jkrowlingharrypotterandpa-第37部分

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　　　There　was　a　loud　and　impatient　〃tuh〃　from　behind　them。　It　was　Hermione；　who　had　been　sitting　at　the　feet　of　a　suit　of　armor；　repacking　her　bag；　which　was　so　full　of　books　it　wouldn't　close。
　　　〃And　what　are　you　tutting　at　us　for？〃　said　Ron　irritably。
　　　〃Nothing；〃　said　Hermione　in　a　lofty　voice；　heaving　her　bag　back　over　her　shoulder。
　　　〃Yes；　you　were；〃　said　Ron。　〃I　said　I　wonder　what's　wrong　with　Lupin；　and　you　…〃
　　　〃Well；　isn't　it　obvious？〃　said　Hermione；　with　a　look　of　maddening　superiority。
　　　〃If　you　don't　want　to　tell　us；　don't；〃　snapped　Ron。
　　　〃Fine；〃　said　Hermione　haughtily；　and　she　marched　off。
　　　〃She　doesn't　know；〃　said　Ron；　staring　resentfully　after　Hermione。　〃She's　just　trying　to　get　us　to　talk　to　her　again。〃
　　　At　eight　o'clock　on　Thursday　evening；　Harry　left　Gryffindor　Tower　for　the　History　of　Magic　classroom。　It　was　dark　and　empty　when　he　arrived；　but　he　lit　the　lamps　with　his　wand　and　had　waited　only　five　minutes　when　Professor　Lupin　turned　up；　carrying　a　large　packing　case；　which　he　heaved　onto　Professor　Binn's　desk。
　　　〃What's　that？〃　said　Harry。
　　　〃Another　boggart；〃　said　Lupin；　stripping　off　his　cloak。　〃I've　been　bing　the　castle　ever　since　Tuesday；　and　very　luckily；　I　found　this　one　lurking　inside　Mr。　Filch's　filing　cabinet。　It's　the　nearest　we'll　get　to　a　real　dementor。　The　boggart　will　turn　into　a　dementor　when　he　sees　you；　so　we'll　be　able　to　practice　on　him。　I　can　store　him　in　my　office　when　we're　not　using　him；　there's　a　cupboard　under　my　desk　he'll　like。〃
　　　〃Okay；〃　said　Harry；　trying　to　sound　as　though　he　wasn't　apprehensive　at　all　and　merely　glad　that　Lupin　had　found　such　a　good　substitute　for　a　real　dementor。
　　　〃So。。。〃　Professor　Lupin　had　taken　out　his　own　wand；　and　indicated　that　Harry　should　do　the　same。　〃The　spell　I　am　going　to　try　and　teach　you　is　highly　advanced　magic；　Harry…well　beyond　ordinary　Wizarding　Level。　It　is　called　the　Patronus　Charm。〃
　　　〃How　does　it　work？〃　said　Harry　nervously。
　　　〃Well；　when　it　works　correctly；　It　conjures　up　a　Patronus；〃　said　Lupin；　〃which　is　a　kind　of　antidementor…a　guardian　that　acts　as　a　shield　between　you　and　the　dementor。〃
　　　Harry　had　a　sudden　vision　of　himself　crouching　behind　a　Hagridsized　figure　holding　a　large　club。　Professor　Lupin　continued；　〃The　Patronus　is　a　kind　of　positive　force；　a　projection　of　the　very　things　that　the　dementor　feeds　upon…hope；　happiness；　the　desire　to　survive…but　it　cannot　feel　despair；　as　real　humans　can；　so　the　dementors　can't　hurt　it。　But　I　must　warn　you；　Harry；　that　the　charm　might　be　too　advanced　for　you。　Many　qualified　wizards　have　difficulty　with　it。〃
　　　〃What　does　a　Patronus　look　like？〃　said　Harry　curiously。
　　　〃Each　one　is　unique　to　the　wizard　who　conjures　it。〃
　　　〃And　how　do　you　conjure　it？〃
　　　〃With　an　incantation；　which　will　work　only　if　you　are　concentrating；　with　all　your　might；　on　a　single；　very　happy　memory。〃
　　　Harry　cast　his　mind　about　for　a　happy　memory。　Certainly；　nothing　that　had　happened　to　him　at　the　Dursleys'　was　going　to　do。　Finally；　he　settled　on　the　moment　when　he　had　first　ridden　a　broomstick。
　　　〃Right；〃　he　said；　trying　to　recall　as　exactly　as　possible　the　wonderful；　soaring　sensation　of　his　stomach。
　　　〃The　incantation　is　this　…〃　Lupin　cleared　his　throat。　〃Expecto　patronum！〃
　　　〃Expecto　patronum；　〃　Harry　repeated　under　his　breath；　〃expecto　patronum。〃
　　　〃Concentrating　hard　on　your　happy　memory？〃
　　　〃Oh…yeah　…〃　said　Harry；　quickly　forcing　his　thoughts　back　to　that　first　broom　ride。　〃Expecto　patrono…no；　patronum…sorry…expecto　patronum；　expecto　patronum〃
　　　Something　whooshed　suddenly　out　of　the　end　of　his　wand；　it　looked　like　a　wisp　of　silvery　gas。
　　　〃Did　you　see　that？〃　said　Harry　excitedly。　〃Something　happened！〃
　　　〃Very　good；〃　said　Lupin；　smiling。　〃Right；　then…ready　to　try　it　on　a　dementor？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　Harry　said；　gripping　his　wand　very　tightly；　and　moving　into　the　middle　of　the　deserted　classroom。　He　tried　to　keep　his　mind　on　flying；　but　something　else　kept　intruding。。。　Any　second　now；　he　might　hear　his　mother　again。。。　but　he　shouldn't　think　that；　or　he　would　hear　her　again；　and　he　didn't　want　to。。。　or　did　he？
　　　Lupin　grasped　the　lid　of　the　packing　case　and　pulled。
　　　A　dementor　rose　slowly　from　the　box；　its　hooded　face　turned　toward　Harry；　one　glistening；　scabbed　hand　gripping　its　cloak。　The　lamps　around　the　classroom　flickered　and　went　out。　The　dementor　stepped　from　the　box　and　started　to　sweep　silently　toward　Harry；　drawing　a　deep；　rattling　breath。　A　wave　of　piercing　cold　broke　over　him　…
　　　〃Expecto　patronum！〃　Harry　yelled。　〃Expecto　patronum！　Expecto　…〃
　　　But　the　classroom　and　the　dementor　were　dissolving。。。　Harry　was　failing　again　through　thick　white　fog；　and　his　mother's　voice　was　louder　than　ever；　echoing　inside　his　head…〃Not　Harry！　Not　Harry！　please…I'll　do　anything！〃
　　　〃Stand　aside。　Stand　aside；　girl！〃
　　　〃Harry！〃
　　　Harry　jerked　back　to　life。　He　was　lying　flat　on　his　back　on　the　floor。　The　classroom　lamps　were　alight　again。　He　didn't　have　to　ask　what　had　happened。
　　　〃Sorry；〃　he　muttered；　sitting　up　and　feeling　cold　sweat　trickling　down　behind　his　glasses。
　　　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　said　Lupin。
　　　〃Yes。。。〃　Harry　pulled　himself　up　on　one　of　the　desks　and　leaned　against　it。
　　　〃Here　…〃　Lupin　handed　him　a　Chocolate　Frog。　〃Eat　this　before　we　try　again。　I　didn't　expect　you　to　do　it　your　first　time；　in　fact；　I　would　have　been　astounded　if　you　had。〃
　　　〃It's　getting　worse；〃　Harry　muttered；　biting　off　the　Frog's　head。　〃I　could　hear　her　louder　that　time…and　him…Voldemort
　　　Lupin　looked　paler　than　usual。；
　　　〃Harry；　if　you　don't　want　to　continue；　I　will　more　than　understand　…〃
　　　〃I　do！〃　said　Harry　fiercely；　stuffing　the　rest　of　the　Chocolate　Frog　into　his　mouth。　〃I've　got　to！　What　if　the　dementors　turn　up　at　our　match　against　Ravenclaw？　I　can't　afford　to　fall　off　again。　If　we　lose　this　game　we've　lost　the　Quidditch　Cup！〃
　　　〃All　right　then。。。　〃　said　Lupin。　〃You　might　want　to　select　'other　memory；　a　happy　memory；　I　mean；　to　concentrate　on。。。　That　one　doesn't　seem　to　have　been　strong　enough。。。〃
　　　Harry　thought　hard　and　decided　his　feelings　when　Gryffindor　had　won　the　House　Championship　last　year　had　definitely　qualified　as　very　happy。　He　gripped　his　wand　tightly　again　and　took　up　his　position　in　the　middle　of　the　classroom。
　　　〃Ready？〃　said　Lupin；　gripping　the　box　lid。
　　　〃Ready；〃　said　Harry；　trying　hard　to　fill　his　head　with　happy　thoughts　about　Gryffindor　winning；　and　not　dark　thoughts　about　what　was　going　to　happen　when　the　box　opened。
　　　〃Go！〃　said　Lupin；　pulling　off　the　lid。　The　room　went　icily　cold　and　dark　once　more。　The　dementor　glided　forward；　drawing　its　breath；　one　rotting　hand　was　extending　toward　Harry　…
　　　〃Expecto　patronum！〃　Harry　yelled。　〃Expecto　patronum！　Expecto　Pat　…〃
　　　White　fog　obscured　his　senses。。。　big；　blurred　shapes　were　moving　around　him。。。　then　came　a　new　voice；　a　man's　voice；　shouting；　panicking　…
　　　〃Lily；　take　Harry　and　go！　It's　him！　Go！　Run！　I'll　hold　him　off　…〃
　　　The　sounds　of　someone　stumbling　ftom　a　room…a　door　bursting　open…a　cackle　of　highpitched　laughter　…
　　　〃Harry！　Harry。。。　wake　up。。。〃
　　　Lupin　was　tapping　Harry　hard　on　the　face。　This　time　it　was　a　minute　before　Harry　understood　why　he　was　lying　on　a　dusty　classroom　floor。
　　　〃I　heard　my　dad；〃　Harry　mumbled。　〃That's　the　first　time　I've　ever　heard　him…he　tried　to　take　on　Voldemort　himself；　to　give　my　mum　time　to　run　for　it。。。〃
　　　Harry　suddenly　realized　that　there　were　tears　on　his　face　mingling　with　the　sweat。　He　bent　his　face　as　low　as　possible；　wiping　them　off　on　his　robes；　pretending　to　do　up　his　shoelace；　so　that　Lupin　wouldn't　see。
　　　〃You　heard　James？〃　said　Lupin　in　a　strange　voice。
　　　〃Yeah。。。〃　Face　dry；　Harry　looked　up。　〃Why…you　didn't　know　my　dad；　did　you？〃
　　　〃I…I　did；　as　a　matter　of　fact；〃　said　Lupin。　〃We　were　friends　at　Hogwarts。　Listen；　Harry…perhaps　we　should　leave　it　here　for　tonight。　This　charm　is　ridiculously　advanced。。。　I　shouln't　have　suggested　putting　you　through　this。。。〃
　　　〃No！〃　said　Harry。　He　got　up　again。　〃I'll　have　one　more　go！　I'm　not　thinking　of　happy　enough　things；　that's　what　it　is。。。　Hang　on。。。〃
　　　He　racked　his　brains。　A　really；　really　happy　memory。。。　one　that　he　could　turn　into　a　good；　strong　Patronus。。。
　　　The　moment　when　he'd　first　found　out　he　was　a　wizard；　and　would　be　leaving　the　Dursleys　for　Hogwarts！　If　that　wasn't　a　happy　memory；　he　didn't　know　what　was。。。　Concentrating　very　hard　on　how　he　had　felt　when　he'd　realized　he'd　be　leaving　Privet　Drive；　Harry　got　to　his　feet　and　faced　the　packing　case　once　more。
　　　〃Ready？〃　said　Lupin；　who　looked　as　though　he　were　doing　this　against　his　better　judgment。　〃Concentrating　hard？　All　right…go！〃
　　　He　pulled　off　the　lid　of　the　case　for　the　third　time；　and　the　dementor　rose　out　of　it；　the　room　fell　cold　and　dark
　　　'EXPECTO　PATRONUM！〃　Harry　bellowed。　〃EXPECTO　PATRONUM！　EXPECTO　PATRONUM！　〃
　　　The　screaming　inside　Harry's　head　had　started　again…except　this　time；　it　sounded　as　though　it　were　ing　from　a　badly　tuned　radio…softer　and　louder　and　softer　again…and　he　could　still　see　the　dementor…it　had　halted…and　then　a　huge；　silver　shadow　came　bursting　out　of　the　end　of　Harry's　wand；　to　hover　between　him　and　the　dementor；　and　though　Harry's　legs　felt　like　water；　he　was　still　on　hi