jkrowling.hp&theorderofphenix-第37部分

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y　Boardman；　lead　singer　of　popular　singing　group　The　Hobgoblins；　who　retired　from　public　life　after　being　struck　on　the　ear　by　a　turnip　at　a　concert　in　Little　Norton　Church　Hall　nearly　fifteen　years　ago。　I　recognised　him　the　moment　I　saw　his　picture　in　the　paper。　Now；　Stubby　couldn't　possibly　have　mitted　those　crimes；　because　on　the　day　in　question　he　happened　to　be　enjoying　a　romantic　candlelit　dinner　with　me。　I　have　written　to　the　Minister　for　Magic　and　am　expecting　him　to　give　Stubby；　alias　…Sirius；　a　full　pardon　any　day　now。'
　　　
　　　Harry　finished　reading　and　stared　at　the　page　in　disbelief。　Perhaps　it　was　a　joke；　he　thought；　perhaps　the　magazine　often　printed　spoof　Hems。　He　flicked　back　a　few　pages　and　found　the　piece　on　Fudge。
　　　Cornelius　Fudge；　the　Minister　for　Magic；　denied　that　he　had　any　plans　to　take　over　the　running　of　the　Wizarding　Bank；　Gringotts；　when　he　was　elected　Minister　for　Magic　five　years　ago。　Fudge　has　always　insisted　that　he　wants　nothing　more　than　to　'co…operate　peacefully'　with　the　guardians　of　our　gold。
　　　BUT　DOES　HE？
　　　
　　　Sources　close　to　the　Minister　have　recently　disclosed　that　Fudge's　dearest　ambition　is　to　seize　control　of　the　goblin　gold　supplies　and　that　he　will　not　hesitate　to　use　force　if　need　be。
　　　It　wouldn't　be　the　first　time；　either；'　said　a　Ministry　insider。　'Cornelius　〃Goblin…Crusher〃　Fudge；　that's　what　his　friends　call　him。　If　you　could　hear　him　when　he　thinks　no　one's　listening；　oh；　he's　always　talking　about　the　goblins　he's　had　done　in；　he's　had　them　drowned；　he's　had　them　dropped　off　buildings；　he's　had　them　poisoned；　he's　had　them　cooked　in　pies：〃
　　　
　　　Harry　did　not　read　any　further。　Fudge　might　have　many　faults　but　Harry　found　it　extremely　hard　to　imagine　him　ordering　goblins　to　be　cooked　in　pies。　He　flicked　through　the　rest　of　the　magazine。　Pausing　every　few　pages；　he　read：　an　accusation　that　the　Tutshill　Tornados　were　winning　the　Quidditch　League　by　a　bination　of　blackmail；　illegal　broom…tampering　and　torture；　an　interview　with　a　wizard　who　claimed　to　have　flown　to　the　moon　on　a　Cleansweep　Six　and　brought　back　a　bag　of　moon　frogs　to　prove　it；　and　an　article　on　ancient　runes　which　at　least　explained　why　Luna　had　been　reading　The　Quibbler　upside…down。　According　to　the　magazine；　if　you　turned　the　runes　on　their　heads　they　revealed　a　spell　to　make　your　enemy's　ears　turn　into　kumquats。　In　fact；　pared　to　the　rest　of　the　articles　in　The　Quibbler；　the　suggestion　that　Sirius　might　really　be　the　lead　singer　of　The　Hobgoblins　was　quite　sensible。
　　　'Anything　good　in　there？'　asked　Ron　as　Harry　closed　the　magazine。
　　　'Of　course　not；'　said　Hermione　scathingly；　before　Harry　could　answer。　The　Quibbler's　rubbish；　everyone　knows　that。'
　　　
　　　'Excuse　me；'　said　Luna；　her　voice　had　suddenly　lost　its　dreamy　quality。　'My　father's　the　editor。'
　　　
　　　'I　…　oh；'　said　Hermione；　looking　embarrassed。　'Well：　it's　got　some　interesting：　I　mean；　it's　quite：〃
　　　
　　　'I'll　have　it　back；　thank　you；'　said　Luna　coldly；　and　leaning　forwards　she　snatched　it　out　of　Harry's　hands。　Riffling　through　it　to　page　fifty…seven；　she　turned　it　resolutely　upside…down　again　and　disappeared　behind　it；　just　as　the　partment　door　opened　for　the　third　time。
　　　Harry　looked　around；　he　had　expected　this；　but　that　did　not　make　the　sight　of　Draco　Malfoy　smirking　at　him　from　between　his　cronies　Crabbe　and　Goyle　any　more　enjoyable…。
　　　'What？'　he　said　aggressively；　before　Malfoy　could　open　his　mouth。
　　　'Manners；　Potter；　or　I'll　have　to　give　you　a　detention；'　drawled　Malfoy；　whose　sleek　blond　hair　and　pointed　chin　were　just　like　his　fathers。　'You　see；　I；　unlike　you；　have　been　made　a　prefect；　which　means　that　I；　unlike　you；　have　the　power　to　hand　out　punishments。'
　　　
　　　'Yeah；'　said　Harry；　'but　you；　unlike　me；…are　a　git；　so　get　out　and　leave　us　alone。'
　　　
　　　Ron；　Hermione；　Ginny　and　Neville　laughed。　Malfoy's　lip　curled。
　　　'Tell　me；　how　does　it　feel　being　second…best　to　Weasley；　Potter？'　he　asked。
　　　'Shut　up；　Malfoy；'　said　Hermione　sharply。
　　　'I　seem　to　have　touched　a　nerve；'　said　Malfoy；　smirking。　'Well；　just　watch　yourself；　Potter；　because　I'll　be　dogging　your　footsteps　in　case　you　step　out　of　line。'
　　　
　　　'Get　out！'　said　Hermione；　standing　up。
　　　Sniggering；　Malfoy　gave　Harry　a　last　malicious　look　and　departed；　with　Crabbe　and　Goyle　lumbering　along　in　his　wake。　Hermione　slammed　the　partment　door　behind　them　and　turned　to　look　at　Harry；　who　knew　at　once　that　she；　like　him；　had　registered　what　Malfoy　had　said　and　been　just　as　unnerved　by　it。
　　　'Chuck　us　another　Frog；'　said　Ron；　who　had　clearly　noticed　nothing。
　　　Harry　could　not　talk　freely　in　front　of　Neville　and　Luna。　He　exchanged　another　nervous　look　with　Hermione；　then　stared　out　of　the　window。
　　　He　had　thought　Sirius　ing　with　him　to　the　station　was　a　bit　of　a　laugh；　but　suddenly　it　seemed　reckless；　if　not　downright　dangerous：　Hermione　had　been　right：　Sirius　should　not　have　e。　What　if　Mr　Malfoy　had　noticed　the　black　dog　and　told　Draco？　What　if　he　had　deduced　that　the　Weasleys；　Lupin；　Tonks　and　Moody　knew　where　Sirius　was　hiding？　Or　had　Malfoy's　use　of　the　word　'dogging'　been　a　coincidence？
　　　
　　　The　weather　remained　undecided　as　they　travelled　further　and　further　north。　Rain　spattered　the　windows　in　a　half…hearted　way；　then　the　sun　put　in　a　feeble　appearance　before　clouds　drifted　over　it　once　more。　When　darkness　fell　and　lamps　came　on　inside　the　carriages；　Luna　rolled　up　The　Quibbler；　put　it　carefully　away　in　her　bag　and　took　to　staring　at　everyone　in　the　partment　instead。
　　　Harry　was　sitting　with　his　forehead　pressed　against　the　train　window；　trying　to　get　a　first　distant　glimpse　of　Hogwarts；　but　it　was　a　moonless　night　and　the　rain…streaked　window　was　grimy。
　　　'We'd　better　change；'　said　Hermione　at　last；　and　all　of　them　opened　their　trunks　with　difficulty　and　pulled　on　their　school　robes。　She　and　Ron　pinned　their　prefect　badges　carefully　to　their　chests。　Harry　saw　Ron　checking　his　reflection　in　the　black　window。
　　　At　last；　the　train　began　to　slow　down　and　they　heard　the　usual　racket　up　and　down　it　as　everybody　scrambled　to　get　their　luggage　and　pets　assembled；　ready　to　get　off。　As　Ron　and　Hermione　were　supposed　to　supervise　all　this；　they　disappeared　from　the　carriage　again；　leaving　Harry　and　the　others　to　look　after　Crookshanks　and　Pigwidgeon。
　　　I'll　carry　that　owl；　if　you　like；'　said　Luna　to　Harry；　reaching　out　for　Pigwidgeon　as　Neville　stowed　Trevor　carefully　in　an　inside　pocket。
　　　'Oh　…　er　…　thanks；'　said　Harry；　handing　her　the　cage　and　hoisting　Hedwig's　more　securely　into　his　arms。
　　　They　shuffled　out　of　the　partment　feeling　the　first　sting　of　the　night　air　on　their　faces　as　they　joined　the　crowd　in　the　corridor。　Slowly；　they　moved　towards　the　doors。　Harry　could　smell　the　pine　trees　that　lined　the　path　down　to　the　lake。　He　stepped　down　on　to　the　platform　and　looked　around；　listening　for　the　familiar　call　of　'firs'…years　over　'ere：　firs'…years：'
　　　
　　　But　it　did　not　e。　Instead；　a　quite　different　voice；　a　brisk　female　one；　was　calling　out；　〃First…years　line　up　over　here；　please！　All　first…years　to　me！'
　　　
　　　A　lantern　came　swinging　towards　Harry　and　by　its　light　he　saw　the　prominent　chin　and　severe　haircut　of　Professor　Grubbly…Plank；　the　witch　who　had　taken　over　Hagrid's　Care　of　Magical　Creatures　lessons　for　a　while　the　previous　year。
　　　'Where's　Hagrid？'　he　said　out　loud。
　　　'I　don't　know；'　said　Ginny；　'but　we'd　better　get　out　of　the　way；　we're　blocking　the　door。'
　　　
　　　'Oh；　yeah：'
　　　
　　　Harry　and　Ginny　became　separated　as　they　moved　off　along　the　platform　and　out　through　the　station。　Jostled　by　the　crowd；　Harry　squinted　through　the　darkness　for　a　glimpse　of　Hagrid；　he　had　to　be　here；　Harry　had　been　relying　on　it　…　seeing　Hagrid　again　was　one　of　the　things　he'd　been　looking　forward　to　most。　But　there　was　no　sign　of　him。
　　　He　can't　have　left；　Harry　told　himself　as　he　shuffled　slowly　through　a　narrow　doorway　on　to　the　road　outside　with　the　rest　of　the　crowd。　He's　just　got　a　cold　or　something：
　　　
　　　He　looked　around　for　Ron　or　Hermione；　wanting　to　know　what　they　thought　about　the　reappearance　of　Professor　Grubbly…Plank；　but　neither　of　them　was　anywhere　near　him；　so　he　allowed　himself　to　be　shunted　forwards　on　to　the　dark　rain…washed　road　outside　Hogsmeade　Station。
　　　Here　stood　the　hundred　or　so　horseless　stagecoaches　that　always　took　the　students　above　first　year　up　to　the　castle。　Harry　glanced　quickly　at　them；　turned　away　to　keep　a　lookout　for　Ron　and　Hermione；　then　did　a　double…take。
　　　The　coaches　were　no　longer　horseless。　There　were　creatures　standing　between　the　carriage　shafts。　If　he　had　had　to　give　them　a　name；　he　supposed　he　would　have　called　them　horses；　though　there　was　something　reptilian　about　them；　too。　They　were　pletely　fleshless；　their　black　coats　clinging　to　their　skeletons；　of　which　every　bone　was　visible。　Their　heads　were　dragonish；　and　their　pupil…less　eyes　white　and　staring。　Wings　sprouted　from　each　wither　…　vast；　black　leathery　wings　that　looked　as　though　they　ought　to　belong　to　giant　bats。　Standing　still　and　quiet　in　the　gathering　gloom；　the　creatures　looked　eerie　and　sinister。　Harry　could　not　understand　why　the　coaches　were　being　pulled　by　these　horrible　horses　when　they　were　quite　capabl