　of　his　mother　and　father。　He　sat　down　on　his　bed；　drew　the　hangings　around　him；　and　started　turning　the　pages；　searching；　until。。。
　　He　stopped　on　a　picture　of　his　parents'　wedding　day。　There　was　his　father　waving　up　at　him；　beaming；　the　untidy　black　hair　Harry　had　inherited　standing　up　in　all　directions。　There　was　his　mother；　alight　with　happiness；　arm　in　arm　with　his　dad。　And　there　。。。　that　must　be　him。　Their　best　man。。。　Harry　had　never　given　him　a　thought　before。
　　If　he　hadn't　known　it　was　the　same　person；　he　would　never　have　guessed　it　was　Black　in　this　old　photograph。　His　face　wasn't　sunken　and　waxy；　but　handsome；　full　of　laughter。　Had　he　already　been　working　for　Voldemort　when　this　picture　had　been　taken？　Was　he　already　planning　the　deaths　of　the　two　people　next　to　him？　Did　he　realize　he　was　facing　twelve　years　in　Azkaban；　twelve　years　that　would　make　him　unrecognizable？
　　But　the　dementors　don't　affect　him；　Harry　thought；　staring　into　the　handsome；　laughing　face。　He　doesn't　have　to　hear　my　Min　screaming　if　they　get　too　close　…
　　Harry　slammed　the　album　shut；　reached　over　and　stuffed　it　back　into　his　cabinet；　took　off　his　robe　and　glasses　and　got　into　bed；　making　sure　the　hangings　were　hiding　him　from　view。
　　The　dormitory　door　opened。
　　〃Harry？〃　said　Ron's　voice　uncertainly。
　　But　Harry　still；　pretending　to　be　asleep。　He　heard　Ron　leave　again；　and　rolled　over　on　his　back；　his　eyes　wide　open。
　　A　hatred　such　as　he　had　never　known　before　was　coursing　through　Harry　like　poison。　He　could　see　Black　laughing　at　him　through　the　darkness；　as　though　somebody　had　pasted　the　picture　from　the　album　over　his　eyes。　He　watched；　as　though　somebody　was　playing　him　a　piece　of　film；　Sirius　Black　blasting　Peter　Pettigrew　（who　resembled　Neville　Longbottom）　into　a　thousand　pieces。　He　could　hear　（though　having　no　idea　what　Black's　voice　might　sound　like）　a　low；　excited　mutter。　〃It　has　happened；　My　Lord。。。　the　Potters　have　made　me　their　Secret…Keeper　and　then　came　another　voice；　laughing　shrilly；　the　same　laugh　that　Harry　heard　inside　his　head　whenever　the　dementors　drew　near。。。。
　　〃Harry；　you　　you　look　terrible。〃
　　Harry　hadn't　gotten　to　sleep　until　daybreak。　He　had　awoken　to　find　the　dormitory　deserted；　dressed；　and　gone　down　the　spiral　staircase　to　a　mon　room　that　was　pletely　empty　except　for　Ron；　who　was　eating　a　Peppermint　Toad　and　massaging　his　stomach；　and　Hermione；　who　had　spread　her　homework　over　three　tables。
　　〃Where　is　everyone？〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Gone！　It's　the　first　day　of　the　holidays；　remember？〃　said　Ron；　watching　Harry　closely。　〃It's　nearly　lunchtime；　I　was　going　to　e　and　wake　you　up　in　a　minute。〃
　　Harry　slumped　into　a　chair　next　to　the　fire。　Snow　was　still　falling　outside　the　windows。　Crookshanks　was　spread　out　in　front　of　the　fire　like　a　large；　ginger　rug。
　　〃You　really　don'　look　well；　you　know；〃　Hermione　said；　peering　anxiously　into　his　face。
　　〃I'm　fine；〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Harry；　listen；〃　said　Hermione；　exchanging　a　look　with　Ron；　you　must　be　really　upset　about　what　we　heard　yesterday。　But　the　thing　is；　you　mustn't　go　doing　anything　stupid。〃
　　〃Like　what？〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Like　trying　to　go　after　Black；〃　said　Ron　sharply。
　　Harry　could　tell　they　had　rehearsed　this　conversation　while　he　had　been　asleep。　He　didn't　say　anything。
　　〃You　won't；　will　you；　Harry？〃　said　Hermione。
　　〃Because　Black's　not　worth　dying　for；〃　said　Ron。