3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第57部分

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he　wall；　then　slid　down　it　to　the　floor；　a　trickle　of　blood　oozing　from　under　his　hair。　He　had　been　knocked　out。
　　Harry　looked　around。　Both　Ron　and　Hermione　had　tried　to　disarm　Snape　at　exactly　the　same　moment。　Snape's　wand　soared　in　a　high　arc　and　landed　on　the　bed　next　to　Crookshanks。
　　〃You　shouldn't　have　done　that；〃　said　Black；　looking　at　Harry。
　　〃You　should　have　left　him　to　me。。。。〃
　　Harry　avoided　Black's　eyes。　He　wasn't　sure；　even　now；　that　he'd　done　the　right　thing。
　　〃We　attacked　a　teacher。。。　We　attacked　a　teacher。。。〃　Hermione　whimpered；　staring　at　the　lifeless　Snape　with　frightened　eyes。　〃Oh；　we're　going　to　be　in　so　much　trouble　〃
　　Lupin　was　struggling　against　his　bonds。　Black　bent　down　quickly　and　untied　him。　Lupin　straightened　up；　rubbing　his　arms　where　the　ropes　had　cut　into　them。
　　〃Thank　you；　Harry；〃　he　said。
　　〃I'm　still　not　saying　I　believe　you；〃　he　told　Lupin。
　　〃Then　it's　time　we　offered　you　some　proof；〃　said　Lupin。　〃You；　boy　　give　me　Peter；　please。　Now。〃
　　Ron　clutched　Scabbers　closer　to　his　chest。
　　〃e　off　it；〃　he　said　weakly。　〃Are　you　trying　to　say　he　broke　out　of　Azkaban　just　to　get　his　hands　on　Scabbers？　I　mean。。。〃　He　looked　up　at　Harry　and　Hermione　for　support；　〃Okay；　say　Pettigrew　could　turn　into　a　rat　　there　are　millions　of　rats　　how's　he　supposed　to　know　which　one　he's　after　if　he　was　locked　up　in　Azkaban？〃
　　〃You　know；　Sirius；　that's　a　fair　question；〃　said　Lupin；　turning　to　Black　and　frowning　slightly。　〃How　did　you　find　out　where　he　was？〃
　　Black　put　one　of　his　clawlike　hands　inside　his　robes　and　took　out　a　crumpled　piece　of　paper；　which　he　smoothed　flat　and　held　out　to　show　the　others。
　　It　was　the　photograph　of　Ron　and　his　family　that　had　appeared　in　the　Daily　Prophet　the　previous　summer；　and　there；　on　Ron's　shoulder；　was　Scabbers。
　　〃How　did　you　get　this？〃　Lupin　asked　Black；　thunderstruck。
　　〃Fudge；〃　said　Black。　〃When　he　came　to　inspect　Azkaban　last　year；　he　gave　me　his　paper。　And　there　was　Peter；　on　the　front　page　on　this　boy's　shoulder。。。　I　knew　him　at　once。。。　how　many　times　had　I　seen　him　transform？　And　the　caption　said　the　boy　would　be　going　back　to　Hogwarts。。。　to　where　Harry　was。。。
　　〃My　God；〃　said　Lupin　softly；　staring　from　Scabbers　to　the　picture　in　the　paper　and　back　again。　〃His　front　paw。。。〃
　　〃What　about　it？〃　said　Ron　defiantly。
　　〃He's　got　a　toe　missing；〃　said　Black。
　　〃Of　course；〃　Lupin　breathed。　〃So　simple。。。　so　brilliant。。。　he　cut　it　off　himself？〃
　　〃Just　before　he　transformed；〃　said　Black。　〃When　I　cornered　him；　he　yelled　for　the　whole　street　to　hear　that　I'd　betrayed　Lily　and　James。　Then；　before　I　could　curse　him；　he　blew　apart　the　street　with　the　wand　behind　his　back；　killed　everyone　within　twenty　feet　of　himself　　and　sped　down　into　the　sewer　with　the　other　rats。。。。〃
　　〃Didn't　you　ever　hear；　Ron？〃　said　Lupin。　〃The　biggest　bit　of　Peter　they　found　was　his　finger。〃
　　〃Look；　Scabbers　probably　had　a　fight　with　another　rat　or　something！　He's　been　in　my　family　for　ages；　right　〃
　　〃Twelve　years；　in　fact；〃　said　Lupin。　〃Didn't　you　ever　wonder　why　he　was　living　so　long？〃
　　〃We　　we've　been　taking　good　care　of　him！〃　said　Ron。
　　〃Not　looking　too　good　at　the　moment；　though；　is　he？〃　said　Lupin。　〃I'd　guess　he's　been　losing　weight　ever　since　he　heard　Sirius　was　on　the　loose　again。。。。〃
　　〃He's　been　scared　of　that　mad　cat！〃　said　Ron；　nodding　toward　Crookshanks；　who　was　still　purring　on　the　bed。
　　But　that　wasn't　right；　Harry　thought　suddenly。。。　Scabbers　had　been　looking　ill　before　he　met　Crookshanks。。。　ever　since　Ron's　return　from　Egypt。。。　since　the　time　when　Black　had　escaped。。。。
　　〃This　cat　isn't　mad；〃　said　Black　hoarsely。　He　reached　out　a　bony　hand　and　stroked　Crookshanks's　fluffy　head。　〃He's　the　most　intelligent　of　his　kind　I've　ever　met。　He　recognized　Peter　for　what　he　was　right　away。　And　when　he　met　me；　he　knew　I　was　no　dog。　It　was　a　while　before　he　trusted　me。。。。　Finally；　I　managed　to　municate　to　him　what　I　was　after；　and　he's　been　helping　me。　。。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　breathed　Hermione。
　　〃He　tried　to　bring　Peter　to　me；　but　couldn't。。。　so　he　stole　the　passwords　into　Gryffindor　Tower　for　me。。。。　As　I　understand　it；　he　took　them　from　a　boy's　bedside　table。。。。〃
　　Harry's　brain　seemed　to　be　sagging　under　the　weight　of　what　he　was　hearing。　It　was　absurd。。。　and　yet。。。
　　〃But　Peter　got　wind　of　what　was　going　on　and　ran　for　it。〃　croaked　Black。　〃This　cat　　Crookshanks；　did　you　call　him？　　told　me　Peter　had　left　blood　on　the　sheets。。。。　I　supposed　he　bit　himself。。。　Well；　faking　his　own　death　had　worked　once。〃
　　These　words　jolted　Harry　to　his　senses。
　　〃And　why　did　he　fake　his　death？〃　he　said　furiously。　〃Because　he　knew　you　were　about　to　kill　him　like　you　killed　my　parents！〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Lupin；　〃Harry…〃
　　〃And　now　you've　e　to　finish　him　off！〃
　　〃Yes；　I　have；〃　said　Black；　with　an　evil　look　at　Scabbers。
　　〃Then　I　should've　let　Snape　take　you！〃　Harry　shouted。
　　〃Harry；〃　said　Lupin　hurriedly；　〃don't　you　see？　All　this　time　we've　thought　Sirius　betrayed　your　parents；　and　Peter　tracked　him　down　　but　it　was　the　other　way　around；　don't　you　see？　Peter　betrayed　your　mother　and　father　　Sirius　tracked　Peter　down　〃
　　〃THAT'S　NOT　TRUE！〃　Harry　yelled。　〃HE　WAS　THEIR　SECRET…KEEPER！　HE　SAID　SO　BEFORE　YOU　TURNED　UP。　HE　SAID　HE　KILLED　THEM！〃
　　He　was　pointing　at　Black；　who　shook　his　head　slowly；　the　sunken　eyes　were　suddenly　over　bright。
　　〃Harry。。。　I　as　good　as　killed　them；〃　he　croaked。　〃I　persuaded　Lily　and　James　to　change　to　Peter　at　the　last　moment；　persuaded　them　to　use　him　as　Secret…Keeper　instead　of　me。。。。　I'm　to　blame；　I　know　it。。。。　The　night　they　died；　I'd　arranged　to　check　on　Peter；　make　sure　he　was　still　safe；　but　when　I　arrived　at　his　hiding　place；　he'd　gone。　Yet　there　was　no　sign　of　a　struggle。　It　didn't　feel　right。　I　was　scared。　I　set　out　for　your　parents'　house　straight　away。　And　when　I　saw　their　house；　destroyed；　and　their　bodies。。。　I　realized　what　Peter　must've　done。。。　what　I'd　done。。。。〃
　　His　voice　broke。　He　turned　away。
　　〃Enough　of　this；〃　said　Lupin；　and　there　was　a　steely　note　in　his　voice　Harry　had　never　heard　before。　〃There's　one　certain　way　to　prove　what　really　happened。　Ron；　give　me　that　rat。〃
　　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　him　if　I　give　him　to　you？〃　Ron　asked　Lupin　tensely。
　　〃Force　him　to　show　himself；〃　said　Lupin。　〃If　he　really　is　a　rat；　it　won't　hurt　him。〃
　　Ron　hesitated。　Then　at　long　last；　he　held　out　Scabbers　and　Lupin　took　him。　Scabbers　began　to　squeak　without　stopping；　twisting　and　turning；　his　tiny　black　eyes　bulging　in　his　head。　〃Ready；　Sirius？〃　said　Lupin。
　　Black　had　already　retrieved　Snape's　wand　from　the　bed。　He　approached　Lupin　and　the　struggling　rat；　and　his　wet　eyes　suddenly　seemed　to　be　burning　in　his　face。
　　〃Together？〃　he　said　quietly。
　　〃I　think　so；；；　said　Lupin；　holding　Scabbers　tightly　in　one　hand　and　his　wand　in　the　other。　〃On　the　count　of　three。　One　　two　　THREE！〃
　　A　flash　of　blue…white　light　erupted　from　both　wands；　for　a　moment；　Scabbers　was　frozen　in　midair；　his　small　gray　form　twisting　madly　　Ron　yelled　　the　rat　fell　and　hit　the　floor。　There　was　another　blinding　flash　of　light　and　then　
　　It　was　like　watching　a　speeded…up　film　of　a　growing　tree。　A　head　was　shooting　upward　from　the　ground；　limbs　were　sprouting；　a　moment　later；　a　man　was　standing　where　Scabbers　had　been；　cringing　and　wringing　his　hands。　Crookshanks　was　spitting　and　snarling　on　the　bed；　the　hair　on　his　back　was　standing　up。
　　He　was　a　very　short　man；　hardly　taller　than　Harry　and　Hermione。　His　thin；　colorless　hair　was　unkempt　and　there　was　a　large　bald　patch　on　top。　He　had　the　shrunken　appearance　of　a　plump　man　who　has　lost　a　lot　of　weight　in　a　short　time。　His　skin　looked　grubby；　almost　like　Scabbers's　fur；　and　something　of　the　rat　lingered　around　his　pointed　nose　and　his　very　small；　watery　eyes。　He　looked　around　at　them　all；　his　breathing　fast　and　shallow。　Harry　saw　his　eyes　dart　to　the　door　and　back　again。
　　〃Well；　hello；　Peter；〃　said　Lupin　pleasantly；　as　though　rats　frequently　erupted　into　old　school　friends　around　him。　〃Long　time；　no　see。
　　〃S　　Sirius。。。　R　　Remus。。。〃　Even　Pettigrew's　voice　was　squeaky。　Again；　his　eyes　darted　toward　the　door。　〃My　friends。。。　my　old　friends。。。〃
　　Black's　wand　arm　rose；　but　Lupin　seized　him　around　the　wrist；　gave　him　a　warning　took；　then　turned　again　to　Pettigrew；　his　voice　light　and　casual。
　　〃We've　been　having　a　little　chat；　Peter；　about　what　happened　the　night　Lily　and　James　died。　You　might　have　missed　the　finer　points　while　you　were　squeaking　around　down　there　on　the　bed　〃
　　〃Remus；〃　gasped　Pettigrew；　and　Harry　could　see　beads　of　sweat　breaking　out　over　his　pasty　face；　〃you　don't　believe　him；　do　you。。。？　He　tried　to　kill　me；　Remus。。。。〃
　　〃So　we've　heard；〃　said　Lupin；　more　coldly。　〃I'd　like　to　clear　up　one　or　two　little　matters　with　you；　Peter；　if　you'll　be　so　〃
　　〃He's　e　to　try　and　kill　me　again！〃　Pettigrew　squeaked　suddenly；　pointing　at　Black；　and　Harry　saw　that　he　used　his　middle　finger；　because　his　index　was　missing。　〃He　killed　Lily　and　James　and　now　he's　going　to　kill　me　too。。。。　You've　got　to　help　me；　Remus。。。。〃
　　Black's　face　looked　more　skull…like　than　ever　as　he　stared　at　Pettigrew　with　his　fathom