3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第43部分

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he　tower。　Poor　Neville　was　forced　to　wait。　outside　the　mon　room　every　night　for　somebody　to　let　him　in；　while　the　security　trolls　leered　unpleasantly　at　him。　None　of　these　punishments；　however；　came　close　to　matching　the　one　his　grandmother　had　in　store　for　him。　Two　days　after　Black's　break…in；　she　sent　Neville　the　very　worst　thing　a　Hogwarts　student　could　receive　over　breakfast　　a　Howler。
　　The　school　owls　swooped　into　the　Great　Hall　carrying　the　mail　as　usual；　and　Neville　choked　as　a　huge　barn　owl　landed　in　front　of　him；　a　scarlet　envelope　clutched　in　its　beak。　Harry　and　Ron；　who　were　sitting　opposite　him；　recognized　the　letter　as　a　Howler　at　once　　Ron　had　got　one　from　his　mother　the　year　before。
　　〃Run　for　it；　Neville；〃　Ron　advised。
　　Neville　didn't　need　telling　twice。　He　seized　the　envelope；　and　holding　it　before　him　like　a　bomb；　sprinted　out　of　the　hall；　while　the　Slytherin　table　exploded　with　laughter　at　the　sight　of　him。　They　heard　the　Howler　go　off　in　the　entrance　hall　　Neville's　grandmother's　voice；　magically　magnified　to　a　hundred　times　its　Usual　volume；　shrieking　about　how　he　had　brought　shame　on　the　whole　family。
　　Harry　was　too　busy　feeling　sorry　for　Neville　to　notice　immediately　that　he　had　a　letter　too。　Hedwig　got　his　attention　by　nipping　him　sharply　on　the　wrist。
　　〃Ouch！　Oh　　thanks；　Hedwig。〃
　　Harry　tore　open　the　envelope　while　Hedwig　helped　herself　to　some　of　Neville's　cornflakes。　The　note　inside　said：
　　Dear　Harry　and　Ron；　How　Abut　having　tea　with　me　this　afternoon　'round　six？　I'll　e　collect　you　from　the　castle。　WAIT　FOR　ME　IN　THE　ENTRANCE　HALL；　YOU'RE　NOT　ALLOWED　OUT　ON　YOUR　OWN。　Cheers；　Hagrid
　　〃He　probably　wants　to　hear　all　about　Black！〃　said　Ron。
　　So　at　six　o'clock　that　afternoon；　Harry　and　Ron　left　Gryffindor　Tower；　passed　the　security　trolls　at　a　run；　and　headed　down　to　the　entrance　hall。
　　Hagrid　was　already　waiting　for　them。
　　〃All　right；　Hagrid！〃　said　Ron。　〃S'pose　you　want　to　hear　about　Saturday　night；　do　you？〃
　　〃I've　already　heard　all　abou'　it；〃　said　Hagrid；　opening　the　front　doors　and　leading　them　outside。
　　〃Oh；〃　said　Ron；　looking　slightly　put　out。
　　The　first　thing　they　saw　on　entering　Hagrid's　cabin　was　Buckbeak；　who　was　stretched　out　on　top　of　Hagrid's　patchwork　quilt；　his　enormous　wings　folded　tight　to　his　body；　enjoying　a　large　plate　of　dead　ferrets。　Averting　his　eyes　from　this　unpleasant　sight；　Harry　saw　a　gigantic；　hairy　brown　suit　and　a　very　horrible　yellow…and…orange　tie　hanging　from　the　top　of　Hagrid's　wardrobe　door。
　　〃What　are　they　for；　Hagrid？〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Buckbeaks　case　against　the　mittee　fer　the　Disposal　o'　Dangerous　Creatures；〃　said　Hagrid。　〃This　Friday。　Him　an'　me'll　be　goin'　down　ter　London　together。　I've　booked　two　beds　on　the　Knight　Bus。。。。〃
　　Harry　felt　a　nasty　pang　of　guilt。　He　had　pletely　forgotten　that　Buckbeak's　trial　was　so　near；　and　judging　by　the　uneasy　look　on　Ron's　face；　he　had　too。　They　had　also　forgotten　their　promise　about　helping　him　prepare　Buckbeak's　defense；　the　arrival　of　the　Firebolt　had　driven　it　clean　out　of　their　minds。
　　Hagrid　poured　them　tea　and　offered　them　a　plate　of　Bath　buns　but　they　knew　better　than　to　accept；　they　had　had　too　much　experience　with　Hagrid's　cooking。
　　I　got　somethin'　ter　discuss　with　you　two；〃　said　Hagrid；　sitting　himself　between　them　and　looking　uncharacteristically　serious。
　　〃What？〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Hermione；〃　said　Hagrid。
　　〃What　about　her？〃　said　Ron。
　　〃She's　in　a　righ'　state；　that's　what。　She's　bin　in'　down　ter　visit　me　a　lot　since　Chris'mas。　Bin　feelin'　lonely。　Firs'　yeh　weren'　talking　to　her　because　o'　the　Firebolt；　now　yer　not　talkin'　to　her　because　her　cat　〃
　　〃　ate　Scabbers！〃　Ron　interjected　angrily。
　　〃Because　her　cat　acted　like　all　cats　do；〃　Hagrid　continued　doggedly。　〃She's　cried　a　fair　few　times；　yeh　know。　Goin'　through　a　rough　time　at　the　moment。　Bitten　off　more'n　she　can　chew；　if　yeh　ask　me；　all　the　work　she's　tryin'　ter　do。　Still　found　time　ter　help　me　with　Buckbeak's　case；　mind。。。。　She's　found　some　really　good　stuff　fer　me。。。　reckon　he'll　stand　a　good　chance　now。。。〃
　　〃Hagrid；　we　should've　helped　as　well　　sorry　〃　Harry　began　awkwardly。
　　〃I'm　not　blamin'　yeh！〃　said　Hagrid；　waving　Harry's　apology　aside。　〃Gawd　knows　yeh've　had　enough　ter　be　gettin'　on　with。　I've　seen　yeh　practicin'　Quidditch　ev'ry　hour　o'　the　day　an'　night　　but　I　gotta　tell　yeh；　I　thought　you　two'd　value　yer　friend　more'n　broomsticks　or　rats。　Tha's　all。〃
　　Harry　and　Ron　exchanged　unfortable　looks。
　　〃Really　upset；　she　was；　when　Black　nearly　stabbed　yeh；　Ron。　She's　got　her　heart　in　the　right　place；　Hermione　has；　an'　you　two　not　talkin'　to　her　〃
　　〃If　she'd　just　get　rid　of　that　cat；　I'd　speak　to　her　again！〃　Ron　said　angrily。　〃But　she's　still　sticking　up　for　it！　It's　a　maniac；　and　she　won't　hear　a　word　against　it！〃
　　〃Ah；　well；　people　can　be　a　bit　stupid　abou'　their　pets；〃　said　Hagrid　wisely。　Behind　him；　Buckbeak　spat　a　few　ferret　bones　onto　Hagrid's　pillow。
　　They　spent　the　rest　of　their　visit　discussing　Gryffindor's　improved　chances　for　the　Quidditch　Cup。　At　nine　o'clock；　Hagrid　walked　them　back　up　to　the　castle。
　　A　large　group　of　people　was　bunched　around　the　bulletin　board　when　they　returned　to　the　mon　room。
　　〃Hogsmeade；　next　weekend！〃　said　Ron；　craning　over　the　heads　to　read　the　new　notice。　〃What　d'you　reckon？〃　he　added　quietly　to　Harry　as　they　went　to　sit　down。
　　〃Well；　Filch　hasn't　done　anything　about　the　passage　into　Honeydukes。。。。〃　Harry　said；　even　more　quietly。
　　〃Harry！〃　said　a　voice　in　his　right　ear。　Harry　started　and　looked　around　at　Hermione；　who　was　sitting　at　the　table　right　behind　them　and　clearing　a　space　in　the　wall　of　books　that　had　been　hiding　her。
　　〃Harry；　if　you　go　into　Hogsmeade　again。。。　I'll　tell　Professor　McGonagall　about　that　map！〃　said　Hermione。
　　〃Can　you　hear　someone　talking；　Harry？〃　growled　Ron；　not　looking　at　Hermione。
　　〃Ron；　how　can　you　let　him　go　with　you？　After　what　Sirius　Black　nearly　did　to　you！　I　mean　it；　I'll　tell　〃
　　〃So　now　you're　trying　to　get　Harry　expelled！〃　said　Ron　furiously。　〃Haven't　you　done　enough　damage　this　year？〃
　　Hermione　opened　her　mouth　to　respond；　but　with　a　soft　hiss；　Crookshanks　leapt　onto　her　lap。　Hermione　took　one　frightened　look　at　the　expression　on　Ron's　face；　gathered　up　Crookshanks；　and　hurried　away　toward　the　girls'　dormitories。
　　〃So　how　about　it？〃　Ron　said　to　Harry　as　though　there　had　been　no　interruption。　〃e　on；　last　time　we　went　you　didn't　see　anything。　You　haven't　even　been　inside　Zonko's　yet！〃
　　Harry　looked　around　to　check　that　Hermione　was　well　out　of　earshot。
　　〃Okay；〃　he　said。　〃But　I'm　taking　the　Invisibility　Cloak　this　time。〃
　　On　Saturday　morning；　Harry　packed　his　Invisibility　Cloak　in　his　bag；　slipped　the　Marauder's　Map　into　his　pocket；　and　went　down　to　breakfast　with　everyone　else。　Hermione　kept　shooting　suspicious　looks　down　the　table　at　him；　but　he　avoided　her　eye　and　was　careful　to　let　her　see　him　walking　back　up　the　marble　staircase　in　the　entrance　hall　as　everybody　else　proceeded　to　the　front　doors。
　　〃'Bye！〃　Harry　called　to　Ron。　〃See　you　when　you　get　back！〃
　　Ron　grinned　and　winked。
　　Harry　hurried　up　to　the　third　floor；　slipping　the　Marauder's　Map　out　of　his　pocket　as　he　went。　Crouching　behind　the　one…eyed　witch；　he　smoothed　it　out。　A　tiny　dot　was　moving　in　his　direction。　Harry　squinted　at　it。　The　minuscule　writing　next　to　it　read　Neville　Longbottom。
　　Harry　quickly　pulled　out　his　wand；　muttered；　〃Dissendium！〃　and　shoved　his　bag　into　the　statue；　but　before　he　could　climb　in　himself；　Neville　came　around　the　corner。
　　〃Harry！　I　forgot　you　weren't　going　to　Hogsmeade　either！〃
　　〃Hi；　Neville；〃　said　Harry；　moving　swiftly　away　from　the　statue　and　pushing　the　map　back　into　his　pocket。　〃What　are　you　up　to？〃
　　〃Nothing；〃　shrugged　Neville。　〃Want　a　game　of　Exploding　Snap？〃
　　〃Er　　not　now　　I　was　going　to　go　to　the　library　and　do　that　vampire　essay　for　Lupin　〃
　　〃I'll　e　with　you！〃　said　Neville　brightly。　I　haven't　done　it　either！〃
　　〃Er　　hang　on　　yeah；　I　forgot；　I　finished　it　last　night！〃
　　〃Great；　you　can　help　me！〃　said　Neville；　his　round　face　anxious。　〃I　don't　understand　that　thing　about　the　garlic　at　all　　do　they　have　to　eat　it；　or　〃
　　He　broke　off　with　a　small　gasp；　looking　over　Harry's　shoulder。
　　It　was　Snape。　Neville　took　a　quick　step　behind　Harry。
　　〃And　what　are　you　two　doing　here？〃　said　Snape；　ing　to　a　halt　and　looking　from　one　to　the　other。　〃An　odd　place　to　meet　〃
　　To　Harry's　immense　disquiet；　Snape's　black　eyes　flicked　to　the　doorways　on　either　side　of　them；　and　then　to　the　one…eyed　witch。
　　〃We're　not　　meeting　here；〃　said　Harry。　〃We　just　　met　here。〃
　　〃Indeed？〃　said　Snape。　〃You　have　a　habit　of　turning　up　in　unexpected　places；　Potter；　and　you　are　very　rarely　there　for　no　good　reason。。。。　I　suggest　the　pair　of　you　return　to　Gryffindor　Tower；　where　you　belong。〃
　　Harry　and　Neville　set　off　without　another　word。　As　they　turned　the　corner；　Harry　looked　back。　Snape　was　running　one　of　his　hands　over　the　one…eyed　witch's　head；　examining　it　closely。
　　Harry　managed　to　shake　Neville　off　at　the　Fat　Lady　by　telling　him　the　password；　then　pretending　he'd　left　his　vampire　essay　in　the　library　and　d