jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第24部分

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　　　〃Well；　she's　not；〃　said　Ron。
　　　Hermione　rounded　on　him。
　　　〃That　doesn't　mean　she　hasn't　got　feelings；　Ron。　It's　disgusting　the　way…〃
　　　〃Hermione；　I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley　quickly；　beckoning　her　on；　〃but　now　is　not　the　time　to　discuss　elf　rights。　I　want　to　get　back　to　the　tent　as　fast　as　we　can。　What　happened　to　the　others？〃
　　　〃We　lost　them　in　the　dark；〃　said　Ron。　〃Dad；　why　was　everyone　so　uptight　about　that　skull　thing？〃
　　　〃I'll　explain　everything　back　at　the　tent；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley　tensely。
　　　But　when　they　reached　the　edge　of　the　wood；　their　progress　was　impeded。　A　large　crowd　of　frightened…looking　witches　and　wizards　was　congregated　there；　and　when　they　saw　Mr。　Weasley　ing　toward　them；　many　of　them　surged　forward。
　　　〃What's　going　on　in　there？〃
　　　〃Who　conjured　it？〃
　　　〃Arthur…it's　not…Him？〃
　　　〃Of　course　it's　not　Him；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley　impatiently。　〃We　don't　know　who　it　was；　it　looks　like　they　Disapparated。　Now　excuse　me；　please；　I　want　to　get　to　bed。〃
　　　He　led　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　through　the　crowd　and　back　into　the　campsite。　All　was　quiet　now；　there　was　no　sign　of　the　masked　wizards；　though　several　ruined　tents　were　still　smoking。
　　　Charlie's　head　was　poking　out　of　the　boys'　tent。
　　　〃Dad；　what's　going　on？〃　he　called　through　the　dark。　〃Fred；　George；　and　Ginny　got　back　okay；　but　the　others…〃
　　　〃I've　got　them　here；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley；　bending　down　and　entering　the　tent。　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　entered　after　him。
　　　Bill　was　sitting　at　the　small　kitchen　table；　holding　a　bedsheet　to　his　arm；　which　was　bleeding　profusely。　Charlie　had　a　large　rip　in　his　shirt；　and　Percy　was　sporting　a　bloody　nose。　Fred；　George；　and　Ginny　looked　unhurt；　though　shaken。
　　　〃Did　you　get　them；　Dad？〃　said　Bill　sharply。　〃The　person　who　conjured　the　Mark？〃
　　　〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。　〃We　found　Barry　Crouch's　elf　holding　Harry's　wand；　but　we're　none　the　wiser　about　who　actually　conured　the　Mark。〃
　　　〃What？〃　said　Bill；　Charlie；　and　Percy　together。　〃Harry's　wand？〃　said　Fred。
　　　〃Mr。　Crouch's　elf〃　said　Percy；　sounding　thunderstruck。
　　　With　some　assistance　from　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione；　Mr。　Weasley　explained　what　had　happened　in　the　woods。　When　they　had　finished　their　story；　Percy　swelled　indignantly。
　　　〃Well；　Mr。　Crouch　is　quite　right　to　get　rid　of　an　elf　like　that！〃　he　said。　〃Running　away　when　he'd　expressly　told　her　not　to。。。　embarrassing　him　in　front　of　the　whole　Ministry。。。　how　would　that　have　looked；　if　she'd　been　brought　up　in　front　of　the　Department　for　the　Regulation　and　Control…〃
　　　〃She　didn't　do　anything…she　was　just　in　the　wrong　place　at　the　wrong　time！〃　Hermione　snapped　at　Percy；　who　looked　very　taken　aback。　Hermione　had　always　got　on　fairly　well　with　Percy…better；　indeed；　than　any　of　the　others。
　　　〃Hermione；　a　wizard　in　Mr。　Crouch's　position　can't　afford　a　house…elf　who's　going　to　run　amok　with　a　wand！〃　said　Percy　pompously；　recovering　himself。
　　　〃She　didn't　run　amok！〃　shouted　Hermione。　〃She　just　picked　it　up　off　the　ground！〃
　　　〃Look；　can　someone　just　explain　what　that　skull　thing　was？〃　said　Ron　impatiently。　〃It　wasn't　hurting　anyone。。。　Why's　it　such　a　big　deal？〃
　　　〃I　told　you；　it's　You…Know…Who's　symbol；　Ron；〃　said　Hermione；　before　anyone　else　could　answer。　〃I　read　about　it　in　The　Rise　and　Fall　of　the　Dark　Arts。〃
　　　〃And　it　hasn't　been　seen　for　thirteen　years；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley　quietly。　〃Of　course　people　panicked。。。　it　was　almost　like　seeing　You…Know…Who　back　again。〃
　　　〃I　don't　get　it；〃　said　Ron；　frowning。　〃I　mean。。。　it's　still　only　a　shape　in　the　sky。。。
　　　〃Ron；　You…Know…Who　and　his　followers　sent　the　Dark　Mark　into　the　air　whenever　they　killed；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。　〃The　terror　it　inspired。。。　you　have　no　idea；　you're　too　young。　Just　picture　ing　home　and　finding　the　Dark　Mark　hovering　over　your　house；　and　knowing　what　you're　about　to　find　inside。。。〃　Mr。　Weasley　winced。　〃Everyone's　worst　fear。。。　the　very　worst。。
　　　There　was　silence　for　a　moment。　Then　Bill；　removing　the　sheet　from　his　arm　to　check　on　his　cut；　said；　〃Well；　it　didn't　help　us　tonight；　whoever　conjured　it。　It　scared　the　Death　Eaters　away　the　moment　they　saw　it。　They　all　Disapparated　before　we'd　got　near　enough　to　unmask　any　of　them。　We　caught　the　Robertses　before　they　hit　the　ground；　though。　They're　having　their　memories　modified　right　now。〃
　　　〃Death　Eaters？〃　said　Harry。　〃What　are　Death　Eaters？〃
　　　〃It's　what　You…Know…Who's　supporters　called　themselves；〃　said　Bill。　〃I　think　we　saw　what's　left　of　them　tonight…the　ones　who　managed　to　keep　themselves　out　of　Azkaban；　anyway。〃
　　　〃We　can't　prove　it　was　them；　Bill；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。　〃Though　it　probably　was；〃　he　added　hopelessly。
　　　〃Yeah；　I　bet　it　was！〃　said　Ron　suddenly　。　〃Dad；　we　met　Draco　Malfoy　in　the　woods；　and　he　as　good　as　told　us　his　dad　was　one　of　those　nutters　in　masks！　And　we　all　know　the　Malfoys　were　right　in　with　You…Know…Who！〃
　　　〃But　what　were　Voldemort's　supporters…〃　Harry　began。　Everybody　flinched…like　most　of　the　wizarding　world；　the　Weasleys　always　avoided　saying　Voldemort's　name。　〃Sorry；〃　said　Harry　quickly。　〃What　were　You…Know…Who's　supporters　up　to；　levitating　Muggles？　I　mean；　what　was　the　point？〃
　　　〃The　point？〃　said　Mr。　Weasley　with　a　hollow　laugh。　〃Harry；　that's　their　idea　of　fun。　Half　the　Muggle　killings　back　when　You…Know…Who　was　in　power　were　done　for　fun。　I　suppose　they　had　a　few　drinks　tonight　and　couldn't　resist　reminding　us　all　that　lots　of　them　are　still　at　large。　A　nice　little　reunion　for　them；〃　he　finished　disgustedly。
　　　〃But　if　they　were　the　Death　Eaters；　why　did　they　Disapparate　when　they　saw　the　Dark　Mark？〃　said　Ron。　〃They'd　have　been　pleased　to　see　it；　wouldn't　they？〃
　　　〃Use　your　brains；　Ron；〃　said　Bill。　〃If　they　really　were　Death　Eaters；　they　worked　very　hard　to　keep　out　of　Azkaban　when　You…Know…Who　lost　power；　and　told　all　sorts　of　lies　about　him　forcing　them　to　kill　and　torture　people。　I　bet　they'd　be　even　more　frightened　than　the　rest　of　us　to　see　him　e　back。　They　denied　they'd　ever　been　involved　with　him　when　he　lost　his　powers；　and　went　back　to　their　daily　lives。。。　I　don't　reckon　he'd　be　over…pleased　with　them；　do　you？〃
　　　〃So。。。　whoever　conjured　the　Dark　Mark。。。〃　said　Hermione　slowly；　〃were　they　doing　it　to　show　support　for　the　Death　Eaters；　or　to　scare　them　away？〃
　　　〃Your　guess　is　as　good　as　ours；　Hermione；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley。　〃But　I'll　tell　you　this。。。　it　was　only　the　Death　Eaters　who　ever　knew　how　to　conjure　it。　I'd　be　very　surprised　if　the　person　who　did　it　hadn't　been　a　Death　Eater　once；　even　if　they're　not　now。。　Listen；　it's　very　late；　and　if　your　mother　hears　what's　happened　she'll　be　worried　sick。　We'll　get　a　few　more　hours　sleep　and　then　try　and　get　an　early　Portkey　out　of　here。〃
　　　Harry　got　back　into　his　bunk　with　his　head　buzzing。　He　knew　he　ought　to　feel　exhausted：　It　was　nearly　three　in　the　morning；　but　he　felt　wide…awake…wide…awake；　and　worried。
　　　Three　days　ago…it　felt　like　much　longer；　but　it　had　only　been　three　days…he　had　awoken　with　his　scar　burning。　And　tonight；　for　the　first　time　in　thirteen　years；　Lord　Voldemort's　mark　had　appeared　in　the　sky。　What　did　these　things　mean？
　　　He　thought　of　the　letter　he　had　written　to　Sirius　before　leaving　Privet　Drive。　Would　Sirius　have　gotten　it　yet？　When　would　he　reply？　Harry　lay　looking　up　at　the　canvas；　but　no　flying　fantasies　came　to　him　now　to　ease　him　to　sleep；　and　it　was　a　long　time　after　Charlie's　snores　filled　the　tent　that　Harry　finally　dozed　off。
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　TEN
　　　MAYHEM　AT　THE　MINISTRY
　　　
　　　Mr。　Weasley　woke　them　after　only　a　few　hours　sleep。　He　used　magic　to　pack　up　the　tents；　and　they　left　the　campsite　as　quickly　as　possible；　passing　Mr。　Roberts　at　the　door　of　his　cottage。　Mr。　Roberts　had　a　strange；　dazed　look　about　him；　and　he　waved　them　off　with　a　vague　〃Merry　Christmas。〃
　　　〃He'll　be　all　right；〃　said　Mr。　Weasley　quietly　as　they　marched　off　onto　the　moor。　〃Sometimes；　when　a　person's　memory's　modified；　it　makes　him　a　bit　disorientated　for　a　while。。。　and　that　was　a　big　thing　they　had　to　make　him　forget。〃
　　　They　heard　urgent　voices　as　they　approached　the　spot　where　the　Portkeys　lay；　and　when　they　reached　it；　they　found　a　great　number　of　witches　and　wizards　gathered　around　Basil；　the　keeper　of　the　Portkeys；　all　clamoring　to　get　away　from　the　campsite　as　quickly　as　possible。　Mr。　Weasley　had　a　hurried　discussion　with　Basil；　they　joined　the　queue；　and　were　able　to　take　an　old　rubber　tire　back　to　Stoatshead　Hill　before　the　sun　had　really　risen。　They　walked　back　through　Ottery　St。　Catchpole　and　up　the　damp　lane　toward　the　Burrow　in　the　dawn　light；　talking　very　little　because　they　were　so　exhausted；　and　thinking　longingly　of　their　breakfast。　As　they　rounded　the　corner　and　the　Burrow　came　into　view；　a　cry　echoed　along　the　lane。
　　　〃Oh　thank　goodness；　thank　goodness！〃
　　　Mrs。　Weasley；　who　had　evidently　been　waiting　for　them　in　the　front　yard；　came　running　toward　them；　still　wearing　her　bedroom　slippers；　her　face　pale　and　strained；　a　rolled…up　copy　of　the　Daily　Prophet　clutched　in　her　hand。
　　　〃Arthur…I've　been　so　worried…so　worried…〃
　　　She　flung　her　arms　around　Mr。　Weasley's　neck；　and　the　Daily　Prophet　fell　out　of　her　limp　hand　onto　the　ground。　Looking　down；　Harry　saw　the　headline：　SCENES　OF　TERROR　AT　THE　QUIDDITCH　WORLD　CUP；　plete　with　a　twi