jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第79部分

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m。　〃That　egg　is　Potters　egg。　That　piece　of　parchment　belongs　to　Potter。　I　have　seen　it　before；　I　recognize　it！　Potter　is　here！　Potter；　in　his　Invisibility　Cloak！〃
　　　Snape　stretched　out　his　hands　like　a　blind　man　and　began　to　move　up　the　stairs；　Harry　could　have　sworn　his　over…large　nostrils　were　dilating；　trying　to　sniff　Harry　out…trapped。　Harry　leaned　backward；　trying　to　avoid　Snapes　fingertips；　but　any　moment　now…
　　　〃There's　nothing　there；　Snape！〃　barked　Moody；　〃but　I'll　be　happy　to　tell　the　headmaster　how　quickly　your　mind　jumped　to　Harry　Potter！〃
　　　〃Meaning　what？〃　Snape　turned　again　to　look　at　Moody；　his　hands　still　outstretched；　inches　from　Harry's　chest。
　　　〃Meaning　that　Dumbledore's　very　interested　to　know　who's　got　it　in　for　that　boy！〃　said　Moody；　limping　nearer　still　to　the　foot　of　the　stairs。　〃And　so　am　I；　Snape。。。　very　interested。。。〃　The　torchlight　flickered　across　his　mangled　face；　so　that　the　scars；　and　the　chunk　missing　from
　　　his　nose；　looked　deeper　and　darker　than　ever。
　　　Snape　was　looking　down　at　Moody；　and　Harry　couldn't　see　the　expression　on　his　face。　For　a　moment；　nobody　moved　or　said　anything。　Then　Snape　slowly　lowered　his　hands。
　　　〃I　merely　thought；〃　said　Snape；　in　a　voice　of　forced　calm；　〃that　if　Potter　was　wandering　around　after　hours　again　。。。it's　an　unfortunate　habit　of　his　。。。he　should　be　stopped。　For…for　his　own　safety。〃
　　　〃Ah；　I　see；〃　said　Moody　softly。　〃Got　Potter's　best　interests　at　heart；　have　you？〃
　　　There　was　a　pause。　Snape　and　Moody　were　still　staring　at　each　other；　Mrs。　Norris　gave　a　loud　meow；　still　peering　around　Filch's　legs；　looking　for　the　source　of　Harry's　bubble…bath　smell。
　　　〃I　think　I　will　go　back　to　bed；〃　Snape　said　curtly。
　　　〃Best　idea　you've　had　all　night；〃　said　Moody。　〃Now；　Filch；　if　you'll　just　give　me　that　egg…〃
　　　〃No！〃　said　Filch；　clutching　the　egg　as　though　it　were　his　firstborn　son。　〃Professor　Moody；　this　is　evidence　of　Peeves'　treachery！〃
　　　〃It's　the　property　of　the　champion　he　stole　it　from；〃　said　Moody。　Hand　it　over；　now。〃
　　　Snape　swept　downstairs　and　passed　Moody　without　another　word。　Filch　made　a　chirruping　noise　to　Mrs。　Norris；　who　stared　blankly　at　Harry　for　a　few　more　seconds　before　turning　and　following　her　master。　Still　breathing　very　fast。　Harry　heard　Snape　walking　away　down　the　corridor；　Filch　handed　Moody　the　egg　and　disappeared　from　view　too；　muttering　to　Mrs。　Norris。　〃Never　mind。　my　sweet。。。　we'll　see　Dumbledore　in　the　morning　。。。tell　him　what　Peeves　was　up　to。。。〃
　　　A　door　slammed。　Harry　was　left　staring　down　at　Moody；　who　placed　his　staff　on　the　bottommost　stair　and　started　to　climb　laboriously　toward　him；　a　dull　clunk　on　every　other　step。
　　　〃Close　shave。　Potter；〃　he　muttered。
　　　〃Yeah　。。。I…er　。。。thanks；〃　said　Harry　weakly。
　　　〃What　is　this　thing？〃　said　Moody；　drawing　the　Marauder's　Map　out　of　his　pocket　and　unfolding　it。
　　　〃Map　of　Hogwarts；〃　said　Harry；　hoping　Moody　was　going　to　pull　him　out　of　the　staircase　soon；　his　leg　was　really　hurting　him。
　　　〃Merlins　beard；〃　Moody　whispered；　staring　at　the　map；　his　magical　eye　going　haywire。　〃This。。。　this　is　some　map。　Potter！〃
　　　〃Yeah；　its。。。　quite　useful；〃　Harry　said。　His　eyes　were　starting　to　water　from　the　pain。　〃Er…Professor　Moody；　d'you　think　you　could　help　me…？〃
　　　〃What？　Oh！　Yes。。。　yes；　of　course。。。〃
　　　Moody　took　hold　of　Harrys　arms　and　pulled；　Harrys　leg　came　free　of　the　trick　step；　and　he　climbed　onto　the　one　above　it。　Moody　was　still　gazing　at　the　map。
　　　〃Potter　。。。〃　he　said　slowly；　〃you　didn't　happen；　by　any　chance；　to　see　who　broke　into　Snapes　office；　did　you？　On　this　map；　I　mean？〃
　　　〃Er。。。　yeah；　I　did。。。〃　Harry　admitted。　〃It　was　Mr。　Crouch。〃
　　　Moodys　magical　eye　whizzed　over　the　entire　surface　of　the　map。　He　looked　suddenly　alarmed。
　　　〃Crouch？〃　he　said。　〃You're…you're　sure。　Potter？〃
　　　〃Positive；〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃Well；　he's　not　here　anymore；〃　said　Moody；　his　eye　still　whizzing　over　the　map。　〃Crouch。。。　that's　very…very　interesting。。。〃
　　　He　said　nothing　for　almost　a　minute；　still　staring　at　the　map。　Harry　could　tell　that　this　news　meant　something　to　Moody　and　very　much　wanted　to　know　what　it　was。　He　wondered　whether　he　dared　ask。　Moody　scared　him　slightly。。。　yet　Moody　had　just　helped　him　avoid　an　awful　lot　of　trouble。。。
　　　〃Er　。。。Professor　Moody。。。　why　d'you　reckon　Mr。　Crouch　wanted　to　look　around　Snapes　office？〃
　　　Moodys　magical　eye　left　the　map　and　fixed；　quivering；　upon　Harry。　It　was　a　penetrating　glare；　and　Harry　had　the　impression　that　Moody　was　sizing　him　up；　wondering　whether　to　answer　or　not；　or　how　much　to　tell　him。
　　　〃Put　it　this　way。　Potter；〃　Moody　muttered　finally；　〃they　say　old　Mad…Eye's　obsessed　with　catching　Dark　wizards。。。　but　I'm　nothing…nothing…pared　to　Barty　Crouch。〃
　　　He　continued　to　stare　at　the　map。　Harry　was　burning　to　know　more。
　　　〃Professor　Moody？〃　he　said　again。　〃D'you　think。。。　could　this　have　anything　to　do　with。。。　maybe　Mr。　Crouch　thinks　there's　something　going　on。。。〃
　　　〃Like　what？〃　said　Moody　sharply。
　　　Harry　wondered　how　much　he　dare　say。　He　didn't　want　Moody　to　guess　that　he　had　a　source　of　information　outside　Hogwarts；　that　might　lead　to　tricky　questions　about　Sirius。
　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Harry　muttered；　〃odd　stuffs　been　happening　lately；　hasn't　it？　It's　been　in　the　Daily　Prophet。。。　the　Dark　Mark　at　the　World　Cup；　and　the　Death　Eaters　and　everything。。。〃
　　　Both　of　Moody's　mismatched　eyes　widened。
　　　〃You're　a　sharp　boy。　Potter；〃　he　said。　His　magical　eye　roved　back　to　the　Marauder's　Map。　〃Crouch　could　be　thinking　along　those　lines；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Very　possible。。。　there　have　been　some　funny　rumors　flying　around　lately…helped　along　by　Rita　Skeeter；　of　course。　It's　making　a　lot　of　people　nervous；　I　reckon。〃　A　grim　smile　twisted　his　lopsided　mouth。　〃Oh　if　there's　one　thing　I　hate；〃　he　muttered；　more　to　himself　than　to　Harry；　and　his　magical　eye　was　fixed　on　the　left…hand　corner　of　the　map；　〃its　a　Death　Eater　who　walked　free。。。〃
　　　Harry　stared　at　him。　Could　Moody　possibly　mean　what　Harry　thought　he　meant？
　　　〃And　now　I　want　to　ask　you　a　question。　Potter；〃　said　Moody　in　a　more　businesslike　tone。
　　　Harrys　heart　sank；　he　had　thought　this　was　ing。　Moody　was　going　to　ask　where　he　had　got　this　map；　which　was　a　very　dubious　magical　object…and　the　story　of　how　it　had　fallen　into　his　hands　incriminated　not　only　him；　but　his　own　father；　Fred　and　George　Weasley；　and　Professor　Lupin；　their　last　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　teacher。　Moody　waved　the　map　in　front　of　Harry；　who　braced　himself…
　　　〃Can　I　borrow　this？〃
　　　〃Oh！〃　said　Harry。
　　　He　was　very　fond　of　his　map；　but　on　the　other　hand；　he　was　extremely　relieved　that　Moody　wasn't　asking　where　he'd　got　it；　and　there　was　no　doubt　that　he　owed　Moody　a　favor。
　　　〃Yeah；　okay。〃
　　　〃Good　boy；〃　growled　Moody。　〃I　can　make　good　use　of　this。。。　this　might　be　exactly　what　I've　been　looking　for。。。　Right；　bed；　Potter；　e　on；　now。。。〃
　　　They　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　stairs　together；　Moody　still　examining　the　map　as　though　it　was　a　treasure　the　like　of　which　he　had　never　seen　before。　They　walked　in　silence　to　the　door　of　Moody's　office；　where　he　stopped　and　looked　up　at　Harry。
　　　〃You　ever　thought　of　a　career　as　an　Auror；　Potter？〃
　　　〃No；〃　said　Harry；　taken　aback。
　　　〃You　want　to　consider　it；〃　said　Moody；　nodding　and　looking　at　Harry　thoughtfully。　〃Yes；　indeed　。。。and　incidentally　。。。I'm　guessing　you　werent　Just　taking　that　egg　for　a　walk　tonight？〃
　　　〃Er…no；〃　said　Harry；　grinning。　〃I've　been　working　out　the　clue。〃
　　　Moody　winked　at　him；　his　magical　eye　going　haywire　again。　〃Nothing　like　a　nighttime　stroll　to　give　you　ideas；　Potter。。。　See　you　in　the　morning。。。〃
　　　He　went　back　into　his　office；　staring　down　at　the　Marauders　Map　again；　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　　　Harry　walked　slowly　back　to　Gryffindor　Tower；　lost　in　thought　about　Snape；　and　Crouch；　and　what　it　all　meant。。。　Why　was　Crouch　pretending　to　be　ill；　if　he　could　manage　to　get　to　Hogwarts　when　he　wanted　to？　What　did　he　think　Snape　was　concealing　in　his　office？
　　　And　Moody　thought　he。　Harry；　ought　to　be　an　Auror！　Interesting　idea。。。　but　somehow。　Harry　thought；　as　he　got　quietly　into　his　four…poster　ten　minutes　later；　the　egg　and　the　cloak　now　safely　back　in　his　trunk；　he　thought　he'd　like　to　check　how　scarred　the　rest　of　them　were　before　he　chose　it　as　a　career。
　　　
　　　
　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY…SIX
　　　THE　SECOND　TASK
　　　
　　　You　said　you'd　already　worked　out　that　egg　clue！〃　said　Hermione　indignantly。
　　　〃Keep　your　voice　down！〃　said　Harry　crossly。　〃I　just　need　to…sort　of　fine…tune　it；　all　right？〃
　　　He；　Ron；　and　Hermione　were　sitting　at　the　very　back　of　the　Charms　class　with　a　table　to　themselves。　They　were　supposed　to　be　practicing　the　opposite　of　the　Summoning　Charm　today…the　Banishing　Charm。　Owing　to　the　potential　for　nasty　accidents　when　objects　kept　flying　across　the　room。　Professor　Flitwick　had　given　each　student　a　stack　of　cushions　on　which　to　practice；　the　theory　being　that　these　wouldn't　hurt　anyone　if　they　went　off　target。　It　was　a　good　theory；　but　it　wasn't　working　very　well。　Neville's　aim　was　so　poor　that　he　kept　accidentally　sending　much　heavier　things　flying　across　the　room…Professor　Flitwick；　for　instance。
　　　〃Just　forget　the　egg　for　a　minute；　all　right？〃　Harry　hissed　as　Professor　Flitwick　went　whizzing