4.harry potter and the goblet of fire-第108部分

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nally；　he　said；　with　a　hint　of　a　plea　in　his　voice；　〃He　can't　be　back；　Dumbledore；　he　just　can't　be　。。。〃
　　Snape　strode　forward；　past　Dumbledore；　pulling　up　the　left　sleeve　of　his　robes　as　he　went。　He　stuck　out　his　forearm　and　showed　it　to　Fudge；　who　recoiled。
　　〃There；〃　said　Snape　harshly。　〃There。　The　Dark　Mark。　It　is　not　as　clear　as　it　was　an　hour　or　so　ago；　when　it　burned　black；　but　you　can　still　see　it。　Every　Death　Eater　had　the　sign　burned　into　him　by　the　Dark　Lord。　It　was　a　means　of　distinguishing　one　another；　and　his　means　of　summoning　us　to　him。　When　he　touched　the　Mark　of　any　Death　Eater；　we　were　to　Disapparate；　and　Apparate；　instantly；　at　his　side。　This　Mark　has　been　growing　clearer　all　year。　Karkaroff　s　too。　Why　do　you　think　Karkaroff　fled　tonight？　We　both　felt　the　Mark　burn。　We　both　knew　he　had　returned。　Karkaroff　fears　the　Dark　Lord's　vengeance。　He　betrayed　too　many　of　his　fellow　Death　Eaters　to　be　sure　of　a　wele　back　into　the　fold。〃
　　Fudge　stepped　back　from　Snape　too。　He　was　shaking　his　head。　He　did　not　seem　to　have　taken　in　a　word　Snape　had　said。　He　stared；　apparently　repelled　by　the　ugly　mark　on　Snape's　arm；　then　looked　up　at　Dumbledore　and　whispered；　〃I　don't　know　what　you　and　your　staff　are　playing　at；　Dumbledore；　but　I　have　heard　enough。　I　have　no　more　to　add。　I　will　be　in　touch　with　you　tomorrow；　Dumbledore；　to　discuss　the　running　of　this　school。　I　must　return　to　the　Ministry。〃
　　He　had　almost　reached　the　door　when　he　paused。　He　turned　around；　strode　back　down　the　dormitory；　and　stopped　at　Harry's　bed。
　　〃Your　winnings；〃　he　said　shortly；　taking　a　large　bag　of　gold　out　of　his　pocket　and　dropping　it　onto　Harrys　bedside　table。　〃One　thousand　Galleons。　There　should　have　been　a　presentation　ceremony；　but　under　the　circumstances　。。　。〃
　　He　crammed　his　bowler　hat　onto　his　head　and　walked　out　of　the　room；　slamming　the　door　behind　him。　The　moment　he　had　disappeared；　Dumbledore　turned　to　look　at　the　group　around　Harry's　bed。
　　〃There　is　work　to　be　done；〃　he　said。　〃Molly。。。　am　I　right　in　thinking　that　I　can　count　on　you　and　Arthur？〃
　　〃Of　course　you　can；〃　said　Mrs。　Weasley。　She　was　white　to　the　lips；　but　she　looked　resolute。　〃We　know　what　Fudge　is。　It's　Arthur's　fondness　for　Muggles　that　has　held　him　back　at　the　Ministry　all　these　years。　Fudge　thinks　he　lacks　proper　wizarding　pride。〃
　　〃Then　I　need　to　send　a　message　to　Arthur；〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃All　those　that　we　can　persuade　of　the　truth　must　be　notified　immediately；　and　he　is　well　placed　to　contact
　　those　at　the　Ministry　who　are　not　as　shortsighted　as　Cornelius。〃
　　〃I'll　go　to　Dad；〃　said　Bill；　standing　up。　〃I'll　go　now。〃
　　〃Excellent；〃　said　Dumbledore。　〃Tell　him　what　has　happened。　Tell　him　I　will　be　in　direct　contact　with　him　shortly。　He　will　need　to　be　discreet；　however。　If　Fudge　thinks　I　am　interfering　at　the　Ministry　…〃
　　〃Leave　it　to　me；〃　said　Bill。
　　He　clapped　a　hand　on　Harry's　shoulder；　kissed　his　mother　on　the　cheek；　pulled　on　his　cloak；　and　strode　quickly　from　the　room。
　　〃Minerva；〃　said　Dumbledore；　turning　to　Professor　McGonagall；　〃I　want　to　see　Hagrid　in　my　office　as　soon　as　possible。　Also　…　if　she　will　consent　to　e　…　Madame　Maxime。〃
　　Professor　McGonagall　nodded　and　left　without　a　word。
　　〃Poppy；〃　Dumbledore　said　to　Madam　Pomfrey；　〃would　you　be　very　kind　and　go　down　to　Professor　Moodys　office；　where　I　think　you　will　find　a　house…elf　called　Winky　in　considerable　distress？　Do　what　you　can　for　her；　and　take　her　back　to　the　kitchens。　I　think　Dobby　will　look　after　her　for　us。〃
　　〃Very　…　very　well；〃　said　Madam　Pomfrey；　looking　startled；　and　she　too　left。
　　Dumbledore　made　sure　that　the　door　was　closed；　and　that　Madam　Pomfrey's　footsteps　had　died　away；　before　he　spoke　again。
　　〃And　now；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　time　for　two　of　our　number　to　recognize　each　other　for　what　they　are。　Sirius　。。。　if　you　could　resume　your　usual　form。〃
　　The　great　black　dog　looked　up　at　Dumbledore；　then；　in　an　instant；　turned　back　into　a　man。
　　Mrs。　Weasley　screamed　and　leapt　back　from　the　bed。
　　〃Sirius　Black！〃　she　shrieked；　pointing　at　him。
　　〃Mum；　shut　up！〃　Ron　yelled。　〃It's　okay！〃
　　Snape　had　not　yelled　or　jumped　backward；　but　the　look　on　his　face　was　one　of　mingled　fury　and　horror。
　　〃Him！〃　he　snarled；　staring　at　Sirius；　whose　face　showed　equal　dislike。　〃What　is　he　doing　here？〃
　　〃He　is　here　at　my　invitation；〃　said　Dumbledore；　looking　between　them；　〃as　are　you；　Severus。　I　trust　you　both。　It　is　time　for　you　to　lay　aside　your　old　differences　and　trust　each　other。〃
　　Harry　thought　Dumbledore　was　asking　for　a　near　miracle。　Sirius　and　Snape　were　eyeing　each　other　with　the　utmost　loathing。
　　〃I　will　settle；　in　the　short　term；〃　said　Dumbledore；　with　a　bite　of　impatience　in　his　voice；　〃for　a　lack　of　open　hostility。　You　will　shake　hands。　You　are　on　the　same　side　now。　Time　is　short；　and　unless　the　few　of　us　who　know　the　truth　do　not　stand　united；　there　is　no　hope　for　any　us。
　　Very　slowly　…　but　still　glaring　at　each　other　as　though　each　wished　the　other　nothing　but　ill　…　Sirius　and　Snape　moved　toward　each　other　and　shook　hands。　They　let　go　extremely　quickly。
　　〃That　will　do　to　be　going　on　with；〃　said　Dumbledore；　stepping　between　them　once　more。
　　〃Now　I　have　work　for　each　of　you。　Fudge's　attitude；　though　not　unexpected；　changes　everything。　Sirius；　I　need　you　to　set　off　at　once。　You　are　to　alert　Remus　Lupin；　Arabella　Figg；　Mundungus　Fletcher　…　the　old　crowd。　Lie　low　at　Lupin's　for　a　while；　I　will　contact　you　there。〃
　　〃But　…〃　said　Harry。
　　He　wanted　Sirius　to　stay。　He　did　not　want　to　have　to　say　goodbye　again　so　quickly。
　　〃You'll　see　me　very　soon。　Harry；〃　said　Sirius；　turning　to　him。　〃I　promise　you。　But　I　must　do　what　I　can；　you　understand；　don't　you？〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　said　Harry。　〃Yeah　。　。　。　of　course　I　do。〃
　　Sirius　grasped　his　hand　briefly；　nodded　to　Dumbledore；　transformed　again　into　the　black　dog；　and　ran　the　length　of　the　room　to　the　door；　whose　handle　he　turned　with　a　paw。　Then　he　was　gone。
　　〃Severus；〃　said　Dumbledore；　turning　to　Snape；　〃you　know　what　I　must　ask　you　to　do。　If　you　are　ready　。　。　。　if　you　are　prepared　。。。〃
　　〃I　am；〃　said　Snape。
　　He　looked　slightly　paler　than　usual；　and　his　cold；　black　eyes　glittered　strangely。
　　〃Then　good　luck；〃　said　Dumbledore；　and　he　watched；　with　a　trace　of　apprehension　on　his　face；　as　Snape　swept　wordlessly　after　Sirius。
　　It　was　several　minutes　before　Dumbledore　spoke　again。
　　〃I　must　go　downstairs；〃　he　said　finally。　〃I　must　see　the　Diggorys。　Harry　…　take　the　rest　of　your　potion。　I　will　see　all　of　you　later。〃
　　Harry　slumped　back　against　his　pillows　as　Dumbledore　disappeared。　Hermione；　Ron；　and　Mrs。　Weasley　were　all　looking　at　him。　None　of　them　spoke　for　a　very　long　time。
　　〃You've　got　to　take　the　rest　of　your　potion。　Harry；〃　Mrs。　Weasley　said　at　last。　Her　hand　nudged　the　sack　of　gold　on　his　bedside　cabinet　as　she　reached　for　the　bottle　and　the　goblet。　〃You　have　a　good　long　sleep。　Try　and　think　about　something　else　for　a　while　。　。
　　。　think　about　what　you're　going　to　buy　with　your　winnings！〃
　　〃I　don't　want　that　gold；〃　said　Harry　in　an　expressionless　voice。　〃You　have　it。　Anyone　can　have　it。　I　shouldn't　have　won　it。　It　should've　been　Cedric's。〃
　　The　thing　against　which　he　had　been　fighting　on　and　off　ever　since　he　had　e　out　of　the　maze　was　threatening　to　overpower　him。　He　could　feel　a　burning；　prickling　feeling　in　the　inner　corners　of　his　eyes。　He　blinked　and　stared　up　at　the　ceiling。
　　〃It　wasn't　your　fault。　Harry；〃　Mrs。　Weasley　whispered。
　　〃I　told　him　to　take　the　cup　with　me；〃　said　Harry。
　　Now　the　burning　feeling　was　in　his　throat　too。　He　wished　Ron　would　look　away。
　　Mrs。　Weasley　set　the　potion　down　on　the　bedside　cabinet；　bent　down；　and　put　her　arms　around　Harry。　He　had　no　memory　of　ever　being　hugged　like　this；　as　though　by　a　mother。
　　The　full　weight　of　everything　he　had　seen　that　night　seemed　to　fall　in　upon　him　as　Mrs。
　　Weasley　held　him　to　her。　His　mother　s　face；　his　father's　voice；　the　sight　of　Cedric；　dead　on　the　ground　all　started　spinning　in　his　head　until　he　could　hardly　bear　it；　until　he　was　screwing　up　his　face　against　the　howl　of　misery　fighting　to　get　out　of　him。
　　There　was　a　loud　slamming　noise；　and　Mrs。　Weasley　and　Harry　broke　apart。　Hermione　was　standing　by　the　window。　She　was　holding　something　tight　in　her　hand。
　　〃Sorry；〃　she　whispered。
　　〃Your　potion；　Harry；〃　said　Mrs。　Weasley　quickly；　wiping　her　eyes　on　the　back　of　her　hand。
　　Harry　drank　it　in　one　gulp。　The　effect　was　instantaneous。　Heavy；　irresistible　waves　of　dreamless　sleep　broke　over　him；　he　fell　back　onto　his　pillows　and　thought　no　more。
　　CHAPTER　THIRTY…SEVEN　…　THE　BEGINNING
　　When　he　looked　back；　even　a　month　later；　Harry　found　he　had　only　scattered　memories　of　the　next　few　days。　It　was　as　though　he　had　been　through　too　much　to　take　in　any　more。
　　The　recollections　he　did　have　were　very　painful。　The　worst；　perhaps；　was　the　meeting　with　the　Diggorys　that　took　place　the　following　morning。
　　They　did　not　blame　him　for　what　had　happened；　on　the　contrary；　both　thanked　him　for　returning　Cedric's　body　to　them。　Mr。　Diggory　sobbed　through　most　of　the　interview。　Mrs。
　　Diggory's　grief　seemed　to　be　beyond　tears。
　　〃He　suffered　very　little　then；〃　she　said；　when　Harry　had　told　her　how　Cedric　had　died。
　　〃And　after　all；　Amos　。。。　he　died　just　when　he'd　won　the　tournament。　He　must　have　been　happy。〃
　　When　they　got　to　their　feet；　she　looked　down　at　Harry　and　said；　〃You　look　after　yourself；　now。〃
　　Harry　seized　the　sack　of　gold　on　the　bedside　table。
　　〃You　take　this；〃　he　muttered　to　her。　〃It　should've　been　Cedric's；　he　got　there　first；　you　take　it　…〃
　　But　she　backed　away　from　him。
　　〃Oh　no；　it's　yours；　dear；　I　couldn't。　。　。　you　keep　it。〃
　　Harry　returned　to　Gryffindor　Tower　the　following　evening。　From　what　Hermione　and　Ron　told　him；　Dumbledore　had　spoken　to　the　school　that　morning　at　breakfast。　He　had　merely　requested　that　they　leave　Harry　alone；　that　nobody　ask　him　questions　or　badger　him　to　tell　the　story　of　what　had　happened　in　the　maze。　Most　people；　he　noticed；　were　skirting　him　in　the　corridors；　avoiding　his　eyes。　Some　whispered　behind　their　hands　as　he　passed。
　　He　guessed　that　many　of　the