jkrowlingharrypotterandpa-第12部分

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s　seemed　almost　ordinary。　though　Harry　noticed　that　they　could　slide　through　gaps　that　Uncle　Vernon's　new　pany　car　certainly　couldn't　have　managed。　They　reached　King's　Cross　with　twenty　minutes　to　spare；　the　Ministry　drivers　found　them　trolleys；　unloaded　their　trunks；　touched　their　hats　in　salute　to　Mr。　Weasley；　and　drove　away；　somehow　managing　to　jump　to　the　head　of　an　unmoving　line　at　the　traffic　lights。
　　　Mr。　Weasley　kept　close　to　Harry's　elbow　all　the　way　into　the　station。
　　　〃Right　then；〃　he　said；　glancing　around　them。　〃Let's　do　this　in　pairs；　as　there　are　so　many　of　us。　I'll　go　through　first　with　Harry。〃
　　　Mr。　Weasley　strolled　toward　the　barrier　between　platforms　nine　and　ten；　pushing　Harry's　trolley　and　apparently　very　interested　in　the　InterCity　125　that　had　just　arrived　at　platform　nine。　With　a　meaningful　look　at　Harry；　he　leaned　casually　against　the　barrier。　Harry　imitated　him。
　　　In　a　moment；　they　had　fallen　sideways　through　the　solid　metal　onto　platform　nine　and　threequarters　and　looked　up　to　see　the　Hogwarts　Express；　a　scarlet　steam　engine；　puffing　smoke　over　a　platform　packed　with　witches　and　wizards　seeing　their　children　onto　the　train。
　　　Percy　and　Ginny　suddenly　appeared　behind　Harry。　They　were　panting　and　had　apparently　taken　the　barrier　at　a　run。
　　　〃Ah；　there's　Penelope！〃　said　Percy；　smoothing　his　hair　and　going　Pink　again。　Ginny　caught　Harry's　eye；　and　they　both　turned　away　to　hide　their　laughter　as　Percy　strode　over　to　a　girl　with　long；　curly　hair；　walking　with　his　chest　thrown　out　so　that　she　couldn't　miss　his　shiny　badge。　stood　back　to　let　him　on。　They　leaned　out　of　the　window　and　waved　at　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Weasley　until　the　train　turned　a　corner　and　blocked　them　from　view。
　　　〃I　need　to　talk　to　you　in　private；〃　Harry　muttered　to　Ron　and　Hermione　as　the　train　picked　up　speed。
　　　〃Go　away；　Ginny；〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃Oh；　that's　nice；〃　said　Ginny　huffily；　and　she　stalked　off。
　　　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　set　off　down　the　corridor；　looking　for　an　empty　partment；　but　all　were　full　except　for　the　one　at　the　very　end　of　the　train。
　　　This　had　only　one　occupant；　a　man　sitting　fast　asleep　next　to　the　window。　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　checked　on　the　threshold。　The　Hogwarts　Express　was　usually　reserved　for　students　and　they　had　never　seen　an　adult　there　before；　except　for　the　witch　who　pushed　the　food　cart。
　　　The　stranger　was　wearing　an　extremely　shabby　set　of　wizard's　robes　that　had　been　darned　in　several　places。　He　looked　ill　and　exhausted。　Though　quite　young；　his　light　brown　hair　was　flecked　with　gray。
　　　〃Who　d'you　reckon　he　is？〃　Ron　hissed　as　they　sat　down　and　slid　the　door　shut；　taking　the　seats　farthest　away　from　the　window。
　　　〃Professor　R。　J。　Lupin；〃　whispered　Hermione　at　once。
　　　〃How　d'you　know　that？〃
　　　〃It's　on　his　case；〃　she　replied；　pointing　at　the　luggage　rack　over　the　man's　head；　where　there　was　a　small；　battered　case　held　together　with　a　large　quantity　of　neatly　knotted　string。　The　name　Professor　R。　J。　Lupin　was　stamped　across　one　corner　in　peeling　letters。
　　　〃Wonder　what　he　teaches？〃　said　Ron；　frowning　at　Professor　Lupin's　pallid　profile。
　　　〃That's　obvious；〃　whispered　Hermione。　〃There's　only　one　vacancy；　isn't　there？　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts。〃
　　　Harry；　Ron；　and　Hermione　had　already　had　two　Defense　Against　the　Dark　Arts　teachers；　both　of　whom　had　lasted　only　one　year。　There　were　rumors　that　the　job　was　jinxed。
　　　〃well；　I　hope　he's　up　to　it；〃　said　Ron　doubtfully。　〃He　looks　like　on；　good　hex　would　finish　him　off；　doesn't　he？　Anyway。。。〃　He　turned　to　Harry。　〃What　were　you　going　to　tell　us？〃
　　　Harry　explained　all　about　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Weasley's　argument　and　the　warning　Mr。　Weasley　had　just　given　him。　When　he'd　finished；　Ron　looked　thunderstruck；　and　Hermione　had　her　hands　over　her　mouth。　She　finally　lowered　them　to　say；　〃Sirius　Black　escaped　to　e　after　you？　Oh；　Harry。。。　you'll　have　to　be　really；　really　careful。　don't　go　looking　for　trouble；　Harry　…〃
　　　〃I　Don't　go　looking　for　trouble；〃　said　Harry；　nettled。　〃Trouble　usually　finds　me。〃
　　　〃How　thick　would　Harry　have　to　be；　to　go　looking　for　a　nutter　who　wants　to　kill　him？〃　said　Ron　shakily。
　　　They　were　taking　the　news　worse　than　Harry　had　expected。　Both　Ron　and　Hermione　seemed　to　be　much　more　frightened　of　Black　than　he　was。
　　　〃No　one　knows　how　he　got　out　of　Azkaban；〃　said　Ron　unfortably。　〃No　one's　ever　done　it　before。　And　he　was　a　top…security　prisoner　too。〃
　　　〃But　they'll　catch　him；　won't　they？〃　said　Hermione　earnestly。　〃I　Mean；　they've　got　all　the　Muggles　looking　out　for　him　too。。。〃　〃What's　that　noise？〃　said　Ron　suddenly。
　　　A　faint；　tinny　sort　of　whistle　was　ing　from　somewhere。　The；　looked　all　around　the　partment。
　　　〃It's　ing　from　your　trunk；　Harry；〃　said　Ron；　standing　UP　and　reaching　into　the　luggage　rack。　A　moment　later　he　had　pulled　the　Pocket　Sneakoscope　out　from　between　Harry's　robes。　It　was　spinning　very　fast　in　the　palm　of　Ron's　hand　and　glowing　brilliantly。
　　　〃Is　that　a　Sneakoscope？〃　said　Hermione　interestedly；　standing　up　for　a　better　look。
　　　〃Yeah。。。　mind　you；　it's　a　very　cheap　one；〃　Ron　said。　〃It　went　haywire　just　as　I　was　tying　it　to　Errol's　leg　to　send　it　to　Harry。〃
　　　〃Were　you　doing　anything　untrustworthy　at　the　time？〃　said　Hermione　shrewdly。
　　　〃No！　Well。。。　I　wasn't　supposed　to　be　using　Errol。　You　know　he's　not　really　up　to　long　journeys。。。　but　how　else　was　I　supposed　to　get　Harry's　present　to　him？〃
　　　〃Stick　it　back　in　the　trunk；〃　Harry　advised　as　the　Sneakoscope　whistled　piercingly；　〃or　it'll　wake　him　up。〃
　　　He　nodded　toward　Professor　Lupin。　Ron　stuffed　the　Sneakoscope　into　a　particularly　horrible　pair　of　Uncle　Vernon's　old　socks；　which　deadened　the　sound；　then　closed　the　lid　of　the　trunk　on　it。
　　　〃We　could　get　it　checked　in　Hogsmeade；〃　said　Ron；　sitting　back　down。　〃They　sell　that　sort　of　thing　in　Dervish　and　Banges；　magical　instruments　and　stuff。　Fred　and　George　told　me。〃
　　　〃Do　you　know　much　about　Hogsmeade？〃　asked　Hermione　keenly。　〃I've　read　it's　the　only　entirely　non…Muggle　settlement　in　Britain　…〃
　　　〃Yeah；　I　think　it　is；〃　said　Ron　in　an　offhand　sort　of　way。
　　　〃But　that's　not　Why　I　want　to　go。　I　just　want　to　get　inside　Honey　Dukes。〃
　　　〃What's　that？〃　said　Hermione。
　　　〃It's　this　sweetshop；〃　said　Ron；　a　dreamy　look　ing　over　his　face；　〃where　they've　got　everything。。。　Pepper　Imps…they　make　you　smoke　at　the　mouth…and　great　fat　Chocoballs　full　of　strawberry　mousse　and　clotted　cream；　and　really　excellent　sugar　quills；　which　you　can　suck　in　class　and　just　look　like　you're　thinking　what　to　write　next　…〃
　　　〃But　Hogsmeade's　a　very　interesting　place；　isn't　it？〃　Hermione　pressed　on　eagerly。　〃In　Sites　of　Historical　Sorcery　it　says　the　inn　was　the　headquarters　for　the　1612　goblin　rebellion；　and　the　Shrieking　Shades　supposed　to　be　the　most　severely　haunted　building　in　Britain　…〃
　　　〃…　and　massive　sherbert　balls　that　make　you　levitate　a　few　inches　off　the　ground　while　you're　sucking　them；〃　said　Ron；　who　was　plainly　not　listening　to　a　word　Hermione　was　saying。
　　　Hermione　looked　around　at　Harry。
　　　〃Won't　it　be　nice　to　get　out　of　school　for　a　bit　and　explore　Hogsmeade？〃
　　　〃'Spect　it　will；〃　said　Harry　heavily。　〃You'll　have　to　tell　me　when　You've　found　out。〃
　　　〃What　d'you　mean？〃　said　Ron。
　　　〃I　can't　go。　The　Dursleys　didn't　sign　my　permission　form；　and　Fudge　wouldn't　either。〃
　　　Ron　looked　horrified。
　　　〃〃You're　not　allowed　to　e？　But…no　way…McGonagall　or　someone　will　give　you　permission…〃　musclely；　Crabbe　was　taller；　with　a　pudding…bowl　haircut　and　a　very　thick　neck；　Goyle　had　short；　bristly　hair　and　long；　gorilla…ish　arms。
　　　〃Well；　look　who　it　is；〃　said　Malfoy　in　his　usual　lazy　drawl；　pulling　open　the　partment　door。　〃Potty　and　the　Weasel。〃
　　　Crabbe　and　Goyle　chuckled　trollishly。
　　　〃I　heard　your　father　finally　got　his　hands　on　some　gold　this　summer；　Weasley；〃　said　Malfoy。　〃Did　your　mother　die　of　shock？〃
　　　Ron　stood　up　so　quickly　he　knocked　Crookshanks's　basket　to　the　floor。　Professor　Lupin　gave　a　snort。
　　　〃Who's　that？〃　said　Malfoy；　taking　an　automatic　step　backward　as　he　spotted　Lupin。
　　　〃New　teacher；〃　said　Harry；　who　got　to　his　feet；　too；　in　case　he　needed　to　hold　Ron　back。　〃What　were　you　saying；　Malfoy？〃
　　　Malfoy's　pale　eyes　narrowed；　he　wasn't　fool　enough　to　pick　a　fight　right　under　a　teacher's　nose。
　　　〃C'mon；〃　he　muttered　resentfully　to　Crabbe　and　Goyle；　and　they　disappeared。
　　　Harry　and　Ron　sat　down　again；　Ron　massaging　his　knuckles。
　　　〃I'm　not　going　to　take　any　crap　from　Malfoy　this　year；〃　he　said　angrily。　〃I　mean　it。　If　he　makes　one　more　crack　about　my　family；　I'm　going　to　get　hold　of　his　head　and　…〃
　　　Ron　made　a　violent　gesture　in　midair。
　　　〃Ron；〃　hissed　Hermione；　pointing　at　Professor　Lupin；　〃be　careful。。。〃
　　　But　Professor　Lupin　was　still　fast　asleep。
　　　The　rain　thickened　as　the　train　sped　yet　farther　north；　the　windows　were　now　a　solid；　shimmering　gray；　which　graduily　darkened　until　lanterns　flickered　into　life　all　along　the　corridors　and　over　the　luggage　racks。　The　train　rattled；　the　rain　hammered；　the　ind　roared；　but　still；　Professor　Lupin　slept。
　　　〃We　must　be　nearly　there；〃　said　Ron；　leaning　forward　to　look　past　Professor　Lupin　at　the　now　pletely　black　window。
　　　The　words　had　hardly　left　him　when　the　train　started　to　slow　down。
　　　〃Great；〃　said　Ron；　get