jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第117部分

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moning　a　dementor　to　acpany　him　into　the　castle。　He　brought　it　up　to　the　office　where　Barty　Crouch…〃
　　　〃I　told　him　you　would　not　agree；　Dumbledore！〃　McGonagall　fumed。　〃I　told　him　you　would　never　allow　dementors　to　set　foot　inside　the　castle；　but…〃
　　　〃My　dear　woman！〃　roared　Fudge；　who　likewise　looked　angrier　than　Harry　had　ever　seen　him；　〃as　Minister　of　Magic；　it　is　my　decision　whether　I　wish　to　bring　protection　with　me　when　interviewing　a　possibly　dangerous…〃
　　　But　Professor　McGonagall's　voice　drowned　Fudge's。
　　　〃The　moment　that…that　thing　entered　the　room；〃　she　screamed；　pointing　at　Fudge；　trembling　all　over；　〃it　swooped　down　on　Crouch　and…and…〃
　　　Harry　felt　a　chill　in　his　stomach　as　Professor　McGonagall　struggled　to　find　words　to　describe　what　had　happened。　He　did　not　need　her　to　finish　her　sentence。　He　knew　what　the　dementor　must　have　done。　It　had　administered　its　fatal　kiss　to　Barty　Crouch。　It　had　sucked　his　soul　out　through　his　mouth。　He　was　worse　than　dead。
　　　〃By　all　accounts；　he　is　no　loss！〃　blustered　Fudge。　〃It　seems　he　has　been　responsible　for　several　deaths'。〃
　　　〃But　he　cannot　now　give　testimony；　Cornelius；〃　said　Dumbledore。　He　was　staring　hard　at　Fudge；　as　though　seeing　him　plainly　for　the　first　time。　〃He　cannot　give　evidence　about　why　he　killed　those　people。〃
　　　〃Why　he　killed　them？　Well；　that's　no　mystery；　is　it？〃　blustered　Fudge。　〃He　was　a　raving　lunatic！　From　what　Minerva　and　Severus　have　told　me；　he　seems　to　have　thought　he　was　doing　it　all　on　You…Know…Who's　instructions！〃
　　　〃Lord　Voldemort　was　giving　him　instructions；　Cornelius；〃　Dumbledore　said。　〃Those　peoples　deaths　were　mere　by…products　of　a　plan　to　restore　Voldemort　to　full　strength　again。　The　plan　succeeded。　Voldemort　has　been　restored　to　his　body。〃
　　　Fudge　looked　as　though　someone　had　just　swung　a　heavy　weight　into　his　face。　Dazed　and　blinking；　he　stared　back　at　Dumbledore　as　if　he　couldn't　quite　believe　what　he　had　just　heard。　He　began　to　sputter；　still　goggling　at　Dumbledore。
　　　〃You…Know…Who。。。　returned？　Preposterous。　e　now；　Dumbledore　。。。〃
　　　〃As　Minerva　and　Severus　have　doubtless　told　you；〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃we　heard　Barty　Crouch　confess。　Under　the　influence　of　Veritaserum；　he　told　us　how　he　was　smuggled　out　of　Azkaban；　and　how　Voldemort…learning　of　his　continued　existence　from　Bertha　Jorkins…went　to　free　him　from　his　father　and　used　him　to　capture　Harry。　The　plan　worked；　I　tell　you。　Crouch　has　helped　Voldemort　to　return。〃
　　　〃See　here；　Dumbledore；〃　said　Fudge；　and　Harry　was　astonished　to　see　a　slight　smile　dawning　on　his　face；　〃you…you　can't　seriously　believe　that　You…Know…Who…back？　e　now；　e　now。。。　certainly；　Crouch　may　have　believed　himself　to　be　acting　upon　You…Know…Who's　orders…but　to　take　the　word　of　a　lunatic　like　that；　Dumbledore　。。。〃
　　　〃When　Harry　touched　the　Triwizard　Cup　tonight；　he　was　transported　straight　to　Voldemort；〃　said　Dumbledore　steadily。　〃He　witnessed　Lord　Voldemort's　rebirth。　I　will　explain　it　all　to　you　if　you　will　step　up　to　my　office。〃
　　　Dumbledore　glanced　around　at　Harry　and　saw　that　he　was　awake；　but　shook　his　head　and　said；　〃I　am　afraid　I　cannot　permit　you　to　question　Harry　tonight。〃
　　　Fudge's　curious　smile　lingered。　He　too　glanced　at　Harry；　then　looked　back　at　Dumbledore；　and　said；　〃You　are…er…prepared　to　take　Harry's　word　on　this；　are　you；　Dumbledore？〃
　　　There　was　a　moment's　silence；　which　was　broken　by　Sirius　growling。　His　hackles　were　raised；　and　he　was　baring　his　teeth　at　Fudge。
　　　〃Certainly；　I　believe　Harry；〃　said　Dumbledore。　His　eyes　were　blazing　now。　〃I　heard　Crouch's　confession；　and　I　heard　Harry's　account　of　what　happened　after　he　touched　the　Triwizard　Cup；　the　two　stories　make　sense；　they　explain　everything　that　has　happened　since　Bertha　Jorkins　disappeared　last　summer。〃
　　　Fudge　still　had　that　strange　smile　on　his　face。　Once　again；　he　glanced　at　Harry　before　answering。
　　　〃You　are　prepared　to　believe　that　Lord　Voldemort　has　returned；　on　the　word　of　a　lunatic　murderer；　and　a　boy　who。。。　well。。。〃
　　　Fudge　shot　Harry　another　look；　and　Harry　suddenly　understood。
　　　〃You've　been　reading　Rita　Skeeter；　Mr。　Fudge；〃　he　said　quietly。
　　　Ron；　Hermione；　Mrs。　Weasley；　and　Bill　all　jumped。　None　of　them　had　realized　that　Harry　was　awake。
　　　Fudge　reddened　slightly；　but　a　defiant　and　obstinate　look　came　over　his　face。
　　　〃And　if　I　have？〃　he　said；　looking　at　Dumbledore。　〃If　I　have　discovered　that　you've　been　keeping　certain　facts　about　the　boy　very　quiet？　A　Parselmouth；　eh？　And　having　funny　turns　all　over　the　place…〃
　　　〃I　assume　that　you　are　referring　to　the　pains　Harry　has　been　experiencing　in　his　scar？〃　said　Dumbledore　coolly。
　　　〃You　admit　that　he　has　been　having　these　pains；　then？〃　said　Fudge　quickly。　〃Headaches？　Nightmares？　Possibly…hallucinations？〃
　　　〃Listen　to　me；　Cornelius；〃　said　Dumbledore；　taking　a　step　toward　Fudge；　and　once　again；　he　seemed　to　radiate　that　indefinable　sense　of　power　that　Harry　had　felt　after　Dumbledore　had　Stunned　young　Crouch。　〃Harry　is　as　sane　as　you　or　I。　That　scar　upon　his　forehead　has　not　addled　his　brains。　I　believe　it　hurts　him　when　Lord　Voldemort　is　close　by；　or　feeling　particularly　murderous。〃
　　　Fudge　had　taken　half　a　step　back　from　Dumbledore；　but　he　looked　no　less　stubborn。
　　　〃You'll　forgive　me；　Dumbledore；　but　I've　never　heard　of　a　curse　scar　acting　as　an　alarm　bell　before。。。〃
　　　〃Look；　I　saw　Voldemort　e　back！〃　Harry　shouted。　He　tried　to　get　out　of　bed　again；　but　Mrs。　Weasley　forced　him　back。　〃I　saw　the　Death　Eaters！　I　can　give　you　their　names！　Lucius　Malfoy…〃
　　　Snape　made　a　sudden　movement；　but　as　Harry　looked　at　him；　Snape's　eyes　flew　back　to　Fudge。
　　　〃Malfoy　was　cleared！〃　said　Fudge；　visibly　affronted。　〃A　very　old　family…donations　to　excellent　causes…〃
　　　〃Macnair！〃　Harry　continued。
　　　〃Also　cleared！　Now　working　for　the　Ministry！〃
　　　〃Avery…Nott…Crabbe…Goyle…〃
　　　〃You　are　merely　repeating　the　names　of　those　who　were　acquitted　of　being　Death　Eaters　thirteen　years　ago！〃　said　Fudge　angrily。　〃You　could　have　found　those　names　in　old　reports　of　the　trials！　For　heavens　sake；　Dumbledore…the　boy　was　full　of　some　crackpot　story　at　the　end　of　last　year　too…his　tales　are　getting　taller；　and　you're　still　swallowing　them…the　boy　can　talk　to　snakes。　Dumbledore；　and　you　still　think　he's　trustworthy？〃
　　　〃You　fool！〃　Professor　McGonagall　cried。　〃Cedric　Diggory！　Mr。　Crouch！　These　deaths　were　not　the　random　work　of　a　lunatic！〃
　　　〃I　see　no　evidence　to　the　contrary！〃　shouted　Fudge；　now　matching　her　anger；　his　face　purpling。　〃It　seems　to　me　that　you　are　all　determined　to　start　a　panic　that　will　destabilize　everything　we　have　worked　for　these　last　thirteen　years！〃
　　　Harry　couldn't　believe　what　he　was　hearing。　He　had　always　thought　of　Fudge　as　a　kindly　figure；　a　little　blustering；　a　little　pompous；　but　essentially　good…natured。　But　now　a　short；　angry　wizard　stood　before　him；　refusing；　point…blank；　to　accept　the　prospect　of　disruption　in　his　fortable　and　ordered　world…to　believe　that　Voldemort　could　have　risen。
　　　〃Voldemort　has　returned；〃　Dumbledore　repeated。　〃If　you　accept　that　fact　straightaway。　Fudge；　and　take　the　necessary　measures；　we　may　still　be　able　to　save　the　situation。　The　first　and　most　essential　step　is　to　remove　Azkaban　from　the　control　of　the　dementors…〃
　　　〃Preposterous！〃　shouted　Fudge　again。　〃Remove　the　dementors？　I'd　be　kicked　out　of　office　for　suggesting　it！　Half　of　us　only　feel　safe　in　our　beds　at　night　because　we　know　the　dementors　are　standing　guard　at　Azkaban！〃
　　　〃The　rest　of　us　sleep　less　soundly　in　our　beds；　Cornelius；　knowing　that　you　have　put　Lord　Voldemort's　most　dangerous　supporters　in　the　care　of　creatures　who　will　join　him　the　instant　he　asks　them！〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃They　will　not　remain　loyal　to　you；　Fudge！　Voldemort　can　offer　them　much　more　scope　for　their　powers　and　their　pleasures　than　you　can！　With　the　dementors　behind　him；　and　his　old　supporters　returned　to　him；　you　will　be　hard…pressed　to　stop　him　regaining　the　sort　of　power　he　had　thirteen　years　ago！〃
　　　Fudge　was　opening　and　closing　his　mouth　as　though　no　words　could　express　his　outrage。
　　　〃The　second　step　you　must　take…and　at　once；〃　Dumbledore　pressed　on；　〃is　to　send　envoys　to　the　giants。〃
　　　〃Envoys　to　the　giants？〃　Fudge　shrieked；　finding　his　tongue　again。　〃What　madness　is　this？〃
　　　〃Extend　them　the　hand　of　friendship；　now；　before　it　is　too　late；〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃or　Voldemort　will　persuade　them；　as　he　did　before；　that　he　alone　among　wizards　will　give　them　their　rights　and　their　freedom！〃
　　　〃You…you　cannot　be　serious！〃　Fudge　gasped；　shaking　his　head　and　retreating　further　from　Dumbledore。　〃If　the　magical　munity　got　wind　that　I　had　approached　the　giants…people　hate　them；　Dumbledore…end　of　my　career…〃
　　　〃You　are　blinded；〃　said　Dumbledore；　his　voice　rising　now；　the　aura　of　power　around　him　palpable；　his　eyes　blazing　once　more；　〃by　the　love　of　the　office　you　hold；　Cornelius！　You　place　too　much　importance；　and　you　always　have　done；　on　the　so…called　purity　of　blood！　You　fail　to　recognize　that　it　matters　not　what　someone　is　born；　but　what　they　grow　to　be！　Your　dementor　has　just　destroyed　the　last　remaining　member　of　a　pure…blood　family　as　old　as　any…and　see　what　that　man　chose　to　make　of　his　life！　I　tell　you　nowtake　the　steps　I　have　suggested；　and　you　will　be　rem