jkrowling.harrypotterandgf-第88部分

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quickly　through　the　Ministry；　and　he　started　ordering　very　harsh　measures　against　Voldemorts　supporters。　The　Aurors　were　given　new　powers…powers　to　kill　rather　than　capture；　for　instance。　And　I　wasn't　the　only　one　who　was　handed　straight　to　the　dementors　without　trial。　Crouch　fought　violence　with　violence；　and　authorized　the　use　of　the　Unforgivable　Curses　against　suspects。　I　would　say　he　became　as　ruthless　and　cruel　as　many　on　the　Dark　Side。　He　had　his　supporters；　mind　you…plenty　of　people　thought　he　was　going　about　things　the　right　way；　and　there　were　a　lot　of　witches　and　wizards　clamoring　for　him　to　take　over　as　Minister　of　Magic。　When　Voldemort　disappeared；　it　looked　like　only　a　matter　of　time　until　Crouch　got　the　top　job。　But　then　something　rather　unfortunate　happened。。。〃　Sirius　smiled　grimly。　〃Crouch's　own　son　was　caught　with　a　group　of　Death　Eaters　who'd　managed　to　talk　their　way　out　of　Azkaban。　Apparently　they　were　trying　to　find　Voldemort　and　return　him　to　power。〃
　　　〃Crouch's　son　was　caught？〃　gasped　Hermione。
　　　〃Yep；〃　said　Sirius；　throwing　his　chicken　bone　to　Buckbeak；　flinging　himself　back　down　on　the　ground　beside　the　loaf　of　bread；　and　tearing　it　in　half。　〃Nasty　little　shock　for　old　Barty；　I'd　imagine。　Should　have　spent　a　bit　more　time　at　home　with　his　family；　shouldn't　he？　Ought　to　have　left　the　office　early　once　in　a　while。。。　gotten　to　know　his　own　son。〃
　　　He　began　to　wolf　down　large　pieces　of　bread。
　　　〃Was　his　son　a　Death　Eater？〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃No　idea；〃　said　Sirius；　still　stuffing　down　bread。　〃I　was　in　Azkaban　myself　when　he　was　brought　in。　This　is　mostly　stuff　I've　found　out　since　I　got　out。　The　boy　was　definitely　caught　in　the　pany　of　people　I'd　bet　my　life　were　Death　Eaters…but　he　might　have　been　in　the　wrong　place　at　the　wrong　time；　just　like　the　house…elf。〃
　　　〃Did　Crouch　try　and　get　his　son　off？〃　Hermione　whispered。
　　　Sirius　let　out　a　laugh　that　was　much　more　like　a　bark。
　　　〃Crouch　let　his　son　off？　I　thought　you　had　the　measure　of　him；　Hermione！　Anything　that　threatened　to　tarnish　his　reputation　had　to　go；　he　had　dedicated　his　whole　life　to　being　Minister　of　Magic。　You　saw　him　dismiss　a　devoted　house…elf　because　she　associated　him　with　the　Dark　Mark　again…doesn't　that　tell　you　what　he's　like？　Crouch's　fatherly　affection　stretched　just　far　enough　to　give　his　son　a　trial；　and　by　all　accounts；　it　wasn't　much　more　than　an　excuse　for　Crouch　to　show　how　much　he　hated　the　boy。。。　then　he　sent　him　straight　to　Azkaban。〃
　　　〃He　gave　his　own　son　to　the　dementors？〃　asked　Harry　quietly。
　　　〃That's　right；〃　said　Sirius；　and　he　didn't　look　remotely　amused　now。　〃I　saw　the　dementors　bringing　him　in；　watched　them　through　the　bars　in　my　cell　door。　He　can't　have　been　more　than　nineteen。　They　took　him　into　a　cell　near　mine。　He　was　screaming　for　his　mother　by　nightfall。　He　went　quiet　after　a　few　days；　though。。。　they　all　went　quiet　in　the　end。。。　except　when　they　shrieked　in　their　sleep。。。〃
　　　For　a　moment；　the　deadened　look　in　Sirius's　eyes　became　more　pronounced　than　ever；　as　though　shutters　had　closed　behind　them。
　　　〃So　he's　still　in　Azkaban？〃　Harry　said。
　　　〃No；〃　said　Sirius　dully。　〃No；　he's　not　in　there　anymore。　He　died　about　a　year　after　they　brought　him　in。〃
　　　〃He　died？〃
　　　〃He　wasn't　the　only　one；〃　said　Sirius　bitterly。　〃Most　go　mad　in　there；　and　plenty　stop　eating　in　the　end。　They　lose　the　will　to　live。　You　could　always　tell　when　a　death　was　ing；　because　the　dementors　could　sense　it；　they　got　excited。　That　boy　looked　pretty　sickly　when　he　arrived。　Crouch　being　an　important　Ministry　member；　he　and　his　wife　were　allowed　a　deathbed　visit。　That　was　the　last　time　I　saw　Barty　Crouch；　half　carrying　his　wife　past　my　cell。　She　died　herself；　apparently；　shortly　afterward。　Grief。　Wasted　away　just　like　the　boy。　Crouch　never　came　for　his　sons　body。　The　dementors　buried　him　outside　the　fortress；　I　watched　them　do　it。〃
　　　Sirius　threw　aside　the　bread　he　had　just　lifted　to　his　mouth　and　instead　picked　up　the　flask　of　pumpkin　juice　and　drained　it。
　　　〃So　old　Crouch　lost　it　all；　just　when　he　thought　he　had　it　made；〃　he　continued；　wiping　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　〃One　moment；　a　hero；　poised　to　bee　Minister　of　Magic。。。　next；　his　son　dead；　his　wife　dead；　the　family　name　dishonored；　and；　so　I've　heard　since　I　escaped；　a　big　drop　in　popularity。　Once　the　boy　had　died；　people　started　feeling　a　bit　more　sympathetic　toward　the　son　and　started　asking　how　a　nice　young　lad　from　a　good　family　had　gone　so　badly　astray。　The　conclusion　was　that　his　father　never　cared　much　for　him。　So　Cornelius　Fudge　got　the　top　job；　and　Crouch　was　shunted　sideways　into　the　Department　of　International　Magical　Cooperation。〃
　　　There　was　a　long　silence。　Harry　was　thinking　of　the　way　Crouch's　eyes　had　bulged　as　he'd　looked　down　at　his　disobedient　house…elf　back　in　the　wood　at　the　Quidditch　World　Cup。　This；　then；　must　have　been　why　Crouch　had　overreacted　to　Winky　being　found　beneath　the　Dark　Mark。　It　had　brought　back　memories　of　his　son；　and　the　old　scandal；　and　his　fall　from　grace　at　the　Ministry。
　　　〃Moody　says　Crouch　is　obsessed　with　catching　Dark　wizards；〃　Harry　told　Sirius。
　　　〃Yeah；　I've　heard　it's　bee　a　bit　of　a　mania　with　him；〃　said　Sirius；　nodding。　〃If　you　ask　me；　he　still　thinks　he　can　bring　back　the　old　popularity　by　catching　one　more　Death　Eater。〃
　　　〃And　he　sneaked　up　here　to　search　Snape's　office！〃　s　aid　Ron　triumphantly；　looking　at　Hermione。
　　　〃Yes；　and　that　doesn't　make　sense　at　all；〃　said　Sirius。
　　　〃Yeah；　it　does！〃　said　Ron　excitedly；　but　Sirius　shook　his　head。
　　　〃Listen；　if　Crouch　wants　to　investigate　Snape；　why　hasn't　he　been　ing　to　judge　the　tournament？　It　would　be　an　ideal　excuse　to　make　regular　visits　to　Hogwarts　and　keep　an　eye　on　him。〃
　　　〃So　you　think　Snape　could　be　up　to　something；　then？〃　asked　Harry；　but　Hermione　broke　in。
　　　〃Look；　I　don't　care　what　you　say；　Dumbledore　trusts　Snape…〃
　　　〃Oh　give　it　a　rest；　Hermione；〃　said　Ron　impatiently。　〃I　know　Dumbledores　brilliant　and　everything；　but　that　doesn't　mean　a　really　clever　Dark　wizard　couldn't　fool　him…〃
　　　〃Why　did　Snape　save　Harry's　life　in　the　first　year；　then？　Why　didn't　he　just　let　him　die？〃
　　　〃I　dunno…maybe　he　thought　Dumbledore　would　kick　him　out…〃
　　　〃What　d'you　think；　Sirius？〃　Harry　said　loudly；　and　Ron　and　Hermione　stopped　bickering　to　listen。
　　　〃I　think　they've　both　got　a　point；〃　said　Sirius；　looking　thoughtfully　at　Ron　and　Hermione。　〃Ever　since　I　found　out　Snape　was　teaching　here；　I've　wondered　why　Dumbledore　hired　him。　Snape's　always　been　fascinated　by　the　Dark　Arts；　he　was　famous　for　it　at　school。　Slimy；　oily；　greasy…haired　kid；　he　was；〃　Sirius　added；　and　Harry　and　Ron　grinned　at　each　other。　〃Snape　knew　more　curses　when　he　arrived　at　school　than　half　the　kids　in　seventh　year；　and　he　was　part　of　a　gang　of　Slytherins　who　nearly　all　turned　out　to　be　Death　Eaters。〃
　　　Sirius　held　up　his　fingers　and　began　ticking　off　names。
　　　〃Rosier　and　Wilkes…they　were　both　killed　by　Aurors　the　year　before　Voldemort　fell。　The　Lestranges…they're　a　married　couple…they're　in　Azkaban。　Avery…from　what　I've　heard　he　wormed　his　way　out　of　trouble　by　saying　he'd　been　acting　under　the　Imperius　Curse…he's　still　at　large。　But　as　far　as　I　know；　Snape　was　never　even　accused　of　being　a　Death　Eater…not　that　that　means　much。　Plenty　of　them　were　never　caught。　And　Snape　s　certainly　clever　and　cunning　enough　to　keep　himself　out　of　trouble。〃
　　　〃Snape　knows　Karkaroff　pretty　well；　but　he　wants　to　keep　that　quiet；〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃Yeah；　you　should've　seen　Snape's　face　when　Karkaroff　turned　up　in　Potions　yesterday！〃　said　Harry　quickly。　〃Karkaroff　wanted　to　talk　to　Snape；　he　says　Snape's　been　avoiding　him。　Karkaroff　looked　really　worried。　He　showed　Snape　something　on　his　arm；　but　I　couldn't　see　what　it　was。〃
　　　He　showed　Snape　something　on　his　arm？〃　said　Sirius；　looking　frankly　bewildered。　He　ran　his　fingers　distractedly　through　his　filthy　hair；　then　shrugged　again。　〃Well；　I've　no　idea　what　that's　about。。。　but　if　Karkaroff　s　genuinely　worried；　and　he's　going　to　Snape　for　answers　。。。〃
　　　Sirius　stared　at　the　cave　wall；　then　made　a　grimace　of　frustration。
　　　〃There's　still　the　fact　that　Dumbledore　trusts　Snape；　and　I　know　Dumbledore　trusts　where　a　lot　of　other　people　wouldn't；　but　I　just　can't　see　him　letting　Snape　teach　at　Hogwarts　if　he'd　ever　worked　for　Voldemort。〃
　　　〃Why　are　Moody　and　Crouch　so　keen　to　get　into　Snapes　office　then？〃　said　Ron　stubbornly。
　　　〃Well；〃　said　Sirius　slowly；　〃I　wouldn't　put　it　past　Mad…Eye　to　have　searched　every　single　teacher's　office　when　he　got　to　Hogwarts。　He　takes　his　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　seriously；　Moody。　I'm　not　sure　he　trusts　anyone　at　all；　and　after　the　things　he's　seen；　it's　not　surprising。　I'll　say　this　for　Moody；　though；　he　never　killed　if　he　could　help　it。　Always　brought　people　in　alive　where　possible。　He　was　tough；　but　he　never　descended　to　the　level　of　the　Death　Eaters。　Crouch；　though。。。　he's　a　different　matter　。。。is　he　really　ill？　If　he　is；　why　did　he　make　the　effort　to　drag　himself　up　to　Snape's　office？　And　if　he's　not。。。　what's　he　up　to？　What　was　he　doing　at　the　World　Cup　that　was　so　important　he　didn't　turn　up　in　the　Top　Box？　What's　he　been　doing　while　he　should　have　been　judging　the　tournament？〃
　　　Sirius　lapsed　into　silenc