3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第6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！


ned　up　suddenly；　looking　around　him　once　more。
　　A　funny　prickling　on　the　back　of　his　neck　had　made　Harry　feel　he　was　being　watched；　but　the　street　appeared　to　be　deserted；　and　no　lights　shone　from　any　of　the　large　square　houses。
　　He　bent　over　his　trunk　again；　but　almost　immediately　stood　up　once　more；　his　hand　clenched　on　his　wand。　He　had　sensed　rather　than　heard　it：　someone　or　something　was　standing　in　the　narrow　gap　between　the　garage　and　the　fence　behind　him。　Harry　squinted　at　the　black　alleyway。　If　only　it　would　move；　then　he'd　know　whether　it　was　just　a　stray　cat　or　　something　else。
　　〃Lumos；〃　Harry　muttered；　and　a　light　appeared　at　the　end　of　his　wand；　almost　dazzling　him。　He　held　it　high　over　his　head；　and　the　pebble…dashed　walls　of　number　two　suddenly　sparkled；　the　garage　door　gleamed；　and　between　them　Harry　saw；　quite　distinctly；　the　hulking　outline　of　something　very　big；　with　wide；　gleaming　eyes。
　　Harry　stepped　backward。　His　legs　hit　his　trunk　and　he　tripped。　His　wand　flew　out　of　his　hand　as　he　flung　out　an　arm　to　break　his　fall；　and　he　landed；　hard；　in　the　gutter　
　　There　was　a　deafening　BANG；　and　Harry　threw　up　his　hands　to　shield　his　eyes　against　a　sudden　blinding　light　
　　With　a　yell；　he　rolled　back　onto　the　pavement；　just　in　time。　A　second　later；　a　gigantic　pair　of　wheels　and　headlights　screeched　to　a　halt　exactly　where　Harry　had　just　been　lying。　They　belonged；　as　Harry　saw　when　he　raised　his　head；　to　a　triple…decker；　violently　purple　bus；　which　had　appeared　out　of　thin　air。　Gold　lettering　over　the　windshield　spelled　The　Knight　Bus。
　　For　a　Split　second；　Harry　wondered　if　he　had　been　knocked　silly　by　his　fall。　Then　a　conductor　in　a　purple　uniform　leapt　out　of　the　bus　and　began　to　speak　loudly　to　the　night。
　　〃Wele　to　the　Knight　Bus；　emergency　transport　for　the　stranded　witch　or　wizard。　just　stick　out　your　wand　hand；　step　on　board）　and　we　can　take　you　anywhere　you　want　to　go。　My　name　is　Stan　Shunpike；　and　I　will　be　your　conductor　this　eve　〃
　　The　conductor　stopped　abruptly。　He　had　just　caught　sight　of　〃Harry；　who　was　still　sitting　on　the　ground。　Harry　snatched　up　his　wand　again　and　scrambled　to　his　feet。　Close　up；　he　saw　that　Stan　Shunpike　was　only　a　few　years　older　than　he　was；　eighteen　or　nineteen　at　most；　with　large；　protruding　ears　and　quite　a　few　pimples。
　　〃What　were　you　doin'　down　there？〃　said　Stan；　dropping　his　professional　manner。
　　〃Fell　over；〃　said　Harry。
　　〃'Choo　fall　over　for？〃　sniggered　Stan。
　　〃I　didn't　do　it　on　purpose；〃　said　Harry；　annoyed。　One　of　the　knees　in　his　jeans　was　torn；　and　the　hand　he　had　thrown　out　to　break　his　fall　was　bleeding。　He　suddenly　remembered　why　he　had　fallen　over　and　turned　around　quickly　to　stare　at　the　alleyway　between　the　garage　and　fence。　The　Knight　Bus's　headlamps　were　flooding　it　with　light；　and　it　was　empty。
　　〃'Choo　lookin'　at？〃　said　Stan。
　　〃There　was　a　big　black　thing；〃　said　Harry；　pointing　uncertainly　into　the　gap。　〃Like　a　dog。。。　but　massive。。。〃
　　He　looked　a…round　at　Stan；　whose　mouth　was　slightly　open。　With　a　feeling　of　unease；　Harry　saw　Stan's　eyes　move　to　the　scar　on　Harry's　forehead。
　　〃Woss　that　on　your　'ead？〃　said　Stan　abruptly。
　　〃Nothing；〃　said　Harry　quickly；　flattening　his　hair　over　his　scar。　If　the　Ministry　of　Magic　was　looking　for　him；　he　didn't　want　to　make　it　too　easy　for　them。
　　〃Woss　your　name？〃　Stan　persisted。
　　〃Neville　Longbottom；〃　said　Harry；　saying　the　first　name　that　came　into　his　head。　〃So　　so　this　bus；〃　he　went　on　quickly；　hoping　to　distract　Stan；　〃did　you　say　it　goes　anywhere？〃
　　〃Yep；〃　said　Stan　proudly；　〃anywhere　you　like；　long's　it's　on　land。　Can't　do　nuffink　underwater。　'Ere；〃　he　said；　looking　suspicious　again；　；You　did　flag　us　down；　dincha？　Stuck　out　your　wand　'and；　dincha？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Harry　quickly。　〃Listen；　how　much　would　it　be　to　get　to　London？〃
　　〃Eleven　Sickles；〃　said　Stan；　〃but　for　fifteen　you　get　'or　chocolate；　and　for　fifteen　you　get　an　'ot　water　bottle　an'　a　toofbrush　in　the　color　of　your　choice。〃
　　Harry　rummaged　once　more　in　his　trunk；　extracted　his　money　bag；　and　shoved　some　gold　into　Stan's　hand。　He　and　Stan　then　lifted　his　trunk；　with　Hedwig's　cage　balanced　on　top；　up　the　steps　of　the　bus。
　　There　were　no　seats；　instead；　half　a　dozen　brass　bedsteads　stood　beside　the　curtained　windows。　Candles　were　burning　in　brackets　beside　each　bed；　illuminating　the　wood…paneled　walls。　A　tiny　wizard　in　a　nightcap　at　the　rear　of　the　bus　muttered；　〃Not　now；　thanks；　I'm　pickling　some　slugs〃　and　rolled　over　in　his　sleep。
　　〃You　'ave　this　one；〃　Stan　whispered；　shoving　Harry's　trunk　under　the　bed　right　behind　the　driver；　who　was　sitting　in　an　armchair　in　front　of　the　steering　wheel。　〃This　is　our　driver；　Ernie　Prang。　This　；is　Neville　Longbottom；　Ern。　〃
　　Ernie　Prang；　an　elderly　wizard　wearing　very　thick　glasses；　nodded　to　Harry；　who　nervously　flattened　his　bangs　again　and　sat　down　on　his　bed。
　　〃Take　'er　away；　Ern；〃　said　Stan；　sitting　down　in　the　armchair　next　to　Ernie's。
　　There　was　another　tremendous　BANG；　and　the　next　moment　Harry　found　himself　flat　on　his　bed；　thrown　backward　by　the　speed　of　the　Knight　Bus。　Pulling　himself　up；　Harry　stared　out　of　the　dark　window　and　saw　that　they　were　now　bowling　along　a　pletely　different　street。　Stan　was　watching　Harry's　stunned　face　with　great　enjoyment。
　　〃This　is　where　we　was　before　you　flagged　us　down；〃　he　said。　〃Where　are　we；　Ern？　Somewhere　in　Wales？〃
　　〃Ar；〃　said　Ernie。
　　〃How　e　the　Muggles　don't　hear　the　bus？〃　said　Harry。
　　〃Them！〃　said　Stan　contemptuously。　〃Don'　listen　properly；　do　they？　Don'　look　properly　either。　Never　notice　nuffink；　they　don'。〃
　　〃Best　go　wake　up　Madam　Marsh；　Stan；〃　said　Ern。　〃We'll　be　in　Abergavenny　in　a　minute。〃
　　Stan　passed　Harry's　bed　and　disappeared　up　a　narrow　wooden　staircase。　Harry　was　still　looking　out　of　the　window；　feeling　increasingly　nervous。　Ernie　didn't　seem　to　have　mastered　the　use　of　a　steering　wheel。　The　Knight　Bus　kept　mounting　the　pavement；　but　it　didn't　hit　anything；　lines　of　lampposts；　mailboxes；　and　trash　cans　jumped　out　of　its　way　as　it　approached　and　back　into　position　once　it　had　passed。
　　Stan　came　back　downstairs；　followed　by　a　faintly　green　witch　wrapped　in　a　traveling　cloak。
　　〃'Ere　you　go；　Madam　Marsh；〃　said　Stan　happily　as　Ern　stamped　on　the　brake　and　the　beds　slid　a　foot　or　so　toward　the　front　of　the　bus。　Madam　Marsh　clamped　a　handkerchief　to　her　mouth　and　tottered　down　the　steps。　Stan　threw　her　bag　out　after　her　and　rammed　the　doors　shut；　there　was　another　loud　BANG；　and　they　were　thundering　down　a　narrow　country　lane；　trees　leaping　out　of　the　way。
　　Harry　wouldn't　have　been　able　to　sleep　even　if　he　had　been　traveling　on　a　bus　that　didn't　keep　banging　loudly　and　jumping　a　hundred　miles　at　a　time。　His　stomach　churned　as　he　fell　back　to　wondering　what　was　going　to　happen　to　him；　and　whether　the　Dursleys　had　managed　to　get　Aunt　Marge　off　the　ceiling　yet。
　　Stan　had　unfurled　a　copy　of　the　Daily　Prophet　and　was　now　reading　with　his　tongue　between　his　teeth。　A　large　photograph　of　a　sunken…faced　man　with　long；　matted　hair　blinked　slowly　at　Harry　from　the　front　page。　He　looked　strangely　familiar。
　　〃That　man！〃　Harry　said；　forgetting　his　troubles　for　a　moment。　〃He　was　on　the　Muggle　news！〃
　　Stanley　turned　to　the　front　page　and　chuckled。
　　〃Sirius　Black；〃　he　said；　nodding。　〃'Course　'e　was　on　the　Muggle　news；　Neville；　where　you　been？〃
　　He　gave　a　superior　sort　of　chuckle　at　the　blank　look　on　Harry's　face；　removed　the　front　page；　and　handed　it　to　Harry。
　　〃You　oughta　read　the　papers　more；　Neville。〃
　　Harry　held　the　paper　up　to　the　candlelight　and　read：
　　BLACK　STILL　AT　LARGE
　　Sirius　Black；　possibly　the　most　infamous　prisoner　ever　to　be　held　in　Azkaban　fortress；　is　still　eluding　capture；　the　Ministry　of　Magic　confirmed　today。
　　〃We　are　doing　all　we　can　to　recapture　Black；〃　said　the　Minister　of　Magic；　Cornelius　Fudge；　this　morning；　〃and　we　beg　the　magical　munity　to　remain　calm。〃
　　Fudge　has　been　criticized　by　some　members　of　the　International　Federation　of　Warlocks　for　informing　the　Muggle　Prime　Minister　of　the　crisis。
　　〃Well；　really；　I　had　to；　don't　you　know；〃　said　an　irritable　Fudge。　〃Black　is　mad。　He's　a　danger　to　anyone　who　crosses　him；　magic　or　Muggle。　I　have　the　Prime　Minister's　assurance　that　he　will　not　breathe　a　word　of　Black's　true　identity　to　anyone。　And　let's　face　it…who'd　believe　him　if　he　did？〃
　　While　Muggles　have　been　told　that　Black　is　carrying　a　gun　（a　kind　of　metal　wand　that　Muggles　use　to　kill　each　other）；　the　magical　munity　lives　in　fear　of　a　massacre　like　that　of　twelve　years　ago；　when　Black　murdered　thirteen　people　with　a　single　curse。
　　Harry　looked　into　the　shadowed　eyes　of　Sirius　Black；　the　only　part　of　the　sunken　face　that　seemed　alive。　Harry　had　never　met　a　vampire；　but　he　had　seen　pictures　of　them　in　his　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　classes；　and　Black；　with　his　waxy　white　skin；　looked　just　like　one。
　　〃Scary…lookin'　fing；　inee？〃　said　Stan；　who　had　been　watching　Harry　read。
　　〃He　murdered　thirteen　people？〃　said　Harry；　handing　the　page　back　to　Stan；　〃with　one　curse？〃
　　〃Yep；〃　said　Stan；　〃in　front　of　witnesses　an'　all。　Broad　daylight。　Big　trouble　it　caused；　dinnit；　Ern？〃