jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第36部分

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rgio！〃
　　　The　spider　swelled。　It　was　now　larger　than　a　tarantula。　Abandoning　all　pretense；　Ron　pushed　his　chair　backward；　as　far　away　from　Moody's　desk　as　possible。
　　　Moody　raised　his　wand　again；　pointed　it　at　the　spider；　and　muttered；　〃Crucio！〃
　　　At　once；　the　spider's　legs　bent　in　upon　its　body；　it　rolled　over　and　began　to　twitch　horribly；　rocking　from　side　to　side。　No　sound　came　from　it；　but　Harry　was　sure　that　if　it　could　have　given　voice；　it　would　have　been　screaming。　Moody　did　not　remove　his　wand；　and　the　spider　started　to　shudder　and　jerk　more　violently…〃Stop　it！〃　Hermione　said　shrilly。〃
　　　Harry　looked　around　at　her。　She　was　looking；　not　at　the　spider；　but　at　Neville；　and　Harry；　following　her　gaze；　saw　that　Neville's　hands　were　clenched　upon　the　desk　in　front　of　him；　his　knuckles　white；　his　eyes　wide　and　horrified。
　　　Moody　raised　his　wand。　The　spider's　legs　relaxed；　but　it　continued　to　twitch。
　　　〃Reducio；〃　Moody　muttered；　and　the　spider　shrank　back　to　its　proper　size。　He　put　it　back　into　the　jar。
　　　〃Pain；〃　said　Moody　softly。　〃You　don't　need　thumbscrews　or　knives　to　torture　someone　if　you　can　perform　the　Cruciatus　Curse。。。　That　one　was　very　popular　once　too。
　　　〃Right。。。　anyone　know　any　others？〃
　　　Harry　looked　around。　From　the　looks　on　everyone's　faces；　he　guessed　they　were　all　wondering　what　was　going　to　happen　to　the　last　spider。　Hermione's　hand　shook　slightly　as；　for　the　third　time；　she　raised　it　into　the　air。
　　　〃Yes？〃　said　Moody；　looking　at　her。
　　　〃Avada　Kedavra；〃　Hermione　whispered。
　　　Several　people　looked　uneasily　around　at　her；　including　Ron。
　　　〃Ah；〃　said　Moody；　another　slight　smile　twisting　his　lopsided　mouth。　〃Yes；　the　last　and　worst。　Avada　Kedavra。。。　the　Killing　Curse。〃
　　　He　put　his　hand　into　the　glass　jar；　and　almost　as　though　it　knew　what　was　ing；　the　third　spider　scuttled　frantically　around　the　bottom　of　the　jar；　trying　to　evade　Moody's　fingers；　but　he　trapped　it；　and　placed　it　upon　the　desktop。　It　started　to　scuttle　frantically　across　the　wooden　surface。
　　　Moody　raised　his　wand；　and　Harry　felt　a　sudden　thrill　of　foreboding。
　　　〃Avada　Kedavra！〃　Moody　roared。
　　　There　was　a　flash　of　blinding　green　light　and　a　rushing　sound；　as　though　a　vast；　invisible　something　was　soaring　through　the　air…instantaneously　the　spider　rolled　over　onto　its　back；　unmarked；　but　unmistakably　dead。　Several　of　the　students　stifled　cries；　Ron　had　thrown　himself　backward　and　almost　toppled　off　his　seat　as　the　spider　skidded　toward　him。
　　　Moody　swept　the　dead　spider　off　the　desk　onto　the　floor。
　　　〃Not　nice；〃　he　said　calmly。　〃Not　pleasant。　And　there's　no　countercurse。　There's　no　blocking　it。　Only　one　known　person　has　ever　survived　it；　and　he's　sitting　right　in　front　of　me。〃
　　　Harry　felt　his　face　redden　as　Moody's　eyes　（both　of　them）　looked　into　his　own。　He　could　feel　everyone　else　looking　around　at　him　too。　Harry　stared　at　the　blank　blackboard　as　though　fascinated　by　it；　but　not　really　seeing　it　at　all。。。
　　　So　that　was　how　his　parents　had　died。。。　exactly　like　that　spider。　Had　they　been　unblemished　and　unmarked　too？　Had　they　simply　seen　the　flash　of　green　light　and　heard　the　rush　of　speeding　death；　before　life　was　wiped　from　their　bodies？
　　　Harry　had　been　picturing　his　parents'　deaths　over　and　over　again　for　three　years　now；　ever　since　he'd　found　out　they　had　been　murdered；　ever　since　he'd　found　out　what　had　happened　that　night：　Wormtail　had　betrayed　his　parents'　whereabouts　to　Voldemort；　who　had　e　to　find　them　at　their　cottage。　How　Voldemort　had　killed　Harry's　father　first。　How　James　Potter　had　tried　to　hold　him　off；　while　he　shouted　at　his　wife　to　take　Harry　and　run。。。　Voldemort　had　advanced　on　Lily　Potter；　told　her　to　move　aside　so　that　he　could　kill　Harry。。。　how　she　had　begged　him　to　kill　her　instead；　refused　to　stop　shielding　her　son。。。　and　so　Voldemort　had　murdered　her　too；　before　turning　his　wand　on　Harry。
　　　Harry　knew　these　details　because　he　had　heard　his　parents'　voices　when　he　had　fought　the　dementors　last　year…for　that　was　the　terrible　power　of　the　dementors：　to　force　their　victims　to　relive　the　worst　memories　of　their　lives；　and　drown；　powerless；　in　their　own　despair。
　　　Moody　was　speaking　again；　from　a　great　distance；　it　seemed　to　Harry。　With　a　massive　effort；　he　pulled　himself　back　to　the　present　and　listened　to　what　Moody　was　saying。
　　　〃Avada　Kedavra's　a　curse　that　needs　a　powerful　bit　of　magic　behind　it…you　could　all　get　your　wands　out　now　and　point　them　at　me　and　say　the　words；　and　I　doubt　I'd　get　so　much　as　a　nosebleed。　But　that　doesn't　matter。　I'm　not　here　to　teach　you　how　to　do　it。
　　　〃Now；　if　there's　no　countercurse；　why　am　I　showing　you？　Because　you've　got　to　know。　You've　got　to　appreciate　what　the　worst　is。　You　don't　want　to　find　yourself　in　a　situation　where　you're　facing　it。　CONSTANT　VIGILANCE！〃　he　roared；　and　the　whole　class　jumped　again。
　　　〃Now。。。　those　three　curses…Avada　Kedavra；　Imperius；　and　Cruciatus…are　known　as　the　Unforgivable　Curses。　The　use　of　any　one　of　them　on　a　fellow　human　being　is　enough　to　earn　a　life　sentence　in　Azkaban。　That's　what　you're　up　against。　That's　what　I've　got　to　teach　you　to　fight。　You　need　preparing。　You　need　arming。　But　most　of　all；　you　need　to　practice　constant；　never…ceasing　vigilance。　Get　out　your　quills。。。　copy　this　down。。。〃
　　　They　spent　the　rest　of　the　lesson　taking　notes　on　each　of　the　Unforgivable　Curses。　No　one　spoke　until　the　bell　rang…but　when　Moody　had　dismissed　them　and　they　had　left　the　classroom；　a　torrent　of　talk　burst　forth。　Most　people　were　discussing　the　curses　in　awed　voices…〃Did　you　see　it　twitch？〃　〃and　when　he　killed　it…just　like　that！〃
　　　They　were　talking　about　the　lesson；　Harry　thought；　as　though　it　had　been　some　sort　of　spectacular　show；　but　he　hadn't　found　it　very　entertaining…and　nor；　it　seemed；　had　Hermione。
　　　〃Hurry　up；〃　she　said　tensely　to　Harry　and　Ron。
　　　〃Not　the　ruddy　library　again？〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃No；〃　said　Hermione　curtly；　pointing　up　a　side　passage。　〃Neville。〃　Neville　was　standing　alone；　halfway　up　the　passage；　staring　at　the　stone　wall　opposite　him　with　the　same　horrified；　wide…eyed　look　he　had　worn　when　Moody　had　demonstrated　the　Cruciatus　Curse。
　　　〃Neville？〃　Hermione　said　gently。
　　　Neville　looked　around。
　　　〃Oh　hello；〃　he　said；　his　voice　much　higher　than　usual。　〃Interesting　lesson；　wasn't　it？　I　wonder　what's　for　dinner；　I'm…I'm　starving；　aren't　you？〃
　　　〃Neville；　are　you　all　right？〃　said　Hermione。
　　　〃Oh　yes；　I'm　fine；〃　Neville　gabbled　in　the　same　unnaturally　high　voice。　〃Very　interesting　dinner…I　mean　lesson…what's　for　eating？〃
　　　Ron　gave　Harry　a　startled　look。
　　　〃Neville；　what…？〃
　　　But　an　odd　clunking　noise　sounded　behind　them；　and　they　turned　to　see　Professor　Moody　limping　toward　them。　All　four　of　them　fell　silent；　watching　him　apprehensively；　but　when　he　spoke；　it　was　in　a　much　lower　and　gentler　growl　than　they　had　yet　heard。
　　　〃It's　all　right；　sonny；〃　he　said　to　Neville。　〃Why　don't　you　e　up　to　my　office？　e　on。。。　we　can　have　a　cup　of　tea。。。〃
　　　Neville　looked　even　more　frightened　at　the　prospect　of　tea　with　Moody。　He　neither　moved　nor　spoke。　Moody　turned　his　magical　eye　upon　Harry。
　　　〃You　all　right；　are　you；　Potter？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Harry；　almost　defiantly。
　　　Moody's　blue　eye　quivered　slightly　in　its　socket　as　it　surveyed　Harry。　Then　he　said；　〃You've　got　to　know。　It　seems　harsh；　maybe；　but　you've　got　to　know。　No　point　pretending。。。　well。。。　e　on；　Longbottom；　I've　got　some　books　that　might　interest　you。〃
　　　Neville　looked　pleadingly　at　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione；　but　they　didn't　say　anything；　so　Neville　had　no　choice　but　to　allow　himself　to　be　steered　away；　one　of　Moody's　gnarled　hands　on　his　shoulder。
　　　〃What　was　that　about？〃　said　Ron；　watching　Neville　and　Moody　turn　the　corner。
　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Hermione；　looking　pensive。
　　　〃Some　lesson；　though；　eh？〃　said　Ron　to　Harry　as　they　set　off　for　the　Great　Hall。　〃Fred　and　George　were　right；　weren't　they？　He　really　knows　his　stuff；　Moody；　doesn't　he？　When　he　did　Avada　Kedavra；　the　way　that　spider　just　died；　just　snuffed　it　right…〃
　　　But　Ron　fell　suddenly　silent　at　the　look　on　Harry's　face　and　didn't　speak　again　until　they　reached　the　Great　Hall；　when　he　said　he　supposed　they　had　better　make　a　start　on　Professor　Trelawney's　predictions　tonight；　since　they　would　take　hours。
　　　Hermione　did　not　join　in　with　Harry　and　Ron's　conversation　during　dinner；　but　ate　furiously　fast；　and　then　left　for　the　library　again。　Harry　and　Ron　walked　back　to　Gryffindor　Tower；　and　Harry；　who　had　been　thinking　of　nothing　else　all　through　dinner；　now　raised　the　subject　of　the　Unforgivable　Curses　himself。
　　　〃Wouldn't　Moody　and　Dumbledore　be　in　trouble　with　the　Ministry　if　they　knew　we'd　seen　the　curses？〃　Harry　asked　as　they　approached　the　Fat　Lady。
　　　〃Yeah；　probably；〃　said　Ron。　〃But　Dumbledore's　always　done　things　his　way；　hasn't　he；　and　Moody's　been　getting　in　trouble　for　years；　I　reckon。　Attacks　first　and　asks　questions　later…look　at　his　dustbins。　Balderdash。〃
　　　The　Fat　Lady　swung　forward　to　reveal　the　entrance　hole；　and　they　climbed　into　the　Gryffindor　mon　room；　which　was　crowded　and　noisy。
　　　〃Shall　we　get　our　Divination　stuff；　then？〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃I　s'pose；〃　Ron　groaned。
　　　They　went　up　to　the　dormitory　to　fetch　their　books　and　charts；