3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第37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！


　　〃He　got　a　Firebolt　for　Christmas；〃　said　Ron。
　　〃A　Firebolt？　No！　Seriously？　A　　a　real　Firebolt？〃
　　〃Don't　get　excited；　Oliver；〃　said　Harry　gloomily。　〃I　haven't　got　it　anymore。　It　was　confiscated。〃　And　he　explained　all　about　how　the　Firebolt　was　now　being　checked　for　jinxes。
　　〃Jinxed？　How　could　it　be　jinxed？〃
　　〃Sirius　Black〃　Harry　said　wearily。　〃He's　supposed　to　be　after　me。　So　McGonagall　reckons　he　might　have　sent　it。〃
　　Waving　aside　the　information　that　a　famous　murderer　was　after　his　Seeker；　Wood　said；　〃But　Black　couldn't　have　bought　a　Firebolt！　He's　on　the　run！　The　whole　country's　on　the　lookout　for　him！　How　could　he　just　walk　into　Quality　Quidditch　Supplies　and　buy　a　broomstick？〃
　　〃I　know；〃　said　Harry；　〃but　McGonagall　still　wants　to　strip　it　down　〃
　　Wood　went　pale。
　　〃I'll　go　and　talk　to　her；　Harry；〃　he　promised。　〃I'll　make　her　see　reason。。。。　A　Firebolt。。。　a　real　Firebolt；　on　our　team。。。　She　wants　Gryffindor　to　win　as　much　as　we　do。。。。　I'll　make　her　see　sense。　A　Firebolt。。。〃
　　Classes　started　again　the　next　day。　The　last　thing　anyone　felt　like　doing　was　spending　two　hours　on　the　grounds　on　a　raw　January　morning；　but　Hagrid　had　provided　a　bonfire　full　of　salamanders　for　their　enjoyment；　and　they　spent　an　unusually　good　lesson　collecting　dry　wood　and　leaves　to　keep　the　fire　blazing　while　the　flame…loving　lizards　scampered　up　and　down　the　crumbling；　white…hot　logs。　The　first　Divination　lesson　of　the　new　term　was　much　less　fun；　Professor　Trelawney　was　now　teaching　them　palmistry；　and　she　lost　no　time　in　informing　Harry　that　he　had　the　shortest　life　line　she　had　ever　seen。
　　It　was　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　that　Harry　was　keen　to　get　to；　after　his　conversation　with　Wood；　he　wanted　to　get　started　on　his　anti…dementor　lessons　as　soon　as　possible。
　　〃Ah　yes；〃　said　Lupin；　when　Harry　reminded　him　of　his　promise　at　the　end　of　class。　〃Let　me　see。。。　how　about　eight　o'clock　on　Thursday　evening？　The　History　of　Magic　classroom　should　be　large　enough。。。。　I'll　have　to　think　carefully　about　how　we're　going　to　do　this。。。。　We　can't　bring　a　real　dementor　into　the　castle　to　practice　on。。。。〃
　　〃Still　looks　ill；　doesn't　he？〃　said　Ron　as　they　walked　down　the　corridor；　heading　to　dinner。　〃What　d'you　reckon's　the　matter　with　him？〃
　　There　was　a　loud　and　impatient　〃tuh〃　from　behind　them。　It　was　Hermione；　who　had　been　sitting　at　the　feet　of　a　suit　of　armor；　repacking　her　bag；　which　was　so　full　of　books　it　wouldn't　close。
　　〃And　what　are　you　tutting　at　us　for？〃　said　Ron　irritably。
　　〃Nothing；〃　said　Hermione　in　a　lofty　voice；　heaving　her　bag　back　over　her　shoulder。
　　〃Yes；　you　were；〃　said　Ron。　〃I　said　I　wonder　what's　wrong　with　Lupin；　and　you　〃
　　〃Well；　isn't　it　obvious？〃　said　Hermione；　with　a　look　of　maddening　superiority。
　　〃If　you　don't　want　to　tell　us；　don't；〃　snapped　Ron。
　　〃Fine；〃　said　Hermione　haughtily；　and　she　marched　off。
　　〃She　doesn't　know；〃　said　Ron；　staring　resentfully　after　Hermione。　〃She's　just　trying　to　get　us　to　talk　to　her　again。〃
　　At　eight　o'clock　on　Thursday　evening；　Harry　left　Gryffindor　Tower　for　the　History　of　Magic　classroom。　It　was　dark　and　empty　when　he　arrived；　but　he　lit　the　lamps　with　his　wand　and　had　waited　only　five　minutes　when　Professor　Lupin　turned　up；　carrying　a　large　packing　case；　which　he　heaved　onto　Professor　Binn's　desk。
　　〃What's　that？〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Another　boggart；〃　said　Lupin；　stripping　off　his　cloak。　〃I've　been　bing　the　castle　ever　since　Tuesday；　and　very　luckily；　I　found　this　one　lurking　inside　Mr。　Filch's　filing　cabinet。　It's　the　nearest　we'll　get　to　a　real　dementor。　The　boggart　will　turn　into　a　dementor　when　he　sees　you；　so　we'll　be　able　to　practice　on　him。　I　can　store　him　in　my　office　when　we're　not　using　him；　there's　a　cupboard　under　my　desk　he'll　like。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　said　Harry；　trying　to　sound　as　though　he　wasn't　apprehensive　at　all　and　merely　glad　that　Lupin　had　found　such　a　good　substitute　for　a　real　dementor。
　　〃So。。。〃　Professor　Lupin　had　taken　out　his　own　wand；　and　indicated　that　Harry　should　do　the　same。　〃The　spell　I　am　going　to　try　and　teach　you　is　highly　advanced　magic；　Harry　　well　beyond　ordinary　Wizarding　Level。　It　is　called　the　Patronus　Charm。〃
　　〃How　does　it　work？〃　said　Harry　nervously。
　　〃Well；　when　it　works　correctly；　It　conjures　up　a　Patronus；〃　said　Lupin；　〃which　is　a　kind　of　anti…　dementor　　a　guardian　that　acts　as　a　shield　between　you　and　the　dementor。〃
　　Harry　had　a　sudden　vision　of　himself　crouching　behind　a　Hagridsized　figure　holding　a　large　club。　Professor　Lupin　continued；　〃The　Patronus　is　a　kind　of　positive　force；　a　projection　of　the　very　things　that　the　dementor　feeds　upon　　hope；　happiness；　the　desire　to　survive　　but　it　cannot　feel　despair；　as　real　humans　can；　so　the　dementors　can't　hurt　it。　But　I　must　warn　you；　Harry；　that　the　charm　might　be　too　advanced　for　you。　Many　qualified　wizards　have　difficulty　with　it。〃
　　〃What　does　a　Patronus　look　like？〃　said　Harry　curiously。
　　〃Each　one　is　unique　to　the　wizard　who　conjures　it。〃
　　〃And　how　do　you　conjure　it？〃
　　〃With　an　incantation；　which　will　work　only　if　you　are　concentrating；　with　all　your　might；　on　a　single；　very　happy　memory。〃
　　Harry　cast　his　mind　about　for　a　happy　memory。　Certainly；　nothing　that　had　happened　to　him　at　the　Dursleys'　was　going　to　do。　Finally；　he　settled　on　the　moment　when　he　had　first　ridden　a　broomstick。
　　〃Right；〃　he　said；　trying　to　recall　as　exactly　as　possible　the　wonderful；　soaring　sensation　of　his　stomach。
　　〃The　incantation　is　this　〃　Lupin　cleared　his　throat。　〃Expecto　patronum！〃
　　〃Expecto　patronum；　〃　Harry　repeated　under　his　breath；　〃expecto　patronum。〃
　　〃Concentrating　hard　on　your　happy　memory？〃
　　〃Oh　　yeah　〃　said　Harry；　quickly　forcing　his　thoughts　back　to　that　first　broom　ride。　〃Expecto　patrono　　no；　patronum　　sorry　　expecto　patronum；　expecto　patronum〃
　　Something　whooshed　suddenly　out　of　the　end　of　his　wand；　it　looked　like　a　wisp　of　silvery　gas。
　　〃Did　you　see　that？〃　said　Harry　excitedly。　〃Something　happened！〃
　　〃Very　good；〃　said　Lupin；　smiling。　〃Right；　then　　ready　to　try　it　on　a　dementor？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Harry　said；　gripping　his　wand　very　tightly；　and　moving　into　the　middle　of　the　deserted　classroom。　He　tried　to　keep　his　mind　on　flying；　but　something　else　kept　intruding。。。。　Any　second　now；　he　might　hear　his　mother　again。。。　but　he　shouldn't　think　that；　or　he　would　hear　her　again；　and　he　didn't　want　to。。。　or　did　he？
　　Lupin　grasped　the　lid　of　the　packing　case　and　pulled。
　　A　dementor　rose　slowly　from　the　box；　its　hooded　face　turned　toward　Harry；　one　glistening；　scabbed　hand　gripping　its　cloak。　The　lamps　around　the　classroom　flickered　and　went　out。　The　dementor　stepped　from　the　box　and　started　to　sweep　silently　toward　Harry；　drawing　a　deep；　rattling　breath。　A　wave　of　piercing　cold　broke　over　him　
　　〃Expecto　patronum！〃　Harry　yelled。　〃Expecto　patronum！　Expecto　〃
　　But　the　classroom　and　the　dementor　were　dissolving。。。。　Harry　was　failing　again　through　thick　white　fog；　and　his　mother's　voice　was　louder　than　ever；　echoing　inside　his　head　　〃Not　Harry！　Not　Harry！　please　　I'll　do　anything！〃
　　〃Stand　aside。　Stand　aside；　girl！〃
　　〃Harry！〃
　　Harry　jerked　back　to　life。　He　was　lying　flat　on　his　back　on　the　floor。　The　classroom　lamps　were　alight　again。　He　didn't　have　to　ask　what　had　happened。
　　〃Sorry；〃　he　muttered；　sitting　up　and　feeling　cold　sweat　trickling　down　behind　his　glasses。
　　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　said　Lupin。
　　〃Yes。。。〃　Harry　pulled　himself　up　on　one　of　the　desks　and　leaned　against　it。
　　〃Here　〃　Lupin　handed　him　a　Chocolate　Frog。　〃Eat　this　before　we　try　again。　I　didn't　expect　you　to　do　it　your　first　time；　in　fact；　I　would　have　been　astounded　if　you　had。〃
　　〃It's　getting　worse；〃　Harry　muttered；　biting　off　the　Frog's　head。　〃I　could　hear　her　louder　that　time　　and　him　　Voldemort
　　Lupin　looked　paler　than　usual。　；
　　〃Harry；　if　you　don't　want　to　continue；　I　will　more　than　understand　〃
　　〃I　do！〃　said　Harry　fiercely；　stuffing　the　rest　of　the　Chocolate　Frog　into　his　mouth。　〃I've　got　to！　What　if　the　dementors　turn　up　at　our　match　against　Ravenclaw？　I　can't　afford　to　fall　off　again。　If　we　lose　this　game　we've　lost　the　Quidditch　Cup！〃
　　〃All　right　then。。。　〃　said　Lupin。　〃You　might　want　to　select　'other　memory；　a　happy　memory；　I　mean；　to　concentrate　on。。。。　That　one　doesn't　seem　to　have　been　strong　enough。。。。〃
　　Harry　thought　hard　and　decided　his　feelings　when　Gryffindor　had　won　the　House　Championship　last　year　had　definitely　qualified　as　very　happy。　He　gripped　his　wand　tightly　again　and　took　up　his　position　in　the　middle　of　the　classroom。
　　〃Ready？〃　said　Lupin；　gripping　the　box　lid。
　　〃Ready；〃　said　Harry；　trying　hard　to　fill　his　head　with　happy　thoughts　about　Gryffindor　winning；　and　not　dark　thoughts　about　what　was　going　to　happen　when　the　box　opened。
　　〃Go！〃　said　Lupin；　pulling　off　the　lid。　The　room　went　icily　cold　and　dark　once　more。　The　dementor　glided　forward；　drawing　its　breath；　one　rotting　hand　was　extending　toward　Harry　…
　　〃Expecto　patronum！〃　Harry　yelled。　〃Expecto　patronum！　Expecto　Pat　〃
　　White　fog　obscured　his　senses。。。　big；　blurred　shapes　were　moving　around　him。。。　then　came　a　new　voice；　a　man's　voice；　shouting；　panicking　
　　〃Lily；　tak