3.harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban-第65部分

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g　dementors。。。。　Now　it　was　galloping　around　and　around　the　black　shapes　on　the　ground；　and　the　dementors　were　falling　back；　scattering；　retreating　into　the　darkness。。。。　They　were　gone。
　　The　Patronus　turned。　It　was　cantering　back　toward　Harry　across　the　still　surface　of　the　water。　It　wasn't　a　horse。　It　wasn't　a　unicorn；　either。　It　was　a　stag。　It　was　shining　brightly　as　the　moon　above　。。。　it　was　ing　back　to　him。。。。
　　It　stopped　on　the　bank。　Its　hooves　made　no　mark　on　the　soft　ground　as　it　stared　at　Harry　with　its　large；　silver　eyes。　Slowly；　it　bowed　its　antlered　head。　And　Harry　realized。。。　〃Prongs；　〃he　whispered。
　　But　as　his　trembling　fingertips　stretched　toward　the　creature；　it　vanished。
　　Harry　stood　there；　hand　still　outstretched。　Then；　with　a　great　leap　of　his　heart；　he　heard　hooves　behind　him　…he　whirled　around　and　saw　Hermione　dashing　toward　him；　dragging　Buckbeak　behind　her。
　　〃What　did　you　do？〃　she　said　fiercely。　〃You　said　you　were　only　going　to　keep　a　lookout！〃
　　〃I　just　saved　all　our　lives。。。；〃　said　Harry。　〃Get　behind　here　　behind　this　bush　　I'll　explain。〃
　　Hermione　listened　to　what　had　just　happened　with　her　mouth　open　yet　again。
　　〃Did　anyone　see　you？〃
　　〃Yes；　haven't　you　been　listening？　I　saw　me　but　I　thought　I　was　my　dad！　It's　okay！〃
　　〃Harry；　I　can't　believe　it。。。。　You　conjured　up　a　Patronus　that　drove　away　all　those　dementors！　That's　very；　very　advanced　magic。　I　knew　I　could　do　it　this　time；〃　said　Harry；　〃because　I'd　already　done　it。。。。　Does　that　make　sense？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　　Harry；　look　at　Snape！〃
　　Together　they　peered　around　the　bush　at　the　other　bank。　Snape　had　regained　consciousness。　He　was　conjuring　stretchers　and　lifting　the　limp　forms　of　Harry；　Hermione；　and　Black　onto　them。　A　fourth　stretcher；　no　doubt　bearing　Ron；　was　already　floating　at　his　side。　Then；　wand　held　out　in　front　of　him；　he　moved　them　away　toward　the　castle。
　　〃Right；　it's　nearly　time；〃　said　Hermione　tensely；　looking　at　her　watch。　〃We've　got　about　forty…five　minutes　until　Dumbledore　locks　the　door　to　the　hospital　wing。　We've　got　to　rescue　Sirius　and　get　back　into　the　ward　before　anybody　realizes　we're　missing。。。。　11
　　They　waited；　watching　the　moving　clouds　reflected　in　the　lake；　while　the　bush　next　to　them　whispered　in　the　breeze。　Buckbeak；　bored；　was　ferreting　for　worms　again。
　　〃D'　you　reckon　he's　up　there　yet？〃　said　Harry；　checking　his　watch。　He　looked　up　at　the　castle　and　began　counting　the　windows　to　the　right　of　the　West　Tower。
　　〃Look！〃　Hermione　whispered。　〃Who's　that？　Someone's　ing　back　out　of　the　castle！〃
　　Harry　stared　through　the　darkness。　The　man　was　hurrying　across　the　grounds；　toward　one　of　the　entrances。　Something　shiny　glinted　in　his　belt。
　　〃Macnair！〃　said　Harry。　〃The　executioner！　He's　gone　to　get　the　dementors！　This　is　it；　Hermione　〃
　　Hermione　put　her　hands　on　Buckbeak's　back　and　Harry　gave　her　a　leg　up。　Then　he　placed　his　foot　on　one　of　the　lower　branches　of　the　bush　and　climbed　up　in　front　of　her。　He　pulled　Buckbeak's　rope　back　over　his　neck　and　tied　it　to　the　other　side　of　his　collar　like　reins。
　　〃Ready？〃　he　whispered　to　Hermione。　〃YotM　better　hold　on　to　me　
　　He　nudged　Buckbeak's　sides　with　his　heels。
　　Buckbeak　soared　straight　into　the　dark　air。　Harry　gripped　his　flanks　with　his　knees；　feeling　the　great　wings　rising　powerfully　beneath　them。　Hermione　was　holding　Harry　very　tight　around　the　waist；　he　could　hear　her　muttering；　〃Oh；　no　　I　don't　like　this　oh；　I　really　don't　like　this　〃
　　Harry　urged　Buckbeak　forward。　They　were　gliding　quietly　toward　the　upper　floors　of　the　castle。。。。　Harry　pulled　hard　on　the　left…hand　side　of　the　rope；　and　Buckbeak　turned。　Harry　was　trying　to　count　the　windows　flashing　past　
　　〃Whoa！〃　he　said；　pulling　backward　as　hard　as　he　could。
　　Buckbeak　slowed　down　and　they　found　themselves　at　a　stop；　unless　you　counted　the　fact　that　they　kept　rising　up　and　down　several　feet　as　the　hippogriff　beat　his　wings　to　remain　airborne。
　　〃He's　there！〃　Harry　said；　spotting　Sirius　as　they　rose　up　beside　the　window。　He　reached　out；　and　as　Buckbeak's　wings　fell；　was　able　to　tap　sharply　on　the　glass。
　　Black　looked　up。　Harry　saw　his　jaw　drop。　He　leapt　from　his　chair；　hurried　to　the　window　and　tried　to　open　it；　but　it　was　locked。
　　〃Stand　back！〃　Hermione　called　to　him；　and　she　took　out　her　wand；　still　gripping　the　back　of　Harry's　robes　with　her　left　hand。
　　〃Alohomora！〃
　　The　window　sprang　open。
　　〃How　　how　？〃　said　Black　weakly；　staring　at　the　hippogriff
　　〃Get　on　　there's　not　much　time；〃　said　Harry；　gripping　Buckbeak　firmly　on　either　side　of　his　sleek　neck　to　hold　him　steady。　〃You've　got　to　get　out　of　here　…the　dementors　are　ing　　Macnair's　gone　to　get　them。〃
　　Black　placed　a　hand　on　either　side　of　the　window　frame　and　heaved　his　head　and　shoulders　out　of　it。　It　was　very　lucky　he　was　so　thin。　In　seconds；　he　had　managed　to　fling　one　leg　over　Buckbeak's　back　and　pull　himself　onto　the　hippogriff　behind　Hermione。
　　〃Okay；　Buckbeak；　up！〃　said　Harry；　shaking　the　rope。　〃Up　to　the　tower　　e　on。
　　The　hippogriff　gave　one　sweep　of　its　mighty　wings　and　they　were　soaring　upward　again；　high　as　the　top　of　the　West　Tower。　Buckbeak　landed　with　a　clatter　on　the　battlements；　and　Harry　and　Hermione　slid　off　him　at　once。
　　〃Sirius；　you'd　better　go；　quick；〃　Harry　panted。　〃They'll　reach　Flitwick's　office　any　moment；　they'll　find　out　you're　gone。〃
　　Buckbeak　pawed　the　ground；　tossing　his　sharp　head。
　　〃What　happened　to　the　other　boy？　Ron？〃　croaked　Sirius。
　　〃He's　going　to　be　okay。　He's　still　out　of　it；　but　Madam　Pomfrey　says　she'll　be　able　to　make　him　better。　Quick　　go　〃
　　But　Black　was　still　staring　down　at　Harry。
　　〃How　can　I　ever　thank　〃
　　〃GO！〃　Harry　and　Hermione　shouted　together。
　　Black　wheeled　Buckbeak　around；　facing　the　open　sky。
　　〃We'll　see　each　other　again；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　　truly　your　father's　son；　Harry。。。。〃
　　He　squeezed　Buckbeak's　sides　with　his　heels。　Harry　and　Hermione　jumped　back　as　the　enormous　wings　rose　once　more。。。。　The　hippogriff　took　off　into　the　air。。。。　He　and　his　rider　became　smaller　and　smaller　as　Harry　gazed　after　them。。。　then　a　cloud　drifted　across　the　moon。。。。　They　were　gone。
　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…TWO
　　OWL　POST　AGAIN
　　Harry！〃
　　Hermione　was　tugging　at　his　sleeve；　staring　at　her　watch。　〃We've　got　exactly　ten　minutes　to　get　back　down　to　the　hospital　wing　without　anybody　seeing　us　　before　Dumbledore　locks　the　door　〃
　　〃Okay；〃　said　Harry；　wrenching　his　gaze　from　the　sky；　〃let's　go。。。。〃
　　They　slipped　through　the　doorway　behind　them　and　down　a　tightly　spiraling　stone　staircase。　As　they　reached　the　bottom　of　it；　they　heard　voices。　They　flattened　themselves　against　the　wall　and　listened。　It　sounded　like　Fudge　and　Snape。　They　were　walking　quickly　along　the　corridor　at　the　foot　of　the　staircase。
　　〃。。。　only　hope　Dumbledore's　not　going　to　make　difficulties；〃　Snape　was　saying。　〃The　Kiss　will　be　performed　immediately？〃
　　〃As　soon　as　Macnair　returns　with　the　dementors。　This　whole　Black　affair　has　been　highly　embarrassing。　I　can't　tell　you　how　much　I'm　looking　forward　to　informing　the　Daily　Prophet　that　we've　got　him　at　last。。。。　I　daresay　they'll　want　to　interview　you；　Snape。。。　and　once　young　Harry's　back　in　his　right　mind；　I　expect　he'll　want　to　tell　the　Prophet　exactly　how　you　saved　him。。。。〃
　　Harry　clenched　his　teeth。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　Snape's　smirk　as　he　and　Fudge　passed　Harry　and　Hermione's　hiding　place。　Their　footsteps　died　away。　Harry　and　Hermione　waited　a　few　moments　to　make　sure　they'd　really　gone；　then　started　to　run　in　the　opposite　direction。　Down　one　staircase；　then　another；　along　a　new　；corridor　　then　they　heard　a　cackling　ahead。
　　〃Peeves！〃　Harry　muttered；　grabbing　Hermione's　wrist。　〃In　here！〃
　　They　tore　into　a　deserted　classroom　to　their　left　just　in　time。　Peeves　seemed　to　be　bouncing　along　the　corridor　in　boisterous　good　spirits；　laughing　his　head　off。
　　〃Oh；　he's　horrible；〃　whispered　Hermione；　her　ear　to　the　door。　〃I　bet　he's　all　excited　because　the　dementors　are　going　to　finish　off　Sirius。。。。〃　She　checked　her　watch。　〃Three　minutes；　Harry！〃
　　They　waited　until　Peeves's　gloating　voice　had　faded　into　the　distance；　then　slid　back　out　of　the　room　and　broke　into　a　run　again。
　　〃Hermione　　what'll　happen　　if　we　don't　get　back　inside　before　Dumbledore　locks　the　door？〃　Harry　panted。
　　I　don't　want　to　think　about　it！〃　Hermione　moaned；　checking　her　watch　again。　〃One　minute！〃
　　They　had　reached　the　end　of　the　corridor　with　the　hospital　wing　entrance。　〃Okay　　I　can　hear　Dumbledore；〃　said　Hermione　tensely。　〃e　on；　Harry！〃
　　They　crept　along　the　corridor。　The　door　opened。　Dumbledore's　back　appeared。
　　〃I　am　going　to　lock　you　in；〃　they　heard　him　saying。　〃it　is　five　minutes　to　midnight。　Miss　Granger；　three　turns　should　do　It。　Good　luck。〃
　　Dumbledore　backed　out　of　the　room；　closed　the　door；　and　took　out　his　wand　to　magically　lock　it。　Panicking；　Harry　and　Hermione　ran　forward。　Dumbledore　looked　up；　and　a　wide　smile　appeared　under　the　long　silver　mustache。　〃Well？〃　he　said　quietly。
　　〃We　did　it！〃　said　Harry　breathlessly。　〃Sirius　has　gone；　on　Buckbeak。。。。〃
　　Dumbledore　beamed　at　them。
　　〃Well　done。　I　think　〃　He　listened　intently　for